Sheridan College Declines Land Swap Deal With Wyoming Army National Guard

The Wyoming Army National Guard will either have to add on to its Sheridan armory location, or search elsewhere to build its new vehicle maintenance facility.

Sheridan College has declined the land swap deal with the Guard, where the Guard would have received land on the east side of I-90 opposite of the college campus, in exchange for the land the Guard currently owns adjacent to the southwest edge of the campus.

The Guard has been looking for a place to build a new vehicle maintenance facility.

Sheridan College President Doctor Walter Tribley says the Guard would have eventually moved their operations to the new building.

He adds the problem was the deal could have jeopardized the college’s short term funding that it needs to make-up for the revenue that the college soon will not be getting from the city of Gillette and Campbell County.

“Gillette’s not the bad people here. We’re losing that revenue, so in the short run I can’t give up the $1.5 million that could come from that land sale. We didn’t see any other solution, we floated it with some community leaders but right now, times are tough for everybody, so we’re all deciding to focus on the health of Sheridan College, in the short run because we have to get through this tough transition period.”

The Guard is examining the possibility of adding on to the one maintenance bay that it currently has, but that will not leave much room outside to store military vehicles.