Commissioner Murman mentioned in this Tribune article:

Published: December 05, 2012
Updated: December 05, 2012 – 9:13 PM

County delays decision on Bass Pro Shops

By Mike Salinero

An $8.25 million incentive package to land a Bass Pro Shops store in Brandon was almost too good for Hillsborough County commissioners to pass up _ almost.

Commissioners discussed the merits of the incentive package for more than two hours Wednesday before putting off a decision, scheduling further talks for Feb. 6.

The chance of quick passage was hurt by more than two dozen opponents, many small business owners, who showed up at the commission’s morning session. The opponents said it was unfair to use tax money to help a large, well-heeled competitor that would hurt their businesses.

Commissioners said they had heard the same concerns from small business people around their districts and in phone calls.

“It concerned me when I heard the people, not only today but over the last 10 months campaigning,” said Commissioner Al Higginbotham, who won re-election in November. “These folks look to us for encouragement and they look to us for direction and to make the right decisions.”

The delay was a setback for commission Chairman Ken Hagan, who has been involved in negotiations for more than two years to bring Bass Pro Shops to the county. Hagan felt so strongly about the deal that he stepped down from the dais so he could make his sales pitch facing his fellow commissioners head on.

“What we have is an incredible economic development opportunity that’s been over two years in the making,” Hagan said as he shed his usually reserved manner to hammer home his points. “The end result of many hours of hard work meetings and negotiations is a cost-sharing agreement that delivers a significant return on investment and an immediate annual revenue stream for the county.”

The county’s $8.25 million investment would be used to build and improve roads around the proposed development between Interstate 75 and Falkenburg Road. Hagan insisted the money would not be a subsidy to Bass; it would be an investment in needed infrastructure that would bring a quantifiable return on investment.

The store would create 3,200 construction and permanent jobs, Hagan said, while boosting sales and property tax collections by $2.6 million after Bass Pro’s fifth year of operations.

Hagan showed commissioners a list of subsidies that communities around the country have paid to secure a Bass store. The average subsidy for a Bass store and surrounding development was $29 million, he said.

“Irrespective of how you feel about the value of subsidies for Bass projects, the bottom line is our subsidy is zero. Zero,” Hagan said. “We’re not giving Bass a dime.”

Almost every commissioner found something to like about Bass Pro, the outdoors store famous for its theme-park attractions such as waterfalls, fishing ponds with real fish, even bowling alleys.

“I for one am very excited about the opportunity for Bass Pro Shops to come into our community,” said Commissioner Kevin Beckner.

“Let’s find a way to make this work,” chimed in Higginbotham, even as he was about to make a motion to delay an agreement.

As each commissioner spoke, however, the list of concerns about the deal lengthened.

Commissioner Les Miller wanted guarantees that minority businesses would share in the construction bonanza. He also asked Bass representative Martin MacDonald about a discrimination complaint filed against Bass with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

MacDonald wouldn’t discuss the EEOC complaint but said Bass Pro Shops is an equal opportunity employer that values minorities. About 50 percent of the chain’s human resources employees are women or minorities, he said.

“We value all races, we value ladies and men related to what we can do in the outdoors … we also like to hire to the diversity of the community we’re in,” MacDonald said.

Several commissioners also questioned Hagan’s argument that the road improvements, including widening Falkenburg Road to six lanes, are projects the county eventually would do anyway.

Beckner punched a hole in that assertion when he asked Public Works chief Mike Williams when the county had planned to make the road upgrades without an agreement with Bass Pro Shps.

Williams answered that the road improvements were not on the county’s long-range transportation plan and weren’t “planned for the very near future.”

Commissioner Sandy Murman admitted to being “conflicted” about the deal, saying she recognized the value of Bass Pro Shops coming to the area. Still, the concerns she’d heard from small business people in the Brandon area weighed heavy, she said.

“I know all the small businesses out there,” Murman said. “I hear, I feel what they’re going through.”

Of the eight people in the audience who spoke on the matter, seven opposed any money for Bass Pro Shops. Most were small business owners who said it was unfair to spend any taxpayer money to help a business that would be their competitor.

“The institute that I work for, they didn’t get any kind of help, just like all the other people that have spoken here before me,” said Raymond Grau, who works with Lee Fisher International, a sport-fishing and net-fishing outfitter. “And I think it’s just a travesty that my hard-earned tax dollars are going to a company that doesn’t need it.”

Thomas Mahoney, whose grandfather started T.A. Mahoney Co. in 1946, said he and other marine equipment service stores have suffered during the long economic slowdown. Business is off at Mahoney by 30 percent over the past five years, he said.

“I was not offered any incentives to my business,” he said. “Now (Bass Pro Shops is) trying to put me completely out of business.”

MacDonald, speaking after the meeting, said Bass Pro Shops creates, rather than destroys, businesses in the area where it locates. People come from 50 miles or more to shop at their store, he said, and that excitement “trickles out” to surrounding companies, increasing their customer traffic.

The commission voted 6-1 to continue the discussion. Mark Sharpe, the only no vote, indicated he opposes using financial incentives for retail stores.

The delay did not discourage MacDonald, who said Bass Pro Shops is still excited about opening a store in Brandon.

“After everything we’ve heard today, we feel we’ll be able to work something out,” he said.