Butte-Silver Bow sells old NorthWestern Energy building

Butte-Silver Bow County has agreed to sell the former NorthWestern Energy building in Butte to a media production company for $1.

The city-county government inherited the five-building complex in 2016 as part of a deal to keep NorthWestern Energy's corporate headquarters in Butte.

The sale to Bitterroot Gateway Development will be final at the end of the month.

Officials with Bitterroot Gateway Development say they plan to use the space for Montana Studios, which also has operations near Hamilton.

The Butte buildings would house production sound stages, interior filming, offices, educational and training rooms, set locations and living space for people working on movie and film projects.