Alabaster Mayor David Frings announced permits Monday night to bring a J.C. Penny department store and LongHorn Steakhouse to Colonial Promenade South.

The two outlets, along with a Target and Best Buy, are set to open in late summer or early fall.

&8220;Those are two very important projects. I&8217;m glad to see updates on that,&8221; Frings told the city council.

The permits come as city leaders await a judge&8217;s ruling concerning a third shopping center for the U.S. 31, I-65 location.

Circuit Judge Dan Reeves will decide on Jan. 8 whether or not to allow the city to enter into a deal with developer Robert Buchmust.

Under the plan, Buchmust&8217;s company, Alabaster Shadow LLC, will receive $10 million in sales tax rebates if they agree to set up shop.

State law requires court approval whenever a city or county uses certain incentives to entice economic developers.

Outside of building the actual 300,000-square-foot retail center, the developer must also construct any infrastructure, including roads. For the work, Buchmust would receive 75 percent of sales tax generated each year until he was repaid.

If approved as expected by the council, the retail center will be built adjacent to AmStar Theater and would open by the end of 2007