Wal-Mart Cancels 45 Superstore Projects
This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post
According to a list released this week, Wal-Mart Stores has abandoned a record-shattering 45 proposed projects over the past 10 months—often leaving local officials dejected and confused. Another 19 Wal-Mart projects have been killed by local citizen’s groups. In total, the world’s largest retailer has suffered an historic loss of 64 projects.
The list of store cancellations was compiled by Sprawl-Busters, which has maintained a database on Wal-Mart battles for more than a decade. Since June, 2007, the Arkansas-based retailer has delayed or killed its own stores in the following communities:
Aledo, IL; Arlington, WA; Belfast, ME; Bonita Springs, FL; Brooksville, FL; Chico, CA; Concord, CA; Crowley, TX; Derry, NH; Elyria, OH; Fircrest, WA; Garden Grove, CA; Gilbert, AZ; Glen Carbon, IL; Hadley, MA; Hemet, CA; Hilo, HI; Isle of Wight, VA; Knightdale, NC; Lake County, FL; Lakeland, FL; Lawrence, NJ; Lewiston, ME; Liberty, OH; Pennfield, MI; Hillsborough, NH; Kilbuck, PA; La Puenta, CA; Marietta, GA; Marysville, WA; Memphis, TN; Morganton, NC; Neptune Beach, FL; Oakley, CA; Oxford, NC; Portland, OR; Raleigh, NC; Ravalli County, MT; Rutland Charter, MI; Spooner, WI; St. Peters, MO; Sioux Falls, SD; Stoughton, WI; Sunrise, FL; Waukesha, WI.
These store withdrawals usually come with little advance notice, and even less explanation. In September, 2007, for example, when Wal-Mart suddenly folded its tent in Lancaster, Massachusetts—3 miles from the construction site of another Wal-Mart superstore—the company issued a terse, four paragraph press release which stated, “The decision is related to Wal-Mart’s recently announced plans to moderate growth of U.S. supercenters as part of leveraging capital resources through a strategy designed to improve returns and sales within U.S. stores.” Such dense statements left local officials scratching their heads in disbelief—sometimes following months, even years, of lobbying by the retailer to get a project approved.
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Posted by Al Norman on Monday, March 31 | 22 comments | Permalink
Ravalli County, MT. Wal-Mart Pulls Out After Spending A Fortune To Win Zoning Vote
Wal-Mart has once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. On September 9, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart had submitted a proposal to build a 153,000 s.f. superstore in Hamilton, Montana on Highway 93 and Blood Lane. An appropriate location, given the amount of blood that was spilled over this proposal. To get their store permitted, the retailer had to overturn a law in Ravalli County that was passed in April, 2006, which limited the size of superstores to 60,000 s.f. Over 1,000 people jammed into the Hamilton Middle School to speak on the ordinance to cap the size of retail stores. One resident summed up the feelings of most in the overflow crowd when he said, “I am not anti-growth, but I didn’t come to the Bitterroot for economic growth - I came here because of the quality of life and Hamilton’s beauty.” After listening to 3 hours of testimony, which ran roughly 10 to 1 in favor of a cap, the County Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt the size limit. But Wal-Mart moved ahead to submit a plan to build their store in an area known as the Bitterroot Valley. “I don’t feel the zoning ordinance applies to us,” a Wal-Mart spokesman said. “We feel vested in the building process.”
But apparently not too vested, because Wal-Mart contributed $41,752.41 to help a group gather signatures to challenge the county’s vote by putting the issue on the November, 2006 ballot. A Wal-Mart-funded group called the “Citizens for Economic Opportunity,” received a huge Wal-Mart check in May, just as the petition drive was getting underway. So Wal-Mart paid to get its issue on the ballot. The leader of the pro Wal-Mart group told the Missoulian newspaper that Wal-Mart’s money was used to pay for several mailings and to hire signature gatherers. “I wouldn’t deny that they donated, but at the same time, this is about free enterprise,” said a spokesman for CEO. “This isn’t about Wal-Mart. It’s about the freedom to do business.”
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Posted by Al Norman on Tuesday, March 18 | 0 comments | Permalink
Montana Site Fight: Victory in Hamilton
Wal-Mart drops store in Hamilton [The Missoulan (Mont.)]
Despite winning a contentious battle several years ago, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has decided not to build a Supercenter in Ravalli County, according to a company spokesman.
The decision is part of a larger corporate strategy developed since last June, slowing the number of new Supercenters, said Wal-Mart spokesman Josh Phair. The chain currently operates about 4,000 Supercenters.
Wal-Mart had planned to build a 158,000-square-foot store just south of Hamilton, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 93 and Blood Lane.
“For now, we’re holding off on building any type of store,” Phair said. “This is a short-term step and certainly, longer term, we will take advantage of any opportunities that arise. We heard loud and clear that people in Ravalli County wanted us.”But County Commissioner Carlotta Grandstaff said Wal-Mart’s plans were “extremely contentious” in the community.
“I think a Wal-Mart would have been detrimental to the local businesses,” Grandstaff said. “I’m glad for the mom-and-pop shops on Main Street.”
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, March 17 | 0 comments | Permalink
Wyoming Site Fight: Victory in Douglas
Wal-Mart scraps plans for Douglas store [Caspar Star-Tribune (Wyo.)]
Wal-Mart officials announced this week the company is withdrawing plans to build a Supercenter store here.
But local officials said the preparations made for the chain’s foray into Douglas will still bring economic benefit. And, the owners of the property Wal-Mart had under contract said they are proceeding with other residential and commercial development.
The company’s proposal drew vocal responses from people on both sides of the issue. Some welcomed a chance to shop at a large retailer without driving 50 miles to Casper. Others protested the store for its potential to harm existing businesses.
Wal-Mart Senior Manager of Public Affairs for Wyoming Joshua Phair said the withdrawal is related to the company’s broader plans, announced in June, to “more strategically prioritize development of Supercenters.”
“It’s really related to our broader announcement, a general slowdown in terms of Supercenter development,” Phair said. “It has nothing to do with our relationship with the folks in Douglas. In fact, quite the opposite. It’s a really strong business community and we have nothing but nice things to say.”
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, March 17 | 0 comments | Permalink
Ulysses, KS. Wal-Mart Lays Out Preliminary Plans
Wal-Mart wants store in Ulysses [Garden City Telegram (Kan.)]
Ulysses City Clerk Mary Smith doesn’t really remember the first time she heard Wal-Mart was looking to come to the city.
“I probably thought, ‘I’ll believe it when I see it,’” Smith said of hearing the rumor.
But on Thursday night, the possibility of Wal-Mart coming to Ulysses—which would add a fourth store location in southwest Kansas in addition to Liberal, Garden City and Dodge City—seemed promising, Smith said, adding she feels the giant retailer’s proposed super center will be good for the city.
On Thursday, Smith and others attended a Ulysses/Grant County Planning Commission meeting in which Oklahoma City firm SMC Consulting Engineers, on behalf of Wal-Mart, showed the commission the preliminary and final plats for the proposed store. The firm also made a request for extension of water services from the city to the development, which is proposed along the east boundary of Ulysses between Kansas Highway 160 and Hampton Avenue.
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, February 25 | 0 comments | Permalink
Rapid City, SD. Wal-Mart Suffers Set-Back Near Mt. Rushmore
Wal-Mart has 12 supercenters in South Dakota, and 2 Sam’s Clubs. It also has one empty store in Yankton, S.D. Rapid City, South Dakota already has one Wal-Mart supercenter at 1200 Lacrosse, which is enough capacity for a city with 62,715 people. Rapid City boasts that it attracts more than 2 million visitors each year to see Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse, and the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is also the home of Ellsworth Air Force Base, with more than 3,000 airmen.
If Wal-Mart had been hoping for a rapid permitting response from Rapid City, their plans this week dropped into the slow lane. According to the Rapid City Journal, the Rapid City Planning Commission turned down Wal-Mart’s request to have less than half an acre of land rezoned as part of their plan to add a second supercenter to their presence in this city. The Planning Comission voted 6-2 to keep the land zoned park forest, instead of general commercial. Wal-Mart needs this little piece of land to make its 79 acre shopping center a reality. The project would sit on the corner of Highway 16.
The developer, Whittingham & Lestrange, is no doubt putting on a full court press on the Rapid City Council, which gets the final say on the rezoning at its March 3rd meeting. The Planning Commission is not done yet with Wal-Mart. The retailer has to take its 79 acre subdivision plan to the Commission on March 6th, and they also need a waiver from city requirementrs regarding sidewalks at the site. This process to permit the second Wal-Mart has been going on since October of 2006---so after almost a year and a half, the rapid response Wal-Mart wanted has long since faded away. In fact, Wal-Mart started off with this project three years ago, at a different location along Highway 16. The original site on the Sammis Trail actually was taken to the voters of Rapid City, who voted in a referendum to approve the second supercenter on Sammis Trail. But after enginering this referendum victory, Wal-Mart ended up having to withdraw its plans in July of 2006, because the retailer was unable to convince an abutting property-owner, and orthopedic center, to grant the store a small easement for a road behind the store. Without the easement, the project died.
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Posted by Al Norman on Monday, February 25 | 0 comments | Permalink
Religious Advocacy Group Lobbies To Close Iowa Loophole
Interesting story today from Iowa, where the religious advocacy group “A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy,” or AMOS, is lobbying the state to close a big business-friendly tax loophole. Apparently, the loophole allows out-of-state corporations to avoid paying income taxes on profits they make in Iowa. Probably not a good thing, considering Iowa, like almost all state governments, faces tight budget concerns.
AMOS is a congregational based community organization created by Bishops from the United Methodist, Episcopalian, Roman Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran traditions, as well as Rabbis from local synagogues and pastors from the Disciples of Christ. The group, based in Des Moines, say they are seeking a level playing field for Iowa’s small business owners.
Group lobbies lawmakers to end sales tax loophole [Radio Iowa]
Members of a religious advocacy group want state lawmakers to close a loophole in Iowa’s corporate income tax law in which out-of-state corporations are not required to pay income taxes on profits they make in the state. Des Moines business owner Sheena Thomas is a member of “A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy,” or AMOS, which says the loophole is unfair.
Thomas says they’re seeking a level playing field in which they believe the corporate income tax they pay in Iowa should be the same for large corporations on the profits they make in Iowa. Thomas owns a designer jewelry studio and gallery.
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Posted by Corey Himrod on Friday, February 22 | 4 comments | Permalink
Rapid City, S.D. Commission to Consider Rezoning
Planning commission to consider Wal-Mart site zoning [Rapid City Journal (S.D.)]
Rapid City’s planning commission will consider several issues Thursday morning regarding a portion of the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter development on U.S. Highway 16, but the main development applications won’t be heard until March 6 at the earliest.
On Feb. 21, the planning commission will consider a change in the land use designation and the zoning of a small, triangular-shaped piece of land on the east side of the development, from park forest to general commercial.
According to information linked to the commission’s agenda, site plans for the 590-foot by 33-foot property show a retaining wall, a row of parking spaces and a landscape buffer. Changing the use and zoning will make the small portion consistent with the rest of the Wal-Mart site. Information about the change is available at http://www.rcgov.org/agendas/planningcommissionagenda/planningcomm.htm, then click on item 38.
Two other Wal-Mart related issues on Thursday’s agenda, the preliminary plat for the Tower Ridge 2 subdivision and a subdivision variance request, are recommended to be postponed to March 6, which is the date the development plan for the project is scheduled to be heard.
Today’s meeting begins at 7 a.m. at the City/School Administration Center, 300 Sixth St.
Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Thursday, February 21 | 0 comments | Permalink
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