Making the Case for Wal-Mart

George Fisher | Centerville Wal-Mart opponent

Point of View: Centerville long ago established itself as a model suburban communitythe perfect location for the
newest Wal-Mart Supercenter on the Wasatch Front.

By DUSTIN TYLER JOYCE | URBPL 2010 | THURSDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2004
HE TITLE I HAVE GIVEN this paper may seem a little ironic, since our guest Tuesday was actually an
opponent of the Wal-Mart Supercenter that has been proposed at Parrish Lane and 400 West in
Centerville. But George Fishers presentation was perhaps the least convincing of any speaker weve had
as our guestand I personally dislike Wal-Mart so much that Ive refused to shop there for years!
However, I can understand the difficulty Mr. Fisher has in arguing on Centervilles behalf against
Wal-Mart. Centerville has already ready made the case and presented itself as an ideal locationmaybe the
ideal locationfor the newest Wal-Mart along the Wasatch Front.
Centerville firmly established itself as a suburb long agowith all the characteristics that go along
with such a designationand nothing more. More recently, the citys government and residents reaffirmed
their commitment to constructing a sprawling suburb. His presentation reflected these low aspirations.
In fact, many of the suburban characteristics that Centerville exemplifies and in which Wal-Mart
thrives have been twisted into the central arguments against the supercenter. For example, the idea that the
citys residents dont need Wal-Mart because they already have Target, Shopko, Costco, Smiths, Albertsons,
and more is the definition of oxymoron. Unless each of these chains has built an atypical store in Centervillea
design which must be unique on the Wasatch Front because Ive never seen any of these chains build anything
but a suburban-style store in this areathey, too, are big boxes which were permitted and, according to the
citys recommitment to suburbanism, should continue to be allowed because thats the lifestyle they cherish.
Like so many suburban residents who try to support a weak argument, Centervilles residents have
argued against Wal-Mart because it will cause a loss of open space. Apparently theyve forgotten that each of
their own homes represents a loss of that open space, too. Further, they live in a community that is
surrounded by mountains on the east and the Great Salt Lake on the westpermanent fixtures of open space.
Finally, a field of weeds doesnt necessarily qualify as open space, at least not as open space that is valuable to
the city and is worth saving. The twenty-two acres where Wal-Mart has proposed its store is such a field,
worthless and full of weeds.
Suburbanites, of course, love their cars. They build their neighborhoods and their communities so
that their cars are comfortable, but not bikes, buses, or even people. (Think about it: how many suburban
parents would ever consider allowing their children to play in the street? After all, thats where cars are
supposed to be.) This way of building cities prevents effective and efficient mass transit, and if suburbanites
are offered mass transit they consistently refuse to ride it, saying that it is ineffective and inefficient. And they
love to complain about traffic. In fact, traffic is another argument they like to use in defense of weak
arguments, and Centervilles Wal-Mart is no exception. A new Wal-Mart Supercenter, they say, will cause
thousands and thousands of new cars to be on their streets. They dont mention the fact that Centerville
residents will own and drive most of those cars, or the fact that such a car-centered lifestyle is the way of life
they have chosen. An overloaded roads system would not be Wal-Marts fault; ultimately it would be the fault
of every single Centerville resident who has chosen to live in such a way and in such a place.
The list of weak arguments goes on. I could talk about how the citys residents complain about their
mayor and city council, and Mr. Fishers threats that the mayor and city council can all but give up on
reelection; yet it was a majority of those same residents who obviously elected that mayor and that city
council. He spoke of the need for residents to speak out on the issue; of course, there is no need to speak out
on such issues when you personallyor your property valuesare not affected by it.
What it comes down to is this: Centerville is ripe for a Wal-Mart. And the worlds largest retailer is
not simply preying on a small, weak city; rather, Wal-Mart has made itself into a company that thrives in the
kind of communities most Americans have chosen to live in: sprawling, car-centered suburbs of asphalt and
big box stores. Thats the kind of community Centerville is, of its own free will and choice.
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