Bowen has built a shopping center around a Cabela's in Omaha, Neb., and said that while Cabela's attracts a large number of people, it can make it difficult to bring certain types of stores — particularly fashion retailers — into such a development.

Based on that experience, he's betting it won't be hard to pull stores to Pleasant Grove. "What we tend to do, like most athletes, is focus on our project," he said. "We think our site speaks for itself, and the retailers will recognize that."

Pleasant Grove Mayor Mike Daniels told residents the new project represented much more than additional shopping opportunities.

"It represents a tremendous increase in the tax base, both from a commercial standpoint on the property taxes, as well as a diversification in sales tax revenue for the city to fund the kind of infrastructure and items that you've been asking for," he said.

Bowen said his company has been studying the Utah area for about two years, looking for an opportunity to build here. Michigan-based Westwood has built 10 other retail centers in the Midwest and West, but this will be its first in Utah. Bowen said two more projects in the Utah area will be announced in near future.

Stores for Sundance Commons have not been announced, but Bowen said those announcements should come in the next 60 days.

Residents responded enthusiastically to the news.

"I'm excited because we need a better tax base," resident Pia Jensen said. "I'm on the library board, and we need a new library and have not been able to to get a new library because we do not have a high enough tax base. It would be too big of a burden to get one at this point, so this could help us."

She said she was also happy at the chance to have an enjoyable shopping experience so close to home and the thought of a family attraction for the city but expressed the hope that city officials will not neglect the downtown area.

"I think Pleasant Grove will move up in its prestige and become a cool place to live, where before there was a little stigma attached sometimes . . . it was kind of a nothing place with nothing to offer. We will really have something to offer."

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E-mail: jtwitchell@desnews.com