04/26/06 McElwain/KDA Letter of SupportKalispell Downtown Association
17 Main Street
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406) 755-7004
April 26, 2006
Mayor Pam Kennedy and
Kalispell City Council
P. O. Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59903-1997
RE: Hilton Garden Inn Proposal
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Please be advised that the Kalispell Downtown Association Board of Directors, at its
meeting held April 10, 2006, enthusiastically and unanimously passed a resolution
supporting and encouraging all appropriate actions by the Kalispell City Commission for
the development of the "Armory Property" as a hotel and convention facility and
specifically to support the Hilton Garden Inn proposal as presented to the meeting by City
Manager Jim Patrick.
It was the consensus of the directors present and commenting that the proposed facility
would help the overall fiscal vitality of the Flathead Valley and the Kalispell Downtown
area, that it has the potential to help sustain businesses during the so-called "shoulder
seasons" and to improve the tax base without significant, additional infrastructure costs.
The hotel by itself would present a competitive challenge to some of our members, while
a hotel with a convention center would actually complement those members because of
the overflow from meetings (conventions) exceeding the Hilton's available sleeping
rooms.
Please add this letter to the official records supporting your approval of the Planned Unit
Development and taking such other actions necessary to meet the developers' time frame
and move the project forward as expeditiously as possible.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely Yours,
Thomas O. McElwain
CC: KDA Board of Directors