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Orchard Park Development

OneSweetWorld

By OneSweetWorld
in Grand Rapids

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CK1 Whistle-Stop

CK1

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I'd have to assume that without Cabela's putting a shovel in the group, the whole project is on hold? Has the land for this project been purchased or optioned? Either way, pushing the project off for 1, 2, or more years has to be an expensive issue for the developers to deal with...

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I'd have to assume that without Cabela's putting a shovel in the group, the whole project is on hold? Has the land for this project been purchased or optioned? Either way, pushing the project off for 1, 2, or more years has to be an expensive issue for the developers to deal with...
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jbr12 Hamlet

jbr12

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I'm glad this 'lifestyle center' is getting pushed back, maybe indefinitely (the news I heard was Cabela's would reevaluate the situation next year, so a 2010 opening isn't absolute). The scaled back version of this project is blah at best. Add in the fact its in middle of nowhere and eating up a bunch of greenfield property and it doesn't sit good as a development on my end...

I wish developers would put this much effort to get big retail downtown... but as we all know, thats a different story.

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CK1 Whistle-Stop

CK1

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Now that Cabela's is on hold (and potentially pulling out...they bought themselves a few years to come to that conclusion, though), do the developers have to rescale the project and represent it to the commission more or less to appease the investors, trying to give them false hope that they're not about to get burned? Michigan's economy, and even a somewhat resilient but yet nothing to brag about West Michigan economy would have a tough time absorbing yet another Rivertown Crossings-sized development.

I was never a big fan of tearing up this area and expanding the developed metro area even further out, so hopefully the entire development slowly fades away in oblivion...

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OneSweetWorld Whistle-Stop

OneSweetWorld

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Interesting article in the Press yesterday about whether or not an apple orchard should qualify as a brownfield.

"The acreage may look like rolling farmland, but it's a brownfield, say the cities, state officials and developers of the proposed Orchard Park complex.

It qualifies because farmers once sprayed the apple trees that grew there, leaving behind higher-than-average levels of arsenic in the soil, they contend."

Read the article here.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Interesting article in the Press yesterday about whether or not an apple orchard should qualify as a brownfield.

"The acreage may look like rolling farmland, but it's a brownfield, say the cities, state officials and developers of the proposed Orchard Park complex.

It qualifies because farmers once sprayed the apple trees that grew there, leaving behind higher-than-average levels of arsenic in the soil, they contend."

Read the article here.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Now everyone is all gung-ho Cabela's again. Was the announcement by Cabela's earlier this year (about stopping all expansions) just a negotiating move to get the state's to approve tax breaks?

http://www.nebraska.tv/Global/story.asp?S=...p;nav=menu605_2

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8...mp;nav=0RceNf8X

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=8867710

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/20...etteopinion.txt

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egrguy Burg

egrguy

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Im a little disapointed the state cracked and funded the credits for a retail shopping center. A Cabela's opened nearby (Lacey, WA) which is approx 50 miles south of Seattle this past November.

The state of Washington put $9.9 towards the project and this location predicts 4M annual visitors. With western Washington being a large fishing/hunting market and no other Cabela's in the state, Oregon or the metro Vancouver, CA area I'd expect a larger draw for such a "tourist draw".

With a GR location there will be stiff competition from metro Detroit, metro Chicago and N. Indiana I don't see the store hitting 6M or even 4M like the store here is aiming for. Plus these wont really be out of town visitors unless they're coming from northern Michigan.

Below is an older linked article referencing the Lacey, WA store's attendance goals and state contribution.

Cabela's store brings the outdoors in

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The ATX City

The ATX

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A Cabelas opened here in the Austin metro area in, I think 2005. They had to pay back a good chunk of their tax incentives to the State of Texas because they didn't hire as many employees as they said they would. None the less, Cabelas is a fun places to shop and are huge attractions. Their in store aquariums and taxidermy displays are exceptional.

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wingbert Burg

wingbert

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I could be way off but I thought I heard or read that the state based some or all of their incentives on a tourism precedent? Meaning that Cabelas would have to attract a certain percentage of its customers from outside the area or something? I suppose I should pay more attention...

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I could be way off but I thought I heard or read that the state based some or all of their incentives on a tourism precedent? Meaning that Cabelas would have to attract a certain percentage of its customers from outside the area or something? I suppose I should pay more attention...
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