New Wal-Mart to open April 18

Attention area shoppers! The wait is almost over.

After many delays and rumors swirling about town as to when the new Wal-Mart Supercenter would open, and eight months after construction on the new store began, it was announced on Monday that a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new 159,000- square foot facility in Fort Scott is scheduled for 7: 30 a. m. Wednesday, April 18, a Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce statement said.

Immediately following the ceremony, the store will officially open for business. Last July, a number of community leaders and other Wal-Mart officials attended a groundbreaking event for the store at the building's job site just south of the current Wal-Mart store, just two weeks after construction began on the building.

The new store is located on the south edge of the city, on the west side of U. S. Highway 69.

SM Wilson Construction Company began work on the Supercenter in August 2006, with a tentative completion date slated for Feb. 28, 2007. That date was bumped back a couple of times due to other factors, leaving many people wondering when the store would officially open. And now the store, which Wal-Mart officials say is expected to add about 120 new jobs to the community, will open its doors to the public next week.

Chamber members and guests, as well as community members, are invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday.

"This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the success that has led to Wal-Mart's expansion in our community, and to wish them well at their new location," the FSACC statement said.