Eagles Club speaks out about COVID-19 relief

The club had to let go of at least 35 of it's employees during the shut down.

New on daybreak.

One rochester organization is speaking out about the distribution of the 88 million dollars last month to bars and restaurants.

Kimt news 3's madelyne watkins is learning they didn't qualify for any financial relief during the pandemic.

She joins us live to tell us more.

Madelyne./// brooke and tyler.

I'm at the rochester eagles club and if you're not familiar with it... it's operated as a public restaurant that's open to the public.

But because it's under the fraternal order of eagles... it's considered a 501(c)(8) non?

"* profit.

In a letter sent out to over a thousand of it's members... staff say the eagles club has been quote, "unfairly denied any funding from state and federal sources ?

"*?

"* includ ppp ?

"*?

"* for various reason end quote.

That includes the 88 million dollar relief package approved last month to help out minnesota bars and restaurants.

The eagles club states the organization has complied with every guideline, operates like a normal restaurant and pays state and federal taxes... yet isn't qualified like it's fellow hospitality businesses.

One member tells me the club had to completely drain its savings that was set aside and will have to start over "it's more about making sure the people that work here have a job to come back to, that the club can stay open for its members.

We don't do things to look for something back in return.

But when you see all these other establishments getting something and you're being excluded, that's a problem."

Now that restaurants can open at 50% percent capacity on monday... the manager here tells me 5 days in advance isn't enough time to get this place up and running again.

But they're going to try and make it work.

Live in rochester.

Madelyne watkins kimt thank you, madelyne.

She says the club had to let go of at least 35 of