December 20, 2010 12:00 AM
HARLINGEN — A cross-section of larger Harlingen businesses that stand to be affected by the Bass Pro Shops development have little doubt that the 100-acre Cameron Crossing Development will attract more retailers to the city.
City officials signed a 20-year lease with Bass Pro Shops on Dec. 11, setting the stage for a large retail shopping center north of the Expressway 77/83 interchange, near Spur 54. The Harlingen store will be Bass Pro Shops’ 57th location.
Landing the large retailer is a hopeful symbol for those who desire to see the city progress with more shopping choices, more sales tax money flowing through the local economy and more jobs.
The store has posted one job listing, seeking a general manager for its Harlingen store. It is not yet accepting applications for hourly
positions.
positions.
Former Harlingen mayor Connie de la Garza, a commercial real estate broker, said the development of the site won’t happen overnight, but it’s a positive step for the city.
"Phone calls have been made and people are starting to see what they can do, but with the holidays, it’s not going to happen until the first of the year," de la Garza said of serious business inquires related to the deal. "The bottom line is the news is out there and it’s starting to make wheels turn."
De la Garza confirmed that he represents a client who is interested in building a hotel as a result of the Bass Pro Shops deal. His client hasn’t yet committed to the hotel construction, but "he’s going to start seriously putting down the numbers to see how it will work."
Jim Gissler, developer of Harlingen Corners, the 50-acre shopping center where Bed Bath & Beyond and Kohl’s are among the stores that have opened, said his development was excited to have the outdoor retailer "as a neighbor that will be a great regional draw."
"We will benefit from increased traffic naturally, as will the entire city, as a result of the announcement," Gissler said of the lease with Bass Pro Shops.
Les Morris, a spokesman for Simon Property Group, which owns Valle Vista Mall, said he could not comment on the benefit or competition for the mall that might result from the Bass Pro Shops-Cameron Crossing development.
"Traffic numbers for any of our properties, or the portfolio as a whole" are not revealed "because we view them as unreliable," Morris said.
In addition to Valle Vista Mall, Simon Property Group’s regional mall portfolio consists of La Plaza Mall in McAllen and the Rio Grande Premium Outlets in Mercedes.
Morris said in an e-mail that as of Sept. 30, Simon Property’s occupancy was 93.6 percent, up from 92.8 percent a year earlier, and sales per square foot were $483, up from $449 a year earlier.
"Well obviously, all I can tell you is we, for many years, have had a strong presence in the Valley and believe it is a very successful property and have a loyal base on both sides of the border," Morris said of the mall, which opened in 1983.
The largest retailers at Valle Vista Mall are Dillard’s, JCPenney, Sears, Forever 21 and recent addition — Big Lots.
Bass Pro Shops says more than 100 million ...
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