Back to Risk Index
ApprovedStableRisk Index — Q1 2026

Cheyenne / Laramie County — Wyoming

Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyoming

79/100

LOW RISK

Trajectory: No moratorium activity or significant zoning changes in last 12 months.

Last updated 2026-03-29

Investment Thesis

Cheyenne has a dedicated Data Building Code, DC-specific utility tariffs, proactive annexation policy, and no organized opposition. Wyoming House rejected attempt to repeal DC tax exemptions 6-3.

Wyoming has a dedicated Data Building Code, DC-specific utility tariffs, and a legislature that rejected an attempt to repeal data center tax exemptions by 6-3. Cheyenne proactively annexed 923 acres for Microsoft, 960 acres for Meta, and approved a 1,375-acre industrial park for Crusoe/Tallgrass — unanimously. Black Hills Energy operates data center tariff programs starting at 13 MW. The opposition? Scattered concerns about construction noise and water. No project blocked.

Data centers are permitted use in Light Industrial zones. Cheyenne has a dedicated Data Building Code (Chapter 15.24). The city proactively annexes land for DC developers.

Black Hills Energy operates DC-specific tariff programs: 13+ MW large power and 10+ MW blockchain interruptible. 1.5 GW generation capacity. Ready Wyoming 260-mile transmission expansion underway.

Tallgrass is building 2.7 GW of gas generation adjacent to the Crusoe data center site. Laramie County unanimously approved the 1,375-acre Switchgrass Industrial Park.

Wyoming House Revenue Committee rejected HB 88 (repeal DC tax exemptions) by 6-3. The legislature is protecting the industry.

Microsoft has invested $3.1B cumulatively since 2012. One facility produced $200,000+ for local law enforcement.

Dimension Breakdown

How this market scores across four dimensions.

Regulatory Risk

30 pts

24/30

Permitted use in LI zones per UDC. City proactively annexed and rezoned: 923 acres for Microsoft, 960 acres for Meta, 1,375 acres for Switchgrass Industrial Park. Dedicated Data Building Code (Chapter 15.24).

Score: 24/30. Permitted use. Proactive annexation. Dedicated Data Building Code. Legislature rejected tax exemption repeal. No moratorium activity.

Infrastructure Readiness

25 pts

21/25

Black Hills Energy operates DC-specific tariff programs (13+ MW large power, 10+ MW blockchain interruptible). 1.5 GW generation capacity. Ready Wyoming 260-mile transmission expansion. Tallgrass building 2.7 GW gas generation adjacent to Crusoe site.

Score: 21/25. Black Hills Energy DC-specific tariffs, 1.5 GW generation, 260-mile transmission expansion. Tallgrass building 2.7 GW adjacent. Infrastructure is purpose-built for data centers.

Opposition Density

25 pts

18/25

Opposition scattered and unorganized. Hyndman Homesites HOA submitted letter about construction impacts. Farmers raised water concerns. No project blocked, delayed, or forced withdrawal.

Score: 18/25. Scattered and unorganized. Hyndman Homesites HOA letter about construction impacts. Farmer water concerns. No blocking outcomes, but the score is lower than Papillion or Clarksville because documented opposition exists.

Approval Timeline

20 pts

16/20

Meta approved November 2023, construction mid-2024. Crusoe/Tallgrass approved unanimously October 2025. Cheyenne LEADS provides business development support.

Score: 16/20. Meta approved November 2023, construction mid-2024. Crusoe/Tallgrass approved unanimously October 2025. Cheyenne LEADS provides business development coordination.

Key Findings

What the evidence supports.

Data centers are permitted use in Cheyenne's Light Industrial zones under the UDC.

City of Cheyenne UDC Article 5

Laramie County unanimously approved 1,375-acre Switchgrass Industrial Park for Crusoe/Tallgrass DC and power plant.

Cap City News

Wyoming House Revenue Committee rejected HB 88 (repeal DC tax exemptions) by 6-3 vote.

GovTech

Incentives & Programs

Why developers are choosing here.

Wyoming data center sales tax exemption ($5M+ investment)

$5M qualifies for equipment exemption; $50M qualifies for expanded exemption. 30+ states offer comparable or lesser incentives.

Source

Microsoft $3.1B cumulative investment since 2012

One facility produced $200,000+ for local law enforcement.

Source

Known Risks

No market is risk-free. Here's what to watch.

The credibility of a favorable score depends on honest risk disclosure. These risks are documented in public records.

Hyndman Homesites HOA raised concerns about construction impacts

Farmers worried about water usage

Electric rate increase fears documented

Recommendation

LOW RISK — Score 79/100

Standard process expected. Proactive local government, dedicated DC infrastructure, and legislative support.

Get a site-specific intelligence brief.

Market-level scores are the first filter. Site-level analysis is where the real risk lives. Sourced and scored by close of day, not months.

About This Index

RealClearPublished Q1 2026

RealClear is an entitlement intelligence platform for real estate development teams. This index scores U.S. markets across four dimensions of data center entitlement risk: regulatory complexity, infrastructure readiness, community opposition density, and approval timeline. Every claim is verified against primary source documents — meeting minutes, court filings, zoning codes, and legislative records.

Read the full methodology
20Markets Scored
15States Covered
249+Claims Verified

Ready to screen a live site? RealClear returns a scored intelligence brief — zoning posture, approval path, community risk, and comparable outcomes — cited to the primary source.

RealClear

Source-backed entitlement intelligence for development teams screening live sites before legal, consultant, utility, and political spend compounds. Zoning posture, approval pathways, community risk, and comparable outcomes — cited to the primary source, not a third-party summary.

California

© 2026 RealClear Systems, Inc. · Made in California