Wal Mart coming to Rock Island - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Wal Mart coming to Rock Island

By: Katie Jones

kjones@cbs4qc.com

Attention Wal Mart shoppers, a new supercenter is about to roll into Rock Island and it's bringing hundreds of jobs with it.  After staying hush hush about the project for weeks, Rock Island city leaders announced Monday night, the Watch Tower Plaza will be the new home of the big box store.

"People always said nobody will come to Rock Island we won't bring business to Rock Island, this just proves them wrong," Rock Island Mayor Dennis Pauley said.

Mayor Dennis Pauley said the new Wal Mart will create 400 jobs and bring in millions in sales tax revenue.  To make room for the super center on 11th street, businesses and other properties still in the Watch Tower Plaza are being bought by the city and will have to re–locate Mayor Pauley said Rock Island continues to grow and prosper and adding a Wal Mart is an even bigger step toward success.

"You've seen more restaurants come to town you've seen Black Ram, Goombaz. Everything is really developing and moving and you're going to continue to see that," Mayor Pauley said.

Mayor Pauley said construction on the new Wal Mart will start in the spring of 2013 and hopes it will be open by next Christmas.