The Idaho Legislature is expected this coming session to consider a measure that would allow sales tax dollars to be diverted to public improvement projects, including a proposed new Interstate 90 interchange that would serve the big new Cabelas Inc. store planned in Post Falls.


The Sidney, Neb.-based retail giant announced last month that it plans to build a 125,000-square-foot store in a planned retail development located just north of I-90 and just east of the state line. Currently, drivers must access that area from I-90 at the Pleasant View Road exit a couple of miles to the east, or from exit 299 across the border in Washington.


Idaho state Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Post Falls, says Cabelas is willing to front the money needed to build a new interchange at Beck Road, located near the east end of the planned 200-acre retail development site and west of Pleasant View, but wants the Legislature to create a mechanism to help the giant retailer get some of that money back.


Nonini says he plans to join with Reps. Frank Henderson and Jim Hammond, both of Post Falls, in supporting whats being called the Sales Tax Anticipated Revenue (STAR) bill, which would allow Cabelas to retain a portion of the sales tax it will collect. He says Cabelas expects its new Post Falls store will have annual sales of about $100 million.


Nonini believes theres already support for the STAR legislation.


A number of colleagues in the Legislature believe its a great economic tool, Nonini says. Its a way to get public infrastructure with private dollars.


Cabelas store will be located near the Spokane River, on the far west end of the retail development, which is to be called the Pointe at Post Falls and is being developed by Foursquare Properties Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif. Foursquare already has begun site work for the Cabelas store, which could open as early as next fall with up to 250 employees.


The store will be the first to anchor the proposed 925,000-square-foot Pointe at Post Falls development.


Jeffrey Vitek, president of Foursquare, says the development company supports the STAR legislation, but points out that it isnt specific to Cabelas.


The proposed legislation will benefit our project as well as others in the state, he says.


He says hes not sure how quickly interchange construction costs would be recovered through the measure.


Were not the authors, he says. We dont know what it will look like.


The proposed new interchange would be located on an extension of Beck Road, a north-south road that connects to Seltice Way to the north and currently ends just north of I-90. The interchange is expected to cost between $12 million and $20 million.


At Idahos sales-tax rate of 6 percent, Cabelas will bring in $6 million in sales tax annually if the store meets its early sales projections, Nonini says.


The Idaho Transportation Department acknowledges that the current closest I-90 interchange to the development, at Pleasant View, is outdated, and another interchange needs to be added nearby, he says. Without some private investment, however, getting a new interchange built at Beck Road could take two decades or more, Nonini says.


Post Falls Mayor Clay Larkin says that if all goes well with the STAR legislation, it would take about three years to complete the interchange project.


Barbara Babic, spokeswoman in ITDs Coeur dAlene office, says her agency hasnt received any information from the developers about the proposed interchange.


Other than a conceptual drawing by Foursquare, theres no official design for the proposed interchange, because its not even on the states long-range transportation improvement plan, Nonini says.


Legislation similar to the STAR bill was proposed too late for action during the last legislative session. But hes optimistic the measure will fare better in the session that begins next month, he says. Last time, It was portrayed as Cabelas project, Nonini says. This time, it will start as a pilot project.


He says the legislation will be crafted to encourage economic development throughout the state.


Mayor Larkin says hes confident the legislation will pass in the next session.


State politicians visited the Cabelas site recently during a North Idaho legislative tour, and they were able to envision the economic development the STAR funding could fuel, Larkin says.


He says interim Gov. Jim Risch, who will become Idahos lieutenant governor in January, also has vowed to support the STAR legislation.


Larkin says he doesnt think Cabelas would pull out of the Pointe at Post Falls development if the STAR bill doesnt pass, but the company probably wouldnt build the interchange if the legislation fails.


Theyve already bought the property, he says. Were not thinking in terms of it not passing.


Contact Mike McLean at (509) 344-1266 or via e-mail at [email protected].