Steenbergen: Cheyenne Business Climate Needs Work

Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dale Steenbergen says more needs to be done to encourage business growth in the area.

The chamber this week issued a strategic plan on business growth addressing such areas as city regulations, attitudes towards business on the part of some city officials and the fees charged for various projects. Steenbergen says there are problems right now not only with the way some regulations are written, but also with the way some regulators go about enforcing the codes.

The plan especially emphasizes what can be done to attract businesses to the downtown area. Steenbergen says the city should try to attract ''niche businesses' that are currently drawing local residents to areas such as Fort Collins, Colo. because they aren't available in Cheyenne.

Steenbergen says now that the plan has been issued, the chamber wants to hold ongoing conversations with city and county officials as well as the larger community about what can be done to encourage business growth and development.