Moving forward with plans for the old airport

On November 22, the Hot Springs County Commissioners held a public hearing regarding their application to the Wyoming Business Council for a Readiness Grant. The hearing is a requirement to start the process.

In 2015, the new Hot Springs County Municipal Airport was opened to replace the original Thermopolis Municipal Airport, which was adjacent to the city of Thermopolis, but was unsuitable for expansion. The airfield didn’t meet federal design standards and was situated in obstructed terrain that limited expansion and precluded night operations. The property has been abandoned ever since and is now a liability. 

In 2017, an engineering study proposed a short-term plan (0-5 years) of removing all liabilities and repurposing usable structures. The long-term plan (5-20 years) would be to market the property to investors as a Convention Center/Resort. A hotel study in 2020 found that Hot Springs County could support such a venture. 

This proposed grant request would include the demolition of all liabilities remaining on the site, preparation of the site for development, a new access road to the project site, and water, sewer, and utilities. The project would take an estimated 18 months to complete. Construction and engineering jobs would be created during the duration of the proposed project. 

The potential impact on the community would be to create a usable, economically viable space for Hot Springs County. They would use this property to attract a new business or businesses to Thermopolis, such as the hotel/convention center that had been proposed. Should they be successful in bringing in a new hotel, it would create an estimated 15 to 30 new employment opportunities as well as the short-term jobs for construction.

Chairman Tom Ryan opened the meeting for public comments, however, there ended up being a discussion about the proposed transfer station location which is near the old airport.

Concerned citizen Daniel Wychgram said, “I think it’s a really great idea. I’m all for it. I think it’ll increase the value of the airport property. But I think everybody needs to be aware that the Town of Thermopolis is planning to build a garbage transfer station 200 feet, not yards, 200 feet from the airport property bounds. In the wintertime, it may not smell that bad, but believe me, in the summer and in warm weather, the stench from that is going to be all over the airport property and the golf course. With the right kind of wind, it could be right downtown.”

Chairman Ryan replied, “I don’t know that it’s a completely done deal. And that garbage moves out of there probably every second day, at least maybe every first day. I don’t know how much garbage they generate, but as soon as they have a truckload of garbage, that garbage leaves.”

Commissioner Phil Scheel said, “In Rawlins and Tensleep it’s just a steel building to come in and dump the trash trucks. The loader loads it up, puts it in the truck, and leaves. It’s not nearly a disgusting facility like the landfill is.”

Chairman Ryan expressed his main concern with the transfer station is with the highway access for it and said, “That’s an accident waiting to happen in the middle of winter.” 

There was more discussion about the transfer station and about the possibility of creating a solid waste district.

Chairman Ryan then returned the discussion back to the Readiness Grant. Ryan explained that they are interested in acquiring some private land that is flat or level on the north side of T-Hill that would become an access road from the highway that would lead to the old airport property. 

Chairman Ryan asked for additional public comments and there were no more. They adjourned the public hearing.

The county will move forward with the Readiness Grant application.