Adidas' Yeezy line has picked out a property in Cody for its sample-prototype lab. Kanye West's fashion brand has plans to convert the Cody Labs warehouse.
Yeezy is a fashion collaboration between the hip hop artist Kanye West and the German sportswear brand Adidas. Recently, West announced his plans to move the Yeezy headquarters to Cody from its current home in California.
James Klessens, president of Forward Cody the economic development program, said Yeezy representatives began communications earlier this month about leasing out the old Cody Labs building. Cody Labs is a pharmaceutical company that closed earlier this year.
"We were very fortunate, blessed actually, that Kanye West and Yeezy showed up in town and saw the opportunity of that facility to be something more than what it was designed to be," said Klessens. "Any job we can add is a benefit to our community."
Klessens said this can introduce a new design and marketing industry in town, as well as provide opportunity for the community year-round.
"There are going to be opportunities for local people to not only get in to these types of positions, but to grow within the positions and what I like about it, is there is career potential here. It's not just jobs," said Klessens. "And so people that get the jobs and are willing to learn and grow, are going to be able to move up the ladder."
Some renovations will be made to the building before the Yeezy sample prototype lab will be functional. According to Forbes, Yeezy will make $1.5 billion in sales by the end of this year.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Kamila Kudelska, at kkudelsk@uwyo.edu.
