“You can’t really see the town from the highway,” she said. Albright said some businesses have seen extra activity but nothing dramatic, probably because the store is at a highway exit, less than a quarter-mile north of I-78. “We were led to believe this was going to turn the whole town around, but that hasn’t happened.”īorough Manager Lynda G. “At first I thought Cabela’s was a good idea,” said Deena Kershner, manager of Our Town Foundation, a nonprofit revitalization program for Hamburg. They also are disappointed that existing businesses have yet to see a significant increase in sales, officials said. Many officials and residents in Hamburg are upset that the area has yet to experience the predicted booming growth. But most of the jobs at the store are relatively low-paying. The store has created some new activity in the area at ancillary food businesses and a nearby hotel. New facilities are being built, and the moratorium is expected to be lifted next year. “As far as development in the township, that has been delayed because of the sewage infrastructure.”Ī moratorium on new development has been in place because of the antiquated sewer infrastructure that serves the borough and township.
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“It has not yet achieved its full benefits in indirect development,” he said.
McKeon acknowledged that Cabela’s, so far, has not met the expectations of some local officials and businesses. Officials for Cabela’s also would not provide tax figures for the store. Repeated phone calls for comment to the Governor’s Action Team for economic development, which led the project, were not returned. McKeon could not give exact sales tax figures. We’re seeing a tremendous influx of people into the county as a result.” “It’s been a tremendous shot in the arm for state sales tax revenue. “The store has been excellent for the area. The store employs about 600 workers and has brought in millions in sales tax, he said. Tom McKeon, county director of community and economic development, said the company is making good on its promises. State and county officials predicted that Cabela’s would trigger new economic activity for the area, located about an hour’s drive from the state’s depressed coal-mining region.Īnticipating about $4 million in annual state sales tax, officials approved more than $32 million in tax breaks and other incentives for Cabela’s. The company said the 235,000-square-foot store in Tilden Township would create hundreds of jobs. State officials, keen on bringing Cabela’s to the 650-acre site just across the Connecticut River from the Adriaen’s Landing redevelopment in Hartford, also are negotiating incentives with the company.Ĭabela’s, based in Sidney, Neb., opened its only store in the Northeast in September 2003 just outside of Hamburg, about 30 miles west of Allentown in Berks County. Matos’ plan calls for a development of technological research offices, hotels, medical and sports facilities, stores, educational facilities, hundreds of condominium and rental apartment units and restaurants.Ĭabela’s, which bills itself as the nation’s largest direct marketer of outdoor merchandise, has 12 stores throughout the country and boasts of being able to attract 3 million to 4 million shoppers annually - many from more than 100 miles away - to a typical store.Īs a testament to Cabela’s ability to draw tourists, states and municipalities have showered more than $300 million in economic incentives to lure the company.įearing they would miss an opportunity for much-needed development, East Hartford Town Council members last month approved $6.7 million in tax abatements to entice Cabela’s. The 200,000-square-foot “outdoor experience” store, to be located on a 10-acre lake at Rentschler, would be in the center of the new $2 billion mixed-use development envisioned for the former airfield owned by United Technologies Inc. “Our store is in the middle of everything.” “I don’t want to offend the people in Hamburg, but there’s one major difference between the Cabela’s planned at Rentschler and the one there: The Hamburg store is all by itself in the middle of nowhere,” Matos said. The store straddles the township line.īut Dan Matos, the developer for Rentschler, said East Hartford and Hamburg are worlds apart and the lack of development in Pennsylvania is not a true indication of East Hartford’s potential. It has not been what the town thought it was going to be,” said Cheryl Haus, secretary treasurer of Tilden Township. “As far as Hamburg is concerned, I don’t see that there’s been a whole lot of business going from Cabela’s.
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