Bass Pro ShopHamilton County taxpayers may be chipping in to help East Ridge accommodate its biggest economic development project since Interstate 75 crossed the Georgia-Tennessee border.
At a Wednesday agenda session, the County Commission considered a resolution to join with East Ridge and pay $1 million toward road improvements near Exit 1 and the new Bass Pro Shop that's slated to open there.
That comes after East Ridge dipped into its reserve fund in June to cover the last installment of a $4 million incentive it paid to Exit One, LLC., by Chattanooga developer John Healy, which is building the store and its surrounding retail spaces.
If the resolution is passed next week, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger said, the county would pay $500,000 toward improvements on Camp Jordan Parkway, widening it from two lanes to five from the interstate to the end of the proposed development. It would spend another $500,000 to add capacity and improve flow to the exit itself.
And it appears commissioners will go for it.
Based on improvements to the property, the county is expected to see big returns in the form of tax revenue. The $1 million is expected to be recouped in four years.
"We are going to make a million-dollar investment, boost our school revenues, boost our sales tax revenue [for schools] and get our money back in four years - I'm in," said Commissioner Joe Graham, who heads the finance committee.
Hamilton County Commissioner Tim BoydCommissioner Tim Boyd, who represents East Ridge, said the last time the city saw this large a development was when the interstate came through.
"You've got $25 million investment in Bass Pro, then the development around Bass Pro is getting close to $100 million," Boyd said.
Also included in the plan are two restaurants, including a Zaxby's; a hotel, and two retail spaces with nearly 200,000 square feet combined.
Commissioner Greg Beck questioned if the county and East Ridge were OK with there being a $1 million cap on the aid, and East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert said that was just fine.
"We do not foresee a need to come and ask you for more than the $500,000 [for each project] that's been talked about," he told commissioners.
In other business, commissioners will consider using tax dollars to pay $4,000 more to the Hamilton County Soil Conservation District and spend $22,370 for an electronic sign at Brown Middle School.
Commissioner Chester Bankston is asking to spend the $4,000 out of general fund discretionary money to help pay for a convention the soil conservation organization is putting on. Soil conservation already got $120,000 of budgeted funds this year.
Commissioner Warren Mackey is asking to pay for the sign with bonded discretionary funds from previous years.
Brown Middle School Principal Jane Reynolds said the sign is badly needed, because the school now has an older, marquee-style sign with tiled lettering. The new sign will help the school better communicate with parents, she said. The current sign has limited space, and letters often break or go missing.
"This is one of those electronic front signs. I would compare it to Central High School's sign," Reynolds said.
Commissioners will meet to vote on those and other items next week.
Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.