Big (car) lot coming?: Nope, this is not about Big Lots. We already have one of those in Elk Grove.
It's about a request coming to the Planning Commission tonight for a general plan amendment and a rezone that would allow auto sales on about 13 acres at Grant Line Road and East Stockton Boulevard.
Nobody is talking about what might go on the site – especially the landowner and applicant, Brown & Reynolds, a Bay Area development firm. Brown & Reynolds officials would neither take nor return my calls last week.
But a 13-acre car lot sounds very much like CarMax, which pioneered the used-car superstore concept and is the biggest used-car retailer in the country.
A number of folks – including Mayor Gary Davis and Mark Nelson, co-developer of the nearby Elk Grove Auto Mall – have heard talk about CarMax looking at Elk Grove.
CarMax, in fact, "took a run at some of our land," Mark said. But the auto mall would not be an option for CarMax, even if all 127 acres were not spoken for, he said, because dealerships at his mall must have a new-car franchise.
Richmond, Va.-based CarMax, which had $8.2 billion in sales last fiscal year, will open its 96th superstore this week in Colorado Springs, Colo. It's 17-acre operation in Roseville, near the Roseville Auto Mall, is "one of our top performing stores in terms of vehicle sales," spokeswoman Elia Imler said.
Elia said the company had "no definite plans" for Elk Grove but wants to grow its store base by 15 percent a year.
"We continue to look at new markets as well as areas where we have existing stores," she said.
Elia didn't say it, but CarMax also has a store in Modesto. Elk Grove would seem to fit right in between there and Roseville. Stay tuned. …
Marriott musings: Speaking of topics that Brown & Reynolds won't discuss, the firm's Web site has a detailed solicitation for a retail and restaurant project – built around a 93-room Marriott Hotel – at E. Stockton and Elk Grove boulevards, just south of the cemetery.
According to an application on file with the city Planning Department, it would be called The Grove.
City spokeswoman Christine Brainerd said the application is being reviewed and has not gone to the Planning Commission.
According to one of my old commercial real estate sources, the project is "up in the air." Maybe because the site plan filed with the city includes a new onramp from E. Stockton to Highway 99 that is not exactly on the horizon.
Again, stay tuned. …
Music, food and wine: That sounds like a good combination. And sometime colleague Nan Mahon promises that tickets will be available at the door Sunday for a fundraiser for the Fine Arts Festival of Elk Grove.
The event will run from 4-7 p.m. at 8867 Saddlehorn Court in EG. The $10 tickets will support the festival, scheduled for Aug. 30 at Laguna Town Hall. For more information or to reserve tickets, call (916) 688-3334. Cheers. …
Cheers again: She may not be happy about this, but why have a column if you can't mention a special day for a special person once in a while.
Happy birthday to my amazing, mostly very patient (and much younger!) wife. Have a great day, Cyndi, even though it will start hideously early with a graduation ceremony (congrats, Jess and friends, by the way) at Kerr Middle School.
Call The Bee's Bob Walter, (916) 478-2860. Back columns, www.sacbee.com/walter.
