Despite a surprise “no” vote from the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, there are still two horses in the legislative race to help match funding efforts to bring the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association headquarters to Cheyenne.
That denial Wednesday on one of the two vehicles in the legislative mix had a few hearts pounding from supporters, but does not mean the bill is dead, nor necessarily in trouble.
The bill, Senate File 124, was sponsored by Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, as a bit of “insurance” for securing $15 million in state tourism money for the PRCA move, just in case the House and Senate fail to reach a compromise on what’s been a contentious budget session.
As it stands now, the two chambers are $170 million apart on spending and want to go in very different directions.
The Senate’s budget, for example, would keep the Wyoming Business Council largely intact with $54 million in spending, while the House’s budget would reduce its budget to $9.8 million for one year and eliminate the council's Business Ready Communities program.
Funding in the Senate, meanwhile, remains largely intact for the University of Wyoming, while in the House, the post-secondary institution faces a $20 million funding cut if it fails to find $5 million in savings.
With such significant differences between the bodies on both spending and overall direction, a second horse was put into the race to ensure that even if there is a budget impasse, efforts to fund the PRCA’s move to Wyoming can move forward unimpeded.
Move Is Contingent On Money
The PRCA has called Colorado home for the last 46 years.
Officials with the organization have told Cowboy State Daily that they weren’t necessarily looking to move when Cheyenne LEADS reached out to propose relocating the PRCA headquarters to Cheyenne, including its ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy.
The offer was attractive, however, PRCA Chief Marketing Officer Paul Woody said, and the PRCA’s board decided it had to consider the long-term health of the organization once Wyoming’s offer had been received.
Cheyenne Frontier Days, which brings hundreds of thousands of people to Wyoming for what is billed as the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, was an attractive selling point.
As was the proposed location, at the intersection of Interstates 25 and 80, a busy crossroad in America that would create opportunities for visitors.
It’s also going to be in a business park that’s envisioned as an overall Western culture destination, smack between Little America Hotel & Resort and the Horse Palace Swan Ranch.
The PRCA’s board members decided to make their interest in Wyoming official in late January, just ahead of the Legislature’s budget session, voting that they would “seriously consider” moving to the Cowboy State, “where rodeo is officially recognized as Wyoming’s professional sport, by vote of the Wyoming Legislature.”
PRCA CEO Tom Glause called it a “strategic decision” that would “position the PRCA for the future.”
“Wyoming lives and breathes rodeo,” he said. “And Cheyenne offers authenticity, visibility, and alignment with our sport’s values.”
The economic impact of the PRCA’s move to Wyoming would exceed $250 million over a 10-year period for Wyoming, according to an economic impact study commissioned by Cheyenne LEADS. The relocation, however, is contingent on the PRCA getting money for its move, as well as securing an appropriate new site for the venue.
Cheyenne’s economic development organization, Cheyenne LEADS, has already committed $15 million for the move.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, meanwhile, has requested that the Legislature approve taking $15 million from the Wyoming Tourism Reserve and Projects Account. That money has been designated for development of tourism opportunities.
Caught Off-Guard
SF 124’s failure to gain a do-pass recommendation in the House Appropriations Committee caught PRCA supporters off-guard Wednesday afternoon.
The issue has so far enjoyed broad support across factions of the Legislature.
It easily passed the Senate, 26-5 on Feb. 20, ahead of crossover and went on to pass the House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Committee 9-0 on Tuesday.
Because it contains an appropriation, however, it was also referred to House Appropriations for its recommendation, where it failed on a 5-2 vote, with little discussion or explanation for the “no” votes.
The “no” vote from Appropriations doesn’t mean the bill cannot advance to the House Floor. It does so with a unanimous do-pass recommendation from House Travel Committee, but a do-not-pass recommendation from House Appropriations.
Whether that means battle lines are being drawn over the budget with funding for the PRCA as a bargaining chip in the balance isn’t yet clear. That may emerge once the bill hits the House floor.
’No’ Votes Not Explained
Prior to the vote, Driskill offered to walk through the bill for the committee members if they wished, but House Appropriations Chairman Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, declined, saying it had been “debated pretty well” already.
There was some discussion of whether the measure was a grant or a contract.
Driskill called it a “grant contract” and said regardless of which word was used, the effect would be the same.
“It does match what’s in the budget, or it’s very close to it,” he said. “And it’s been heavily vetted through the attorneys to do it right. It goes through the AG (attorney general), and we’ve had lots of conversations, both in committee and on our side about the constitutionality of it.
“This has been worked on very hard to make it where it fits inside the Constitution, right down to the point that the AG has a final run at it before they finally distribute funds.”
A representative for Gordon’s office also spoke, telling the committee the governor would support the bill if it was successful.
Committee members discussed an amendment to the bill, ensuring that it would be controlling, so that in the event of a budget impasse, intent would be clear that funding for the PRCA move should proceed.
There was little more discussion after that when the roll call vote was taken. Those voting “no” on the measure also did not explain their votes at the time.
Bear told Cowboy State Daily the vote doesn’t mean the measure has failed, that it’s “only a recommendation from the Approps Committee.”
Bear declined to answer further questions about the votes against the measure, including his own.
SF 124 Roll Call
No Votes
Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette
Rep. Bill Allemand, R-Midwest
Rep. Abby Angelos, R-Gillette
Rep. Ken Pendergraft, R-Sheridan
Rep. Scott Smith, R-Lingle
Yes Votes
Rep. Jeremy Harroldson, R-Wheatland
Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie
Renée Jean can be reached at renee@cowboystatedaily.com.
