Gordon Pushes to Diversify Revenue Through Tourism
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TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2019 109TH YEAR/ISSUE 38 GORDON PUSHES TO AMERICAN RODEO STYLE DIVERSIFY REVENUE THROUGH TOURISM BY MARK DAVIS Wyoming and Montana spends Tribune Staff Writer 50 percent more. Wyoming’s tourism budget, s the state realizes sub- however, has been stagnant for stantial losses in coal the past decade, despite seeing Aincome, it’s become more increases in tourist dollars spent important to look to tourism to here. diversify tax revenue, Wyoming Many in the region — in- Gov. Mark Gor- cluding tourism don said during a industry leaders Friday speech in themselves — Cody. ‘If you’re going hoped increased Unlike mineral to invest in investment in the extraction, it costs diversification in agency would re- money to boost sult in increased tourism, Gordon Wyoming, you’re visitation to the told the Wyoming going to cost state. The failed County Commis- legislation would sioners Associa- taxpayers money.’ have passed most tion at the Holiday of the cost to visi- Inn. Gov. Mark Gordon tors, with roughly “If you’re going half of those dol- to invest in diversification in lars coming from tourists in Wyoming, you’re going to cost Park and Teton counties. taxpayers money,” Gordon said. While wanting to make his That was something the state point, Gordon was very careful Legislature was unwilling to do not to step on the toes of the coal in the past session. Lawmak- industry at this pivotal moment. Dawn Borwegen of Dubois waits her turn to showcase the athletic ability and versatility of her horse during a ranch horse competition at ers killed a bill that would have Diversifying “doesn’t mean Jake Clark’s arena in Ralston on Friday. The competition was part of the annual horse sale in Cody. For more photos, see Page 8. pumped more money into the we’re deemphasizing minerals, Tribune photo by Mark Davis Wyoming Office of Tourism by the way,” he said. “It just through a statewide lodging tax. means we’re growing our econ- Wyoming ranks 31st nationally omy, not just diversifying away in funding for tourism efforts from [mineral extraction]. We — well behind western states need to make sure that the tax competing for tourist dollars; for system is sustainable over time.” instance, Colorado spends twice Despite ‘bumps in the road,’ as much attracting tourists than See Gordon, Page 2 Clocktower Inn moving forward BY KEVIN KILLOUGH spring, Bekes previously said from a $2.6 million grant the local. Bekes said that option fell Tribune News Editor that had been pushed back to State Loan and Investment through, which was “unfortu- June or July. She said Monday Board awarded to the city nate,” but the market nationally he planned Powell Clock- that, as far as in October. is saturated. Financing for these tower Inn and conference she knows, that The city will kinds of projects is becoming Tcenter has hit a financing is still the plan. ‘It’s moving forward, own the cen- harder to come by these days, snag, but people involved with “I haven’t ter, which will she said. the project say it’s continuing heard any dif- and continues to be attached to Others close to the project to shoot for a summer ground- ferent,” Bekes move forward. the privately say, despite the delay, that breaking. told the council. There’s been a few owned 75- hurdle should be cleared before “It’s moving forward, and The project, room hotel. too long. continues to move forward. which is ex- bumps in the road.’ Part of the “I’m fairly confident this There’s been a few bumps in pected to have funding for the project will move forward,” said the road,” said Christine Bekes, a total cost of Christine Bekes inn side comes City Administrator Zane Logan. CEO for Powell Economic $7 million to Powell Economic Partnership from bank fi- The conference center will be Partnership, during a Monday $9 million, is a nancing. War- leased to the Powell Clocktower Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon speaks to the Wyoming County update on PEP activities to the public-private partnership be- hrlich, of Billings, had pursued on a 20-year lease with an op- Commissioners Association at Cody’s Holiday Inn on Friday. Gordon Powell City Council. tween developer Steve Wahrlich the financing through a local tion to purchase after 10 years. spoke on a range of topics, from coal and tourism to wildlife and While the project was origi- and the City of Powell. bank in an effort to keep as healthcare. Tribune photo by Mark Davis nally slated to break ground by Funding for the center came much as the economic impact See Hotel, Page 8 CLERK’S OFFICE CONSIDERS CLOSING RURAL POLLING LOCATIONS IN 2020 BY CJ BAKER Election Day. ‘... it would save the state some money on purchasing equipment, the current system, voters must Tribune Editor First Deputy Clerk Hans go to specific places. Odde stressed last week that but I don’t think we want to anger our general public, either.’ The proposed changes would he Park County Clerk’s elections officials are only dis- Hans Odde, First deputy clerk mean folks in rural places like Office may reduce the cussing the idea and have not Garland would need to drive to Tnumber of polling places made any decisions. Powell or cast an absentee bal- in next year’s elections. It would “There needs to be some lot by mail; Odde noted that’s save taxpayer dollars, but force community buy-in on this, too,” some money on purchasing county would operate a hand- their ballots at any of the cen- what Crandall and Yellowstone rural residents in places like Odde said. “We have the idea equipment, but I don’t think we ful of “vote centers,” perhaps ters; for example, a Powell resi- National Park residents cur- Heart Mountain, Garland, Wa- and we think that it probably want to anger our general pub- in Cody, Powell, Meeteetse and dent could vote in Cody if they rently do. piti and the South Fork to vote would save the county some lic, either.” possibly Clark. For voters, the happened to be working over absentee or drive into town on money, it would save the state He said the thought is that the upside is that they could cast there on Election Day. Under See Polling, Page 8 Work to replace jail City frog put up for sale cameras gets pricier BY KEVIN KILLOUGH just wasn’t feasible; the cost Tribune News Editor was estimated to be $150,000 to A more than $227,000 project to replace and up- $200,000. grade the surveillance camera system at the Cody he City of Powell has an- “We just don’t have the mon- jail is set to begin next week. nounced the departure of ey, and there are no revenues,” The project became a little more expensive than Tone of its more prominent said Logan, who’s retiring this expected after jail officials decided they needed to figures: The beloved frog that month. install better cameras in the exercise areas. With used to oversee a pond named City workers have begun re- the current, fixed-view cameras, there’s a couple after him has been removed and claiming the pond. spots where inmates have figured out how to get put up for sale to the highest “We’ve already hauled Frog- off-camera “and do whatever,” said County Chief bidder. gy off,” Director of Public Information Officer Mike Conners. The former Frog Pond, mean- Works Gary Butts solemnly Commissioners voted last week to spend an extra while, is being reclaimed as a announced at a budget meeting $3,676.92 to get pan-tilt-zoom cameras for the exer- grassy area at Homesteader last week. cise yards, so jail staff can monitor the inmates in Park. Over the next few months, the the entire area. Two years ago, the pond was city will remove the concrete “I have to say, after working on the jail for 10 closed due to ballooning costs. and pumphouse at the pond. years myself, knowing where they are is a good City Administrator Zane Logan The hole will be filled with thing,” Conners told commissioners. said safety requirements — in- topsoil, with grass planted over The change order brings the project’s grand total cluding hiring lifeguards and that. The work is being done to $227,138.06. More than 60 high-definition cam- complying with the Americans in-house. eras, new video recording equipment and wiring are with Disabilities Act — would The Powell Frog, meanwhile, being installed by CML Security of Erie, Colorado. have cost almost as much as re- now sits on the lot of the city’s The system being replaced is roughly 13 years building the whole thing. shop, along with bundles of old and has been failing; for example, two of the old At the time they closed the cardboard, mounds of gravel cameras recently began having problems. pond, city leaders suggested it and unused city vehicles. Conners said that CML Security — which was could be replaced with a splash It’s being auctioned off on- chosen without a bidding process — is set to start Powell’s beloved frog sits outside the City Shop, beside bundles of cardboard and pad, which would become the line, along with other surplus work on Monday. mounds of gravel. The frog is currently up for auction — and the highest bidder is new home of the Powell Frog. — By CJ Baker required to come pick him up. Tribune photo by Kevin Killough However, Logan said the project See Frog, Page 8 powell high school GRADUATION EDITION | with today’s powell tribune PAGE 2 • POWELL TRIBUNE TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2019 WELCOME TO PARK COUNTY Starting in July, more online sales to be taxed BY CJ BAKER but “I think the number really Tribune Editor is much larger,” Rieman told Park County commissioners hopping on Amazon.com last week.