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MISSOULA- The economic recovery has been slow to embrace western Montana, in part because attracting new businesses has been a struggle.

Members of the Missoula Economic Partnership are looking to find out what they're doing right...and wrong.

It's hard to believe this beautiful valley is not an easy sell to potential businesses.

"We are not the only lovely mountain city in the west with a fine quality of life," Missoula Mayor John Engen pointed out.

"Montana and Missoula isn't in the game in economic development. Site selectors are not thinking about Montana, not thinking about opportunities in Missoula," added Missoula Economic Partnership Interim CEO James Grunke added.

Three local heavy hitters, John Kappes of the Mountain Water Company, Engen and Grunke had some eye-opening experiences at the first Site Selector Guild conference that was recently held in Orlando.

The Site Selectors Guild tries to match communities with the needs of their corporate clients.

"What we really want to see is a good partnership between labor, utilities, education system, the government and business community," Kappes told us.

The message from Orlando was clear when it comes to wooing new businesses to western Montana, Missoula needs a singular focus.

"I think it's critical. I think the community wants. We want one voice, one point of entry and hopefully one solution," Grunke said.

The partnership isn't really targeting mega corporations, instead they're looking at small businesses, companies that not only need a place to grow, but are a good fit for the community."

"There are folks that do manufacturing, folks that do office work, folks that do energy work. Those are relationships we want to cultivate," Engen said.

"The quicker a site selector eliminates Missoula from a list, the easier it is for them. And we want to make it harder for them, to stay on the list," Grunke concluded.

City leaders believe the Missoula area has the workforce, transportation and incentives to be competitive. They will now put together a plan of attack in hopes of attracting new businesses.