Wal-Mart Hunts for New Site After Oviedo Closes Door

In its latest foray with local government representatives, the world's biggest company was shot down by a 4-1 vote of council members in Oviedo, FL, an Orlando suburb in nearby Seminole County. Oviedo officials refused to give Wal-Mart more time to prepare its pitch.

Area brokers familiar with Wal-Mart's land requirements tell GlobeSt.com on condition of anonymity the Arkansas company already is looking for new development sites in the Central Florida Greenway axis, one of the fastest-growing retail corridors in Central Florida.

The company wanted to build an estimated $15 million store on the northwest corner of State Road 426 and Red Bug Lake Road. Nearby are operating Home Depot and Target stores and the 900,000-sf Oviedo Marketplace mall, a Rouse Co. development.

Wal-Mart's plans for Oviedo have been in the works for two years. Last year, the retailer lost a presentation for a site on State Road 46, west of Interstate 4 in Seminole County. And in 1999, Clermont in south Lake County, blocked Wal-Mart's efforts to build a 287,000-sf super center by passing an ordinance that capped big-box developments at 100,000 sf.

However, Target, a Wal-Mart rival, later got around that regulation with a concerted public relations and marketing effort aimed at Clermont elected officials and community leaders. Target plans to open a 187,000 sf store in early 2003 near Wal-Mart's previously designated site.

Wal-Mart is going cash register to cash register with Minneapolis-based Target in several Central Florida submarkets but is still the market share leader among big-boxers, according to industry newsletters.

A Clermont broker, noting Wal-Mart's obvious lack of political connections in Oviedo, tells GlobeSt.com on condition of anonymity, "It's not always how big you are, but who you know, that counts" in the development arena.

Wal-Mart officials couldn't be reached at GlobeSt.com's publication deadline.