Bass Pro to open first store in Pacific Northwest

Bass Pro Shops has set the ball in motion to open its first store in the Pacific Northwest.

The Springfield based outdoor megaretailer is planning a 170,000-square-foot Outdoor World store in Tacoma, Wash., which would be the first Bass Pro in the state, according to a news release.

Officials are planning an early summer 2014 opening for the store located alongside Interstate 5, a major roadway connecting to nearby Seattle.

"The arrival of this destination retailer will attract more shoppers into the city, boost our tax base and create new jobs,” Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland said in the release. “This investment in our community by Bass Pro Shops further demonstrates Tacoma as a great place to do business.”

Bass Pro claims some 10 million people visit the area each year, while roughly 4.9 million people live within a 100-mile radius. "The area’s proud history of great fishing and hunting traditions make it an ideal location," Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris said in the release.

Bass Pro is projected to host 120 million people across its 77 properties, including Tracker Marine centers, in the U.S. and Canada in 2013.