CHEYENNE, Wyo.—An economic development official says budget problems at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., should not affect the center’s plans to build a supercomputer in Cheyenne.
The Wyoming governor’s office wouldn’t speculate on the future of the project, however, saying the state has done all it can to land it.
The supercomputer project, announced last year, would cost $60 million. About a third would come from the state and the other two-thirds from NCAR, where the budget has been strained.
The NCAR staff is down by more than 100 since last year. That includes some layoffs.
Randy Bruns, director of economic development group Cheyenne LEADS, doesn’t expect problems. He said the project is back on track after being delayed by the approval process in Washington.
“The supercomputer center in Wyoming is a long-term project. It’s going to be a year or more before they’re breaking ground,” Bruns said.
“This immediate thing, which is affecting the entire scientific community and government, is hopefully a short-term thing. But it isn’t impacting this project.”
Bill Gern, University of Wyoming vice president for research and economic development, said he doesn’t expect NCAR’s “internal decisions” to affect the “core mission of supercomputing.”
The project is expected to bring as many as 30 jobs to Wyoming.
A spokesman for Gov. Dave Freudenthal said the governor had heard about NCAR’s budget problems but isn’t sure how they could affect the Wyoming project. The spokesman said the state has done all it can to get the project.
