Congressman Gonzalez Announces City of Hidalgo to Receive $7.5 Million Federal Grant  

HIDALGO – The City of Hidalgo has been awarded a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) of $7,523,373.75 for the Hidalgo Payne Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. The funding comes from the Small Business Administration (SBA) after Congress passed the Save Our Stages Act in 2020 to ensure live music and entertainment venues could recover from economic hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our community venues were some of the hardest hit as we battled COVID-19. I am proud that the City of Hidalgo will be receiving this funding to make up for what was lost," said Congressman Vicente Gonzalez. "As with all of our community venues, these are the places where our people come together to enjoy the very best shows and events in South Texas. I was proud to help deliver this much needed funding to South Texas."

"Thanks to Senator John Cornyn and Congressman Vicente Gonzalez for a job well done," said Hidalgo City Mayor Sergio Coronado. "We would not have been able to get it done without the assistance of our federal representatives. We are very pleased with our City Manager's persistence in making sure the City applied for those funds. We are fortunate to have the support from our City Council Officials and our dedicated staff to make sure these kind of projects are a success."

"Hidalgo's Payne Arena will continue to be an excellent entertainment facility that hosts all types of live events – from concerts to Disney on Ice and numerous other shows," said Hidalgo City Manager Julian J. Gonzalez. "It will continue to offer top level entertainment for the entire region."

In 2021, the City of Hidalgo submitted an application for the federal grant funds and were deemed unqualified, later that fall. U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) advocated on behalf of the City and after further review, they were recently awarded these funds.

"As Texans recover from the effects of the pandemic, I am glad the grant program created by my Save Our Stages Act will help to ensure venues can continue to provide cultural and economic benefits for their communities," said Senator John Cornyn. "I applaud this investment and will continue to do everything I can to make economic growth in Hidalgo a high priority."

Background:

The bipartisan Save Our Stages Act provided the Small Business Administration grants for independent live music venues, live performance arts organizations, or motion picture theatres affected by COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. These grants provided financial support necessary to keep venues afloat, pay employees, and preserve a critical economic sector for communities across America.

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