A proposed Bass Pro Shops in Bethlehem would include a
Bethlehem Steel museum, an official said today.
The company is looking to include a museum dedicated to
Steel’s efforts in World War II as part of its proposed store in the former
Steel No. 2 Machine Shop, said Sam Bocchicchio, a design consultant for Sands
BethWorks, the building’s owner.
Bass Pro Shops has yet to sign a contract with Sands but the
company is very interested in a Bethlehem store, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem
interim President Doug Niethold said.
“They’re very, very excited to come to Bethlehem — they love
projects like this,” he said.
Niethold’s remarks came amid a tour of the former Steel site
for Gov. Tom Corbett. Corbett visited the site today to see the expected impact
of the City Revitalization and Improvement Zone economic development incentive
he approved for Bethlehem in December. A development incentive similar to
Allentown’s Neighborhood Improvement Zone, Bethlehem's zone allows state and
local nonproperty taxes from new development in the zone to help finance
construction within it.
In addition to the Bass Pro Shops, the zone is expected to
allow for the construction of a hotel and convention center on the former Steel
site. The Bass Pro Shops will be constructed first, Niethold said, with the
hotel and convention center following. There isn’t a set timeline on any of the
projects, he said.
Corbett highlighted the 4,000 permanent jobs and 3,000
construction jobs Bethlehem’s improvement zone is expected to bring. He said
he’d like to see more such zones approved before they’re next scheduled in
2016.
“There are other cities that are very, very jealous of what
you’ve got and I’ve gotten an ear beating,” Corbett said.
State Sen. Lisa Boscola said she knew Corbett was facing a
lot of pressure not to pick Bethlehem, as the city was a state pick for a
casino site just 7 1/2 years ago. She said she was glad Corbett considered
where the zone would create the most jobs and investment and didn’t bow to
politics.
“My father would probably be proud of me now because he
worked here all his life,” Boscola said of the Steel site.
Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez said the improvement zone will
allow the city to complete the redevelopment of the Steel site.
“This powerful economic development tool will allow
Bethlehem to take the final steps in the redevelopment of the 1,800 acres of
Bethlehem Steel,” he said.
In addition to the Sands projects, the improvement zone
incentives are expected to be used to further build out the former Steel land
that’s part of Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VII and Majestic Bethlehem Center
Source: LehighvalleyLive.com
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