Plans to open Wyoming’s first privately owned one-mile horse racetrack this fall have encountered delays due to infrastructure setbacks and uncooperative weather, Cowboy State Daily reports.
Thunder Plains Park, located just east of Cheyenne off Interstate 80, was originally slated to hold its first races this year. However, the combination of limited electrical access and a wetter-than-expected spring has postponed that timeline.
Will Edwards, co-owner of Thunder Plains, said one of the most significant challenges has been connecting the racetrack to the electrical grid. The site’s power provider, High West Energy, informed Edwards that current infrastructure cannot yet support the energy demands of the venue—whether 1,200 amps or 4,000. The necessary upgrades could take up to a year.
“There’s a huge demand for electricity right now,” Edwards told Cowboy State Daily, noting that while efforts are underway to build out Wyoming’s energy infrastructure, timelines are lengthy.
As a result, he is requesting an extension of the project’s permitting from the Wyoming Gaming Commission.
Compounding the delays, Wyoming’s spring brought more moisture than anticipated. The additional rainfall created challenges in preparing the racetrack’s surface, particularly when mixing and screening sand. Edwards explained that once the sand becomes too wet, the equipment used to process it clogs, delaying progress further.
To ensure high standards, Thunder Plains hired Dennis Moore, a globally recognized expert in racetrack surfaces. While this brings top-tier guidance to the project, it also means the racetrack must meet rigorous specifications, which increases both cost and complexity.
In addition to power and weather, potential steel and aluminum tariffs may affect construction costs, particularly for the barns needed to house racehorses. Edwards said any price increases could impact the timing of barn construction, which is now on hold pending the permitting extension and project financing.
Despite these setbacks, development on the site continues. The racetrack grading is complete, and other components of the venue are ready to move forward once electricity becomes available. Edwards estimates Cowboy Racing LLC has already invested approximately $7 million into the project.
Wyoming has long hosted horse racing at county fairgrounds, but Thunder Plains would be the state’s first full mile-long track under private ownership. Currently, Wyoming Downs near Evanston—at 7.5 furlongs—holds the distinction of being the largest and only major private horse-racing venue in the state.
The timing for Thunder Plains may prove favorable, as several historic California horse racing venues, including Golden Gate Fields and Alameda County Fairgrounds, have recently closed. Edwards hopes to attract interest from displaced fans and horsemen and has already sourced equipment from the now-defunct Golden Gate Fields facility.
He also emphasized Wyoming’s potential advantages for horse training, particularly the benefits of altitude. Elevated training is commonly used by human athletes and can offer similar advantages for racehorses.
“Wyoming has a heritage of horsemen and horse breeding,” Edwards said. “We’re hoping this track starts programs that put Wyoming on the map as a horse-racing state.”
