How much is it worth to bring an Olive Garden to your town?
In Decatur, Ala., the answer is almost half a million dollars. In Bristol, Va., it’s $350,000.
Expanding in a shaky economy, Orlando-based Darden Restaurants is pursuing tax incentives from cities and counties to build new Olive Gardens, Red Lobsters and LongHorn Steakhouses.
Not all places have agreed, and opponents have questioned why a company that will compete with established restaurants should get tax breaks. But desperate for jobs and economic growth, some communities are saying yes.