WYOMING — The Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI) has released a letter recommending the auction of the Kelly parcel ahead of its Dec. 7 meeting.
“Pursuant to the Board’s Trust Land Management Objectives, and OSLI’s statutory
fiduciary duty, the Director recommends the Board authorize the sale of six hundred forty acres (640) acres in Teton County, Wyoming as described above and on the attached maps,” the letter concludes.
In addition, the letter stipulates “the minimum bid for the parcel shall be $80,000,000,” along with bid increments set at $250,000 per bid. The board also recommends that the auction be held in Teton County “no later than January 30, 2024.”
The parcel is the last remaining state-owned land within the exterior boundaries of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). It is currently used for generating income for the state’s public schools. The original appraisal valued the land at $62 million.
Teton County residents have been vocally opposed to the potential disposal of the parcel since its initial proposal.
Last week, Jackson’s Town Council drafted a letter to OSLI urging the board to sell the parcel directly to GTNP. The Teton County Board of County Commissioners also sent a letter urging the board to not auction the land. The Chamber of Commerce released a survey to its members, asking if they supported the auction or not. A rally was held on the Town Square on Nov. 6, protesting the auction, and a public meeting was hosted at the Teton County Library on Nov. 9.
The State Board of Land Commissioners — which includes Governor Mark Gordon, Secretary of State Chuck Gray, Auditor Kristi Racines, Treasurer Curt Meier and Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder — will make the call at their meeting in Cheyenne on Thursday, Dec. 7. The meeting will be livestreamed via lands.wyo.gov. For disposal, at least three members of the board will need to vote in favor of the auction.
