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Best Place Project
Missoula: Best Place Project
Missoula has a high quality of place and a healthy appetite for economic development. The time is right for a concerted, robust, new approach to economic development that shows that Missoula is the best place in the Western United States to do business, consultants reported May 11 in Missoula.

Mayor John Engen and his Best Place Project team hired Garner Economics and National Community Development Services, Inc. to analyze Missoula's economic climate and gauge its leaders' interest in a strong public-private partnership that recruits businesses, retains existing businesses, and redevelops facilities and infrastructure that supports businesses in Missoula.

"This is all about building wealth and prosperity in our community," Mayor Engen said. "And this is about bringing us together. The only way we will be successful is if we work together."

Media Coverage

MIssoulian Articles
June 3, 2011 Bowman leads development organization
June 1, 2011 New Missoula Economic Partnership leader Bowman begins tenure
May 20, 2011 Illinois man hired to head Missoula Economic Partnership
February 9, 2011 Best Place Project raises $2.3 million
February 9, 2011 Best Place Projects hits stride: Missoula jobs effort makes impressive progress to raise funds
October 3, 2010 Economic development plan gets assertive about Missoula jobs
October 2, 2010 Study citing robust Missoula job growth raises eyebrows
August 29, 2010  Private sector now leading Engen's economic growth initiative 
August 18, 2010  Engen to nation: Missoula economy rosier than Moody's double-dip recession prediction 
June 16, 2010   Efforts ramp up to improve Missoula's economic development after criticisms 
June 12, 2010   Business Advice  
May 23, 2010   Reports in hand, now the hard work begins with economic development in Missoula 
May 16, 2010   It's time to get down to business: Consultants give us a map to improve economic development in Missoula
May 16, 2010 
Missoula agencies embrace negative economic development report
May 15, 2010 
Consultants' suggestions include better web presence
May 12, 2010 
Economic Development experts say Missoula efforts deficient, need reorganization
Where Missoula's economy could grow chart 
May 11, 2010 
Consultants, community leaders look to advance economic development in Missoula 
March 23, 2010  Education, economy intertwined (Guest Column) 
March 7, 2010  Getting job done for economy: Mayor, business leaders are taking right steps to help Missoula grow 
February 28, 2010  Missoula mayor's economic development endeavor revving up
February 27, 2010  Paying for economic development
February 3, 2010  Missoula mayor puts economic development, Russell Street in spotlight

Economic Development Information
May 13, 2010 Boulder, Colorado, a Magnet for High-Tech Start-Ups  
May 11, 2010 Montana Public Radio Segment on Economic Development