Mountain States City Scoop: Construction Starts in Cheyenne
Before COVID-19 outbreak, value of new contracts was expected to decline by 5%
A large gain had been forecast for the non-residential sector, while a sharp drop was expected for non-building.
City Grill
Lauren Reiman
Vice President
AGC of Wyoming
Controller, Reiman Corp.
Wyoming was not hit as hard as some of its neighbors by the pandemic, with construction allowed to continue, but evidence of the virus’ impact is widespread. For example, the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo was canceled for the first time in its 124-year history, costing the local economy an estimated $5 million to $6 million.
“The COVID -19 pandemic has left the Cheyenne construction industry in a state of flux as we respond to new realities and uncertainties that seem to change daily. Many projects that began before the pandemic were put on hold, and some had delayed starts as the pandemic hit during the beginning of our construction season,” Reiman says. “Our industry was lucky enough to provide continuing employment opportunities—as the pandemic allowed. Unfortunately, some privately funded projects remain postponed, with a few canceled, as private projects struggle with funding uncertainties. The state is looking for ways to recover from our budget crisis, with more cuts likely in most industries. Construction will see some of those cuts in the near future.”
