Wyoming officials say yes to Teton land sale to feds

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Top Wyoming officials have approved selling more than two square miles of state land within Grand Teton National Park to the federal government.

The price: $107 million.

Wyoming has owned the pristine land in Jackson Hole since statehood. The state leases the land for grazing, bringing in little money compared to what it could get by investing the proceeds from selling the land.

Years of impasse while Wyoming officials tried to get the federal government to acquire the land culminated in February with a threat to auction off the land.

The Wyoming Legislature still needs to approve the proposed transaction following Thursday's vote by Gov. Dave Freudenthal and three other statewide elected officials. Wyoming officials say they don't expect state lawmakers to oppose the deal.