Although it may be a big hill to climb, a Kalispell steering committee is looking to remove the city's downtown railroad tracks to pave the way for redevelopment.

That was the consensus reached by the committee meeting on Thursday, May 26.

The committee would like to remove the railroad tracks - which currently are being used only by Cenex and Northwest Drywall - to build a concert hall. The building would also have space for sports tournaments and trade shows, according to Pam Carbonari, committee co-chair and coordinator of the Kalispell Business Improvement District.

Katharine Thompson, Kalispell's community development manager, said that removing the railroad tracks is a "big hill to climb."

Doing that would probably cost millions of dollars, according to Wade Elder, the city's revolving loan fund manager.

Cenex, the biggest current user of the railroad tracks, pays $1,315 a year in property taxes, Thompson said.

Carbonari said Cenex and Northwest Drywall "are willing to come to the table to talk."

Not only could removing the tracks potentially attract a private developer, the area could also be used as green space with a bicycle and pedestrian trail.

Elder said establishing a private/public partnership is key to any such deal.

The city is up against a March 2012 deadline for the use of some $2.1 million in the Westside Tax Increment Financing District funds.

"There are some [private] projects that might be viable," Thompson said.

Elder added that he plans to talk to City Manager Jane Howington this week about these unnamed possibilities.

The committee is scheduled to meet at City Hall again on June 15. For more information, call Carbonari at 253-6923.