Sale of the Millenium Dome

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Conference
2002 National Lesbian & Gay Conference
Date
1 August 2002
Decision
Carried

Conference notes:

1.That the Millenium Dome was built and funded as a facility for all people of the UK and not for the vested interests of private business.

2.That the proposed sale will transfer its use to a company that is backed by Phillip Anschlutz, who has a long history of supporting homophobic religious groups in the United States, including groups who run programs that claim to cure homosexual men.

3.The response of some in the community, including Jeremy Joseph of G.A.Y., to the proposed sale suggesting that this would make it inappropriate to hold future lesbian and gay events at the Dome.

4.The lack of co-ordinated response unlike the reaction to the proposed involvement of Pat Robertson with the Bank of Scotland.

Conference believes:

A.That selling the millenium dome to a consortium that does not reflect and support the diversity of the country is incompatible with its original aim and purpose, and the basis it received funding.

B.That a clause should be inserted into any sale or use rights of the dome that ensures any future use is open and accessible to all our communities.

C.That the involvement of Philip Anschlutz with the proposed purchase of the dome, due to his historic record of funding homophobic groups and continued operation of his family trust supporting religious organisations is incompatible with the obligations to the community that the government must have in this respect.

Conference instructs the NLGC:

i.work with other organisations to campaign and lobby against the sale of the millenium dome without guarantees on its use by and for all of our communities.

ii.specifically seek to campaign against the dome being sold or transferred to any consortium including Phillip Anschlutz, and work with the NEC and the APF to lobby the government against such proposals if they have not gone ahead, or to seek the reversal of such proposals and the addition of strict use clause if the sale has proceeded.

iii.work with the Greater London Regional lesbian and gay group to co-ordinate national and regional campaigns demanding fair and equal use and accessibility clauses for any proposed sale of the millennium dome.