Wal-Mart threatens with eminent domain.

[deminks]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-512walmartthreat,0,1098485.story?coll=sfla-news-utility&track=mostemailedlink

The world's largest retailer, battling to build a huge new distribution center in Putnam County, is threatening a handful of rural residents that they may have their land taken if they don't agree to sell it to the company.

Representatives of Wal-Mart have told the landowners they will ask Putnam County to use its powers of eminent domain if the families won't sell. The retailer needs about a half-dozen parcels to widen a road that would provide access to a proposed 800,000-square-foot distribution center just over the Volusia County line -- a project Volusia officials have gone to court to block.

Keith Morris, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said that despite the letter from the consultant, the company does not plan to ask the county to use eminent domain to acquire the properties.

Morris said he did not know why the consultant had written that the properties might be acquired through eminent domain.

(end snip)

I suppose it was only a matter of time. When will this start on the Gulf Coast?

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Yeah, it really was only a matter of time.

[sweetheart]

2. they're right

The public should exercise its eminent domain rights and acquire Walmart for cost.

[BrotherBuzz]

6. It may just happen in California

City to consider taking land from Wal-Mart
Prime bay property could be seized by eminent domain

Patrick Hoge, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, May 5, 2006

The Hercules City Council will consider whether to use eminent domain to wrest a 17-acre property from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. after the nation's largest retailer rejected a city offer to buy the site with views of San Pablo Bay, city officials said Thursday.

The council asked that a "resolution of necessity'' be brought to it for discussion, City Manager Mike Sakamoto said. The matter has been put on the council's May 23 agenda. Efforts to reach council members about Thursday's announcement were unsuccessful.

Wal-Mart bought the property overlooking central Hercules in November after another developer received city approvals for a neighborhood shopping center.

<snip>

"What the council has said is that we want to buy the property,'' she said, describing the tussle with Wal-Mart as a "David and Goliath'' struggle. "At this point, we're concerned about moving ahead on this property. It's been hanging over us for a long time.''

<more>

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/05/HERCULES.TMP

[no_hypocrisy]

3. For a better part of a century, Woolworth stores were ubiquitous.

But I can't recall the company taking away land from its customers.

[AX10]

4. I am proud to say that I am Wal-Mart FREE.

I don't shop at Wal (Mao) Mart.

[Miss Chybil]

5. And people here were cheering when somebody was going to

pull an eminent domain on Wal-Mart. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Eminent domain is wrong. Period.