CAPE CORAL, Fla. —
Cape Coral will soon welcome its first Costco, providing residents with a closer option for bulk shopping and popular items while creating up to 175 jobs.
Mike Oldenburg, a Cape Coral resident, shared his enthusiasm for the new store. “That’s it. And you always get a lot of everything at Costco. So there’s regular things we get and go at lunchtime. You get the snacks. So something to look forward to,” he said.
Cape Coral City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said the new Costco will address employment needs in the community.
Currently, the closest Costco for Cape Coral members is located in Fort Myers on Cypress Lake Drive. Resident Steve Fry expressed relief about the new location. “Oh, I definitely don’t like going over to Fort Myers, going over the bridge. It’s busy. Right. So, it’s going to be much easier for them to get over here, especially the older people,” he said.
City Council will discuss a $10 million incentive deal for Costco next week. Ilczyszyn explained that much of the money will be paid back over the next 25 years.
Under the agreement, Costco will pay property taxes after the site is built, and the city could return up to 95% of the project’s added tax revenue — up to $8 million — to help cover project costs. Costco will also construct turn lanes and a traffic signal to improve accessibility.
The 165,000-square-foot warehouse is planned for 600 Chiquita Boulevard South, near Southwest Pine Island Road.
Ilczyszyn said the site was chosen for its central location between South Cape and North Cape but noted that the land has a previous borrow pit, requiring soil improvements to support the building. “Costco picked a (location) centrally located between South Cape and North Cape, is a site that had a previous borrow pit on it. So even though it looks like there’s land there, it’s not native and it’s not natural; it’s unnatural. And so we need to come in and help them make that soil to a position that can sustain a building,” he said.
If the agreement is approved at Monday’s council meeting, Costco will proceed with obtaining permits from the city and the South Florida Water Management District.
Ilczyszyn emphasized the importance of bringing Costco to Cape Coral, citing the city’s growth as a key factor in the decision.
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