Chick-fil-A has its sights set on a location at Denver International Airport, but the seven-year deal might fail if some City Council members get their way.
Given Chick-fil-A’s outspoken position on opposing same-sex marriage, Councilman Paul Lopez thinks opposing the return of the restaurant is “truly a moral issue” for Denver, according to the Denver Post.
Managers have assured city council that their nondiscrimination policy extends to sexual orientation and gender identity, but the council remains wary.
Councilman Jolon Clark said the city “can do better than this brand,” and Councilwoman Robin Kniech had reservations about “corporate profits used to fund and fuel discrimination.”
Chick-fil-A doesn’t have a record of discriminating against employees or customers based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
In 2012, the debate over same-sex marriage centered around the chain.
President and CEO Dan Cathy voiced his opposition to same-sex marriage, which led to a summer of backlash and counter-support. During the furor, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino sent a letter to Cathy saying that the company was not welcome in the city and Chicago Alderman Proco Moreno was reluctant to pursue land-use legislation the company needed to open a restaurant.
The opposition to Chick-fil-A emerged during a Business Development Committee reviewing the airport concession deal; if the committee rejects the lease, the deal could be introduced to the full City Council by a member.
Whether it will be legal for the council to reject a Chick-fil-A deal based on its political opinions is unclear. The Denver Post expects city attorneys to explain the legality of the situation at the next committee meeting.
