Chamber poll indicates some support Wal-Mart

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Thirty-eight of the 94 responses from New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce members to a poll concerning the issue of Wal-Mart coming to New Ulm favor having the world's largest mass merchandiser join the New Ulm business community, it was announced late Monday.

The poll further indicated that 28 members opposed Wal-Mart, according to information from Chamber's Board Chairman, Jeff Dittrich. Twenty-seven said they were neutral on the subject, and there was one "other" response.

Dittrich said the Chamber sent out 357 surveys asking the following question: "What position do you hold with regard to Wal-Mart joining the New Ulm business community?"

A total of 263 members did not respond to the survey, Dittrich said.

This followed an attempt by a group calling itself "Concerned Citizens" to have the City Council enact a moratorium on the entrance of so-called "big box" retailers with stores larger than 100,000 square feet into the community.

Representatives of the group presented petitions carrying 241 signatures at the council's Nov. 2 meeting. However, the group's request for a moratorium failed to get any support among council members at the Nov. 16 meeting.

The question of whether Wal-Mart's proposed supercenter for New Ulm could be handled under the city's present comprehensive plan was left to the New Ulm Planning Commission to decide, should Wal-Mart seek the necessary permits build a 225,000-square-foot retail store in New Ulm.

In its initial contact with the community, Wal-Mart officials estimated through tracking sales at nearby stores that New Ulm area customers already spend about $4.5 million annually at those Wal-Mart stores.

According to Wal-Mart's estimates, it would be contributing about $400,000 in sales tax revenue annually to the city's sales tax referendum fund for paying off the project's bonds. City officials estimate that a Wal-Mart store that size would pay nearly $250,000 in property taxes annually.