Village Voice, By Rosie Gray, September 21, 2011. A new study came out today from a labor-backed nonprofit called Alliance For a Greater New York (Align), and it presents a kind of doomsday scenario in which Walmart could open a whopping 159 stores in New York City. According to the study, if Walmart entered the NYC market this way, it could result in a net loss of almost 4,000 jobs, workers would lose on average 353 million dollars in wages per year, and there would be an increase in workers who must rely on public assistance to make ends meet. But how likely is this scenario? (Not very).
New York Daily News, By Barbara Ross, September 21, 2011. A vacant Brooklyn lot that Walmart wants for its first New York City store will stay in state hands while the Cuomo administration makes sure taxpayers aren't getting ripped off. Before the recession hit, the developer, The Related Companies, had agreed to pay the state $21 million for the property. After the economy tanked, Related's appraisers claimed the site was worth only $12 million.
Gothamist, By Christopher Robbins, September 21, 2011. If you think Wal-Mart would just plop down a store or two in East New York and call it a day, you don't know Wal-Mart. In order for the big box chain to gain 21% grocery market share, which is what they enjoy in the rest of the country, they would need to build 159 stores in New York City. That's 159 more places to get these fabulous hamster beds.
NY1, By Courtney Gross, September 20, 2011. A new study obtained by NY1 from the Alliance for a Greater New York suggests that Walmart locations could proliferate across the five boroughs should the megastore open in the city, but Walmart representatives responded by countering the findings with their own numbers. NY1’s Courtney Gross filed the following report.
North Country Public Radio, by Zack Seward, September 15, 2011. Will it work? We hear this sentiment a lot when we talk to experts about the councils: There's reason to be optimistic, but the proof will be in the pudding.
