Westminster – Outside interests continue to pump thousands of dollars into two north-metro campaigns battling over whether large big-box stores should be built next to neighborhoods.
Wal-Mart Stores, which wants to build a supercenter at West 72nd Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard, has spent $150,000 fighting ballot questions that would repeal the store’s approval, according to the most recent campaign filings. Residents opposed to the store have collected close to $25,000, much of that coming from labor unions.
Opponents have painted Wal-Mart numerous times as an outside corporation trying to buy the election, but Mike Ciletti, a local Wal-Mart consultant, said the opponents are being hypocritical.
“To call them just regular Joes or a citizens group is comical given that well over 90 percent of their money comes from unions,” he said.
Meanwhile, a developer seeking to build a big-box store at East 128th Avenue and Quebec Street in Thornton has spent $15,000 on an election that will let voters decide whether the project should be built. That news comes despite statements from the developer 1 1/2 weeks ago that his firm hadn’t spent any money on the campaign.
“They’ve got deep pockets – $15,000 is a tidy sum for a campaign,” said John Namovicz, a resident opposed to the potential store. “… We’re just a bunch of neighbors.”
Thornton residents opposed to the store have not registered as a campaign committee or reported contributions, even though they have sent out fliers and put up yard signs. Groups do not have to register as a committee unless they spend $200, but because the Thornton group hasn’t registered, it is impossible to tell how much they have spent or collected.
According to finance reports filed Friday, a group called Keep Thornton Strong has collected and spent more than $15,300 – all from a single donor, Quebec Riverdale LLC. That firm shares an address with the Southwestern Investment Group, which is developing the land at 128th and Quebec. Southwestern Investment’s president is also listed as the original registered agent for Quebec Riverdale LLC.
Though Keep Thornton Strong didn’t register as a campaign committee until Thursday, it reported receiving more than $9,000 from Quebec Riverdale LLC on Oct. 20. Also on Oct. 20, Rhys Duggan, with Southwestern Investment Group, wrote The Denver Post in an e-mail that his firm had been contacted by a “citizen effort” in favor of the store but had not contributed any money.
“As far as I know, … we have yet to decide on the extent of our involvement,” Duggan wrote.
Duggan didn’t respond to requests for comment Thursday, nor did the campaign consultant nor Quebec Riverdale LLC’s current registered agent.
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
