http://www.utahstories.com/wal-mart%20research1.html
This debate is primarily about economics and whether or not the positives of big box businesses outweigh the negatives. Many communities in Utah seem to be fighting the same uphill battle of David vs. Goliath that Ashland, Virginia lost to Wal-Mart. The citizens of Utah are also concerned about the buildings and strip malls tarnishing the beautiful landscapes of Utah. This site also addresses many unseen costs that might not be addressed by city councils when they are trying to attract big boxes in their areas. These unseen costs include the fact that areas that have thriving local businesses maintain higher property values than areas that do not. Also, as more big boxes are brought in an increased police presence is needed to handle the increase in crime that accompanies 24 hour businesses. Several topics addressed in the movie are also mentioned such as increased traffic and profits being moved out of the local economies.
There is also a section on this site about smart growth that may prove helpful when we discuss this topic in class.
1 comment:
The strugelles in Utah raise some other very interesting costs and benefits to big box retail. I think this shows just how diffuclt it is for us to determine if something is "good" or "bad" based upon its purported effects.
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