The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) brought six nationally recognized site selectors to Cody last month for a three-day “familiarization tour.” The business council says the trip was designed to position Wyoming as a competitive destination for business investment — particularly in the defense and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Held in partnership with Consultant Connect, the Aug. 18-20 tour gave consultants from four national site-selection firms a firsthand look at what makes Wyoming a contender for company expansion and relocation.

“Wyoming offers what businesses value most: abundant resources, a strong work ethic, low taxes, and the freedom to build for the future,” Cody Huddleston of Veloture Consulting Group said in a statement.

Site selectors like Huddleston help companies identify where to locate new facilities, putting them “among the most influential figures in corporate expansion and relocation decisions,” the council says.

In a release, the business council said familiarization tours provide direct experience with a state’s communities, leaders and assets that data alone can’t convey. They’re not aimed at making one particular deal in one particular community, but about making the case for Wyoming as a whole.

“Companies don’t evaluate communities in isolation; they evaluate regions and states,” said Chance Price, WBC’s business recruitment manager. “When Wyoming communities work together, share ideas, and celebrate each other’s successes, the entire state becomes more competitive.”

The tour featured a panel discussion in which the site selectors shared what they look for when helping companies choose locations. Local economic development professionals then met one-on-one with each consultant, asked community-specific questions, received candid feedback and built relationships intended to continue well beyond the event.

According to the business council, several themes emerged.

The site selectors emphasized the need for infrastructure readiness, strong utility partnerships, workforce development, housing availability and clear, predictable local permitting. Wyoming’s abundant energy resources stood out as a competitive advantage, while its outdoor recreation, tourism assets and quality of life were repeatedly cited as strengths for attracting employers and workers, the council says.

Attendees paid visits to the site of the future Wyoming State Shooting Complex, the Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and the Cody Nite Rodeo. The intent was to showcase Cody’s “quality of life and genuine community that companies and their employees increasingly value,” the council says.

“In an era where quality of life matters when choosing where to locate a company, Wyoming checks so many boxes," said Nick Riashi of Consultant Connect. “And it’s not just the vibe or the activities. It’s the people. Both the community leaders and the local folks I interacted with throughout the week made me feel welcome and at home.”

Learn more about the WBC’s recruiting efforts at whywyoming.org.