A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for September 19 for the VIM, a new hotel to be built on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman. The event will take place at 11 a.m. at the future site along South Seventh Avenue, south of Norm Asbjornson Hall and Gianforte Hall in MSU’s South Campus District. The public is invited to attend.
The VIM will be a five-story hotel developed by Lone Mountain Land Co., a subsidiary of CrossHarbor Capital Partners, after being selected through a competitive proposal process. The hotel will operate as a Marriott Hotels franchise and will be constructed on land leased from Montana State University.
Named after lyrics from MSU’s fight song, the VIM aims to provide both accommodations for visitors and practical training opportunities for students in hospitality and culinary fields. “CrossHarbor Capital Partners and Lone Mountain Land Co. have been committed to becoming long-term academic collaborators with MSU,” said Alison Harmon, vice president for research and economic development at the university. “Having this full-service facility on campus will create new opportunities for MSU students and help grow enrollment in high-demand areas, which will benefit our state’s hospitality industry.”
Sam Byrne, co-founder and managing partner of CrossHarbor, said, “Working with Montana State University is truly meaningful to us. Building a campus hotel is about investing in our community’s future. By supporting students’ education and creating local jobs, we’re helping talented students stay and build a better future here in Montana.”
The VIM will include food and beverage outlets such as a restaurant, as well as conference and meeting spaces that can also serve educational purposes for hospitality management students at MSU.
MSU Alumni Foundation President and CEO Fran Albrecht highlighted support from Lone Mountain Land Company: “Lone Mountain Land Company’s generosity in supporting the growth and success of MSU’s Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts Program throughout the project, as well as a recent $1 million donation, demonstrates their outstanding commitment to education and deep investment in the future of our students. We are incredibly grateful for their partnership, which will create transformative opportunities for learning, innovation and career development in this vital industry.”
Stephanie Gray, dean of Gallatin College MSU, noted that culinary arts students would benefit from hands-on experience: “This hotel will give Gallatin College students in the culinary arts program daily opportunities to apply their skills in a professional setting just steps from the rest of campus, preparing them to step directly into Montana’s growing hospitality industry.”
Montana State University offers several programs related to hospitality careers through its College of Education, Health and Human Development; Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship; as well as Gallatin College MSU. Students can pursue four-year degrees or an associate degree focused on culinary arts or sustainable hospitality options.
According to Alison Harmon, graduates from these programs often find strong job prospects locally or regionally with average starting salaries around $57,000.
Harmon added that internships provided by the VIM would offer convenient work experiences close to other classes on campus.
