It "just died"? That's not how I remember it. I seem to remember the investor in the land getting foreclosed upon after failing to secure a single leaser for the proposed retail space. Not sure it's in the city's best interest to let some developer who can't remain solvent for a couple years develop 800,000 sq ft of future urban blight.
I think that you remember wrong. The developer had some leasers in line...including a Dillards as an anchor. The city council voted against it, led by Goodman, Rice and Popken. Mahayni and Goodhue were the only ones voting for it and Goodhue moved. The developer was set to pay for the entire project, including taking utilities and a bike trail across the interstate. But, it drug out long enough that the economy tanked and by the time Rice and Popken were voted out, a yes vote by the council was too little too late. Yes, the developer ended up going bankrupt. But if the site was already built a year or two prior, someone would have bought it from him. Presently, Ames citizens still go to DM and Ankeny to shop in hordes.
Now, I'm not saying that things aren't improving or haven't improved. The new Kohls and TJ Maxx will help matters and Duff has really taken off. But I believe Goodman has been more of a thorn in matters than a help. Guys like Jamie Larson are putting development in Ames on the forefront. He and people like Culhane. The Research Park is doing well and Leath will only help there. The council's Main Street facade program has made a huge difference there. Campustown is the one place that needs help and personally, I don't know that K&G putting a big store there is a bad thing as long as the old K&G spot is redeveloped.