Great Falls, Montana Lands $800M Factory, 1,000 Jobs

Great Falls, Montana has watched from the sidelines for years as Missoula, Bozeman, and Billings thrived, but that's about to change in a big way.

The city of 58,000 just landed Janicki Industries, a Washington-based aerospace manufacturer planning an $800 million facility that will employ over 1,000 people. Construction starts next month, marking the biggest economic win in decades for a town that's been swimming uphill since the 1980s.

"For a long time, I think it seemed like we were swimming uphill," said Joe Briggs, a county commissioner since 2005. "But everything is coming together for Cascade County."

Great Falls has struggled since losing its copper smelter in 1981 and an Air Force refueling squadron in 1997. The population has hovered between 57,000 and 61,000 since 2000, and the city actually lost residents from 2023 to 2024 while other Montana cities grew.

But local leaders spent those quiet years laying groundwork. The Great Falls Development Alliance created the AgriTech Park 15 years ago to attract industrial businesses. Montana Specialty Mills moved in first and has expanded twice since.

Downtown got attention too. A 2012 renewal plan sparked new life in the city center. Local investors pooled money to open bars, restaurants, an arcade, and a concert venue, even buying the Great Falls Voyagers baseball team in 2024.

"Everyone in our group is local. Everyone is passionate about Great Falls," said Scott Reasoner, president of Enbar, Inc., which now operates multiple downtown businesses. "Many communities in our state have grown due to outside investment."

The city also made it easier for businesses to set up shop. Commissioners created a development fund to help builders with utility infrastructure and cut red tape through a "get to yes" approach.

The Ripple Effect

The Janicki factory isn't coming alone. A major missile field upgrade at nearby Malmstrom Air Force Base, new residential developments, and growing higher education programs are all happening simultaneously.

Chain restaurants are finally opening in Great Falls, a sign that outside investors see what locals have been building. Jolene Schalper, executive vice president of the development alliance, said the industrial focus is paying off after years of patience.

The West Bank, a former industrial wasteland across the river from downtown, has transformed into commercial space and parkland. What was once a symbol of decline now represents renewal.

After decades of careful planning and community investment, Great Falls is proving that slow and steady can win the race.