so...what's the answer? (Gillette, Rock Springs: houses, unemployment, school district)

[j1n]

I apologize in advance if this has been rehashed and beaten to death here already, but I've read quite a bit and I don't think it has.

It seems to me that there is much talk here of..."I'm thinking of moving to WY" or "I heard there is a good wage to be made in WY". Then these are answered by "yes, but...there's nowhere to live...".

So what's the answer? How does it work out? I mean...
No one wants to see the economy go bad, right? No one wants to see a shortage of work, right? And I know that no one who cares about WY wants a housing explosion, correct?
A lot of what makes Wyoming what it is...wide open spaces, uncluttered views, pioneer ethic, etc...would be ruined by a huge influx of "city folks" (for lack of a more appropriate term) who want to change WY into the next suburban NJ or NC or SoCal etc. Is that "influx" what happened to (some might say ruined?) Jackson?

So what's the answer? Or is there even one?

[ElkHunter]

We are in a boom cycle right now with energy. Give it two years and then ask if housing is available, the answer will be yes. Give it two years and then ask if there are jobs, the answer will be only a few if you want to flip burgers.

[snowman0u812]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

We are in a boom cycle right now with energy. Give it two years and then ask if housing is available, the answer will be yes. Give it two years and then ask if there are jobs, the answer will be only a few if you want to flip burgers.

the boom will only last 2 more years? what actually happens to these towns when work stops?

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by snowman0u812

the boom will only last 2 more years? what actually happens to these towns when work stops?

My thoughts are the boom is only good for another 2 years. The methane boom that is. The coal boom will be a lot longer.

There's probably 400-600 families in Sheridan that will move with the boom.

Course, it tumbles down. McDonalds won't need so many people cause there are less customers, etc...

But it'll level out. Houses will be available, but jobs will be scarce.

[shadowwalker]

People leave and go on somewhere's. Maybe back "home". Housing crashes, unemployment rizes, job wages go down, or just go. People realise they can do jobs they never would have considerd to get by. Cities start crying about no revenue and start chopping away at jobs, rebuilding, services,ect. The state takes on a survival attitude and things get tight. They start the same as cities on cutting back and re-assessing rebuilding around the state. And raise tax money how ever they can. There is more but I'll stop there.
People start helping each other alittle more. For awhile living prices of food,entertainment,necessities. Stays up, for a few years. But they finally come down.
But hey, after a few years hunting gets better, fishing gets better, you know more neighbors and people around town. You learn to enjoy what it is like to live in Wyoming again.
There are still good jobs and bad jobs, kids to raise, and looking forward to tomorrows.
Then after 10 or 15 years, it will start. You may not notice it at first. Or you may. Then WHAM! 100 miles forward, seems like no brakes and hang on. It will start again.

[emeraldsky]

I guess it feels to me like the "boom" or "growth spurt" here in Gillette will be around awhile. With the expanding of the highway going on... And the growth projection for the school district... My husband was telling me the other day about the city annexing more areas for city water and sewer. Just feels like more permanent growth from my perspective. I know it doesn't feel like moderate growth to a lot of folk (more like rapid growth), but I imagine that's what we are all hoping for, moderate growth. Want it to stay on the small side, but there is certainly some room for improvement and growth too. It's a balance, isn't it?

I think many jobs beyond the coalbed/methane ones are attracting people to the area. And I think it's fair to say that many of those jobs will be sustainable to a healthy degree if there are cutbacks to the coal and methane work. Though from what it sounds like, they've got so much here, and such a need for it in the country... it should be going for a very long while.

[ElkHunter]

emaraldsky, In Gillette, your absolutely right. Gillette has grown considerably over the years from when it first boomed. The first boom cycle there lasted only about 3 or 4 years and then busted. But the bust was short and it boomed again with coal. There's so much coal there that the streak they opened will continue south for several decades.

Plus, Gillette is in the center of the Methane field so it will more then likely become the central focal point for all methane dealings.

Up here in Sheridan, we're on the edge. So once the pipeline is complete, all that will be required for workers is the people to maintain it. They could maintain from Gillette but distance and snow is a factor so they'll always keep some people here, but not many.

By the way. Just to date myself. When I lived in Gillette we built Interstate 90. We would leave town (yes, leave town) and drive out in the country to work on the I-90 bridge over top of Hwy 59. And it really wasn't that long ago. 1972 is when we brought the interstate through Gillette.

[emeraldsky]

Thanks for sharing that geographical perspective Elkhunter. Makes more sense to me now. And that's what I've been hearing, the decades part, about there being so much coal.

We plan to be here for a long while. Just seems like a nice place to settle down long term for us.

[wyoman]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

emaraldsky, In Gillette, your absolutely right. Gillette has grown considerably over the years from when it first boomed. The first boom cycle there lasted only about 3 or 4 years and then busted. But the bust was short and it boomed again with coal. There's so much coal there that the streak they opened will continue south for several decades.

Plus, Gillette is in the center of the Methane field so it will more then likely become the central focal point for all methane dealings.

Up here in Sheridan, we're on the edge. So once the pipeline is complete, all that will be required for workers is the people to maintain it. They could maintain from Gillette but distance and snow is a factor so they'll always keep some people here, but not many.

By the way. Just to date myself. When I lived in Gillette we built Interstate 90. We would leave town (yes, leave town) and drive out in the country to work on the I-90 bridge over top of Hwy 59. And it really wasn't that long ago. 1972 is when we brought the interstate through Gillette.

Remember that well! I was in newcastle at that time! My brother-in laws brother got his start in heavy equipment on that job. Now has just passed his company on to son> Dan hart patrol service out of upton.

[Earniefan]

The fact is it will take another 9 years or so just to place all of the gas drills, then there's still all the time it takes to suck it out. So a few more years than 2.....

This is information from the Rock Springs area about what's happening with the gas boom. Rock Springs is said to be getting a Marriott, this is a huge company that looks at many elements before it moves it's company into a location. They wouldn't be coming for 2 years of payday. You have to look at all of the elements that go into a boom, not listen to people and their opinions about what will happen.