Fishing and outdoor enthusiasts alike have much to be excited about after Thursday’s announcement that Bass Pro Shops officials will open their 58th outdoor store in East Peoria.
“It will definitely be great for everybody,” said Mark Propst, East Peoria Community High School’s bass fishing coach. “Hopefully, our team can work closely with them.”
Besides endless outdoor supplies, a 12-lane bowling alley, museum, art gallery and aquarium, Propst said he is looking forward to the opportunity to send his bass fishing team to workshops and utilize the store’s indoor water tanks, where visitors will be able to practice casting their lures in the water.
“When you cast outdoors, it’s hard to tell what your lure does. With this, they can see how it moves,” he said.
“Plus, it gives the kids another place to go get equipment.”
After months of efforts by city officials, Bass Pro Shops leaders officially announced Thursday the 145,000-square-foot outdoor shop will be built on the 35-acre site once known as the CILCO Ash Pond north of the Murray Baker Bridge.
It is tentatively scheduled to open in the fall of 2011.
At a special meeting Thursday night the city council approved contracts with Midwest Foundation Corp. of Tremont and AECom of Peoria, the engineering firm for the overall plan, to begin preparation of the property.
“This isn’t just good for East Peoria, this is good for the region,” said Mayor Dave Mingus at the meeting. “I would project that virtually every aspect of our regional economy will have an effect by Bass Pro, one way or another. This is monumental.”
The store will produce about 300 full-time jobs and the equivalent of at least 200 full-time construction jobs while it is built, according to council members.
City attorney Dennis Triggs, who first sought Bass Pro Shops, said the site will be much more than a retail store. He said it will open up the riverfront, and the current trail located behind Wal-Mart will be extended to the property.
“It’s going to make your head spin how fast it’s going to happen,” he said.
Triggs added the project is unique because the city will own the building, road and parking lot. It will then be leased to Bass Pro Shops.
Many retailers have already called about how they can get close to Bass Pro Shops, said Triggs.
The total project cost will be $40 million, which the city will issue in bonds, said city administrator Tom Brimberry. It will be paid for through retail/sales tax and property taxes generated by the Bass Pro and other retailers near and adjacent to the store, he added.
