ST. LOUIS — To promote St. Louis tourism the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Administration is awarding a grant.
The St. Louis Regional Convention and Visitors Commission will receive $2.5 million from the CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant and an additional $250,000 in local investments.
This will create 637 jobs and retain 81 jobs reopening St. Louis’ tourism economy.
“COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on our economy, but we are already seeing strong signs of recovery,” said Governor Mike Parson. “This investment in the St. Louis region will provide important assistance as we continue working to rebuild Missouri’s tourism industry and prioritize the health and safety of our citizens, businesses, and communities.”
According to the press release, the funding will allow marketing campaigns to be integrated to help tourism-dependent businesses recover and reopen from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. It also allows America’s Center Convention Complex to safely resume operations in a pandemic environment when events can resume.
In total, the CARES act provided the EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.