Wetfield sues Caruso over Arcadia retail development

from the Pasadena Star News 5/3/2007:

Westfield plans suit over Shops
Mall owner seeks to stop Caruso project
By Patricia Jiayi Ho Staff Writer
Pasadena Star-News
Article Launched:05/03/2007 11:23:16 PM PDT

"ARCADIA - Rejecting a ballot-box battle in the city's mall wars, Westfield says it will now sue to block a rival's neighboring project.

The Australian shopping-center giant said late Thursday it plans to sue both Arcadia and developer Caruso Affiliated to prevent an 830,000-square-foot outdoor mall from being built.

"We've made our choice," said Ken Wong, president of U.S. operations at Westfield, which operates the Westfield Santa Anita mall on Baldwin Avenue. "We believe strongly in the case. We think an impartial judicial review is the way to go."

Attorneys will file a lawsuit under the California Environmental Quality Act in the next week or two, Wong said. Caruso's development partners, Magna Entertainment, owner of Santa Anita Park, will also be named as a defendant.

City officials had long anticipated either a lawsuit or a referendum, or both, from Westfield to block developer Rick Caruso's The Shops at Santa Anita, but the company itself had been mum." ...

"In a prepared statement, Westfield attacks the legitimacy of the project's impact report, describing it as "fatally flawed" and reflective of "a political process where the City of Arcadia's haste and desire to approve the project outweighed proper and objective consideration of critical issues and long-term impacts."

"We're prepared to defend it," said Arcadia Assistant City Manager Don Penman. "It's a more-than legally adequate Environmental Impact Report. This is the most thorough EIR I've ever seen. City staff and consultants would say the same."" ...

"Westfield's announcement comes after the City Council voted 5-0 on April 17 to formally move forward Caruso's project, slated for the Santa Anita Park race track parking lot." ...

for the complete story see: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_5814749