Today, Hillsborough County Commissioners voted to delay a decision on providing $8.25 million in road improvements as an incentive for retail giant Bass Pro Shops to build a store in Brandon, at the intersection of I-75 and the Selmon Crosstown Expressway. The vote was 6-1, with Mark Sharpe dissenting. The Commission will revisit the issue in February.
Advocates for the 150,000-square-foot outdoors shop say it will generate 1,700 construction jobs and 1,500 permanent jobs at the store and related operations. But the Republican-dominated board had an inner conflict — creating incentives to bring new jobs to the region vs. the impression that they were favoring corporations over local small businesses, who aren't getting similar breaks.
The plan has been promoted for nearly two years by County Chairman Ken Hagan, who had an edge to his voice when he introduced it to the board Wednesday afternoon. Taking exception to those who say the plan is contradictory to the BOCC's goal to bring in higher income jobs from the hi-tech and bio-tech industries, he said, "Let's be intellectually honest. At times bio-tech has not reached its potential."
Hagen's colleagues, perhaps trying to soften the blow, praised him effusively for the passion of his advocacy before laying the boom that they could not support the project, at least not now.
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2012.