PORTAGE | So, you're thinking about heading out to the opening of Bass Pro Shops this week?

So are a few thousand other avid outdoor enthusiasts and probably a few thousand of the simply curious.

Bass Pro Shops and local officials have been working on logistics for this week's Evening of Conservation and grand opening beginning Thursday evening and continuing through Presidents Day, Feb. 19.

Kelly Hipskind, promotions manager for the 130,000-square-foot mega retailer, said he couldn't give an accurate estimate of how many visitors the new retailer may see over the long weekend but expected it to be in the thousands.

Portage Police Chief Cliff Burch said his department, along with city fire and street department officials and Indiana State Police and Indiana Department of Transportation officials, met with representative of Bass Pro last week to hammer out the details of the opening.

Burch was told to anticipate 5,000 visitors on Thursday; 9,000 on Friday; and between 13,000 and 15,000 visitors on Saturday.

"There is a lot of planning involved in such an event," Burch said. "It has been well planned, and there's been a lot of input from everyone involved."

"We can't avoid all problems. We're trying to be proactive and do our best to make this the smoothest Bass Pro opening in history," Hipskind said.

Both Burch and Hipskind are encouraging visitors to use a free shuttle bus system, which will run during the five days of the opening celebration.

Portage Township Schools has lent the retailer six school buses. Stops will be at the Kmart parking lot on U.S. 6 and Willowcreek Road and Nativity of Our Savior Church, 2949 Willowcreek Road. Shuttles will begin running approximately one hour prior to the store's opening each day and will run every 10 to 15 minutes.

Hipskind said Bass Pro has only 750 parking spaces at its store.

In addition, extra off-duty police have been hired to do traffic control for the five days both inside and outside AmeriPlex at the Port where Bass Pro is located.

A traffic flow plan has been mapped out that will allow people to enter the area off Ind. 249. The exit from the retailer will be through the park via an access road onto U.S. 20.

In addition, Burch said, state police and INDOT will construct additional temporary signage on Interstates 94 and 80, to make visitors aware of the appropriate exits and direct them to the shuttle parking areas.

**BREAKOUT**

Grand opening events

* Bass Pro opens at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 with its Evening of Conservation. The evening, which lasts until 9 p.m., will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebrities including 1985 Chicago Bears William "Refrigerator" Perry and Dan Hampton; "Mr. Crappie" Wally Marshall; Keith Kavajecz of the Bass Pro Shops National Fishing Team; Brenda Valentine of the RedHead National Hunting Team; John Lantz, Mark Smith and Brian Smith of Raghorn Adventures TV; Miss Indiana Teen USA 2007 Victoria Tomlinson; Miss Indiana USA 2007 Jami Stallings; former Chicago Bulls player and Gary Steelheads coach Cliff Levingston; and retired NASCAR driver Terry Labonte. Musical entertainment will be provided by The Crawpuppies.

* The Evening of Conservation will feature some 20 local, regional and national conservation groups. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the More Fish campaign.

* Hours for the remainder of the opening will be: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18; and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19.

* Each day will feature exhibits including the Bass Pro Shops Martin Truex Jr.'s No. 1 NASCAR race car and No. 20 sprint car. There will be prizes and daily giveaways. There also will be experts on fishing, hunting, dog training and other outdoors interests.

* Those attending are encouraged to use the free shuttle bus service. Parking areas will be at the Kmart parking lot on U.S. 6 and Willowcreek Road and Nativity of Our Savior Church, 2949 Willowcreek Road. Shuttles will begin running approximately one hour to the store's opening each day and will run every 10 to 15 minutes.