FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 13, 2006
For more information contact:

Steve Achter
Director, Investment Ready Communities Division
Wyoming Business Council
Cell: 307.631.4274

Tom Lacock
Senior Marketing & PR Specialist
Wyoming Business Council
Tel: 307.777.2834 Cell: 307.631.0958

Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors approve grants

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors approved two Business Ready Community Program grants and three Community Facilities Program grants on September 13 at the City of Evanston Machine Shop in Evanston.

Business Ready Community (BRC) Grant Applications
The board’s recommendations for the Business Ready Community Grants will be forwarded to the State Loan and Investment Board for decision at their meeting at 8 a.m. Oct. 5 in the Herschler Building, Room 1299, in Cheyenne.

The board recommended for approval the following two Business Committed BRC Grant applications totaling $6 million:

• Big Horn County requested a $3 million BRC Business Committed grant to construct a 23,000 square foot clear span hangar at the South Big Horn Regional Airport near Greybull. The hangar will be owned by the county and leased to B&G Industries, LLC (BGI). The building will be built to Federal Aviation Administration building codes and will be capable of holding a complete C-130 military aircraft. This will allow BGI to comply with a Department of Defense requirement to isolate military planes from any other aircraft or equipment that might have fuel on board when they are being serviced. As a result of the project, BGI will create 60 jobs over three years.
• The city of Lander, in cooperation with a local community development organization, LEADER, requested $3 million for a chain of projects. The projects include: purchasing an existing building; off-site improvements at the South Industrial Park; purchasing 6.5 acres; business park development; and constructing a new building. When completed, the projects will ultimately lead to the expansion of Eggli Bros Millworks Inc., add business ready lots to the Lander area, expand existing infrastructure related to business development and provide a source of revenue and real estate assets for future economic development activities.

Community Facilities Program (CFP) Grant Applications
The Community Facilities Program assists communities with grant and loan funding to preserve former school and government facilities that have existing or future community uses. The board’s recommendations for Community Facilities Program Grants will be forwarded to the State Loan and Investment Board for decision at their meeting at 8 a.m. Oct. 5 in the Herschler Building, Room 1299, in Cheyenne.

The board recommended for approval the following three Community Facilities applications totaling $863,809:

• Goshen County requested $225,000 to renovate the gymnasium portion of a decommissioned middle school for youth and community use. The funds will be used to renovate the former Torrington Middle School Gymnasium, which will be used by the high school and local wrestling clubs as well as the public for meetings and recreational activities.
• The Hyattville Cemetery District requested $398,000 to renovate a former school for community use. The funds will be used to finish the improvements on the building that have taken place over the last three years. The final improvements will allow for a year-round community center. The Hyattville Cemetery District and the school district are the only public entities in Hyattville.
• The town of Superior requested $240,809 to renovate a former school for a variety of community uses. The funds will be used to renovate and upgrade the former school building to allow it to continue as the area’s hub for community activities and youth services.

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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