Dear Editor,
My late father's corporation finally closed the deal with Walmart last week.
Walmart officially purchased 18.5 acres of land to build a Walmart Super Center in Yazoo City. They are suppose to start construction by April 1, 2016, and be open by January, 2017!
I wish my father had been here to see the land deal close. He dreamed of this for many years, and to see it finally come to fruition would have made him a happy person.
When my dad built the Hampton Inn of Yazoo City, he built a hotel that brought new additional tax revenue to Yazoo City and Yazoo County. There was not a 21st century hotel with new facilities and elevators. Guests who had business to do in Yazoo but needed this modern type hotel were instead staying in Canton or Jackson, and we were losing that tax revenue to other cities.
Now, all the local folks who have been going to Canton, Jackson or Indianola for Walmart purchases will stay in town. That is good, as the tax base for the city and county will benefit. I for one will encourage our staff to still buy local from existing businesses, and I will support the downtown area as much as possible. Nonetheless, our local tax collections will increase with Walmart coming.
Special kudos have to be given to City Engineer Wayne Morrison, who constantly kept this deal going. With the news today that Walmart is closing hundreds of Wal Marts nationwide and cutting down future development, Wayne probably more than anyone else helped thing stay alive. Maybe now he will stop sending emails with easement requests and other things to me at 4 a.m!
Folks in Yazoo City and Yazoo County are some of the nicest people in America. Y'all deserve this economic boost that is coming to our area!
I just wish Dad were here.
Suresh Chawla
