By Bill Varian, Times Staff Writer
Friday, February 17, 2012
TAMPA — Its arrival in these parts has been rumored for so long it's taken on almost mythical status, like some fabled 16-point buck seen at the edge of the swamp but never photographed.
Now some officials are making a concerted push to lure Bass Pro Shops, the giant toy store and playground for hunters, fishermen and general outdoor enthusiasts, to the Tampa Bay market.
Hillsborough County's administrator and Commission chairman are traveling today to Gulf Coast Town Center in Fort Myers, home of one of the nearest Bass Pro Shops. There they will meet with company president Jim Hagale, and representatives of prospective developers, to see what it would take to land a store in eastern Hillsborough County.
They will tour the Fort Myers store and huddle in the private Hemingway Room for discussions. Plans for the get-together ...