Columbia Falls eyes rail-served industrial park

Flathead County will receive a $1.4 million economic development grant, Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester announced last week.

The money will come from the U.S. Economic Development Industry and go to the Flathead County Economic Development Authority, otherwise known as the county Port Authority, as a Community Trade Adjustment Assistance grant.

The grant money will be used by the Port Authority to purchase 75 to 100 acres of property along the BNSF Railway tracks in Columbia Falls for a rail-served industrial park. Talks with a long-time property owner have been underway for some time, Port Authority chairman Don Bennett said.

"We've been saving money all along, waiting for the opportunity to present itself so we could act quickly and secure a site," Bennett said.

Bennett said the Port Authority, in partnership with the Flathead County commissioners, committed themselves about six years ago to the idea of a rail-served industrial park as a way to attract new businesses and increase employment.

"We don't plan to compete with other industrial parks," Bennett said. "This one will be rail-served. Over the years, several companies have contacted us about something like this, but we didn't have anything available."

Kelly Danielson, president of Montana West Economic Development, the Kalispell-based successor to Jobs Now, is credited with applying for the federal grant.

In the past, the Port Authority teamed up with the city of Kalispell to purchase the former Gateway West Mall to provide a facility for new businesses. Stream International, a high-tech firm that initially leased the entire building, helped pay off the purchase price before leaving.

Bennett said the former mall is paid off — the Port Authority owns about 30 percent and the city of Kalispell owns the other 70 percent. Tenants pay utilities and upkeep costs but no rent as a way to stimulate employment, he said.