Congressman Horsford Announces More Than $18.4 Million in COVID-19 Relief to Local Venues

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEV. — Today, Congressman Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) announced 29 venues throughout Nevada's Fourth District are receiving more than $18.4 million in Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG) averaging $637,051 per venue. Congressman Horsford led efforts to create the SVOG program, which provides pandemic relief to entertainment venues that needed to shut their doors to protect public health.

"Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, local venues have worked hard to keep employees on payroll and protect public health. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, help is here," said Congressman Steven Horsford. "Funding from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program will keep businesses open, create good-paying jobs, and accelerate our economic recovery. I'm grateful for the hard work and resilience of Nevada's small business owners, and I will continue to fight for the support they need to build back better."

"The Nevada Northern Railway Foundation is grateful to Congressman Horsford for working to establish the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program and for his longstanding support of the Nevada Northern Railway National Historic Landmark," said Mark S. Bassett, President of the Nevada Northern Railway, a National Historic Landmark and passenger railroad museum in Ely, Nevada. "The Small Business Administration's Shuttered Venue Operators Grant was a lifesaver for the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. Due to Covid-19, we were closed for 21 weeks in 2020. Once we reopened, we operated at only 50% capacity for the rest of our season and canceled our Christmas trains too. As a non-profit in rural Nevada, the lost revenue was devastating. We were on the brink of laying employees off. Thanks to the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, the museum was able to keep all of our highly trained staff employed. It allowed us to catch-up on bills and it helped improve our finances.. The museum's future looks a lot brighter than it would have been if we had not received the grant."

"Many thanks to Congressman Horsford for his support of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program which recognizes the importance of movie theatres and our contribution to American culture. Our grant has been a financial lifesaver during the challenging days of covid and has contributed mightily to the survival of our business and the preservation of over 50 jobs at the Galaxy Cannery. As we return to normal we will always be grateful to Congressman Horsford and others in Congress who have enabled us to weather the pandemic," said Rafe Cohen, President of Galaxy Theatres LLC, which operates the Galaxy Cannery theater in North Las Vegas.

Congressman Horsford voted to establish the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program through the COVID-19 relief package passed in December 2020. In March 2021, he voted to secure additional funding for the SVOG program through the American Rescue Plan. The American Rescue Plan also instituted a fix to ensure shuttered venues that received Paycheck Protection Program loans after December 27, 2020 can receive a SVOG grant, so long as the grant is reduced by the amount of PPP funds provided. Applying for both grant programs was previously prohibited. The SVOG program opened for applications in April 2021.

After initial technical difficulties with the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program launch, Congressman Horsford joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to call on the Small Business Administration to expedite the grant process and provide hard-hit venues with the immediate relief they needed.

To see which Nevada businesses have been approved for a SVOG award, clickhere.

Media Contact
Geneva Kropper | geneva.kropper@mail.house.gov | 202-849-0251