In my view the single most important improvement that we can make to our community is to have a big box retail store locate here, for the benefit of all our citizens and especially our young families. The North American Development Group (NADG) is a capable retail development company and their proposal is the most viable way for us to realize a big box store in Los Alamos. In NADG's proposal the big box anchor is a Smith's Marketplace store, which would be the first of its kind in New Mexico, providing not just groceries but household products, electronics, clothes and many other items. The big box store will attract other nationally recognized retailers. The NADG proposal with Smith's Marketplace as the big box anchor will translate into the most lease revenue for our public schools. This is the most important reason to support the NADG proposal.
In selecting NADG as the developer for the Trinity site our work is not finished and the public should not conclude that a big box retail store is guaranteed. Until we have a signed contract with NADG nothing is certain. From my point of view the worst outcome would be a prolonged negotiation with NADG that lasts several months and ultimately ends with the parties failing to reach an agreement. NADG has submitted to the county a best offer proposal which calls for a 75 year lease commitment with NADG paying $500,000 in rent annually. Furthermore NADG proposes that the rent increase by 10% every ten years. There would be no financial contribution by the county to the project.
We need to act on the time scale of weeks rather than months. I feel that it is not enough for the Council to simply select NADG as the developer. To show the public that we are serious about actually having a big box store, the county should enter into a letter of intent with NADG now, committing to the general terms of its best offer proposal. I find the prospect of a lengthy negotiation entirely unattractive. If issues arise during the negotiations that complicate the process or preclude an agreement, the public should know about them when they occur. We should not keep the public in the dark.
The public wants a big box store and our schools need the lease revenue that such a store would provide. Now is not the time for more excuses or delays. I encourage the county administrator and economic vitality manager, as well as the corporate members of Smith's and NADG to contact the councilors directly if issues arise, so that we can help work through these issues and keep the public informed. Lets seize this opportunity to provide our citizens with the kind of basic retail that is taken for granted in other communities.
