The Slice gives you all the news you can use. Each issue will include the latest news, COVID-19 updates, legislative news, and other relevant items for our readers. Please let us know if you'd like to see anything in particular or have other feedback - just email marketing@vrlta.org.
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Breaking News: Governor says if progress continues, capacity and distancing measures will be lifted June 15
The Governor announced today that he plans to lift all capacity and social distancing restrictions on June 15 if Virginia continues forward progress on vaccinations and the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to drop. He will also reevaluate the mask mandate at that time. Full details are not available yet; see the latest here or here. |
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Action Alert! Sign on to support VRLTA's funding request to help hospitality and tourism
VRLTA recently submitted a request to the general assembly asking for comprehensive support for tourism and hospitality. The request totals over $273 million. See the proposal here. To show the General Assembly that our request has widespread support, we are asking members and others in the industry to sign on to the request. You can do that in less than 2 minutes by filling out this quick form. Thank you to all who have already signed on (over 230 organizations!); if you haven't yet had a chance, please take a minute to advocate for tourism and hospitality. |
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Action Alert! Save Hotel Jobs Act Update
AHLA and Unite Here have joined forces to save hotels and hotel jobs. The organizations have been working for months on the Save Hotel Jobs Act. The bill provides a lifeline to hotel workers and hoteliers, providing critical assistance to bring back workers and to help bridge the gap until travel returns. While leisure travel is resuming, business travel -- the largest source of hotel revenue -- is down 85% and is not expected to return soon. Full recovery is not expected until 2024. The Save Hotel Jobs Act will provide critical support right now. Key provisions include:
- Supporting Hotel Workers: Direct payroll grants, in an amount up to three months’ worth of pre-pandemic payroll cost, to be utilized for payroll and benefits expenses for workers. The legislation would require grantees to give laid-off workers recall rights to ensure those who lost their jobs are able to return to work.
- Allowing Worker-Friendly Tax Credits: Provides a Personal Protective Equipment Tax Credit to promote worker safety measures, which would allow for a payroll tax credit for 50% of costs associated with the purchase of personal protective equipment, technology designed to reduce the impact of the pandemic, increased testing for employees, and enhanced cleaning protocols that do not negatively impact the level of work for housekeeping staff.
Other hard-hit industries have received direct aid – such as airlines, restaurants, and live venues – but hotels are suffering just as badly if not worse than any other sector of the economy. To gain support for this bill so it has a chance of becoming law, your help is needed. Contact your legislators using this quick form today!
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Restaurant Revitalization Fund Grant
The RRF applications are open, and if you qualify, but haven't yet applied, you should do so as soon as possible. Submit your application at restaurants.sba.gov.
What to expect after you have applied:
- As outlined by Congress, SBA will review applications from priority applications groups first.
- Applicants who have submitted non-priority applications will remain in "Review" status while priority applications are processed during the first 21 days.
- SBA does not anticipate communicating with applicants in "Review" status during this period.
- Following a successful application submission, all applications will enter “IRS verification” status. This process may take up to seven days and allows the SBA to validate your application submission. No action is needed from applicants for this process.
- To make corrections following submission and before award funding, applicants must revisit the application portal or call the support hotline to submit the correction, new documentation, and initiate a restart of the timeline for review.
- If an applicant initiates a restart, it may take 14 days from the time of resubmission for SBA to finalize review.
- The SBA will not allow corrections to awards that have been paid to awardees.
- An additional 4506T form submission is not required after applicants sign the application during the e-sign process.
- Applicants can submit a message using the platform inbox for help when on the web portal.
Resources:
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Welcome New VRLTA Members & Thank You Renewing Members
NEW MEMBERS:
Restaurants:
- Mookie's BBQ, Great Falls
- Second Street Bistro, Williamsburg
- Chick-fil-A Short Pump, Henrico
- Captain George's Seafood Restaurant, Williamsburg
- Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria, Charlottesville
- Marino's Lunch, Staunton
DMOs, CVBs, Chambers, and Municpalities:
- Montgomery Regional Tourism, Christiansburg
Suppliers:
- Greater Richmond Convention Center
RENEWALS:
Lodging:
- Sleep Inn and Suites
- Sea Shell Motel
- Fort Lewis Lodge
- Main Street Inn
- SpringHill Suites Norfolk
- Marquee Hospitality
- Hampton Inn Manassas
- Craddock Terry Hotel & Event Center
- Hotel Madison
- Richmond Marriott Downtown
- Newport News Marriott at City Center
- Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner Center
- Clarion Pointe Harrisonburg
- Holiday Inn Conference Center
- Hampton Inn & Suites Fredericksburg - South
- The Omni Homestead
Restaurants:
- Piccadilly’s Brew Pub & Restaurant
- Southern Inn Restaurant
- Sam Miller’s Restaurant
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub – Alexandria
- Murphy’s Irish Pub – Virginia Beach
- JR’s Stockyards
Supplier:
DMOs, CVB, Chambers, and Municipalities:
- Wytheville CVB
- Northern Neck Tourism Commission
- County of Bath Tourism
Attractions:
- National Museum of the Marine Corp
- Busch Gardens Williamsburg
- Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
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Mark Your Calendar!
- May 7, 2 p.m. - VRLTA Monthly Government Affairs call. Members: Look for an email tomorrow morning for Zoom info
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May 11, 4 p.m. - VRLTA Charlottesville 2nd Quarter Virtual Chapter Meeting. Register here.
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May 12, 10 a.m. - VRLTA Webinar: Employee Retention Credit. Register here.
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May 13, 10 a.m. - VRLTA Norfolk 2nd Quarter Virtual Chapter Meeting. Register here.
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May 18, 10 a.m. - VRLTA Arlington - Alexandria 2nd Quarter Virtual Chapter Meeting. Register here.
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May 18, 2 p.m. - VRLTA Richmond 2nd Quarter Virtual Chapter Meeting. Register here.
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May 20, 2 p.m. - VRLTA Shenandoah 2nd Quarter Virtual Chapter Meeting. Register here.
- May 26, 10 a.m. - VRLTA Travel Component Meeting: Tourism Improvement Districts - Creation, Implementation, and Best Practices - Learn more and register here.
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May 26, 3 p.m. - VRLTA Fairfax - Loudoun 2nd Quarter Virtual Chapter Meeting. Register here.
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May 27, 10 a.m. - VRLTA Bull Run 2nd Quarter Virtual Chapter Meeting. Register here.
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June 9, 10 a.m. - Richmond Region Tourism I Am Tourism Ambassador Virtual Class - Learn more here or register here.
Other Webinar Resources...
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Past VRLTA webinars can be seen here.
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National Restaurant Association on-demand webinars on a variety of topics can be found here.
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AHLA also has many on-demand webinars for members. Find them here.
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The Restaurant Law Center has free webinars on demand here.
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The U.S. Travel Association has past webinars available for download here.
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COVID restrictions: Reminder - changes will begin May 15
On May 15, Virginia will lift additional restrictions that may affect your business. Changes include:
- Restaurants:
- Can resume alcohol sales after midnight
- Dining rooms can stay open from midnight until 5 a.m.
- Bar seating is allowed with six feet of distance between parties (changed as of 4/21/21)
- Entertainment venues:
- Indoor venues can operate at 50% capacity or 1000 people (up from 30% or 500 people)
- Outdoor venues can operate at 50% capacity with no cap on attendance
- Social gatherings:
- Allowed attendance at outdoor events will increase from 100 to 250
- Allowed attendance at indoor events will increase from 50 to 100
- Recreational sporting events:
- Outdoor events can have 1000 spectators or 50% capacity, whichever is less (up from 500 people)
- Indoor events can have 250 spectators or 50% capacity, whichever is less (up from 100 people)
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Monthly Government Affairs call is TOMORROW (5/7) at 2 p.m.
Members can join VRLTA to get the latest updates from the Government Affairs Committee and VRLTA staff. Look for an email tomorrow morning with Zoom login information.
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Virginia ProStart Program at Pulaski County High School Wins $5000 Grant from The Rachael Ray Foundation
Pulaski County High School recently found out that the school's ProStart program will receive a $5000 grant from The Rachael Ray Foundation. The school was one of 27 selected across the country. Funds will be used to refurbish the dining furniture in their classroom and purchase a new POS system to facilitate orders. Congratulations to Chef Laura Norris and her students! See the full press release here.
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VRLTA Job Board: FREE Listings for VRLTA Members
VRLTA's hospitality- and tourism-specific job board currently has over 230 jobs listed. Has your company listed open positions? If not, you might be missing that perfect candidate.
VRLTA members get unlimited listings for free (choose 30, 60 or 90 days - up to $100 value for each listing!). A 30-day listing for nonmembers is just $50. Job seekers can search jobs statewide and post their resume in the resume bank. Take advantage of your membership and get free listings through the end of the year. There's no cost or risk to members - why not give it a try?
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Want to be featured on Member Monday?
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Fairfax County seeking Requests for Expressions of Interest for Workhouse Campus buildings
Fairfax County is seeking parties (restaurant, tasting room, craft beverage production) interested in occupying one or both of two buildings on the Workhouse Campus in Lorton. Interested? Learn more here.
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Vaccine now available to anyone in Virginia aged 16+
As of April 18, anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to get a vaccine in Virginia. What does this mean? If you can find a vaccine, you are eligible to receive it! Trying to find a vaccine? Check out these resources:
- VDH is already reaching out to people in Phase 2 who have preregistered at https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/ to sign up for an appointment, so if you or your employees haven't preregistered, do so now!
- Looking for a place to be vaccinated? Visit this page for open clinic locations
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In Hampton Roads? Anyone over 16 can now register for a vaccine clinic at Military Circle Mall. More information here.
- Henrico County is offering walk up vaccination clinics in May - more here.
- CVS is now offering walk in shots, same day appointments; see more here.
- Visit your local Health Department District's website to see if any locations nearby are offering vaccines.
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Vaccinefinder.org has listings from pharmacies, grocery stores, etc. that are offering vaccines.
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