County Looking To Lower Land Cost For Wal-Mart
October 8, 2008
Fearful that they will lose their land deal with Wal-Mart, county officials are scrambling desperately to find some way to lower the cost of the
Al Norman
One Candidate Supports Limit on Superstore Size On November Ballot
October 5, 2008
The Presidential election will be the preoccupation of millions of American voters on November 4th, but residents in one small California community will be focusing
City Agrees To Independent Study of Wal-Mart Plan
October 3, 2008
One of the most salient features of the land use process in America is the total reliance on experts hired by the developer. Across this
Wal-Mart Expansion Plan Back For A Third Try
October 2, 2008
On May 6, 2006, Sprawl-Busters narrated the story of residents in Apple Valley, Minnesota who were fighting a developer, Tradition, who had proposed building a
Vermont Governor To Appear At Pro-Wal-Mart Rally
October 2, 2008
It’s payback time in Vermont. Wal-Mart has donated to Vermont Governor Jim Douglas’ re-election campaign, and now the Governor is returning the favor by speaking
Wal-Mart Expansion Offers No Gain For Village
October 1, 2008
Mount Prospect, Illinois is slated to get a bigger Wal-Mart. That has officials in this community giddy with excitement. Although Wal-Mart may be growing, unfortunately
Wal-Mart Distribution Center Held Up By Water Shortage
October 1, 2008
For the time being, it looks like the Princess will not be awakened by a kiss from Wal-Mart. The small community of Princess Anne, in
Wal-Mart Backs Down From Second Superstore
September 30, 2008
It appears that one Wal-Mart supercenter is enough for now in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Superstore #1935 is located on Town Centre Drive in Johnstown, roughly 14
After Four Years, Wal-Mart Gets Court Nod
September 30, 2008
On December 21, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that what began in a great rush by Wal-Mart, had turned into a costly waiting game for the retailer.
City Oks Wal-Mart Expansion After 5 Year Citizen Delay
September 28, 2008
Anti-Wal-Mart activists have cost Wal-Mart hundreds of millions of dollars in lost sales at their store in Redding, California. On June 29, 2004, Sprawl-Busters reported
County Agrees To Give Wal-Mart $5 Million In Bail Out
September 28, 2008
We’ve learned the hard way that Wall Street likes free taxpayer money as much as it loves the free market. But Wal-Mart has had its
Citizen Group Sues County Over Wal-Mart Expansion
September 27, 2008
On August 9, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was in the middle of a controversial plan to expand its existing discount store into a superstore
Wal-Mart Returns To Continue Three Year Riverfront Battle
September 27, 2008
On January 17, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that a Wal-Mart battle in Tarpon Springs, Florida reached its three year mark — and the giant retailer had
Wal-Mart Gives Up Superstore Dream For Sod Farm
September 26, 2008
Wal-Mart has disappeared below the mud on a former sod farm just outside of Chicago. On March 9, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was knocking
Wal-Mart Suddenly Drops Superstore Project
September 26, 2008
This week, Wal-Mart opponents in a small Ohio community won a sudden — and unanticipated — victory against the world’s largest retailer. On July 11,
State’s Highest Court Reinstates Wal-Mart ‘Time Theft’ Class Action Suit
September 24, 2008
After a couple of years on the sidelines, a seven year old, multi-million lawsuit against Wal-Mart by its workers is now back on the clock.
Wal-Mart Helps Hanes Migrate To Asia
September 24, 2008
Wal-Mart has helped drive another American retailing icon offshore. This week Hanes (HBI, Hanesbrands Inc) announced that it was abandoning four production plants in North
One Man’s Legal Challenge Leads To A 30% Cut In Wal-Mart’s Plan
September 22, 2008
On July 11, 2005, Sprawl-Busters reported that residents in Etna, Ohio had organized to fight off a proposed 203,819 s.f. Wal-Mart supercenter on the east
Developer’s Superstore Proposal Will Create Another ‘Ghost Box.’
September 21, 2008
Build one, and tear one down — there’s no real gain from a North Carolina developer’s plan to build an enormous, 518,205 s.f. retail mall
Wal-Mart Still Trying After Four Years
September 20, 2008
On August 10, 2004, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was left with no place to park its cars in Estero, Florida. A Hearing Examiner in Lee
City ‘Beats the Bushes’ To Fill Empty Wal-Mart
September 20, 2008
On February 12, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that a company called U.S. Properties Group (USPG) was busy buying up dead Wal-Marts, this time a 99,364 s.f.store
Citizens Sue Officials Over Wal-Mart Approval
September 19, 2008
Once again, a Wal-Mart green light has led directly to a courtroom, not a ribbon-cutting. The latest legal battle is in North Whitehall, Pennsylvania, where
Home Depot Gives Up On Site Fight
September 18, 2008
Home Depot’s proposal to build a 139,390 s.f. store in Jackson, California has fallen down a mine shaft — and it doesn’t look like anyone
Wal-Mart Distribution Center Called ‘Death Sentence’ For Kids and Elders
September 18, 2008
In August 2005, Wal-Mart announced that it wanted to build a distribution center in Merced, California. Almost immediately a group was formed to prevent that
City Council Forced To Rescind Its Approval of Wal-Mart
September 17, 2008
In a stunning victory, citizens in Clovis, California have shamed their Mayor and City Council into reversing their vote approving a Wal-Mart. They had to
Activists Seek Reversal of Wal-Mart Approval By Ballot
September 17, 2008
On May 14, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that despite the fact that Wal-Mart already has a discount store in Yucca Valley, at 29 Palms Highway, it
Two Calls Needed To Stop Wal-Mart Supercenter
September 17, 2008
Things are about to come to a head in Cordova, Tennessee over a controversial Wal-Mart superstore project. On July 8, 2008, Sprawl-Busters noted that Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Brings ‘Small Wars’ to California
September 16, 2008
This week Sprawl-Busters received the following alert from a resident in Escondido, California: “Wal-Mart is at it again, this time in Escondido. Wal-Mart is contacting
Wal-Mart Gets OK On the Rebound
September 16, 2008
On November 23, 2005, Sprawl-Busters reported that voters in Lorain, Ohio had rejected a Wal-Mart supercenter at the polls. When a Home Depot project followed
Neighbors Take West Dundee To Court Over Wal-Mart
September 13, 2008
Once again, Wal-Mart’s inability to work with neighbors has led to a courtroom. On June 10, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that the village of East Dundee,
Home Depot In Negligence Lawsuit Over Boy’s Brain Injury
September 12, 2008
A jury in Durham, North Carolina is in the middle of its deliberations this week over whether or not to charge Home Depot with negligence
Court Rules Against Home Depot Annexation
September 11, 2008
On June 6, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported the controversial death of a Home Depot project in El Cajon. We reported that citizens fighting Home Depot in
City Officials Have One More Vote To Approve Wal-Mart
September 11, 2008
It’s the third vote that finally counts. City officials in Iowa City, Iowa have one chance left to deny a wasteful Wal-Mart proposal that will
Planning Commission Recommends No Rezoning For Wal-Mart
September 11, 2008
How sweet it is. The residents of the Sugar House community in Salt Lake City are savoring the victory today over Wal-Mart — but the
Plans Going Really Nicely For Wal-Mart Supercenter
September 10, 2008
Once there was a city called Niceville. Niceville, Florida. In 2007, there were 12,370 nice people living in Niceville. When a developer came along and
Wal-Mart Complains City Played ‘Politics’ With Them
September 9, 2008
A Wal-Mart lawyer had the nerve this week to charge local political maneuvering in a case where the retailer brought in a former Governor to
Get Away From Strip Malls & Visit Wal-Mart By the Sea
September 9, 2008
Wal-Mart discount store #2560 sits along Ocean Gateway road in Berlin, Maryland. According to local officials, the store is “over-shopped.” If that’s true, it’s not
Mayor Learns How to Make Water Into Jobs At Wal-Mart
September 8, 2008
There’s some strange alchemy going on in Ohio. The Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio has learned how to convert water into jobs. Unfortunately, many of those
Wal-Mart Asks County For $1 Million Welfare Bail Out
September 8, 2008
Wal-Mart wants the small city of Spooner, Wisconsin to spoon-feed them money. On July 10, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart, the icon of the free
City Boards Happily Fawn Over Wal-Mart
September 7, 2008
City officials in North Tonawanda, New York — from the Mayor on down — think they can grow their economy by cannibalizing their retail sector.
Supervisors Tell Wal-Mart To Do Their Own Traffic Study
September 6, 2008
This case dates back to September 25, 2007, when Sprawl-Busters reported that the tiny township of North Whitehall, Pennsylvania — population roughly 2,000 — had
Planners OK Controversial Wal-Mart, But Commission Votes Next
September 6, 2008
On July 29, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was trying to sugar-coat a project in Sugar House, one of Salt Lake City, Utah’s oldest neighborhoods.
Wal-Mart Blows Off 30 Day Deadline
September 5, 2008
On July 11, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Supervisors in Moon township Pennsylvania had taken one giant step for mankind — by voting against a preliminary
West Approves Wal-Mart Superstore To Detriment of East
September 3, 2008
This could be the final chapter in the Tale of Two Cities. On April 5, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that the village of East Dundee, Illinois
Wal-Mart Superstore Back For A Second Bite
September 3, 2008
On May 26, 2008 Sprawl-Busters reported that village officials in Vernon Hills, Illinois, were saying that a proposed Wal-Mart supercenter had been cancelled. This week,
Wal-Mart Developer Loses Court Appeal
September 3, 2008
A Wal-Mart developer from Tennessee has lost his appeal in a Kentucky Circuit Court. On July 23, Circuit Judge Steve Hayden upheld a decision of
City Sued Over Wal-Mart Distribution Center
September 1, 2008
On July 23, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that the city council in Barstow, California, had approved an enormous Wal-Mart distribution center.Wal-Mart already has 7 distribution centers
Judge Hands Wal-Mart Superstore A Setback
September 1, 2008
The war over a Wal-Mart superstore in Santa Rosa, California got a little noisier this week. A proposed Wal-Mart superstore has resulted in a lawsuit,
State’s Supreme Court Affirms Town’s Right To Deny Wal-Mart
September 1, 2008
On May 30, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart had become ensnared in a legal mess in the town of Blacksburg, Virginia. The town of Blacksburg
After Two Years, Wal-Mart Cancels Lease With Developer
August 28, 2008
Wal-Mart is ready to build another store in Phoenix, Arizona, but after more than two years of trying, it keeps losing developers. On April 11,