A boycott of Arizona businesses in immigration law could have cost 141 $ million .

A boycott of Arizona businesses in immigration law could have cost the state's economy as much as $ 141 million, a policy group based in Washington estimated.

Convention bookings for July and August fell 35 percent from the previous year, cutting revenues by $ 45 million property, the Center for American Progress, said in a report released today. Recover the cost of food, beverages, entertainment, local transportation and retail products brought the total cost to $ 141 million, according to the report.

The boycott is aimed at an Arizona law requires police to determine the immigration status of people detained for questioning. credit of the state may be affected if the boycott hurts tourism, Moody's Investors Service said in May. In July, Moody's cut the state from one level to Aa3, its fourth highest rank of credit, citing "economic and financial weakness."

"This blow to the direct costs of the visitors could not come at a worse economic times to Arizona," said the report of the policy group founded by former chief of staff of the Clinton administration, John Podesta, in 2003. The center is defined as a critic of conservative values and a supporter of the progressive movement.

The tourists spent 16.6 billion U.S. dollars last year in Arizona, where the tourism industry supports 157,000 jobs, the Office of Tourism said on July 15.