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Angie's List CEO Bill Oesterle announced Saturday, March 28, 2015, the company will pull out of a pending expansion deal, which could've meant 1,000 local jobs, due to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Charlie Nye/The Star
The continuing blowback over Indiana's new "religious freedom" law hit home Saturday, with Indianapolis-based Angie's List announcing it is canceling a $40 million headquarters expansion.
The decision is a direct result of passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, co-founder and chief executive officer Bill Oesterle said Saturday.
The proposed expansion of the online consumer ratings service was touted to add 1,000 good-paying jobs over five years and help revitalize a struggling Eastside neighborhood.
"Angie's List is open to all and discriminates against none," Oesterle said, "and we are hugely disappointed in what this bill represents."
The Angie's List news came as thousands of opponents of the law rallied outside the Statehouse, and Democrat leaders on the City-County Council announced plans to push a resolution "that rejects the RFRA and lets the world know what a wonderful, welcoming city Indy truly is."
Outside Indianapolis, the law approved last week by the state's Republican-controlled legislature and Gov. Mike Pence continued to generate widespread negative attention. The latest criticism included a joint statement Saturday from the NBA, WNBA and the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever.
"The game of basketball is grounded in long established principles of inclusion and mutual respect. We will continue to ensure that all fans, players and employees feel welcome at all NBA and WNBA events in Indiana and elsewhere," the statement said.
Pacers and Fever owner Herb Simon added: "The Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever and Bankers Life Fieldhouse have the strongest possible commitment to inclusion and non-discrimination on any basis. Everyone is always welcome at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. That has always been the policy from the very beginning of the Simon family's involvement and it always will be. "
Despite the groundswell of criticism, the Angie's List decision is the first tangible hit.
"This could be a sign of other things to come," warned Zach Adamson, the Democrat councilman who represents the neighborhood where the $40 million expansion was planned.
"It has only been two days since the bill was signed and we're already hearing of other things. This is not good."
The overwhelming public opposition has even caused the governor to take a step back. Pence told The Star late Saturday that he is willing to consider clarifications that make it clear the law is not about discriminating against gays and lesbians, as many critics believe. But the governor said no specific language has been finalized.
Oesterle's announcement is evidence that opposition to the controversial law — or the opinion that it sends the wrong message to the LGBTQ community — is not driven only by liberals or outside agitators.
A Republican who managed former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' first election campaign in 2004, Oesterle supported Pence in the race for governor. And Saturday, he continued to express respect for the governor.
"Look, I'm very proud to be a Republican," he said. "I'm concerned about the direction that the legislature and governor have chosen to go here. ... I'm concerned that very valid input around this type of legislation is not being heard in the Statehouse."
The bottom line to Angie's List, Oesterle said, is that the new law hurts the company's ability to recruit and retain top-flight talent. The project, which required assistance from the state and city, contained hiring benchmarks.
City-County Council Vice President John Barth speaksBuy Photo
City-County Council Vice President John Barth speaks on Saturday, March 28, 2015, in the parking lot of Angie's List immediately following an announcement byCEO Bill Oesterle that the company is pulling out of a development deal with Indianapolis due to Indiana's passage of RFRA this week. Barth said the City-County Council will take up a resolution at Monday night's meeting that he drafted opposing RFRA as not representative of Indianapolis being a welcoming place. (Photo: Charlie Nye / The Star)
"We believe that what that bill does to our efforts to recruit good talent into Indiana is significant," he explained. "We're unwilling to engage in an economic development agreement that is contingent on us hiring people in when the state is sending a message out to potential employees that is not always palatable."
Oesterle said one of Angie's top executives and his partner, who are gay, are questioning their decision to move to Indiana to work for Angie's List.
"The demographic of our company is younger and to the extent ... people become fed up with (the passage of RFRA) and look for other opportunities and places that don't have this tone, that is an issue for us. The connection is not being made at the Statehouse that these acts hinder our ability" to do business, he said.
Oesterle said Angie's List, a publicly traded firm that he co-founded, will re-evaluate its plan to expand. And, at least for now, the company has no plans to pull out of Indianapolis.
The continuing blowback over Indiana's new "religious freedom" law hit home Saturday, with Indianapolis-based Angie's List announcing it is canceling a $40 million headquarters expansion.
The decision is a direct result of passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, co-founder and chief executive officer Bill Oesterle said Saturday.
The proposed expansion of the online consumer ratings service was touted to add 1,000 good-paying jobs over five years and help revitalize a struggling Eastside neighborhood.
"Angie's List is open to all and discriminates against none," Oesterle said, "and we are hugely disappointed in what this bill represents."
The Angie's List news came as thousands of opponents of the law rallied outside the Statehouse, and Democrat leaders on the City-County Council announced plans to push a resolution "that rejects the RFRA and lets the world know what a wonderful, welcoming city Indy truly is."
Outside Indianapolis, the law approved last week by the state's Republican-controlled legislature and Gov. Mike Pence continued to generate widespread negative attention. The latest criticism included a joint statement Saturday from the NBA, WNBA and the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever.
"The game of basketball is grounded in long established principles of inclusion and mutual respect. We will continue to ensure that all fans, players and employees feel welcome at all NBA and WNBA events in Indiana and elsewhere," the statement said.
Pacers and Fever owner Herb Simon added: "The Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever and Bankers Life Fieldhouse have the strongest possible commitment to inclusion and non-discrimination on any basis. Everyone is always welcome at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. That has always been the policy from the very beginning of the Simon family's involvement and it always will be. "
Despite the groundswell of criticism, the Angie's List decision is the first tangible hit.
"This could be a sign of other things to come," warned Zach Adamson, the Democrat councilman who represents the neighborhood where the $40 million expansion was planned.
"It has only been two days since the bill was signed and we're already hearing of other things. This is not good."
The overwhelming public opposition has even caused the governor to take a step back. Pence told The Star late Saturday that he is willing to consider clarifications that make it clear the law is not about discriminating against gays and lesbians, as many critics believe. But the governor said no specific language has been finalized.
Oesterle's announcement is evidence that opposition to the controversial law — or the opinion that it sends the wrong message to the LGBTQ community — is not driven only by liberals or outside agitators.
A Republican who managed former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' first election campaign in 2004, Oesterle supported Pence in the race for governor. And Saturday, he continued to express respect for the governor.
"Look, I'm very proud to be a Republican," he said. "I'm concerned about the direction that the legislature and governor have chosen to go here. ... I'm concerned that very valid input around this type of legislation is not being heard in the Statehouse."
The bottom line to Angie's List, Oesterle said, is that the new law hurts the company's ability to recruit and retain top-flight talent. The project, which required assistance from the state and city, contained hiring benchmarks.
City-County Council Vice President John Barth speaksBuy Photo
City-County Council Vice President John Barth speaks on Saturday, March 28, 2015, in the parking lot of Angie's List immediately following an announcement byCEO Bill Oesterle that the company is pulling out of a development deal with Indianapolis due to Indiana's passage of RFRA this week. Barth said the City-County Council will take up a resolution at Monday night's meeting that he drafted opposing RFRA as not representative of Indianapolis being a welcoming place. (Photo: Charlie Nye / The Star)
"We believe that what that bill does to our efforts to recruit good talent into Indiana is significant," he explained. "We're unwilling to engage in an economic development agreement that is contingent on us hiring people in when the state is sending a message out to potential employees that is not always palatable."
Oesterle said one of Angie's top executives and his partner, who are gay, are questioning their decision to move to Indiana to work for Angie's List.
"The demographic of our company is younger and to the extent ... people become fed up with (the passage of RFRA) and look for other opportunities and places that don't have this tone, that is an issue for us. The connection is not being made at the Statehouse that these acts hinder our ability" to do business, he said.
Oesterle said Angie's List, a publicly traded firm that he co-founded, will re-evaluate its plan to expand. And, at least for now, the company has no plans to pull out of Indianapolis.
Code:
http://www.indystar.com/story/money/2015/03/28/angies-list-canceling-eastside-expansion-rfra/70590738/
