“ A small town with a big personality.”
Early in the crisp winter morning, as ski patrollers ready the mountain for eager skiers and snowboarders, as shop owners shovel their front steps, as children zip up their backpacks for another day of school, and as the sun sheds its first light atop Lone Peak, Big Sky, Montana awakens to another gorgeous day.
The Big Sky community spreads itself out across mountainous ski areas, beautiful open meadows, and the Gallatin River Canyon. Some prefer to reside next to ski trails, others prefer overlooking a golf course, or along the scenic Gallatin River, with a variety of shops and restaurants scattered in between. All live with an awareness and a love of the great outdoors. What started as a quiet ranching and sheepherding region has now blossomed into a top tourist destination and a thriving year-round community. Martha Johnson, co-founding Broker and Vice President of Sales for The Big Sky Real Estate Co. describes Big Sky as,“ a small town with a big personality,” whose natural assets, such as the mountains, rivers, and trails, are why people visit the area and why many people decide to stay full-time.
Without a mining or industrial history, Big Sky’ s settlement is uniquely modern. Just forty-five years ago, Chet Huntley, a national newscaster, moved to Montana where he conceptualized and helped build Big Sky Resort, which opened in 1973. Aside from additions in amenities and lodging at the resort, very little development in Big Sky happened until the 1990s. In 2001, Simkins Holding LLC broke ground for the first infrastructure of what is now known as Town Center, a vibrant meeting place for locals and visitors alike. Ryan Hamilton, Project Manager for Town Center, says,“ The community has really embraced the projects, events, and the parks and gathering spaces that have now evolved over the years. It’ s very rewarding to see the community come together as it has.”
The last fifteen years in Big Sky has seen a boom in development, as more people choose to start businesses, purchase homes, and raise their families in Big Sky. Ania Bulis, co-founding Broker and Vice President of Sales for The Big Sky Real Estate Co. has lived in Big Sky for more than twenty years. She says the new groundswell of families and business owners has brought with it a demand for quality education, culture, and a healthy, outdoor-focused lifestyle.“ It has created a beautiful social dynamic, as well as social consciousness,” says Bulis.
BUILDING COMMUNITY The development of Town Center in the last fifteen years by Simkins Holdings, LLC and more recently, Lone Mountain Land Company, has created an epicenter for businesses, families and organizations to thrive. While the world-class Big Sky Resort may have been the springboard for the development of the town of Big Sky, it is truly the lifestyle and people that have created a sustainable year-round community. Visitors and residents can come together to enjoy the movie theater, the great restaurants and breweries, the farmers’ market, outdoor concerts and sophisticated retailers.“ The Town Center development has brought a new level of cooperation and collaboration amongst people in the community,” says Bayard Dominick, Vice President of Planning and Development for Lone Mountain Land Company. Having lived in other resort towns, Dominick has seen what works and what doesn’ t when it comes to planning. He believes the residents of Big Sky are coming together to develop only that which will benefit the entire community long into the future. This includes several mixed-use buildings for restaurants, retail, and year-round rentals right in Town Center. The Big Sky Real Estate Co. and Lone Mountain Land Company are also building their future headquarters and marketing center in Town Center, creating a Montana and outdoor-themed space that celebrates why people love Big Sky.“ It will be a space where a lift attendant can
75