BUSINESS MEMO: DISTRIBUTION CENTER

For the second time in less than two weeks, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has announced the selection of a Missouri site for one of its distribution centers. The company has selected Harrisonville, Mo., as the site for a food distribution center, which will create more than 350 jobs early next year.

Wal-Mart recently announced it would located a regional general merchandise distribution center at St. James, which would provide about 600 new jobs.

Wal-Mart plans to begin construction of its food distribution center in Missouri -- an 860,000-square-foot facility -- in August. The center will be west of U.S. Highway 71 just south of Harrisonville. The company expects to begin hiring in February 2001.

"In the past two weeks, Wal-Mart has brought a tremendous amount of investment and nearly a thousand job opportunities to Missouri," said Joseph L. Driskill, Department of Economic Development (DED) director.

The DED worked closely with the Kansas City Are Development Council, the City of Harrisonville and Wal-Mart to help bring the facility to Missouri.