Montana ExpoPark Improvement Study - Great Falls, MT
CSL, with the participation of Populous and Big Sky Civil & Environmental, was engaged by the Great Falls Montana Tourism Business Improvement District (GFTBID) to conduct a study of a forward-thinking improvement strategy for Montana ExpoPark. Key areas of focus included the consideration of a potential new Event Center (Arena) and other strategic ExpoPark campus improvements, designed to best position, and protect, the asset for long-term success and impact. The study included a comprehensive topographic and utility survey of the grounds, as well as analysis of market demand, supportable program, layout and concepts, estimated costs (financial operating and construction), and economic impacts.
Located near the Missouri River within walking distance of Great Falls’ downtown central business district, the current Montana ExpoPark comprises 133 acres and offers a variety of types of entertainment, sports, equestrian, and agricultural buildings and spaces, including arenas, exhibition facilities, barns, and a horse racing track and grandstand.
Previously, in 2014, CSL was selected by the GFTBID via a competitive process to conduct a feasibility study of a potential new Multipurpose Event Center. The study did not initially focus on a specific location or site in Great Falls. Following a detailed set of research and analysis, the 2014 study indicated that the greatest facility development opportunity in Great Falls involved a multipurpose, spectator-oriented event facility concept. The study concluded that the logical location for such a facility would be at Montana ExpoPark, as a replacement of the aging Four Seasons Arena (Pacific Steel & Recycling Arena).