It's official

[fatrap]

It's offical now. The local news said Bass Pro Shops will build a 120,000 sq ft store in Council Bluffs, Iowa. I can almost see the location from my classroom window. Now if we just had a decent bass lake LOL.

fatrap

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

fatrap, marbe they'll let you fish in the aquarium after it's built?



Bill

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I can't for the life of me figure out why they would put it in CB and not Omaha.....is there a reason to be in IA as opposed to NE? Cheaper land? I guess since Omaha is so close, they will still get the business. No offense to Ioweegins but the only reason I ever went to CB was for the jiggle joints!!LOL!!...



TOXIC

 

[fatrap]

Hey Tox we still have those wonderful clubs where the Lap Dance reigns supreme and still is under $20.

I guess Johnny Morris loved the location. By 2006 100,000 cars a day will pass by the offramp to the Store. It will sit on the intersection of I80 and I 29 Right next store to three full service casinos the Hockey rink and Convention Center. According to the paper it's suspose to open next Summer.

Omaha just opened a Scheels at 168th and Dodge so we're gonna be flush for outdoors stores.

And Bill the tank at BPS may be the only place in Iowa where one can catch a decent bass in the state. A nineth grade biology class could do a better job managing the sport fishery I'm serious.

fatrap

 

[Teri C.]

Now I'll have some place to go when Mom and Granny are glued to the slot machines.

 

[Marvin McLellan]

It all came out of council bluffs tax money. They are laying off three firefighters, cutting back to two on a rig because there is no more money left after the check was given to BPS...this is the same thing they did in OKC to the tune of $21 mil. and then weeks before "opening" they asked for more or they wouldn't open.



All BPS locations cost BPS absolutely nothing to build, They have no risk at all.

I've been to the one in OKC when traveling for biz and they are constantly EMPTY. I mean EMPTY..maybe six or eight customers and no sales staff at all!



Oh well....that's business...the community is banking on enough tax revenues on sales to make up for the initial costs they are shelling out now. Hmmmmm....



After the new Quest Center remains empty as it has 4-5 days a week.... I will start paying for that soon! I'm glad BPS is over the river or else I as a taxpayer would be adding that on to my tax bill in another couple years!

 

[fatrap]

NEbassangler

I lift weights with CB firefighters and my neighbor is a CB firefighter and they never mentioned the cutbacks. My niece is marring a CB policeman and again he said business as usual. I talked with the mayor when he was at our school for a function and yes tax concessions were given as is usual for any business coming into the area. Tom also said it was going to be a boon to our community who's gonna know for sure. I live outside CB so it doesn't effect me except another place to shop. I take it your a Omaha firefighter? I have three close friends that are brothers on the dept there

fatrap

 

[Dan J.]

NEbassangler -



"All BPS locations cost BPS absolutely nothing to build, They have no risk at all."



How about taking a few minutes to think before you type? I have yet to read anything more off base or just so blatantly wrong. If you're going to try and start a "bandwagon" of anti-BPS sentiment, I encourage you to try and base it on at least one kernel of truth. (I am assuming you know what truth is.)



I suggest you get your facts straight instead of making up whatever suits your purpose. You might find folks a little more receptive. I hope you enjoy your crusade.

 

[Carl Meyer]

Now Dan, Lets give NEbassangler a chance to respond to what he says about this. NEbassangler, where do you get your information that the local government pays for 100%the facilities for the new Bass Pro Shops that they build and leave no risk for Bass Pro? This is the first I have heard of this. I wouldn't be surprised that they give assistance of some sort, any Bass Pro will bring alot of jobs to the area, as well as, as you state, revenue in the form of sales tax. Most cities will do this for any large business, the long term benefits greatly outweigh the initial cost. I am interested to hear more anyone knows about this subject, let's just play nice.

 

[Dan J.]

Carl -



I made my previous statement without any ill will. I was just amazed that someone would make such outlandish statements with zero basis in fact. The first time similar statements were made about the OKC store I did not respond, preferring to ignore it similar to a "Troll" post. This repeatative misrepresentation of the facts could not go unchallenged. Every statement in the gentleman's first paragraph is false. The next statement in his second paragraph is also false. After almost 10 yrs. with this company and doing numerous new stores, I am quite aware as to what incentives are offered to garner one of our stores. I am proud of my company and feel obligated to set the record straight.

 

[Dan J.]

FWIW - This was the earlier post I referenced. Also untrue.



re: BPS in Council Bluffs, Iowa by iabassguy,3/24/2004 16:59 ET



Thats correct...

This has been discussed for the past 6 mo in city meetings. BPS demanded $18 million before comitting to build. Council Bluffs agreed to lay off public safety workers both pd and fd to afford the cost. Same thing happened in Oklahoma city and then three weeks before BPS was supposed to have their grand opening, they held the OKC city council hostage for another 3 million.

 

[Larry Harp]

Bad memory working here so some of my facts may be a little off here but what I remember of the Okla City deal was; the city built the building and then leased it back to BPS. Some of the local merchants cried foul, saying it wasn't fair to them. I say, do something that will make people driving down I-40 or I-35 get off and spend a hundred bucks and make a true attraction, then the city should help you too. Many other residents complain about the city spending millions on a "bait shop". Typical Okla City thinking. OKC is the worlds largest small town and the center of the universe of the "NOT WITH MY TAX DOLLARS!!" crowd. We wouldn't have paved streets or public schools if it were left to many OKC citizens.



The OKC Bass Pro is part of what is called the "Bricktown" area. An area of old turn of the century warehouses that have been converted into bars and resturants. The problem is there was no retail down there and going all the way downtown just to go to a bar or resturant gets old. They needed more of a draw, an ancor if you will. Now, I go down there to BPS regularly. There is a new multi screen theater under construction now.



I don't have numbers on how much in sales tax revenue that BPS is racking up but it must be considerable. I go in there sometimes several times a week and I never have seen the place "empty". Granted 10 am on a Wednesday is probably not the peak time but there are ALWAYS customers and sales people there. In additon while in the BPS parking lot I have been asked by out-of-town folks for directions to other OKC businesses and attractions. I see the whole project as a huge sucess.



Harpo

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Dan,



Can you build one in the NY/NJ/PA Metro area? I would love to have a BPS I could drive to. I went to Cabelas in PA last week, the guys in the fishing section didn't know what a Football Jig head was for rigging Hula Grubs!



Thanks,



Hope to see you in a Grand Opening one day!

 

[fatrap]

Dan and the rest of you all. I have several newspaper articles on whats happening here. Anyone want a copy I'll send you one. The city is excited, even the non fishing/hunting types here are excited about having such a quaility organization come to our community. Vacant strip malls in the area have been rented overnight and a new one next to my gym broke ground yesterday. The motels and hotels are already mostly filled due to the casino's but new ones will be built. Jobs, jobs, jobs. No matter how you look at it. So many cars, campers, etc pass this location every hour I can't believe it won't be a sucess. Maybe it will prompt our state to do something about the fishing which as I stated earlier is hardly anything to write home about.

Also a good note maybe I can get Toxic and Mac and some of you others to visit the site and take me up on my fall bird hunting offer.

fatrap