BRC and CFP grants total $11.7 million
Business and community facilities grants
by Wyoming Business Council
October 8, 2007
The State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB) funded three Business Ready Community (BRC) Grants and four Community Facilities Program (CFP) Grants, totaling $11.7 million during their meeting recently in Cheyenne.
The Wyoming Business Council’s Board of Directors made recommendations on grants during their meeting in Gillette on Sept. 13. By statute, those recommendations were forwarded to SLIB for a final decision. SLIB is made up of the five statewide elected officials, Gov. Dave Freudenthal, Secretary of State Max Maxfield, State Treasurer Joe Meyer, State Auditor Rita Meyer and Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jim McBride.
Business Ready Community Grant and Loan Program (BRC)
SLIB approved the following BRC grant requests totaling $6.2 million:
• Carbon County received a Business Committed grant of $1,912,500 to reconstruct 13.2 miles of County Roads No. 1 and 3 to industrial standards. This will create access to the site of the proposed DKRW Medicine Bow Fuel & Power LLC’s coal-to-liquids plant. The goal of the project is to finish the road work in advance of construction of its $2 billion facility. The facility will require a construction crew of 2,000 and long-term employment will be 300. The facility will be the first that converts coal and other hydrocarbons into liquid fuels and other energy products.
• The Northern Arapaho Tribe, in partnership with the Community Development Organization, Wind River Development Fund, received a $1,278,000 Business Committed grant to purchase and renovate a 17,000 square foot building located in Riverton. The building will be owned by the community development organization, Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) and leased to Wind River Healthcare Systems, Inc. (WRHS), a start-up community healthcare center. The primary goals of the project are to create 26 full-time equivalent health service jobs over a three year period and increase the availability of comprehensive health services.
• Albany County received a $3,000,000 Business Committed grant to construct roads for the Pete Lien & Sons, Inc. quarry and lime plant to be located nine miles north of Laramie on US 30/Highway 287. Approximately four miles of the road will be a paved, public access road. One and a half miles of the road will be a crushed gravel access road. A plant operations (haul) road to the quarry will be 3.75 miles in length and will be leased to the business for its exclusive use. The primary goals of the project are to diversify Albany County’s economy, increase the tax base, and add 29 well-paying jobs over a three year period.
Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program (CFP)
SLIB approved the following Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program, totaling $5,541,428:
• The city of Cheyenne received a $1,451,269 CFP grant for renovation and remodeling of a vacant city-owned facility at 1317 Parsley Blvd. Grant funds will be used for design, asbestos abatement, renovation of the structure and some site work including roads and paving into the facility. Once complete, the building will serve as a youth center focusing on Cheyenne’s Latchkey program, summer recreation program and teen center. The community will also have the opportunity to use the facility for meeting and training space.
• The town of Dayton received a $1,500,000 CFP grant to redesign and renovate portions of the existing Tongue River High School. The structure will be used by the town in conjunction with the nonprofit, Tongue River Valley Community Center (TRVCC) once it is renovated. The space will be used for civic, cultural and social events; recreation; local business development; workforce training; conferences; small conventions; outreach college classes; sports activities; community gatherings and senior citizen meeting place.
• The town of Hulett received a $1,475,158 CFP grant to renovate the former Hulett Elementary School into community space. Once renovated, the space will be used for a public library, senior center, kitchen (shared use by seniors and community), general meeting space, offices for the Hulett Area Chamber of Commerce and Hulett Area Economic Development Corporation (HAEDC), town administration and a gymnasium for recreation and school use.
• The town of Medicine Bow received a $1,115,001 CFP grant for renovation efforts to bring their Community Hall back into use. Once renovated, the facility will serve youth and adults from the towns of Medicine Bow, Elk Mountain and Hanna with space for community meetings, election polling center, kid’s movie night, Scouts meetings, dances and recreational events.
The mission of the Wyoming Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.wyomingbusiness.org.
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