BASS co-owner Don Logan says the company is moving its headquarters to Birmingham.
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA -- Birmingham has caught BASS.
BASS LLC will move its corporate headquarters from Orlando to Birmingham, bringing with it around 50 employees with plans to add more.
"We decided that Birmingham is the best location for the business," Logan said in an interview Thursday. "There are people there with a media background and a sales background, so that would give us good access to a talent pool."
Co-owner Don Logan said other factors for the move include access to the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, the central location to the Southeast's fishing lakes and the number of fisherman in the BASS Elite series.
"There are more Elite anglers that live in the Birmingham metro area than any other metropolitan population around," Logan said.
The headquarters move will bring:
• Bassmaster, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer magazines and online operations.
• Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Classic fishing tournament tours.
• Sales management positions.
• Tournament management jobs.
• Corporate executive positions.
Logan said the television production company operated by Jerry McKinnis will remain in Little Rock, Ark. Details are still being worked out as to exactly where in Birmingham the company will be based, he said.
"We are still waiting to pick a specific site," he said. "It's still a bit up in the air."
Birmingham Mayor William Bell said Thursday BASS is a big catch for the city.
"We're thrilled that BASS will be moving its headquarters to Birmingham," Bell