Cabela's investment in its first store in Georgia and theSoutheast will be "in the $30-million to $40-million range," aCabela's spokesperson, tells GlobeSt.com. "We are only at thestarting design stage now and have no floor plans or definite(development) cost numbers yet."

The spokesperson says escalating construction costs for laborand material still have to be incorporated into a final estimateddevelopment cost. Atlanta area construction sources tellGlobeSt.com the estimate is "in line" with estimated hardconstruction costs of about $230 to $250 per sf for a store ofCabela's stature. "They won't be putting up a Wal-Mart-styledbuilding so their costs are going to be appreciably higher," anAtlanta general contractor familiar with the construction ofspecialty retail locations tells GlobeSt.com.

The spokesperson tells GlobeSt.com Adairsville was selectedinstead of a larger community nearer to Downtown Atlanta because"it fits our model" for development of new locations. "It's along amajor interstate highway; it will be at the corner of a heavilytrafficked intersection; it is near Chattanooga, Tennessee and theAlabama border; it is in the path of near-future commercial realestate development growth; and the community in general welcomesour entrance to their area."