Page 24 - Flathead Beacon // 12.31.14

24 | DECEMBER 31, 2014
NEWS
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MOMENTUM
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stages of reviewing data from the past 12 months in preparation for the BBER’s annual statewide economic outlook seminar, which will be held in Kalispell on Feb. 13. This year’s seminar series will largely focus on “The New Ameri- can Energy Revolution,” although there will be an individual section devoted to each county.
And when Barkey arrives in Ka- lispell, he will be bearing the best news in years.
“If I had to describe Flathead Coun- ty in a nutshell, I would say that the hole was deep but the recovery has definitely picked up speed. It’s really moving and certainly coming back stronger than Missoula,” Barkey said, describing Flat- head as the strongest economy in West- ern Montana. “It’s definitely good news.”
The county added 1,574 jobs in the past year, according to the Montana De- partment of Labor and Industry. At the end of November, the local unemploy- ment rate was 5.8 percent compared to about 7 percent a year ago.
A clearer picture of the exact local gains will be available at the Flathead Valley Economic Forecast event on Jan. 28 hosted by Montana West Economic Development at Flathead Valley Com- munity College. That event, which be- gins at 8 a.m., will explain the exact job gains and industry predictions for the next 12 months.
Preliminary local figures show a healthier wood products industry and manufacturing sector. The housing mar- ket was less impressive, Barkey noted, and real estate still hasn’t regained its typical activity as before the recession.
Tourism has provided a noticeable boost to communities both statewide and in the Flathead. Construction fig- ures are also optimistic.
Nearly 11 million nonresidents vis- ited Montana and spent more than $3.9 billion in the Treasure State in 2014, ac- cording to preliminary numbers com- piled by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research.
Nonresident visitation appears to be roughly the same or slightly lower than 2013, according to estimates, but non- resident spending grew by roughly 4 percent in the first quarter of the year, 20 percent in the second quarter and 9 percent in the third quarter.
Statewide lodging tax collections were up 7 percent over last year during the third quarter of 2014, and are up 8 percent for the calendar year, according to the Montana Department of Revenue.
The tax collections come from a 7 per- cent fee on all hotel or other lodging ac- commodations.
In Kalispell, lodging tax collections were up 5 percent from July 1-Sept. 30. However, they were down 9 percent from Jan. 1-March 31 and down 4 per- cent from April 1-June 30.
In Whitefish, lodging tax collections were up 4 percent from January-Sep- tember. The first quarter of the year was up 11 percent; the second quarter dipped 1 percent and the third quarter was up 3 percent.
Whitefish also has a resort tax, which can reflect economic activity, and from July through October, the collec- tions were up 22 percent. In fiscal year 2014, which runs from July 2013-June 2014, total resort tax collections were $2.1 million, a 5.1 percent increase over the previous year.
“The numbers are looking really good,” said Dylan Boyle, executive di- rector of the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Boyle said the valley has seen notice- able improvements during the so-called shoulder seasons — down months before and after summer — and regional busi- nesses are reporting more economic ac- tivity than years’ past.
About 68 percent of all tourism-re- lated business owners surveyed by the ITRR this fall reported an increase in visitation or customers in 2014, and 31 percent of those said they saw a signifi- cant visitor increase of more than 10 percent over 2013. More than half — 57 percent — of businesses expected to see their visitation increase in 2015.
Two big reasons for the local opti- mism involve Glacier National Park, which had a record year of visitation, and Glacier Park International Airport, which has broken passenger records the past two years running. The first 11 months of this year already surpassed last year’s total in terms of passengers, according to airport officials.
The trend is similar across the state.
“The national parks in Montana have experienced an 8 percent increase over 2013 and the number of people stepping off a plane in Montana was up nearly 18 percent, through November,” ITRR Di- rector Norma Nickerson said in a news release.
For more information about the BBER Economic Forecast seminar, visit http://www.bber.umt.edu/events/EOS. asp. For more information about the MWED Flathead Valley Forecast event, visit http://www.dobusinessinmontana. com.
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Bricks will Build our Band Shell
Contact Jennifer Young at Kalispell Parks and Recreation for more information.
406.758.7717 | [email protected]
We are what we do...
Benevolence Generosity Unselfishness Community Service
Altruism Public Welfare Humanitarianism
Youth Support Good Will to Men Philanthropy Openhandedness
These important words can describe your Rotary Club. We are what we do. Thanks to your efforts, over just the last six months the following organizations and causes have benefited.
Flathead Food Bank: $2500 Gateway Community Center: $5000 Polio Eradication Project: $34,107
First Night Flathead: $1500 Sparrows Nest: $1000 KidsSports: $2500 Turkey Drive to the Food Banks: $3025 (121 Turkeys) Flathead and West Shore Food Bank, Veterans Food Bank
West Shore Food Bank: $200 Flathead Care: $250
Child Bridge: $250 Boy Scouts: $1650
Senior Mobile Care: $500 Glacier and Flathead High Schools: $2950 Paul Harris Foundation: $11,555 (Annual Contribution) RYLA: $1500 Big Brothers/Sisters: $300 Samaritan House: $250
Boys and Girls Club: $200 Flathead Youth Homes: $250 Salvation Army Bell Ringers: _______?
Rotary Basketball: Priceless
Grand Total: $69,487
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU!
Evergreen - Tues. 12:00 @ Perkins
Whitefish - Tues. 12:00 @ Moose Lodge 642 Bigfork - Wed. 12:00 @ Methodist Church Columbia Falls - Wed. 12:00 @ Back Room Kalispell Daybreak - Thur. 7:00 @ Buffalo Hills GC Kalispell Noon - Thur. 12:00 @ Hilton Garden
“IF I HAD TO DESCRIBE FLATHEAD COUNTY IN A NUTSHELL, I WOULD SAY THAT THE HOLE WAS DEEP BUT THE RECOVERY HAS DEFINITELY PICKED UP SPEED. IT’S REALLY MOVING AND CERTAINLY COMING BACK STRONGER THAN MISSOULA.” Patrick Barkey