SigMT

SUCCESS 92 | SIGNATURE MONTANA BACK TO BUSINESS RIPE FOR Since its inception as a gold and silver mining camp in the 1860s, the community of Bue has prided itself on its firmly established cornerstones of innovation, dedication, diversity, and a willingness to put in hard work. is powerful combination of aributes has served Montana's first major city well, enabling it to withstand a rollercoaster of booms and busts over the past 160 years. "Bue is known for its 'can-do spirit,'" notes Kelly Sullivan, executive director of the Bue Local Development Corporation (BLDC). "ese days, we're thriving, and members of our community oen comment on how they can feel that energy and see the town growing in a positive way." Situated in the shadow of the Continental Divide and surrounded by vast expanses of public land, Bue-Silver Bow is primed for the long- awaited urban renaissance that has begun to take hold. "Bue is especially positioned to help new businesses to thrive due to several factors, including a still relatively low cost of living compared to the other larger communities in Montana," Sullivan says. Montana Tech and Highlands College are also major assets for the city. "Montana Technological University provides a pipeline of accomplished and well-educated graduates that make Bue particularly aractive to a variety of industries looking to relocate, including those in the engineering and healthcare fields," Sullivan points out. "Highlands College is home to all Montana Tech career-ready and transfer programs that help build the workforce we need in Bue and Montana. ey're doing tremendous work in workforce development." Sullivan says Bue's Tax Increment Financing Industrial District (TIFID) and South Bue Targeted Economic Development District (TEDD), including Montana Connections Business Park, have provided even more opportunities for businesses to boom. Interstates 15 and 90 intersect in Bue, creating an ideal location for the Port of Montana. e site is the region's full-service transload, warehouse, distribution, and storage facility, and is served by both the Union Pacific and BNSF railroads. "e port has the capability to handle a wide variety of commodities and is able to serve many of the large employers here in a variety of ways," Sullivan notes. SUCCESS Building a Vibrant Economic Environment in Butte-Silver Bow TEXT BY HOLLY MATKIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA WAREHAM Butte sits at the crossroads of two major interstates.

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