Cabela’s considering building in Post Falls

BOISE – Sporting goods retailer Cabela’s is pushing for tax changes to accommodate a mega-store in Post Falls that could open in 2007, Idaho officials said Thursday.

Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, said Cabela’s officials told him they’d likely hire 300 people for the 180,000-square-foot store. “They built one of these big mega-stores in Pennsylvania, and they’ve become the No. 1 tourist attraction … ahead of the Liberty Bell,” Nonini said. A similar store, he said, is “No. 1 in Utah even ahead of the Mormon Temple.”

James Powell, retail spokesman at the company’s Sidney, Neb., headquarters, confirmed that Cabela’s officials met with Idaho Gov. Jim Risch, state commerce officials and legislators last week in the governor’s office, but he wouldn’t say anything specific about new-store plans for either Post Falls or Liberty Lake. The company opened its first Idaho store Friday in Boise.

“We have an interest in the area,” Powell said. “We know we have a great customer base there, and at some point in the future, it would make sense for us to seriously consider a location in that region. I wouldn’t say that it would be in Post Falls or in Liberty Lake or in any particular location, but in the overall region, yes, there is an interest.”

He added, “This whole situation is just very sensitive, and typically we just don’t comment on these types of things at this stage.”

Post Falls city Administrator Jim Hammond met with development representatives for Cabela’s for four hours Thursday, and Mayor Clay Larkin said, “We are really, really happy they have chosen our area. … It’s their call when they make the announcement, but we anticipate it coming early this fall.”

Last winter, Washington passed incentive legislation designed to lure Cabela’s to Liberty Lake, while legislation to give the store a sales tax rebate in Idaho to finance a new freeway interchange at the Post Falls location languished.

Nonini said he’s had three meetings with Cabela’s officials. The firm’s California real estate company also participated in last week’s meeting in the governor’s office, he said.

“Cabela’s has told us that they would like to have a store opened up here by the end of ‘07,” Nonini said. “It’s just my feeling … that they feel much more committed to trying to make this happen in Idaho than in Washington, and I believe the reason for that is a much friendlier business climate in Idaho than in Washington.”

Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson, who pushed hard for the Washington incentive legislation, said he hasn’t talked with Cabela’s in “a while.” If the company does decide on Post Falls, he said, “It’s not really a loss for us because regionally we all see the benefits. … People will still pass through our town along the way. … The entire region will benefit from having Cabela’s in the area.”

The company’s new Boise store features extensive museum-style dioramas of wildlife, including cougars and moose in their natural habitat; an indoor archery range; a gun library; an aquarium with large, shimmering native fish; and racks and racks of hunting and fishing gear, clothing and supplies. The Boise store is 132,000 square feet, and occupies a former Costco store next to a major freeway interchange.

Nonini said he and a group of legislators from around the state will be reintroducing the legislation for Cabela’s in January, and Risch said he supports it. Under the measure, Cabela’s would pay for a freeway interchange on I-90 that could cost $12 million to $15 million, then recoup the money over several years by holding back a portion of the sales taxes it otherwise would hand over to the state from sales at the new store.

Risch said the same idea could work for other businesses that are looking at building freeway interchanges.

“We negotiate all the time with people who are in business on transportation issues,” Risch said. “We are in the business of helping business.”

The governor said, “I think I can say without breaking any confidences that Cabela’s is going to build a store either in northern Idaho or very close across the line in Washington. … We want them to build in Idaho.”

Nonini said many Post Falls businesses and residents would benefit from a new interchange because the current Pleasant View interchange is overburdened. “If they don’t come in, we have no revenue, and we have no interchange built,” Nonini said.

Staff writers Erica Curless, Christopher Rodkey, Rich Roesler and Melodie Little contributed to this report.