In the News
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield gets $3.7M in federal COVID Shuttered Venue reliefClick here to read the news story
Springfield, MA,
July 26, 2021
|
Peter Goonan, The Republican
SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, on Monday announced $20 million in Shuttered Venue Operators Grant aid for COVID relief, including $3.7 million for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Of the 33 recipients in Neal’s district, assistance ranged from $11,350 for PDP Productions in Shelburne to nearly $2.9 million for Old Sturbridge Village. There were grants for independent movie theaters, performance venues and museums. Speaking at the hoop hall, Neal and Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva said the grant provides critical revenue for that venue as it rebounds from a five-month closure and dramatically reduced revenues during the pandemic. The grant for the Hall of Fame was the largest in Neal’s 1st Congressional District. The grant program covers up to 45% of lost revenues for a venue during the pandemic. “It is help that will both sustain us and allow us to remain on a growth trajectory,” Doleva said. The year 2020 was supposed to be “the year of years” for the Hall of Fame following a major $21 million renovation project and an enshrinement of basketball greats including Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan, Doleva said. The pandemic struck, derailing those events and others, he said. Upon reopening late last summer, attendance was just 30% of regular attendance due to continued concerns about COVID-19, he said. “Bills still had to be paid and bank loans were due,” Doleva said. Neal said the funds are “incredibly instrumental” for venues such as the Hall of Fame that suffered greatly during the pandemic. “For the safety of the American people, the government forced these agencies to close their doors,” Neal said. “And now, it is the government again stepping in to make sure that they are able to get back on their feet.” The 33 venues in the 1st Congressional District receiving the funds totaling $20,010,864 included:
|