Wal-Mart Inc. (Bentonville, Ark.) announced plans to build an 880,000-sq.-ft. food distribution center in Mankato, Minn. It will reportedly support Wal-Mart grocery stores in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wisconsin and Iowa.
In local news reports, Wal-Mart officials said they were looking for a site with a good-sized labor pool and a cooperative local and state government. "This particular site is better than I've seen in a while," said Colby Tanner, real estate manager for Wal-Mart.