Auburn. An emerging location for business

The NSW Government’s approval of the concept plan for US discount retail giant Costco’s $58 million warehouse and national headquarters cements Auburn as an important emerging location for business, said Premier Kristine Keneally. “It is part of the Auburn Council’s strategic vision to revitalise this area as a large format retail precinct and will help council as it finalises its local environment plan,” she said. The project includes a three-storey development, more than 13,700 square metres of gross floor area (GFA) for a retail warehouse, nearly 2000 square metres of commercial office GFA for the headquarters and 745 car parking spaces. The project has the potential to support 130 jobs during construction and around 230 on-going jobs. The store will be open 12 hours a day and is expected to make $90 million in sales in the first year. UNSW associate professor, Professor Frank Zumbo said in the Daily Telegraph that Costco "would suck customers into Auburn, away from other shopping centres".