Peninsula Town Center fee angers some

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - The countdown is on for Hampton's highly anticipated Peninsula Town Center. Crews are working at a feverish pace to put finishing touches in place for the grand opening two days away.

However, there is one thing that just doesn't add up for recent shopper Maria Tisdale.

"I didn't know anything about it until I got that charge on my receipt," she said.

The charge she's referring to is a 0.5 percent facility charge on her Target receipt. Tisdale's said she can think of better things to do with her money.

"When you have to pay for your children's lunch that 27 cents could go to them. When you have to pay for their supplies it can go to them," she said.

The Peninsula Town Center is a $280 million investment for the city. The facility charge, 50 cents for every $100, goes toward a $92 million bond for infrastructure costs, like parking, curbs and gutters. Each store and restaurant has a pamphlet explaining the fee.

Mayor Molly Ward told WAVY.com no matter where you shop you pay for what is around you--you just may not realize it.

"You pay for a dollar at MacArthur Center to park and anytime you buy anything at a store you pay for the curbs and gutters the parking space the person who waits on you in the store."

General Manager Raymond Tripp says the developer chose to be transparent instead of hiding the cost in your purchases. He believes customers will get their money's worth.

"I hope everybody will come and experience it, and after they've been here and experienced it then let them make their decisions based on that."

Tisdale said the developer could have done a better job informing customers and that decision will cost them her cash.

"For you to sneak something in there and I don't know anything about it, that's deceiving me as a customer and you don't get my business."