The Bass Pros
Local Amateur Blogger Announces Discovery Regarding America’s Beloved Stuffed-Animal Museum
In a weak attempt at homespun investigative journalism, I uncovered what may or may not be the greatest corporate subsidy scandal in American outdoor-retail history. And by “uncovered,” I mean:
I Googled something once.
At night.
When I was tired.
On my phone.
After having first received this tip from an unreliable tertiary source in a short propaganda video.
According to the first few links I clicked (and I only read one of them all the way through), Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s are allegedly involved in a sprawling network of taxpayer-funded “destination retail experiences” that function as “museums” for the purpose of… something?
The details were vague, but also very suspicious.
I am now prepared to report, with absolute confidence:
This could all be true, but also might not all be true.
And I think that’s the kind of nuance America seems to reward.
Clarification
Before I continue slandering companies based on incomplete information, I must correct the record:
I previously accused Cabela’s (the more button-down cousin in the flannel-retail dynasty) of masterminding the following museum-tax-evasion plot.
However, Bass Pro bought Cabela’s in 2017. So any lingering confusion belongs to them now, not me. All complaints can be directed to:
Johnny Morris, CEO, Professional Collector of Taxidermy and Also Apparently Other Companies.
The “Museum” Accusation
Some online commenters (do I care to be encumbered by “primary sources” at present?) claim that Bass Pro Shops has called itself a “natural history museum” to secure public funding for things like aquariums and stuffed animals.
Any store with a 30-foot fiberglass mountain, six stuffed bears, and a 30,000-gallon fish tank embodies the essence of a museum. If you squint hard enough, everything is grant-eligible.
In Glendale, Arizona, Bass Pro reportedly secured public funding by positioning its giant fish tank and taxidermy exhibit as a “natural history museum”.
Under this logic, your dentist’s waiting room, also home to a fish tank, should qualify for a Smithsonian partnership.
Subsidy Stats
Several Cabela’s stores built museum wings to sweeten the deal and justify additional public subsidies. Rumor has it that among these wings is a diorama of a fake cougar attacking a fake alligator while real employees restock Crocs.
While the specific flavor of “museum tax-exempt status” is more speculative than confirmed (well, by me), the story has been happily perpetuated by these subsidy stats and the general fog of online discourse.
According to multiple public records, investigations, and disappointed mayors, Bass Pro and Cabela’s have collectively reeled in somewhere between $500 million and $1.3 billion in taxpayer-funded incentives over the past two decades. Some estimates place the total even higher.
Are these numbers correct?
I wouldn’t bet a $4.99 camouflage koozie on it.
Jobs
Cities were seduced by promises of hundreds of permanent jobs.
In some tumbleweed towns, economic reports say Bass Pro didn’t create as many jobs as expected. Instead, the jobs simply shifted around.
In Harrisburg, PA, a mayor approved millions in subsidies for a Bass Pro projected to create 300–400 new jobs. After three years, the store employed… not that.
But fear not—the economy was stimulated in other ways. For example, taxpayers in Iowa allegedly saw their school taxes increase because TIF funds diverted revenue away from districts and toward Bass Pro-related debt.
Conclusion
Okay, if even 20% of what I think I read is accurate, then Bass Pro Shops is definitely accomplishing some kind of murky retail wizardry.
If 0% of it is accurate, then congratulations to them for running the cleanest outdoor mega-store operation. Game recognizes game.
Either way, I have now written and published this article.
Therefore, it is journalism.
And I stand by every word.
Until someone corrects me.
At which point I will immediately stand by the correction.
The average consumer can't be expected to know all the facts. Anyway, I’m off to the mom-and-pop shop for a bow stabilizer. Happy hunting!
Sources
Bloomberg News. (2012, August 13). Why do these towns give away so much to big box stores? Bloomberg.
Economics Group—Fisher, P. S. (2012). Tax increment financing in Polk County.
https://economicsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Tax-Increment-Financing-in-Polk-County.pdf
Good Jobs First. (2010, June 10). Bass Pro Exposé: Reeling in subsidies. Public Accountability Initiative.
https://goodjobsfirst.org/bass-pro-expos%C3%A9-reeling-subsidies/
Good Jobs First. (n.d.). Subsidy Tracker: Bass Pro. Corporate Research Project.
https://subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org/parent/bass-pro
Johnson, F. (2025, November 5). Bass Pro Shop tax exempt museum: Unpacking the Wonders of Wildlife’s unique status and its broader implications. Wonderful Museums.
https://www.wonderfulmuseums.com/museum/bass-pro-shop-tax-exempt-museum/
NextCity. (2013, June 4). Cities still subsidize Bass Pro megastores despite questionable returns.
Snopes. (2025, September 9). Unraveling claims about Bass Pro Shops not paying federal taxes.
https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/09/09/federal-taxes-bass-pro-shops/