I don’t like Wal-Mart . They’re union-busting peddlers of cheap, plastic shit manufactured in third world sweat shops.
So the news that they wont be building a store near Ybor City near Ybor City anytime soon is good – anything is better than a Wal-Mart. But they’re not just gonna go away, and I fear that the next site chosen may well be much more objectionable than the gritty, industrial area that was recently under consideration.
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer and a company not used to being on the losing end of a deal, has been trumped by a little- known California company in an intense bidding war for prime property near Ybor City.
Wednesday morning, Wal- Mart said it was in negotiations for the 30-acre site where it intended to build a Supercenter.
But by late afternoon, an executive with Panattoni Development LLC of Sacramento said his company had signed a contract to purchase the International Center at the southeast corner of Adamo Drive and 22nd Street. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“I know Wal-Mart is hot on the property,” said Moses Salcido, Panattoni’s senior development manager. “But it has more potential than just putting a Wal-Mart store there.”
The company says it’s looking into several development options for the land.
Wal-Mart officials said they were shocked at the sudden collapse of their plans.
“Wow,” said Wal-Mart Spokesman Eric Brewer, who paused to collect his thoughts. “If they have a contract, they have a contract. We certainly feel Tampa is an underserved market, and we’ll keep evaluating where we can go in the area.”
Act locally: Wake Up Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart Ybor deal collapses