Lake County Planners Back New Wal-Mart Store

CLERMONT, FL-The Wal-Mart development juggernaut continues to roll in Central Florida as the Bentonville, AR-based retailer wins a controversial green light from local planners for a second Supercenter in South Lake County that will be 10 miles apart from the first retail store in the area and 30 miles west of Downtown Orlando.

After two years of wrangling with local government officials and area resident over development sites, the Lake County Planning and Zoning Commission is recommending Wal-Mart’s estimated 225,000-sf, $19.8 million store project be allowed to break ground at the 728-acre Cagan Crossings subdivision in the unincorporated Four Corners region of US 27, near Walt Disney World.

Lake County commissioners plan to formally vote on the venture Oct. 28. If approved the Cagan Crossings project and the Clermont store at the northwest corner of US 27 and Johns Lake Road could break ground simultaneously in first quarter 2004, area retail brokers who are following Wal-Mart’s progress in Central Florida tell GlobeSt.com. Wal-Mart’s marketing division in Arkansas declined comment on both projects.