We would like to see more green space (park space) in downtown Billings.

Billings needs and wants more bike trails and multi-use trails. It would be great to have a trail that connects Laurel and Billings. The trail along the river needs to be connected and expanded. Billings is Montana's Trailhead---and it needs a lots more trails.

I would like to see a new convention center and performing arts center located in the downtown area. The convention center should seat at least 2,500 people and the performing arts center should hold 2,000 people. This multi-events center would provide great services to our community and would be great for tourism.

Billings should be a “sit-able” city with lots of small tables, benches, and seating areas in public spaces that promote person-to-person interaction, community, and a sense of place. http://www.myurbanist.com/archives/9997?goback=%2Egde_2924503_member_5793838610780282883#%21

to move or speed up traffic more smoothly the stop lights should be configured so that one could make a left turn on yellow when there is no oncoming traffic. Works in other cities.

Need to relocate the different social services centers and improve southside business improvements that attract the vagrancy in our downtown areas so that families can feel safe while shopping and visiting stores. Compare downtown Chicago, where you see foot traffic all times of day and night and weekends enjoying the shopping areas compared to Los Angeles thats right next to East LA and that city is vacant when people aren't working. If we want to improve our downtown business district, people need to feel safe. If we do not do it now before tapering, west end Shilo business will starve and further depress the downtown businesses.

I wonder if the first step of building the Chamber of the Future should be to preserve the documents of the Chamber of the Past? The Billings Chamber is one of the oldest and most significant organizations in town. Have we done a good job of preserving our own internal history for future generations? Something to think about . . . .

I was reading an article in the AARP Bulletin, that I thought the Chamber might like to look into for the community. It was about boomers and older Americans looking at “retirement” differently and encouraging the community to use the talents of the 50+ population through new “second” careers. This could be paid, part time, or volunteer work. The article talked about growing organizations promoting the use of these talents. I do know that we have organizations doing just that but there could be a community push to get the info out to more people. The article talked about cities who are becoming “encore-friendly”. I liked the idea for fostering the concept in Billings. Here is a website that could be helpful www.encore.org

Natural history museum like Cody and Bozeman have. Interstate signage is needed. Look AT&T Bozeman and butte. We have five museums and Montana avenue. No brown attraction signs. A three letter zoo sign. What a joke. clean up the east interstate right of way. It's ugly. Finally call the tifd coulson give it a separate identity

Start a successful business person mentor program where new businesses can learn the ropes.