UPDATE: 4:32 p.m. - August 21, 2025
KALISPELL - Thursday morning, the Flathead County Commissioners voted on a preliminary plat request for a proposed private luxury resort in Lakeside.
The vote comes just one week after the Flathead County planning board gave its recommendation for the project.
Flathead County Commissioners Brad Abell, Randy Brodehl and Pam Holmquist all voted in favor of a preliminary plat request for the Flathead Lake Club.
Watch to learn more about the project's approval:
The unanimous vote came after the majority of public comment opposed the project at the start of the meeting.
The resort will be located on Trappers Creek Road in Lakeside and will be completed in five phases starting in March of 2026.
The preliminary plat approval means that construction can begin in phases on certain aspects of the project.
Lots cannot be sold until the final plat is approved.
“Well, it’s phased so they can do a phase at a time; there is some stipulations on that, but legislation limits that,” said Holmquist.
Holquist explained why she voted yes on the proposal.
“As a commissioner we have to consider the application and this application was very complete, they did a very good job of bringing forward all of the conditions they needed to make to complete the application, so it’s our job to do that, from here of course the planning staff came up with findings, which after the findings are done, are read, are in place, then the conditions have to be met before they can go to final plat, so there’s a long process ahead for them, this is just the first stage of that process and once they meet those conditions then they can go on to final plat.”
Flathead Lake Club will sit on 1,700 acres, feature 359 residential lots and two private golf courses. The project is backed by Discovery Land Company, which owns private resorts around the world, including the Yellowstone Club near Big Sky.
Margaret Davis, who has lived in Lakeside for 20 years, says she’s afraid of the potential environmental harm the Flathead Lake Club could have on her community.
“I’m concerned because there is 300 other neighbors in the Lakeside area who are in the area of potential impact from their water usage and their water disposal.”
“The lake water and the forest, there’s potential there for them to do a lot of devastation,” said Jennifer Rogge, who has called Lakeside home for 30 years.
She’s concerned the Flathead Lake Club will forever change her tight-knit community, “It’s going to be a huge impact, and it diminishes the quality of life that we have come to love.”
(first report: 11:03 a.m. - August 21, 2025)
The Flathead County Commission voted Thursday morning to approve a preliminary plat request for the proposed Flathead Lake Club Resort.
The proposed resort would sit on 1,700 acres just south of Lakeside, and feature 359 residential lots and a golf course.
Commissioners made the decision after taking public comment, most of which was in opposition to the proposal.
The development is backed by Discovery Land Company, which owns private resorts around the world, including the Yellowstone Club near Big Sky.
The Flathead County Planning Board recently voted in favor of recommending the approval of the preliminary plat request.
- Developing story. Check back for updates.
