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APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE 2' REPORT TO THE NOVEMBER 2012 STM <br />Table 2: Expected incremental revenues under various scenarios <br />Qualitative Analvsis <br />It is impossible to predict with certainty when Ledgemont 3 will be developed. Even if the TIF agreement is <br />approved, Vistaprint remains in negotiations with another property owner in another community and may <br />find that the difference in lease rates for existing property relative to the lease rate for new construction at <br />Ledgemont 3 is too large to warrant expansion in Lexington. Similarly, it is impossible to know when Hobbs <br />Brook may choose to develop the site in the absence of Vistaprint's desire to expand. Nonetheless, the <br />location is highly desirable and was acquired by Hobbs Brook with the knowledge that Vistaprint was <br />looking for expansion space elsewhere. <br />We believe that scenario 3 (a 2 -year delay without the TIF) is possible and that scenario 4 (a 3 -year delay <br />without the TIF) is reasonably likely. As a result, we view the revenue associated with scenario 4 to be the <br />minimum expected by the Town with respect to any TIF to be granted. The proposed TIF agreement satisfies <br />that limit and provides a slightly better return when calculated as a net present value. <br />Should Vistaprint choose to relocate to another community at the end of its current lease in 2017, as assumed <br />in scenario 5, there is a risk that the current property at 95 Hayden Avenue may remain vacant for an <br />extended period of time. While this will have limited short-term effect on the property's assessment, it may <br />serve to reduce the region's occupancy rate and may reduce the roughly $1,000,000 in local commercial <br />spending associated with Vistaprint's employees and its domestic and international visitors. This spending on <br />local hotels, restaurants, and services improves the local economy and contributes to local meal and hotel <br />occupancy tax receipts for the town. Given the desirability of the property, we see a protracted vacancy as a <br />relatively low- probability event and discount its broad effects. We do, however, see a greater potential for a <br />new tenant to have a more conventional mix of personal property and for those revenues to be cut in half to <br />about $75,000 per year. <br />Incremental benefit in million $$ <br />Scenarios for development of <br />Ledgemont 3 <br />Property Tax <br />Additional net <br />Total <br />benefit <br />1) TIF is turned down, but Vistaprint stays <br />with construction and occupancy <br />$ 9.53 <br />$ 0.66 <br />$ 10.19 <br />proceeding on the proposed schedule. <br />2) TIF is approved, construction and <br />occupancy proceed on the proposed <br />$ 8.32 <br />$ 0.66 <br />$ 8.98 <br />schedule. <br />3) TIF is turned down, Hobbs Brook <br />proceeds with a longer construction <br />$ 8.95 <br />$ 0.42 <br />$ 9.36 <br />schedule, occupancy is delayed by 2 years. <br />4) TIF is turned down, Hobbs Brook <br />proceeds with a longer construction <br />$ 8,31 <br />$ 0.50 <br />$8.81 <br />schedule, occupancy is delayed by 3 <br />years. <br />5) TIF is turned down, Vistaprint leaves and <br />$ 0 <br />($ 0.55) <br />($ 0.55) <br />no new construction occurs on the site. <br />Table 2: Expected incremental revenues under various scenarios <br />Qualitative Analvsis <br />It is impossible to predict with certainty when Ledgemont 3 will be developed. Even if the TIF agreement is <br />approved, Vistaprint remains in negotiations with another property owner in another community and may <br />find that the difference in lease rates for existing property relative to the lease rate for new construction at <br />Ledgemont 3 is too large to warrant expansion in Lexington. Similarly, it is impossible to know when Hobbs <br />Brook may choose to develop the site in the absence of Vistaprint's desire to expand. Nonetheless, the <br />location is highly desirable and was acquired by Hobbs Brook with the knowledge that Vistaprint was <br />looking for expansion space elsewhere. <br />We believe that scenario 3 (a 2 -year delay without the TIF) is possible and that scenario 4 (a 3 -year delay <br />without the TIF) is reasonably likely. As a result, we view the revenue associated with scenario 4 to be the <br />minimum expected by the Town with respect to any TIF to be granted. The proposed TIF agreement satisfies <br />that limit and provides a slightly better return when calculated as a net present value. <br />Should Vistaprint choose to relocate to another community at the end of its current lease in 2017, as assumed <br />in scenario 5, there is a risk that the current property at 95 Hayden Avenue may remain vacant for an <br />extended period of time. While this will have limited short-term effect on the property's assessment, it may <br />serve to reduce the region's occupancy rate and may reduce the roughly $1,000,000 in local commercial <br />spending associated with Vistaprint's employees and its domestic and international visitors. This spending on <br />local hotels, restaurants, and services improves the local economy and contributes to local meal and hotel <br />occupancy tax receipts for the town. Given the desirability of the property, we see a protracted vacancy as a <br />relatively low- probability event and discount its broad effects. We do, however, see a greater potential for a <br />new tenant to have a more conventional mix of personal property and for those revenues to be cut in half to <br />about $75,000 per year. <br />