Update 5:30 p.m.
Kelownasa国际传媒檚 mayor says a report big box warehouse retailer Costco appears ready to move to Westbank First Nation land on the west side of Okanagan Lake is news to the city.
sa国际传媒淲ith our ongoing dialogue with Costco, the report comes as a surprise to us,sa国际传媒� said Mayor Colin Basran Wednesday evening.
sa国际传媒淲e have been in regular discussions with Costco, asking that they consider sites in Kelowna to address their relocation needs. Staff continue to work with Costco exploring options that would allow them to remain in Kelownasa国际传媒�
Basran said the city believes there are options in Kelowna that could meet Costcosa国际传媒檚 needs, but in the end, the popular retailer will make a business decision that works for it.
sa国际传媒淭he City of Kelowna and council value the business, employees and their members in the community,sa国际传媒� said the mayor.
sa国际传媒淲e look forward to continue working with Costco to address their business need and the needs of their members in Kelowna.sa国际传媒�
Original story:
Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Costco may finally be on the move across the bridge, though nobody is willing to say as much.
For the last two days, rumours that the WFN sold a chunk of its Highway 97 adjacent land to Costco have been circulating. Rod Shultz, one of the general managers of the Kelowna store, said hesa国际传媒檚 been fielding a number of questions, but he has no information he can share.
He pointed out that contracts take a while to take shape, and it could be years before a new store was to come together, if it ever did.
sa国际传媒淲e have no current information,sa国际传媒� he said. We know nothing and until wesa国际传媒檙e told otherwise I cansa国际传媒檛 comment.sa国际传媒�
Similarly, Costcosa国际传媒檚 media representative said the company wonsa国际传媒檛 comment.
READ MORE: COSTCOsa国际传媒橲 MOVE MAY BE RUMOUR
sa国际传媒淚t is our company policy to not comment regarding future Costco warehouses until we are ready to share details about the new location (usually two to three months in advance),sa国际传媒� wrote a media relations officer.
At the WFN office, they were less circumspect.
An employee who was asked if news of the move could be confirmed said, simply, sa国际传媒渋tsa国际传媒檚 on the news.sa国际传媒�
She wouldnsa国际传媒檛 give her name and the official WFN media person has yet to return a call.
Word of the move isnsa国际传媒檛 new.
Former West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater said hesa国际传媒檇 heard as much late last year.
sa国际传媒淭he fellow at the Costco booth at (the) IPE volunteered that they were looking at the Westside for a new facility with more parking and it could also draw from the South Okanagan,sa国际传媒� said Findlater. sa国际传媒淗e said their preference is the airport area but it is not available.sa国际传媒�
Since August of 1991 Costco Wholesale has been at the current location and around 400 people are employed at the store.
To keep an eye on the movements of Costco,
