Cody Chamber Wants Business Info on Economic Impact of Yellowstone Floods

Bighorn Basin business owners are encouraged to fill out a ten-question survey to help analyze the economic impact of the flooding in Yellowstone National Park.

Last month’s flooding in Yellowstone National Park interrupted summer tourism in an unprecedented way. The entire park was closed for over a week after roads were compromised, if not destroyed, by raging waters during a “thousand-year” event.

The unexpected changes have had a range of impacts. For example, while Gardiner and Cooke City (the North and Northeast Entrances) were wholly cut off from the park, businesses in northwest Wyoming simultaneously dealt with a backlog of stranded tourists and a flood of cancellations for future visits.

Because of this, the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce is collecting information from businesses across the region.

Courtesy Cody Country Chamber of Commerce

The Cody Chamber wants to understand the range of impacts from Yellowstone’s flooding – good and bad – for businesses across the Bighorn Basin.

The Cody Country Chamber of Commerce created a survey for business owners to share the status of their companies post-flooding. This information is especially important as many businesses are recovering from two years of pandemic-related impacts.

“In an effort to understand the current reality in our Eastern gateway communities following the recent flooding disaster in Yellowstone National Park, we greatly appreciate you taking a few minutes to answer the following questions,” the survey reads. “Please help us collect as much information as possible by forwarding this survey to other businesses in the Bighorn Basin.”

Businesses in Cody, Powell, Worland, Thermopolis, and other Bighorn Basin companies are encouraged to complete and submit the survey. The questions are simple but essential assessments of how the flooding in Wyoming and Montana affects businesses today and may affect them in the future.

•  Prior to Yellowstone flooding events, what was your business trajectory (real or projected gross revenue) for the year?

• Considering your business at the same time last year, compared to now, is your gross revenue up or down?

•  Following two years of pandemic, and now with a natural disaster in Yellowstone Park, how long can you sustain your business on its current trajectory?