May 15, 2000

Battle lines are forming over a proposed giant shopping mall west of the Salt Lake Airport. And the Mayor says he'll do everything he can to stop it, even if the council gives it the go-ahead.

The so-called "Grand Mall" would be at the junction of I-80 and 56th West, near the airport business park. News Specialist John Hollenhorst reports from there.

It boils down to the issue of urban sprawl versus urban development. A key question: Would a mall right over here, lure shoppers by freeway away from downtown Salt Lake City, and make people even more reliant on cars?

The concept is to build a $150-million mall that would draw shoppers from a multi-state region. The property now, according to councilman Van Turner, is nothing but jackrabbits and tumbleweeds.

Van Turner/Salt Lake City Council: "EVENTUALLY THAT AREA, 500 ACRES IS WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, WOULD LOOK MORE LIKE A FORT UNION AREA, WITH HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS, AGAIN RESTUARANTS, CONVENIENCE MARKETS, THOSE SORT OF THINGS."

But the project has a big political problem-- Salt Lake's Mayor.

ROCKY ANDERSON/SALT LAKE MAYOR: "WELL, IT'S A RECIPE FOR SPRAWL."

He says it will suck business away from downtown.

ROCKY ANDERSON/SALT LAKE MAYOR: "WE NEED TO REVITALIZE OUR CORE DOWNTOWN AREA. SALT LAKE CITY WILL BE A MUCH STRONGER COMMUNITY IF WE ONCE AGAIN HAVE A DESTINATION DOWNTOWN AREA."

He predicts more traffic and more pollution because the mall will put a million car-miles a day on area roads. But Councilman Turner says it would boost the westside economically and give his constituents a place to shop close to home.

VAN TURNER/CITY COUNCIL: "WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE SOME JOBS, WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE SOME OF THE MONEY THAT GOES OUT OF THE AREA ON SHOPPING, TO PARK CITY AND ALL AROUND THE AREA, TO STAY IN SALT LAKE CITY."

He says the Mayor's opposition is already increasing the chances developers will go elsewhere.

VAN TURNER/CITY COUNCIL: "I THINK IT WILL BE BUILT SOMEWHERE. I'D LIKE TO SEE IT BUILT IN OUR DISTRICT SO IT BENEFITS THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN."

The city council will soon decide whether to approve a rezoning. Even if that happens, the Mayor has no plans to back off.

ROCKY ANDERSON/SALT LAKE MAYOR: "IT COULD BE A VERY SLOW PROJECT, IF THE COUNCIL DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND WE CONTINUE TO OPPOSE IT. WHICH WE DEFINITELY WILL CONTINUE TO DO."

The council is expected to start discussing the zoning issue tomorrow night. Later this week, the Mayor and some council members may fly to Dallas to inspect a mall that's billed as similar to the giant one planned here.