ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — While many small businesses and their employees in St. Petersburg are cashing in on the city’s $6.8 million “Fighting Chance Fund,” there are some other businesses feeling left out.

“We did think that that would be a little bit of hope to help us cover some of our operating expenses,” said Kevin Brown, who co-owns the Dickens House Bed & Breakfast. “Then we found out that bed & breakfasts are not being included in the Fighting Chance Fund and that was very disappointing.” 

Hundreds of local businesses and their employees have been given $5,000 and $500 checks respectively through the program. But city officials say at this point bed & breakfasts and small boutique hotels aren’t eligible.

In an email to Spectrum Bay News 9, Mayor Rick Kriseman’s office stated, “They will be considered for future rounds of funding. We are monitoring resources now.”

“We still didn’t understand that because we feel like we’re a really important portal for the tourism industry of St. Petersburg and we funnel people to the museums, to the restaurants,” Brown said.

For more information about the Fighting Chance Fund, visit stpete.org/fightingchancefund.