A sizable chunk of land within Grand Teton National Park may finally become the property of the federal government. For years, Wyoming officials have debated what to do with the Kelly Parcel, a 640-acre portion of the park that has remained state property. Some of them argued that the land should be auctioned off to the highest bidder, potentially resulting in private development in the middle of a national park.
Last week, the Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners moved to preserve the parkland, approving the parcel’s sale to the U.S. Department of the Interior for $100 million. The group of five state officials, including Governor Mark Gordon, voted 3-2, overriding the concerns of fellow board members who argued the state should wait to make a final decision.
Even now, an ongoing dispute over land management in Wyoming could thwart the deal. But Gov. Gordon applauded the board’s decision.
“This is an iconic parcel, and we have been given a unique opportunity for it to join Grand Teton National Park in perpetuity while protecting current hunting and grazing uses,” Gov. Gordon said. “I am also excited that these proceeds can be used to substantially add to the State’s portfolio of lands and minerals.”
Political Timing
Wyoming officials have long argued over what to do with the Kelly Parcel. But last week’s presidential election created some new urgency.
During a 3-hour meeting last Thursday, the board heard from several state officials, some of whom advocated for waiting to negotiate a new deal with the incoming Trump administration. Others, like Wyoming State Senator Mike Gierau, argued it’s better to move forward now.
“Voting on this proposal today allows all the pressure to go to our friends in Washington,” said Gierau, whose state district includes Grand Teton National Park. “It pushes them, because they know, too, what’s been discussed today about how money can evaporate as one administration morphs into another. That’s important.”
While some of Wyoming’s early lawmakers had opposed the creation of Grand Teton National Park, some of them later realized that preserving the land for posterity was the right idea, Gierau said. He referenced documentarian Ken Burns, who called the national parks “America’s greatest idea.”
“Today, you have the opportunity to affirm America’s greatest idea,” Gierau told the board. “I urge you to do so.”
Not everyone on the board agreed, however. Megan Degenfelder, Wyoming superintendent of public instruction, voted no on the sale. She argued for a trade deal instead of an outright sale, and wanted to table the discussion for a later decision.
“I want to protect the Kelly Parcel from development,” Degenfelder said on Thursday. “I do want the best deal for Wyoming, and this is the most valuable piece of property Wyoming has ever had. To me, we can’t sell Wyoming short.”
But, further delay could endanger the funding that makes the sale possible, said Grand Teton National Park Foundation President Leslie Mattson. The foundation has raised $38 million since March 2023 to help the federal government with the purchase. After 15 years of debate over the land parcel, Mattson said postponing the deal could result in a loss of funding.
“If this transaction gets delayed, I think we’re in real jeopardy of losing that funding, given tax year planning for many of our donors, who expect to provide funding before the 31st of December,” Mattson told the board on Thursday. “That money isn’t fulfilled to our organization; it could go elsewhere to other organizations across the country and won’t be used to fund public education in Wyoming.”
Sale Still Not Finalized
While technically state land, the Kelly Parcel lies within the Grand Teton National Park boundary. It’s recognized as crucial wildlife habitat for elk, mule deer, and pronghorn, as well as sage grouse. It’s also important for ungulate migrations.
In 2022, the property was appraised at $62.5 million. Wyoming will receive $100 million for the parcel, with $62.5 million paid by the federal government and the remainder coming from private philanthropy through the Grand Teton National Park Foundation. Revenue from the sale could generate an additional $64 million in investment income over the next decade, according to the Wyoming governor’s office.
But there’s at least one more hurdle to push the deal over the finish line.
The Wyoming Legislature approved the $100 million sale last year — but with a condition. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must reconsider its Rock Springs Resource Management Plan, a controversial update to federal land management in Wyoming. State officials criticized the conservation-heavy plan for limiting energy extraction, WyoFile reported.
Unless the BLM revises its “preferred alternative” for managing 7.3 million acres of land in southwestern Wyoming, Gov. Gordon won’t be able to finalize the sale of the Kelly Parcel.
Most speakers at Thursday’s meeting encouraged the board to expedite sale of the Kelly Parcel, however. That includes Rob Wallace, an Interior Department appointee during the first Trump administration. If delayed, the $62.5 million that the National Park Service will pay for the land could easily be used elsewhere in the country, Wallace argued.
“If we can’t close the deal quickly, these other greedy hands are going to pull that money away and take them to their own park,” Wallace said.
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