Governor's Hospitality Loss Relief Program Open for Applications

CHEYENNE, Wyo. –  Governor Mark Gordon announced the opening of the Hospitality Loss Relief Program, which provides pandemic relief for hospitality businesses and nonprofits whose operations have been interrupted by the reduced hours provisions in recent health orders.

Awards up to $50,000 are available for Wyoming bars, taverns, restaurants, or hotels that derive their primary revenue between the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. from on-premises sales and consumption of malt beverages, wine, and/or liquor.

“Since this recent surge began, our goal has been to save lives, protect hospital capacity, and keep our economy going, ” Governor Gordon said. “This program will provide relief to impacted businesses and provide an avenue to keep these owners and employees whole during the holiday season.”

The Hospitality Loss Relief Program opened Dec. 10 and closes Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. Learn more and apply at www.wyobizrelief.org/hospitality. A calculation worksheet, video tutorial, and frequently asked questions also are available on the website.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have seen resiliency in Wyoming businesses and have seen Wyomingites go the extra mile to support local establishments in a variety of ways,” Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell said. “This funding helps entities named in health orders offset additional losses, and we hope customers will adjust to the hours of operation as we get through this together.”

To be eligible for the program, revenue loss must occur between Dec. 9 and Dec. 30, 2020. Business Relief Program funding recipients are eligible, but entities cannot apply more than one time and must have had at least one full-time employee as of Dec. 1, 2020. All nonprofit organizations that meet the same criteria are eligible to apply for this program.

The program will use leftover federal CARES Act dollars; however, it is uncertain how much total funding will be available. Additional federal stimulus funds or an extension of the Dec. 30, 2020 CARES Act deadline could allow additional dollars to be directed toward this program.

Contact the following individuals and organizations for questions regarding the Hospitality Loss Relief Program:

Wyoming Craft Brewers Guild – Michelle Foster, 310-720-3769, michelle@wyocraftbrewersguild.com
Wyoming Distillers Guild – Mike Borg, 307-421-5750, [email protected]
Wyoming Lodging and Restaurant Association – Chris Brown, 307-634-8816, [email protected]
Wyoming State Liquor Association – Mike Moser, 307-634-6484, [email protected]

Applicants may also call the Business Council’s toll-free hotline at 1-877-257-7844; live assistance is available Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., through December 16.

Media Inquiries: Contact Strategic Partnerships Director Ron Gullberg at [email protected]