Madera seeks to attract Costco, other businesses amid fading Fresno plan
Days after a judge blocked Fresno’s plans to build a massive Costco store, a top official in neighboring Madera County welcomed the possibility of similar businesses moving there.
Jordan Wamhoff, one of the county’s supervisors, wrote in a July 25 Facebook post that the region would support new infrastructure, jobs and private investment.
“Businesses are leaving cities that make it hard to grow and choosing communities that truly support economic development. Madera County is open for business,” Wamhoff wrote. “We back up our words with real action.”
Several weeks later, officials from Madera and Fresno counties still hope to woo companies like Costco. While Fresno officials maintained their commitment to the previously blocked Costco store, some Madera County leaders highlighted their efforts to simplify the approval and construction process for other businesses that may be interested in developing in the region.
Madera County development
Several highly touted commercial developments in southeast Madera County have moved slowly, like the mixed-use space planned for the Tesoro Viejo and Riverstone communities. However, the city recently announced a Raley’s store will open in Riverstone’s commercial space, and local officials have said this announcement will make it easier to attract other businesses. Wamhoff and other Madera officials would like to land some big tenants around south Madera County, near Fresno.
The county often grants necessary permits for property development within 90 days of receiving applications, according to Wamhoff. If a business seeks to develop on land zoned as a commercial median district, Wamhoff added that it pursues building permits more quickly — bypassing California Environmental Quality Act requirements like those that stalled Fresno’s Costco project.
“We are very nimble. We’re still a small county, but we’re able to be agile,” Wamhoff said. “Our county staff is able to be attentive to the needs of people who are making those investments in our community.”
Wamhoff said he does not believe Costco or other big-box retailers have directly been in touch with the county during the last several weeks to explore development applications.
After his post, Wamhoff received messages from some real estate agents recommending land that could be useful for development. One such broker, Kirk Atamian, lauded Wamhoff and Mike Karbassi, president of the Fresno City Council, saying they were quick decision makers who support business growth.
“They’re both strong business people who really believe business comes first and business should run government,” Atamian said.
Madera County added housing units in 2024 at a faster rate than any other California county, according to a May report from the state’s Department of Finance. Kristin Gallagher, executive director of the Madera County Economic Development Commission, named infrastructure developments — like the planned widening of Highway 41 — as the area’s top priority as it seeks to attract more developers.
Fresno Costco updates
Karbassi declined to comment on Fresno’s current plans for the Costco store, citing attorney-client privilege. Judge Jonathan Skiles’ ruling in July allowed the city to push through new approvals pending a revised environmental impact report. The city may also appeal the decision.
Costco did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
According to Will Oliver, president and CEO of the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation, retail companies like Costco would prioritize locations with strong workforce availability as well as population density and disposable income among potential customers.
The economic development corporation projected that the store would generate about $55 million in economic output each year, and Costco predicted about $15 million in tax revenue annually.
Additionally, the store would support over 285 full-time equivalent jobs, including those transferred from the store’s existing location on West Shaw Avenue. The median household income around the proposed location is about $103,000, and over 115,000 people live within a five-mile radius of the site.
These factors outweigh potential incentives or fast-tracked schedules for businesses seeking the best location, according to Oliver.
“The Fresno metropolitan area boasts over a million people. It has the demographics to support premier retail facilities such as what Costco is endeavoring to do in northwest Fresno, and I think that is unmatched,” he said.