Bass Pro Shops to Open Alabama Door

Bass Pro Shops announced plans for a new store in Decatur, Ala. The approximately 100,000-square-feet location will be located on the south side of Highway 20 at Interstate 65/565.

The store will be the primary anchor for a mixed-use retail, entertainment, office and residential community located on 540 acres in Decatur. An opening date for the Bass Pro Shops store has not been determined.

Decatur, which is in the state’s third most popular county, is a major hub in the Tennessee Valley for visitors and travelers between Nashville and Mobile as well as Chattanooga and New Orleans, say Bass Pro executives. Known affectionately as “The River City,” Decatur sits on the banks of Wheeler Lake along the Tennessee River.  Like many southern cities, Decatur’s early success was based on its location on the river where railroad routes and boat and trade traffic converged.  Today, the area’s strong employment stems from technology, space and defense industries. Popular southern festivals such as Riverfest, the Spirit of America festival and the Racking Horse World Celebration, attract thousands of visitors annually making Decatur a tourist destination.
“The Consortium Firm and Genesis sought Bass Pro Shops because of their proven ability to create a destination experience and their integrity,” said Gary Glover of Genesis, the developers of the site. “National retailers and restaurants follow Bass Pro Shops and that will mean good jobs and enhanced tax revenues for Decatur.”

“When you hear ‘premier destination retailer’ Bass Pro Shops is your first thought. To have these guys anchor a 500-plus-acre development in our city means more new stores, more jobs, more residents, a more attractive community–just a whole lot of good things happening,” said City of Decatur Mayor Don Kyle.

This will be the company’s fourth store in Alabama as they currently operate stores in Prattville, Spanish Fort, and Leeds.

Visit this link to see a video showcasing a Bass Pro Shops store: http://youtu.be/Nib4BEQl2-k.