FLORIDA SITE FIGHT: DEBATING THE WAL-MART ISSUE IN TAMPA

Topics: | | Community Impact | Economic/Small Business | Hiring an Expert | | |

Mulhern: Just say no to Walmart in Tampa [WNMF Radio (Fla.)]

A discussion about economic development in East Tampa resulted in a short exchange between City Council members and staff about the value of Walmart in local communities.

East Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency manager Ed Johnson was asked by City Councilman Thomas Scott if the big box retailer was still considering building a store in the area.

Councilwoman Mmary Mulhern asked Johnson how much money from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was going toward attracting stores like Walmart. She then said she wanted to bring an economist to a council meeting in the future to explain why such stores hurt – and not help – local communities.

Scott asked how many jobs would be lost if Walmart were to pull its stores out of Tampa. CRA manager Ed Johnson said “thousands.” Seeming to contradict Mulhern, Johnson said many residents in the area travel far and wide to spend their money at Wal-Marts in the bay area.

In the last decade, opposition to Walmart stores has grown locally and nationally. There have been spirited public hearings in Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg in opposition to the stores.

Economic Development Administrator Mark Huey told Mulhern that his agency was agnostic on what type of development to bring into East Tampa.

Huey said that there are no immediate plans for Walmart to come into Tampa, referencing a decision made by Walmart CEO H. Lee Scott a year ago to slow down the pace of new store growth, and instead to concentrate on remodeling existing stores.

And in what appeared to be a philosophical dispute, Huey said that the City will encourage big box retailers when they think it’s appropriate, regardless of what Mulhern thinks (roll tape#6 o.q.’to the community”).

Councilwoman Mary Mulhern said that she still intended on bringing in an economist to a future CRA meeting to discuss why Walmart only hurts local communities and businesses.

Posted by Luke West on Friday, September 12, 2008