ST. LOUIS (AP) – St. Louis’ Gateway Arch is among many national parks forced to
shutter and sideline workers during the federal government shutdown, but the
towering attraction’s closure is also hurting private tourism workers and
nonprofits.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports partners of the Gateway Arch National Park estimate they’ve collectively lost more than $600,000 in revenue since the partial shutdown began Dec. 22nd. Contractors and nonprofits have also had to furlough dozens of workers who sell souvenirs, feed visitors and lead tours near the country’s tallest monument.
David Grove is CEO of Jefferson National Parks Association, a nonprofit that
runs shops and leads tours by the Gateway Arch. He says some workers are using
paid vacation time to keep a paycheck coming in, but they soon could join other
employees who’ve recently filed for unemployment.
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