The Terrace, as planned, also is strategically located near Cabela's, a retail mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. The project is expected to break ground in early 2008, with completion of the first phase in spring 2009.

"This announcement, down around Lehi of this huge shopping mall, I think the fact that they're tying it to Cabela's is brilliant," Thredgold said. "I'm not a hunter or fisherman, but for those who are, this is like Nirvana."

Location, destination

As in South Jordan, the Terrace's developers, Forest City Development, point to population growth, impressive average household income and the present paucity of shopping/dining/entertainment alternatives in the area.

"The trade area population today is 250,000," said Colm Macken, president of Forest City Development's western region. "By 2010 it will be 400,000. The average household income will be more than $101,000 by 2010. The need for quality housing will grow, and the need for quality retail will increase exponentially. Research shows that lifestyle-type stores are underrepresented. By 2008, they will be needed more than ever."

Heather Miller, spokeswoman for the Lehi Area Chamber of Commerce, said the city's central location makes it fertile ground for growth, which she doesn't expect will slow any time soon.

"Ten years ago, there were 19,000 people in Lehi. Now there are 33,500," she said. "Lehi is growing, and the surrounding suburbs of Lehi — Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs, for example — are also growing. And businesses look at rooftops to decide whether to build their facilities in the area.

"I also feel that these corporations recognize that location has a lot to do with whether or not people will frequent their stores. Lehi, being centrally located in the state, is a prime location for these developers and stores to locate."

Macken agreed.

"We think we have the best location to provide critical mass in order to draw not only tourists, but shoppers from a broad area," he said. In addition, he said, "We are creating a sense of place — a 'place to be, and be seen' — to socialize and mix and to dine and seek entertainment."

What about downtown?

But can densely packed retail centers survive? The question was posed during the development of The Gateway: Would a development like that kill retail on Main Street?

In some ways that question remains unanswered, the competition perhaps skewed by the decline of the Main Street malls ahead of the LDS Church's billion-dollar renovation.

Representatives of The Taubman Centers Inc., the church's development partner in the project, did not immediately respond to interview requests.