Cabela's is coming to Mass.

[Garys]

- I know of some industrial park developers who were forced to give the town a new fire station or new fire engines as part of the deal.

Ikea in Stoughton did a lot of work on the roads in the area, is buying the town at least one fire engine, and is paying $1Million a year in property taxes.

- There were some serious concessions made to keep the Patriots in Foxboro. Lots of highway improvements were made. Don't recall if the gov't paid for them but I suspect as much.

Some of it was paid by the state, but I think a lot of it was paid for by Kraft. Not to mention the paid details! <G>

- I've sat thru Zoning Board of Appeals meetings where the ZBA demanded items/concessions from the developers that had absolutely nothing to do with their development. It was an "either do it or get denied your permits" issue! I call it extortion!

During the Ray Flynn years, this was known as linkage. Builders had to provide some public benefit in order to get their projects approved. The people who built International place had to build a new fire station, other companies had to build parks or community centers. Some may consider it extortion, but in fact it helps to offset the additional costs that the municipalities generally end up bearing.

Gary

 

[glc]

Bye bye, Cabella's

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2006/04/11/city/city3.txt

The Sun Chronicle reports that Cabella's is taking a pass, at least for now. It seems like they didn't get the tax break from Plainville that they wanted (poor babies), and the property owner was not willing to back down.

Bass still seems to be interested in the Kraft site a few mile north on Rte 1. And Bass is not asking for a tax break and is willing to pay its fair share to the host Town.

We all hate taxes. But I support the Town of Plainville for not backing down.
Cabella's can afford the local taxes. Shame on its management for wanting to put the load on the homeowners in Plainville.

As indicated in a previous post, I would have welcomed Cabella's to the area, but if this is the way they play the game, good riddance. The other sporting stores in the area, owned by Massachusetts citizens, pay their taxes. Why should Cabella's, owned by non-Massachusetts owners, get a free ride ?

GLC

 

[Admin]

I disagree with it being a good decision. The numbers weren't listed but I highly doubt it was no tax. It's usually a portion of tax for 8 to 10 years. Cabelas has to fork out a ton of money for the first year to get the store up and running, training all it's employees, and both of these while the store is not generating any revenue at all.

The current land is vacant and not bringing in any tax revenue at all. Not to mention the year long construction jobs created to build the monsterous builiding and the employee salaries that will be created in the area from a Cabelas going in.

Plainville missed out on a good opportunity for putting itself on the map.

 

[ArmedMainer]

I disagree with it being a good decision. The numbers weren't listed but I highly doubt it was no tax. It's usually a portion of tax for 8 to 10 years. Cabelas has to fork out a ton of money for the first year to get the store up and running, training all it's employees, and both of these while the store is not generating any revenue at all.

The current land is vacant and not bringing in any tax revenue at all. Not to mention the year long construction jobs created to build the monsterous builiding and the employee salaries that will be created in the area from a Cabelas going in.

Plainville missed out on a good opportunity for putting itself on the map.

The Boston Globe article said it was close to $200 million Cabela's wanted. Bass Pro Shops didn't ask for a cent. Why can one company do it free and another wants special rights?

 

[Adam_MA]

Why can one company do it free and another wants special rights?

Just smart business decisions. Cabellas can afford to not put the store it, and find a better location, in another town that will be willing to give a little, to get a TON back.

Adam

 

[C-pher]

I disagree with it being a good decision. The numbers weren't listed but I highly doubt it was no tax. It's usually a portion of tax for 8 to 10 years. Cabelas has to fork out a ton of money for the first year to get the store up and running, training all it's employees, and both of these while the store is not generating any revenue at all.

The current land is vacant and not bringing in any tax revenue at all. Not to mention the year long construction jobs created to build the monsterous builiding and the employee salaries that will be created in the area from a Cabelas going in.

Plainville missed out on a good opportunity for putting itself on the map.

Well, I'm supprised that Plainville didn't do it. They did this same thing with the Outlet stores, they went to Wrentham. And from what I've been told, Plainville has been kicking themselves for sometime.

They just did it again. Plainville doesn't really have anything. Wrentham with the outlets, that when you go, you can't drive on 1A from all that mall traffic, and then opening a Crackel Barrel, Uno's, Restoration Hardware, and now they are building more by that mall. That all could have been Plainville.

Foxboro had the staduim, and now BPS. Plainville just built a Target. WHOO-HOO!

They may be standing thier ground, but they are losing money.

 

[Admin]

The Boston Globe article said it was close to $200 million Cabela's wanted. Bass Pro Shops didn't ask for a cent. Why can one company do it free and another wants special rights?

Why? Because they can get it else where. Tons of other small towns around the country have done it and have benefited from it. Like I said the land is vacant now, the town is getting shit for revenue on it and it will not be developed any time in the near future.

I don't understand how a town wouldn't want to put in a Cabelas. It will create a 200 or so jobs and will bump the local economy from all the travelers going to the store.

Getting Tax relief is nothing new to big corporations, it happens all the time.

 

[jshooter]

I think that, maybe, Bass Pro is willing to leave the tax break to get in before Cabelas and that is the way to get it done as quickly as possible. There may be an advantage to setting up shop first. I have never been to either shop but some friends in Maryland will drive to Cabelas in Pa instead of going to Bass Pro in Baltimore. So maybe they want to get a leg up on Cabelas in this region somehow.

 

[Nickle]

I don't blame Cabela's one bit. Just because Plainville won't give them a break doesn't mean nobody else will. Tax breaks are fairly standard practice, and have been for quite some time. Funny thing is, why doesn't Cabela's seek out a location in Southern NH?

Also remember, Cabela's and Bass Pro differ in their product and customer base. Cabela's biggest competitor would be Gander Mountain, not Bass Pro. None of them are bad, they're just different.

If you don't believe, go into a Bass Pro and try to buy surplus 30-06 ammo. They don't carry it. IIRC, they don't sell cases of Wolf 7.62x39, either.

Cabela's and Gander Mountain both sell bulk ammo.

 

[Admin]

Cabelas reloading section is very very nice!

 

[C-pher]

And we don't have a Gander Mountain either...

 

[Len-2A Training]

Companies regularly ask for tax breaks. Per MGLs, some that are granted are actually in violation of MGLs, but are sometimes done with winks and nods. [I spent 28 years on the town's Development & Industrial Commission, chartered by MGL and investigated this issue.]

Towns regularly demand concessions from developers (e.g. new highways, fire engines, water stand-pipes, other community "developments" all paid for by the developer). [I've witnessed some of this by sitting thru numerous Zoning Board of Appeals meetings, etc.]

It's a big game.

Legally, if an area is declared "depressed", there are tax concessions offered by Law to ANY developer in developing and creating jobs there. I doubt that the area in question in Plainville is legally considered "blighted". But if they wanted to do a similar project in areas of Boston (yeah, when pigs fly), Brockton, Taunton, Fall River, New Bedford, Springfield, etc. this would be a very good possibility. Of course the likelihood of a local chief allowing MA Dealers Licenses to sell ammo or guns at these cities is about as likely as my winning the lottery without buying a ticket.

 

[JonJ]

Plymouth would welcome them and so would I! We have the room we'd and probably give them some kind of a break. It's done in this town all the time.

 

[ArmedMainer]

Why? Because they can get it else where. Tons of other small towns around the country have done it and have benefited from it. Like I said the land is vacant now, the town is getting shit for revenue on it and it will not be developed any time in the near future.

I don't understand how a town wouldn't want to put in a Cabelas. It will create a 200 or so jobs and will bump the local economy from all the travelers going to the store.

Getting Tax relief is nothing new to big corporations, it happens all the time.

Cabela's timing was a little off on this one. I'm sure the towns taxpayers saw that Bass Pro Shops could move in and make tax revenue without asking them to bend over. They got to see the Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops numbers side by side because both wanted approval right around the same time. I don't blame the town officials and taxpayers for calling Cabela's on what it tried to pull. I'm not against giving corporations some incentive to stay in town. What Cabela's wanted was a free ride.

 

[Admin]

Cabela's timing was a little off on this one. I'm sure the towns taxpayers saw that Bass Pro Shops could move in and make tax revenue without asking them to bend over. They got to see the Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops numbers side by side because both wanted approval right around the same time. I don't blame the town officials and taxpayers for calling Cabela's on what it tried to pull. I'm not against giving corporations some incentive to stay in town. What Cabela's wanted was a free ride.

Was Bass Pro Shops planning on putting a store in Plainville? If so then it makes sense for the town to not give Cabelas a break. If not then I still don't agree with the decision.

 

[Adam_MA]

Besides... From what I hear, Cabellas has already sought out a location in S. NH.

No handguns, but at least we can beat out the sales tax!