Bass Pro Shops, ranked the #1 Outdoor Retailer in America by Sporting Goods Business Magazine, today announced that it is continuing its retail growth with the opening of an outdoor superstore at Lac Mirabel. The store is scheduled to open in fall 2009. Lac Mirabel is a joint development between Gordon Group Holdings, LLC and Morgan Stanley Real Estate.
The approximately 150,000 square foot store will be the signature anchor for the state-of-the-art 1.4-million square foot Lac Mirabel retail entertainment complex located along Highway 15 outside Montreal.
“With the project now well under way, many leading retailers, like Bass Pro Shops, are considering Lac Mirabel as one of North America’s most unique retail shopping environments,” commented Sheldon Gordon, Chairman of Gordon Group Holdings. “We are excited to welcome Bass Pro Shops to Lac Mirabel–they are a retail experience like no other and their addition will attract many other world class retailers and shoppers from around the world.”
In January of 2008 Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris was recognized as the “Innovator of the Year” by the National Retail Federation for the companies unique store concepts and designs.
Unique exterior and interior motifs have branded Bass Pro Shops as visually appealing, high quality outdoor stores. The outdoors is brought indoors with massive log and rock work, large aquariums and water features stocked with native fish species, along with an extensive collection of museum quality fish and wildlife exhibits, historic photos, artifacts, and memorabilia. They also feature free outdoor skills workshops for adults, kids, and families, as well as conservation education.
“Canada has long been known for its great sporting tradition and outdoor heritage and this opportunity at LacMirabel allows us to further extend our destination retail stores as well as our full line-up of Tracker boats into this tremendous outdoor market,” said Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale. “This store will be designed and themed as a tribute to the Canadian outdoors and a celebration of the sporting men and women of the region.”
The Lac Mirabel store will offer outdoor enthusiasts 3 acres of shopping excitement with the area’s largest selection of equipment and clothing for hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, camping, outdoor cooking and more. A gift and nature center will also serve up a wide variety of outdoor-related items from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and furniture.
An expansive boat showroom will feature Tracker, Nitro, SunTracker, Grizzly, and Tahoe boats built by Tracker Marine Group–the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing boats. A boat service center will also be available.
“Bass Pro Shops is a trend-setting, major destination retailer whom we are very pleased to be associated with at Lac Mirabel,” said Mark Bratt of Morgan Stanley Real Estate. “With its Vaughn, Ontario location serving as one of Bass Pro Shops’ top performing stores, we look forward to the impact its anchor presence will have on both retailers and visitors alike as we continue to move ahead to develop Lac Mirabel as one of Canada’s most distinctive attractions for shopping and entertainment.”
Bass Pro Shops retail stores are rated as top tourist destinations. Over 90 million people visit their stores annually. Their stores are the top tourist attractions in Maryland, North Carolina, and Missouri.
Bass Pro Shops, known for hiring associates that have a passion for the outdoors, is expected to employ approximately 300 people at Lac Mirabel, many of whom will come from the local region. Employment information is available in the career opportunities section of the basspro website.
About Bass Pro Shops
Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Bass Pro Shops, also an international catalog and internet retailer, currently has 49 retail locations in 26 states and Canada. In addition, Bass Pro Shops, also provides products and services for thousands of independent dealers world wide through its subsidiary company, American Rod & Gun. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO.
About Lac Mirabel
Lac Mirabel is a 14-million square foot mixed use complex, being developed by Gordon Group Holdings. Lac Mirabel is set to become one of Canada’s most unique destinations for shopping, dining and entertainment. Situated along the Montreal-Laurentian corridor, Lac Mirabel will be comprised of the world’s finest regional and specialty retails, restaurants, luxury hotels, and various leisure facilities including a multi-sport centre, a cinema, a European-inspired spa and many more exciting amenities. The development is a LEED-designed centre bordered by lakes, wetlands and forests.
About Gordon Group Holdings, LLC
For over 40 years, Gordon Group Holdings has been radically redefining the limits of retail development. With their vision of an entertainment retail centre becoming realized in their most notable venture, The Forum Shops at Caesar’s, they were able to reach sales over $1,300 per square foot. They are forever known as the revolutionary developer, whose understanding of location, market potential, and what sparks a customer’s interest is unparalleled in the industry.
About Morgan Stanley Real Estate
Morgan Stanley Real Estate is comprised of three major global businesses: Investing, Banking and Lending. Since 1991, Morgan Stanley Real Estate has acquired $165.0 billion of real estate assets worldwide and currently manages $94.4 billion in real estate assets on behalf of its clients. A complete range of market-leading investment banking services for real estate clients include advice on strategy, mergers, acquisitions and restructurings, as well as underwriting public and private debt and equity financings. As a global leader in real estate lending, Morgan Stanley has offered approximately $210.9 billion of CMBS through the capital markets since 1997, including $44.9 billion in 2007.By: Jenna Kendall
