I’m sure like myself, you received a letter yesterday from these fine folks. You know, the peeps who have there main contacts in Bentonville, Arkansas. They want to build a better (new Walmart in) Sioux Falls. Except the information and dignitaries they are peddling don’t cut the mustard.
First with these fine bullet points;
While it is probably true they will collect $1.5 million in sales tax revenue, this is NOT NEW revenue, it is simply shifting it from other retail outlets, including their own stores. Walmart has confessed several times they want to build this new store to alleviate traffic at their Louise store.
I won’t even go into the jobs statement . . . either of them. Walmart employment speaks for itself.
Expanding our city’s tax base IS a good thing, no doubt, but continued annexation and new infrastructure costs and maintenance only chip away at our tax base, not help it grow.
But what is even more curious is the signers of the letter.
Okay, we all know Hal Wick, the guy who wants to make it mandatory that every South Dakotan carry a gun while making evolution education illegal, and to heck with women’s rights? Hogwash. Wonder what he thinks about the WM pharmacy selling birth control?
Then there’s Gene Abdallah, I guess he needs no title, like ‘Prince’ or ‘Madonna’ or even ‘Carrot Top’.
But let’s look closely at the other three;
While it is true that Darryl runs a Non-Profit now (Special Olympics SD). Darryl used to be VP of Marketing for First Premier Bankcard (1997-2008). Wonder who took over that job?
Don’t know much about Diane Derry, but she might want to check her voter registration, because it seems currently she is not registered to vote, I could be wrong, but hey, she wants you to vote for the new Walmart.
Oh, and then there is Dawn Haas, or is it Hass? Walmart can’t even hire a decent proof reader! Well let’s go by her signature (I’m sure she knows how to spell her own last name.) Dawn is a lowly Project Manager Assistant at Henry Carlson Company, you know, the folks that build Walmarts all over the country.
The irony of all this is that Walmart couldn’t even comprise a signature list of five, normal, everyday registered voters to sign this letter. This should tell you what kind of ‘campaign’ they are running out of Bentonville, Arkansas.
I feel like I have been built better (bent over) already.
UPDATED: Â I found out today ‘BABSF’ was turned down by two prominent PR firms in Sioux Falls to handle their marketing, and are using an OUT-OF-STATE public relations company. It is also very peculiar that the former Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce marketing person is running their campaign, yet NOT a peep or position from the Sioux Falls Chamber.
Funny how Walmart wants to build a better Sioux Falls, yet no one in Sioux Falls, wants anything to do with them. Talk about a bunch of cheap crap!