LI's Garbarino Asks SBA To Allow Grant Access For Amusement Parks

WASHINGTON, DC — United States Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R—NY) on Monday announced he sent a bipartisan letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) urging amusement parks across the nation to receive access to a grant program.

Garbarino called on SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman to expand eligibility for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program to theme parks. The grant provides emergency help for eligible venues affected by COVID-19, according to the SBA website.

"The amusement parks industry on Long Island is a main driver of travel and tourism, which has been devastated by COVID-19," Garbarino stated. "By expanding access to the SVOG program to amusement parks across the country, this funding would save thousands of jobs, revitalize local economies, and protect the small business that have become cultural institutions in their communities."

The grant program includes more than $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues to be administered by the SBA's Office of Disaster Assistance. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45 percent of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.

The grant's current list of eligible applicants includes live venue operators; theatrical producers; live performing arts; museums, zoos and aquariums that meet specific criteria; movie theaters; talent representatives; and other business entities.

The attractions industry's wages fell by $1.1 billion in the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year compared to the second quarter of 2019 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Peak employment fell by more than 125,000 jobs this past summer. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) estimates the effects of the pandemic will have cost $23 billion in economic losses in 2020 alone. This is roughly a 45 percent average loss in earned income, according to Garbarino's Office.

"Congressman Garbarino’s tireless efforts to ensure the future of our 60-year-old family owned and operated amusement park shows his strong sense of community," said Adventureland Amusement Park President Steven Gentile via news release. "Congressman Garbarino and his constituents know how including our industry in the SVOG grant can be the much needed lifeline for our park, as well as the many other amusement parks who have lost 90% of their income in 2020. Supporting this letter and our industry’s inclusion in the SVOG grant means my family can continue to bring smiles and laughter to Long Island, as we have been doing for the past 6 decades."

Garbarino's letter was backed by U.S. congressmen Lee Zeldin (R—NY); Tom Suozzi (D—NY); Chris Jacobs (R—NY); Joseph Morelle (D—NY); and Jim Hagedorn (R—MN).

"I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort on behalf of the amusement parks industry, both on Long Island and across the country, to secure funding these community treasures so desperately need," Garbarino said.

In the letter, the congressmen told Guzman that the attractions industry has financially suffered due to the pandemic, and that the SBA allowing grant program access to amusement parks could allow parks to survive.

"By moving to revise this interpretation to expand eligibility to attractions, the SVOG program would save thousands of jobs nationwide, revitalize local economies, and protect the small businesses that have become cultural institutions in their communities," the letter states. "We understand this goes beyond typical authorities executed by the SBA, but we believe the gravity of the situation calls for swift, corrective action."

Garbarino represents New York's second congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district covers Levittown, North Wantagh, Seaford, South Farmingdale Massapequa, Amityville, Copiague, Lindenhurst, Gilgo, West Babylon, Wyandanch, North Babylon, Babylon, Baywood, Brentwood, Brightwaters, Central Islip, Islip, Great River, Ocean Beach, Oakdale, West Sayville, Bohemia, West Islip and Ronkonkoma.