IT SITS on the fringes of Wagga’s CBD, a blue-scraped monolith that’s a symbol of hardware chain Masters’ spectacular collapse.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
When the building was finally vacated five weeks ago, speculation among locals was rife – what would go in there next?
A go-kart track? Wagga’s last one just went belly up.
An Ikea or Costco? Wishful thinking – the companies weren’t interested in moving here.
A convention centre? Council and the state government already had other ideas.
What no one wanted to see was a white elephant, a prominent site on the main approach to town that lay vacant for months – or years. Few, however, expected the site to rise from the ashes so rapidly.
Today’s news the Home Consortium has unveiled plans to resurrect the site is a shot in the arm for the local economy and a show of faith in the future of our city.
Masters opened to feverish anticipation in Wagga in June 2013.
The new centre, which will boast 10 stores and a cafe, should generate just as much hype.
Not only will it broaden the city’s shopping offer, but it is expected to create 100 new jobs in the construction phase and 200 retail jobs once it’s built.
Already, Wagga has about 3000 people working in the retail sector. This could build that workforce by a further 7 per cent.
The Home centre will also solidify Wagga’s reputation as the region’s shopping destination of choice.
About 185,000 shoppers a year stream into our city. This should bring in thousands more.
The Home Consortium’s chief executive David Di Pilla told the DA talks were advanced with a number of possible tenants.
The centre could be built in about four months, he said, and its opening date would hinge on how quickly the development application was approved.
Because we all have a stake in the success of developments like this.
Even if you don’t plan on shopping at the new centre or you’re not directly employed by a local retailer, you’re still affected by the health of our businesses.
Business prosperity equates to more people calling Wagga home.
That equates to more jobs, more consumer choice, more government services, stronger house prices and, ultimately, a better place for us all to live.
