Great news for all Missoula players – a group of developers decided to open a space that is both casino and fine-dining restaurant.   

This building will be situated off Mullan Road but has yet to be finished. The City Council approved its construction a few years ago, and the plan is to build three buildings on the property. At this time, a four-suite office has been completed, and construction workers are ready to start working on the restaurant.

The ambitious project:  

Once finished, the project will be spread across 13,000 square feet. In the basement will be a kitchen and a tasting room, and on the main floor, visitors can find the tavern, restaurant, and small shop.   

The casino will be in a separate area of the building, and the building will also include a bar on the second floor.   

The property is meant to be used for commercial and residential uses, and the city annexed it in 2020.   

An interesting experience:  

Lauren Stevens, a city planner, said: “The goal of the development – they wanted to provide a diverse number of experiences for the neighborhood,” said Jeff Crouch with Paradigm 3 Architecture. “Think of this as a date night on a Friday with your husband or wife on the west side, and you want a nice place to eat. Wine will play a big part of it, not just in the labeling of the restaurant but in the fine dining as well.”  

The plan is to create a place where fine wine will be sold along with some grab-and-go foods. The menu will contain an American Bistro and pizza oven, and a bar will hold onto a classic bar menu.  

The exciting part is that the owners included John Sargent and James Jones, who both have been in the restaurant business for twenty years.   

Jones said: “We’re designing this as a spot we’d love to go and take our families to. It’s the type of venue where we think we’re going to check all the boxes. Wine is the basis here. There will be spirits involved, but it’s basically a wine and beer place.”  

Waiting for permits:  

With everything ready to go, the new facility is awaiting permits. A building permit for the restaurant is the first thing because the development of a project can’t begin without it. They are also seeking an operational permit for the tavern and casino since they are supposed to cover all the construction and license costs.   

“It’s a way to supplement our income,” James said. “Paying as much as we did for the license, you kind of have to have the casino. I think we’ve come up with a pretty nice plan.”  

The Missoula City Council has already said that the project fulfilled all the necessary expectations for approval, but the permit will be officially considered later this week.