New York congressman Brian Higgins is giving Bass Pro 14 days to make a final decision on a proposed store within
Buffalo's Canal Side project. In a letter to Bass Pro CEO Johnny Morris
and President James Hagale, Higgins requests a decision on the draft
lease sent to the company two months ago.


Higgins says local
officials have secured public funding for the project and completed an
environmental review of the site.

“What we expect of a good
partner is to respond to all of this. Bass Pro has had a lease for two
months and has not responded,” Higgins told WNED.

Higgins says he'll tell local officials to move ahead without Bass Pro if there's no deal by August.

ECHDC Chairman Jordan Levy earlier
this year expressed confidence that a
Bass Pro lease would be signed by August with construction beginning in
the fall.  ECHDC Chairman Jordan Levy earlier this year expressed
confidence that a
Bass Pro lease would be signed by August with construction beginning in
the fall. 

A Bass Pro spokesman said the
company had no comment.

Buffalo officials want Bass Pro to build a store at the former site of Memorial Auditorium. Talks between the company and the public entity in charge of the $295 million project began five years ago. Lease negotiations began in April.