Voters in Big Sky overwhelmingly approved an extension of the resort tax through 2065, securing long-term funding for infrastructure, public services, and community programs.

The resort tax, collected on luxury items, is paid largely by visitors. With this extension, the Big Sky Resort Area District can now plan further into the future, leveraging that revenue through bonds and other tools to support both nonprofit and government efforts.

Executive Director of the Resort Tax District, Daniel Bierschwale, says it’s one of the most impactful tools for tourism-based communities like Big Sky.

“We can help to offset property taxes by being able to utilize this public taxing mechanism with the resort tax and, at the end of the day, be able to continue to hone in on a vibrant variety of programs and infrastructure and capital projects that the resort tax can help to support.”

Bierschwale says locking in the resort tax through 2065 gives Big Sky the long-term stability it needs to keep up with growth without placing the full burden on residents.