A rash of vandalism at the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has caused an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 worth of damage and prompted the organization to close the area to the public.
A group of what on surveillance video appear to be teenagers have targeted Frontier Park and Old West Town with spray paint tagging them with vulgarities, CFD CEO Tom Hirsig told Cowboy State Daily.
“We have them all on cameras, and it seems like high school kids,” he said, adding that the Cheyenne Police Department has the video and is investigating the vandalism.
This past weekend was the second time in two weeks the CFD grounds have been targeted, which forced the “difficult decision” to not allow the public access except during Frontier Days or other approved events, he said.
“We’ve talked about (closing the grounds) for quite a few years now,” Hirsig said. “We fought it as long as we could so people could walk around and stuff, but not anymore.”
During the off-season, the Cheyenne Frontier Days facilities were a favorite for locals who stop by on bike rides or walking their dogs. But the abuse of a few people have ruined that for everyone, he said.
“It’s a shame to take away the privileges of other people who don’t cause problems,” Hirsig said.
There are “no trespassing” signs up around the CFD grounds, but until now officials have been lax about enforcing that, he said.
Not anymore.
Old West Town
Although the outside and inside of Frontier Park was vandalized, the real damage is what was done to Old West Town, Hirsig said.
That’s because the aluminum bleachers that were tagged with orange spray paint and the concrete under and around the complex with blue can be cleaned or painted over, he said. Not so with the wood buildings in Old West Town.
“The worst part is they got Old West Town, because it’s all wooden buildings,” Hirsig said. “It’s that Old West motif that’s all wood, and when you spray paint wood, it’s not like concrete. With this, we have to replace the sides (of the vandalized buildings).”
That’s why he expects the damage estimates will come in high.
Liability
The vandalism also highlights another vulnerability at the Cheyenne Frontier Days site — insurance liability.
Insuring the grounds and event is already hugely expensive, Hirsig said. And not many insurance companies anymore will sell that type of insurance.
“The last time we bid our insurance, we had one company that would actually give us a bid,” he said. “We have to keep our eye on the goal of having Cheyenne Frontier Days, and if we start having a lot of claims out here, that jeopardizes the future of Cheyenne Frontier Days."
A public meeting about the situation at CFD will be held at the headquarters on the grounds at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, where Hirsig and others can explain the decision to locals and answer their questions.
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Cheyenne Frontier Days) 
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Cheyenne Frontier Days) 
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Cheyenne Frontier Days) 
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Cheyenne Frontier Days) 
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Cheyenne Frontier Days) 
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Cheyenne Frontier Days) 
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Cheyenne Frontier Days) 
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Greg Johnson, Cowboy State Daily) 
A rash of graffiti and vandalism on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds has prompted the organization to ban the public from the area except during regular events. (Greg Johnson, Cowboy State Daily)
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
