The Bad News Report

[caterpillar2]

3 hours ago, GeauxCLT said:

I thought we agreed to move opinionated rants to the coffe house? 

Absolutely. Some of these people should just stop ranting and go picket a restroom somewhere.

1 hour ago, Spartan said:

We did. If there's a direct connection to economic development then please post it here and keep the conversation on the topic of economic development. The law is highly controversial and people have strong opinions on it... Let's just keep it civil and share those opinions in the appropriate thread. 

The only way to keep it civil is to not have a different opinion than Silicon's and others that insult political parties and religions. I am not a republican nor religious, but silly exaggerated bitterness towards either is ignorant and going beyond discussion. It is beotchy and one sided. It's time to get on with other discussions. We are at the point of beating a dead horse.

[jednc]

21 hours ago, Silicon Dogwoods said:

Then if this isn't you, would you please speak up? Would you tell your church members the long-term damage this law is likely to do?

Charlotte is nothing more than red clay, gumption, bootstraps and luck. Over the years, it has built itself into an important city. It doesn't deserve this sucker punch by North Carolina Republicans. I have transgendered colleagues. A family in my church has a transgendered child. They don't deserve this, either. I must speak up for them.  And yes, I'm a gay man but my primary concerns are for Charlotte and transgendered colleagues and friends.

Charlotte has been made the whipping boy way too often in this state and I'm beyond tired of it, especially when we produce some 23% of the state's GDP. We have a very bright future but not if we're dragged backward for political reasons and held up to national and international ridicule and contempt and scorn. And make no mistake, this is not about bathroom safety. That's just the sorry hook. It's all about politics: ginning up dollars and votes, backhanding Charlotte and other North Carolina cities, forcing Pat McCrory to toe the far-right line as usual, spineless toad that he is.

I'm a Charlotte native. I will not be silent in the face of this assault on the city I love and my professional colleagues and friends. Some 200 US cities and counties already have gender identity protection on the books. But North Carolina Republicans could not let Charlotte govern itself and join them. Instead, they proved to everyone how grindingly hateful and backwards they are.

Shockingly, I have come to learn that there is no bright future for Charlotte so long as Republicans are in control of North Carolina. Never thought I would say that. North Carolina Republicans are, as my grandfather used to say, 'bad for bidness' and highly damaging to Charlotte. They make down east Democrats look like champions for Charlotte by comparison.

 

Sorry about the fomatting issue...not sure what happened and I've tried to correct but can't seem to. I'm posted my response to this here in order to keep this thread on topic.

19 hours ago, Niner National said:

It's probably more symbolic than anything. Their total assets are $3 billion. Not that that is a small amount of money, but it looks like most of their investments are in silicon valley / west coast / other tech centers.

This is pretty much what I figured. It still sucks they now have a policy "on the books" that is certainly bad for NC!

[Crown]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article69837702.html

Lionsgate is pulling production for a new Hulu show that was supposed to be filmed in Charlotte, the latest fallout from North Carolina’s new law limiting LGBT protections.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Crown

[kermit]

Here is the Chamber's statement on HB2. They site long-term threats to Charlotte's reputation for diversity and they note that the bill has already impacted tourism

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2016/04/04/charlotte-chamber-hb-2-puts-positive-perception-of.html?ana=e_clt_bn_newsalert&u=jDmEk%2BCKbYnAvaVfOFOlFGXcGSC&t=1459793689&j=72032802

 

[49er]

Whats good for the Charlotte economy is good for North Carolina. This particular governor of all people should understand this! 

[kermit]

32 minutes ago, 49er said:

Whats good for the Charlotte economy is good for North Carolina. This particular governor of all people should understand this! 

NC Gross Domestic Product: $481,876 million

CLT Gross Metro Product: $143,628 million

Charlotte's economic output is 30% of the NC economy

The output of the Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham MSAs accounts for 54% of the NC economy

FWIW

all data are for 2014. Data are from www.bea.gov

[Spartan]

Doesn't GMP include the South Carolina counties?

[kermit]

Yup. But it's the only output data out there.

York has 109,701 people employed with the county -- 7.7% of the metro total.

If we assume they are just as productive as the average metro worker (which is a very generous assumption) then we should deduct $11,059 million from Charlotte's productivity. I am going to ignore Lancaster because I am lazy and they have many fewer workers AND they are very low output workers.

The new NC only output figure for Charlotte can be conservatively estimated to be  $132,568 million which is 27.5% of the NC economy.

Edited April 4, 2016 by kermit

[ah59396]

WELP:

 

 

Edited April 5, 2016 by ah59396

[Crown]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article70001502.html

PayPal withdraws plans for Charlotte expansion over HB2

[caterpillar2]

We survived before they mentioned coming here, we can survive afterwards.

 

[HopHead]

McCrory might want to make sure someone doesn't burn down his Charlotte house. Unbelievable. Though, I'm glad someone has taken a stand, even if it's some short term pain. 

[ah59396]

1 minute ago, caterpillar2 said:

We survived before they mentioned coming here, we can survive afterwards.

 

Just, no.  We are all aware of your position on HB2, which is fine, you are entitled to it.  But losing the East Coast operation of PayPal and 400 new jobs is not warranting of a smiley face.  Get out of here with that crap.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

I don't understand why everyone is going after Charlotte. Why not Raleigh? Do you think the Charlotte mayor even tried to explain this to Pay Pal?

[Guest]

Just now, RaleighHeelsfan said:

I don't understand why everyone is going after Charlotte. Why not Raleigh? Do you think the Charlotte mayor even tried to explain this to Pay Pal?

Its a pretty symbolic gesture. They are from San Jose, no way were they moving to NC after HB2. I think the Charlotte Chamber press release was 2 weeks too late, by the way.

[kermit]

2 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

 I think the Charlotte Chamber press release was 2 weeks too late, by the way.

and almost certainly motivated by Paypal (I am sure the chamber knew about this yesterday)

[urbanlover568]

8 minutes ago, ah59396 said:

Just, no.  We are all aware of your position on HB2, which is fine, you are entitled to it.  But losing the East Coast operation of PayPal and 400 new jobs is not warranting of a smiley face.  Get out of here with that crap.

We are verging on irreversible damage to the economy. Whose to say that anchors in these new buildings won't pull out next? Would suck to see construction hault and see empty building skeletons and no construction.

[CriticalT]

Actions have consequences.  

[cltcane]

You're right.  So far Charlotte seems to be the only city the state adversely affected by HB2, at least materially.  Why are we the ones being punished by the General Assembly's bigotry when we were the only city in the state that took a firm stand against LGBT discrimination?  Unfortunately, I think HB2 is going to have to start affecting the economies of Raleigh and smaller and less urban areas of the state before publish backlash starts to grow and there is any real push for repeal beyond the LGBT, progressive, and corporate communities.

[ah59396]

2 minutes ago, mpretori said:

We are verging on irreversible damage to the economy. Whose to say that anchors in these new buildings won't pull out next? Would suck to see construction hault and see empty building skeletons and no construction.

 

I think we are already AT irreversible damage.  This is going to loom over us for some time I think.  And don't think for a second our peer cities, Nashville, Austin, ect aren't chomping at the bit to take more from us.  I fear we are going to get left in the dust.  I'm embarrassed for the city.

[NYCLT]

1 minute ago, ah59396 said:

 

I think we are already AT irreversible damage.  This is going to loom over us for some time I think.  And don't think for a second our peer cities, Nashville, Austin, ect aren't chomping at the bit to take more from us.  I fear we are going to get left in the dust.  I'm embarrassed for the city.

Why are you embarrassed for the city? I don't give a damn either way I just want Charlotte to prosper - but I know for a fact that Charlotte has nothing to be embarrassed about.

[Crown]

Sublease was not fully executed by Paypal's CEO yet. The timing was perfect for Paypal to make a statement. 

[ah59396]

Just now, NYCLT said:

Why are you embarrassed for the city? I don't give a damn either way I just want Charlotte to prosper - but I know for a fact that Charlotte has nothing to be embarrassed about.

I agree, the city did nothing wrong.  But nationally, it's not being seen that way.  Every report I see on national news regarding HB2 doesn't mention Charlotte as the one fighting this.  So unfortunately I suspect the general consensus is that, Charlotte, NC is just that, North Carolina.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Well, again...I don't see the Charlotte mayor or anyone in Charlotte fighting back. Ya'll better do something!

[UPNoDa]

SMH...400 jobs paying $51,000 is significant, what's next Google Fiber?