Photo of the Betco Block Plant on Wellington Road in Gainesville. (Photo by Jason Shaw.)Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart celebrated the announcement that a 79,000 square-foot Cabela's outfitter and sporting good store was coming to Virginia Gateway Center in spring of 2017, saying it would be an economic driver for the area.
"Prince William County continues to be a significant driver of economic development and job growth in Virginia. The addition of Cabela's is precisely the type of smart redevelopment that we encourage businesses to bring forward in Prince William County,” Stewart said.
Cabela's announced Wednesday that Peterson Companies was redeveloping the industrial Betco Block Plant near the intersection of Linton Hall Road and Lee Highway (Route 29) and rezoning it for a for the mega-retail store. The store is expected to employ approximately 190 people and draw shoppers from D.C., Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
Stewart spoke further with Bristow Beat about the significance of Cabela’s coming to the Virginia Gateway Shopping Center in Gainesville.
“Cabela’s is a huge destination sporting store that is going to draw a ton of people into Prince William County,” he said. “And, it’s more than just a retail store - it’s a quality of life store. People don’t go there just to shop; there are also activities, dining and so forth. It’s a quality of life development.
He stressed that the Virginia Gateway Center, along with the new Promenade, has become a destination for entertainment, shopping and dining, not for only for western Prince William residents, but also for those from surrounding counties.
Cabela's Outfitters store.“Virginia Gateway is quickly becoming a retail and entertainment regional center, and it’s servicing not just the residents of Prince William County, but essentially the entire 66 corridor, including residents from Fairfax, Loudoun and Fauquier counties. It brings in revenues; it creates jobs.”
While Stewart said industrial plants are still needed in the county, he believes that Cabela’s is a much better fit for the very “visible” location off I-66 and Lee Highway.
Over the past 15 years, Peterson Companies has transformed the intersection of I-66 and Route 29 into the commercial and social hub of western Prince William County. This parcel is a continuation of the company’s vision for Gainesville and its commitment to enhancing the offerings for the community.
The Gainesville location will be the first Cabela's store in the Washington, D.C. metro area and only the third in the state of Virginia.
"Virginia Gateway has always been one of our most successful retail developments, and we are proud that Cabela’s - the world’s foremost outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, selected us for their first Washington, D.C. location,” Taylor O. Chess, President of Retail, Peterson Companies, said.
Representative from Cabela’s also believe their super-store is a good fit for Gainesville upscale retail center, and those at Virginia Gateway Center agree.
“The new Cabela’s is the perfect complement to the existing 1.3 million square foot Virginia Gateway, which is home to some of the nation’s leading retail and restaurant brands, hotel, office and a 14-screen Regal Theater,” a Virginia Gateway representative said in a statement to the local press.
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