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Commissars<br><br>
Yes, this was disappointing news - the loss of this retail investment is
tragic. But, perhaps WalMart will reconsider the Pullman location
and move the supercenter store to the corridor (and close the current
Moscow location).<br><br>
Grocery patrons can then enjoy sales-tax-free grocery purchases - and get
all the shopping benefits of a supercenter - without actually having to
have one in Moscow. I recall Solomon and others not concerned about
loss of sales tax revenue since there is not a direct return on those
dollars to city coffers. <br><br>
With the new four-lane road, access should be great and my guess is that
there will be more than adequate parking. In all likelihood, WallMart
will allow the Moscow-Pullman shuttle bus to use their location for a bus
stop. Proximity to Bike trail will make two-wheel access easy.
<br><br>
I had the chance to visit the new Kennewick WalMart supercenter store a
couple of weeks ago. They had a very good organic food section
(most of the produce locally grown - Tri-Cities area) and the best
selection of Mexican/Spanish condiments I have seen outside of
Mexico.<br><br>
Oh, that hissing sound you hear - don't worry about it.<br><br>
Perhaps it passed your noting, but front page of Daily News also carried
a story about job growth in Pullman. It was noteworthy to see that
Schweitzer Eng. will expand its manufacturing facilities in Pullman and
add another 300 jobs. Presumably the initial infusion of salary dollars
to Pullman will be approximately $20 MM dollars annually (300 jobs at
$65,000). As those salaries are converted into product (all of
which are exported utility grid and related components), the gross effect
to the Pullman area could exceed $50 MM annually - as a point of
reference, that is about $15 to $20 MM higher than the total annual gross
production of agriculture in Latah County. <br><br>
Meanwhile, our own local brain trust is busily crafting their vision of
the ultimate planned economy ... high rise condos and apartments within
one mile of downtown? Mixed use neighborhoods with easy access
shopping, electric car repair and laundramats - ???????? Will
neighborhood taverns be allowed???<br><br>
... and Beebe withdrew his proposal for Grain Elevator
Condos????<br><br>
I wonder if the town center will be paved in red bricks?<br><br>
<br>
At 04:09 PM 6/16/2006, you wrote:<br><br>
<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><h1><b>Wal-Mart shelves Moscow
super center</b></h1><font size=2><br><br>
<br>
By ELAINE WILLIAMS<br>
of the Tribune<a name="story"></a> <br><br>
Wal-Mart has put plans for a super center in Moscow on the back burner.
<br><br>
Wal-Mart will not pursue a location on the southeast corner of Mountain
View Road and Highway 8, east of a former Tidyman's site and near
Eastside Marketplace, said Karianne Fallow, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart in
Boise. <br><br>
"Wal-Mart has decided to re-evaluate our opportunities for a super
center in Moscow,'' Fallow said in a Thursday announcement. <br><br>
"While we're fully committed to continuing to serve our customers on
the Palouse, we can't continue to delay our relocation plans at this
time,'' Fallow said. <br><br>
Wal-Mart will continue to operate its existing Moscow store, Fallow said.
<br><br>
Wal-Mart will also seek to open a 223,000-square-foot super center on
Bishop Boulevard in Pullman, Fallow said. <br><br>
That project has been appealed by Pullman Alliance for Responsible
Development in Whitman County Superior Court. <br><br>
And Wal-Mart will also look for alternative super center sites in Moscow,
Fallow said. "We still continue to view Pullman and Moscow as two
very distinct markets.'' <br>
<br>
Fallow said Wal-Mart has no plans to build a super center in Lewiston at
this time. Rumors about such a store have been circulating in Lewiston
for months. <br><br>
Wal-Mart's decision is directly related to action taken by the Moscow
City Council last month, Fallow said. <br><br>
The panel rejected a request to rezone 77 acres from agriculture-forestry
to motor business, a designation that could have opened the door for a
number of big-box retailers on the site. <br><br>
At the time, the council indicated that a rezone request for a lesser
amount of property might be acceptable. <br><br>
But Wal-Mart isn't interested in following up, Fallow said. "The
city council has continually changed the rules of the game. And creating
a guessing game for any kind of development is a very expensive
endeavor.'' <br><br>
First the land needed to be rezoned and then how much needed to be
rezoned wasn't clear, Fallow said. <br><br>
Then it wasn't possible for the store plans to be reviewed before the
rezone and other parts of the process were settled, Fallow said.
<br><br>
Attempts to reach the city's elected officials Thursday afternoon by
e-mail were not successful. All of them were out of town, most of them
attending the Idaho Association of Cities conference in Lewiston.
<br><br>
"We certainly respect the decision Wal-Mart has made,'' said Bill
Belknap, assistant city supervisor. "We wish them the best in their
endeavors.'' <br><br>
Mark Solomon, a coordinator of No Super Wal-Mart, said Moscow already has
the services a Wal-Mart would have provided at its own store and in
retailers owned by Palouse residents. <br><br>
"It's great news that the most predatory retailer on the planet
won't be gaining any larger presence in Moscow,'' Solomon said. <br><br>
Solomon's group already had a party planned for 7 p.m. tonight at the
1912 Center in Moscow to mark the previous zoning decision of the city
council. "There will be additional cause to celebrate Moscow's
vitality,'' Solomon said. <br><br>
But Fallow said it's wrong for Moscow residents to view her employer's
decision as a victory. "With a super center comes additional jobs,
additional tax revenue. You name it, there are a lot of benefits to
having a super center in the city.'' <br><br>
Solomon disagreed. Wal-Mart jobs replace better paying ones in existing
local businesses, Solomon said. <br><br>
------ <br><br>
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or at (208) 743-9600,
ext. 261. <br>
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