Smart Meetings

Like other Rocky Mountain states, Montana offers countless outdoor amenities for any season—the best skiing in the world, “blue ribbon” fly-fishing, hiking, biking and river rafting to name just a few. What’s astounding, though, is the state’s natural preservation since Lewis and Clark moved through the area more than 200 years ago in search of the Northwest Passage.  Although remaining fourth in the nation in terms of area (145,552 square miles), Montana’s population—still below a million—ranks 44th and the third lowest in density. This resistance to metropolitan living is reflected in their agricultural economy as well, with tourism continually trumped by lumber and minerals as the enduring industries nearly a decade into the 21st century.   

“Montana has lots of places for meeting colleagues and lots of places for meeting no one,” says Pam Gosink, marketing and overseas program manager for Travel Montana. “You can still accomplish your business needs and yet get away from it all.” This ability for anonymity is a badge of honor of sorts for residents of the state called “the last best place.” It’s also an ever-growing incentive for meeting planners nationwide to seek some alone time even in the midst of a convention setting.

While taking its name from the Spanish word for “mountain,” “Big Sky Country” is much more topographically diverse than the sprawling northern Rockies, as more than half is prairie—a trait used to great effect in the classic 1973 outlaw film Badlands.

Culturally, Montana continues to embody a healthy mixture of tradition and progress. Among the first inhabitants were indigenous tribes, many of whom still have active reservations in the area. But as far back as 1892, the state seemed to foster tribal survival in the modern world via Fort Shaw, a military post-turned-school that provided industrial training to young Native Americans. Montana’s political landscape possesses a similar duality, with a pattern of voters sending conservatives to Helena (the state capital) and liberals to Washington.

No matter which side of the aisle Montana may seem to be leaning toward at any given time, it’s certain that elected officials will govern a state filled with majestic natural environs and the will to preserve its beauty.  

BIG SKY
Long before Chet Huntley’s dream of turning southern Montana, in the Greater Yellowstone area, into a ski resort area came to fruition in the 1970s, the aptly named Big Sky was the end of the rainbow for westward settlers. “There is actually a lot more history about the area than most people know,” reminds Marne Hayes, executive director of the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. In the 1800s, the area was homesteaded by many families like the Crails, who started an enduring lettuce farm on what is now known as Meadow Village, a residential area surrounding the spectacular Big Sky Golf Course.

In fact, many of its year-round 2,200 residents began as visitors themselves. According to the chamber, one in four business owners in the Greater Yellowstone area first visited on vacation. Natural beauty aside, the continual appeal is understandable for its residents, whose median age is 34. “We are remote enough to be off the beaten path, but still accessible," says Hayes. And with direct flights to nearby Bozeman from nearly 10 cities, meeting planners more and more are soaking up the Sky’s offerings.

With surrounding wildlife and 11,000-foot Lone Mountain casting its shadow, Big Sky Resort remains the venue of choice for large groups. Whether for vertical transportation in the winter or for mere sightseeing in the summer, the gondola ride is sure to shatter participants’ mental cubicle walls. Its 55,000 sq. ft. of meeting space can serve any conference purpose, from a boardroom setup to a ballroom reception for 750 attendees. Lodging is conveniently located adjacent to the Yellowstone Conference Center. The Huntley Lodge can hold up to 14 people in one condominium and the Euro-Western-decorated Summit at Big Sky has 98 spacious suites that can be converted into more than 200 individual rooms.   

Another option is Lone Mountain Ranch, with western ranch and Nordic skiing possibilities (the ranch was voted the #1 Nordic ski resort in North America). It’s ideal for small conferences, meetings and retreats, with room for 40 people in Ridgetop Lodge and a meeting room for up to 45 people in the B-K, one of the ranch’s original buildings. Try one of the custom team-building programs or other corporate adventure programs in affiliation with Outdoor Wilderness Leadership School (OWLS).

For a venue inherent to Montana’s rugged spirit, the 320 Guest Ranch is an authentic log cabin and the perfect abode after a day of hiking Ousel Falls or the Gallatin Canyon. More than 4,500 sq. ft. of meeting space are spread over five rooms, including the Brask Conference Center, which can accommodate smaller groups up to 200 people. “It’s more quaint and intimate,” says Hayes, “and more of a unique experience than a conference center.”

WEST YELLOWSTONE  
A few miles southwest lies the small mountain community of West Yellowstone, located at the Western Entrance to 2-million-acre Yellowstone National Park, which has drawn countless visitors since the early 20th century and remains the state’s largest attraction. “The community was founded around visitors to Yellowstone,” says Marysue Costello, executive director of the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce. “It was the terminus for the Oregon Short Line Railroad of the Union Pacific Railroad and several of the buildings are still here with new uses.” One example is the Yellowstone Historic Center, whose museum (open May through October) is housed in the historic Union Pacific train depot.

The town’s main meeting venue is the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, situated just three blocks from the national park. Its West Yellowstone Conference Center can accommodate groups of up to 500, with 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. The bountiful incarnations include executive boardrooms, banquets and a separate exhibition hall with garage doors for convenient transportation—something pervasive in West Yellowstone. “Our community is basically seven blocks by seven blocks,” says Costello. “Few groups find it necessary to use shuttle service, as walking is very easy between hotels and meeting venues.”

BILLINGS
Located in Southeast Montana, Billings is the state’s largest city with a rapidly growing population, currently just over 91,000. It’s no wonder Logan International Airport sits only five minutes from downtown, considering Billings’ rich history of visitors, namely Lewis and Clark themselves. In July of 1806, Captain Clark carved his name into a sandstone butte, where it remains two centuries later and serves as the national monument Pompeys Pillar.     

General Custer was another famous visitor, and you can relive his historic Last Stand in 1876 against the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. Every June, the Battle of Little Big Horn is reenacted with authentic sets, costumes and horses, giving a strong appreciation for the several reservations still throughout Montana (custerslaststand.org). You can also explore the Custer Battlefield & Museum in nearby Garryowen. “This is the real deal,” says Nancy O'Leary, destination marketing specialist of the Billings Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a fascinating look at what really happened and why.”

Just an hour from Little Bighorn Battlefield sits the locale for undoubtedly many corporate showdowns, the Billings Hotel and Convention Center. An impressive 24,737 sq. ft. of meeting space can accommodate groups from 10 to 1,400 people in banquet or reception capacities. There are 16 separate spaces, including the 655-square-foot North 40 meeting room, which can seat up to 50 in a theatre setting. To cool off after a meeting, try the indoor pool or two on-site amusement park-style waterslides.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel in the heart of downtown offers a total of 16,000 sq. ft., including Skytop, a room on the 23rd floor than can break into 12 rooms and serve 140 reception-style. The ballroom can hold 650 in a banquet setting and up to 1,000 theater-style.

BOZEMAN
Of all the towns in Montana, Bozeman is perhaps the most diverse. “It’s a charming town in a John Wayne/Norman Rockwell/Bob Marley sort of way,” says Cynthia Andrus, director of the Bozeman Convention and Visitor Bureau. “Bozeman is blessed with an eclectic mix of ranchers, artists, professors, ski enthusiasts and entrepreneurs.”

Although the Bozeman Trail connected the Oregon Trail to the state’s gold rush territory in the late 19th century, the arts are one of the area’s current sources of riches. With more than a dozen theatrical companies and 20 art galleries based here—not to mention opera, symphonies and ballet companies—there is no shortage of cultural activities like art walks and music festivals for those tired of all that beautiful green scenery.

To keep with the creative spirit, the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture offers nine different rooms for meeting purposes, including the 1,320-square-foot Harmony Hall, a cozy theater rehearsal space that can seat up to 100 would-be dancers.

In gorgeous Gallatin Valley you’ll find the Best Western GranTree Inn, Bozeman’s largest conference center with more than 12,000 total sq. ft. of meeting space. When business is over for the day, guests can check out one of the many exhibits at the Gallatin County Pioneer Museum a mile away, or take in a free outdoor concert at the Bozeman Public Library, which is a Wi-Fi hotspot.

FLATHEAD VALLEY
For natural beauty, you can’t get better than Flathead Valley in northwest Montana. The valley is a majestic gateway to Glacier National Park, one million acres of preserved lakes and mountains that make its nickname, “Crown Jewel of the Continent,” seem completely plausible. Its area of nearly 2,000 miles is filled with many species from grizzly bears and lynx to wolves and more than 270 different species of birds.

“We have an abundance of outdoor recreation, including golf, horseback riding, rafting, hiking, sailing and fishing,” says Dori Muehlhof, executive director of the Flathead Convention & Visitor Bureau. Glacier National Park also includes Flathead Lake, the most massive freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. At 28 miles long and 15 miles wide, this playground for watercrafts also borders the Flathead Indian Reservations, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes.

The largest town for 100 miles around, Kalispell has a new addition to local meeting venues in the Hilton Garden Inn-Kalispell, which opened in June. Its more than 14,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space includes an impressive 8,500-square-foot ballroom and five additional breakout rooms. The on-site Silver Canyon Casino is sure to be a hit with any in your group who are feeling lucky.     

Just north of Kalispell is Whitefish, a small mountain resort town that boasts the 10th largest ski resort in the country, Whitefish Mountain Resort sitting atop Big Mountain and offering 3,000 ski-able acres. Having just celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005, this former railroad and fur trapper town is already making its second century memorable with the addition of The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, an upscale waterside lodge offering 8,000 sq. ft. of meeting space over five meeting rooms. Its 4,000 sq. ft. of outside space was thoroughly enjoyed by Dianne Parker, senior VP of strategic development for the Insurance Group of Fortune 500 technology firm Fiserv. When a train approached during a meal outside on the lake, some of her 57 strategic planning session attendees thought she had staged the scene herself.

“It was so picturesque,” Parker remembers with a laugh. “They exceeded all our expectations.” Not only was the on-site spa top-notch, but the Lodge staff’s pampering excelled during a family emergency for a visiting executive. “Within 45 minutes he was on a plane back home,” she says. “I’ve never seen attention to detail like that before.” With attendees from all over the country, Parker rates her Whitefish conference experience—from fly-fishing to an art gallery walk in town and a day at Whitefish Lake Golf Course—as one of the best in her professional career. “These are senior level executives, so they’re pretty demanding people,” she says of her group, “And they couldn’t say enough good things.”

GREAT FALLS
Conveniently located between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone, Great Falls is a much sought-after destination for many Montana visitors. “Visitors (and residents) can easily take day trips or overnight trips to enjoy everything the state has to offer—from the vast mountains to the plains,” says Cheryl Weaver, marketing & public relations director for the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.

But neighboring landmarks aside, water, not land, is the area’s distinguishing feature, namely Great Falls being home to one of the smallest and largest rivers. At only 200 feet in length, the Roe River is the shortest in the world, while the 2,431-mile-long Missouri River is only nine miles shorter than the renowned Mississippi. The popular book and film set in Montana, A River Runs Through It, takes on a literal meaning in this area. “The Missouri, which runs right through Great Falls, is certainly the lifeblood of the Great Falls community,” says Weaver.  

Great Falls, also known as “Electric City” due to its five hydroelectric dams, takes its name from the attraction of the same name, a series of five waterfalls encompassing a 10-mile stretch of river: Great Falls, Crooked, Rainbow, Colter and Black Eagle Falls. Thankfully, mankind has left these environs chiefly untouched over the years. “The wind still blows across the prairie much the same as when Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery passed through here two centuries ago,” says Weaver proudly. “The hills and prairie look much the same today as they did back then.” The Great Falls Historic Trolley provides breathtaking views of these natural wonders.

The Best Western Heritage Inn offers visitors more than 17,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the Atrium Convention Area, which encompasses 12,000 sq. ft. of space and can accommodate more than 1,000 people. The Hampton Inn Great Falls is the newest venue, bringing more than 3,400 more sq. ft. to Great Falls meetings and conventions. The Sacagawea room is 1,440 sq. ft. and can seat 60 guests reception-style or 150 theater-style.  

HELENA
Perhaps no place better exemplifies Montana’s changing history than the state capital, Helena. Its inception as a gold rush town in 1864 caused the city to thrive throughout the next decade; numerous turn-of-the-century Victorian buildings still exist as a testament to the time. “Our history and recreation set us apart from many communities,” says Mike Mergenthaler, vice president of the Helena Convention and Visitors Bureau. A combination of the two allows for many enjoyable excursions for visitors. “If you go to the Great Northern Town Center, you can walk along a trail similar to the one Lewis and Clark walked when they first came to Montana,” he says.   

“But one of the funnest and most informative things to do is ride the Last Chance Tour train,” he adds. “You can see the house where Gary Cooper was born, the mansion district, the St. Helena Cathedral and the Last Chance Gulch where gold was first discovered in Montana.” The hour-long street tour (lctours.com) in an authentic converted train car has been running since 1954 and can hold up to 48 passengers.

With more than 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, the Red Lion Colonial Hotel is an institution for Helena meetings. As one of the largest venues in the entire state, the hotel can accommodate up to 500 people. Helena’s other main venue, Best Western Helena Great Northern Hotel, opened in 2003; its decor is reminiscent of the days of the Great Northern Railroad, but its meeting facilities are nothing short of modern. There’s high-speed Internet access throughout the 8,000 sq. ft. of meeting space in this 100 percent nonsmoking property. Its largest offering, the 6,968-square-foot Great Northern Room, can host up to 750 theater-style, while the Club Car Headquarters holds 12 boardroom-style.   

“Both places are very friendly and very hospitable,” says Mergenthaler, “as is the city in general.”

BUTTE
Farther southwest is Butte, which was named for the French word for “small hill.” “We are unique with our history, not only in Montana but also in our contribution to the country,” says Sara Rowe, director of the Butte Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We made a great contribution to the industrialization of the U.S. with copper wire and copper pipe.” Indeed, the mining town produced a third of all copper in the country in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

To witness the prosperity this industry brought to the area, visit The Copper King Mansion. This 34-room Victorian home of “copper king” William Andrews Clark has retained its original 1880s state.

Butte is ideal for strategic meetings, having hosted the 2,600-strong 2007 Montana Economic Development summit in the spring, featuring Senator Max Baucus, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke, former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.  

Butte is also known for the cultural diversity accompanying its copper mines, with Chinese, Irish and Italian districts—even Finnish and Serbian neighborhoods. “Miners would try to find a boarding house in their ethnic neighborhood when they migrated to Butte,” says Rowe. “To this day our people have a fierce pride in their heritage, as well as a pride in Butte.”

For large events in Butte, look no further than the Butte Civic Center, which features 19,623 sq. ft. of meeting space in its arena and 10,000 sq. ft. more in the adjacent annex. “We use the center for large dinners and can accommodate breakout rooms as well as meals for 1,000 people,” says Rowe.     

The impressive 1,800 rooms available in Butte are owed greatly to the city’s two large convention hotels, the Butte War Bonnet Hotel and the Copper King Hotel and Convention Center. The Butte War Bonnet offers 4,200 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space, with the Boardroom adding another 10,000. The Copper King is the largest and most complete meeting facility in the region, with nearly 50,000 sq. ft. of function space. The newly renovated building also features state-of-the-art equipment, advanced acoustics and ergonomically correct seats. The ballroom alone offers 8,400 sq. ft. of space, and can house up to 850 in a reception setup.   

MISSOULA
Missoula, also known as the “Garden City” for its abundance of trees and green landscapes, stays young through the University of Montana’s numerous arts events and various Grizzlies sports teams. Even post-college age types can enjoy meetings on the campus, though, especially at the University Center, which features 37,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. The Ballroom, one of the largest in Montana at 10,437 sq. ft., can accommodate up to 1,000 for a reception or lecture.

News 

• In June, Big Mountain Resort changed its name to Whitefish Mountain Resort, reflecting the historic railroad town where the resort was founded in 1947. Within the past year, the company has invested $20 million into a new Day Lodge, two high-speed quad chairlifts, a new beginner-skier area with a Magic Carpet and new beginner chairlift, and other amenities to improve the guest experience.
  
  
• Butte was chosen as the site for the National Folk Festival by the National Center for Traditional Arts in Washington, D.C. for 2008–2010. This is the first time that the festival, which combines traditional American music, dance, crafts, storytelling and food, has been held this far west. The dates for 2008 are July 11–13 and the city is expecting approximately 75,000 people over those three days.

Getting There

• Billings Logan International Airport, located just two miles from downtown Billings, offers convenient nonstop flights to many airport hubs such as Chicago, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Denver and Seattle.
  
  
• Great Falls International Airport is serviced by Allegiant Air, Delta Airlines, Horizon Air, Northwest Airlines and United Express.