A long-awaited Olive Garden restaurant is finally officially coming to Brighton, following years of effort by city officials to bring the iconic Italian eatery to the area. Recent posts from a construction company confirmed that the business is moving forward with building plans at 2060 Prairie Center Parkway.
While the company did not return requests for comment on the project status, earlier this month, Frontline Construction Group wrote that it was “heading into the home stretch with our latest Darden restaurant, Olive Garden…Coming soon to the Prairie Center in Brighton.”
On a 2.16-acre site, the company is building a 7,825-square-foot, single-story restaurant, complete with a roofed trash enclosure, parking lot, and landscaping. Construction costs are estimated at $2 million, according to permits issued. The restaurant is expected to generate over $5 million in annual sales and will create 80 new jobs, including 50 full-time positions.
The town had been trying to persuade the brand to open an eatery, offering an incentive agreement of a 50% sales and use tax rebate to the restaurant for up to eight years or until $250,000 in rebates is reached. Additionally, the city agreed to waive $65,000 in use tax that would typically be owed, BizWest reported.