Lobbying groups representing small entertainment venues that were shut down by the pandemic are demanding that government relief payments be sent to operators who applied for federal grants but have not received them.
Passed as part of the COVID-19 relief package last December, the Small Venue Operator Grant program promised to provide $15 billion in federal aid to theaters, music halls, and other independent venues that have been closed and lost upwards of 70% of their annual revenue during the pandemic. But now the Small Business Administration has missed its June 9 deadline to send out the first wave of payments to those who have reported annual losses of over 90%.
Theater and Music Venue Lobbyists Demand That Small Business Administration Release COVID Relief Funding
The first round of Shuttered Venue Operator Grants had been promised by June 9
