Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and U.S. Representative Troy Downing joined Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves on Friday for two separate economic development events that together represent roughly $807 million in new investment and more than 2,000 potential jobs for the city.

Amazon Opens $7 Million Delivery Hub

Gianforte and Downing toured Amazon’s newly opened delivery facility in Great Falls, a 35,000-square-foot “last mile” distribution hub representing a $7 million investment. The facility has brought 50 full-time positions to the area, along with hundreds of flex driver slots for part-time workers.

Amazon Vice President Sarah Rose said job quality was central to the company’s expansion strategy. “There is nothing more important than ensuring the safe, high-quality jobs across our network and team right here in the state of Montana,” she said.

The Great Falls site is part of a broader corporate footprint in the state. Amazon has committed more than $200 million to Montana operations since 2010, and this facility marks one of its more visible retail-delivery investments in the region.

Janicki Industries Breaks Ground on $800 Million Campus

The larger of Friday’s two events was the groundbreaking for a massive Janicki Industries production campus at Great Falls’ AgriTech Park. The Washington- and Utah-based company, which designs and manufactures composite and metallic tooling, parts, prototypes, and assembled structures for aerospace, defense, space, and marine applications, is committing $800 million to build a facility spanning 180 acres and 1.6 million square feet of production space.

When fully operational, the Great Falls campus could generate more than 2,000 jobs. About 200 people gathered at AgriTech Park for the groundbreaking ceremony, which was attended by company founder and CEO Peter Janicki and his brother John Janicki, who serves as president.

Mayor Reeves captured the mood of the occasion simply: “I’m just glad to see that we’re finally on the map. We’re being discovered.”

Political Significance

The dual events gave both Gianforte and Downing — who represents Montana’s newly created second congressional district — a high-profile opportunity to highlight the state’s business climate ahead of November’s general election. Downing attended both ceremonies, while Gianforte participated in the Amazon tour.

For Gianforte, whose administration has consistently promoted Montana as open for business and positioned the state’s low regulatory burden as a competitive advantage, the announcements provide tangible evidence to point to on the campaign trail. An $800 million private investment in a mid-sized city like Great Falls is unusual by any measure and stands as one of the largest single industrial commitments in recent Montana history.

The Janicki announcement in particular is notable given the industries involved. Aerospace and defense manufacturing jobs tend to pay well above median wages and carry long-term stability, making the project broadly appealing across the political spectrum. As Montana communities compete for data-driven and industrial investment — a dynamic that has surfaced in debates over data center development and local oversight elsewhere in the state — Great Falls appears to have landed a transformational deal.

What Comes Next

The Amazon facility is already operational, with hiring underway for both full-time positions and flex driver roles. The Janicki Industries campus at AgriTech Park will take time to build out to its full 1.6 million-square-foot footprint, and officials did not announce a specific completion timeline at the groundbreaking event. The company’s existing operations in Washington and Utah suggest it has the capital base to execute a multi-phase buildout, though the pace will depend on market conditions and workforce availability in the Great Falls area.

City and state officials will likely use both announcements as evidence of Montana’s economic trajectory as the November general election approaches, with Gianforte seeking reelection and Downing defending his congressional seat in what is expected to be a competitive cycle statewide.