Target's entry into this mushrooming Lake County market could be decided by year end. That's when the Clermont city council may vote on a request by Orlando-based Solo Development Corp. to alter the current Big-Box Ordinance that bars the construction of new stores over 100,000 sf. Solo wants to develop the store for Target at a planned 203,000-sf shopping center on 40 acres at Hancock Road and State Road 50.

That's another busy intersection but not as busy as US 27 and State Road 50 where Wal-Mart wanted to put up a 287,000-sf SuperStore two years ago at an estimated hard construction cost of $17 million. Target's 187,000-sf store would be built at an estimated cost of $12 million. Residents convinced city council the Wal-Mart location was fraught with traffic problems. The council denied a building permit to the Bentonville, AR-based retailer.

Target operates 900 stores in 44 states. The average Target store is 90,000 sf; Greatland Targets are 135,000 sf; and SuperTargets average 177,00 sf.