CONTACT: Victor Bjornberg
Commerce
Department 444-4366
HUNTLEY PROJECT MUSEUM INVESTS $43,415 TOURISM
“BED TAX” GRANT INTO NEW MUSEUM CENTER AND EXHIBITS; GRAND OPENING
EVENTS FRIDAY, April 26, 2002
Huntley, MT — April 22, 2002 — Montana Commerce Department Director Mark Simonich will join supporters of the Huntley Project Museum
of Irrigated Agriculture Friday, April 26, for the Grand Opening of the new Museum Center and exhibits. As part of
the Grand Opening ceremonies, Simonich will present
the Museum Board of Directors with a $43,415 check representing the Museum’s
grant award from the Montana Commerce Department’s Tourism Infrastructure
Investment Program (TIIP).
The
new Museum Center is a 4,800 square foot
building designed to look like a traditional barn building, complementing the
historical homestead structures and the equipment and
lifestyle artifact collection held on the museum grounds. The new center
provides space for exhibits, storage and visitor services including a conference/education
area, reception area, bathrooms and an office. The $350,000 project broke
ground in March 2001. The museum staff and volunteers have been working in the
building since October 2001. The completed interior and new exhibits will be
highlighted during the Grand Opening Reception and Ceremonies scheduled for 6-8
p.m.
on Friday, April 26.
The
$43,415 Commerce TIIP grant has helped finance the finish work on the Museum
Center, purchase furnishings and exhibit display materials as well as
landscaping. Other project funding was provided by private donors, investments,
corporate donations and Yellowstone County.
The Huntley Project Museum’s TIIP Grant was one of three grants totaling $150,000 awarded in the
Year 2001 cycle of the annual TIIP program. Since the TIIP Grants began in
1995, over $1.5 million from the state tourism “bed tax” has been invested in
31 projects in 25 Montana communities. A full listing of TIIP Grant Awards is attached.
Funds for the TIIP Grants come from revenues provided by the state’s 4
percent accommodation or tourism “bed tax” which is assessed on the lodging
price of all accommodations across Montana, including
campgrounds. The grants are awarded through a competitive application process
and require a $1 local match for every $2 provided by the grant program.
-more-
For information about the Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture
and the Grand Opening Activities, contact Anne Foster, Museum Director,
406-348-2533, Email: hpmia@nemontel.net.
##
Montana Commerce Department’s Travel Montana
Tourism Infrastructure
Investment Program Grants
Award Summary
1995-2001
2001
TIIP Awards
Northwest Montana Historical
Society/Central School
Museum – Timber Products Industry History Exhibit (Kalispell), $30,000
Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture – Museum facility
construction and improvements (Huntley), $43,415
Richland Youth Hockey, Inc. – Community/Regional Event Center (Sidney),
$76,585
2000 TIIP
Awards
Daly Mansion Preservation
Trust – Daly Mansion Restoration Project (Hamilton), $50,000
Miracle of America Museum, Inc. –
Miracle of America Museum (Polson), $30,000
World Museum of Mining –The Orphan Girl Underground Exhibit (Butte), $30,000
Friends of Makoshika –
Makoshika Group Picnic Shelter (Glendive), $20,000
Hill County H.Earl Clack Museum – Wahkpa Chu’gn Archeological Site Improvements (Havre), $20,000
1999 TIIP
Awards
Rialto Community Theatre, Inc. - Rialto
Infrastructure Improvements (Deer
Lodge), $73,677
Blaine County Wildlife Museum/Blaine County Museum -
Wildlife Museum Building Improvements (Chinook), $61,600
Billings Preservation Society, Inc./Moss Mansion - Carriage
House Reconstruction
(Billings), $24,000
Friends of Savenac - Historic Savenac Nursery Infrastructure
Restoration (Haugan)
$20,361.50
Twin Bridges Historical
Association -The Reid Building Museum &
Archival Library Renovation
Twin Bridges), $20, 361.50
1998 TIIP
Awards
The High Plains West Heritage Museum and Archives
(Great Falls), $56,150
Makoshika State Park Amphitheater Renovation (Glendive), $48,850
Old Montana Prison 1912
Cell House Roof Replacement (Deer Lodge), $45,000
-more-
1997 TIIP
Awards
Peaks to Plains Museum (Red Lodge),
$44,026
Reconstruction of Historic Fort Benton (Fort Benton), $38,435
Old Trail Museum Exhibit Upgrade Completion and Infrastructure Stabilization (Choteau),
$24,699
Seeley/Swan Historical
Museum and Visitor’s Center (Seeley Lake), $55,000
ZooMontana--Initial
Phase: Plains Habitat (Billings), $37,000
1996 TIIP
Awards
Fort Peck Theater (Fort Peck), $95,500
Montana Wildlife Rehabilitation Center & Nature Park (Helena), $66,968
Hangman’s Building
Restoration (Virginia City), $60,000
Yellowstone Art Center’s Expansion (Billings), $50,000
Chief Plenty Coups’ House
Restoration (Pryor), $47,532
Charlie Russell Chew-Choo
Tour Train (Lewistown), $30,000
1995 TIIP Awards
Lewis & Clark
Interpretive Center (Great Falls), $200,000
St. Mary’s Mission Museum and Research
Library (Stevensville) $50,000
Malta’s Museum of
the Future (Malta), $50,000
Pictograph State
Park’s Pictograph Recovery & Stabilization (Billings),
$20,000
####
