Name:   Lifer - Subject:   Why is nobody talking about Publix Date:   5/28/2021 6:31:29 AM

For years the topic of Publix coming to Alex city has been discussed here on these pages.  Plenty of speculation and conjecture with rumores flying about them coming and not coming and the reasons why.  Now actual city officials are discussing it publicly and nobody here utters a peep.  Two current articles in the Outlook show how disfunctional the City has actually been for years.

When it was first announced that the new school was going at the corner of 280 and 63 I was flabbergasted.  That is the most prominent corner in the county and prime for retail development, yet our "leaders" dicide to put a school there, at the busiest intersection in the county.  It made no sense, but was typical for AC.  The plan was in place and funding secured and the new school was a go.  Until last week when suddenly it was announced the new school had been put on hold.

This week it announced that a developer with close ties to Publix wants to come to that intersection.  Go figure.  Speculation was that they were going to the other side of 63 which made no sense because of very limited 280 access on that side.  Then in todays Outlook council president Buffy Colvin comes clean.  This developer has been trying to get the property for 5 years and from the tone of the article it sounds like the council has fought them every step of the way.  

Everyone should go to the Outlook and read the two articles that are up and read it for yourself.  It is just disgusting to me that the City has not pushed this through.  There is NO capital outlay for the city, only reduction in sales tax for them up to 7.5 million.  SOP for recruting new business/industry.  I belive the new Mayor had a big hand in getting this out and in the works.  The old status quo would have never pushed this and just let the new school be built there instead of over near the sportplex where it should logically go IMO.  Anywhere but the prime retail location of 63 and 280.