Just a little over a month ago Bill Gates attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Terra Power Nuclear Plant being constructed in Kemmerer, Wyoming. On top of that, Facebook’s parent company Meta just announced the construction of a new Data center in Laramie County. These tech giants promise to bring new jobs and improve Wyoming’s economy, but not everyone agrees.
Now, that tech giants like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates plan on bringing more data centers and nuclear power plants to the Cowboy State. Many have voiced concerns whether these developments will help or hurt the state of Wyoming.
Charlie Brown is a local here in Cheyenne and says although he thinks these tech giants could bring more revenue to the cowboy state he does not agree with their political beliefs.
“We need industry in Wyoming. We need the revenue from that industry. Do I agree with some of the tech giants that you have mentioned coming in here? Like I told you earlier? Politically, I don't agree with pretty much any of them.”
Charlie added as long as they are here to stay he would like to see these billionaires make investments to our Wyoming communities.
“What I would like to see them do is help plow some of their wealth back into Wyoming. Not just come in, build some superstructure, take their money and go to the next state.”
Others like John Marino see no positive outcomes in the future.
“I think it's a negative. I think they need to leave. Taxes are going up. Insurance is going up. Crime is going up. The only thing that's going to go down is our quality of life.”
Morris Katz and Tammie Ray were out taking a walk at Holiday Park this afternoon. Morris believes that Wyoming doesn’t have a large enough population to support these data centers hiring needs.
“I don't think there's enough people in the state to, you know, to fulfill their fulfillment for employment, you know.”
Tammie added that this will likely make Cheyenne’s affordable housing crisis even worse.
“I think it's very concerning because it’s going to drive the prices up for the people that are residents here already, the wages here locally are not going to support those high housing costs.”
Both the Meta data center and the Terra Power Plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming are not expected to be completed until 2027 and 2028.
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