On November 14th, a list of 484 planned Wal-Mart openings over the next 12 months was released to the media. Here’s the original release that was issued by the group Wal-Mart Watch: “With Higher Expectations Week in full swing with over 1,100 nationwide events, today Wal-Mart Watch and partner Sprawl-Busters reveal another leaked document from Wal-Mart. Obtained by Sprawl-Busters, this document reveals Wal-Mart’s 2006 expansion plan for 484 new store openings, including 164 new Wal-Mart Supercenters, plus expansions and relocations. Wal-Mart Watch Executive Director Andrew Grossman said, “This internal document reveals where, when, and how Wal-Mart will bully its way across the country to open hundreds of new stores. With this in our hands, our committed supporters are now all the more ready to fight back. The revelations here — especially previously undisclosed plans for July through September of 2006 — give us a roadmap about where to marshal our resources. This is a fight against local communities falling prey to Wal-Mart’s too-aggressive and frequently dishonest tactics. This is also a fight to avoid the blight from abandoned discount stores that result in at least 26 million square feet of wasted space nationwide. The days of Wal-Mart showing up, building up, but rarely paying up, are over.” Added Al Norman of Sprawl-Busters, “It is our goal to see at least one of every three stores on this openings list be challenged by a local citizens’ group.”
For a copy of the list of proposed Wal-Mart openings from October, 2005 through September of 2006, go to www.walmartwatch.com where it is posted.
