Menards breaks ground -- again -- in Omaha
Menards has begun building its fourth store in the Omaha, Neb., metro area, and this unit will sit right next to a sports facility. An article in the Ralston Recorder explains how the deal to bring the Menards to Ralston, a community at the southern edge of Omaha, spanned more than two years and required a state bill to allow the city to capture 70% of state sales tax on new businesses opening within 600 yards of the Ralston Arena.
Ralston Mayor Don Groesser even flew to Eau Clare, Wis. -- Menards headquarters -- to make a personal pitch to the home improvement retailer’s executives.
According to projections, Ralston will need about $50 million in annual retail sales inside a 600-yard radius to keep up with bond payments for the new sports arena. The average Menards store does $40 million in business annually, the article said. Other retail outlets are expected to open around the facility once the Menards is built.