Phoenix, AZ – The uproar over Arizona’s new law on illegal immigrants caused the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) to shift this year’s annual convention from Phoenix to Miami Beach.
The convention and expo was expected to draw around 7,000 attendees and will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center October 24-27, the same dates the Phoenix event had been scheduled.
In a written statement, the NMSDC said the decision to move the 2010 Conference and Business Opportunity Fair was the result of SB 1070, the controversial measure that requires police in Arizona to check the immigration status of individuals they believe are in the country illegally. “The bill is inconsistent with the ideals and principles upon which the NMSDC operates, including valuing diversity and inclusion for all,” the statement said.
Critics of SB 1070 have called for a convention boycott of Arizona. The state has lost a handful of meetings and smaller corporate events, and Phoenix officials have said the pace of future bookings has slowed to a crawl.
Reach NMSDC President Harriet Michel at (212) 944-2430; John Chan, director of the Phoenix Convention Center, at (602) 262-6225 or john.chan@phoenix.gov
