FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 25, 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 approves grants

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors approved one Business Ready Community (BRC) Grant worth $1.2 million and six Community Development Block Grants for $518,913 at a meeting today in Evansville.

• The Wyoming Business Council Board recommended for approval a grant to the city of Ranchester for $1,219,558. The grant will be used 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.

The Business Council board’s recommendations for the BRC application 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.

A grant request from the city of Powell on behalf of Rocky Mountain Custom Cuts was withdrawn.

Six Community Development Block Grant applications totaling $600,195 were approved during today’s meeting . 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 approved by the Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors were:

• Platte County received 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 Countyreceived 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 received a $25,000 planning only grant to hire a consultant to determine the feasibility of developing a business park along Interstate 25 at exit 80.
• The town of Wheatland received 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 received 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 mortar of the Hotel Evanston.
• Uinta County received a $118,913 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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