First hurdle is jumped to attract Cabela's to Sarpy County

[Omaha Cowboy]

Step1..Check..

Good news. From the Friday W-H:

'LINCOLN - Cabela's has lured its first support in the Nebraska Legislature for a bill that could lead the outdoor retailer to build in Sarpy County.

Thursday, the Revenue Committee voted 5-3 to advance Legislative Bill 500, a tax incentives proposal, to the full Legislature.

The bill, which would allow creation of special tourism and entertainment districts, did not advance without criticism from some committee members.

Although the theory is that out-of-state shoppers would expand Nebraska's economy, State Sen. Pam Redfield of Omaha said the bill doesn't require that new sales tax revenues come from out of state.

"I don't think this is new dollars," Redfield said. "It is existing dollars already moving through Nebraska."

Cabela's, based in Sidney, Neb., hopes to use those incentives to build a destination showroom somewhere in Sarpy County, probably off Interstate 80.

Up to 75 percent of sales and lodging taxes generated in those districts could go back into the projects, including their building or infrastructure costs.

Walt Radcliffe, the lobbyist for the retailer, said he was pleased the bill advanced. "We look forward to telling our story to the members of the Legislature at large."

Voting for the bill were State Sens. David Landis of Lincoln, Tom Baker of Trenton, Matt Connealy of Decatur, Abbie Cornett of Bellevue and Don Preister of Omaha. Sens. Ray Janssen of Nickerson, Ron Raikes of Lincoln and Redfield voted against it.

Redfield also expressed concern that the bill would allow local government to claim eminent domain over privately owned land and then turn it over to a retailer.

Raikes cited an audit of similar retail tourism development near Kansas City, where a store was allowed to sell land obtained through eminent domain.

"It looks like an absolute scam," he said.

Before advancing the measure, the Revenue Committee revised it with a so-called "Wal-Mart" amendment. The amendment would not allow the incentives to be used for any retailer that has another location within 25 miles.

Janssen, a small-town grocer who believes Wal-Mart has posed unfair competition to small-town retailers, said the amendment made the measure "more palatable."

State Sen. Gail Kopplin of Gretna has designated LB 500 his priority bill, virtually assuring that it will be debated by the full Legislature before adjournment in early June.'..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

[Will]

This is great news.
I hope they build it at the Hwy 6/31 and I80 exit (Gretna). It would be cool if this could get us an amusement park. I don't think there is another amusement park with in the 25 mile zone proposed