Landing the big one: Bass pro nearing deal on Branson Landing

While Huffman is a friend of Bass Pro founder John L. Morris Huffman and Morris use the same fishing boat captain in the Florida Keys he said the deal is purely business. "Everything with John is a professional deal," Huffman said.

But while Huffman has told the Branson Board of Aldermen it is a done deal, Bass Pro officials aren't on the same page.

Bass Pro spokesperson Larry Whiteley said while a deal is close, no contract has been signed.

The Branson site is one of several new markets under discussion, Whiteley said.

Bass Pro would be the first tenant for the Landing, which will have more than 250,000-square-feet of retail space. The Landing's commercial district is planned to open in 2005.

Branson benefits

At the July 15 Branson Board of Aldermen meeting, when Huffman announced Bass Pro as a tenant, the city of Branson approved architectural designs for the one-mile-long boardwalk and sea wall along the lake. The drawing shows Bass Pro as an anchor tenant on the west end of the boardwalk.

Branson Public Information Director Jerry Adams said Bass Pro complements the city's outdoor theme.

"It fits in so nicely with the natural side of Branson the fishing, all of the outdoor activities that are associated with Branson," Adams said.

Branson officials are promoting the city's outdoor attractions and entertainment with the hopes of attracting younger travelers.

"Branson is more than just theaters," Adams said. "We also have all types of outdoor attractions and entertainment. We want visitors to Branson to not just be spectators, we want them to also be participants in their vacation activities."

Bass Pro deals

Since last year, Bass Pro has made a concerted effort to expand. Only one store has opened this year – a World Wide Sportsman in Destin, Fla., opened July 17 – but four more are planned. An Outdoor World in Savannah, Ga., opens July 31, with store openings in Bossier City, La., Hampton, Va. and Oklahoma City, Okla., planned this fall. Each is in excess of 100,000 square feet.

Seven more stores are on the board for 2004: Auburn, N.Y., North Little Rock, Ark., Columbia, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, S.C., Washington, D.C. and Toronto.

Bass Pro officials also are negotiating with the cities of Wichita, Kan. and Long Beach, Calif. There are 16 stores in 11 states.

Also, while a third Missouri store is planned for Columbia, talks are swirling about a Kansas City-area store. Kansas City, Independence and Olathe, Kan., are among the potential locations. Bass Pro has a 77,000-square-foot store outside of St. Louis.

Having more stores so close to its Springfield headquarters is not a problem because the bottom line is that each new store grows the Bass Pro Shops name, Whitely said.

"It gets more people knowing about Bass Pro Shops. That's the whole key," Whiteley said. "Every time we open a store, it introduces more people."

Whiteley doesn't expect a Branson store to affect Springfield's visitor numbers, which he claims are holding steady at 4 million guests per year.

However, that 4 million figure is at best an estimate, based on the number of people passing through the turnstiles at Springfield's Outdoor World, information gathered at the point of sale, and outright guessing.

And the turnstile information is not up to date. It has not been gathered since Bass Pro eliminated the turnstiles from its Springfield Outdoor World store two or three years ago.

Pressed for details on how the company measures visitors, Whiteley said, "If you want an accurate count, go sit in the parking lot and watch all the people come through the door."[[In-content Ad]]