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Retailer faxes its request to Sturgeon Bay

Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is asking the city of Sturgeon Bay for a pre-annexation and development agreement for property just outside the city limits.

Sturgeon Bay Mayor Dennis McIntosh announced Thursday afternoon that the city received a fax Thursday morning from attorney Deboard Tomczyk of Milwaukee, representing the Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust.

"The 10-page fax details a request from Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust for a proposed pre-annexation and development agreement for property known as the Keller/Wilke property at State 42-57 and County T (Alabama Street) in the town of Sturgeon Bay," McIntosh said.

The mayor said the request will be forwarded to the city's Plan Commission and the Finance/Purchasing and Building Committee for their review and a recommendation to the City Council.

The land has been the subject of much speculation since it was revealed the company obtained an option to buy the parcel as a possible location for one of its Supercenters.

Tomczyk's request confirms that Wal-Mart "intends to develop and construct improvements for a Wal-Mart Supercenter on the property, including, but not limited to, constructing an approximately 180,000-square-foot building and related improvements."

Wal-Mart already has a store 1536 Egg Harbor Road in Sturgeon Bay. A group opposed to a large new store has organized under the name Door County Residents for Fair Enterprise.

As recently as Tuesday, Wal-Mart spokesman Roderick Scott told The Door County Advocate the company is "proud" of its current store in Sturgeon Bay but doesn't have any expansion plans at the present time.

"We are evaluating the community and possible options we may have to further invest in Sturgeon Bay, but at this point we have no immediate plans," Scott said Tuesday. "I'd like to reiterate we are proud of the store we have there. We like serving our customers in that area. But some of the discussions (by anti-Wal-Mart protesters) are premature."

— Information for this story was provided by the Door County Advocate.