OKEECHOBEE — Bass Pro’s plans to turn the Okee-Tantie Recreation Area into a world-class fishing resort continue to progress, albeit slowly.

“In spite of the COVID shutdown, we have made good progress and some discovery,” Tim Mahoney, of Big Cedar Lodge, told the Okeechobee County Commissioners at their Sept. 24 meeting. Mahoney attended the Okeechobee meeting online via Zoom.

Big Cedar is the resort arm of Bass Pro. Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, created Big Cedar Lodge as a destination for families and friends to connect in the great outdoors.

One concern is the availability of sewer lines. Mahoney asked the county about the progress of the plan to extend Okeechobee Utility Authority (OUA) lines to Okee-Tantie. Commission Chairman Terry Burroughs said some funding has been provided by the legislature for the southwest section project, but the funding for the additional piece was not allocated in the last legislative session.

“We have enough dollars to get part of the way there, and need the rest of the dollars to get all the way there,” he explained. He said the county commissioners have encouraged OUA to make extension of the sewer lines to Okee-Tantie their No. 1 priority in requests for funding from the state. Burroughs said he will also encourage OUA to apply for rural infrastructure grants now available through United States Department of Agriculture.

“I will talk to OUA folks and get a draft time line for the overall project,” he added.

“The time frame for water and sewer depends on the funding we can get from the Legislature,” said Burroughs. “I think our focus is to have water and sewer all the way down there and not have Bass Pro have to put in an on-site plant.”

Mahoney said a number of permit applications are in the works. The corps and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) require a Florida Bonneted Bat survey. This is scheduled to occur next month.

A manatee protection plan is also required. Big Cedar consultants will work with FWC to create one, as Okeechobee County does not currently have a manatee protection plan at the county level.

A cultural and historic resource assessment is scheduled to begin in October.

Mahoney said a federal 408 permit will be required to alter a civil works project within the Herbert Hoover Dike for the expanded marina, additional boat slips and to construct a canal. The proposed changes will also require approval from the U.S. Coast Guard. The marina expansion will also require a state permit, he explained.

Mahoney said they hope to complete the federal permit application requirements by the end of the year. Realistically, approval from the corps will take 18 to 24 months after the application is submitted.

The corps database indicates the property is under a federal easement, he said. Big Cedar is working with corps’ real estate office tor resolve that. He asked for the county’s assistance on that issue.

“We can certainly take a look at that,” said County Attorney Wade Vose.

Commissioner David Hazellief suggested the county do the title search — “might as well get started on it.”

Jeff Sumner, who is working with Big Cedar, said a title search was done on the property years ago by former county attorney John Cassels. “There was not a federal easement listed on the title search,” he said. “I think it may be a glitch on the federal side.”

“There was a title search done when we had the easement released from South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) when we bought the (state) easement out,” said County Administrator Robbie Chartier.

Commissioners agreed to have another title search done. “Anything we can do to speed the process up,” said Burroughs.

The SFWMD Environmental Resource permit is in progress. The Okeechobee County permit is just waiting on the site plan, which cannot be finalized until the other permits are approved.

The county is not holding the project up, said Sumner.

Hazellief suggested the commission send a delegation to meet with Johnny Morris. “He needs to know how much we want it here,” he said. “As far as I am concerned, that is economic development.” The other commissioners agreed and asked the county administrator to organize this.

“The sooner the better,” said Burroughs.