Steenbergen Says Hilton Would Boost Downtown Business

Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dale Steenbergen says a new Hilton Hotel at 17th and Pioneer would give downtown businesses a boost.

The hotel chain is considering a move to downtown Cheyenne, and Steenbergen says the assumption that a Hilton would hurt other downtown hotels isn't born out by national studies. Steenbergen says those surveys show that clusters of hotels tend to do up to 20% better than lodging businesses who have an area to themselves.

Steenbergen also says it costs up to 30% more to locate a business in downtown Cheyenne--and yet that is an area of town most in need of new businesses. Steenbergen says a grant application proposal for state money for a "sky walk" linking the Hilton (if it is built) to the Jack R. Spiker Parking Facility would help defray some of those costs.

The city council is scheduled to consider whether to apply for the state money at it's meeting on Monday night.