The latest twist in the Great Costco Caper was last Thursday when the news media turned out to cover a zoom meeting between representatives of the giant retailer and Warwick officials that didn’t happen and a Smithfield town councilman who spread out the red carpet to have the company open a store there on social media.

The scramble to snare a Costco that would could bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in municipal taxes and serve as the catalyst for more development was triggered by the Cranston race for the Republican nomination for mayor. In announcing her candidacy Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton Fung scored incumbent Mayor Kenneth Hopkins for botching Costco’s plan to locate on Goddard Road and the site of a building that was part of the ACI complex. . The Hopkins camp responded that a deal is not dead and it is simply “on pause.” That could not be confirmed.

That was as good as “a come get it” call to Warwick City Council President Steve McAllister.  McAllister, vice president of the Eastern Region for the US Chamber of Commerce, sees first hand the competition to lure businesses to a state and to a municipality. He didn’t hesitate to throw Warwick’s hat into the ring even though since taking office independent Mayor Frank Picozzi had city planning and economic development personnel working with Costco representatives. What seemed to be the most promising site was the former Ann & Hope on Post Road. It was big enough to accommodate a Costco and with easy access to Route 95 seemed ideal. But for some unexplained reason, Costco wasn’t interested and the property was acquired for a UHaul distribution and rental storage unit facility.

McAllister suggested the former Christmas Tree outlet on Bald Hill Road for a Costco. Through his contacts he reached Costco representatives who agreed to visit the city. McAllister planned to show off the city and arranged to provide Iggy’s clamcakes and chowder at a meeting in the Saw Tooth Annex building . Picozzi questioned the need for the meeting since planning personnel had worked with agents on behalf of Costco and nothing had popped up.

It looked to be an in person meet and greet until Costco called the mayor’s office and deferred to a Zoom meeting on Wednesday. McAllister, the mayor and other officials tuned in at the appointed time.

“We were all looking at one another,” said McAllister. Television crews were waiting to catch any significant announcement when Kraviz announced he’d received an email saying the meeting was off suggesting the meeting be held at another time when there wasn’t such a “media frenzy.”

McAllister was disappointed. It was a missed opportunity to show off the city even though by this point the Costco representative would have been their real estate “locator.”

“I think it got too much attention … I think it can still happen,” McAllister said.

He defended his invitation to Costco, observing that it generated positive feedback from constituents and the publicity generated interest from companies thinking of locating in the city. With a laugh, he said he even received  a call  inquiring if there might be a site for an amusement park in the city.

Saying he is proud of Warwick, McAllister said, “let’s see what Costco and other businesses want and what fits.”