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WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA EDITION
DECEMBER 30, 2015
Costco likely to open in 2016 By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Costco Wholesale received tentative approval recently for beer and wine package sales at a proposed membership warehouse club slated to open near Tampa Premium Outlets. The Pasco County Planning Commission on Dec. 2 recommended approval of the alcoholic beverage license for the approximately 153,000 square feet of store space, plus about 2,100 square feet more for a separate liquor store. The Pasco County Commission is expected to vote on the license in January. Additional site plan approvals and building permits are still to come. An opening date for the national chain likely won’t happen until late 2016. “There is a ways to go in the process,” said Grace Yang, an attorney who represents
ceived building permits, with an opening planned for spring 2016. Construction is under way on Culver’s restaurant on an out parcel fronting State Road 56. Permits also are approved for Cheddar’s Casual Café in the same vicinity. Chick-Fil-A, Kohl’s, Panda Express and BJ’s Restaurant and Brew House also are planned as part of the master-planned the applicants, JG Cypress Creek LLC and Cypress Creek Town Center, located on sepCostco Wholesale. arately owned parcels on the north and Representatives for the companies were south sides of State Road 56. not available for comment. According to the company website, Costco is an anticipated addition to the Costco’s history traces to the Price Club retail beginning to sprout along the State which opened in San Diego in 1976. The Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor, at the Costco brand opened its first store in Seattle Interstate 75 interchange. in 1983, and then 10 years later merged Tampa Premium Outlets opened Oct. 29, with the Price Club. with nearly 100 outlet stores including Costco is one of the largest retailers in Michael Kors, Nike, Coach and PacSun. A the world, generating more than $113 bilsports complex and ice rink, known as lion in sales in fiscal year 2015, which ended Florida Hospital Center Ice, recently re- in August.
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2015 IN PHOTOS INSIDE, PAGE 1B
FRED BELLET/PHOTO
David Towner, of Tampa, stopped for a snapshot while making his way along the booths and exhibits at The Wesley Chapel Freedom Festival on July 3. An estimated 40,000 people attended the event at The Shops at Wiregrass.
2015 marked by growth, loss, compassion By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
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New construction captured many headlines during the year 2015 in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. But, so did traffic issues and changes happening in area schools. Other news chronicled setbacks and tragic losses. But, there were inspiring stories, too. Tampa Premium Outlets, a 441,000square-foot mall with 100-plus designer brand shops, opened in October off State Road 56, near the Interstate 75 interchange. Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel embarked upon a $78 million expansion project – 2 ½ years ahead of schedule — to add 112,000 square feet and renovate 11,000. Florida Hospital Center Ice, a new 150,000-square-foot sports facility, broke ground on Feb. 24. It will have an Olympicsized hockey rink, four other rinks and the ability to accommodate other sports.
Lutz and Land O’ Lakes also saw their share of growth. New homes and apartments are popping up along the State Road 54 corridor and along portions of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. A Lowe’s home improvement store opened on State Road 54, the Land O’ Lakes Community Park underwent a $2.3 million upgrade, and a new Pasco County Utilities Administration building opened off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41. Just outside Dade City, an aerial adventure park, known as Tree Hoppers, began operation, and a number of new businesses have settled into the downtown historic district. Of course, the new development has added to the area’s traffic jams, which won’t be resolved in the short term. But, there are efforts being made to address the issue. The Florida Department of Transportation is exploring solutions to adSee 2015, page 11A
FILE PHOTOS
The 152,000-square-foot Lowe’s home improvement store, at 21500 State Road 54, held a number of events to mark its grand opening.
Tampa Premium Outlets, a 441,000-squarefoot mall with 100-plus designer brand shops, opened in October off State Road 56, near the Interstate 75 interchange.
Superintendent calls social media appeals ‘problematic’ By B.C. Manion
Go Fund Me site was seeking funds to purchase materials for students at Denham Oaks Concerns raised about a Go Fund Me site Elementary. during a recent Pasco County School Board The posting said that 42 permeeting prompted Superintendent Kurt cent of the students in the Browning to voice concerns over how ap- school’s first-grade have reading peals for help are posted by teachers on deficiencies and need additional social media sites. materials. The issue came up when Amy Bracewell, Bracewell lives in Northwood, a parent who lives in Northwood, told a community in Wesley Chapel, Superintendent school board members that a posting on a which has been reassigned to at- Kurt Browning
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
tend Denham Oaks Elementary, in Lutz, next school year. She and other parents objected to their children being moved from their Wesley Chapel community to attend a school in Lutz. “Considering that I have a kindergartner starting in the fall, I find it extremely disturbing to find a Go Fund Me page set up for the first-graders of Denham Oaks Elementary School,” she told
board members. Browning said he became aware of the Go Fund Me site the evening before the Dec. 15 school board meeting. The superintendent said the post “was somewhat troubling to me, because it made it sound that we, as a district, were not providing the level of materials to those schools. That is just not the case. “We provide the materials at every one of See APPEALS, page 11A