Duke-44 wrote:

Being from WY and involved in real estate, maybe I can clear some of this up. Back in the late 1800's during the the surveys of most western states, about 2 out of every 36 sections(640 acres/section)were deeded to the state.
In this case as the the Teton Nat'l Park was developed there were private as well as state lands that were within the Park boundries.
There are private homes and ranches still within the boundaries that are bought and sold as regular real estate. The state happens to have this large acreage that is at present just rented to a local rancher for pasture for $3000.00/year. The state wants to maximize it's real estate investment at this time. The property is worth over $125,000,000.00 or more on the real estate market at this time as lots for wealthy people that pay megabucks to see the Teton Mtns from their livingrooms and hottub decks of their new log mansons. The Governor of WYOMING is saying to the FEDERAL gov.

"We would like to give you the chance to buy this first before we put it on the open real estate market for developers. What are you willing to pay for it?"

That may sound like blackmail or extorting the FEDS but it is legal and done every day. It is just like you owning an empty lot in an expensive neighborhood with lax covenants. You tell the neighbors that you will give them 1st right of refusal before you sell it to an a Arab that is going to build a Mosque.

I think that you get the picture......

I like the way he thinks.

JMO