Representatives of Thunder Plains Racetrack and Cowboy Racing presented city council members with plans for a full-mile horse racetrack east of Cheyenne and asked for local support for three off‑track betting (OTB) locations in the city, while warning that proposed state legislation could undermine the connection between gaming revenue and live racing.

Will Edwards, identified in the presentation as a principal with Thunder Plains and Cowboy Racing and the track developer, said the group has spent about $5.5 million to date and has secured approvals from the Wyoming Gaming Commission and Laramie County. "We have a full length, a completed track by the definition of the Wyoming Gaming Commission," Edwards said. He and his partners said their first scheduled race day is Sept. 24, 2025, and that simulcasting and historical horserace wagering (HHR) machines at OTB locations will supply purse money and operating revenue.

The presentation named three Cheyenne locations planned as OTB venues: Westby Edge (an events site), the Old Chicago building (described as a flagship with dining, a bar and roughly four to five terminals in the dining area) and the former firehouse building, which the developers said they would use for offices and data services if ultimately suitable. The presenters described partnerships with First Racing (a major racing operator) and First Technology (a simulcast and gaming platform provider) and said the project has drawn local and national coverage.

Why it matters: Thunder Plains’ backers said HHR and simulcast revenue are essential to making live racing financially viable. The presenters told council members they built the track and committed private capital in reliance on existing Wyoming law and on the so-called "hundred‑mile rule," a statutory protection they say ties local gaming proceeds to nearby live racing purses. They argued House Bill 85, which cleared the Wyoming House and is now on the Senate side, would repeal or weaken that protection, change appeals rights for permit denials, and could take effect in ways that disrupt projects already mid‑process.

Council members asked detailed questions about traffic, zoning, regulatory authority and legislative timing. Councilmember Dr. Rennie opened the session by noting that "the determination as to whether a new gaming site is located in Cheyenne or anywhere is strictly up to the state gaming commission, and ... the city of Cheyenne really has no input, little input into that decision." Other council members pressed the presenters about traffic and deed restrictions tied to the former fire station parcel, and about whether the city could use zoning to limit where OTBs locate.

Presenters and several council members described technical and regulatory concerns. Affie (Afi) Ellis, an attorney identified as working for Thunder Plains, told the council the sponsors obtained one amendment on the House side that set an effective date of July 1; she said an amendment could appear in the Senate to make the bill effective immediately. The developers said they have asked for statute language to preserve due process (ability to seek legal remedies when local permits are denied), and they said the bill’s current language would create two classes of applicants and remove appeal rights for certain new applicants.

The developers also explained operational details the council requested: under current rules they said operators are expected to contribute to purses during race times (the presenters described negotiations over whether contributions cover the whole day or only while races run), and they urged the council to press for reciprocal waivers among operators before the first race. They asked the council to hold check‑ins in August so the council can track whether operators have reached agreements before the September race schedule.

Council members raised safety and access questions about the former firehouse parcel. A councilmember who said they had discussed the site with the Wyoming Department of Transportation reported that WYDOT’s deed included a reverter clause and that WYDOT limited driveway access from Highway 30; presenters confirmed they expected DOT review and said parking and access would route traffic primarily to Cleveland Street. The presenters acknowledged neighborhood sensitivity and said the firehouse site was lower priority for them pending further outreach.

No formal council action was taken at the work session. Presenters asked for the council’s support on local permits and other city approvals and left materials, including a printed copy of a recent state gaming study.

Ending: Thunder Plains’ proponents asked the council to use zoning and permitting authority to help preserve the intended link between OTB/HHR revenue and live racing purses and to monitor negotiations among operators before the Sept. 24 race start. House Bill 85’s progress in the Wyoming Senate will determine whether sponsors of the Cheyenne racetrack must seek alternate statutory protections or changes in local permitting to secure purse revenue and investor commitments.