As predicted, the Moscow City Council voted last night 3-2 to deny the rezone of the 77 acre Thompson annexation.
That effectively puts an end to a planned Wal-Mart Supercenter in Moscow. Look for Wal-Mart now to either move to the Hawkins Companies development in the Pullman-Moscow corridor or wait until the No Growthers get kicked out of the council and try again.
In any case, as No Super WalMart's own study pointed out, a Pullman Supercenter will have a huge retail impact on Moscow. Pullman wins as Moscow stumbles!
More later.
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2 comments:
That is a BIG one. Then if Wal-Mart feels that Hawkins development is a OK position for them. Then they close the Wal-Mart that Moscow now has. The tables would be turned and we will sit back and watch Moscow dry up and whither, for the next few decades, until the No-GROWTH and “Smart Growth” crowds get run out of town on a rail. Since it seems they have flunked ECON 101.
We will now be a tale of two cities. Who will grow and prosper, who will try to force failing businesses to remain open? I hope Wal-Mart is paying attention, just as I hope the anti-growthers are paying attention to our two towns. In ten years, will Moscow be the thriving economy because they are a culturally diverse community? Will Pullman thrive because we welcome large retailers?
At this point, I see Pullman becoming the retail magnet and Moscow becoming a seasonal artistic center. This will definitely be a living test and we will be able to see who was right.
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