Rockin' the riverbank: Downtown Glendive tourism hub closer to reality as designs are finalized

GLENDIVE — With one year and $110,000 spent, the steering committee stewarding a downtown tourism development project this week presented schematic and conceptual designs of the effort to City of Glendive officials. Construction could begin as early as this summer.

On Tuesday, Jaime Shanks, a community development specialist with Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation, updated the Glendive City Council on progress toward establishing a tourism hub in downtown Glendive on the east side of the Bell Street Bridge.

In February last year, Glendive was announced as one of seven communities in the state to receive $1.25 million from the Montana Department of Commerce’s Pilot Community Tourism Grant Program authorized in Senate Bill 540 during the 2023 Legislature.

The steering committee was provided $250,000 to use in fiscal year 2026 toward studies and plans before it could get the $1 million distribution for implementation in FY27. According to Shanks, only 44% of the year-one funding has been spent as of Thursday.

It is worth noting some of the grant funding is also getting spent on plans for implementing a citywide brand and downtown revitalization efforts, which Shanks will provide updates on in the coming weeks.

The committee is already approved to receive an additional $1.5 million to use for other projects that will tie into the tourism hub over five years, pending funding availability and authorization by the upcoming 2027 Legislature.

“We’re doing everything we can to maximize our dollars with what we know we have right now,” Shanks said. “We’ve been very blessed with a great steering committee. They’re very like-minded.”

Since forming the steering committee and conducting studies on lots in the project area, the group has worked with roughly 80 people in focus groups and input from numerous community engagement surveys to develop shovel-ready designs.

“It’s amazing what these architects and engineers can do after listening to that many people and their input while also staying within the guidelines of the grant and the parameters we need to follow,” Shanks said, noting the firms selected to carry out certain aspects of the project are respectfully accommodating requests and limiting factors. “We have scaled our architects back.”

Some specific design elements she pointed out to the Glendive City Council include updated fencing along the perimeter of the water treatment plant, a promenade extending to the Yellowstone River, food truck hookups, electric vehicle charging stations, 19 parking spots and more.

Shanks quoted a former city planner who said, “We built our town with our backs to the river.” EPEDC representatives and steering committee members believe the designed project changes that with more focus on the Yellowstone River.

“We’re really wanting to elevate this space, we’re really wanting to make this very friendly and visually appealing but also very functional,” Shanks said.

Councilman Rhett Coon questioned whether the entire project — as designed — can get done using the full $1.25 million depending on increased costs for certain elements during construction.

In order to comply with grant requirements, the project must be completed by the end of June 2027. Shanks believes that is attainable, however she and the committee recognize they will likely need to do some community fundraisers for what they are referring to as “frosting items” such as a community fire pit and a permanent performance stage, as a couple of examples.

“We realize that this is a big undertaking, but we’ve had great support from our community members with this and are very excited about it,” Shanks said. “We’re really trying to do as much as we can.”

Thinking long-term, Councilman Jim Keller wondered if the city’s Public Works Department will ultimately assume maintenance responsibility of the space. The city owns approximately 15,000 square feet of the area included in the design, while Glendive Community Giving Assistance Towards Employment owns the remaining portion.

According to Shanks, the steering committee is considering a possible hybrid model that would split upkeep and maintenance responsibilities between multiple entities.

Regardless of when construction on the tourism hub begins, Shanks noted work on the mural planned for the north side of the GTA elevator will commence this summer and last up to six weeks. The committee is currently reviewing three bids for that portion of the project.

Overall, the Glendive City Council commended the EPEDC and steering committee for the work put in thus far to design what council members believe will be an asset to the community.

“I think it looks good. Good work,” Coon said.