Wal-Mart scouting Carson

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

may be coming back to Carson City soon.

The giant retailer has looked at several properties in the town, including a 50- acre parcel located at the corner of College Parkway and Roop Street.

"They've been poking around the area," said Dan Shaheen, president of Parkway Commercial Properties and part of the family that owns about 24 acres of the parcel.

"They've looked at our site, but I can't say that they've chosen our site.We go weeks without talking to them."

The property is located right next to the future bypass of Highway 395 now being built in Carson City.

"We're fielding calls now from Reno brokers and out-of-state developers," said Shaheen.

"That site is certainly going to be a hot spot whether it's now or two years from now."

Wal-Mart has been shopping around for a new Carson City site ever since it closed its store at the south end of town and opened a superstore just over the county line in Douglas County.

The company will likely open another superstore in Carson City, said Amy Hill, the northern Nevada spokeswoman for Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart, but she said there was no timeframe on the project Wal-Mart superstores include groceries, which are sold alongside clothing, electronics and other goods.

Wal-Mart's original Carson City store did not include food because it was located near a Raley's, which had an agreement with the property's owner prohibiting other grocery stores from locating nearby.

That's what forced Wal-Mart to close that store and open up its new superstore in Douglas County.

The move was the first salvo of an ongoing feud between Carson City and Douglas County over sales tax revenue.

Soon after Wal-Mart's plans to move became known Carson City suffered another blow.

The Bureau of Land Management said it was auctioning off a large parcel of land near the new Wal-Mart.

Rumors started circulating that Douglas County had hopes of developing an auto mall there, which had the potential of draining off Carson City's biggest sales tax revenue base.

Carson City protested to the BLM to try to stop the auction, but it eventually took place and the land was indeed purchased by auto dealers now located in Carson City.

In the midst of all that, another mall containing a Borders bookstore and other large national chains broke ground next door to the new Wal-Mart.

And the Kmart store in north Carson City closed.

The opening of a new superstore somewhere soon in Carson City, though, should cheer up Carson City officials.

"It's wonderful news," said Joe McCarthy, economic development redevelopment manager for the Carson City, who has heard Wal- Mart is close to buying the property at College and Roop.

"That's a very underserved area since the closing of Kmart."