Quinn and Box Stores

In a corollary to our comments on BJ's and food stamps it is useful to point out that Speaker Quinn, in her opposition to the three Costco's on the West Side, made the membership fees and food stamp access a central feature of her opposition to those projects. The Alliance believes strongly that Quinn's principled position on the West Side will also be applied to the Gateway project.

What will, however, be challenging is the method that the Council will need to find to excise a Wal-Mart or a BJ's from Gateway without jeopardizing the entire project. Under current zoning rules once the BTM is re-zoned there is no longer any legal impediment to the entry of any retailer.