Keaukaha Councilman Stacy Higa, who introduced the measure to ban supercenters, ended up voting against his own bill.

Higa said he believes the impacts on other local businesses are significant when a supercenter such as the proposed new Wal-Mart opens, but "you need to be able to look at what's right for your community, what's right for the people who live in your community.

"There are people out there who really are crying for that extra help, to be able to have their dollars stretch that little extra, families, whether it's seniors or single ... moms."

Wal-Mart announced earlier this year it is negotiating with the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for a lease on 15.5 acres of vacant land behind its existing Hilo store, where the company plans a new "supercenter" store with a full line of groceries.

A spokesman for Wal-Mart said the company then plans to either lease out its existing store, or tear down the old store to provide more parking for the new store.

Higa's bill was amended by the council earlier this month to ban supercenters only on Hawaiian Home Lands, but that proposal was also voted down by the council today.