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Photo Credit: Shaughn Cooper for Okayplayer
Live Nation Leads Coalition of Concert Promoters Requesting Federal Aid for Lost Show Revenue
The group called on Congress to expand protections of two separate acts.
On Tuesday, Billboard obtained a memorandum from a coalition of concert promoters dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The group, which features major organizers like Live Nation and The Broadway League, is asking Congress for assistance.
"Our businesses were the first to close and will be the last to open," the memo reads. "Without immediate financial assistance, the future of the public entertainment and event industry is in question. Accordingly, Congress must act now to address the severe impact that governmental closures orders have had on this industry."
On March 12, Live Nation announced that it had suspended all scheduled live events in the wake of the pandemic.
The group is asking Congress for a few changes. Primarily, the group wants Congress to expand the Paycheck Protection Act to include entertainment companies with 500 or fewer employees. Also, the group is requesting that Congress and the insurance industry establish a Business Recovery Fund, modeled on the 9-11 Victims fund. Additionally, they want the CDC and FEMA to establish a working group with the entertainment industry.
"To put forth voluntary guidelines that can be implemented by venues," the memo reportedly reads, "organizations that comply with these guidelines should receive protection from COVID-19 related lawsuits."
Stay tuned for further updates on the pandemic's effects on the entertainment industry.
