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Superstore may hinge on road extension
Cabela's reportedly eyes Henrico site once touted for NASCAR
BY WILL JONES
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Apr 5, 2007
A site in Henrico County that had been pitched for the NASCAR Hall of Fame is being considered for a Cabela's hunting and fishing superstore.
But to hear one landowner tell it, county officials might be squandering the potential deal.
T. Arthur Scott Jr., whose family owns land southeast of interstates 95 and 295, said he's worried that officials are insisting that Magellan Parkway be extended with a bridge over I-95 and a connection to U.S. 1 as part of the development.
"It's nice to draw a road on a piece of paper," he said in an interview. "It's quite another thing to impose that as a condition to the development of that property."
Cabela's, based in Sidney, Neb., specializes in hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, but its stores are major attractions. They feature extensive wildlife dioramas, stocked aquariums and other amenities and are often the size of Wal-Mart Supercenters.
Scott detailed his concerns in a letter last week to County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett. The costs of road improvements and additional land "may very well kill this deal," Scott said. "In fact, it may put the eventual development of this property off to far in the future."
In an interview, Hazelett would not confirm talks with Cabela's or discuss the plans for Magellan Parkway.
"There are negotiations ongoing that are considered economic development activities, which I can't comment on," he said.
James Powell, a retail spokesman for Cabela's, said the company is interested in Virginia but he would not discuss possible store sites.
"Yes, we're looking. Yes, we're interested," he said. "We're not at a point where we can get serious about any store in Virginia."
If Cabela's landed in the area, it would join several other national retailers that specialize in outdoor gear.
Bass Pro Shops is planning to open a store in June 2008 off I-95 at Lewistown Road in Hanover County.
Gander Mountain is working on a store in the NorthCross Center on Lakeridge Parkway off I-95 with an opening expected this fall, said Marc S. Weiss, Hanover's director of economic development.
Several years ago, Cabela's looked at the site where Bass Pro Shops is locating, he said.
Magellan Parkway is envisioned by Henrico as a major access road with four lanes and possibly a median. A portion of the road through the Windsor Business Park has four undivided lanes.
In 2003, Henrico updated its plans for the I-95 and I-295 area in light of growing interest in development. The study concluded the parkway should provide direct access to U.S. 1 and serve as a gateway to undeveloped land east of I-95.
Scott said county officials assured his family at the time that the parkway was conceptual and would not be required. He said access to about 150 acres that include his family's property could be provided from Parham Road through an adjoining tract, which is zoned to allow this.
The land was offered last year for the NASCAR Hall of Fame before NASCAR selected Charlotte, N.C. It also was considered by Capital One before it settled at the West Creek Business Park in Goochland County.
"It's a prime site," said C.W. Archer, who represents the area as the Fairfield District representative on the Henrico Planning Commission.
Archer said he recently met with real-estate agent Jeff Cooke about a potential development that would include a Cabela's store. Archer said he viewed the meeting as one that would precede the filing of a rezoning request.
"It appeared to be, from what he said, that they were pretty committed," Archer said.
Cabela's reportedly eyes Henrico site once touted for NASCAR
BY WILL JONES
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Apr 5, 2007
A site in Henrico County that had been pitched for the NASCAR Hall of Fame is being considered for a Cabela's hunting and fishing superstore.
But to hear one landowner tell it, county officials might be squandering the potential deal.
T. Arthur Scott Jr., whose family owns land southeast of interstates 95 and 295, said he's worried that officials are insisting that Magellan Parkway be extended with a bridge over I-95 and a connection to U.S. 1 as part of the development.
"It's nice to draw a road on a piece of paper," he said in an interview. "It's quite another thing to impose that as a condition to the development of that property."
Cabela's, based in Sidney, Neb., specializes in hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, but its stores are major attractions. They feature extensive wildlife dioramas, stocked aquariums and other amenities and are often the size of Wal-Mart Supercenters.
Scott detailed his concerns in a letter last week to County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett. The costs of road improvements and additional land "may very well kill this deal," Scott said. "In fact, it may put the eventual development of this property off to far in the future."
In an interview, Hazelett would not confirm talks with Cabela's or discuss the plans for Magellan Parkway.
"There are negotiations ongoing that are considered economic development activities, which I can't comment on," he said.
James Powell, a retail spokesman for Cabela's, said the company is interested in Virginia but he would not discuss possible store sites.
"Yes, we're looking. Yes, we're interested," he said. "We're not at a point where we can get serious about any store in Virginia."
If Cabela's landed in the area, it would join several other national retailers that specialize in outdoor gear.
Bass Pro Shops is planning to open a store in June 2008 off I-95 at Lewistown Road in Hanover County.
Gander Mountain is working on a store in the NorthCross Center on Lakeridge Parkway off I-95 with an opening expected this fall, said Marc S. Weiss, Hanover's director of economic development.
Several years ago, Cabela's looked at the site where Bass Pro Shops is locating, he said.
Magellan Parkway is envisioned by Henrico as a major access road with four lanes and possibly a median. A portion of the road through the Windsor Business Park has four undivided lanes.
In 2003, Henrico updated its plans for the I-95 and I-295 area in light of growing interest in development. The study concluded the parkway should provide direct access to U.S. 1 and serve as a gateway to undeveloped land east of I-95.
Scott said county officials assured his family at the time that the parkway was conceptual and would not be required. He said access to about 150 acres that include his family's property could be provided from Parham Road through an adjoining tract, which is zoned to allow this.
The land was offered last year for the NASCAR Hall of Fame before NASCAR selected Charlotte, N.C. It also was considered by Capital One before it settled at the West Creek Business Park in Goochland County.
"It's a prime site," said C.W. Archer, who represents the area as the Fairfield District representative on the Henrico Planning Commission.
Archer said he recently met with real-estate agent Jeff Cooke about a potential development that would include a Cabela's store. Archer said he viewed the meeting as one that would precede the filing of a rezoning request.
"It appeared to be, from what he said, that they were pretty committed," Archer said.
