By Chet Layman, KBZK News

From ski resort in the mountains to growing year-round community. That’s the quick history of Big Sky. The next step in that history is underway with work on a full-service hospital for the community moving at full speed.

The first step in the construction of this 43,000 square foot medical center.

“It’s going to be a full service hospital with 24/7 365 emergency services,” said Cheryl Ridgely of the Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. “We’ll also have a clinic, imaging lab, fully ancillary service capabilities here.”

Bozeman Deaconess has had this idea in the works for more than a decade…and when it opens next fall it will change life in Big Sky and areas to the south forever.

“First of all it keeps people from having to drive 50 miles to find advanced medical services, so that’s the first thing,” said Ridgely. “Secondly, they’re building Big Sky to be a world-class resort community and having health care is part of that infrastructure is critical for that.”

Work currently a little ahead of schedule, and moving right along.

“It’s always nice to be associated with a project that welcomed in a community,” said Dan Dooley, with Langlas Construction. “And with Big Sky being a reasonably small it’s a nice to be a part of.”

The hospital being built for the future too. Expansion part of the master plan to serve the area for the next 15-20 years.

The hospital set to open before the holiday season next year.