Wyoming Business: Cheyenne hotel heads for ’boutique’ status

CHEYENNE — One more piece of downtown Cheyenne’s renaissance has fallen into place with the announcement that several Wyoming investors have bought the historic Plains Hotel and plan to renovate it into a “boutique” hotel property.

The Plains Hotel Co. LLC purchased the hotel from LJK Cos. of Minnesota for an undisclosed purchase price, then leased it back to LJK for continued operation as a contract hotel through December.

Architectural and interior-design activities have already begun, and the partners plan to begin “extensive remodeling” in January and have it completed by next July.

The Plains is located across the street from the proposed Depot Plaza, part of the planned renovation of the historic Union Pacific Railroad Depot and a cornerstone of downtown redevelopment activities.

The Plains project’s lead developer is Alvin Wiederspahn, a Cheyenne attorney, former legislator and former president of the Downtown Development Authority. Wiederspahn also plans to redevelop another major downtown building, the Hynds Building.

Wyoming prepared to fight bioterrorism

CHEYENNE — Gov. Jim Geringer is reassuring Wyoming residents that their state is prepared to battle bioterrorism.

The governor, who earlier activated Wyoming National Guard troops to protect airports, said the Wyoming Department of Health has made significant strides in the past two years and has “profoundly strengthened the state’s ability to prevent, detect and quickly respond to any bioterrorist attack.”

The Health Department launched its Bioterrorism Program in September 1999 in response to a federal effort to beef up bioterrorism prevention efforts, and since then, state health officials have worked with health professionals and local law-enforcement officials throughout the state to improve detection and early response capacity.

“To ensure our continued safety, we have taken steps that focus on detection, treatment and recovery from bioterrorist attacks,” Geringer said, adding that the state has built an infrastructure that “significantly increases surveillance, reporting and response for any bioterrorist attack.”

The state has held a number of training exercises and has been preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games in Salt Lake City this winter.

Cheyenne has workers available

CHEYENNE — A new Laramie County work-force study shows skilled workers available to fill potential new jobs, although unemployment rates remain quite low.

The study, commissioned by Cheyenne LEADS and conducted by PathFinders Resources, surveyed workers in Laramie and Goshen counties in Wyoming and portions of Larimer and Weld counties in Colorado, a total estimated civilian labor force of 81,600 people.

The study found about 3,100 unemployed people seeking work, 12,300 underemployed workers who could qualify for a better job, and another 2,300 people neither employed nor seeking work but who might re-enter the work force.

The report concluded that new employers usually staff new operations mainly with underemployed people, nearly 30 percent of whom have college degrees, and another 30 percent have some college experience.

Cheyenne LEADS president Jack Crews said the work-force study is a “very credible tool in convincing prospective employers that the Laramie County area can meet their employment needs.”

Cheyenne CVB wins top honors

CHEYENNE — The Cheyenne Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s new visitor-information program won the top award in the services category at the annual meeting of the Western Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.

The Cheyenne CVB vigorously promoted community and area attractions this past year, providing displays and brochures in more than 400 business locations as well as 1,800 hotel and motel rooms.

As a result, many Cheyenne attractions reported a banner summer, while travel was flat or down in many areas, according to CACVB director Darren Rudloff.

Rudloff said it was the first time Cheyenne had entered the competition, which included a number of large cities in the West.

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