Archives: "Battle Over Grand Mall"
June 9, 2000
A Mega Mall may be on its way to Utah.
That's in spite of efforts by Salt Lake City's mayor to reject the proposed Grand Mall west of the airport.
The mall's developer vowed today he's not giving up on the project.
Political specialist Richard Piatt reports.
Developer George Riemer says it is economic reality that he's referring to when he says the mall will probably come.
That's even if it doesn't take up the space he wants, at 5600 West and I-80.
The mall would be similar to one just outside Dallas, Texas.
Mega Malls are cropping up across the nation, and Salt Lake City is seen as ripe for one.
Mayor Rocky Anderson is fighting the development here with all he can.
He wants to protect downtown businesses, he says, and limit sprawl if he can.
But he may be ignoring economic reality.
George Riemer/Grand Mall Developer: FRANKLY I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. BECAUSE, YOU CANNOT AVOID PROJECT LIKE THIS. IT'S HAPPENEING IN EVERY MAJOR CITY. THERE'S ONLY FIVE OR SIX CITIES THAT DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF MEGA MALL. SALT LAKE CITY, OR THE WASATCH FRONT WILL HAVE THIS KIND OF MALL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
Mega Mall Poll
| West Of Airport | 28% |
| North Salt Lake | 14% |
| West Valley | 27% |
| Don't Know/Other | 10% |
| No Mall | 21% |
| +/-5% |
Public opinion about the mall seems favorable.
Most people support it, although there is a difference of opinion of where such a project should go.
This KSL-TV/Deseret News Dan Jones poll of 410 people shows they are split between various proposed locations, like North Salt Lake, and West Valley City.
Ten percent say they don't know and 21 percent say they don't want the mall.
More information on the mall will appear in a special report in Sunday's Deseret News, along with more poll results. Eyewitness News will also have more on the mall issue on Sunday.
