Special statement on Florida and our event

Dear CBI Members and convention guests, 

We have heard and understand your concerns about visiting Florida this fall because of their recent, and ongoing, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. However, it is important to note that while the Florida state government may be advocating for such measures, Orlando is staunchly opposing them. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in his State of the City address in May “Orlando will always be a city that prioritizes compassion and inclusion, a community that encourages everyone to be their authentic selves. This will be showcased in October at the Come Out With Pride festival,” Dyer said. 

That’s right: Orlando Pride is Oct. 21, the last day of our convention. Organized by local nonprofit Come Out With Pride, Orlando’s Pride Festival is one of the biggest in the state, and brings millions of dollars in revenue to the city’s hospitality industry. Thousands of people will be visiting the city of Orlando to celebrate pride the very weekend we will be there celebrating college media. 

We also want to make you aware, if you didn’t know, a little about how we book these events. In order to get the best rates and keep our events as affordable as possible, we have to book them years in advance, and we booked this event in summer 2019. A lot has changed since then. While we don’t have the bargaining power of a corporation like Disney where we can pull out, we still pledge to do all we can to support our LGBTQ+ guests this year. 

The next few conventions we have booked are in locations where the current governments are not pushing exclusionary platforms — Seattle in 2024 and Denver in 2025. We also have taken certain states and cities completely off of our list for consideration for future convention locations until things change. Right now, as we review potential locations for our 2026 event, issues like this are top of our minds. 

We look forward to hearing your questions at the next general membership meeting on Monday, July 17 at 3 p.m. Eastern. Registration is open now.

Sincerely,

The CBI Board of Directors