SCHERERVILLE | Although plans to open a Super Wal-Mart on the southeast corner of U.S. 41 and Main Street have been scrapped, that doesn't mean the national retailer has turned its back on locating somewhere in south Lake County.

Around this time last year, Bruce Boyer of Highland-based Boyer Properties, announced a proposal to build a retail center anchored by Super Wal-Mart on the existing site of the Schererville Golf & Fun Center, 101 U.S. 41.

Residents objected, citing traffic and noise concerns. The proposal never made it to the Town Council.

Boyer told The Times the Super Wal-Mart proposal for the site is no longer in the picture.

Instead, Boyer Properties is partnering with real estate company Regency Centers to create Shops on Main, a 340,000-square-foot lifestyle center, with high-end specialty shops and restaurants.

"I don't want to misinform anybody that Wal-Mart is completely out of the market in the St. John Township area. They're not," Schererville Town Manager Bob Volkmann said.

Volkmann, who has not talked to Wal-Mart officials, said developers who work with Wal-Mart have said the company still is interested in opening shop somewhere in the area.

Jason Wetzel, Wal-Mart spokesman for Indiana, said he can't speak to any future development at this time.

"We're always looking for new and better ways to serve our customers in Northwest Indiana," Wetzel said.

Schererville already has a Wal-Mart at U.S. 30 and U.S. 41. It's in a great location, but there isn't much room to expand, Volkmann said.

That store is about 80,000 square feet. The Super Wal-Mart proposed last year at U.S. 41 and Main Street would have been 210,000 square feet, he said.

Wal-Mart doesn't have any plans to shut down its store at U.S. 30 and U.S. 41, Wetzel said.