Last week Arizona Governor Doug Ducey threatened to take away financial incentives for Nike after their decision to pull the Betsy Ross shoe, but now he is welcoming the company to his state.
The Governor sent out a tweet yesterday welcoming a new Nike manufacturing facility to Goodyear, Arizona. He says the facility should bring in $184 million and over 500 jobs to the state.
This is good news for Arizona and for @GoodyearAZGov. 500 plus jobs. Over $184 million in capital investment. Arizona is open for business, and we welcome @Nike to our state. https://t.co/ZLPkcs3dkD
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) July 11, 2019
However, a week ago the Governor did not have the same positive disposition towards the company. The Governor, along with many other conservatives, criticized Nike for its decision to pull its Betsy Ross shoe. (RELATED: Arizona Drops Nike Investment After Betsy Ross Shoe Is Scrapped)
The company pulled the shoe with the Betsy Ross flag on them after Colin Kaepernick claimed that the flag was racist and a symbol of the slave era.
When Nike pulled the shoe, Ducey tweeted a thread saying, “Words cannot express my disappointment at this terrible decision. I am embarrassed for Nike.”
Nike has made its decision, and now we’re making ours. I’ve ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars under their discretion that the State was providing for the company to locate here. 7/
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) July 2, 2019
He called Nike an “iconic American brand” that has “bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness.”
“I’ve ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars under their discretion that the State was providing for the company to locate here,” Ducey tweeted. “Arizona’s economy is doing just fine without Nike.”
Nike’s agreement with Goodyear says if Nike meets certain thresholds they will get $2 million in incentives, according to Fox News.