JACKSON, Wyo. — In a move to control the only aspect of the project they can, Teton County Commissioners denied the malt liquor license application from Basecamp Hospitality LLC, the operators of the infamous geodesic tent glamping site that sits on state trust land off of WY390.
During the July 2 regular meeting, seven community members who live near the glamping site spoke out against the issuance of the license during public comment on the application. A number of them noted they were members of “Citizens for the Responsible Use of Public Lands,” a local nonprofit that was formed in response to the development.
“This facility has been built without any oversight or permits from the county,” Wilson resident Stephen Koch said. “In fact, the county issued a notice of abatement in order to halt construction of the facility and assert its authority over projects built in the county. The state then sued the county over the abatement order and that suit is still in litigation.”
“It is more than ironic that Basecamp now comes before you to request a malt liquor license after ignoring the county authority to inspect and permit; an authority designed to protect the life and safety of county residents and visitors,” Koch said.
Kathy Nyrop, Wilson resident and President of Citizens for the Responsible Use of State Lands, spoke on behalf of the nonprofit’s 140 members.
“We find it absurd that this is the only permit Basecamp is applying for,” Nyrop said. “One can assume that it is only being done to enhance the revenue of their business.”
Teton Village resident Dan Baker spoke via Zoom, saying that residents in the vicinity would be adversely affected and that there are numerous other locations in the area where alcoholic beverages can be purchased.
“I know of no residents of Teton County personally that think even the existence of this property is acceptable,” Barker said.
The Commissioners voted unanimously to deny the application, citing that the applicant does not meet three of the five criteria for approval outlined in the county’s staff report, finding that the permit would adversely affect people in the vicinity, existing licenses meet the needs already, and the issuance would not meet or satisfy the desires of the residents of the county.
Since the issuance of the five-year temporary use permit by the Office of State Lands and Investments in June 2022, a flurry of lawsuits and permit challenges have been raised against the glamping project from Teton County and local nonprofits.
Teton County Commissioners argued that the project required compliance with the county’s Land Development regulations and required building and development permits through the county. The State of Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners responded by filing a complaint against Teton County.
“Counties are creatures of the State and have no sovereignty independent from that of the state, and the only power available to them is the power that has been delegated to them by the state,” the state’s complaint notes.
State trust lands date back to when Wyoming became a state in 1890. The state accepted land granted from the federal government for the express purpose of supporting the common schools. A number of tracts are located in Teton County, with many in the community calling for their conservation and protection, while the state sometimes looks to cash in on Teton County’s high real estate value.
