Downtown Development & Historic Preservation: Early Registration for Montana Downtown Forum Ends August 31

Registration for the Montana Downtown Forum, Montana’s most comprehensive downtown development and historic preservation conference, closes Tuesday, Aug. 31. The conference will take place in Missoula, Sept. 15-17 at the Holiday Inn – Downtown at the Park.

Early registration costs $175, which includes some meals. The Forum, which is co-hosted by the Montana Department of Commerce, Montana Main Street program and the Missoula Downtown Association, will provide an opportunity for downtown professionals from around Montana to gather and learn more about the issues that their downtowns face.

For the first time, vendors will showcase their products and services during the conference. In addition to educational sessions, tours and entertainment options will be available to attendees.

To register online, please visit http://www.missouladowntown.com, or call the Missoula Downtown Association at 406/543-4238.

Some discussion topics include:

Using the Montana brand to help sell your community;

Managing your downtown’s graphic identity;

Developing effective boards of directors;

Encouraging business recruitment and retail development;

Creating and implementing zoning and design guidelines;

Putting Business Improvement Districts to work;

Developing heritage tourism plans;

Marketing and special events for your downtown;

Creating window displays, storefronts, and signage that sell; and many others.

The Main Street program was 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 for Montana to join the national program.

The Missoula Downtown Association (MDA) is a not-for-profit membership based organization dedicated to promoting, supporting and enhancing the vitality of downtown Missoula. Created in 1975, the MDA has grown to over 400 business and individual members.