A new Walmart Super Center store that will provide hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars in new sales and property tax revenue opened in Kaufman April 23.
Kaufman Chamber of Commerce Chair Wendy Thomas spoke to the importance of the addition of the Fortune 500 firm to the city. "Our hope is Walmart will be a catalyst for additional growth and prosperity," she said.
Kaufman Mayor Dr. William Fortner and other public officials and civic leaders attended the operning ceremony welcoming Walmart officials and employees.
Thomas, who is president of Thomas Protective Service, Inc. called the opening of the 160,000-square-foot store in Kings Fort Market Center a "pivotal moment" for the community. Phase I of the commercial development will include another 25,000 square feet of new shopping center space in addition to the Walmart store, she said.
A Kaufman Economic Development study showed the new Walmart would bring substantial benefits to Kaufman County, Thomas said.
"Phase I is expected to generate about $28.1 Million in new taxable buildings, furniture, fixtures, equipment and inventories, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars in new tax revenue to our city, our school district and our county," Thomas said. "We anticipate approximately $50 Million in new taxable sales the first year. This should bring in about $1 million in new local sales tax dollars to the city alone.
The study projected Walmart would employ about 300 full and part time folks, and it would generate some 439 direct and indirect permanent jobs that will inject about $12.4 Million in new salary dollars into the trade area, Thomas said.
"I am so thankful for the cooperation and hard work of those at our chamber who came before me, the city staff and council, and the Kaufman Economic Development Corporation," Thomas said. "Our collective efforts made this project a reality."
Thomas praised developer George Schuler, who conceived the development a decade ago, and his representative Jim Meara.
"Looking forward, I am hopeful we all will be working on Phase II in the very near future," Thomas said.
Thomas is pictured below.