Plans to expand a golf course and build residential homes around it on University of Wyoming property received approval from the UW Board of Trustees.
With one dissenting vote, the board on Friday approved a plan to expand the Jacoby Golf Course from 18 to 27 holes, construct a first-class practice facility with indoor and outdoor driving ranges and renovate the clubhouse.
The golf course project would be funded by the sale of 750 residential lots - priced from $50,000 to $100,000 - over a 20-year period. The lots will be developed on 320 acres of UW-owned land and 400 acres of land donated by the Warren Livestock Co.
The project is being developed by New Isakson Co. of Sheridan.
Trustee James Trosper of Fort Washakie was the only board member to vote against the plan, expressing reservations about hurrying through the plan and whether the board should be tackling more important matters.
"There is a lot of questions that I had, concerns that I had," Trosper said after the meeting. "I just didn't feel like I was there and ready to say 'Yes'. If that was my own land I would be very careful."
One problem that Trosper had was with how much emphasis the board had put on the Jacoby Ridge Golf Community project.
"This is something that can be a good thing, but there are so many things that I see that we should be working on and improving before we get to that point."
For example, Trosper said UW faculty need better office facilities.
Trosper also questioned the role that UW was taking in the development of the residential lots.
"Some people might question the educational purpose behind the university's participation in a for-profit real estate development," he said.
While the board approved the plan, details still must be negotiated by UW President Philip Dubois and the developer.