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Advanced Casper asks Natrona County for up to $250,000 toward infrastructure match for Radiant site
Summary
Advanced Casper requested the county commit up to $250,000 as part of a roughly 10% match for an ~ $8–9 million infrastructure project to serve a prospective tenant, Radiant; commissioners signaled support for a letter but stopped short of committing funds until other partners and conditions are confirmed.
Justin Farley, representing Advanced Casper, told the Board of Commissioners on May 6 that Advanced Casper is applying to the Wyoming Business Council for a BRC grant to build water, sewer and a public road to open roughly 30 acres north of Bar Nunn for commercial development. Farley said the total infrastructure estimate for the first phase is about $8–9 million and that the grant requires roughly a 10% local match; he asked the county for up to $250,000 to satisfy part of that match.
Farley said Radiant, the prospective tenant, plans to locate a facility on about 30 acres and that Radiant will have a technical milestone (a test at Idaho National Laboratory) that could trigger further funding. "That match is roughly 10 percent. So we are here to ask for up to a quarter of a million from the county commission to help support that match," Farley said. He also said Advanced Casper and the Economic Development Joint Powers Board planned to approach additional stakeholders, including the City of Casper, Bar Nunn, and rural water and sewer entities.
Commissioners discussed the request but emphasized caution before committing county funds. Commissioner Laird and others said they supported the concept of making the site developable but wanted other stakeholders to show financial commitment and wanted conditions limiting the county's exposure if other partners did not contribute. Commissioner Nicholson said he was comfortable submitting a letter of support (which contains no dollar commitment) but was not comfortable with a specific dollar commitment until other partners and Bar Nunn show commitment.
Commissioner Laird and others asked for a written funding commitment plan and suggested setting conditions such as a not-to-exceed percentage, a provision that the county would not be solely responsible if other partners do not participate, and further assurances if annexation or tax distribution changes would affect county revenues. Commissioners requested more detail on timelines and partners before a dollar pledge.
No binding financial commitment or formal grant approval was made at the May 6 meeting; commissioners agreed to consider a letter of support and to pursue additional information and commitments from other jurisdictions and the private sector before agreeing to county funding.
