Cabela's interested in two new stores near Chicago

The real estate team for Cabela's Inc. is investigating whether to build two of their large retail stores near Chicago -- one in Hammond and another in the northwest suburb of Hoffman Estates.

"The two are being considered as separate projects, not as two options on one project ... and one does not necessarily exclude the other," Cabela's spokesman James Powell said. "We will put stores where the market will bear them."

Officials in government and private industry have been closely watching Cabela's because the Nebraska-based company's stores are known to create hundreds of jobs and lure shoppers and tourists from large distances.

Cabela's is in negotiations to build a store in Hoffman Estates on land owned by Sears Holding Corp. Three Chicago-area newspapers reported this week the company is holding out for $40 million in state and local subsidies over 20 years.

A person familiar with the proposal said Tuesday he was confident the company would build in Hoffman Estates on land next to a new 11,000-seat arena.

Cabela's has the land under a sales option from Sears, which moved its corporate headquarters from downtown Chicago to the suburban village in the 1990s with the help of major public subsidies.

Powell could not comment on the option to buy the land or how much the company is seeking in government assistance.

"There are too many factors and issues out there to say that there's any kind of a deal," Powell said. "It's very preliminary to be reporting that there's any kind of inked agreement at this point."

In Hammond, Cabela's has made three offers to buy the Woodmar Country Club, a 93-acre private golf course and social club near the Indianapolis Avenue exit off the Borman Expressway.

The club's equity members have not voted on the latest offer to buy the land for $12 million. Officials have not said whether it's a straight purchase offer or an option to buy at that price. The two previous rejected offers were reportedly for options to buy the club.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr.'s office has negotiated a contract to hire a Merrillville consultant for up to $25,000 to draw up an integrated development plan for the country club property.

The consultant is expected to consider what economic impact such a development would have on Hammond and surrounding communities and whether it could happen without using eminent domain.

On Tuesday, Powell said there was no update on the Woodmar offer.

"We are having talks. We do think that area would be a perfect place for a Cabela's store, and we hope to have additional news shortly," Powell said. "The Chicago area is one our very best areas in the country to put a store, because we have a really good base of catalog and Internet customers there."

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