By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Alabaster’s newest sporting goods store will open its doors in the South Promenade shopping center on Friday, April 25, and will hold a weekend of special promotions as part of its grand opening ceremonies.

Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is at 200 South Colonial Drive next to Target in the shopping center off U.S. 31, will open to the public at 8 a.m. on April 25.

Throughout the weekend, Dick’s will host a variety of giveaways, including a free Under Armour Tech T-shirt for the first 100 people in line on Friday and a free mystery gift card from $5 to $500 for the first 100 adults in line on Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27. Guests who get in line early will receive their unique combination for a chance to open the Dick’s Sporting Goods Gift Locker at 7:45 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8:45 a.m. on Sunday.

On April 27, former University of Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker will make an in-store appearance from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Fluker, who currently plays in the NFL, was a three-time national champion at Alabama and a first-team All-American in 2012.

“We’re excited to be joining Alabaster with the opening of our newest location,” Lauren Hobart, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Dick’s Sporting Goods, wrote in a press release. “We look forward to offering the finest quality products and highest level of customer service to the Alabaster community.”

Through Alabaster’s agreement with the project’s developer, Highway 11/31 II, the city will provide up to $1.9 million in tax breaks over the next 10 years.

The incentive package is tied to the city’s sales tax, and uses a tiered system over a 10-year period.

Alabaster currently charges a 4 percent city sales tax, with 1 percent going to the city’s school fund to support the upcoming Alabaster school district. The incentive package will only apply to 3 percent of the city’s sales tax collected at Dick’s and any outparcel development built between McDonald’s and O’Charley’s, leaving the 1 percent earmarked for the school fund intact.

Alabaster will reimburse the developer for 90 percent of the 3 percent city sales tax collected at Dick’s and the outparcel development during the first year the Dick’s store is open.

The city will keep 5 percent more of the sales tax revenue collected at Dick’s and the possible outparcel development each year through the 10^th year the Dick’s store is in operation.