Casper asked to support Economic Development Joint Powers Board application for $25 million Radiance infrastructure package

City staff told the Casper City Council that the Economic Development Joint Powers Board will apply to the Wyoming Business Council for a phased infrastructure package tied to Radiance's proposed development, and asked the council to consider a resolution of support to accompany the application.

Justin, a representative of Advanced Casper/Economic Development Joint Powers Board, said the Wyoming Business Council "floated" a $25,000,000 package to entice Radiance's location and that the application process requires a nimble applicant. "The $25,000,000 was floated by the Wyoming Business Council to, entice, obviously, Radiance location," Justin said. He described the funding as phased: the first phase is roughly $8,000,000 in infrastructure with a 1% match (about $800,000) that Justin said he has a commitment on.

Why it matters: staff emphasized that the City of Casper is not the applicant and is not being asked for direct funding or co‑applicant status; instead, the joint powers board is the applicant because the business council's timeline required faster action than municipal processes could accommodate. Councilor Kyle asked why the joint powers board — not the city — is applying; staff and Justin said speed and the board's greater nimbleness were the primary reasons.

Project details discussed include that the first phase (infrastructure to the site) would be estimated at about $8 million and that 1% of that ($800,000) is the required match for phase one. Justin said later phases would be tied to Radiance meeting milestones such as testing a reactor at Idaho National Laboratory; if milestones are met, additional funds from the $25 million package could be released to cover roadway, parking and other site work.

On broader impacts, staff noted that the infrastructure would open more than 600 acres for commercial development and that some infrastructure (water and sewer) must cross public land from McMurray Boulevard; the meeting included questions about whether privately funded infrastructure could be restricted for exclusive use, and staff said they had not identified an alternate routing that would avoid public infrastructure. Amber asked whether a privately built utility would remain available to other developers; staff responded that water and sewer routing constraints make a public infrastructure approach necessary in this case.

Discussion vs. decision: the item was presented as a consent agenda resolution of support to be considered by the council. No vote was recorded in the transcript; staff said the council was being asked only to provide a resolution of support to be included with the joint powers board's application. The city was not being asked to provide funds or be a co‑applicant.

Next steps: if the council approves the resolution of support, it would be submitted with the joint powers board's application to the Wyoming Business Council, which would review phased disbursement tied to Radiance meeting defined milestones. Staff flagged that the joint powers board was chosen as applicant to meet the business council's accelerated timeline.