Gateway East and Gateway West, development sites totaling 419 acres at Wyoming’s Colorado and Utah borders, are open for proposals from qualified gaming operators, hospitality companies, tribal enterprises, developers, and investors. Supported by independent feasibility studies and master-planned for phased development, the projects are intended for two major destination entertainment centers serving growing markets in the Mountain West.
The projects are led by Eric Nelson, former owner of Wyoming Downs Race Track. Nelson has more than two decades of experience developing Wyoming’s gaming, racing, and rodeo industries. He is supported by feasibility studies from nationally recognized firms.
Nelson envisions two world-class destination complexes positioned to “further raise Wyoming as a hub for western culture, rodeo competition, and entertainment,” according to a news release.
Gateway East is a 265-acre master-planned site at the Wyoming-Colorado border that serves the Denver-Fort Collins corridor and reaches more than 3.6 million residents within one hour. Positioned at the first Wyoming exit north of Colorado, the site offers visibility, year-round traffic and direct access to Interstate 25.
Gateway West is a 154-acre site at the Wyoming-Utah border. The site provides access to Salt Lake City and Park City and their 2.5 million residents within 90 minutes. At the first Wyoming exit east of Utah, the site benefits from Utah’s long-standing ban on gaming, creating cross-border demand for entertainment, lodging, and gaming-related uses.
Both sites sit directly on Interstate 25 and Interstate 80, two of the region’s highest-traffic corridors, with more than 6 million consumers within driving distance. The locations offer potential for gaming venues, rodeo stadiums, hotels, restaurants, RV resorts, truck stops, retail villages, museums, and large-format entertainment infrastructure.
An independent feasibility study prepared by The Innovation Group and market research from the Wyoming Gaming Commission confirmed strong demand for large-scale entertainment, lodging, and event development at both borders.
The Gateway projects envision year-round destination entertainment centered on Wyoming’s western heritage, rodeo culture, and hospitality. Each site includes pads for three proposed gaming locations, multiple hotel sites, luxury RV resorts, retail and dining villages, and three enclosed climate-controlled event centers, including one seating 5,000 to 10,000 guests.
Wyoming’s gaming environment, including legalized historical racing terminals, sports wagering, and rodeo pari-mutuel wagering, provides operators with a favorable regulatory landscape and no state income tax or corporate tax. Licensing timelines typically range from 60-120 days once an application is submitted. Unlike many development opportunities, these properties possess the location, traffic counts, and gaming framework needed to support destination-scale entertainment projects.
Proposals are being accepted from bulk buyers, individual operators, tribal enterprises, hospitality groups, gaming companies, truck stop operators, RV resort developers, and entertainment organizations. Buyers may submit multiple proposals under various structures, including:
- All-cash offers
- Seller carry-back financing
- Revenue-share structures
- Cash plus publicly traded stock
- Partnership models
- Buyer-names terms (request for proposal)
Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis through September 30, with final acceptance potentially occurring any time during the review window.
Qualified buyers and operators can find full project details, demographic studies, and feasibility reports through the project’s secure data room.
