LIVING HIS DREAM: The idea for the location of the newly opened Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World came to local realtor Jim Parrish in a dream. Parrish worked with developer Phil Roland and architect Mike Hughes, both from the area, to make the dream a reality. Parrish continues to work on developing the area around the new store for restaurants and other new businesses.
D.J. MORROW INGRAM for GTR Newspapers
What may be the biggest boon to the city of Broken Arrow began as a dream for Tulsa area real-estate broker Mike Parrish.
Parrish commenents, “About three years ago I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about a piece of property I had sold to Phil Roland, a local developer. It struck me that it would be perfect for a Bass Pro Shops store and I remembered that Mike Hughes, a Bass Pro Shops architect, lives in the Tulsa area.
“The three of us got together, developed a plan and it all fell together.”
Parrish credits Hughes with the ultimate plan that got the nod from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris and his leadership team in Springfield, Mo.
“Originally, I had envisioned the store being up on the bluff looking down on the Broken Arrow Expressway. Mike moved it down closer to the highway, made it fit, took the idea to Springfield and the rest is history.”
To make the deal happen, Roland donated the land to the city of Broken Arrow from his Stone Wood Hills development. The city then assumed the $20.3 million loan from Roland to fund construction of the store and will lease the store to Bass Pro Shops. The financial impact to the community is expected to be substantial.
It is expected the 130,000-square-foot store will lure about 2.4 million visitors a year.
“Broken Arrow now has what should be the largest tourist attraction in Oklahoma,” Parrish says. “Not only will Broken Arrow have this fabulous store, but it will also anchor dozens of acres in new development—from hotels to restaurants and a city conference center.”
Parrish praised the leadership of Broken Arrow for their progressive thinking.
“If they (the Mayor, City Council and City Manager) hadn’t been so cooperative and visionary, none of this would have happened,” Parrish says. “They are amazing.”
City Manager Jim Twombly shares Parrish’s enthusiasm.
“Broken Arrow has long had a large number of small businesses that have helped keep the economy stable,” Twombly says. “This new development will bring an influx of tourist dollars and we are now planning to capitalize on that so those visitors will have other options for shopping as well.”
In addition, Broken Arrow will be getting a new $6.5 million conference center and hotel overlooking the development, funded by a 2004 city bond election.
Twombly and other city officials are looking forward to millions more in sales-tax revenue for city coffers with the development.
The sounds of construction aren’t limited to the Bass Pro Shops store. Things are also booming at the adjacent $500 million, 153 acre Stone Wood Hills commercial and residential development, north of the Broken Arrow Expressway between Aspen Avenue and Lynn Lane.
National restaurant chains Steak ‘n Shake, Lone Star Steakhouse and locally-owned Los Cabos have all claimed sites so far, with construction on their various facilities to begin soon. A Holiday Inn Express and Suites will be nearby and the developers are in various stages of discussion and negotiations with other restaurants, financial institutions, retail stores and theatres.
“Broken Arrow is flush with wonderful small businesses and service providers,” Parrish says. “But if a man wants to buy a business suit, he has to go to Tulsa because there is no major retail department store in Broken Arrow. But there soon will be,” he says with a smile.
A BRIEF LOOK AT THE BASS PRO SHOP, BROKEN ARROW
