[BPt111]

Bridgeport Brass Pro Shop Official open at steelpoint small strip land near downtown and Brass Pro got 25 year free ride tax break.

Bass Pro opening draws thousands - Connecticut Post

[BPt111]

Will people visit Downtown Bridgeport because Brass Pro Shop or head back on I-95 short distance away?

Bass Pro’s Bridgeport store was the chain’s eighth and final opening of the year in North America. The business says it brings in 120 million visitors annually, even as the average shopper only goes twice a year, store officials said, making each trip an event.

“This is experiential shopping,” Jerry Van Huis, vice president of retail at Bass Pro Shops’ Missouri headquarters, said during a tour of the store last week. “It’s about differentiating yourself from the Internet.”
With a restaurant, bar, bowling alley and other attractions all within its four walls, Bass Pro Shops is designed to bring people in and keep them there. The store enjoyed a hugely successful opening last week, and promises to draw thousands of people into the city. But the gains it provides are to some degree self-contained.

The most significant barrier to Steelpointe Harbor’s effect on the rest of the city remains the elevated I-95 overpass that separates the development from the East Side. North of the highway is a neighborhood of homes and businesses that has long been in need of an economic jolt, but the Bass Pro business model doesn’t necessarily lend itself to neighborhood exploration.
“This is a full-day experience,” Van Huis said.


Bridgeport hoping for Steel Point spillover effect - Connecticut Post

[Stylo]

Bass Pro is a quick off and on 95 destination. Just like IKEA in New Haven.

[Mr_250]

Went there this weekend.

Right off the exit into bass pro parking lot and right back on the highway after shopping. No need to go into DT Bridgeport.

I can almost say that everyone did the same thing. It'll be hard to get people into Bridgeport downtown.

[HumpDay]

Originally Posted by Mr_250

Went there this weekend.

Right off the exit into bass pro parking lot and right back on the highway after shopping. No need to go into DT Bridgeport.

I can almost say that everyone did the same thing. It'll be hard to get people into Bridgeport downtown.

I went to Bass Pro Shops this weekend as well. I saw almost every car head towards the highway. Only a few went into downtown. I only went into downtown because I needed to get onto Route 8. Downtown was pretty much dead.

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

I went to Bass Pro Shops this weekend as well. I saw almost every car head towards the highway. Only a few went into downtown. I only went into downtown because I needed to get onto Route 8. Downtown was pretty much dead.

Downtown Bridgeport is 9 to 5 after People banks headquarters, court house, cityhall workers go home the city shutdown. You can see cars clogged local streets into Route 8 and I-95.

[CTDex]

Originally Posted by BPt111

Downtown Bridgeport is 9 to 5 after People banks headquarters, court house, cityhall workers go home the city shutdown. You can see cars clogged local streets into Route 8 and I-95.

It's better having it there than not but it's going to take dozens if not hundreds of similar initiatives like this to really get the city going.




Aside from the tax breaks I have a feeling that the corporate management chose the location BECAUSE it was close to the highway so people could get on and off without having to go through the city.




Bridgeport just does not have a reputation for being a place people want to spend time in when it is surrounded by so many other upscale towns and locations.




People want to be and feel safe and be in an atmosphere than speaks of success and beauty- not run down buildings and bums and ghetto riff raff hanging around begging for money.




The sooner that city hall gets it and the police go hard against the lowlifes then things can really turn around.


Until then you're looking at decades for Bridgeport to "gentrify" ... and that's being optimistic.

[RunD1987]

I don't trust Ganim but he takes care of the city. I think if they could build a SoNo type place in Bridgeport with a movie theater, stage theater, major chain store's, restaurant's, and luxury apartment's. Heard they are suppose to build a movie theater in Bridgeport where you watch a movie and have dinner at the same time.

Definitely Steel Pointe is a great place for it.

Probably need to add a new train station maybe have a line frim Danbury to Bridgeport. They need to clean up the empty lot's/building's in the city.

Also think they need to fix up the school's. Many conversations with people in Bridgeport is how they want to leave so their kid's don't attend Bridgeport school's.

They need to lower crime and drug rates down in the city.

Fix up Housatonic Community College.


Also think they need to expand Bridgeport Hospital. Maybe make a small emergency clinic similiar to one in Southington. Maybe they can put it near that new medical facility they opened up by Sacred Heart U. Also maybe a small children medical clinic and psych clinic.

Bridgeport needs a lot done.

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

I don't trust Ganim but he takes care of the city. I think if they could build a SoNo type place in Bridgeport with a movie theater, stage theater, major chain store's, restaurant's, and luxury apartment's. Heard they are suppose to build a movie theater in Bridgeport where you watch a movie and have dinner at the same time.

Definitely Steel Pointe is a great place for it.

Probably need to add a new train station maybe have a line frim Danbury to Bridgeport. They need to clean up the empty lot's/building's in the city.

Also think they need to fix up the school's. Many conversations with people in Bridgeport is how they want to leave so their kid's don't attend Bridgeport school's.

They need to lower crime and drug rates down in the city.

Fix up Housatonic Community College.


Also think they need to expand Bridgeport Hospital. Maybe make a small emergency clinic similiar to one in Southington. Maybe they can put it near that new medical facility they opened up by Sacred Heart U. Also maybe a small children medical clinic and psych clinic.

Bridgeport needs a lot done.

Hampton Inn hotel 200 rooms suppose to built by 2018 and Cinepolis movie theater. The movie theater probably would attract all the elements. There a proposal to built a small new train station call the Barnum station near seaview ave I don't think you want to park your car their. The point is Steelpoint is small strip of land surrounded by I-95, Route 8, bridges short distance away back on the highway.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

I don't trust Ganim but he takes care of the city. I think if they could build a SoNo type place in Bridgeport with a movie theater, stage theater, major chain store's, restaurant's, and luxury apartment's. Heard they are suppose to build a movie theater in Bridgeport where you watch a movie and have dinner at the same time.

Definitely Steel Pointe is a great place for it.

Probably need to add a new train station maybe have a line frim Danbury to Bridgeport. They need to clean up the empty lot's/building's in the city.

Also think they need to fix up the school's. Many conversations with people in Bridgeport is how they want to leave so their kid's don't attend Bridgeport school's.

They need to lower crime and drug rates down in the city.

Fix up Housatonic Community College.


Also think they need to expand Bridgeport Hospital. Maybe make a small emergency clinic similiar to one in Southington. Maybe they can put it near that new medical facility they opened up by Sacred Heart U. Also maybe a small children medical clinic and psych clinic.

Bridgeport needs a lot done.

You have not been to Downtown Bridgeport, have you? There is a wonderful theater there, The Bijou, that has movies, concerts and other events. There is also the great Downtown Cabaret Theater, which has been having shows there for 40 years now. What is fun about the Cabaret is you can bring in food and drinks. I have seen people feasting there before and during the shows. There are also a lot of new apartments in new and converted old buildings and there are a number of really great restaurants there as well. I know someone that lives down there and loves it. I will admit though that the shopping options are limited. Maybe with the new Downtown North developments that will change.

There is not really much demand for mass transit between Bridgeport and Danbury. The rail lines that once existed between the two cities have long been abandoned. The last time I was to Housatonic Community College I thought it was in pretty good shape. The current campus is not that old and I believe they recently added to it.

Crime and drugs are still a major issue in Bridgeport and do need to be reined in. Not sure why you think the medical facilities are needed since the city has 2 major hospitals with a couple of branches around the area. Jay