Business ~ Missoula Current

After public input, planning firm unveils Missoula’s growing downtown vision

January 19, 2019

Missoula's vision for its downtown includes calmer traffic, more parking, more bike lanes, taller buildings, plazas, housing and "big" public

Clean energy advocates urge NW Energy to forgo fossil fuels in new power portfolio

January 18, 2019

Advocates of a clean-energy future say NorthWestern Energy's proposed Resource Procurement Plan fails to address the realities of climate change,

Airport travel distances hinder economic development in rural Montana

January 18, 2019

Economists and civic boosters alike agree on one key piece of the economic development puzzle in rural Montana communities: The

Montana unemployment rate holds steady; 1,100 new jobs added statewide

January 18, 2019

Montana’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.7 percent in December, as the state added about 1,100 jobs. The national unemployment

Downtown focus on growth could cut housing costs, create regional engine

January 17, 2019

If all stays the same as Missoula grows over the next 20 years, the city would need to add 414

Passenger growth at Missoula airport hits record high; old terminal maxed out

January 17, 2019

Missoula International Airport set a new passenger record in 2018 for the fifth straight year and has boosted its passenger

Missoula City Council keeps South Hills townhome development in committee

January 16, 2019

The Missoula City Council on Wednesday began picking through a litany of questions surrounding a proposed 68-unit housing development in

Legislators agree volunteer firefighters need workers’ comp, but funding an issue

January 15, 2019

Two bills being heard in the Montana Legislature this week focus on workers’ compensation insurance for volunteer firefighters. However, the

Downtown Missoula retail study finds demand for more restaurants and shops

January 15, 2019

Bob Gibbs, a Harvard professor and retail specialist with Gibbs Planning Group, said his preliminary research suggests downtown Missoula;s retail

Downtown Missoula: New plan to guide future growth of city’s urban core

January 15, 2019

In the 10 years that have passed since Missoula adopted its last Downtown Master Plan, the district has attracted more

Mountain Line appoints 12-year employee as new operations manager

January 15, 2019

The Missoula Urban Transportation District this week named Jennifer Sweten as its new operations manager for Mountain Line, replacing Jeff

Iraqi refugees bring authentic Arabian food to Missoula

January 14, 2019

Entrepreneurial Iraqi refugees have joined the local food scene in Missoula, selling Arabian cuisine in the Imagine Nation Brewing Co.

Red Ants Pants Music Festival funds $100K in business grants

January 14, 2019

A pack mule named Calhoun. The lone woman-owned-and-run Montana outfitter on the edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. A much-needed

Under new ownership, Southgate Mall strives to become community center

January 11, 2019

If Tim Winger had a crystal ball when it comes to the future of Southgate Mall, he sees a handful

Study: 12 million nonresident visitors spent $3.7 billion in Montana in 2018

January 11, 2019

More than 12 million visitors stopped in Montana last year and spent more than $1 billion at restaurants, bars and

Missoula-based campaign promotes elephant-friendly tea plantations

January 10, 2019

UM researchers found that about 6,000 elephants move through India's shrinking forests to find food. In doing so, they frequently

Stockman Bank offers to defer loans to Montana federal workers during shutdown

January 9, 2019

Stockman Bank on Wednesday unveiled a plan to assist federal employees impacted by the government shutdown. The assistance includes furloughed

New garage welcome, but parking challenges persist as downtown grows

January 9, 2019

While the city christens the Roam Parking Garage and the addition of 139 new parking spaces on Front Street, it's

Bullock seeks to reshape debate over Medicaid expansion with focus on business

January 9, 2019

Gov. Steve Bullock says he wants to shift the conversation on Medicaid expansion this legislative session. At a press conference

Montana ranked 2nd in nation for number of craft breweries

January 8, 2019

Using data collected by the Montana Brewers Association, the Big Sky state is ranked second nationwide when it comes to

City Council declares tourism a Front Street goal; begins process to reimburse $3.6M in Merc construction costs

January 8, 2019

Tourism development – think hotels, attractions, convention centers – is now a commercial goal on Front Street in downtown Missoula.

Housing, jobs and development: Engen sees bright year ahead for Missoula

January 7, 2019

As Missoula Mayor John Engen looks to 2019, he sees a promising year in housing and economic development. Construction at

MEP names Lacey as new director of economic development

January 4, 2019

The Missoula Economic Partnership began the new year by hiring Julie Lacey to serve as its new director of economic

Firm to assess Lolo’s population projections, water use through 2070

January 3, 2019

Missoula County's contract with HDR will determine the population served by Lolo's current water supply and estimate projected growth. It

Missoula County to rebid Buena Vista wastewater project with spring in mind

January 3, 2019

After altering its approach to bring down costs, Missoula County will rebid Phase 1 of a wastewater project planned for

Large projects in 2019 could continue Missoula’s steady pace of development

January 3, 2019

While the value of building permits issued in 2018 closed slightly down from the prior two years, at $225 million

Single-family housing permits up in Missoula in 2018, multifamily down

January 2, 2019

Permits for single-family homes in the city of Missoula increased in 2018 for the sixth consecutive year, though the number

Amid departure, Koostra proud of growth, success of Montana Museum of Art

January 2, 2019

Given the prominence of landing the William A. Clark collection, it came as a surprise to Barbara Koostra when the

Under Cognizant, ATG of Missoula sees big year in 2019, “aggressive” job growth

December 31, 2018

In 2019, ATG will leave its offices on Main Street and move to the Old Sawmill District. Now a Cognizant

Montana’s minimum wage to increase to $8.50 an hour as inflation rises

December 31, 2018

This year's $0.20 bump ensures Montana's minimum wage workers maintain the same level of buying power as the cost of

After fundraising campaign, Salvation Army opens to Missoula’s homeless

December 30, 2018

An hour before the Salvation Army opened its doors to the city's homeless population on Saturday night, Capt. Josh Boyd

Missoula woman founds online business to support fellow breast cancer patients, survivors

December 28, 2018

A note on her desk with a few words of encouragement sparked Stacy Vetter’s drive to start a business founded

Missoula Water completes $3.8M in improvements in “almost perfect” first full year

December 28, 2018

In 2018, the city completed nine water main projects for roughly $3.8 million without raising rates. That included the replacement

Tech growth: Missoula, state gain ground in attracting venture capital investments

December 28, 2018

Back in 2015, Montana lagged behind the nation in access to venture capital, limiting growth in the state's early startups.

Missoula government, Internet affected by widespread CenturyLink outage

December 27, 2018

CenturyLink on Thursday experienced a widespread outage across much of the U.S., with the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain interior,

Can Montana Code School bridge the state’s tech talent gap?

December 26, 2018

The single biggest factor holding Montana’s tech industry back is talent: the skills gap between the jobs that companies will

Stocks slow to rebound from ‘worst Christmas ever’

December 26, 2018

As the American stock market struggled through what was termed the “worst Christmas ever,” economically speaking, President Trump said he

European inspirations: New AC Hotel set for downtown construction in May

December 21, 2018

Bullish on Missoula's economy, a Montana development firm plans to break ground on a $21 million hotel next spring, representing

Airport sees growth in aviation business; concerns over taxes, annexation linger

December 21, 2018

With general aviation on the uptick, Missoula International Airport this week signed a contract to begin planning for new hangar

Demolition work set to begin next month as airport begins terminal project

December 21, 2018

Demolition of the west wing of Missoula International Airport is set to begin next month, with excavation and foundation work

Missoula’s protracted battle with Carlyle over water system winding down, almost

December 19, 2018

The city's protracted battle with the Carlyle Group is winding down though three outstanding issues remain, including a settlement on

Patience: Missoula’s long-sought housing policy nears public debut

December 19, 2018

Nearly two years after its creation, the Housing Policy Steering Committee is nearing the end of its journey and will

Billings man defrauded coal companies of $20M, lied to FBI about abduction

December 19, 2018

A Billings man who worked for Signal Peak Energy admitted in federal court this week to an embezzlement scheme that

City Council sends South Hills development back to committee after citizen outcry

December 18, 2018

A proposed 68-townhome development off Hillview Way will be back in a Missoula City Council committee on Jan. 16 as

Radius Gallery takes charge of art collection, commissions for new Mercantile hotel

December 18, 2018

Jason Neal of the Radius Gallery considers the opportunity to adorn the $40 million Mercantile hotel with local art as

Mercantile set for February opening with plenty of bustle; shops, restaurants to follow

December 17, 2018

With touches of history scattered throughout, the lobby of the Mercantile hotel in downtown Missoula is taking shape, with a

Zootown Arts Community Center eager for move to new downtown facility

December 17, 2018

After 10 years at its current location, the Zootown Arts Community Center is bursting at the seams. But it's also

City considers adding “tourism infrastructure” to aging Front Street district’s plan

December 14, 2018

Tourism in Missoula pumps more than $329 million into the local economy, with 4 million visitors stopping in the city

Retail sales grew in November, easing economic fears

December 14, 2018

Despite low gas prices offsetting a strong holiday shopping season, U.S. retail sales beat expectations and increased by 0.2 percent

Missoula City Council to consider permit for 68-unit townhome project

December 12, 2018

A 68-unit subdivision proposed for Hillview Way received a recommendation for approval by city planning staff on Wednesday, though it

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