The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University will present “Will Historic Downtown Bozeman Survive the Building Boom?” for a Friday Forum on March 11. The virtual event will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Ellie Staley, executive director of the Downtown Bozeman Partnership, will discuss the impacts of rapid growth in the Gallatin Valley on historic downtown Bozeman. For decades, Bozeman’s thriving historic business district has been an anomaly in a landscape of dying downtowns throughout the West, Staley said. But now, with big hotels and luxury condos moving into downtown at the same time longtime businesses are leaving, is the character of downtown Bozeman changing forever? Staley will describe efforts by the Downtown Bozeman Partnership to ensure that “life is downtown.”

Staley has worked for the Downtown Bozeman Partnership since 2006, first as assistant director and now as executive director. She has more than 20 years of event coordination, sales and management experience at several established local businesses. Additionally, she has experience managing the membership, events and marketing for the Downtown Bozeman Association, the nonprofit arm of the partnership. Staley has a deep love for the downtown Bozeman community and continues to play a leadership role in the community through creative collaborations with small businesses, property owners, the city of Bozeman and others. She is also committed to supporting social infrastructure and advocating for accessibility to the arts and culture.

Participants must register in advance and no later than 11 a.m. on Friday, March 11. For more information or registration visit montana.edu/olli/register or call 406-994-6550. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions to join the program.

Friday Forums are offered on the second Friday of each month, September through May, by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at MSU. OLLI at MSU is a program of Academic Technology and Outreach. ATO works across the university to support and advance its land-grant mission through unique and innovative opportunities for outreach and engagement.