Land auction attracts three bidders Prospective buyers ante up $1.7 million

The Daily Inter Lake

After demonstrating their bona fides with hefty checks, three parties will participate in an upcoming auction for 85 acres of school-trust land in Kalispell.

The property is part of the Section 36/Spring Prairie school-trust section at the intersection of U.S. 93 and West Reserve Drive. It's in the southwest corner of the section, immediately west of the Kidsport ballfield complex.

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, which manages the state trust lands, is selling the acreage. It will use the proceeds to buy land for the school trust elsewhere in Montana.

The minimum bid for the Section 36 parcel is $3.53 million, or about $42,000 an acre.

However, interested parties had to submit cashier's checks for half that amount just to participate in the auction.

Three groups sent in checks for $1.766 million by the April 28 deadline.

"Two were local and one was out-of-state," said Candace Durran, who handled the matter for DNRC. "To me, that indicated a lot of interest. I'm anticipating some good bidding on that ground."

The property is zoned for mixed residential uses. Public sewer and water service is nearby, and the U.S. 93 bypass will run adjacent to it.

Glacier High School is under construction in the northwest corner of Section 36, and the Spring Prairie Center retail complex is in the northeast corner.

The auction is scheduled at 2 p.m. June 15 at the Hampton Inn in Kalispell.

The successful bidder will be required to develop the site according to the terms and conditions contained in the 2001 Section 36 Neighborhood Plan and planned-unit-development agreement. Kalispell also would have to approve any subdivision proposal.

Losing bidders will get their checks back.