Anti-gay legislation could cost Arizona 2015 Super Bowl, some fear

A bill has landed on the desk of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer that local business leaders and others fear might cost the state next year’s Super Bowl.

Conceived by a conservative advocacy group and a Christian legal organization, Senate Bill 1062 would allow businesses to cite religious beliefs in refusing service to gay people and others.

Brewer has until Saturday to either veto, sign or ignore it. The Arizona Super Bowl host committee joined the many groups against the bill.

“On that matter we have heard loud and clear from our various stakeholders that adoption of this legislation would not only run contrary to that goal but deal a significant blow to the state’s economic growth potential,” the committee said. “We do not support this legislation.”

The NFL said it is monitoring the situation ahead of the 2015 Super Bowl, scheduled to take place in Glendale’s University of Phoenix Stadium.

“Our policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or any other improper standard,” league spokesman Greg Aiello said. “We are following the issue in Arizona and will continue to do so should the bill be signed into law, but will decline further comment at this time.”

The state lost a Super Bowl in a somewhat similar situation in the 1990s, when the NFL moved the 1993 championship game to the Rose Bowl after a state holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. was nixed by voters.