Latest news with #Blong
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
180,000-square-foot Costco, biggest in Texas, will open this summer. Here's where
Costco will soon open its largest store in Texas, along with two more overseas. A 180,000-square-foot store in Midland will welcome customers this summer. Known for its wide selection of bulk items and unbeatable deals, Costco is a crowd favorite not just for shopping but also for its iconic food court offerings, including its famous pizza and $1.50 hot dog-and-soda combo that has stood the test of time. The addition of the retail giant is expected to draw excitement from Midland residents and beyond, bringing in customers from across the Permian Basin and West Texas. Currently, the largest Costco in proximity is about 117 miles north in Lubbock. Outside of Lubbock, West Texans would have to travel to El Paso or Fort Worth for the second-closest store, both of which are at least four hours away. Costco and Midland officials gathered to break ground on Dec. 10 of last year. Midland Mayor Lori Blong praised the company's efficiency in fast-tracking the permitting process and construction timeline. Although the incentives to bring Costco to Midland required the store to open no later than August 2026, the retail giant is now on track to welcome customers this July. "Back in 2019-2020, we were in talks with Costco, but the pandemic and economic shifts put those plans on hold. We thought it was a lost opportunity," Blong said at the event. "But through perseverance and collaboration, we've made it happen." Costco lists three locations with future opening dates on its "Coming Soon" page. The company's website says warehouses will open in: Pyeongtaek, South Korea in June 2025 Malmo, Sweeden in July 2025 Midland, Texas in July of 2025 Costco opened a spate of stores in March, including: Brentwood, California Highland, California Sharon, Massachusetts Genesee County, Michigan Prosper, Texas Weatherford, Texas The company followed that by opening the following locations in April: Stuart, Florida Ardeer, Australia Minami Alps, Japan CEO Ron Vachris said prior to the California openings that the company has "big plans for the rest of the fiscal year," which ends Aug. 31. Costco operates more than 800 stores around the world, with 627 in the U.S. and 42 in Texas. — USA TODAY's James Powel contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Costco opening in Midland this summer will be the largest in Texas
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Midland City Council approves exciting projects, here's what to expect:
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Midland City Council met Tuesday and approved several exciting projects. First, City leaders approved a $40 million expansion project at Midland International Air and Space Port that will take the TSA lines from two to 6. Council members said they hope the project will help improve wait times for travelers amid record numbers of people traveling through MAF. 'We have nine different flights going out of Midland every morning for those early morning flights and so the capacity is really great and we had a need because things were getting so backed up,' said Councilmember Robin Poole. Mayor Lori Blong said it's all about keeping Midland open for business and ready for growth. 'We also recognize that this will be a benefit to those that are traveling through our airport who are visiting our area and so we want this to be as accessible as possible,' Blong said. In addition to the airport expansion, Midland City leaders approved an agreement with Cinergy. The Cinergy Development Agreement ensured that the old Regal Cinemas on Loop 250, which have been vacant for several years, will be put to good use. The company said it will invest at least $24M in Midland with the expansion. 'The Cinergy Development Agreement also demonstrates our willingness and our interest in investing in quality-of-life projects for families in Midland. Cinergy is an excellent opportunity for our kids and we're all hosting birthday parties and different family events. And so, Cinergy, with this development agreement, will provide increased opportunities for families,' Blong said. Councilman Brian Stubbs said the partnership will ensure Cinergy's presence in the Basin for at least another decade. 'Cinergy is looking to invest and grow in Midland. So, they have a 10-year commitment to keep their current facility (off Highway 80) open. And then so, this is an addition to that facility, a new building, a new attraction and a new place for Midlanders to have a better quality of life,' Stubbs said. Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in December and should be complete by December of 2026. We've been told the new facility will house two quarter-mile interweaving go cart tracks, escape rooms, and an arcade. The City also approved a Capital Improvements Development Agreement with Betenbough Homes for the construction of Todd Drive and a 16-inch water line in the Mockingbird Ridge subdivision. They took this action in response to a proposal from the home developer to build a new neighborhood expansion. The homes, which won't be built until the roads leading into and out of the new neighborhood are complete, will sit on smaller lots. Additionally, Betenbough said it plans to build green areas, parks, and walking trails throughout the neighborhood. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Otago Daily Times
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Ice Fernz down Turkey to claim silver
New Zealand's best female ice hockey players have set the standard — now it is up to the men to match them. An entertaining week of action came to a close with the final day of the division 2, group B women's world championship at the Dunedin Ice Stadium on Sunday night. New Zealand capped an excellent tournament with a 3-2 win over Turkey to claim the silver medal. The Ice Blacks will now take centre stage when their own division 2, group B world tournament starts in Dunedin this Sunday. Home ice was always going to be significant for the Ice Fernz, and they responded with another clutch performance to see off Turkey and claim the silver medal in front of a cheering crowd. It was a slow burner of a game with both teams clearly feeling the effects of the demanding tournament. Fatigue was evident on the ice and neither side managed to find the back of the net in the first period. Turkey struck first in the second, breaking the deadlock with a goal to Irmak Gerez after 23 minutes and putting pressure on the Fernz. New Zealand, however, found their rhythm thanks to the relentless effort of forward Katya Blong, who had been a standout player all tournament. Blong got New Zealand on the board, assisted by Anjali Mulari, to tie the game at 1-1. The breakthrough came midway through the third period when Jasmine Horner-Pascoe scored off a feed from Kellye Nelson, giving the Ice Fernz their first lead of the night. Turkey were not done yet, and a Betul Taygar goal made it 2-2 with just minutes to go. With the pressure mounting and silver hanging in the balance, Blong again came through in the clutch. Her second goal of the night — assisted by Nelson and Jaime Jones — sealed the deal for the Kiwis, who celebrated at the final buzzer. Australia had earlier thumped Belgium 6-0 to finish on 14 points (four wins and one overtime win), sealing the gold medal and promotion to group A. New Zealand finished on 12 points and Ukraine, who beat Hong Kong 10-2 on the final day, had 10 points to secure the bronze medal. Ukraine star Valeria Manchik led the tournament in scoring (17 points) and goals (12), and team-mate Daria Tsymyrenko had the most assists (11). Blong was fifth in scoring (nine points) and second in goals (seven), and Jones was second-equal in assists (seven). Australia's Sasha King was the leading goaltender with a save mark of 95.24%. Next was Ice Fernz netminder Grace Harrison (92.78%). International Ice Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif attended the world championship and summed up the spirit of the event. "The real winner of this successful tournament was international women's hockey," Tardif said. While the New Zealand women get a deserved break — before they return to their jobs and families — the Ice Blacks prepare to play Chinese Taipei in their opening game this Sunday.
