Posted 6/15/2005 05:28:00 PM by Douglas

For anyone that doesn't think that Wal-Mart is taking over the world, take a look at this monstrosity. In case you're wondering, 4 Million square feet is almost 100 acres, or about 1/3 of a mile square.

Wal-Mart Stores' massive distribution center near Baytown is almost finished. But the long-term impact of the 4-million-square-foot distribution center built by the world's biggest shipper is about more than just Wal-Mart, experts say.

The very presence of the center in west Chambers County is expected to act as a business magnet for the area, which is roughly half an hour from downtown Houston. Other companies are expressing interest in setting up shop there, public and private sector officials say.

"When a player of that much repute in the world chooses to locate a premier project as Wal-Mart did here, then that causes the whole area to draw the attention of similar businesses," said Mike Shields, executive director of the Baytown/West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation.

Yeah, just think of all those great, minimum wage jobs driving forklifts around loaded with cheap Chinese junk. Kind of ironic that Frontline repeated their Is Wal-Mart Good for America program last night (quick capsule synopsis: NO!).

"Where Wal-Mart goes, Target joins them, Lowe's joins them," Iupe said. "We are talking to all those companies. I am not saying they are coming, but we are now being contacted by them, and they are looking at the park."

Well that's just perfect, then. Maybe we can sit on the Fred Hartman Bridge and sit and watch the entire infrastructure of our once industrialized nation as it ships out for China.