Bass Pro Shops eyeing Spartanburg

[roads-scholar]

Today's H-J reports that Bass Pro Shops is looking at a site adjacent to the I-85 / SC-101 interchange near BMW.  I'm wondering and hoping its the northeast corner of that interchange where the visibility is excellent.

[westsider28]

That lot is owned by Pacolet-Milliken (Milliken had a plant there which was demolished 5+ years ago), so I can say with almost 100% certainty that it is the proposed site.  It does have great visibility.  I wish BPS was going to be closer to Spartanburg proper, but they obviously want to be far enough west to draw from Greenville (and perhaps have more separation from their Concord store).

 

And traffic-wise, it's not a bad idea to be in an area with essentially no other retail.  Cabela's being in the thick of things on Woodruff Road is a nightmare.  In fact, BPS might have the edge over Cabela's, because customers wouldn't have to deal with nearly as much traffic to get to BPS.  Anyway, this would definitely be a good thing for Spartanburg.  Hope it happens (soon)!

[roads-scholar]

UPDATE

 

It appears an official announcement on this development will be made TOMORROW.

[GvilleSC]

This seems like a rather isolated location right now. It's only a matter of time before this is added to the Greer tax rolls.

[gman430]

News release with rendering: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&appID=34&template=news_display.cfm&newsID=553

[westsider28]

News release with rendering: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&appID=34&template=news_display.cfm&newsID=553

 

I particularly like the part about it being "the primary anchor for a 75-acre mixed use development that will include retail, hotels, and restaurants."  It will be interesting to see specifically what these additional businesses will be (and when they'll be built).

 

As the release states, the store will be 120,000 sq ft.  And according to this Herald-Journal article, it will open in 2016.

[GvilleSC]

This is one of those threads that is in the blurred lines between what's Greenville an what's Spartanburg on this forum. BMW and the airport are the same way, with the question of who lays claim to Greer (an obvious Greenville suburb and a part of the Urbanized Area of Greenville, but extending into an adjacent metropolitan area according to the census due to county lines). If this spurs residential development we could see Greenville's UA extend further into Spartanburg County. Depending on how such growth clustered, we could even see Greenville and Spartanburg UA's share a border and such growth be absorbed into Spartanburg's numbers instead. Interesting things to think about.

[westsider28]

I simply consider the county lines to be the divider.  The airport, BMW, and the future Bass Pro Shops are in Spartanburg because they're in Spartanburg County.  Greer is in Greenville, because the downtown business district is in Greenville County.

 

However, as with most economic developments, Greenville and Spartanburg function as twin cities.  That's why almost all development is between the two.  So in that respect, there is virtually no distinction between Greenville and Spartanburg.  I always think of the dynamics of our area as being very similar to Raleigh and Durham.

 

Back on topic: Bass Pro Shops is also expected to create 250 jobs.

[GvilleSC]

I guess that is what I find interesting is the difference between political boundaries, census boundaries and what we as locals hold as our own views.

[roads-scholar]

This is one of those threads that is in the blurred lines between what's Greenville an what's Spartanburg on this forum. BMW and the airport are the same way, with the question of who lays claim to Greer (an obvious Greenville suburb and a part of the Urbanized Area of Greenville, but extending into an adjacent metropolitan area according to the census due to county lines). If this spurs residential development we could see Greenville's UA extend further into Spartanburg County. Depending on how such growth clustered, we could even see Greenville and Spartanburg UA's share a border and such growth be absorbed into Spartanburg's numbers instead. Interesting things to think about.

The cynic in me says that Greenville will claim the BPS announcement as their "win".  However, the optimist in me says BPS will benefit the entire upstate region and that, like the airport and BMW, everyone wins, regardless of what entity worked to make it happen.

 

I do expect that Western Spartanburg County along I-85 will be a hotbed of development for years to come as there is plenty of land, visibility, and quality highway interchanges (SC-129, US-29, SC-290, SC-101, and B-M Road). 

[Spartan]

I particularly like the part about it being "the primary anchor for a 75-acre mixed use development that will include retail, hotels, and restaurants."  It will be interesting to see specifically what these additional businesses will be (and when they'll be built).

 

As the release states, the store will be 120,000 sq ft.  And according to this Herald-Journal article, it will open in 2016.

Its interesting to me how watered down the term "mixed use" has become. There is nothing mixed use about a suburban shopping center.

 

I simply consider the county lines to be the divider.  The airport, BMW, and the future Bass Pro Shops are in Spartanburg because they're in Spartanburg County.  Greer is in Greenville, because the downtown business district is in Greenville County.

 

However, as with most economic developments, Greenville and Spartanburg function as twin cities.  That's why almost all development is between the two.  So in that respect, there is virtually no distinction between Greenville and Spartanburg.  I always think of the dynamics of our area as being very similar to Raleigh and Durham.

 

Back on topic: Bass Pro Shops is also expected to create 250 jobs.

Realistically, the BMW is probably a more accurate delineation of the two influence areas. People in Duncan/Lyman, etc. tend to relate to Spartanburg more than Greenville, but Greer tends to be the opposite. Either way, the lines are becoming more blurred every day. Sadly, they are being blurred by poor quality development. I blame this more on Spartanburg County's lack of zoning than anything else.

[westsider28]

Bass Pro Shops Buys Rival Cabela's for $5.5 Billion

This might be the final nail in the coffin for the Hwy 101 site.  Doubtful BPS builds there now, with Cabela's on Woodruff Road.

EDIT: Local officials say it's still going to happen, but we'll see...

[drexel]

Heard that Bass Pro Shop prefers a highway 101 location because easier access compared to busy Woodruff Rd. Not a good place to pull your bass boat in on the way to the lake or coast. Cabela's may have a lease??  

[cabelagent]

1 hour ago, drexel said:

Heard that Bass Pro Shop prefers a highway 101 location because easier access compared to busy Woodruff Rd. Not a good place to pull your bass boat in on the way to the lake or coast. Cabela's may have a lease??  

Curious....Lease to what? New store on 101 has been up in the air....personally, don't think it will happen since they bought Cabela's. BPS bought property near Inman....may be a warehouse or perhaps a store. Time will tell how it plays out....

[drexel]

On 10/7/2016 at 4:14 PM, cabelagent said:

Curious....Lease to what? New store on 101 has been up in the air....personally, don't think it will happen since they bought Cabela's. BPS bought property near Inman....may be a warehouse or perhaps a store. Time will tell how it plays out....

Lease on their current building (Cabela's). But I have no idea.