Protesters Upset Over Wal-Mart Plan; Neighbors Want Development
POSTED: 8:45 pm CST February 23,
2005
UPDATED: 8:56 pm CST February 23,
2005
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A bid to resurrect the struggling Blue Ridge Mall has turned into a power struggle.
Developers want to tear the mall down and replace it with another development anchored by Wal-Mart.
KMBC's Micheael Mahoney reported that a zoning hearing was held Wednesday, and organized labor attacked the plan"They suck the money out of communities and leave big boxes just standing around -- kind of what Blue Ridge is now," said Spencer Barett, who opposes the Wal-Mart development.The developer's lawyer, Spencer Thomasson, said that's the wrong battle to fight."I can't fix that as the developer's lawyer. You can't fix this as a council," Thomasson said.
Blue Ridge Mall
Developers want a $25 million tax break to launch the project.Councilman Terry Riley is asking for a delay, but developers warn that Wal-Mart could leave the deal if too much time is wasted."That user -- we're at risk of losing that user. They go and we don't have a redevelopment," Thomasson said.Councilwoman Becky Nace, who lives in the area, urged the committee to move forward on the deal because she said neighbors want something done in the nearly-empty mall."Do not let our community down!" Nace said.The project is moving forward despite Riley's request for a delay. The zoning committee voted to send the plan to the City Council.
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