Why Cheyenne…
Ranked as the nation’s “Most Business-Friendly Tax Climate” since 2013 by the Tax Foundation, plus outstanding transportation options, top-ranked broadband connectivity, well-funded public education, safe neighborhoods, and abundant outdoor space and recreation opportunities, Wyoming businesses and people thrive. Take a look at why you should consider Cheyenne, Wyoming as your business’ next frontier.
1) Low Tax Burden - In Wyoming we take a different approach to encouraging business attraction and growth. Rather than have multiple taxes which are then mitigated only for some qualifying businesses, keeping the tax burden low as possible for all businesses, both new and existing.
Tax advantages of doing business in Wyoming are:
1. No state corporate or individual income tax
2. No inventory tax
3. No sales tax on manufacturing equipment
4. No sales tax on electricity and gas used in the manufacturing process
5. No state or local gross receipts tax
6. Low sales tax (4% state + 2% county)
2) Exceptional Fiber/Connectivity - The Cheyenne telecommunications infrastructure is truly second to none and rivals that of many large metro areas. Cheyenne sits on the fiber-optic backbone of several national long-haul carriers with fiber running along Interstate 80 and 25 corridors. In fact, it’s so good that Microsoft continues to invest in Cheyenne with two additional data centers under construction.
3) Transportation – Almost every business relies on some type of transportation, and Cheyenne is at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and Interstate 25, and both Union Pacific and BNSF run though Cheyenne connecting businesses to major markets. The Cheyenne Logistics Hub Business Park, located near the Wyoming/Colorado border is dual rail served.
Travel is easy with our new $17.5M airport terminal or you can make the quick 90-minute drive to Denver International Airport.
4) Happy employees are good employees – Not having to leave their house before sunrise means your employees arrive ready to work. With an average commute time of only 14 minutes it’s a quick trip to and from work. Did you know that the national average for commute time is 27.6 minutes, and over 45 minutes for our neighbors to the south in Denver? Not only will your employees be more productive, but they will also be able to spend more time with their families, and doing the activities they enjoy at the end of their day.
Fun fact: A study by the University of West England found that adding 20 minutes to your daily commute has the same negative effect on job satisfaction as receiving a 19 percent pay cut.
5) Wyoming invests in its youth – In 2005, Wyoming legislators created the Hathaway Scholarship program for qualified students who graduate from Wyoming high schools. The initial $400 million endowment funds scholarships to attend the University of Wyoming and any of the state’s community colleges.
The University of Wyoming offers a world-class education with more than 200 areas of study, and it consistently ranks among the best-valued universities in the country. In January 2016, “Inside Higher Ed” named Wyoming best in the nation in terms of state funding for higher education. Wyoming was the only state to receive an “A” grade.
6) Workforce Focused - With over 56,000 college students located within 50 miles of Cheyenne, Cheyenne LEADS is dedicated to working with schools to make sure that graduating students know about the community and available jobs.
Laramie County Community College, located in Cheyenne, partners with hundreds of businesses and organizations in order to identify gaps in the workforce, create programs that will alleviate these gaps and then provides training to bring employees and employers up to speed.
The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services offers two types of workforce development grants:
• Up to $2,000 per worker is available each year for established Wyoming businesses who want to retrain or upgrade the skills of their current employees.
• Up to $4,000 per worker is available each year for Wyoming businesses who are creating new jobs. These grants can be used to prepare workers to fill gaps in high-demand and high-growth occupation.
7) Quality of Life & Lifestyle - You don’t have to go far from your front door to enjoy the 30+ miles of the Cheyenne Greenway Trail System, the Botanic Gardens, the Children’s Village or one of the 25 community and neighborhood parks.
More adventure is waiting for you less than 30 minutes west of Cheyenne! Three scenic and distinct areas — the Pole Mountain and Vedauwoo areas within Medicine Bow National Forest, and Curt Gowdy State Park — provide a rich playground for both the casual nature lover and the avid outdoor enthusiast, all year long!
8) The Community’s Culture – The primary building blocks for Cheyenne are the people and their friendliness. Even as the state’s largest city, Cheyenne maintains a small-town feel with a sense of community. This is part of what makes Cheyenne and Laramie County so special. Everyone is willing to lend a helping hand and give back when needed. Cheyenne Frontier Days alone boasts over 3,000 community volunteers.
9) Entertainment & Events – Cheyenne enjoys all the traditional events you’d expect but it also welcomes the new. On any given day you can find friends gathering at Dillinger’s for Comedy Night, on the Depot Plaza for a concert or at the Met for Dueling Pianos.
If Cheyenne sounds like the kind of community, you would like your business to call home contact Cheyenne LEADS.
Cheyenne LEADS is a private, not-for-profit corporation serving as the economic development entity for the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County, Wyoming. They focus on Business Attraction and Business Retention & Expansion. LEADS prides itself on being the link between the community and site selectors, businesses, or individuals.