Legislature’s budget committee okays new southeast Wyo tourism center money
January 28, 2010 by Phil Noble
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by Phil Noble, Cowboy State Free Press Bureau Chief
CHEYENNE—The Wyoming legislature’s Joint Interim Appropriations Committee voted today to approve $14.8 million to build a new Welcome Center for the division of Travel and Tourism, to be built south of Cheyenne at a new interchange of Interstate 25.
The vote came after considerable debate, including an attempt to remove offices for all WTT staff from the building’s budget. That move would have removed over $3 million from the construction budget, which had earlier been approved by Gov. Dave Freudenthal.
Rep. Pete Jorgensen, R-Teton County, made the motion to remove the office space from the budget, saying, “there is no question its an appropriate location for a welcome center. The staff could stay where they are or move to other state facilities.”
Rep. Bryan Pedersen, R-Laramie County, said his recollection of earlier testimony from WTT was that the staff is overcrowded in its current facility and needs room for expansion.
Committee Co-Chair Sen. Phil Nicholas, R-Albany County pointed out that if the committee removed the office space from the budget, leaving the staff in its current facility, “we couldn’t use the other facility for its highest and best use.”
“If we build new office space and they’re all together, that provides Esprit corps and efficiencies. We also couldn’t sell the other property (the current WTT offices and Welcome Center) if we want to. I’m inclined to say ‘let’s build the facility’,” Nicholas said.
