Sportsman's Warehouse could close before it opens

An outdoor sporting goods store in Carson City could close before it opens.

Sportsman's Warehouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday. The Midvale, Utah-based chain building a store in Carson City announced earlier this month it would close 23 stores and try to sell another 15.

Chairman and CEO Stuart Utgaard said the company hasn't decided what it will do with the Carson City store.

The company could know in a week what it will do with the store, he said.

Utgaard told the Associated Press that a deal to sell Calgary, Canada-based UFA Co-operative Ltd. 15 stores and a majority stake in the private company fell through.

Joe McCarthy, city business development manager, said he hopes Sportsman's Warehouse can find the financing to open as scheduled on April 30.

Construction is basically complete on the building, he said, and the store would be welcomed in the city.

"We're going to be optimistic," McCarthy said.

Bellevue, Wash.-based City Management Services owns the Sportsman's Warehouse and neighboring Burlington Coat Factory buildings on South Carson Street. The developer bought the buildings, formerly a 120,000-square-foot Wal-Mart, from Max Baer Jr. in 2007.

Burlington Coat Factory's Carson City store is "strong" and has no plans to close, said Rick Bramble, a company representative. The store opened in August.

- Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212. The Associated Press contributed to this article.