Walmart has closed on land for a second store in Celina, moving forward with a major new retail project tied to a recently approved incentive agreement with the city. The company acquired 41 acres at the southeast corner of FM 455 and the Dallas North Tollway, adjacent to the Legacy Hills master-planned community. The new site positions Walmart at a highly visible intersection in what is described as America’s fastest-growing town, reinforcing the retailer’s commitment to serving Celina’s expanding population base.
The planned store is required to be at least 150,000 square feet under the terms of the agreement with the city. Walmart must invest a minimum of $25 million in the project, excluding the cost of the land acquisition. The agreement also requires the retailer to maintain at least 120 full-time employees at the location for the duration of the incentive period, tying performance obligations directly to job creation and sustained employment levels.
Celina City Council approved an economic development agreement with Walmart in July, setting the framework for the public incentive structure that supports the project. Under that agreement, Walmart is eligible to receive up to $5.1 million in incentives, subject to meeting the specified investment and employment thresholds. The package is structured around a sales tax reimbursement model rather than upfront cash or traditional grants.
Both the city of Celina and the Celina Economic Development Corp. will contribute to the incentive package. Each entity has agreed to provide Walmart with a 50% sales tax reimbursement grant for a period of 10 years. This effectively shares a portion of the new store’s future sales tax revenue with the retailer, aligning incentives between the municipality and the company while still generating incremental tax proceeds for local government.
The new store will be Walmart’s second location in Celina. The city’s first Walmart opened in April off Preston Road and is referenced as the initial entry by the retailer into the market. The addition of a second large-format store in a relatively short time frame highlights the retailer’s focus on capturing consumer demand in Celina’s trade area as residential growth continues. At the same time, the structure of the agreement illustrates how local officials are using targeted, performance-based incentives to attract and scale essential retail infrastructure.
Specific timelines for construction start, store delivery, and opening were not disclosed in the information provided. Details on any additional site uses beyond the primary store, potential outparcel activity, or complementary retail components were also not mentioned. However, the combination of significant required capital investment, long-term employment commitments, and multi-year sales tax reimbursements points to a substantial and enduring retail presence once the store is operational.
