Columbia Falls developer Mick Ruis has begun renovating the former Outlaw Inn after its previous owner left the building in disrepair for years.  

Ruis took ownership of the south Kalispell property in May 2025. He told the Inter Lake last week that he still hopes his original plan to transform the property into a low-cost senior living facility will come to fruition.  

But for now, he plans to offer the units as month-to-month, extended stay rentals for $1,200 or less — a price he said is feasible if the city doesn’t tack on extra fees. By not rezoning the property, Ruis also expects to limit costs.  

The average rent in Kalispell is $1,750, according to Zillow.  

The property will be revamped in phases, with the 60-unit building on the north end expected to be available for renters by December. The building has already received a new roof and electrical upgrades, according to Ruis.  

“We’re working on getting different layouts for the rooms,” he said.  

Ruis is waiting to determine the cost of replacing the roof on the main building before moving ahead with renovations.  

Security systems and alarms installed on the property have already led to the arrest of trespassers, Ruis said.  

TO AVOID foreclosure, the former property owner signed the deed over to Ruis, who acquired the debt owed to Western Security Bank. The former owner, listed as CV The Charles, LLC, shares the same address as Oregon-based real estate firm Fortify Holdings, which bought the property in 2022 with a plan to turn it into multi-family housing. Then known as the FairBridge Inn, Suites & Outlaw Convention Center, the building served as an extended stay hotel with more than 100 guests.  

Left vacant following the sale, the property became a hotspot for trespassing and vandalism, leaving neighbors with safety concerns as the building stood unsecure and unfenced. 

Councilor Jed Fisher said he was glad to watch the property getting cleaned up after seeing firsthand the many needles and broken bottles scattered around the former Outlaw Inn.  

“We certainly know that type of housing is needed in the community,” he said of Ruis’ plans for the property. “So many seniors are getting displaced.”  

Fisher, who represents the ward where the Outlaw Inn is located, said he constantly fields questions from constituents asking about the property’s fate. 

Development Services Director PJ Sorensen said Ruis’ project would fit within the city’s newly adopted land use plan, which encourages a mix of housing types.  

Ruis, a well-known developer, has several construction projects in the works around the Flathead Valley but called the former Outlaw Inn his passion project.  

While Fisher supports Ruis’s plan, he said he would like to see the property restored to its former glory as the Outlaw Hotel & Convention Center, a high-end destination that once catered to affluent patrons. Fisher remembered frequenting Hennessy’s Restaurant, which was once located in the log cabin on the west side of the property — a building that now sits boarded up with sagging awnings. 

“That is a big reach though,” he admitted.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.

    The former Fairbridge Inn & Suites and Outlaw Convention Center in Kalispell on Tuesday, May 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    The former Fairbridge Inn & Suites and Outlaw Convention Center in Kalispell on Tuesday, May 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider