The Missoula City Council voted 10–2 on Dec. 8 to approve a conditional-use request for a tavern and a casino at 2315 Clark Fork Lane, allowing a one-story commercial building that would house a restaurant, tavern and a casino area with gambling machines.

Senior planner Lauren Stevens presented the staff report and said the parcel is zoned C1-3 and that casinos and taverns are conditional uses under current Title 20. The current project is a downsized iteration of an earlier 2022 approval; the proposed building would be 6,880 square feet, reduced from the previous 11,900-square-foot plan. Staff recommended approval with one condition requiring the building permit to substantially conform to the plans reviewed during conditional-use review.

Jeffrey Crouch, a partner at Paradigm Architects representing the owners, said construction partners changed and rising construction costs required a smaller building. Project architect Tori McPherson told council that the casino would occupy about 10% of the building’s square footage while the restaurant would occupy roughly 75%.

Councilors debated the proposal’s merits. Councilor Becerra and others noted neighborhood preference and the potential for a neighborhood restaurant as a primary reason to support the project. Councilor Jordan and another councilor said they were concerned about the number of casinos and bars in Missoula and planned to vote no. Councilor McCoy said he shared the concern about casinos but supported the motion because the restaurant component could serve neighborhood needs.

Councilor Nugent moved to approve the conditional-use request, citing the staff findings and the single recommended condition. The roll-call tally recorded 10 votes in favor and 2 opposed; the motion passed.

Why it matters: The decision allows a commercial use that includes legalized gambling to establish near a mixed-use neighborhood corridor, subject to building permit review and compliance with zoning conditions. Council discussion referenced the ongoing work to adopt a new Unified Development Code, which would have had different rules for casinos in that proposed zoning district.

Next steps: The applicant may submit building permit plans; staff will review the permit for substantial conformity to the approved conditional-use plans.