Mayor to Wal-Mart: Crown Point says no

CROWN POINT — Mayor Dan Klein said last week he hadn’t yet determined how people feel about a Wal-Mart coming to town.

But after a Post-Tribune article last Tuesday revealed that’s who Lauth Development is courting to anchor its proposed The Shops at East Point development at Interstate 65 and U.S. 231, the public let Klein know.

And the feeling was virtually unanimous — he says the flood of calls his office received show Wal-Mart is not wanted in Crown Point.

People were also under the impression that Klein was in favor of Wal-Mart, he said. So he scheduled a news conference Monday to set the record straight:

“Personally speaking, I am not in favor of Wal-Mart for a variety of reasons.”

Mostly, Klein said, “I don’t believe they’re a good corporate citizen.”

The city is still working to complete its design standards for the I-65 corridor. The Plan Commission last month decided to defer voting on Lauth’s site plan approval until the design standards are put in place.

Klein said that while the city has no authority to dictate to Lauth which retailers it can bring, the city can put design standards in place that “attract a certain level of quality development.”

“I do not believe that a Wal-Mart anchor will promote a high quality retail development. Historically, they do not,” Klein said.

Lauth vice president Ora “Joe” Downs said he didn’t receive a copy of Klein’s news release until late in the day Monday. “We need time to formalize our response,” Downs said.

The company declined to confirm last week if it was considering Wal-Mart as the anchor store. However, Klein said the company urged him not to hold his news conference until after he had a chance to meet with Wal-Mart officials.

Klein said he didn’t have the time to meet with Wal-Mart before a scheduled trip Tuesday morning. And because of the feedback from the community, he didn’t want the news conference to wait, he said.

Lauth officials have hinted at pulling out of the project as the city considers the design standards at a deliberate pace.

And that’s OK, Klein said.

Last year, Lauth pulled out of a proposed 46-acre development in the Hamilton County town of Westfield after officials there opposed a Wal-Mart.

Klein said Lauth’s Clay Terrace development in Carmel does not include a super store of any kind, and it’s been very successful. “I would love to see that type of development replicated here,” Klein said.

“We’re expecting more than a Wal-Mart.”