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By ROB SULLIVAN BRIDGEPORT City residents received a mixed bag of news last week concerning the oft-delayed Steelpointe Project last week when it was learned that its anchor tenant, Bass Pro Shops will not be opening its doors until spring 2015. The retail outlet, which specializes in hunting and fishing equipment, was originally slated to open at Christmas of this tear. However, the good news is that the state will infuse at least $22 million into the project, essentially ensuring that the store will someday open its doors in the Park City. That is somewhat positive news since the Steelpointe project first was unveiled almost 30 years ago. Since the initial announcement nearly three decades back, the only movement Park City residents have seen has been the demolition of a couple of hundred houses, including the historic James ORourke house, through eminent domain, and the addition of the letter e to the end of Steel Point. Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch and Gov. Dannel Malloy announced the first Steelpointe tenant with a great deal of hoopla last summer, so the delay is somewhat discouraging. However, the fact that there does indeed seem to be a viable first tenant with Missouri-based Bass Pro Shops means that some progress, albeit slow, is being made. That fact bodes well for Finch if he decided to run for a third term in 2015. Having Bass Pro Shops in Bridgeport also would behoove Malloy, who more than likely will face a tough re-election battle in 2014. Bridgeport and state officials are hoping getting Bass Pro Shops in place will be the catalyst needed to kick start the entire Steelpointe project. As of this writing, Bass Pro Shops is the only tenant signed on at Steelpointe. Not everyone is pleased with the state ponying up money to see the Bass Pro Sports project come to fruition. There are many who believe this is a form of corporate welfare, where large companies gain many benefits from the deal but taxpayers see little in return. Former State Representative Jonathan Pelto wrote on his Wait? What blog, Bass Pro, a $2.6 billion privately owned company, specializes in getting taxpayers to fund significant amounts of their development costs Interestingly the State of Connecticuts Department of Economic and Community Development explained that the $22 million will not be the only subsidy provided to Bass Pro. The Malloy administrations refusal to allow transparency in its economic development program has been a constant point of contention In essence, the state is borrowing money and giving up future sales tax revenue to pay it back, with interest At this point, Connecticuts total public subsidy to Bass Pro remains unknown. In reality, most Bridgeport residents do not really care if the state is robbing Peter to pay Paul on this issue. They want to see some activity on a huge stretch of waterfront property that has lied dormant for years, with promises of greener pastures only a few years down the road. A few years has turned into three decades and in reality there is still nothing there.
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