Battle over building Walmart looms in Albany; pols may halt retailer's bid to open first city store

Erin Durkin and Adam Lisberg New York Daily News 12/14/2010 18:45

Walmart is trying to open its first store in New York City.

Walmart's dream of opening its first New York City store could hit a roadblock in Albany. The company is eying a site in East New York, Brooklyn, where developer Related Cos. still needs to buy 20.5 acres of empty state-owned land.

State officials are negotiating a purchase price with Related for the Gateway II project, but Walmart opponents hope to persuade Gov. Paterson to block the process and keep the store out.

"The governor should not sign off on this until they get an agreement not to destroy our economy with Walmart," said City Councilman Charles Barron, who represents the area and said Related broke a promise not to bring Walmart there.

Paterson has not taken sides in the Walmart debate, and it is unclear that the sale of state land would require the governor's sign-off.

A spokeswoman for the governor said a 1994 law requires the sale at a "fair and equitable price," which several state agencies are negotiating with Related.

"There is nothing on the governor's desk about the property," spokeswoman Jessica Bassett said. "We are continuing to negotiate as we have been with Related."

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