Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.18 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Support Business Growth in West Wendover, Nevada, Opportunity Zone

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.18 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the city of West Wendover, Nevada, to develop infrastructure to diversify and strengthen the local economy in response to adverse economic impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The EDA grant, to be located in a Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Opportunity Zone, will be matched with $1.18 million in local funds, is expected to create 206 jobs, and generate $1 million in private investment.

“President Trump is working diligently every day to support our nation’s economy following the impacts of COVID-19 through the CARES Act,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “This investment will provide the resources that West Wendover needs to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic and the project’s location in an Opportunity Zone will attract additional investment.”

“This project comes at a crucial time to help West Wendover and our nation’s economy come roaring back and provide hard-working Americans with new opportunities,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “EDA is pleased to invest this CARES Act funding to support West Wendover in opening 60 acres of land for commercial development and the project’s Opportunity Zone designation will further transform the community’s economy.”

The CARES Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, provides EDA with $1.5 billion for economic development assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. For complete information, please visit our recently updated EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance page.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.