UPDATE: Federal COVID relief dollars to provide help to Tennessee small business owners

An estimated 28,000 business owners in Tennessee impacted by the COVID pandemic will be eligible for financial help.

“So I’ve directed the Tennessee Department of Revenue to issue economic relief payments to assist small businesses with the cost incurred as a result of the mandatory business closures that occurred during the statewide safer at home order,” Lee said at a press conference held at a mom-and-pop restaurant in Nashville on Tuesday.

The Tennessee Business Relief Program will award amounts based on the annual gross sales of the business. The funding is derived from the $2 billion CARES Act payment Tennessee received weeks ago.

The eligible businesses include:

*Barber shops
*Beauty shops
*Nail salons
*Tattoo parlors, spas, and other personal care services
*Gyms and fitness centers
*Restaurants
*Bars
*Hotels and other travel accommodations
*Theaters, auditoriums, performing arts centers and similar facilities
*Museums, zoos, and other similar attractions
*Amusement parks
*Bowling centers and arcades
*Marinas
*Amusement, sports and recreational industries
*Promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events
*Agents and managers of artists, athletes, and entertainers
*Independent artists, writers, and performers

(PHOTO: Unsplash)