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The city and Rocky View County are set to spar over a proposed mega-mall on Calgary’s eastern periphery that officials fear will put a heavy strain on the city’s transportation network and emergency services.

But the reeve of Calgary’s rural neighbour says the spat needn’t have come to this point, and the fact that it will end up before a provincial board is likely politically motivated rather than a belief that the major development is poorly planned.

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“Nobody denies that the city of Calgary is the hub of the wheel in this region,” Rocky View Reeve Greg Boehlke said.

“But they’re afraid of competition and they want to be the be-all and end-all of the region. This is a horrendous waste of taxpayer dollars.”

Next month, representatives from the city and county will appear before the province’s Municipal Government Board to discuss objections to the county’s OMNI Area Structure Plan, which envisions a massive retail and outlet centre, restaurants and cafes, three boutique hotels, a children’s creative zone, a senior’s living community and a large office campus.