Gen Con logoGen Con LLC, the parent company of the Gen Con gaming convention, published a public letter to Indiana Governor Mike Pence stating their opposition to SB 101. A similar Indiana House bill, passed by 63 of the state’s Republican senators (five Republicans and 26 Democrats voting against), would give legal protection to business owners to refuse service to same-sex couples on religious grounds. The House bill is expected to concur with the already-approved Senate bill later this week before going to Governor Pence, who says he will sign it.

In the letter to the governor, Adrian Swartout, the CEO and owner of Gen Con LLC, said that signing SB 101 into law will “factor into our decision-making on hosting the convention in the state of Indiana in future years.” Last year, Gen Con extended their contract with Visit Indy through 2020.

The gaming convention is the largest convention held in Indianapolis, with more than 56,500 attendees, bringing $47 million to the local economy in 2013, “more than $50 million” in 2014. Citing the diversity of the show’s attendees, Swartout asks the governor to reconsider his support of SB101 as the bill “could allow for refusal of service or discrimination against our attendees [which will] have a direct negative impact on the state’s economy”.

UPDATE: Fox59.com has published a statement from Gov. Pence’s office. A spokesperson said, “The Governor has been clear on where he stands on this issue and we don’t have anything to add at this time.”