Bass Pro Shops to anchor redevelopment of former Lycoming Mall, officials say

Developers and county officials announced that Bass Pro Shops will anchor a multi-phase redevelopment of the former Lycoming Mall, saying the project will bring jobs and regional visitors to Lycoming County.

The announcement, led by Ara Kravanjan of Sanvest Partners and developer representatives from Dunham Development, described a roughly 20-acre district envisioned to include dining, health care, entertainment and retail. "This is a proud and transformative moment for Lycoming County," Ara Kravanjan said.

Why it matters: County and private developers said an anchor tenant was critical to reactivating the former mall site and attracting other businesses. Developers and county representatives said the retailer—s arrival is expected to create local hiring opportunities and increase tourism-related spending that could support hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the region.

Developers described the Bass Pro Shops unit as an "experiential destination." Mike Dunham of Dunham Development said the store will expand the company's Pennsylvania footprint and serve as a draw for outdoor recreation visitors. "We're proud to announce that we're gonna identify this area for the next Bass Pro shop for Pennsylvania," Dunham said.

Ara Kravanjan told commissioners the redevelopment is the product of more than two years of planning with private partners, local economic development organizations and public officials. He said the project is expected to "create hundreds of jobs, generate substantial tax revenue, stimulate additional investment throughout the region," and could attract visitors from across multiple states. Kravanjan said it is "quite possible" the store could draw over 2,000,000 visitors a year.

Several elected officials and local business leaders praised the announcement and said the site fits the regional outdoor recreation identity. State Representative Jennifer Haines told commissioners, "It's an exciting day in Lycoming County." Jason Shankman of the Lycoming County Chamber said, "This is a great fit for our community." Commissioner remarks at the meeting emphasized that an economic package was assembled to secure the retailer.

Funding and incentives: County officials said they assembled an economic-development package, and that part of the package comes from Act 13 funds, the county-level gas-impact fee, which the county can use for economic development. County officials described the arrangement as a direct economic incentive to the retailer and said developer capital would fund site work and additional construction.

What happened next: The announcement was a presentation and celebration on the record; no zoning change or county vote on incentives was recorded in that item. Officials said additional development agreements, permitting and follow-up public approvals will be needed as the redevelopment proceeds.

The developers asked the public to watch for further announcements about additional tenants and project phases.