After years of rumors, Costco is finally coming to The Woodlands. The store will be located on the northeast corner of Hwy. 242 and I-45 and is expected to open in November.

Construction on the 153,000-square-foot facility will start "very soon," Gil Staley, CEO of The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership, said.

The Woodlands store will be the sixth Houston area location for Costco. In order to induce Costco to open a store, The Woodlands Township approved a $2.3 million sales tax grant, township president Don Norrell said.

"This is sales tax the township would not otherwise receive if this project was constructed outside of the township boundaries," Norrell said.

Costco is expected to complete the acquisition of the land from The Woodlands Development Company in April or May, with construction beginning soon after.

Staley said that while a Costco store opening in The Woodlands has been rumored for several years, the deal has only been seriously discussed by the Development Company for about the past year.

Costco is a membership-based warehouse store that sells a variety of goods and products, including appliances, furniture, grocery items, home dcor, electronics and clothing.