
Montana News Roundup: New Hotel Expected Quickly
Missoula leaders say they'll take action within the next few weeks to clear the way for a new, $100 million dollar hotel and conference center along the Clark Fork River.
The pending deal announced yesterday with Montana-based Averill Hospitality will solve a decades-old effort to find a new development to occupy the Riverfront Triangle on the west side of downtown Missoula.
The project includes a 180-room hotel and conference center, fitting with the city's long-term objectives for the site, which has been nothing more than a parking lot for years.
Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis says there's a lot of enthusiasm to finally finding a developer for the site, which has been largely unused since the Fox Theater was demolished in 1990.
"There has been many fits and starts. We've seen proposals. We've seen recessions. We've seen pandemics. And we're over that hump." -Mayor Davis
Developer Randy Averill is excited to see how the project will add to more tourism and the overall economic growth of the community and says it will fit nicely in the market, complimenting other properties. Averill Hospital already operates and is remodeling the Doubletree Hotel upriver.
-The city could take action on the deal by the 1st of August.
Non-stop Chicago flights coming to Missoula
Travelers will have some new options this year, with the Missoula Montana Airport announcing a new deal with American Airlines offering a new, year-round non-stop flight to Chicago's O'Hare Airport, starting at the end of the year.
Airport Director Brian Ellestad says there's been a lot of interest in a Chicago connection both for Midwest travel and to reach other points in the east.
Service, funded through a community air service grant and the Take Flight Missoula Initiative will start later this year, but bookings can begin next week.
Congressman Pat Williams to lie in state
Accolades continue to pour in for longtime Congressman Pat Williams, who passed this week at the age of 87.
People across the political spectrum are remembering not only his record length of service, nine terms in all, but his dedication to issues like education and the environment.
Bigfork Bridge is back
After decades of planning, and debate, a vital link to downtown Bigfork has been restored with the opening of a new bridge across the Swan River.
The original single-lane bridge, constructed in 1912 had long been a problem. It was protected for a few years by a 3-ton weight limit, while the community pressed for a solution. But it was eventually closed entirely last year.
Wednesday, Governor Gianforte joined community leaders to open the new span, which is wider and stronger, but maintains the original's historic look.
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Gallery Credit: mwolfe
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