Wal-Mart to decide soon on its future in Iowa City

The Register had this story today...

Wal-Mart officials are days away from deciding how to move forward on a plan to replace its existing Iowa City store with a 214,000-square-foot Supercenter.

The deadline for the $3.1 million purchase of land in the southwestern part of town is July 31, but at least two pending lawsuits by the Iowa City Stop Wal-Mart campaign and a ruling against Wal-Mart by the city's Board of Adjustment have put wrinkles in plans by the world's largest retailer.

It had been so long since hearing about this that I had forgotton it was still going on. I know the group of citizens have been fighting long and hard against the new Supercenter. There is a Supercenter just down the road in Coralville. If the Supercenter does get built, Paul's will be in trouble and it won't help downtown any.

KWWL is reporting that the Iowa City City Council has denied a request by Wal Mart to extend the July 31st in a 4-3 vote.

City leaders say if Wal-Mart does not purchase the land by July 31st, it will go back on the market.