Tony Roma’s

Tony Roma’s is opening in the Holiday Inn on 10th Avenue South on Nov. 4.

The restaurant’s return was first announced in January 2021 during a Great Falls Development Alliance event.

Jorge Busso is heading the new restaurant as executive chef and manager.

He’s taught cooking classes at Pizazz in the past and most recently served as the executive chef at the dining facility on Malmstrom Air Force Base. He also sold smoked cheeses and spice blends at the Great Falls Farmers Market over the summer.

Ignite 2021 highlights local business, development

Diners can expect a mid upscale dining experience with a focus on hospitality and scratch cooking, Busso said.

They’ll be smoking their own brisket and wings in house, he said, using the Tony Roma’s ribs recipes and menu items include longtime favorite onion loaf, plus baby back, St. Louis, beef and short ribs, seafood, pasta, steaks and more, Busso said.

The Great Falls Tony Roma’s restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner, and be the only location worldwide to serve breakfast, Busso said.

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The restaurant will be open to the public and available for catering to events and meetings held in the hotel.

Gaming machines will still be available, but have been moved to allow for a family friendly dining area.

Busso said his team is focusing on hospitality, which George Johnson, hotel manager, said is the focus at the entire location.

The dining space and kitchen have been remodeled, highlighting brick arches and new Edison lights for a cozy dining space, Busso said. An executive meeting room space through a stained glass door off the main dining area is currently being updated. Some of the tables in the dining area overlook the pool.

On Oct. 8, they launched their hiring campaign on Indeed and are accepting applications. Interested applicants are asked to apply through Indeed.

Clearwater Credit Union

Clearwater Credit Union purchased the former downtown Hardee’s building earlier this year and are planning to open a branch at the property on the corner of 1st Avenue North and Park Drive.

Paul Herendeen, Clearwater’s director of impact market development, said during a Great Falls Development event on Oct. 8 that they’re in the early design phase for the building.

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They’ve leased an office space next to Fire Pizza on 5th Street North in the meantime.

He said that the plan is to demolish the existing restaurant and build a new roughly 6,500-square-foot building on the southwest corner of the lot.

Herendeen said that they’re planning public outreach to design the property to best contribute to downtown.

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Ponderosa Solutions

Brian Marler, president and managing partner of Ponderosa Solutions, said during the GFDA event that they broke ground on their new transloading facility in AgriTech park over the summer and are planning to be operational in the next three weeks or so with a temporary permit from the city.

City approves permit for transloading facility in AgriTech Park

City Commissioners approved a hazardous materials permit for the project in the spring, allowing it to move forward, and Marler said that their installing 6,000 lineal feet of rail with the option to expand another 4,000 lineal feet.

Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Montana is developing a new 75-megawatt Glacier Battery System, between Cut Bank and Shelby, to support wind and solar energy generation in Montana.

Steve Lautenberg of BHE said during the GFDA event that the battery will support their existing wind farm and will allow them to charge the battery when there’s an excess of wind power rather than shutting town turbines.

Construction started in September, Lautenberg said, and they’re next planning to start construction on a 1,000-acre solar park that will generate 100-megawatt solar farm in 2025.

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BKE is also opening an office in Great Falls, on the third floor of the Opportunity Bank building on River Drive, with about 15 people in the office and a control room for the energy facilities.

Mystery manufacturing project

Great Falls Development Alliance is working to land a manufacturing company.

Jolene Schalper, GFDA’s executive vice president, said during an Oct. 1 City Commission work session and the Oct. 8 GFDA event that Great Falls is a finalist for the project location, that if selected, would be about 200 acres in the Agri-Tech Park, on the east side next to Malmstrom Air Force Base.

Schalper said during the Oct. 1 commission work session that GFDA is working with the company to determine if they’ll be a good fit to operate in Great Falls.

She said the company is planning to make its location decision in the first quarter of 2025.

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If selected, the would be land use decisions would come before the City Commission for consideration.

Schalper said that at this point, she can’t disclose the name or details of the company, but that if Great Falls is selected, it would be a $1.1 billion capital improvement with about 300 jobs of which the lowest wage is about $55,000.

During the commission work session, Brock Cherry, city planning director, said that the city may need to hire consultants to help navigate the large project and that staff wanted commissioners to be aware of the magnitude of the project.

Schalper said the potential project highlights the importance of public infrastructure and that the Berkshire Hathaway projects were a component since the manufacturing company would need power resources.

GFDA also purchased three more lots in AgriTech Park, Schalper said, with prospects for all three.

Kelly’s Signs

Ray and Chris Kelly are approaching their 35th year in the sign industry and looking to retire.

They’re looking to sell their established business, Kelly’s Signs.

To find out more, call 406-761-8710 or email Montana1914@gmail.com.

Montana Food Hub

Capital Impact Partners awarded a $20,000 grant to the Montana Cooperative Development Center to support the development of the Montana Food Hub, a multi-stakeholder cooperative that aggregates, processes and distributes raw produce and value-added products to rural and Native communities.

“We are grateful to Capital Impact Partners and National Cooperative Bank for seeing our vision of a regional food hub that will redefine how food hubs operate. This award will support our membership recruitment and will help us find and build out a perfect location for our distribution food hub center,” said Mike Vetere and Sara Mayben, commissioners for the Montana Food Hub.

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park is seeking volunteers to assist with trail work on two upcoming days this fall.

Work will be conducted on Oct. 12 from 9-11 a.m. at the north trailhead of the park, consisting of removing encroaching grass along the trail and leveling trail tread. Volunteers are asked to RSVP and meet at the trailhead. A barbeque lunch for volunteers will follow at the visitor center.

On Nov. 9, volunteers are needed to work on trails damaged during the summer and also to prepare the trails for winter. Work will begin at 10 a.m. and cocoa and cookies will be provided.

Work on both days is weather-dependent and volunteers should wear long pants, sturdy close-toed shoes or boots, and bring plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, and anything else they would like to have for a few hours of trail work. Tools and gloves will be provided. Participation in these events will require varying degrees of physical labor, including digging, bending, lifting and the use of trail tools.

The park asks visitors to be mindful of the days when work is occurring, as they may see increased activity around trailheads and on trails, encounter volunteers working along the trails, and notice more movement of staff vehicles.

For more information or to RSVP, contact recreation manager Clark Carlson-Thompson at 406-866-2217.

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park is located 3.5 miles north of Ulm, just off Interstate 15 at exit 270.

Wellsprings Health in Motion

Jordin Breaud, the previous owner of Elkhorn Massage and Wellness, and Jen Guiles, the previous owner of Body in Balance Massage and Pilates, partnered in 2023 to create Wellsprings Health in Motion.

They’re currently located in the 2Js shopping center at 105 Smelter Ave. N.E.

The facility offers massage and manual therapies, cupping, weight loss services, nutrition coaching, fitness, functional movement, pilates and more. They specialize in injury prevention, performance enhancement, and pain management.

in 2023, that expanded to include a new suite that offers space for movement clients to have private sessions.

This year, they’re expanding by taking over the Vintage Sellers space next door to create one large facility.

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They’re also opening enrollment for their massage therapy school, a licensing program with about 800 hours that’s a mix of online and in-person work.

Class starts March 1, 2025 beginning with online classes.

To enroll or book services, visit their website or email healthatwellsprings@gmail.com for more information.

Roosevelt School partnership

Alluvion Health is partnering with Opportunities Inc. to provide childcare at Roosevelt School, which Alluvion purchased from Great Falls Public Schools in January 2023.

The partnership will maintain Opportunities’ Head Start program, which has already been operating in the building since the summer of 2023.

Alluvion cutting, furloughing staff due to Medicaid claims backlog [2023]

Alluvion and Opp Inc. have been updating the building with new flooring and windows, restrooms, laundry and storage spaces, handicapped access and upgraded playground equipment and fencing, using funds from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

Alluvion receives grant for childcare program [2022]

The partnership will create a long-term home for Opp Inc. to “provide early care and educational service, providing much-needed additional childcare slots for families in the area. These classrooms will focus on the holistic development of children from birth to five years old, ensuring they have a strong foundation for success in school and life,” according to an Alluvion release.

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