ROCK SPRINGS — After 29 years of service to the Sweetwater Events Complex, Executive Director Larry Lloyd will retire at the end of December.
Prior to moving to Sweetwater County, Lloyd was the director of a county parks and recreation department in Oregon and chairman of the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Board.
Lloyd started as the Executive Director in January 1993. Lloyd said he decided to move to Sweetwater County for the opportunity to lead Sweetwater Events Complex in a new direction.
“My vision for the property when I started was to turn our 400 acres into a more usable property for the general public,” Lloyd said.
During the 29 years under Lloyd’s direction, the complex has gone through several changes and improvements. The indoor arena has a balance of user groups between equine, motocross and BMX events. Throughout the years the stock car and motocross tracks have undergone vast improvements to make them more user-friendly and cost effective. Wyoming’s Big Show – Sweetwater County Fair is now one of the largest events in the state and region with top-notch daily entertainment and concerts.
“All of the decisions at the complex are a balancing act between improvements and creating financial stability,” Lloyd said.
The most recent large-scale improvements include the additional horse stalls and RV spaces to accommodate the National High School Finals Rodeo. The benefits of these improvements continue to be seen with the complex’s ability to recruit national RV rallies like Newmar, Tiffin, Airstream Club International, and Escapees. These large events bring tourism to Sweetwater County and all of Wyoming, in turn helping our local economy. Lloyd also serves on the Wyoming State Travel & Tourism Board, a governor-appointed position, where he brings decades of tourism expertise to better Wyoming’s appeal to visitors.
Lloyd and his family have put down roots in Sweetwater County and are here to stay. Larry and Cheri, his wife of 56 years, will continue to be active members of the community. Together they have raised four sons and have multiple grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Lloyd says he and his family live by the motto “give back more than you get.”
Lloyd is a Navy veteran and served on the U.S.S. Yorktown aircraft carrier. He fought in the Vietnam and North Korean wars and was part of the U.S. Navy Apollo 8 recovery team. He holds a degree in business administration from Southern Oregon University and attended executive development school with the National Recreation and Park Association.
In retirement, Lloyd plans to travel to see more of Wyoming and the world with his wife and family. He says he will find new ways to continue serving the Sweetwater County community in his retirement.
