Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Antonio Delgado visited Bethel Woods Center for the Arts to push for legislation to support live event venues and small to mid-sized businesses that have been hit hardest by the coronavirus crisis.

What You Need To Know

  • RESTART Act helps live event spaces and other small businesses that were left out of the loop on relief from the Paycheck Protection Program

  • The RESTART Act would create a loan program to fund six months of payroll, benefits, and other costs for businesses still in need

  • When Bethel Woods canceled its events until the 2021 season, it lost $12 million in revenue, as well as 600 jobs

"When Bethel Woods had to close until the 2021 season, that meant the loss of $12 million of revenue, as well as 600 jobs, mostly held by local residents," said Gillibrand.

The iconic site is best known for hosting the legendary Woodstock festival in 1969, but since 2006 the location has been holding a diverse selection of performances and programming in its pavilion and museum.

"In any other year Bethel Woods would be winding down from a long summer of festivals concerts, creative arts and education programs, having welcomed over a quarter of a million people," said Eric Frances, CEO of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards a Recovery in 2020, or the RESTART Act, helps live event spaces and other small businesses that were left out of the loop on relief from the Paycheck Protection Program.

That's because the 24-week PPP required businesses to get all their staff back from before the pandemic.

“The current realities of the hospitality entertainment industries have left many of those businesses, unable to bring all of their staff back, making them ineligible for relief,” said Gillibrand.

Because of the pandemic Bethel Woods has been forced to close and cancel their events until the 2021 season.

And many of the businesses in the surrounding area that would have benefited from the cancelled events are left with less revenue.

“It's definitely affected so I don't know what the future holds right now. It's very uncertain times,” said Tara Brust, owner of Bethel Market Café.

Without assistance many in the hospitality industry would suffer.

"The National Independent Venue Association found that 90 percent of their membership said that if the shutdown lasts more than six months or more, with no federal support, they would never be open again,” said Delgado. 

The RESTART Act would create a loan program to fund six months of payroll, benefits, and other costs for businesses still in need.