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Toledo Talk   (musing about Lake Erie West and beyond)
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Bass Pro-related Toledo Talk threads

Alleged movement on a new arena - Jan 9, 2006 (21 comments)

Possible Marina District Destination Retailer Deal? - Jan 18, 2006 (16 comments)

Bass Pro President Tours Toledo - Jan 23, 2006 (45 comments)

Bass Pro No Go?? Oh No!! - Apr 04, 2006 (16 comments)

Bass Pro to Rossford??? - May 05, 2006 (47 comments)

Bass Pro - A reality today! - Oct 17, 2006 (9 comments)

Who Lost Bass Pro At City Hall - Oct 20, 2006 (7 comments)

Mayor once again out of control - Jul 20, 2007 (21 comments)


Excerpts from some of my old comments.

The Downtown Latte coffee shop hosts regular meetings called New Urbanism. The next meeting is on Tuesday, June 28 from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. Developers, business owners, and residents attend the meetings. They're expecting 60 people at Tuesday's meeting. I think it was at the last meeting when someone mentioned that Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World would occupy the old Edison plant on the east side. To get some of the "word on the street" info, this meeting might be a good place to be.
Toledo never lost Bass Pro because Toledo was never in the running for Bass Pro. Northern Wood County was the first choice for Bass Pro. If you recall, it was Toledo who kidnapped the Bass Pro president, or whoever was visiting here, and took him on a helicopter ride of Toledo. That Bass Pro dude was here to see Wood County, not Toledo.
Remember at the end of January when the Bass Pro president was flying over Toledo in a helicopter, and the Central Catholic band played the Notre Dame University fight song because the Bass Pro president graduated from Notre Dame, and Toledo had billboards setup welcoming the Bass Pro president? Well, the Bass Pro president's primary reason for being in northwest Ohio that day was to see northern Wood County not Toledo. Carty "heard" about the Wood County visit and kidnapped the Bass Pro president.
On Friday, Feb 10, [2006] Bob Frantz gave a little info on his "Eye of Toledo" show about Bass Pro possibly coming to northwest Ohio.

Bob said the Bass Pro president was NOT impressed [nor] pleased with Toledo's red carpet treatment at the end of January with the marching band, the billboards, McCloskey giving the prez the kitchen sink, and the media attention. The Bass Pro president didn't want this crap.

He wasn't in northwest Ohio to see Toledo. He was here to see the land out in the Crossroads area of Rossford. He was doing Toledo a favor by taking some time to see the Marina District, but he wanted the Toledo visit to be low-profiled.

Frantz's starter info on Friday confirmed my hunch that northern Wood County is the preferred place in the mind of the Bass Pro president. Bob said Wood County and Bass Pro have had discussions for 14 years, and the discussions have grown more serious over the past 2 1/2 years.

Bob also mentioned that Rossford and Toledo have had a joint economic development zone agreement since 1991. Bob said no one in the Ford administration was aware of this agreement. Bob said Bass Pro is highly interested in being close to the intersection of I-80 and I-75.

So the "serious" talks between Rossford and Bass Pro began in 2003.

The Marina District land is 125 acres. The new Wood County Bass Pro development will occupy 225 acres.

About the Rossford-Toledo JEDZ, excerpts from a Jun 14, 2006 Toledo Free Press story :

Guided by attorney and former mayoral candidate Keith Wilkowski, Toledo and Rossford formed a joint economic development zone agreement in 1992. To fulfill the agreement, Toledo provides water to a designated area in Rossford. In return, Rossford pays Toledo for the water services and gives Toledo a substantial portion of income tax revenue — 27 cents of every dollar generated from employee income tax and net business profits.

It's probably a tough calculation to do, but has anyone projected how much money Toledo will make off of the Bass Pro development five to ten years from now?

created by jr on Aug 30, 2007 at 11:49:52 am
updated by jr on Aug 30, 2007 at 12:27:35 pm     Comments: 3

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Comments ... #

Aug 31, 2007 Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune story titled Bass Pro to employ 350

The Bass Pro in Wood County will be the size of three and a half football fields, have a three-story waterfall, indoor archery range, boat show room, 25,000-gallon aquarium and employ 350 full-time workers.

The 150,000-square-foot store, which is expected to open next June, will not only include retail area, but also focus on entertainment, conservation and outdoor education for those who hunt, fish, boat and camp. The aquarium will be filled with fish indigenous to this area.

Bass Pro officials promised to give the new store in Rossford its own personality by displaying items and wildlife native to the area. A “visual crew” from the company will work with a conservation historian and the Ohio Division of Wildlife so the decor reflects the heritage of this area.

The crew will browse local libraries, search through area antique malls and look at historic collections to get the flavor of the region, Mitchell said. Two local firms — Poggemeyer Design Group and Rudolph-Libbe — are handling design and construction of the site.

In several states, Bass Pro shops are the top tourist attractions. Local officials are hoping that the store not only draws in customers, but also more businesses. Bass Pro purchased 225 acres, far more than it needs for the store, and plans to market it to businesses compatible to its site. “We want this to be a destination location,” Mac Donald said. Local Realtor Brian McMahon said buyers are showing interest, with a waterpark or theaters being likely neighbors to the Bass Pro.

Mac Donald complimented local officials for their persistence after working on getting Bass Pro to locate here for 14 years “We have looked forward to this day for a very long time,” Rossford Mayor Bill Verbosky Jr. said. “We have shown that in Wood County we are a team and we will work as a team always.”

posted by jr on Aug 31, 2007 at 01:18:44 pm     #



Sep 10, 2007 WSPD story :

A Toledo city council candidate says the new Bass Pro store can benefit the Glass City as much as Wood County. District Two candidate Karen Shanahan says hotel and shopping shuttles could make a win out of what many people see as a loss. Shanahan says local tourism officials need to market Toledo's opportunities to Bass Pro visitors. She made her comments outside the South Toledo Clarion Hotel, which she says could benefit from increased tourism efforts.

The WSPD story also has audio of Shanahan talking about Bass Pro, Rossford, and Toledo. Karen said :

"We've spent a lot of time over the last year or so talking about regionalism, and I think this is the best of regionalism. Instead of feeling that we've lost something by Bass Pro going to Rossford, we should look at it as that we've gained something."


Once again:

  • Toledo never lost Bass Pro because Toledo was never in the running for Bass Pro. Northern Wood County was the first choice for Bass Pro.
  • Toledo and Rossford formed a joint economic development zone agreement in 1992. Rossford pays Toledo for the water services and gives Toledo a substantial portion of income tax revenue — 27 cents of every dollar generated from employee income tax and net business profits.

Toledo began the "gaining" process in 1992. Toledo will benefit from Bass Pro and from the other businesses within that JEDZ.

Toledo also gets money from the Mall at Fallen Timbers because of a JEDZ.

So even if a Bass Pro visitor from Cleveland never steps foot into Lucas County, Toledo will still make money from that person if that individual buys something from within the JEDZ.

posted by jr on Sep 11, 2007 at 08:12:16 am     #



very true, jr, but I think I like her line of thinking in terms of a regional approach to the issue...which is so much different from what we've heard so far from other Toledo politicians...

posted by MaggieThurber on Sep 11, 2007 at 11:26:11 am     #