3/1/22 - Local Man Guest For State-Of-The-Union Address

Sen. Stabenow announces her guest for tonight's 2022 State of the Union address.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced that her virtual guest for the 2022 State of the Union address will be Scott Hammontree, co-owner of The Intersection in Grand Rapids and President of the Michigan Independent Venue and Promoter Association. It is a tradition for members of Congress to bring guests to the State of the Union and this year, Senator Stabenow chose Hammontree to highlight how The Intersection in Grand Rapids and venues across the state were helped by the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program funding in the American Rescue Plan. This program issued more than $354,000,000 in funding to over 288 live venues, theaters, and cultural institutions in Michigan to help them survive the economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our beautiful local theaters and wonderful arts and cultural institutions are at the heart of so many Michigan communities and they were some of the hardest hit during the pandemic,” said Senator Stabenow. “The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program has been a lifeline for them, helping keep their lights on and workers on the payroll. And importantly, these theaters and arts venues have helped downtowns across Michigan survive and thrive.”

“I am so grateful for the support of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program by Senator Stabenow, ” said Scott Hammontree, co-owner of The Intersection and President of the Michigan Independent Venue and Promoter Association. “This program has provided our business a lifeline that enabled us to get our business back open. My staff is back to work and we are back to hosting shows. After experiencing over a year of being closed, it has been very emotional seeing our customers back attending live shows and having a great time. Senator Stabenow‘s staff were extremely responsive while we were shut down, and we are forever grateful for the support. ” 

Scott Hammontree is the co-owner of The Intersection in Grand Rapids and President of the Michigan Independent Venue and Promoter Association. His business received funding from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. 

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program provided funding to hard-hit entertainment live venues, theaters, and cultural institutions to help them survive the COVID-19 crisis.