The Colorado Republican Party has decided to move upcoming assembly events planned for Longmont’s Best Western Plus Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, citing concerns about the hotel chain’s lack of support for the National Rifle Association.

“We have had many voice their concern over the multi-county assembly location due to the recent news of Best Western pulling their support from the NRA and our 2nd Amendment rights,” a March 8 message from the state party to members said.

The Mesa County Republican Party posted a similar message the same day on it’s website and on social media.

“Because Best Western recently pulled its support of the NRA, the Colorado Republican Committee is pulling its contract with Best Western for our State Assembly multi-county meetings and Centennial Dinner,” according to the message.

The decision to move to another venue comes in spite of recent claims from Best Western that the company hasn’t had ties to the NRA in years.

In another Facebook post, the Teller County Republican Party’s account thanked state party chairman Jeff Hays “for showing principled leadership” in the decision not to support a company the group accuses of “bowing to the demands of the Regressive Left.”

Colorado Republican Party and Best Western representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In the wake of the Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., which left 17 dead, Best Western and many other companies faced boycott calls related to past or current affiliations with gun rights groups such as the NRA.

On Twitter, Best Western’s official account has responded to dozens of these boycott threats with claims that the hotel chain severed ties with the NRA long before the Parkland shooting.

“Best Western Hotels & Resorts does not have any affiliation with and is not a corporate partner of the National Rifle Association (NRA). Best Western ended any association with the NRA in 2014,” the company tweeted on Feb. 24.

Rather than Longmont, the party will host multi-county assembly events April 13 at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, according to the official call — a legally mandated notice with details about the assembly. The call was amended March 8 to reflect the new location. The state convention is set for April 14 at the Coors Event Center in Boulder.

Lucas High: 303-684-5310, lhigh@times-call.com, twitter.com/lucashigh