WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) released the following statement in response to Connecticut State Bond Commission approval of a $22 million tax incremental financing package and a $9 million urban development grant-in-aid for the planned Bass Pro Shops store that will anchor Steelpointe Harbor project.
“I am extremely pleased that the State Bond Commission has approved this much-needed funding to help make our dreams of a revitalized Steel Point Peninsula a reality. After 30 years of delays and setbacks, this is exciting news for a project that will spur economic growth by cleaning up and rebuilding a neglected and previously polluted area that holds so much potential. Bass Pro Shops will create jobs and bring new visitors and interest to a section of Bridgeport that has been ignored for too long. I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Finch, Governor Malloy, and the developers as we turn the page to the next stages of Steel Point’s evolution.”
In 2010, Himes was instrumental in securing over $11 million in Transportation Investment Generation Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant funding through the Department of Transportation for the construction and modernization of roadways around the Steel Point Peninsula. This was the largest federal grant Bridgeport had ever received.