Williams sees Butte’s Uptown vitality key to economy

One element to a vital economy in Butte will be tied to a healthy Uptown, said former Congressman Pat Williams.

By Janine Jobe of The Montana Standard

"I don’t pretend to come here … with the ultimate answers," he told about 40 people at a luncheon of the Butte Burros Club Wednesday in the Gold Rush.

"Turning Butte’s economy around will not be easy and you have to play to your strengths," he said.

Williams is a Butte native who served 18 years representing Montana in Washington, D.C. until he retired in 1997 to Missoula. He is a senior fellow with the Center for the Rocky Mountain West and teaches at the University of Montana.

"By looking at cities in Montana that have successfully come through economic hard times, one of the things you notice is they all have an aggressive, vital downtown," Williams said.

Using Missoula as an example, Williams pointed to the struggle downtown business owners had when Southgate Mall was built about 20 years ago.

"Entrepreneurs wouldn’t let it die, and now their downtown economy is thriving and there isn’t any empty offices," he said. "There are an estimated 750,000 square feet of unused business space in (Uptown) Butte. Other towns would kill for that space.

"You can’t compete with Wal-Mart, so give that idea up. (Uptown) businesses have to offer something different and that is service. (Uptown) is local."

Williams suggested exploring programs that offer tax breaks to business owners willing to locate in the Uptown as well as finding ways to pull more tourists off the interstate.

Art Noonan of Butte, who was Williams’ legislative director during his tenure in Washington, said Williams has a way of presenting practical solutions "as well as appealing to the dreamer in us.

"He is very progressive in a practical kind of way."

Reporter Janine Jobe may be reached via e-mail at [email protected]

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2003/10/02/newsbutte/hjjgijjhjbjgie.txt