Northwest College President Lisa Watson updated the board of trustees on the new student center project, including where cost estimates sit at this point. 

In the last legislative session, the Wyoming Legislature approved the cost of the project at $25 million and provided $14 million on condition that the money be matched dollar-for-dollar.

As with any project this year, the new student center project has to contend with supply chain issues and inflation. The Legislature approved supplementary funds of $4.8 million to help with rising costs, but that amount is available for any state approved project and will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. That appropriation also requires a 50-50 match.

Overall costs

The final phase of planning pegged the project cost at $26.2 million. 

The college hired Cody-based Groathouse Construction as construction manager at risk, a company brought in after initial plans are developed to “value engineer” such projects. Groathouse’s efforts reduced the cost of the project to $20.6 million. 

Watson described the process as a “nip and tuck.” She said the college has tried to hold onto key components of the building, as well as space for the college’s outdoor recreation program, so the intent of the building will be maintained. 

The cost-saving measures included things like slimming some walkways and removing some expensive overhangs. The square footage of the windows was reduced, while still allowing for plenty of natural light to enter the facility. 

The 50-year-old DeWitt Student Center, which the new center will replace, contains the student dining facilities. Construction of the new center will require DeWitt to be demolished, meaning the students will need a new place to eat while the project is completed. 

The planned 4,000 square foot temporary dining facilities add another $1.4 million on top of the construction. These will be constructed this summer on part of the soccer field. 

“That is the one space that has some urgency to it,” Watson said, as the facility must be up and running before demolition begins. 

The kitchen facilities are still uncertain. A modular kitchen unit would be too expensive, Watson explained, so the college is in talks with Park County over the possibility of using the kitchen facilities at the Park County Fairgrounds. The biggest challenge is to make sure college operations don’t conflict with the Park County Fair this summer. The college will work with FFA leaders to help ensure that won’t happen. 

The college is also making sure the facilities will be adequate for the college’s food service provider, Sodexo USA, to continue providing catering services. The revenues from this service help Sodexo maintain profitability in its NWC operations. 

The college will also have to coordinate logistics for an off-site food preparation facility. The food will be transported to the dining facilities, where it will be served in the temporary dining facility. 

“We’re not asking people to stand out and get food off the back of the truck,” Watson explained. 

The college is also looking at how it might provide shuttle service from the main campus to the temporary dining facility. 

Housing the NWC Outdoor Recreation program is adding another $1.8 million dollars to the total cost of the new center. 

Funding sources

With the dining and kitchen facilities and the outdoor recreation aspects of the building, the total cost of the project at this point is $23.8 million, only half of which the state is paying for. 

That number may change as bids come in, so there’s a lot of uncertainty as to what the final number will be, Watson said. 

She discussed where the college is at in terms of its share of the cost. Toward the construction of the $20.6 million student center building, which doesn’t include the outdoor recreation space or dining facilities, the Northwest College Foundation launched a $3.5 million fundraising effort. So far it’s secured $1.4 million, according to Shelby Wetzel, NWC Foundation executive director. The foundation has another $850,000 of existing funding to provide, Wetzel said.  

Funding from the college’s reserves and student fees are expected to provide another $4.7 million. Financing would pull in the last $1.3 million of the $10.3 million the state will require for a match of its appropriation. 

The appropriation will cover half the cost of the temporary dining facilities, which will leave the college on the hook for $677,402 of the estimated costs. The foundation’s capital construction campaign has existing funds to cover $500,000 of that. 

Watson said the college may have $300,000 to $700,000 in surplus funding, but that number won’t be known until the fiscal year spending is counted, which will be around the middle of May. Depending on how much is there, it would cover the remaining $177,402 of the dining facilities.

Student fees may also help cover costs of the project. The college had used that source in the construction of the Yellowstone Building. 

After state support, the outdoor programmatic aspects of the project will require $932,500 from the college. 

The Wyoming Innovation Project, which Gov. Mark Gordon launched with funding from the pandemic-related American Rescue Plan, may provide some support for that aspect of the project, but Watson said it would also require its own dollar-for-dollar match. It’s also competitive funding, but if it’s not used for other projects in Wyoming, WIP would support NWC’s outdoor programmatic funding. 

The project doesn’t require the outdoor recreation space, so it’s possible it could be eliminated if necessary. However, Watson said the hope is to secure the funding needed to make it happen. The college might consider a simple interest financing option, as bonds are too expensive currently. 

The board authorized no spending for the project but voted to continue developing the project. As more firm estimates come in, the board will consider spending requests in the future. 

Watson will provide updates at the board’s regular monthly meetings.