Progress NC Permit to Rent Executive Mansion Canceled by McCrory's Office

The permit granted to the non-profit organization Progress NC to hold an event in the North Carolina Executive Mansion on Wednesday night has been canceled.

Progress NC had rented out the mansion for an “evening reception,” according to the contract provided by the governor’s office. The group was calling the event the “Garden Party Against Hate.”

Progress NC was founded in 2011 “to promote public policies that make NC a fairer, healthier, more equitable state,” according to the group’s twitter account. And the group has been one of the most vocal critics of North Carolina’s controversial House Bill 2.

McCrory’s office said in a release:

“It became clear this afternoon that Progress NC had reserved the Executive Mansion for a coordinated political protest instead of the event it has discussed with staff and agreed upon in its contract. These publicly announced plans were in violation of the agreed upon contract, therefore the permit to use the mansion has been cancelled.”

The contract states that “civic and cultural groups, political groups, non-profit organizations, and local, state and federal government agencies may use the Executive Mansion.”

The contract goes on to say that the mansion may be used only for “meetings, receptions, teas, luncheons or dinners. Weddings, political campaign events, and fundraising events are strictly prohibited.” McCrory’s office said that provision is what caused the cancellation of the permit.

Progress NC is now asking those who were planning to attend the event at the Executive Mansion to join the Air Horn Orchestra across the street from the mansion at six o’clock Wednesday evening. The Air Horn Orchestra has been meeting on Wednesdays over the last several months to blast air horns in the direction of the mansion in protest of HB2.

Progress NC Permit to Rent Executive Mansion Canceled by McCrory’s Office

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