Mon, Apr 09, 2007
City Councilors Reject Wal-Mart Bid to Build, Support Site For
Recreation
In news that caused
Wal-Mart's ever-happy smiley face to frown, Albuquerque city
councilors last week rejected the world's largest retailer in
support of acquiring its 22-acre site for recreational purposes,
including use as landing space for the city's annual International
Balloon Fiesta.
Albuquerque's KOB-4 reports area residents have fought the
proposed 126,000-square-foot building for the past year, saying
that a Wal-Mart Super Center would change the feel of their
community.
"We urge your support for funding for the purchase of this site,
which can be used for a permanent home of the much needed soccer
fields for children of Albuquerque as well as a landing site for
hot air balloons," Gary Bennett, president of the Albuquerque
Balloon Fiesta, told councilors. "The need is not contrived, the
need is real."
Although the city earmarked $6.1 million to buy the land, City
Council President Debbie O'Malley acknowledged that Wal-Mart may
not view selling the site too favorably. That could lead to the
precedent-setting use of eminent domain and condemnation of the
land.
Said Silvio DeAngelo, an opponent to taking such measures, "You
need to look at the precedent this is setting, and this is a bad
precedent. This is bad public policy."
While the county appraised the land at $3.6 million, Wal-Mart
contends it is worth more than $10 million. If a settlement price
can't be reached and the city seeks condemnation of the property,
it will be up to a judge to determine the purchase price.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is world-renowned
and has been an attraction and destination for thousands for the
past 35 years.
More News
Aero Linx: International Flying Farmers IFF is a not-for-profit organization started in 1944 by farmers who were also private pilots. We have members all across the United States a>[...]
From 2017 (YouTube Version): Remembrances Of An Israeli Air Force Test Pilot Early in 2016, ANN contributor Maxine Scheer traveled to Israel, where she had the opportunity to sit d>[...]
"We renegotiated what our debt restructuring is on a lot of our debts, mostly with the family. Those debts are going to be converted into equity..." Source: Excerpts from a short v>[...]
Also: B-29 Superfortress Reunion, FAA Wants Controllers, Spirit Airlines Pulls Back, Gogo Galileo Van's Aircraft posted a short video recapping the goings-on around their reorganiz>[...]
Chart Supplement US A flight information publication designed for use with appropriate IFR or VFR charts which contains data on all airports, seaplane bases, and heliports open to >[...]