New Montana Main Street Communities to be Announced at the First Main Street Conference in Butte on 9/29

Anthony Preite, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce, will unveil four new communities that have been accepted into the Montana Main Street Affiliate Program during the opening of the Main Street Conference on Monday, September 29, at 9:30 a.m. at the Finlen Hotel in Butte.

“A healthy Main Street economy speaks volumes about the overall prosperity of a community,” said Preite. “Governor Brian Schweitzer and I are encouraged by the interest Montanans have shown in this first conference. We look forward to seeing how this event will help reshape downtowns across Montana.”

Developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980, Main Street is a historic preservation-based economic development program that has been used in thousands of rural and urban communities nationwide to spark life into traditional commercial districts. In 2005, the Montana Legislature authorized funding to join the national program. In 2007, the Montana Department of Commerce launched the Montana Main Street Affiliate program as a pilot program for smaller, rural communities that are interested in downtown revitalization.

The theme for the Montana Department of Commerce’s first Montana Main Street Conference is community revitalization. The conference will take place September, 29-30, at the Finlen Hotel in uptown Butte.

WHO: Anthony Preite, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce

WHAT: Officially Open Montana Main Street Conference & Announce New Montana Main Street Affiliate Communities

WHEN: Monday, September 29 @ 9:30 AM

WHERE: Treasure State Ballroom, Finlen Hotel, Butte

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Marissa P. Kozel

Communications Director, Director’s Office

Montana Department of Commerce

406-841-2772 (o)

406-465-7208 (c)

[email protected]