By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Construction crews are working to have a new Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Alabaster open in late April 2014 after starting work on the project in early September.

On Sept. 9 crews had built a green privacy fence around the construction site, and had started groundwork on the about 50,000-square-foot building next to Target in Alabaster’s South Colonial Promenade shopping center.

Alabaster City Manager George Henry said the project’s developer, Highway 11/31 II, is working to complete the building in April 2014, and is attempting to have the building’s shell up before the Christmas shopping season.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, no heavy construction equipment is allowed in the shopping center, Henry said. Once the building’s shell is completed, crews will work inside the building through the holiday season, which begins after Thanksiving.

During a mid-August meeting, the Alabaster City Council voted to extend until Oct. 1 Highway 11/31 II’s deadline to sign an agreement with the city on the project. On Sept. 9, Henry said all documents had been signed, and the developer is clear to complete the project.

Through Alabaster’s agreement with 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.