Small Town News

Eleutian decision near to move headquarters to Cody

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While no official decision has been made, it appears Eleutian Technology will soon complete its negotiations with the city of Cody and the economic development group Forward Cody to move the headquarters from Ten Sleep later this year.

Brian Holiday, general counsel of Eleutian said, "We haven't made a decision yet. We are still in discussions with Cody (city of Cody and Forward Cody). We hope to make a decision within the week," he said in an interview Monday.

Holiday said the company has been trying to find additional office space in Washakie County. "That was our No. 1 choice but it didn't work out in terms of office space and we are in a time crunch," Holiday said.

Eleutian is running out of space in the 4,000-square foot facility in Ten Sleep, needing to expand. While the headquarters will be moving, Eleutian will maintain an office in the small Washakie County community, he said.

The company looked at different communities in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, Holiday said. Cody is offering space in the Park County Complex and offering to apply for a Business-Committed Ready Grant from the Wyoming Business Council to build a building that Eleutian would lease.

The headquarters move will not affect any of the company's other offices or teaching centers, he said.

Holiday said when the decision is made, they hope to be able to make the move by the beginning of the year, with new employees hired next summer. A new building would be opened in 2011, he said.

James Klessens, president and CEO of Forward Cody said Monday that a press conference announcing the application for a Business-Committed Grant was to be Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m., just prior to a Cody City Council work session at 4 p.m.

He said it was important to explain to the residents of Cody what the grant would do and how it and the lease agreement with Eleutian would benefit the community.

Klessens said Forward Cody was working to put together an affordable package for both the city of Cody and for Eleutian.

"Our goal was never to take this company from Ten Sleep, but if it was not going to work out for them to stay I did not want them to leave the Basin," Klessens said, adding that he sees a lot of growth potential for Eleutian.

The move, he said, "will create more opportunities for each teaching center to grow, as long as there are people qualified to do the work."



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