WASHINGTON — The fate of a proposed Wal-Mart in Prince George’s County is no longer in the hands of the county’s council after its Monday vote.
Prince George’s County Council members voted 9-0 Monday to send back to the Planning Board a request by Wal-Mart to build a nearly 78,000-square-foot store at the intersection of Annapolis Road, Route 450 and Glenn Dale Road, Route 953.
Wal-Mart wants to open the store in Bowie’s Duvall Village Shopping Center, but the plan has been a divisive one, according to The Washington Post.
Many people say building a Wal-Mart would have a negative impact on the adjacent neighborhood. However, some local business owners tout the value of a Wal-Mart, saying it would attract more business to the complex.
Wal-Mart says the store will generate 300 new jobs while filling a retail space that has been vacant for years.
On Monday, council member Andrea Harrison, who represents the district in Bowie where the Wal-Mart would be built, asked for further review.
“I am not totally convinced that all of the issues that are of concern to the people who live in this community have fully been vetted,” Harrison told the council members sitting as the District Council.
If approved, the Duvall Village Shopping Center location would be the fourth Wal-Mart store in the county.
WTOP’s Dick Uliano contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.
