walmart in cornelius oregon

Olivia Bucks / The OregonianConstruction of a Walmart began earlier this month in Cornelius, and is expected to open by fall 2010. While other communities have rejected proposed Walmarts, Cornelius residents and city leaders are excited about the store's opening. CORNELIUS -- Walmart won't open here for nearly a year, but a few weeks ago, the city manager sent out an enthused e-mail: "I think you can tell all your friends now that they can shop for the Christmas holidays at Walmart Supercenter in 2010!" Walmart doesn't usually get that kind of greeting from Oregon cities. But in Cornelius residents keep blogs, posting every detail of Walmart's arrival. They staked out its location, cheering as bulldozers moved dirt to begin construction. The store, at , will be the first Walmart in Washington County. In recent years, metro cities from Hillsboro to Gresham have fought -- and defeated -- proposed Walmarts. The superstore drives out local businesses and increases traffic, opponents say. In those cities, anti-Walmart activists rallied in droves. Hundreds showed up at council meetings, protesting until the superstore gave up. Not so in Cornelius. In the four  years since Walmart first announced its interest in building a store there, only one group -- Cornelius First -- has formed to protest. Its ranks were slight, and in 2006,  the group disbanded after losing a state land use appeal. Since then, Walmart's Cornelius plans have sailed through. When construction crews broke ground in early October, no one protested. The difference, city leaders say, is Cornelius needs it more. Jobs, community improvement, retail ... what's not to like? Cornelius calls itself Oregon's family community. But, City Manager David Waffle says, "All our parents work out of town." The city has the longest daily work commute of any metro city -- 29 miles.  The OregonianDave WaffleNearly 75 percent of Cornelius' assessed tax value is residential; that means residents -- through property taxes -- shoulder a larger share than usual of city funding. Economically speaking, it is a state-certified "severely distressed" city and has one of the highest poverty rates in the metro area. So when Walmart representatives arrived, promising increased tax revenue, 300 new jobs and millions for street improvements, Cornelius residents rejoiced. "The mood is pretty fantastic," said City Manager Dave Waffle. "(The town is) very eager." Waffle said the city does have a

Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 8:16 PM     Updated: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:03 AM

Cornelius bucks NIMBY trend, embraces Walmart

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While most communities fight Wal-Mart supercenter projects, Cornelius has embraced the store's arrival in fall 2010.

The Oregonian - OregonLive.com

Cornelius bucks NIMBY trend, embraces Walmart

Cornelius bucks NIMBY trend, embraces Walmart | OregonLive.com