LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak joined a teleconference with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence Thursday, asking the administration to consider some type of recovery for the hospitality industry amid coronavirus shutdowns.
The video call was early Thursday afternoon with governors across the U.S. Governors could chime in on what assistance they needed in their state, including any assistance from FEMA they could request.
Sisolak was the second-to-last governor to chime in on the call. While Trump had discussed recovery packages for airlines and cruise lines, Sisolak asked Trump to consider the hospitality industry as part of a stimulus.
The transcript of the call reads as follows:
GOVERNOR SISOLAK: Mr. President, this is Steve Sisolak from Nevada, and I appreciate you having this call. I’d like to ask one big thing of you. I know that you’re looking at potential recovery packages already in the stimulus. And you —
THE PRESIDENT: Right
GOVERNOR SISOLAK: — talked about the airlines and the cruise ships. And I would like you to consider including the hospitality industry in that. I have, unfortunately, had to shut down the Strip in Las Vegas, and tens of thousands of hospitality workers have been displaced as a result of that. And while they’re getting some compensation and filing for unemployment, anything to help we could get from your end, to help with the facilitation of getting our economy back going again —
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
GOVERNOR SISOLAK: — would go a long, long way. This is our number one industry in Nevada.
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
GOVERNOR SISOLAK: I know we’ve got other parts of the country, with the theme parks and whatnot. And these folks are lower wage, sometimes. It would definitely be helpful if we could include them in any recovery package that is brought forward.
THE PRESIDENT: I think it’s a great idea. Thank you very much. I think — I think it’s something we’ll be thinking about. And thank you, Governor.
Sisolak ordered all gaming facilities in Nevada to shut down this week, effectively shutting down the Las Vegas Strip. Sisolak also strongly encouraged nonessential businesses to shut down in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
https://www.fox5vegas.com/coronavirus/nevada-governor-sisolak-asks-president-trump-for-hospitality-industry-relief/article_23e2b8cc-6aaa-11ea-900a-33b587fa2223.html