PORT ST. LUCIE — The Government Finance Corporation Board members here approved a $6 million purchase and sale agreement March 9 that will realize a years-long community goal of wooing Costco to Port St. Lucie and place the city in a select group of 13 other communities around the United States to boast both a Costco retail store and a Costco distribution center.
In 2019, while The Costco Corp. was struggling with Martin County and Stuart over its desire to build a location there, Port St. Lucie Mayor Gregory Oravec dangled a carrot in front of the company, offering it free land in Southern Grove to do so. While the company continued on and ultimately built a Stuart store, its officials did decide to locate a 1.8 million-square-foot Depot – or regional distribution center – in Tradition that is slated for completion this month.
Community Redevelopment Agency Director Jennifer Davis formally announced the addition of a retail store during the recent GFC meeting, whose Board is composed of City Council members…