Bass Pro Shops has announced plans for a new store in Gainesville, Florida.  The new store will be located on the northwest quadrant of Interstate 75 and Archer Road.  It will be the primary anchor for Celebration Pointe, a one-million-square-foot mixed use development that will include retail, restaurants, entertainment, a hotel and residential units. The new 80,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops Sportsman’s Center store is slated to open in 2016.

This will be the company’s 13th store in Florida as they currently operate nine stores in the state; while locations have been announced for Brandon/Tampa, St. John’s County/Jacksonville, and Daytona recently.

“Having the opportunity to build a super outdoor store directly fronting I-75  will allow us to bring Bass Pro Shops low prices and famous friendly, expert service to serve the many sportsmen, women as well as the visitors to this area each year,” said Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops. “This retail attraction will be a tribute to the great sporting tradition and heritage of the region and a celebration of the sporting men and women of Florida.”

Gainesville is the county seat for Alachua County and is the largest city in the north central Florida region.  It is home to the University of Florida and has been ranked as one of the best places to live and play in the United States by National Geographic Adventure.  

As part of the Celebration Pointe Development, the Bass Pro Shops Sportsman’s Center will sit amongst more than 100 acres of a permanent conservation area along the western portion of the property.  When combined with the 460-acre Lake Kanapaha conservation area and the 240-acre Split Rock conservation area, the total will be 800 acres of scenic nature preserve surrounding the project.

 “When we ascribed the vision for Celebration Pointe, we could not have hoped for a more perfect tenant to serve in the spotlight as the primary anchor,” said Ralph Conti, one of the partners in Celebration Pointe Development Partners. “Bass Pro Shops is exactly the type of tenant that we can build off to create the type of environment we hoped for. They are a storied franchise with a history of being a world-class operator; giving back to the community; caring for the environment; and being a great neighbor. Celebration Pointe and indeed Gainesville, as well as all of the surrounding communities, will be the beneficiary of all that Bass Pro offers.”