Scheels shows off in-progress Johnstown megastore

A year ago, officials from Scheels broke ground on a mega sporting goods store southeast of Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 34.

With just about seven months to go before the grand opening, officials said thank you to its legion of contractors and offered its first look inside the behemoth 250,000-square-foot store.

The store plans to open Sept. 30 and is hiring 350 to 400 workers from Northern Colorado and transferring about 50 from its other locations. A list of current openings is online at scheels.com/johnstown.

Capitalizing on the "wow" factor, the megastore will feature a 65-foot indoor Ferris wheel under a sunlit atrium. The classically restored 1930s wheel is expected to be installed in July and will be the centerpiece of what Scheels calls its retail shopping adventure.

The store will also feature a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium; bronze sculptures made by the Lundeen family in Loveland that will arrive in September; 85 specialty stores that stock 2.2 million pieces of inventory throughout the year; and a 2,000-square-foot Denver Broncos pro shop, officials said during the tour.

Employees of the employee-owned, privately held chain based in Fargo, North Dakota, will have an average annual salary of about $45,000.

The Johnstown Town Council created a metro district for Johnstown Plaza and plans to issue $95 million in bonds to help with infrastructure improvements, including improving Ronald Reagan Boulevard and extending water and sewer lines and storm drainage.

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Under the financing agreement, the town will collect 3 percent sales tax, keeping 1 percent and giving 2 percent back to retailers who will funnel it to a trustee to help repay the debt.

The developer will impose a 2.5 percent public improvement fee, which means shoppers will pay 2.5 percent more on purchases made at Johnstown Plaza.

Johnstown officials have estimated one-time revenue tied to building permits and other fees for Johnstown Plaza will generate $6.17 million, plus about $3.94 million per year in sales and property tax revenue.

By the numbers

• 250,000 square feet, the equivalent of 4 ½ football fields
• 88 feet at its highest point
• 2,000 tons of steel to be used
• 1,000 truckloads of concrete
• Enough bricks to stretch from the site to Rocky Mountain National Park
• $93 million in tax incentives
• 2.5 percent public improvement fee

Source: Scheels