5,600-Worker Cheyenne Man Camp Would Be Larger Than 84 Wyoming Cities And Towns

Laramie County is moving forward with a proposed 800-unit 'man camp' designed to house up to 5,600 workers for a surge in artificial intelligence and data center construction in the Cheyenne area. The Laramie County Planning Commission is collaborating with the City of Cheyenne on the project, which would be larger than 84 of Wyoming's 99 incorporated cities or towns, according to the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division. The project developer, Iron Guard Housing, applied to build the camp on unincorporated county land in the High Plains Business Park, adjacent to a large Meta data center already under construction. County officials, including Laramie County Planning and Development Director Justin Arnold, view the workforce accommodation as essential, citing potential devastating consequences if thousands of incoming workers have nowhere to live. Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins acknowledges the region's rapid growth but believes the largest wave of workers for projects like the Tallgrass-Crusoe Project Jade (a giant AI data center potentially consuming 2.7 gigawatts) is still to come. Residents within a mile of the proposed site were notified, leading to alarm and opposition regarding the camp's size and potential impacts. Concerns raised by residents like Elizabeth Marvin and Heather Madrid include increased crime, traffic, strain on utilities and public safety, and negative effects on property values. They question whether local law enforcement and infrastructure are equipped to handle such a population surge in an already underserved area. County and city leaders are discussing a partnership, as a development of this scale would likely benefit from city water and sewer services over county aquifers. Arnold suggested keeping the project outside city limits could prevent delays from annexation. County leaders are also exploring broader policy changes, such as zoning additional industrial business parks, to accelerate development. A public hearing before the Laramie County Planning Commission is scheduled for Thursday.