Posted at 12:24 p.m., Monday, October 23, 2006
New Kapolei Wal-Mart subject of tonight's meeting
Advertiser Staff
Wal-Mart will hold a public meeting tonight to discuss its plan to build a new store in Kapolei.The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. today in the Kapolei Elementary School cafeteria. The company will present details on the new store.
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, said in June that it wants to build its ninth Hawaii store between the H-1 Freeway and Farrington Highway, ewa of Makakilo Drive and Kapolei Shopping Center. It also said in June that the store would be similar in size to the 150,000-square-foot store it opened in January in Pearl City.
It hopes to open the Kapolei store in 2008.
The company said it has growing community support and said last week that more than 6,800 people signed cards in support of the Kapolei plan. The signatures were gathered from Sept. 6-19 at Wal-Mart's Kunia store.
"We are very pleased to see such strong support for the new Kapolei store," said Kevin McCall, Wal-Mart's Hawaii spokesman.
But the community group KapoleiFirst.com today said it does not support the new store.
"This is going to be devastating to our community, quality of lives and local businesses," said group spokeswoman Carolyn Golojuch. "I can't believe that our city doesn't have a better plan for Oahu's New City."
