Bass Pro Shops acquisition of Cabela's complete

Through SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) filings and a combined press release, Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops announced the companies' merger was completed Monday, with Bass Pro acquiring the locally-born outdoor retailer for approximately

$5 billion.

While specifics on the operation of some portions of Cabela's Sidney operations weren't made available, the announcement and information provided by the company said that operations will continue while promoting both the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's brands.

"We look forward to growing and celebrating conservation as we work to provide our combined customer base with enhanced product offerings, unique outdoor experiences and unrivaled services," said Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops. "As we move forward, we are committed to retaining everything customers love about both Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's by creating a 'best-of-the-best' experience that includes the superior products, outstanding customer service and exceptional value our customers have come to expect. We're also deeply motivated by the potential to significantly advance key conservation initiatives."

In the press release, the companies said completion of the transaction "marks a historic moment for American outdoor enthusiasts."

In a related action, Synovus Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Synovus Financial Corp. completed its acquisition of certain assets and liabilities of World's Foremost Bank (WFB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cabela's Incorporated for approximately $1.2 billion. Synovus also completed the sale of WFB's credit card assets and related liabilities to Capital One Bank. Capital One will be the exclusive issuing partner of Cabela's branded CLUB Visa program pursuant to a 10-year program agreement.

The companies both added a section "Moving Forward Together" to their respective websites. The section has video and written presentations expounding the advantages of services under the merger, reiterating that each company will continue to operate and grow under its own brand.

None of the information presented so far has indicated the future of Cabela's Corporate operations or how corporate or other local jobs might be affected. Cabela's officials referred questions to the press release and the "Together" web offerings, while calls to Bass Pro have yet to be returned.