The Casper-Natrona County International Airport has moved a step closer to the construction of a new hangar after the Wyoming Business Council approved its request for a $2.6 million grant on Wednesday, according to a news release.

The Wyoming Business Council approved that and four other grant requests totaling nearly $8.3 million at its board meeting at Casper College.

The airport asked for $2,578,000 to construct a 10,000 square-foot hanger and 2,000 square feet of office space south of the terminal.

The grant request first needed the support of the Natrona County Commission.

In November, airport manager Glenn Januska told commissioners will enhance the airport's ability to attract aviation businesses.

“There are opportunities, and we’ve identified what we believe are opportunities to actually recruit aviation-related companies to Natrona County,” Januska said then.

The airport and community already have a good business climate, infrastructure in place, the foreign trade zone, access to highways, and the rail system, he said. “If we have a building that we can use to help attract business, we think there’s tremendous opportunities.”

The proposed 100-foot by 100-foot hangar would have an 80-foot-wide door with a 24-foot-high clearance.

Courtesy, Casper-Natrona County International Airport

The business council recommended this and four other grants to the Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board -- composed of the five statewide elected officials -- for approval and full funding at the board’s meeting in Cheyenne on April 9.

The other grants approved and recommended for SLIB funding are:

  • $1,925,500 to fund the development of water infrastructure for the continued economic and community growth in the Kemmerer-Diamondville area.
  • $1,758,961 for a improving and revitalizing portions of Benteen Street, Fetterman Street, Lobban Avenue, and the Clear Creek Trail in Buffalo.
  • $1,000,000 for a senior care grant and a $894,340 loan for a 6,000-square-foot expansion of the Goshen Care Center.
  • $100,000 for a planning grant to develop a unified regional marketing plan to support economic development among Buffalo, Sheridan and Gillette.

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