Economic Development Strengths

The economic development strengths identified by the EDSP Task Force represent those characteristics that define the community, and in which the community takes great pride. Opportunities for improvement have also been identified for each strength, so that the community may proactively protect, maintain, and strengthen these key community assets.

The EDSP Task Force worked with individuals in the community who have recognized expertise in the various subject areas to quantify each strength and to identify opportunities for protecting or improving these existing community assets:

  • Arts Community
  • Downtown Sheridan
  • Education
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Foundations and Not-for-Profit Organizations
  • Healthcare
  • Knowledge-Based Workers
  • Location
  • Tax Structure
  • Western Identity

5.1 Arts Community

Sheridan County has a strong, growing community of performing and visual artists and art organizations. This rural community offers exceptional opportunities for professional and amateur artists, and is well supported by patrons of the arts.

  • The WYO Theater, a fixture on Main Street for nearly 85 years, is 90% privately funded. Current events and performances include:
    • Professional touring events (20-22 annually), ranging from music to theater to dance
    • Use by many local groups and organizations for civic events and fundraising
    • Educational opportunities in the performing arts for youth K-12 via Children's Educational and Family series with 7-8 free matinees for area students
  • In addition to events at the WYO Theater, other performing arts opportunities are available in Sheridan County through the school districts, the Civic Theater Guild, Sheridan College, the YMCA Arts and Humanities program, and private instruction. Opportunities available include:
    • 10-12 local amateur theatrical events annually
    • Music and movement classes for students K-5th grade
    • Sheridan County Children's and Youth Chorales
    • Summer theater camp
    • Associate of Fine Arts degree program at Sheridan College that includes visual arts, music, and theater
    • Big West Arts Festival at Sheridan College, as well as approximately 30 additional art shows at the college featuring staff, student, community and regional artists
    • Public school system music programs starting in the 1st grade
    • Strong high school music and theater programs
    • Private instruction available for children and adults in piano, voice, guitar, band instruments, and dance
    • Opportunities for amateur musicians to join the Sheridan College choral groups, jazz and concert bands, and the community Cloud Peak Symphony
  • Sheridan is home to more than 500 professional and amateur visual artists (mediums including paint, sculpture, pottery, glass, fiber, woodwork, jewelry, and photography), as well as writers and poets.
  • Over 125 annual opportunities for access to the visual arts are offered throughout the year (festivals, exhibitions, art installations, etc.)
  • Youth visual arts educational opportunities are available through the Bauen Camp, the Sheridan Artists Guild Et Al (SAGE), Project Youth (an after school and summer art program), the YMCA arts program, and the Sheridan County school districts.
  • Sheridan County has two nationally recognized artist residency programs: the Jentel Artist-in-Residency program and the Ucross Artist-in-Residency program.
  • The Bradford Brinton Museum and The Ucross Gallery, as well as various privately owned galleries throughout Sheridan County, exhibit the work of local, regional and national artists.
  • Formal and informal visual arts groups include:
    • Sheridan Artists Guild Et al (SAGE)
    • Sheridan Arts Council
    • Fiber Guild
    • Woodcarvers Guild
    • Sketch Attics
    • Northern Lights Glass Artists Guild
    • City of Sheridan Public Arts Committee

Improvement Opportunities

  • Sheridan County needs a centralized visual arts center.
  • Sheridan lacks an event center large enough to present full symphony orchestras, operas, or Broadway musicals.  
  • Local opportunities are very limited for musicians, actors or dancers wishing to make a living through performance. Performers are forced to tour out of state or earn the bulk of their livelihoodby teaching private students. Teaching opportunities are also very limited.

5.2 Downtown Sheridan

Sheridan is one of a shrinking number of small rural municipalities that maintains a viable downtown district. The downtown area creates a focus for the community.

  • Sheridan's historic downtown attracts visitors and generates income in the community.
  • Building and business owners continue to construct, renovate, and reinvest in their properties.
  • City and County governments, as well as most of the community's banks, are located in the historic downtown area.
  • The downtown area is a mix of retail and professional offices, enhanced by cultural elements including a theater, parks, library, and downtown art program.
  • The Downtown Sheridan Association and Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce maintain a strong presence to assist downtown businesses.
  • The majority of downtown businesses are independently owned and operated.
  • Special events such as the Christmas Stroll, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, and Celebrate the Arts make Sheridan's downtown a destination for residents and visitors alike.

Improvement Opportunities

  • Easily accessible parking is in short supply in the downtown area, and no plan has yet been adopted to improve parking.
  • Leasing property in the downtown is considered costly in comparison to other areas.
  • The City of Sheridan lacks funds to maintain and upgrade infrastructure, because taxes haven't kept up with infrastructure deterioration.
  • Sheridan County's overall workforce shortage is a problem for downtown businesses.
  • Stores downtown do not stay open long enough to accommodate today's shoppers.
  • Local retail customers are spending money outside Sheridan County, either by traveling to other communities or by shopping online.
  • Downtown needs a greater variety and number of restaurants.
  • Many, if not most, second floors in the downtown area are vacant and could be utilized as either office or residential space.
  • Many buildings in the downtown would benefit from facade renovation to preserve the structure and to better integrate with the historic architectural style of the area.
  • More events and activities are needed to bring people downtown in the evenings.
  • Main Street is a state highway. This results in a lack of local control and attendant problems such as heavy traffic. At this time, there is no alternate state highway route.
  • Public restrooms are needed in the downtown area.

5.3 Education

The overall quality of education offered in Sheridan County, including the three local school districts and Sheridan College, is a strength in Sheridan County.

  • A significant percentage of Sheridan County students perform at very high levels on state assessment tests. Exact numbers vary among the three local school districts.
  • Sheridan has a two-year college that works closely with the County's high schools. Sheridan College also offers four-year degrees through association with the University of Wyoming and other four-year institutions.
  • Sheridan County school districts, private schools, and Sheridan College have collaborated to offer seamless transition, including concurrent enrollment opportunities, from high school to college.
  • Sheridan County students have some flexibility in determining which school they will attend, including alternative middle and high schools in Sheridan County School District 2.
  • The County's school districts receive state funding to replace and update many older school facilities.
  • The school districts attract top teachers, principals, administrators, and other staff.
  • In addition to its schools, Sheridan County boasts several organizations and foundations that complement and offer continuing education opportunities for residents. These include the County library system, YMCA, and the WYO Theater, among others.
  • The County's three school districts, five high schools, and multiple curricula have collectively been identified as a strength by some and as a challenge by others.

Improvement Opportunities

  • Pre-kindergarten education is not equitably available for all children. Establishing pre-school facilities that meet the needs of all children would involve forming a Joint Powers Board of appointees by Sheridan County School Districts, Sheridan College and the City of Sheridan to address the needs of pre-school facilities. Another objective is to work with existing pre-school facilities to expand their curricula to prepare their students for success in kindergarten.
  • Improved communication is needed between school vocational programs and the business community.

5.4 Entrepreneurship

The advent of technology that allows businesses and individuals to work wherever they choose has brought numbers of "Lone Eagles" and their businesses to Sheridan County. The area has the reputation of fostering entrepreneurship and is well diversified with small companies.

  • Entrepreneurship fits well into the goal of developing a diversified economy in the County.
  • Entrepreneurs bring new jobs to the community; they bring small businesses that assimilate more easily into the community, with minimal individual impact on the labor market.
  • Entrepreneurs moving from other locations can bring new culture and new ideas.
  • The community has institutions and support in place for entrepreneurs. These include Sheridan College's Students in Free Enterprise and "entrepreneurial students programming" curriculum, the Wyoming Business Development Center; workforce services training funds, and funding programs through the Wyoming Business Council (e.g., Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer).
  • Entrepreneurship starts at the high school level, with business clubs such as DECA and the FCCLA. At least two Sheridan service clubs -- Kiwanis and Rotary -- have organizations that support youth business education.
  • Sheridan College is in the process of creating an entrepreneurship program.

Improvement Opportunities

  • The County lacks a business incubator/accelerator and should develop a task force to investigate this possibility.
  • Businesses in Sheridan County should work to strengthen relationships with high school clubs, youth business clubs, and educational/technical programs. Establishing education programs for high school students who are not college bound would prepare students for careers upon graduation.
  • Sheridan lacks access to investment capitalists who would help fund entrepreneurial endeavors. There is a need to establish sources of investment funds for entrepreneurs.
  • Sheridan County lacks an organized system for local businesses to share "best practice" information. Providing local access to training in up-to-date best business practices could help to improve productivity and eliminate waste in businesses.
  • Because many entrepreneurs work out of their homes, the cost of purchasing a home large enough to accommodate a home office is very important to small business owners.

5.5 Foundations and Not-For-Profit Organizations

A deep philanthropic tradition enriches the Sheridan community.

  • The County has approximately 41 foundations with endowments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.
  • The majority of these funds stay in Sheridan County, funding programs and projects from the arts to healthcare, education to wildlife. These efforts have earned the County a reputation as the foundation capital of Wyoming.
  • Scholarships and endowments from these foundations allow many County students to attend Sheridan College, the University of Wyoming, or other schools of their choice.
  • Gifts from these foundations have funded hospital needs, the YMCA, multiple Sheridan College programs, the Historic Sheridan Inn, Whitney Commons park, and many other efforts.
  • There are more than 50 nonprofit organizations in Sheridan County. Nonprofits provide a number of services that the community otherwise would not be able to afford -- including but not limited to the homeless shelter, the Free Clinic, and public transportation (Sheridan Senior Citizens Center mini-bus program).

Improvement Opportunities

  • In some cases, funding recipients have become overly dependent on foundations, losing the ability to be self-sustaining as they rely on foundations for operating funds.
  • Foundations can be unaware of what other foundations are doing in the community, due in part to a lack of communication. At times, this leads to duplication of effort and inefficient use of funds.

5.6 Healthcare

Sheridan County residents are assured of quality healthcare at all ages with the services provided by Sheridan Memorial Hospital, Sheridan Veteran's Administration Medical Center, and the Sheridan Surgical Center, as well as the many nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in the area.

  • Care available from the area's quality physicians ranges from general medicine (family practice) and pediatrics (including pediatric dentistry) to surgery and specialized care (including neurosurgery and radiation oncology).
  • Sheridan's medical facilities boast state-of-the-art equipment and procedures that cannot be found in many larger hospitals, including those in Billings, Montana, and Casper, Wyoming (the nearest larger cities).
  • Quality nurses work throughout Sheridan County, including the public health offices; nursing programs at Sheridan College and the University of Wyoming continue to graduate skilled nurses.
  • Sheridan College has an up-to-date dental hygiene program.
  • A solid mix of community providers assures access to quality mental healthcare.
  • Physical, occupational, and other therapies are available.
  • Community health fair events promote prevention and early treatment.

Improvement Opportunities

  • Many of the County's primary-care physicians are nearing retirement age. Recruitment efforts need to be increased in those areas that will be affected by retirements.
  • Nursing recruitment faces challenges nationwide. In order to attract nurses to jobs in Sheridan, jobs must be found for the spouses who accompany them.
  • The shortage of housing affects the medical community as it does other employers in the County. Doctors, nurses, and other hospital personnel will not stay if they cannot find places to live.
  • Physician recruitment is particularly needed in the areas of psychiatric services, gastroenterology, and cardiology.
  • The Sheridan Veteran's Administration Medical Center lacks a transitional/halfway house for its patients, many of whom come from elsewhere in Wyoming or from other states to receive care.

5.7 Knowledge-Based Workers

Sheridan County is primed for growth in technology and communications. Due to the quality of life the Sheridan area offers, there has been an increase in the number of knowledge-based workers in high-end fields such as financial, medical, engineering, and technological services.

  • A new organization, StartWest, is bringing together knowledge-based companies and local individuals who possess skills and expertise in technology and communications to develop a means to communicate and share resources.
  • In addition to bringing expertise in their chosen fields, knowledge-based workers are perceived to be active in the community and are an excellent resource for mentoring future knowledge-based workers.
  • Knowledge-based workers are entrepreneurial and fit Sheridan County's entrepreneurial spirit.

Improvement Opportunities

  • An assessment needs to be conducted to determine what kinds of knowledge-based workers already exist in the community and what is needed by specific industries.
  • Sheridan County lacks the educational facilities to fully develop a knowledge-based workforce.
  • Methods need to be devised to improve communication between businesses to allow for networking and sharing of ideas among knowledge-based workers.
  • Future development of a knowledge-based workforce is challenged by a workforce shortage. Methods need to be devised for continued recruitment of a knowledge-based workforce.

5.8 Location

Sheridan's abundance of recreational and historic sites gives businesses a competitive edge in attracting employees.

  • Sheridan's natural amenities include the Big Horn Mountains on the western edge of the County and open plains that extend to the eastern border.
  • A broad range of natural habitat exists within the borders of Sheridan County, providing a diversity of wildlife for viewing, hunting, and fishing.
  • The County is rich in public lands and in history, especially from the Indian Wars period. Battle sites, historic trails and military outposts make Sheridan County a destination for visitors interested in that era.
  • The County is located on one of the major routes to Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks to the west and the Black Hills to the east.

Improvement Opportunities

  • Sheridan County's weather is perceived as being extreme in both summer and winter. In fact, Sheridan County's weather is much less extreme than in much of the rest of Wyoming. More in-depth information on the area's weather needs to be provided to tourists and potential residents.
  • Because much of the state and federal land in Sheridan County is surrounded by private lands, public access is limited. While access is improving, additional work needs to be done to improve access by developing access easements and walk-in access areas.

5.9 Tax Structure

In general, the existing tax structure in Sheridan County is favorable for businesses.

  • Wyoming has no state income tax. The total sales tax in Sheridan county is six percent (6%), which includes the four percent (4%) state sales tax, one percent (1%) optional (local) sales tax, and one percent (1%) project-specific capital facilities improvement tax. This tax structure, combined with relatively low property taxes, results in the lowest personal tax burden in the United States.
  • Business taxes are extremely low or nonexistent. There is, for example, no corporate profits tax, no corporate continuation fee, and no tax on business inventory and rolling stock.
  • Licensing fees for businesses are minimal. Wyoming is rated sixth in the nation as offering a favorable tax climate for businesses and industry.

Improvement Opportunities

  • Because Wyoming and its counties and municipalities depend heavily on taxes paid by the minerals industry, there is little incentive for diversification during energy "boom" periods. During periods when mineral development is in a "bust" cycle, tax revenues fall significantly.
  • Low taxes inhibit long-term planning by local governing agencies. These same agencies cannot raise taxes because that power is reserved for the Legislature under Wyoming's constitution.
  • From a business perspective, Wyoming's history has demonstrated that low taxes alone are an insufficient lure to bring businesses into a community.
  • Because taxes are low in all Wyoming communities, this "strength" does not give Sheridan County a competitive advantage over any other community in the state.

5.10 Western Identity

Sheridan County's ranching heritage continues to influence its culture. The area boasts several dude ranches and is home to the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, one of the top 50 Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association rodeos in the nation, which draws thousands of people to the area every July.

  • With two National Historic Districts, two National Historic Landmarks, battle sites, historic trails and some of the best museums in the state, Sheridan County can capitalize on its Western heritage to attract tourists year-round.
  • The County can emphasize its modern Western identity to bring potential businesses and employees to live and work here.
  • Attractions include several rodeos and the Buffalo Bill Days Wild West Show annually, as well as area dude ranches, horse-training clinics, and trail rides for equestrian enthusiasts.
  • Big Horn is home to two polo clubs and has a reputation as "the" place for high-goal polo games during the summer months. High-goal players come from countries including South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina to play and to buy locally-trained ponies.
  • The area is home to a number of Western writers and artists.
  • There are strong 4-H and FFA programs for youth, who showcase their projects every year at the Sheridan County Fair.
  • History enthusiasts are attracted to Sheridan County due to its proximity to the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian reservations, and to Indian Wars battle sites including Fort Phil Kearney, the Little Big Horn, the Fetterman Massacre, and the Wagon Box Fight.
  • Good local Western wear and ranch supply stores are found in the area, including King's Saddlery, world famous for the quality of its ropes and saddles.

Improvement Opportunities

  • The Western image, while attracting some, could repel others. Emphasis should be placed on finding ways to promote the community as a place where people can get back to basics while still enjoying the conveniences of the 21st century.
  • The Western identity can become stereotyped as being backward and behind the times.
  • Interest in history may be fading among younger generations.

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