The retail giant abandons its plans to build a "super-center" atop a Civil War battlefield in Virginia after facing strong resistance from a coalition of preservation organizations.
The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition, made up of 6 preservation societies, successfully prevented Walmart from opening a store on the site of the Battle of The Wilderness. The announcement came just before the long-awaited trial between Walmart and the coalition was set to begin. Walmart spokesman Bill Wertz said the retailer will instead look at another, less controversial site in Orange County, VA.
He maintains that Walmart "stand[s] ready to put this controversy behind us and protect the battlefield from further encroachment... We firmly believe that preservation and progress need not be mutually [exclusive]."
Read the full story: Wal-Mart drops plans for building on Virginia battlefield site
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