CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) brought six nationally recognized site selectors to Cody last week for a three-day familiarization tour designed to position Wyoming as a competitive destination for business investment – particularly in the defense and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Held August 18 to 20 in partnership with Consultant Connect, the tour gave the visiting consultants – representing four national site-selection firms – a firsthand look at what makes Wyoming a strong contender for company expansion and relocation. The event also convened representatives from five Wyoming communities, the Wyoming Economic Development Association (WEDA), and WBC staff.
Site selectors are the consultants companies rely on to identify where to locate new facilities, making them among the most influential figures in corporate expansion and relocation decisions. Familiarization tours give those consultants direct experience with a state’s communities, leaders, and assets that data alone can’t convey.
“Wyoming offers what businesses value most: abundant resources, a strong work ethic, low taxes, and the freedom to build for the future,” said Cody Huddleston, Principal and Vice President of Site Selection at Veloture Consulting Group.
For WBC, tours like this are about more than any single deal; they’re about making the case that Wyoming competes as a state, not a collection of separate towns.
“Companies don’t evaluate communities in isolation; they evaluate regions and states,” said Chance Price, WBC Business Recruitment Manager. “When Wyoming communities work together, share ideas, and celebrate each other’s successes, the entire state becomes more competitive. A project that lands anywhere in Wyoming creates jobs, investment, and momentum that benefits us all.”
That spirit of shared effort echoes what WBC has heard from Wyomingites across the state all summer: Wyoming is strongest when its communities build together.
The tour featured a panel discussion in which the site selectors shared what they look for when helping companies choose locations. Local economic development professionals then met one-on-one with each consultant, asked community-specific questions, received candid feedback, and built relationships intended to continue well beyond the event.
Several themes emerged throughout the discussions. The site selectors emphasized infrastructure readiness, strong utility partnerships, workforce development, housing availability, and clear, predictable local permitting. Wyoming’s abundant energy resources stood out as a competitive advantage, while the state’s outdoor recreation, tourism assets, and quality of life were repeatedly cited as strengths for attracting both employers and the workforce they hope to recruit.
Attendees also experienced Cody beyond the meeting room, with visits to the future Wyoming State Shooting Complex, the Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, and an evening at the Cody Nite Rodeo – experiences designed to convey the quality of life and genuine community that companies and their employees increasingly value.
“In an era where quality of life matters when choosing where to locate a company, Wyoming checks so many boxes,” said Nick Riashi, Senior Director at Consultant Connect. “And it’s not just the vibe or the activities. It’s the people. Both the community leaders and the local folks I interacted with throughout the week made me feel welcome and at home.”
Learn more about the WBC’s recruiting efforts at whywyoming.org.
