Granite City, IL (KMOX News) -- Some members of the group United Congregations of Metro-East are hoping for a "David versus Goliath" outcome in a fight against a retail giant. Ron Trimmer wants Granite City government to block a Wal-Mart store expansion project on Route Three, "They drive small businesses that keep money in the area out of business." Trimmer's organization and others make up Granite City First, the group that delivered 3,000 letters of Wal-Mart expansion opposition to the Granite City mayor's office on Thursday. The city's economic development director, Jonathan Ferry, tells K-M-O-X that other retail development near the store hinges on what Wal-Mart does. He says the interest of Lowe's and other chains in coming to Granite City was generated by news of Wal-Mart's planned expansion. Ferry says Wal-Mart has not asked for any tax incentives from the city to make its store bigger.
