Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Round Rock held its grand opening with an Evening for Conservation on Wednesday, June 10. The event featured an all-star cast of celebrities from the world of sports, entertainment and the great outdoors.

For every dollar spent during the Evening for Conservation, 50 cents will be donated to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and America’s Wildlife Museum and Aquarium.

Bass Pro announced in August 2013 it would open a store here after the City Council approved an economic incentive to lure the destination retailer to Round Rock. It is the third destination retailer targeted by the City to open here. The others are Round Rock Premium Outlets and IKEA.

Located at 200 Bass Pro Drive, the 120,000-square-foot store also features the popular Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill restaurant. This 20,000-square-foot, one-of-a-kind concept features a unique atmosphere and is designed for family fun and dining, and includes a 16-lane bowling alley.

Bass Pro Shops, named as one of the “Top 10 Hottest Brands in America” by Advertising Age magazine, will continue to celebrate its 73rd store’s grand opening Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, June 14. The store will open at 8 a.m. Thursday and at 9 a.m. (normal opening hours) Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Co-host for the Outdoor Channel television shows “Bucks of Tecomate” and “Tecomate Whitetail Nation,” Jordan Shipley, will be available from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 11, for a meet and greet. Shipley is sponsored by Rocky.

• Thursday, June 11 – First 200 customers 18 years of age or older will receive a Bass Pro Shops gift card ranging in value from $5 to $100 in a logo tin
• Friday, June 12 – First 200 customers will receive a Columbia® white cap
• Saturday, June 13 – First 200 customers will receive a set of Cotton Cordel lures
• Sunday, June 14 – First 200 customers will receive a Bass Pro Shops Tervis Tumbler®.

Other exciting displays include Toyota’s interactive display and Maui Jim’s “Jimmy Jr.” where event attendees can experience a personal sunglass fitting. Both displays are open Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14. Visitors can also register to win a GOPRO® Hero4 Silver camera with a retail value of $399 to be given away after the event. Other displays throughout the opening include the Stewart-Haas Racing team’s No. 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet SS, and the RCR team’s No. 3 NASCAR Xfinity Series Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet Camaro.

Local conservation groups and agencies on hand Wednesday evening included the National Wildlife Refuge System, Ducks Unlimited, National Rifle Association, The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, International Game Fish Association, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Lone Star Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation.

Celebrities who appeared and signed autographs June 10 include:

• Turtleman (Ernie Brown, Jr.), host of “Call of the Wildman” television show
• Jay Novacek, former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys 1990-1996; five-time Pro Bowler
• Tony Stewart, driver of Stewart-Haas Racing’s 2015 No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet SS
• Doug Koenig, competitive-shooter; named World’s Best All Around Shooter
• Brenda Valentine, First Lady of Hunting and RedHead Pro Hunting team member
• Luke Snyder, former PBR World Finals champion and 2012 PBR Last Cowboy Standing champion
• Rick Clunn, four-time Bassmaster Classic Champion and Bass Pro Shops/NITRO team member
• Edwin Evers, eight-time Bassmaster Elite Series winner and 13-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier
• Ylianna Guerra, 2015 Miss Texas USA.

Jimmy Houston, host of “Jimmy Houston Outdoors” television show, served as the event emcee.

The store offers the area’s largest selection of quality gear for fishing, hunting, camping, boating and marine. Bass Pro Shops also offers equipment for hiking, backpacking, outdoor cooking and more. Shoppers will find outdoor apparel for men, women and children along with a selection of outdoor, casual and athletic footwear. A gift and nature center includes a wide variety of outdoor-related items from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and furniture.

Known for providing a fun outdoor experience indoors, a typical Bass Pro Shops retail store features more than 3,500 antiques and artifacts, up to 400 trophy fish and wildlife mounts, and many murals depicting local scenes.

Free Bass Pro Shops outdoor skills workshops will be offered throughout the year on a regular basis and will include topics such as outdoor cooking, nature photography, fly fishing, camping, archery and more. Bass Pro Shops is widely recognized for their efforts in conservation and outdoor education.

Bass Pro Shops will host more than 120 million people visiting their 92 stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada this year. The average customer stays 2 ½ hours and drives an average distance of 50 plus miles.

About Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops, which specializes in outdoor fun, operates 92 stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 120 million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers throughout the world. The company’s Tracker Marine Group, a leading brand of fishing boats for more than 37 years, manufactures and sells a variety of boats for fishing and cruising.