Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen says the city will begin the formal process of applying for state money for a proposed elevated walkway project on Friday.

The city is asking for a combination  of state loan and grant money to build the walkway which would connect a proposed new Hilton Hotel at 17th and Pioneer with the Jack R Spiker Parking Facility in downtown Cheyenne. The Cheyenne City Council signed off on the application for funding on Monday.

The city is asking for a grant of $562,000 and a loan of $187,000 through the Wyoming Business Council's  Business Ready Community Grant and Loan Program to build the skywalk, and city officials say if the money is awarded it should cover the cost of the project. Kaysen says he is hoping the money will be awarded "towards the latter part of this year."

The mayor says once the walkway is completed the city will lease it to the Hilton to cover the cost of the state loan. Kaysen says he is ''very optimistic" about the prospects of the state money being awarded for the project.

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