Costco still searching for Newcastle site - ABC Online

Updated February 13, 2013 07:39:58

Wholesale giant Costco has confirmed it is looking for a site to open a warehouse in Newcastle.

The US retail giant opened its first Australian store in Melbourne's Docklands in 2009 and has just opened its third store in Canberra.

Costco says Newcastle is the latest city on its hit list, but it is still without a site.

The news has been welcomed by lord mayor Jeff McCloy who says it is just one in a list of projects helping to revitalise the city.

"There's the old Eastern site, opposite DJ's, where they're looking to put in a restaurant/brewery, the Star Hotel site is now moving forward with a DA, the Empire Hotel site which is vacant is now coming up for sale, we've got the Civic with the new university," he said.

"Newcastle generally is now open for business."

Managing Director of Costco Australia Patrick Noon says Newcastle has a lot to offer.

"Newcastle is a big regional city," he said.

"You've got easy access to the northern beaches and Hunter Valley, and there's a really attractive market for future expansion.

"We'd like to be up there as soon as we can."

Costco says it is unlikely the warehouse would be open in Newcastle before 2014.

Topics: urban-development-and-planning, newcastle-2300

First posted February 13, 2013 07:16:01