CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Tim Bradshaw has heard conflicting views on Cheyenne’s 1960s airport terminal. Many have told him they think the facility on East 8th Street should be torn down. But others, such as Cheryl Bean, see a new life for the retired building.
“I could almost bet my last dollar that each of you have had some opportunity to be in that building when it was operational,” said Bradshaw, who is the director of aviation with Cheyenne Regional Airport. “It is quite a unique building.”
To reinvent the old airport terminal, Bradshaw is partnering with Bean, founder of the Wyoming Aviation Heritage League, and Desirée Brothe, executive director of Arts Cheyenne. The three local leaders appealed to the Cheyenne City Council on Friday during a work session to discuss their efforts to preserve the terminal and “bridge the past to the future.” Their plans for the revitalized center, called the Arts & Aviation Center, may include the addition of a retro aviation-themed restaurant, space for retailers, aviation history exhibits and an art gallery.
“We envision a space that celebrates the terminal’s mid-century modern architecture while offering an array of amenities,” according to Arts Cheyenne’s online page about the center. “This revitalized landmark will not only attract visitors but also invigorate the neighborhood, enriching the fabric of Cheyenne’s identity.”
In March, Arts Cheyenne released its Charette Report detailing future steps for the aviation center. The document includes input from community members, finding that an overwhelming number of survey respondents (91 out of 93) were in support of the project. The full report can be viewed below.
The terminal was shut down in 2018 and currently has structural issues, according to Bradshaw, who added that although many people may advocate for tearing the building down, doing so would be expensive.
“That to me is not a good use of public funds,” Bradshaw said. “We think [the aviation center is] going to be a great gathering place for the community. If you look around that area, there’s really nothing around that area at all. There’s no restaurants — the Central Café is about the closest thing that I know of there. And its proximity to Frontier Park I think will pay dividends down the road.”
Bradshaw, Brothe and Bean asked councilmembers at Friday’s meeting to consider helping allocate sixth-penny funds toward the aviation facility. The city’s contributions would be used to bring the outside walls, heating, air conditioning, electrical systems and roof up to code. Bradshaw said paying for these repairs altogether would cost around $3 million.
The trio has been searching for other opportunities for funding, too, and has so far found success. In 2023, Arts Cheyenne received a National Endowment for the Arts grant of $50,000 for the historic preservation project, according to Brothe. She said the team has a partnership from the CLG and Wyoming Cultural Trust. The grant will be used to have work done to complete a full registry on the property and tie the 1929 terminal, 1960 terminal, tower and hangar together into an aviation district. Bean said she is working with the Department of Environmental Quality for a grant as well.
“We’re missing out with this incredible [aviation] history; we just need to grasp it, I think,” said Bean, who retired from WYDOT in 2023 as its aviation planning and programming manager.
