The Apes of Wrath: It takes a village to raze a Chinese restaurant
“Last month, John Huggins, director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, told a meeting of the Denver Urban Renewal Authority that it was the city’s strong preference not to use eminent domain to pave the way for Wal-Mart at Alameda Square. Not to condemn private property for this “public purpose” — no matter how cheaply the 4,750-store chain sold those loss-leader DVD players before Christmas.
And today, Huggins repeats that sentiment: “We are trying to put together an approach to the development that would not involve eminent domain.”
For that matter, the development may not even involve Wal-Mart. Other companies could be lured by the tax-increment financing allowed at the site, allowed since DURA designated the area a blighted, urban-renewal district back in 1991. If Wal-Mart were to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter here, under TIF it would be able to use sales-tax revenues collected at the 209,000-square-foot store through 2016 toward paying off the project — a boon estimated at over $10 million by just about everyone, and up to $25 million by some Sam-slammers. But other developers would be eligible to apply for this tax break, too.”
Calhoun, Patricia. Westword 15 January 2004.