Wyoming Business Council Boards Meet Sept. 9 & 10, 2024, in Laramie

Cheyenne, Wyo – The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) Board of Directors and the Wyoming Main Street (WMS) Advisory Board will both hold quarterly meetings next week in person in Laramie, Wyoming, and concurrently via Zoom. The WBC also is hosting a dynamic public work session with University of Wyoming (UW) students and members of the public on Sept. 10 focused on “Shaping Wyoming’s Future”.

Wyoming Main Street Advisory Board

The WMS Advisory Board will meet in person on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Laramie Plains Civic Center boardroom (710 E. Garfield St.; Laramie, WY 82070) beginning at 9 a.m. The meeting will primarily focus on updated documentation and requirements for each of the three Wyoming Main Street community designations: Candidate, Affiliate, and Accredited.

The board will take action on approval of the updated program documentation and include a public comment period on the proposed outline. The meeting will also include a short discussion on planning for 2025.

The meeting will be available via Zoom at wbc.pub/WMS_Meeting for anyone wishing to join remotely.

WBC Board of Directors

The WBC Board will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Hilton Garden Inn’s event and conference space (2229 Grand Ave.; Laramie, WY 82070), beginning at 8 a.m. The Board also will host a public work session the previous afternoon, Sept. 10, beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the University of Wyoming College of Business (more details below).

During Wednesday’s regular meeting, the Board will consider three Business Ready Community (BRC) grant and loan requests. A full agenda and board materials are available on the WBC website at wbc.pub/WBC_Board.

Anyone interested in joining the meeting may do so at wbc.pub/wbc_meeting or by calling 1.669.900.6833; enter Meeting ID 295-704-768 (no PIN required, press # when prompted). If joining by phone, please note your ability to interact with the panelists may be limited due to system limitations.

Members of the public who wish to speak during the meeting should email [email protected] before 4 p.m. on Sept. 10 stating your name and the topic you wish to address.  

BRC Project requests being considered at the Sept. 11 meeting:

Business Committed – Mesa Solutions, LLC

• The Town of Evansville requests an $8,964,713 Business Committed grant to develop a 206-acre site which will provide the needed infrastructure to serve the committed business, Mesa Solutions, on 43.8 acres, as well as an additional 162 acres of developable land. Mesa will act as an anchor business planning to construct a 203,000-square-foot facility that will retain 222 jobs and create 261 new positions over five years.

Community Readiness – Southwest WY Regional Airport Commercial Terminal Modernization Project

• The Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport Board requests a $2 million Community Readiness grant and a $5 million loan to complete the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport Commercial Terminal Modernization project. The airport board was awarded a $3 million BRC Community Readiness grant in April 2021 for this project. Their increased request follows a series of challenges that have resulted in increased costs and significant delays.

Community Readiness – High Tech Business Park Phase II

• The Sheridan Economic and Educational Development Authority (SEEDA) requests a $4,426,000 Community Readiness grant to develop Phase II of the Sheridan High-Tech Park. The project would include the purchase of 35 acres, along with the installation of water, sewer, and roadway infrastructure.

Shaping Wyoming’s Future: A UW Student Panel Discussion

Recognizing the need communities across Wyoming have to retain and attract employees and entrepreneurs, the WBC is excited to host “Shaping Wyoming’s Future: A UW Student Panel” on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the University of Wyoming (UW) College of Business.

The WBC has been working closely with some very motivated and inspiring college students to understand their goals and what factors contribute to deciding where they will spend their future. To broaden that reach, the Council is hosting a public event in conjunction with the quarterly Board of Directors meeting and creating a forum for UW students to share their perspectives on why they choose to stay in or leave Wyoming with partners and stakeholders who can make decisions that can influence that future.

The student-led panel will share their experiences and vision for Wyoming’s future and discuss steps we can take to ensure the next generation thrives in the Cowboy State. The event kicks off with a mixer at 3:30 p.m. and continues with a panel discussion and Q&A preceding a reception and burger bar dinner.

For more information, click here. Virtual viewing options are also available at wbc.pub/wbc_meeting.