FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 19, 2007
For more information contact:

Steve Achter
Director of Investment Ready Communities
Wyoming Business Council
Office: 307.777.2811

Tom Lacock
Senior Marketing and Public Relations Specialist
Wyoming Business Council
Office: 307.777.2834

Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors to consider grants
Live streaming audio available for the meeting
MP3 quotes for all the grant applications

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors will meet at 11 a.m., Jan. 25 at the C’mon Inn in Evansville, located at 301 East Lathrop Road, to consider two Business Ready Community applications and six Community Development Block Grant applications.

The board agenda is available at the end of this press release. Anyone wishing to listen to the meeting may do so through a streaming audio feed provided by the Wyoming Business Council. For instructions on receiving the live audio feed via the Internet, visit www.wyomingbusiness.org/livemeeting.aspx.

The Business Council Board will review the staff recommendations for two Business Ready Community (BRC) applications. The Business Council board’s recommendations for the BRC applications will be forwarded to the State Loan and Investment Board for decision at their Feb. 8 meeting in Cheyenne. That meeting will be held at 8 a.m. in room 1299 of the Herschler Building.

To read the staff recommendations for these applications, visit www.wyomingbusiness.org/community/businessready.aspx.

The following Business Ready Community grant applications will be considered by the WBC board:

• POWELL: The staff has recommended against funding the city of Powell and Target Powell Valley’s application for $1.5 million. The grant would be used to renovate and expand a city-owned building to be leased by Rocky Mountain Custom Cuts, a start up meat processing company. Staff analysis concluded that the project may not be a safe investment of public funds because of the specialized nature of the building and the lack of a solid business plan for the start-up. In addition, the staff was concerned with the possibility of an inadequate water supply, and the unresolved issues over a lease for the property with the State Board of Land Commissioners.
• RANCHESTER: The staff has recommended funding for Ranchester’s application for $1,219,558 to purchase and renovate an existing downtown building to facilitate the recruitment of Polo Gear, Inc. This Florida-based polo equipment and apparel manufacturer would like to locate its headquarters, manufacturing, wholesale and showroom to Ranchester.
  

Six Community Development Block Grant applications totaling $600,195 will also be considered at the Jan. 25 board meeting in Casper. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are federal pass-through dollars and do not need to be approved by the State Loan and Investment Board.

Among the CDBG applications to be considered by the Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors are:

• Platte County requests a $25,000 planning only grant to be used to hire a consultant who will assist the county in updating their comprehensive countywide land use plan.
• Platte County requests a $25,000 planning only grant to hire a consultant to determine the feasibility of converting the old Imerys plant and surrounding property into an industrial park.
• The town of Wheatland requests a $25,000 planning only grant to hire a planning consultant to determine the feasibility of developing a business park along Interstate 25 at exit 80.
• The town of Wheatland requests a $25,000 planning only grant to be used to hire a consultant to assist the community in updating the Wheatland Impact Area Comprehensive Plan in conjunction with the Platte County Comprehensive land use plan.
• The city of Evanston requests a $300,000 downtown development grant, which will be used for stabilization and rehabilitation of the roof, exterior doors, windows, cleaning of exterior masonry and re-pointing the mortar of the Hotel Evanston.
• Uinta County requests a $200,195 downtown development grant to construct an Americans with Disabilities Act compliant entrance, restroom and an elevator to the existing Carnegie Building in downtown Evanston.

The mission of the Wyoming Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.wyomingbusiness.org.
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