Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Business Journal Q1 2014 | Page 7

Jim Hearne,

The Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce

Board of Directors Chairman

A

s we move forward into 2014, I
am optimistic about the health
of the economy of Cheyenne
and Laramie County. The September 2013 report, produced by the Wyoming Center for Business and Economic
Analysis, Inc., provides some valuable
indicators. The job growth between the
second quarter of 2012 and the second
quarter of 2013 was very strong. The unemployment rate at the end of the second
quarter of 2013 was 4.8%, which is the
lowest it has been since 2008. The residential housing market improved during
the second quarter of 2013 and it appears

good year in 2013. Indicators measuring
general local business activity yielded
mixed results, but there was potential for
a strong finish.
We continue to have many advantages
that provide benefits to existing businesses and help attract new businesses. We
have no corporate state income taxes, no
inventory taxes, low property taxes and
no personal state income taxes. We have
the North Range Business Park and the
Cheyenne Business Parkway and the
Swan Ranch development. We have a
good education system, a
vibrant Laramie County
Community College and
State programs that offer
opportunities for workforce development from
the ground up.

“We cannot,
however, afford to
think we have
arrived and
rest on past
accomplishments.”

Cheyenne can offer a
long-term reliable power
supply due to the investment of Cheyenne Light
JIM HEARNE, CHAIRMAN OF THE GREATER
Fuel and Power in new
CHEYENNE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS & MANAGING
generating
facilities.
PARTNER AT MCGEE, HEARNE & PAIZ
Cheyenne has transportation advantages with
the intersection of I-80
and I-25, two major railroads and proximthat trend continued throughout the rest of
ity to the Denver International Airport. We
2013. Information provided by Visit Cheyhave a highly sophisticated fiber connecenne indicates the tourism market had a
tion and we are becoming a technologi-

cal center with companies like EchoStar
Corporation, Green House Data, Microsoft, National Center for Atmospheric Research and others. Cheyenne is the capital of Wyoming, the home of F.E. Warren
Air Force Base and the Wyoming National
Guard.
We have first class health care facilities
with the expansion of Cheyenne Regional
Medical Center and the addition of the
new Cancer Center. Cheyenne has also
invested in quality of life initiatives. We
have the Cheyenne Civic Center, the
Cheyenne Botanical Gardens, the Laramie County Library, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum and many
others. We are fortunate to have organizations like the Greater Cheyenne Chamber
of Commerce, Cheyenne LEADS, Visit
Cheyenne and the Downtown Development Authority.
We cannot, however, afford to think we
have arrived and rest on past accomplishments. There continues to be work to be
done. There are many challenges we face,
including keeping F.E. Warren Air Force
Base, maintaining the State’s strong mineral revenue stream, supporting existing
businesses, attracting new businesses
and creating jobs. Let’s all help move
Cheyenne and Laramie County forward
in 2014.

Q1 2014 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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