From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. —  Members of Asheville City Council met with Costco’s team during the second week of December to discuss the potential opening of a store in the Asheville area.

A zoning vote for the project is set for 2026.

“The discussions focused on jobs, traffic, wages and community impact. Costco representatives shared that they typically hire around 300 employees,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) noted on Dec. 12.

Councilwoman Kim Roney “provided an update on the discussions via a Facebook post, emphasizing the importance of affordability, sustainability and safe transportation infrastructure,” News 13 stated.

“Roney highlighted the potential for hundreds of new jobs and the goal of keeping grocery and gas costs down.

“The councilwoman also said there are 19,000 Costco members in the region who drive to the closest location in South Carolina and spend $20 million, meaning ‘Asheville will gain millions in sales tax revenue’ with the addition of a Costco in the city.”

Roney’s post added, “For a healthy economy and food system, we really need to be supporting local and small businesses, cooperatives and farms. Ultimately, this decision is about what our community needs on this industrial-zoned land.”

News 13’s “Comment Bubble” appearing after its Costco story included the followiing assertions:

• Kisrael1948 — “The opponents of the Costco building here in Asheville are the reason why Asheville cannot get money. If we had a professional sports team, we could get a lot more money from that than we currently get from just breweries and hotels. Yet the only team we have that is semiprofessional is the High Class Single A tourists. It’s because no one wants any sports teams that the Smoke was forced out of town.” 

• Bsizz – “Great revenue for the city and the 300 new employees and their families!”

• DomBostich9 — “Yeah....those retail jobs pay a mint in expensive Asheville.”

• AvlNC — “A clear majority of people in Asheville WANT and BEG for a Costco.  Who is city council or the mayor to say NO. You are representatives of the people. Find out what the people want and do THAT. Ugh. Can we please have a new city council?”

• liberalcritic — “Any competition to Ingles would be a good thing.”

• SanMiguel — “Thanks Kim Roney for supporting Costco coming to Asheville!” 

• Mamajaws — “Just remember they only try once to come to town you kick this back and they won’t be back. Y’all are good at running people off. Look at how well your choice to defund the police went, who wants to go downtown now, that really benefited the city now didn’t it. This is ridiculous this should not even be a conversation. Yes, great when are you planning to open should be the conversation. God forbid we get 300 Well Paying Jobs with benefits. Seriously Asheville it’s time to grow up. Tourism is down and it doesn’t seem to be bouncing back real quick and the tax revenue and the jobs are NEEDED. There are people who want to work, who need to work who deserve a good paying jobs with benefits. Costco takes care of their employees. Send them to Hendersonville we’d be happy to have them.” 

• TheOracle — “Build it.”

• Liberalsareweak101 — “That’s exactly what we need 300 more people and more traffic. The Asheville areas infrastructure can’t handle anymore condos , apartments and a Costco.”