Live venues asking Congress for relief

Live venues are turning to Congress for aid to stay open while events are not allowed.

LIVE CONCERTS ANDPLAYS ARE ON HOLD-ASCAPACITY LIMITS ANDSOCIAL DISTANCINGREQUIREMENTSESSENTIALLY MAKE ITIMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE ANIN-PERSON AUDIENCE.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER NICK STARLINGTAKES A LOOK AT A PUSHTO HELP OUT THISSTRUGGLING INDUSTRY.Nick StarlingTHE UPTOWN THEATERHERE IN MIDTOWN HASBEEN CLOSED SINCE MID-MARCH.

MAKING no moneyAND WITH ALL THERESTRICTIONS THEY DON'TKNOW WHEN THEY CANfully REOPEN.

SO NOWTHEY'RE TURNING THEIRATTENTION TOWASHINGTON HOPING FORANY KIND OF FINANCIALRELIEF.-Larry Sells, Managing MemberOwner Uptown TheaterWe're making zero moneyright now.UPTOWN THEATER OWNERLARRY SELLS ISN'TSUGARCOATING HOW BADTHE PAST COUPLE ofMONTHS HAVE BEEN.Larry Sells, Managing MemberOwner Uptown TheaterWe need some assistance onthe short term.

We havemortages to pay, we havepeople to keep on the payrolland we have buildings thatneed to be taken care of.UNTIL ANY LIVEPERFORMERS COMEBACK--THE STAGE ANDSEATS SIT EMPTY.They have canceled 40 showsso far.THE FINANCIAL TOLL isADDING UP.Larry Sells, Managing MemberOwner Uptown TheaterThat's 40-80 thousand dollarsright there out of thecommunity in just one show."SELLS IS ONE OF MANYMETRO VENUES SUCH ASTHE FOLLY THEATERASKING CONGRESS TOSTEP IN TO HELP.Their efforts are GAININGTRACTION WITH 41SENATORS INCLUDING jerryMORAN AND pat ROBERTSOF KANSAS SIGNING ALETTER TO SENATELEADERSHIP ASKING FORFINANCIAL RELIEF FORTHESE types OFBUSINESSES.THE LETTER STATESTHERE SHOULD BETARGETED LEGISLATIVEACTIONSAYING 'WE CANPROVIDE A VITAL LIFELINEFOR THESE ICONICVENUES THAT ARE SOCENTRAL TO THE SOCIALCULTURAL AND ECONOMICFABRIC OF SO MANY OFOUR COMMUNITIES.'Larry Sells, Managing MemberOwner Uptown TheaterWe're at the mercy of amayor, or a governor or acountry exec all of whom don'tagree.SELLS WARNS WITHOUTANY HELPICONICPLACES LIKE THIS COULDBE SOLD TO THE HIGHESTBIDDER.Larry Sells, Managing MemberOwner Uptown TheaterThe big corporations arelooking to prey on us on thefirst chance they get and ifwe're taken over by thyou're not going to like theresults.REPORTING IN KANSASCITYNI