CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 28, 2019) – For the past 123 years, the spirit of the West has been the centerpiece of Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD).

This year’s edition of the 10-day celebration embraced that same spirit while seeing new opportunities designed to enhance the fan experience. The most notable addition to Frontier Park is the Cheyenne Frontier Days Event Center at the southwest corner of the arena.

Constructed in less than a year, the multipurpose building is being used for offices, meeting rooms and has a special viewing area for sponsors and VIPs as well as a ticketed rooftop area. The building will be available year-round. It was well utilized for Cheyenne Frontier Days and will be a centerpiece in the master plan for future growth.

This year’s rodeo had 1,550 contestants competing for over $1 million in prize money with the addition of women’s breakaway roping and a tournament-style format. In 2018, there were 1,350 competitors with prize money at $845,788

At the Championship Finals on Sunday, 13,432 fans witnessed history when local favorite Brody Cress won the saddle bronc riding for the third time. Sunday’s attendance saw an increase of 1,000 tickets over 2018. Cress, from Hillsdale, is the first man to win three consecutive titles since the rodeo started in 1897. When he rides here again next year, he will be trying to beat his own record and join the legendary list of saddle bronc riders who have won here four times.

Action in the arena on Frontier Park started with a Wild West Show on July 19 with events that reflected rodeo’s history including women’s ranch bronc riding. Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association action as well as the CFD Invitational Breakaway Roping started with qualification rounds July 12. The first full rodeo performance was held July 20.

The highest attended rodeo was on Saturday, July 27 at 14,215.  All rodeo performances were broadcast on the Cowboy Channel. The Wrangler Network streamed the semifinals and finals, bringing the rodeo to a worldwide audience.

Professional Bull Riders (PBR) hosted their Last Cowboy Standing competition on July 22-23 as part of Frontier Nights. The last bull rider standing on Tuesday night was Chase Outlaw who had been seriously injured one year ago. It was one of the best night show crowds since Frontier Days added bull riding with 9,863 in attendance. The events were broadcast on PBR’s Ride Pass and CBS Sports.

Many of the activities during CFD are centered around animals. An estimated 6,000 make their way through the rodeo arena, parades and at the bull riding. Comprehensive reports showed 140 of those animals examined, 55 of them required treatment and all but two were expected to make a full recovery.

Rodeo attendance through nine performances was 97,373 slightly less than in 2018 but still higher than 2017. The night show featuring Post Malone boasted a capacity crowd of 22,500 and was the fastest selling concert in CFD history. Night show attendance was up at 120,518 and increase from 2018. Total attendance for the 123rd celebration was slightly higher than in 2018.

A partnership with Colorado State University’s (CSU) Equine Clinical Services program provided comprehensive care for the third year. The CSU Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation veterinarians provided care similar to athletic trainers for contestants. Onsite services included digital radiographs, ultrasound, acupuncture, chiropractic care and shock wave therapy. The Justin Sportsmedicine Team was on site and along with local medical personnel provided over 400 treatments.

Other numbers were in line with previous years. Four parades were estimated to have over 90,000 visitors. Three pancake breakfasts saw 22,713 meals served and 50,998 visited the Indian Village.

Military Monday continues to be popular. All branches of the military were honored with active personnel and veterans receiving free admission. The U.S. Navy Parachute Team, the Leapfrogs, thrilled rodeo and night show fans by jumping into the arena at Frontier Park and the USAF Thunderbirds are always a big hit.  The Thunderbirds also performed over F.E. Warren Airforce Base with approximately 19,500 people in attendance.

“This was a year of great change,” said Jimmy Dean Siler, General Chairman of Cheyenne Frontier Days. “I want to thank our volunteers, sponsors, rodeo contestants and most of all our loyal fans. We are looking forward to 2020.”

Cheyenne Frontier Days refreshed an economic impact study last year to quantify the economic benefits generated from visitors outside of Laramie County to the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County.  Dean Runyan Associates, of Portland, Oregon conducted the research using data generated from the 2018 event; prior studies were conducted in 2015 and 2012. Dean Runyan Associates also produces economic impact research for the Wyoming Office of Tourism.

The 2018 edition of the Daddy of ‘em All was a solid year for attendance despite heavy, daily rainfalls. A total of 543,705 people attended all combined events during the ten-day celebration and a total of 247,655 tickets were sold. 

Economic impacts resulting from direct visitor spending surrounding the event totaled approximately $27.1 million, down slightly from $28 million in 2015, which was a record year for attendance.

Chief Executive Officer Tom Hirsig said, “We are pleased to report this economic benefit to our city and county. Our mission is to bring visitors to Cheyenne and Laramie County to support economic well-being for the entire community. We continue to focus on this priority and deliver consistent results.”

“We are proud of our volunteers and the work that we do to support Cheyenne and Laramie County,” said Jimmy Dean Siler, General Chairman. “In collaboration with city and county officials, we host visitors from across town, all fifty states and around the globe, to experience the history and traditions of the iconic American West.”

2018 Economic impacts of visitors who reside outside of Laramie County

● Visitors to Cheyenne Frontier Days spent $27.1 million in Laramie County.

● These visitors spent approximately $5.3 million on food and beverages in restaurants and bars, $5.1 million on overnight accommodations, $7.8 million on entertainment and recreation, including ticket sales, and $8.8 million on retail purchases, including motor fuel and groceries.

● Other direct economic impacts include approximately 302 full- and part-time jobs, $5 million in earnings (wage and salary disbursements), $633,000 in local tax revenue, and $683,000 in state tax revenue.

● Total economic impacts resulting from direct visitor spending which include secondary impacts, also known as “multiplier effects,” resulted in approximately $35 million of business activity generated for Laramie County.

2018 Profile of Cheyenne Frontier Days Attendees

● The majority of Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees participated in a Frontier Nights/Concert (72%) and/or the Rodeo (74%).

● A large portion (68%) attended Cheyenne Frontier Days during a previous year.

● Attending Cheyenne Frontier Days was the primary purpose for travel to Laramie County for the vast majority of overnight (79%) and day (97%) visitors.

● Just under half (49%) of Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees stayed overnight while traveling.

● Among overnight visitors, over half (68%) stayed in a hotel, motel, lodge, or B&B; most of the reminder stayed in private homes with friends and relatives, or in campgrounds.

● Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees traveled to or through a number of Wyoming communities and places including: Laramie, Casper, Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Snowy Range, and Cody.

Unique Attendees and Attendees from Outside of Laramie County

Cheyenne Frontier Days is a major Rocky Mountain regional event with numerous Western heritage activities and experiences; while some events charge admission, many events are free. Attendance measures include totals that track both paid attendance and total attendance. It is recognized as the consummate Western heritage, cultural, and entertainment experience in the world. Cheyenne Frontier Days is a top attraction in the state of Wyoming behind Yellowstone National Park, Jackson and Grand Teton National Park.

“It’s no surprise Cheyenne Frontier Days attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe,” said Diane Shober, Executive Director for the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “As one of Wyoming’s most treasured events, CFD brings the cowboy history and spirit to life during its ten-day celebration.” 

Hirsig recognizes the importance of Cheyenne Frontier Days to the rest of Wyoming as a travel destination. “This study shows that many travelers incorporate CFD into their summer plans that include other destinations, or a road trip, in Wyoming. In this way, we deliver a positive economic impact not only to our community, but to our entire state, as part of a larger itinerary.”

CHEYENNE, WY – April 5, 2018: Cheyenne Frontier Days™ (CFD) presented the Strategic Trail Guide to the Future at Laramie County Community College to community officials, media members and the public on April 5.

The Strategic Trail Guide to the Future is a strategic planning document that was developed with the input of Joe Tankersley, a Strategic Futurist. Tankersley is a writer, futurist, and former Walt Disney Imagineer. His experience as a storyteller and his deep knowledge of strategic foresight helps organizations develop their vision of the future.  During his 20 years at Walt Disney Imagineering, Tankersley led creative teams on projects for Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Disneyland Resort in California.

The Cheyenne Frontier Days™ Strategic Trail Guide to the Future was a six-month project undertaken by CFD to develop a long-term vision and strategic recommendations for the future. The project was designed to assist the CEO, Board of Directors and the General Committee with product development, infrastructure upgrades and organization planning tools that can be effectively used in a rapidly changing entertainment environment. The Strategic Trail Guide is intended to provide a framework for all members of the CFD organization to build on tradition, while promoting innovation in a consistent manner.

The strategies and recommendations from this work will help CFD maintain its position as the premier celebration of cowboy life and Western entertainment.

This project considered the history and tradition of Cheyenne Frontier Days™, benchmarked with other Western entertainment venues and experiences, examined the role of the cowboy in American history and entertainment, examined current challenges and opportunities in the competitive environment, and looked at trends in the future of entertainment, tourism and spectator sports.

“We covered a lot of ground in the six months that our team met,” Tom Hirsig, CEO of Cheyenne Frontier Days said.  “The Strategic Trail Guide to the Future helps keep CFD focused on a vision that will combine traditional Western themes and the future of entertainment and consumer experience.  With our Master Land Use Plan and our consumer focus group research data and now the Trail Guide to the Future, we have a clearer picture of how to structure new products and infrastructure development.”