an outsize and extremely unusual mega-mall... [that] aspires to be not only the biggest man-made structure on the planet but also the most environmentally friendly.Wow, we better get one of those! Can't let Syracuse get ahead of us... and we don't need no stinking artificial river. Maybe Michael Nelson, our newest mayoral candidate and Wal-Mart booster, will get on top of it. (Note: That last link requires a library card.)
Equal parts Disney World, Las Vegas, Bell Laboratories and Mall of America — with a splash of Walden Pond — the "retail city" will include the usual shops and restaurants as well as an extensive research facility for testing advanced technologies and a 200-acre recreational biosphere complete with springlike temperatures and an artificial river for kayaking.
Perhaps the most interesting tidbit in the Times article:
''On every level, this project astounds,'' Senator Hillary Clinton said in April, claiming that the mall could make the area a hub for clean technologies and deliver a shot of adrenaline to upstate New York's ailing economy. To help foot the bill for Congel's project, Clinton and other politicians successfully persuaded Congress to provide financial incentives for mega-scale green development projects. (Destiny, of course, will face little competition to reap those benefits.)What is it about New Democrats and shopping malls?