A new sky path in downtown Cheyenne is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The Cheyenne City Council has given the city's four economic development organizations the green light to apply for a $2 million grant from the Wyoming Business Council to help fund the $2.45 million project.

"This infrastructure improvement is long overdue," said former councilman Pete Laybourn during Monday night's council meeting.

A private investor is interested in purchasing the historic Hynds Building, but only if a sky path connecting the building with the Jack R. Spiker parking structure is built.

"If the sky way is not built, this project won't go forward," said Hans Seitz with the Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority.

Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dale Steenbergen couldn't identify the tenant, but says they're a national firm that plans to employ 40 people.

"This will be a $16 million property when completed," said Steenbergen.

While most people who spoke at Monday night's council meeting were in favor of the sky path, some weren't sold on the idea.

"This, at best, is a misuse of public dollars," said Sam Galeotos, a Cheyenne businessman who owns several properties downtown. "The Hynds Building has been vacant for 30 years and that is not due to the lack of a sky bridge."

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