James “Bucky” Wolford of Chattanooga, Tenn., wants to build a gargantuan new mall in Ames. His company, Wolford Development Inc. proposed the new complex to city leaders in mid-March and must make an amendment to the city’s Land Use Policy Plan before it can begin construction.

He hopes to build a 700,000-square-foot enclosed regional mall at the northeast corner of Interstate 35 and 13th Street. The new retail complex is almost double the size of the existing North Grand Mall.

A new mall is not something Ames needs. North Grand Mall and the Main Street and Campustown districts are more than sufficient for a community of about 50,000 people. The Ames community is in need of revitalization on Main Street, Campustown and other local commercial areas. Why not invest in local community businesses?

Kurt Carlson, general manager of the North Grand Mall, said that it could have negative effects on the area.

“The problem the industry has seen in the past is areas being overbuilt,” he said. “When you have too many businesses and not enough customers it can be a hindrance to a community.”

The Wolford, Inc. said it was attracted to Ames because of its size and income level. According to the North Grand Mall Web site, the total market of Ames is 132,200, and primary market is 85,000. In addition, it lists the median income of Ames as $52,000. North Grand has 48 stores, along with the three anchor stores of Sears, Younkers and JCPenney. The plan calls for four anchor stores and about 75 specialty stores, including possible sub-anchors such as Old Navy, a movie theater and a Barnes and Noble book store.

The project’s estimated cost is about $60 million with completion as early as fall 2004, Wolford said. But more problems lie to the south.

Des Moines is planning a very large new mall/entertainment complex. The Jordan Creek complex proposed for Dallas County is slated to be a megamall that would be Iowa’s biggest.

Valley West and Merle Hay malls unsuccessfully sued the new mall developers over public funds for improving the area with West Des Moines dollars. This new complex in West Des Moines, it is said, will adversely affect any attempt to bring major anchor stores to central Iowa.

The developers claim that Ames could become a commercial center for the area. It is difficult to see the “local” benefits to such a complex.

Although the sales tax revenues are something to consider, the majority of the money will be heading right back out of the city, county and state. The anchor stores and developers will be the big winners. Not locals.

This sort of rampant commercialism from out-of-state businesses is something that is best kept out of the city and out from under the veil of a benefit to the community.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Charlie Weaver, Omar Tesdell