Local News
City Council sets special election on Cabela's land deal
Cabela's offers to give VIC, some property back to city
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RAPID CITY -- Citing a desire to let the democratic process work, the Rapid City Council unanimously voted to set a special election about the decision to give away 30 acres of land north of Interstate 90 where the Black Hills Visitor Information Center is located.
"There are 3,000-some odd people in this community that take offense with the action the city council took when we approved those agreements," Alderman Malcom Chapman said. "In light of that, it's only appropriate, it's only right that the city council would approve this to have an election."
In June, the council approved three agreements with Cabela's, one of gave the land and the VIC to the Rapid City Economic Development Foundation, which would then transfer the property to Cabela's.
Cabela's plans to build an 80,000-square-foot store less than a mile west of the VIC land as part of a larger Foursquare Properties retail center on 70 acres near Dyess Avenue and East Mall Drive.
Other parts of the Cabela's incentive package included $2 million in economic development funds and moving the VIC inside the new Cabela's.
Opponents gathered 3,100 signatures the past few weeks to force a vote specifically on giving away the VIC and its land. Many opponents also opposed putting the VIC inside a commercial business.
City attorney Jason Green announced Monday the referendum could go forward after his research indicated the law did not provide a strong consensus either way about whether the council's decision to give the land to the economic development foundation is referable.
"Given there is a presumption favoring placing items on the ballot, my advice is to accept the petitions and set an election," he said.
The council set the special election for Tuesday, Sept. 18.
Fred Weishaupl, a retired engineering and land development consultant who spearheaded the referendum drive, said he felt the council did the right thing.
"It's needed to let the people who own the property vote for it," he said. "The end user of who they're giving it to is not going to build on it. So we need to say to them, let's keep the land."
Earlier Monday, Cabela's announced it would change its plans regarding the VIC because of concerns voiced by Rapid City citizens.
"It has become apparent many citizens of Rapid City believe the Visitor Center should remain where it is currently located," said Kevin Rhodes, Cabela's Director of Real Estate. "Citizens have also expressed a desire to have the Visitor Information Center remain in a separate building rather than have it become part of the Cabela's retail store."
Rhodes said that Cabela's listened carefully to those concerns and will offer to the city council a commitment to separate and deed back to the city the property on which the visitor center is located along with a parking lot sufficient to meet the needs of the visitor center.
Weishaupl the offer was a nice gesture, but the company doesn't own the property yet.
"It's a good offer if they own the property. They don't own the property," he said. "Hopefully, with 3,100 people who have already said 'we don't want it in.' That's generally the comment we had from people was that they shouldn't give the land away."
Acting finance officer Pauline Sumption said her office would coordinate the special election with Pennington County, who would operate the election for the city.
Contact Scott Aust at 394-8415, or scott.aust@rapidcityjournal.com
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