Updated at 2:08 p.m.

A statement from US Quidditch said the organization has been alerting all Texas partners of its concerns surrounding the proposed bathroom bill and any related legislation.

"We fully intend to proceed with holding US Quidditch Cup 11 in Round Rock, and have begun the event planning process in conjunction with our partners there," the statement said. "However, we also want to make sure to be deliberate in our decision-making as we await the outcome of the special session."

Original story posted at 12:06 p.m.

Potterheads around the country are turning their eyes to the Texas Legislature's special session, which started Tuesday, to see if a proposed bathroom bill passes. That's because the fate of the Quidditch National Cup, announced by US Quidditch to be held in April 2018 at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex, is now in flux.

Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan said that the quidditch organization is waiting to sign its contract with the Round Rock Multipurpose Center to see if a controversial bill passes in the Texas statehouse. The legislation would regulate bathroom usage by biological gender and would nullify any discrimination ordinances to the contrary in public schools and government buildings.

Mary Kimball, US Quidditch Events Director, said the Quidditch Cup has in the past had an economic impact of anywhere from $850,000 to $1 million.

When the state of North Carolina passed a bill with similar stipulations, the NCAA removed all championship events from the state. The NBA relocated its All-Star game from Charlotte. Musicians cancelled concerts.

Morgan said a U.S. national women's collegiate lacrosse tournament, which previously expressed interest at taking place in Round Rock, is also holding off on any final decisions until the bathroom bill's future is known.

He said these potential cancellations impact residents' property taxes because voters previously approved using a half cent of sales tax for property tax reduction. Morgan said this maneuver saves residents roughly 13 cents on the tax rate, with $17 million of the city budget going toward property tax reduction.

"If there are people that aren't coming to the area, we are going to have to make that sales tax up," he said.

Beyond that, Morgan said that other area businesses have cause for concern with this legislation.

Dell, the largest employer within the city, has previously come out strongly against the proposed bathroom legislation. In late May, Dell joined 13 other major businesses, including Amazon, IBM and Facebook, to state staunch opposition to the passage of the bathroom bill.



 

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, a 200,000-square-foot convention space set to open in Round Rock in Spring 2020, could also stand to lose out on convention business.

Tourism officials in the four major Texas cities estimate they could lose just under $600 million if conventions that have already threatened to pull contracts officially cancel their Texas events.

Morgan said he believes he has reason to worry just by what he has seen so far.

"Anybody that can be impacted by tourism ought to be concerned," he said.