Hotels and motels across Illinois are asking state lawmakers for a relief package to help the hotel industry recover from the devastating economic effects of the COVID pandemic.
Darin Dame, the general manager of SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Springfield, says his hotel had to lay off two-thirds of its staff, and he and other partners had to dig into their own pockets to keep the doors open when leisure and business travel collapsed.
The Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association is asking lawmakers to approve using $250 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to make a one-time payout of $1,500 per room to every hotel in the state, to help them rehire staff and stabilize their finances.
