IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Despite protests from some residents, the La Verne City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a Walmart Neighborhood Market in the city.
The vote came after a five-hour meeting in the La Verne Community Center that was attended by about 300 people, many of whom came to voice concerns about the project at Wheeler Avenue and Foothill Boulevard, according to published reports.
At the end of the evening, the city sided with the country’s largest retailer.
City Manager Bob Russ said the market will generate between $30,000 to $45,000 a year in sales tax revenue for La Verne, and Chief of Police Scott Pickwith said there is no reason to believe the store – which will go into space formerly occupied by the discount chain Stein-Mart – would add to crime in the area, according to the reports.
It’s not known whether any of the opponents plan to file a lawsuit to block the project.
