City of Antioch says no to Walmart expansion

Antioch council rejects Wal-Mart expansion
By Simon Read
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Antioch's City Council has rejected Wal-Mart's plan to expand its Lone Tree Way store into a supercenter.

Mayor Donald Freitas -- along with council members Brian Kalinowski and Reggie Moore -- voted against the expansion, with Councilmen Jim Davis and Arne Simonsen voting in favor.

Factions from both sides of the issue packed the council chambers Tuesday night and voiced their respective view points during three hours of emotional public comments. Supporters argued a 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenter would bring jobs and lower prices to the area, while opponents cited increased crime and traffic as reasons to shoot the project down.

"Certainly, we're disappointed," said Kevin Loscotoff, Wal-Mart's regional public affairs manager. "We hoped the Council would have recognized the outpouring of support for this project from the community, and the more than 250 jobs it would have created."

The company will now "evaluate what options are available," Loscotoff said, adding no decision had yet been made as to whether the company would pursue any legal avenues.

Initially, the expansion would have added 72,980 square feet to the Wal-Mart store in the Williamson Ranch Plaza at Hillcrest Avenue and Lone Tree Way, boosting its size to 203,103 square feet.

The company, however, had agreed to an 8,000 square foot reduction to comply with size restrictions in the plaza.


What the article doesn't say is that an increase of 250 jobs at a Walmart supercenter are non-union, would be offset by the loss of good paying unions jobs at supermarkets located close to the supercenter, a vacant storefront, and elimination of shopping alternatives.