Bass Pro sets grand opening for Fort Smith store

Bass Pro Shops is expanding its footprint in Arkansas with a store slated to open this week.

The Springfield-based outdoor retailer has scheduled a grand opening on April 29 for the Outpost store in Fort Smith, Arkansas, according to a news release. The grand opening event is slated to take place through May 2.

"The 70,000-square-foot Outpost retail location at 2101 Bass Pro Drive is easily accessible by Highway 22 and Interstate 540 and ready to serve outdoorsmen and women of the Arkansas River Valley Region while honoring the area’s rich sporting heritage," company officials said in the release.

The store includes a 19,000-gallon aquarium.

Celebrities such as professional anglers Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, Lance Thornton and Brian “Pigman” Quaca are set to appear during the grand opening, according to the release.

Bass Pro has 182 stores in the United States and Canada, according to its website.