Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Libby awarded $1.25 million tourism grant for Mineral Avenue and visitor center upgrades
Summary
Bruce Vincent said the chamber and city won a Montana tourism development grant with a $1.25 million first-phase award to plan and possibly implement sidewalk, ADA, lighting, irrigation and visitor-center improvements; a Missoula meeting on June 9 will shape year-one planning.
Bruce Vincent, representing the chamber of commerce, told the council that a year-long stakeholder process produced a grant application that has been awarded a Montana tourism development grant.
Vincent said the first-phase award is $1.25 million. The plan focuses on projects that benefit residents year-round as well as visitors, including sidewalk and ADA upgrades, lighting and irrigation improvements, pedestrian-safety upgrades on Mineral Avenue and visitor-center improvements. Vincent said the first year will be planning and design work; if the city meets grant milestones the state has indicated another $1.5 million could be available in a later phase.
Vincent described a collaborative advisory process that involved businesses, event organizers (including the Rodeo Group), the Heritage Museum, the city and county. He noted the grant was scored by participating stakeholders and that the chamber staff prepared and submitted the application in December.
Next steps include a June 9 meeting in Missoula with the Department of Commerce and the chamber to finalize the two-year framework and phasing plan; the state will monitor progress during the two-year period and release additional funds if grant milestones are met.
