Fort Scott breaks ground on Supercenter

Sunday, July 2, 2006
Wal-Mart Marketing Director Martha Blood, Fort Scott Mayor Gary Billionis, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman Jeff Sweetser, Wal-Mart Manager Terry Files, Bourbon County Commissioner Gary Houston and Fort Scott Public Works Director Eric Bailey scoop dirt Friday at a groundbreaking ceremony to welcome in what will be a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Fort Scott.

Herald-Tribune

Fort Scott, Kan. -- Friday, at a groundbreaking ceremony to welcome in a soon-to-be Wal-Mart Supercenter, Fort Scott Mayor Gary Billionis said having it in Fort Scott will help keep people shopping in here, instead of driving to other cities to take advantage of their Supercenters.

Community leaders and a host of Wal-Mart officials and associates attended the brief groundbreaking event at the job site just south of the existing Wal-Mart store.

Billionis said, "People like to shop at Supercenters. Thank you Wal-Mart for having confidence in us here in Fort Scott."

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman Jeff Sweetser spoke at the brief groundbreaking, thanking Wal-Mart Manager Terry Files and associates for the donations made toward chamber events in the community.

The SM Wilson Construction Company started the building project two weeks ago. Right now, 14 workers are moving massive amounts of dirt to build up the area in preparation for the actual construction of the Supercenter, which is expected to begin the first week of August, SM Wilson project manager Michael Horning said. The completion date of the 159,000-square-foot store is slated for Feb. 28, 2007.

Crews demolished a house, a garage, two barns, and two silos on the construction site before doing the site work, Horning said. Many trees will be removed on the 23-acre site. They also filled in two ponds and converted them to detention basins for storm water run-off, Horning said.

The store will be located just south of the current Wal-Mart store at the south edge of the city, on the west side of U.S. 69.

The building will sit on top of a rise, well back from the highway, with a large parking area in front.

During the groundbreaking, Wal-Mart Marketing Director Martha Blood said the Supercenter will bring 120 new jobs to the community.

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