THE ISSUE:

Rapid City voters will decide the fate of a 30-acre land transfer deal to Cabela's on Tuesday, Sept. 18.

OUR VIEW:

The RCJ Editorial Board urges a "yes" vote.

We urge the voters of Rapid City to vote yes to support the 30-acre land transfer that is part of the city's incentive package to land a Cabela's store.

On Tuesday, city voters will have the opportunity to approve or reject the transfer of 30 city-owned acres to a nonprofit economic development foundation, which will in turn deed the land to the retail sporting-goods chain as part of its deal to build in Rapid City. The land, along with a $2 million dollar cash incentive payment from another economic development fund, puts the estimated value of the total package at $5.7 million, a deal that compares favorably with incentives offered by other communities that have attracted the retailer.

People with the best interests of Rapid City at heart can disagree on the cost to city taxpayers of that incentive package, but we trust that city officials were in the best position to make the most informed decision on how to leverage undeveloped land into economic growth and development for Rapid City.

In negotiating with Cabela's, city officials, like any land speculator, had a decision to make about the best way to maximize its investment in land it purchased 12 years ago for $169,679. The city pocketed a tidy profit after selling off a few acres of that land parcel for $626,015 to bypass development a couple of years ago.

The main reason that the 30 acres, which are at the center of Tuesday's referendum, are being called "prime" real estate today is because Cabela's wants to build one of its stores nearby. Without Cabela's, it does not hold the same "potential" value.

Someone in city government had the vision to purchase that land, and we trust that other city leaders have the correct vision about how to make the most of that land investment today - by using it to land a Cabela's store that will anchor a much-larger retail shopping area - rather than sell it on the open market.

Some of the allegations made by critics of the Cabela's land deal have merit. The way former Mayor Jim Shaw handled the announcement and the public disclosure of the deal could have been better. Maybe the city could have bargained harder, though this deal falls in line with similar deals that Cabela's has received.

Other criticisms of the incentive package have been outlandish. Some are harmful.

Current and former city officials who negotiated and approved this incentive package for Cabela's want to see Rapid City prosper. They should not be portrayed as underhanded politicians making secret deals in smoke-filled back rooms.

Rapid City has the opportunity to land a destination business that will draw millions of visitors, lure even more businesses to that area of Interstate 90 and provide a huge boost to the city's sales tax revenues. This is a business like few others in the retail industry, and Rapid City should support its city leaders who helped draw such a company.

We urge a yes vote on Tuesday to support the land transfer agreement.