Bass Pro buys land to build West Chester store

Construction of the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store planned in West Chester Twp. has taken a step forward with the retailer buying the land.

The national hunting and fishing retailer Bass Pro Shops first announced in October plans to build a 150,000-square-foot location in West Chester Twp., also saying it would close its existing Fairfield store and move employees to West Chester Twp. when it opens in 2015. At the time it was announced, Bass Pro said the new store would be located near the intersection of Interstate 75 and Union Center Boulevard, but no more specific site was given.

The Journal-News has since learned that Bass Pro Outdoor World LLC purchased nearly 22 acres at 5992 Allen Road from Duke Realty Ohio for $6.53 million. The deal closed at the end of November, according to property records from the Butler County Auditor’s Office.

The property is a half-mile from the Ikea in West Chester Twp.

Plans are being considered to extend Civic Centre Boulevard from The Streets of West Chester shopping area to the Bass Pro site.

“If the Bass Pro Shops project is built as speculated and at the inferred location, the township would be willing to use tax increment financing to construct the extension of Civic Centre Boulevard to Allen Road for a destination specialty retailer,” said Judi Boyko, township administrator, in a statement.