WAL-MART PROVIDES ECONOMIC BOOST TO NATION, STATE, AREA

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which offers a variety of merchandise in its more than 35 retail departments -- including clothing, groceries, hardware, auto service and accessories and others -- provides a big economic boost nationwide, according to its latest economic impact figures released last week.

For the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, the company's U.S. stores:

-- Contributed 528,000 jobs to the nation's economy.

-- Purchased more than $42.9 billion worth of merchandise (retail value) from 17,132 U.S. manufacturing companies.

-- Paid more than $576.6 million in state and local taxes.

-- Collected and remitted more than $3.5 billion in state and local sales taxes.

As of Jan. 31, Wal-Mart's operations in the United States included 2,022 Wal-Mart stores, 419 Sam's Clubs, 83 Bud's Warehouse outlets, four Hypermart USA stores and 27 distribution centers.

Wal-Mart also provided a boost to the Cape Girardeau County economic picture, providing employment to more than 550 people. The Cape Girardeau store employs about 480 full- and part-time associates, with the Jackson store employing about 80.

There are 125 Wal-Mart operations in Missouri, including 105 Wal-Mart Stores, 14 Sam's Clubs, five Bud's Warehouse outlets and one Hypermart USA.

This tabulates into 22,857 jobs and $1.5 billion worth of merchandise purchased from 710 Missouri manufacturing companies. The company paid more than $15.5 million in state and local taxes and collected and remitted more than $173.1 million in state and local sales taxes.

During the company's fiscal first-quarter, ending April 30, Wal-Mart purchased more than $13.3 billion worth of merchandise from 18,331 U.S. manufacturers.

"The support we receive from our customers make this contribution to the national, state and local economics possible," said David D. Glass, president and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Glass noted that the figures released this week do not include payments to service-oriented businesses, such as cleaning, sanitation and property maintenance companies and banks.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and McDonald's Corp., the king of fast foods, got its quasi-partnership going at Cape Girardeau last week.

If the first day is any indication, the newest restaurant in town will be a hit.

"We had people in the restaurant all day," said Jerry Davis, who owns the other two McDonald's in the county -- 1925 Broadway in Cape Girardeau and 2220 Highway 61 East in Jackson.

The restaurant won't maintain the same hours as Wal-Mart, which is open 24 hours a day.

"We'll open at 7 a.m. each day," said Davis. "We'll close at 11 p.m. weekdays and at midnight on weekends."

McDonald's, in its efforts to put burgers where buyers are, also is testing "co-branding" at gas stations in scattered parts of the nation. The kiosks and counters, situated in or beside convenience stores, are the latest test of a marketing philosophy that also has put McDonald's in hospitals, airports and aboard airplanes.

McDonald's, headquartered in Chicago, also provides big a economic boost to areas throughout the world. McDonald's has more than 9,000 restaurants in the United States and 13,500 worldwide, with sales totaling more than $6 billion.

Construction is under way on Phase II of the Bent Creek Subdivision, a development by Bent Creek Land Co.

"There are 22 premium home sites in this phase, ranging from a half acre to one acre," said Mike Litzelfelner, co-owner of Bent Creek Land Co. "Most of the home sites have good views of the Bent Creek Golf Course."

Seven of the 22 sites already are sold and some construction is underway, Litzelfelner said. Meanwhile, construction is continuing on the condominium units from Phase I of the three-phase project.

"Real estate sales at Bent Creek have been excellent," said Litzelfelner. "All 24 condominiums sold out during the first 18 months of the project, and seven of the home sites in Phase II are already sold."

Litzelfelner said Phase II is "right around the corner. Fifteen home sites will be developed in the third phase, and half of them will border the golf course."

Phase I of the project called for 24 condominiums, to be constructed between the 10th and 18th fairs of Bent Creek Golf Club.

Condo units were offered in three floor-plan options, featuring one- and two-level designs, with basements, decks, patios and two-car garages.

"Whether you enjoy playing golf or not, the atmosphere allows you to relax and enjoy the good life while overlooking the lavish greens and fairways of Bent Creek Golf Course," Litzelfelner said.

Pampered Pets opened recently at 125 S. Broadview in Cape Girardeau.

Lauri Swain is owner of the new business, which offers dog and cat grooming. Swain has been in the pet-grooming business since 1985.

Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Drury Suites Hotel at the southwest corner of Interstate 55 and Route K in Cape Girardeau will open in early June, said Bonnie Chiaurro, manager of Drury Inns. Inc. Marketing Service.

The new hotel is only the second venture into "suites" lodging for Drury Inns Inc. The first was constructed in San Antonio, Texas. Each suite will have two rooms, with king or double beds, microwaves and refrigerators.

Southern Illinois still has a chance to get a $60 million chicken processing plant and up to 1,500 new jobs, despite losing the bidding war with Kentucky over Hudson Foods.

Tyson Foods is looking for a place to build a complex, and a coalition of five Southern Illinois counties is wooing the company. The Southernmost Illinois Development Committee (SIDC) is offering to build the plant for Tyson if it's placed in Alexander, Johnson, Pulaski, Union or Massac county.

Hudson Foods Inc., headquartered in Rogers, Ark., will build its new $60 million chicken processing complex in Henderson County in Western Kentucky, spurning an offer from Illinois officials to build the plant in Saline County. The facility could supply up to 1,300 jobs with a $25 million payroll.

James T. Hudson, Hudson Foods chairman and chief executive officer, said several factors made the Kentucky site more attractive, including an abundance of local corn, adequate local grower interest, a good labor force and a main line on the CSX railroad.

Jerry Reppert, chairman of the five-county SIDC effort, said his group also tried to attract Hudson, but couldn't offer it the same incentives as Tyson because Hudson's credit rating wasn't as good.

Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson has not set a date for announcing where it will build its new plant.