An extraordinarily rare piece of land surrounded by Grand Teton National Park will be sold for $100 million to the federal government, which will make it part of the iconic national park. The Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners approved the sale of the so-called “Kelly Parcel” by a 3-2 vote.
There’s been a lot of debate about what to do with the 640-acre property. Many are celebrating that the land will be preserved as a natural space for all to enjoy, free from development. There had also been talks of selling the land to the highest bidder, which could have been a windfall for the state.
“Wyomingites affirmed our conviction to protect open space, habitat, wildlife migration corridors, agriculture, and hunting opportunities in perpetuity by including the Kelly Parcel within the boundary of Grand Teton National Park,” said Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s Wyoming Conservation Manager Jared Baecker. “Thousands of residents made it clear that this unique piece of land should become part of Grand Teton and remain free from subdivision development and open for a wide variety of recreational pursuits.”
“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,” said Megan Degenfelder, Wyoming superintendent of public instruction. She voted against the sale.
