New location could be in store for Regina’s Costco

Big changes could be in store for Costco.

Fifteen acres of land near Tower Road and Victoria Avenue could be Costco’s new home when the area is transformed into a new regional retail site.

If city council approves, Costco will move three kilometres east down Victoria Avenue to the new Aurora Retail Centre. The store will be approximately 157,500 square feet, which is 30,000 square feet bigger than the current location. The plan includes 863 parking stalls.

“We’re hoping that this Aurora retail project increases Regina’s trade area and acts as an economic development initiative quite frankly for drawing in rural shoppers into our community,” Blair Forster, president of Forster Projects, said.

“It’s a fast growing trade area, and it’s exciting to see developments like that take place,” he added.

The Aurora development sits on approximately 60 acres of land and will contain about 600,000 square feet of retail space, according to Forster.

Landmark Cinemas 8 is also expected to open its premium-powered recliner-seat theatres in the Aurora development next year.

“In a time where our economy is in a bit of a slowdown, we’re investing a significant amount of money in this project and in drawing additional retail offerings to Regina. And it is very refreshing to see that retailers like Costco and Landmark are prepared to make significant investments in Regina and in Saskatchewan as a whole,” Forster said.

City Councillor Michael O’Donnell said the bypass will help make shopping easier for those coming into the city.

“It will create a gateway for those who wish to come in and shop and work in our city,” he said.

“We’re expecting somewhere in the neighbourhood of about 15,000 more people to grow and work in that area, so commercial development will be important,” O’Donnell said.

“I think Regina’s doing very well. I think we are a growth engine for the province. I think it notes that a company like Costco wants to come in and build a store with 863 parking spots. I think they know what they’re doing. This says a lot about Regina,” he said.

Regina and District Chamber of Commerce CEO John Hopkins said an anchor store such as Costco can help attract more businesses to the developing area.

“We’ve seen east Regina go from an area where there was all that little happening not that long ago to probably one of the number one destinations for retail in the city and southern half of the province, and it’s really become the power centre that people thought it would become,” Hopkins said.

Costco’s application will go before the city’s planning committee on Wednesday. If approved, it will go before city council on April 24.