General Mills Plant Closure Leaves Lodi With Big Gap To Fill In Local Economy
LODI (CBS13) — The General Mills plant once stood on the outskirts of Lodi 66 years ago, but over the years the city grew around it. Today, Lodi has to find a way to continue to grow business without it after General Mills announced it would close and sell the Turner Road property.
"The wheels are definitely turning," said Lodi Chamber of Commerce president Pat Patrick. "Yes, we're sad because that's 430 jobs and that hurts."
Lodi's Chamber of Commerce, however, is optimistic. Surrounding Lodi are more than 90 vineyards, making it difficult to expand business out from the city limits. General Mills's plant sits on 75 acres within the city.
"To have that 75 acres now available to redevelop and bring new manufacturing jobs into town is exciting," said Patrick. "Possibilities are other wine industry folks. We also are looking at a Silicon Valley-type campus."
Lodi's Walmart on Kettleman Lane and Lower Sacramento Road is also closing, but only because it's opening up a Walmart Supercenter across the intersection. There is a catch. Before it opens that store, Walmart's property owner has to keep a promise he and Wal-Mart made to the city of Lodi over ten years ago, before it opened the first store.
"The shopping center owner, who owns that old building, has to re-tenant it or tear it down and build something new," said Patrick.
"So, he's very motivated to make sure he has tenants in that building."
According to Patrick, four potential companies are interested in moving into the old Walmart. It's a good deal for the homeowners and renters living behind the shopping center.
"I like that there aren't going to be any vacant buildings," said Garrett Tonn, who lives in an apartment near the Walmart. "It gives us more of a variety, places to go, places to eat. Makes people come around more. Makes the town look a lot more presentable."
The new shopping complex for Walmart's Supercenter will also have 25 new businesses moving in next door. Meanwhile, Lodi's Chamber of Commerce said it will work with the former General Mills employees to find jobs. The chamber said it's actively pursuing new business to the General Mills lot.
"We want to fill that space as soon as possible with good high paying jobs," said Patrick.
The Walmart SuperCenter is scheduled to open at the end of 2015. Patrick said Wal Mart made another deal with Lodi to have the "most beautiful Walmart in the United States of America" with a brick facade that the SPARK committee helped design to fit with Lodi's aesthetic standards.