Cheyenne Mayor Wants Downtown Ideas

Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen says he is interested in ''whatever may work" to revitalize downtown Cheyenne.

Commenting specifically on a Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce proposal to create an ''enterprise zone" of reduced business regulation in the downtown area, Kaysen said Thursday he would "certainly be willing to take a look at that" as an option.

He did mention that there would be a fair number of rules and regulations that would have to be reviewed if such a zone were implemented, but added he is interested in any ideas to encourage businesses to located in downtown Cheyenne

Several businesses that had been located downtown have closed or relocated in recent months, and the problem of vacant buildings, which has long been an issue, seems to be growing. The mayor said Thursday he is especially interested in ideas that the ''public sector and private sector may work together on".

The new Cheyenne Public Safety Building, which will house the Cheyenne Police Department and other emergency responders, is slated to open at the former location of the Dineen Car Dealership in the downtown area this Spring.

One of the arguments for locating the facility downtown was that it would provide a boost to downtown businesses. Whether that will happen is unclear at this point.