Why Laramie?

Living and Thriving

Laramie’s first newspaper publishers dubbed it, “The Gem City of the Plains,” in the 1870s. More recently, “Laradise” has become an equally popular epithet. We believe you’ll find both nicknames to be equally accurate. With 300 days of sunny skies each year and convenient access to hundreds of nearby outdoor recreation opportunities, Laramie is every outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. During the summer, numerous cars, trucks, and SUVs are loaded up with camping gear and canoes. Fall sees sportsmen and women toting hunting gear and supplies, and skiing resigns supreme during the winter season. As Wyoming’s cycling capital, vehicles of all makes and models sport bike racks and bicyclists fill our streets year-round, despite any inclement weather conditions. Laramie is also home to a thriving art community, including 88 talented artists, 296 art students, seven visual arts organizations, three theatre companies, two visual arts agencies; all of which makes us Wyoming’s cultural capital!

Laramie tech corridor map

Working and Growing

 Laramie isn’t just a great place to play and create, it’s also a community where workers and businesses continue to thrive! Over the past number of years, direct and indirect economic development municipal investments have exceeded $80 million. The result of those investments has netted a marked increase in jobs and a steep growth in all business sectors, especially in the areas of technology and manufacturing. This culture of innovation and creativity has launched Laramie into Wyoming’s home-grown tech hub, expanding to 80 companies, as compared to just nine in 1994 and 60 in 2012; fast growing sectorsbased on Wyoming Technology Business Center estimates. Manufacturing in Laramie continues to expand with both small and large companies manufacturing everything from rifle scopes to craft beers, and from hiking and biking gear to specialized tungsten parts and components.

While Laramie is a steadily growing tech hub for technology, it is not a silo of activity. A strong regional synergy has developed in recent years between Laramie’s growing technology cluster, the University of Wyoming, Cheyenne’s NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, and the Microsoft Data Center. Regional synergy, paired with an exceptional array of amenities, thrives in southeastern Wyoming and has developed into a desirable environment for data centers, technology businesses, and research and development firms.

Cirrus Sky Technology Park

To propel tech-sector growth, the City of Laramie and Laramie Chamber Business Alliance using leveraged funding from the Wyoming Business Council, partnered to develop the State’s first technology-zoned business park in 2012.  Known as the “Cirrus Sky Technology Park,” the vision for the development is to offer a home to the growing number of technology and data management businesses wanting to take root in a modern campus-like development. Nestled on top of Laramie’s highest ridgeline, the Cirrus Sky Technology Park offers panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains and Snowy Range, a biking and walking path, nearby workforce housing, and quick accesses to the University of Wyoming campus and Historic Downtown Laramie.  

The Cirrus Sky Technology Park can accommodate a variety of businesses ranging from a start-up to a multinational firm.  The Park has one tenant, UL, and a spec building, constructed are ready for use.

Randall Six

Location and Transportation

Laramie workers enjoy a short commute time of just 12 minutes or less (on average), leaving more time for recreation and relaxation! Situated on the I-80 corridor, Laramie is less than 2 hours away from Denver, 60-minutes from Fort Collins (CO), and 90-minutes from Boulder (CO). Local travelers also appreciate the convenience of Laramie’s Regional Airport, which has partnered with SkyWest Airlines, flying as United Express, to provide superb jet service at competitive rates.

We’re here to help!

The City of Laramie has a full-service Community Development Department staffed with a team of committed and responsive members, as well as an Economic and Community Initiatives Administrator who is dedicated to building partnerships that foster economic resilience.

Contacts

  1. Janine Jordan

    City Manager
    Email
    Phone: (307) 721-5226

  1. Derek Teini

    Planning Manager, AICP
    Email
    Phone: (307) 721-5245