Boycott over LGBT law hurts more than just the music fans

Kery Eller, Stephen Willard and Stephen Eller take a smoke break outside the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, N.C. The three men work as stage hands with the local union of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Eller estimates in the past two months he has lost nearly $3,000 he expected to earn working at shows that were canceled by artists protesting the state’s law limiting anti-discrimination policies for LGBT individuals. (Associated Press)

In this May 19, 2016 photo, Jesus Macias relaxes after a shift at La Bamba Mexican restaurant in Greensboro, Macias owns the restaurant and said he and his waiters rely on tips from visitors to the Greensboro Coliseum Complex to make ends meet. Several events scheduled at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex were cancelled in protest over North Carolina's news LGBT law. That has hurt local business like restaurants, local unions, bars and even community groups, caught in the crossfire of the national debate over LGBT rights. (AP Photo/Anna Gronewold)

In this May 19, 2016 photo, siblings and owners of Ghassan's Famous Steak Subs, Ziad Fleihan and Lina Urmos, pose in front of their business near the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, NC. The cancelation of many shows at the venue due to North Carolina's new LGBT law, has affected many nearby restaurants, bars, local unions and even community groups. (AP Photo/Anna Gronewold)

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By Anna Gronewold (Associated Press)

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Stagehand Kery Eller doesn’t own any Bruce Springsteen albums, but he would smash them if he did.

Eller says he expected to earn at least $3,000 working the sold-out Springsteen concert and other high-profile shows around the state before artists canceled the events in protest over North Carolina’s new LGBT law.

Eller and about 100 members of the local union of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees are among the many workers and businesses caught in the crossfire of the national debate over LGBT rights and feeling the economic shock waves from the growing number of canceled shows. Hotels, restaurants, bars and even community groups who work arena concession stands say they are suffering from the boycott.

“It’s my livelihood; it’s where I make my money,” Eller said. “It’s not just hurting the entertainment industry. It’s hurting our state overall, period. And I’m not talking politically at all.”

The wide-reaching law that directs transgender people to use the public bathroom that aligns with the sex on their birth certificate was signed by Republican Gov. Pat McCrory in March. Since then, Pearl Jam, violinist Itzhak Perlman, Ringo Starr and Cirque du Soleil have canceled. On Friday, Maroon 5 became the latest entertainer to decide to skip the state. Other acts performed but donated proceeds from their shows to groups fighting the law.

McCrory, who has sued the Justice Department over its directive allowing transgender students to use their preferred bathroom, has continued his support of the law. His campaign issued a statement Friday condemning Maroon 5’s cancellation, saying the artists’ boycott only hurts people of North Carolina and arena employees.

The last-minute cancellations are disappointing to fans, but more devastating to venue staff, said promoter Gregg McCraw, owner of MaxxMusic in Charlotte.

“Springsteen fired the first shot, and he canceled that show only two or three days before the show,” McCraw said. “That had a major impact. The venue clearly couldn’t get anything else in there.”

McCraw said the impact is likely to affect the North Carolina live music industry for months to come because artists and agents are wavering on whether to even schedule shows in North Carolina four to six months from now.

“So there will be a period, and none of us know how long this will last, before something happens in a positive way,” he said.

The Greensboro Coliseum Complex, the city’s economic powerhouse, estimated it lost $188,000 from three no-shows so far, said Ted Oliver, chairman of the advisory board to the complex. The city sent the governor a May 12 letter asking him to reconsider his support of the law.

For a large event like Bruce Springsteen, the venue would have hired part-time work from 225 event staff, 60 parking staff, 30 housekeepers and about 100 stagehands, said Andrew Brown, a spokesman for the coliseum complex.

“When we hear that the coliseum is suffering, what that really means is the employees are suffering,” Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan said. “People who work part-time to balance their budget. That affects workers in hotels, housekeeping, front desks. These are people who are dependent on every single paycheck.”