A group of pilots are fighting to preserve a private airstrip near Lakeside, arguing in a lawsuit that its owners have no right to remove the runway.

TAL & PGL, LLC, is the registered owner of the airstrip near the Eagle’s Crest neighborhood, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. Two years ago, the company’s owners, Terry and Patrick Leiser, agreed to sell 1,700 acres of land — including a section of the runway — to Discovery Land Company.

Discovery is behind plans to build a members-only resort, dubbed Flathead Lake Club, adjacent to Eagle’s Crest. The development is expected to feature a new golf course, spa, fitness center and 359 residential lots.

In the buy-sell agreement, Discovery added a requirement to remove the airstrip. Vice President Jeremy Pfile said its pro

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