The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission always strives to be fiscally responsible with sportsperson dollars, and the Cody Regional Office is no different. While it's too early in the process to calculate exact costs,  based on a recent regional office construction project, the Commission expects to invest $8-10 million in the Cody area project to ensure the facility will meet the needs of Game and Fish and the public now and in the future.   

The  Wyoming Game and Fish Commission began a search for property several years ago as part of an analysis to determine what the most feasible option was for a new office building. The 21.71 acre site was selected because:
       -The lot is located in a convenient location and has the capacity to accommodate Game and Fish well into the future 
       -A better line of sight and decreased speed limit will make accessing the facility safe for the public and Game and Fish employees

ame and Fish conducted a thorough analysis of all options available, including demolishing the current building and building on site, buying an existing building at a different location and building off site on a new property. Based on this analysis, the fact that Game and Fish does not own the land the current office sits on, logistical issues with relocating to a temporary office and no other adequate existing buildings for sale at that time, building on a new property was determined the best option for Game and Fish and the public financially and operationally. 

After careful consideration and a very thorough vetting process of various options, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission determined building a new facility for the Cody regional office is the best investment of sportsperson dollars.  Owning both the building and the property is a better investment for the future, compared to the current situation where Game and Fish owns the building, but not the property.  

This existing office located south of Cody does not have the capacity to address the needs of our employees or the public we serve.  In addition, the facilities require significant annual investment in maintenance and repair costs.  
The office was originally constructed in 1979 with the intention of housing nine employees and was later reconfigured to accommodate 14 employees. As the need for services increased over time, two modular office buildings were added in 2011.

We are in the initial planning stages of this construction project.  In preliminary plans, the new office building will be a ~19,000 square foot, two-story structure. The plans include:
       -An ADA compliant meeting room available for community use
       -Adequate office spaces for Game and Fish personnel
       -AIS check station and decontamination area and a large turn around for trucks towing boats and trailers 

Plan One Architects, a Wyoming-based company whose headquarters are located in Cody, has been hired to produce the building design.  The bid process for construction is expected to begin early in 2021. One hundred percent of the design and engineering of the facility will be completed in Wyoming and 80% of the work will be done locally in Cody.

The tentative timeline is as follows:
       -December 2020- Building plans at 100% design 
       -January/Feb. 2021- Bid process for construction begins 
       -March- December 2021- Construction 
       -February/March 2022- Move into new building

Customer service is a high priority and was top-of-mind when designing the regional office.  Some of the service related differences include: 
       -A large ADA compliant community meeting room used for Game and Fish meetings and available for use by other agencies and the public 
       -A larger front reception area to accommodate more customers
       -An AIS check station and decontamination station incorporated into the building will replace the North Cody check station currently located near Newton Lakes Road 

The new Cody Regional Game and Fish office building will be built less than one mile north of Cody off the Belfry Highway (Highway 120), on a 21.71 acre lot.  The property is situated on the southwest side of Hwy 120, across from the intersection of Highway 120 and Road 2 ABN.  The Wyoming Game and Fish Commision  purchased  the property in August 2019.