WEST BOUNTIFUL -- As yet, there have no official announcements by any major, or minor, retailing firms indicating plans to locate within the West Bountiful City Redevelopment Agency.
But there are some signs things may be getting close.
West Bountiful city administrator Wendell Wild said he has not heard of anything on his side, but that doesn't particularly surprise him.
"While city council members did vote to create the RDA project area," he noted, "we're still within the protest period required by law. Companies may be waiting to see how that goes before making any kind of deal."
Armand Johansen, with the development firm of Johansen-Thackeray, was a bit more definite.
"We are working with a major tenant," he said, adding, "I know everyone has been speculating who that might be. We have received a proposed lease and we are negotiating it."
Johansen stressed that "the lease has not been signed. But we appear to be getting close." He believes that negotiations could be completed within a couple of weeks or so.
"Of course," he continued, "we're not even the chosen developer yet. The city, once the resolution is passed must decide that. We hope it will be us, but there's nothing official yet."
With a few deletions -- Carr Printing, Walton's Brake and Tire and the Chevron Oil station at 391N. 500 West -- the project area was approved as originally proposed.
Following the vote on March 3, Wild noted that a law suit filed against the RDA's blight study appeared on its way to being settled out of court.
From the outset, the names of a couple of well-known retail giants have been circulated in association with the RDA. In early January, Wal-Mart indicated its desire to build a Super Center in Centerville. That left Costco the sole candidate in local discussions.
Late that same month, Costco President and CEO Jim Sinegal said while his company was looking at a number of sites, among them the West Bountiful RDA, it was still too early for any announcement.