Home Depot co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Arthur Blank is expanding his business presence in Montana with a new public riverfront lodge, 25 years after he bought his first guest ranch in the state. Through his holding company AMB West, Blank has developed a 6,000-acre riverfront property in Paradise Valley into Auster at Dome Mountain. The resort sits along the Yellowstone River and includes 20 year-round guest cabins, a main lodge, a casual restaurant, a rooftop bar and a retail market that is open to the public. The project marks a change for Blank, whose earlier ranch purchases in the area were mostly used for private family stays, company retreats, non-profit meetings and conservation work.
25 years of growth in Paradise Valley
Blank entered Montana’s real estate market in 2001 when he bought Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Emigrant. Over the next 25 years, the businessman bought three more properties in Paradise Valley, building a portfolio that now covers more than 33,000 acres of owned and leased land. AMB West now manages four separate properties in the valley: Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, West Creek Ranch, Paradise Valley Ranch and Auster at Dome Mountain. Mountain Sky operates as a traditional luxury guest ranch. West Creek Ranch is mainly a private retreat and meeting place for non-profit groups supported by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Paradise Valley Ranch is mainly an agricultural operation, producing cattle and hay while following environmental protection practices. According to company information on the official AMB West website, all four properties are managed under one system focused on protecting the land, conservation and involvement in the southwest Montana community.
Redeveloping a historic riverfront property
Blank acquired the land for Auster at Dome Mountain in December 2021, when AMB West bought the former Dome Mountain Ranch. The 6,300-acre property is about 20 minutes north of the entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The new resort was built mainly within the existing footprint of the old 1960s guest ranch to reduce the impact on the surrounding landscape. Older guest cabins were moved and converted into housing for employees instead of being torn down. According to project information from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and AMB West, the new property stretches along four and a half miles of the Yellowstone River. Guests can enjoy fishing, hiking, horseback riding and other outdoor activities. The name Auster comes from the Latin word for “south wind” and refers to the weather patterns that move through Paradise Valley. Company documents say the property was designed to be both a tourist destination and a public gathering place for local residents. The public areas, including the restaurant, coffee shop and retail market, will operate throughout the year and can be used without a resort reservation.
Combining hospitality with wildlife protection
The expansion comes as private land purchases across Montana continue to raise questions about public wildlife access and the breaking up of natural habitats. Paradise Valley is an important wildlife corridor for elk, grizzly bears, wolves and bighorn sheep moving out of Yellowstone National Park. AMB West says protecting the environment is a major focus of its properties. Much of its 33,000-acre network is covered by conservation easements, which limit large-scale commercial development and protect important winter habitat for local elk herds. In official documents about the property’s environmental goals, AMB West stated: “AMB West properties are dedicated to protecting the natural environment and honoring local history through responsible stewardship, ensuring the land and its resources are preserved for future generations.” Blank’s foundation also uses the Montana properties for charitable programs. The foundation runs AMB West Basecamp at Mountain Sky, offering free facilities and meeting space to local and regional non-profit organizations. Reservations for stays at Auster at Dome Mountain opened through the resort’s official booking portal ahead of its first public operating season.
