The opening Wednesday morning of the new Walmart on County Road 466 in Lady Lake was a joyous occasion.
Customers lined up before dawn, a marching band performed and a color guard offered a patriotic moment.
The planning for the new Walmart began nearly three years ago. The Kolter development company had purchased tranquil pastures from the Meucci family with plans to bring in high-quality housing, particularly sorely needed family housing. Of course, the plan also called for retail, with Walmart to serve as the centerpiece.
However, Town of Lady Lake leaders bristled when the builder wanted to cut down the numerous live oak trees on the property. Lady Lake has always taken great pride in its Tree City USA designation.
Town leaders’ refusal to budge on the trees caught the Walmart developer off guard. And for a brief moment, it looked like the Walmart might not be built at that location.
After months of tense discussions, the two sides were able to reach a compromise, saving some of the trees but not all of them. Walmart even downsized the store to accommodate the trees.
When store renderings were initially unveiled, it looked like Lady Lake was in store for the typical Walmart one would see in any town in the nation.
Once again, town leaders pushed for a finer approach, calling for a store more in line with the Walmart Neighborhood Market at Sarasota Plaza in The Villages. And they got it.
When the store was officially welcomed to the town at the grand opening, it was a happy end product of some tough negotiations.