Study: Bennington Wal-Mart would hurt other businesses

A new economic study finds that doubling the size of Bennington's Wal-Mart store would provide short-term growth of about 75 new retail jobs, but would trigger long-term job losses as it hurt local businesses.

Economic consultants Kavet, Rockler & Associates say construction costs on the expansion project would be about $16 million, and that sales would be expected to more than double, to about $48 million in the first year of the bigger Wal-Mart's operations.

But it adds that most of the expanded store's growth will come at the expense of existing stores in the area, with some impact on downtown but even more on commercial areas north of the town center.

The Wal-Mart expansion, proposed by store owner BLS Bennington, LLC, would roughly double the current store's size to 112,000 feet.

It has been hotly debated in town for years.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)