LOCAL
NEWS
Gilbert Ground
Zero for Mega-Targets
By Edythe Jensen
The Arizona Republic
11 /01/02
Gilbert hit the big
red bull's-eye twice this week with development agreements to lure the
state's first SuperTarget store and the second Target Greatland.
SuperTargets, similar to Wal-Mart Supercenters, contain both retail and
grocery stores. Greatlands are larger versions of the typical Target.
In memos to the Town Council, Greg Tilque, economic development director,
said Vestar Development plans to build two power centers at Power and
Ray roads and at Gilbert and Germann roads. One will have a SuperTarget
and the other a Target Greatlands. Which will be where hasn't been decided.
Tuesday, the council unanimously approved agreements that would return
up to $6.5 million in sales taxes to Vestar if Target builds at those
locations and if they open before July 2005.
Both sites will have easy access to the future Santan Freeway, set for
a 2006 opening.
Tilque estimated that the centers will contribute $32 million in town
sales taxes during their first five years.
The Target proposals have so far met with no neighborhood opposition and
are in predominately undeveloped areas.
That contrasts with a controversial plan by Wal-Mart to build a Supercenter
next to Town Hall southeast of Warner and Gilbert roads.
"Wal-Mart is trying to penetrate an existing neighborhood,"
Vice Mayor Steve Urie said. "People who move in around Targets later
will know what's there."
Arizona's first Target Greatland opened last year in Desert Ridge Marketplace
in northeast Phoenix.
RETURN
TO NEWS PAGE
|