Is Costco Wholesale planning a second El Paso location? Word on the street is they are, and that Northeast is the side of town they’re interested in.

Whaa? Yeah, I know. Many who call Northeast home feel like that side of town is the city’s unwanted step-child the way it gets passed over by so many retailers, so it's kind of hard to believe, but a Costco would be a big get.

Now before you get too excited it should be noted the Costco rumor is just that; a rumor.

The El Paso Inc. “Whispers” column is the source of the scuttlebutt, which is based on talk of employees at the Basset Place Costco hearing “of upcoming employment opportunities,” and “a financial planning blog that tracks possible new Costco locations.” It doesn't detail how either of those things translates to a possible Northeast location, though.

The "blog" the column is referring to is a June 2020 article on the Saving Advice website. It lists El Paso as one of the cities the wholesale retailer is “proposing” a Costco in, or is “in the initial planning phases” of. “These could open as late as 2022, assuming that they do indeed move forward,” Saving Advice adds.

Costco does a lot of negotiating with local governments on real estate breaks and tax incentives, from what I’ve read on the internet.

With both how much the city loves handing out tax breaks to big corporations, and the ongoing redevelopment of both the former Cohen Stadium site and the huge swath of land the city practically gave away to local billionaire Paul Foster who is planning residential and commercial development of his own in northeast, it wouldn’t surprise me if talks with Costco were going on on the down low.

But, again, right now it's only speculation.

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