By Laura Zuckerman | Reuters
A plan for shops, restaurants, hotels and thousands of homes near the Grand Canyon’s celebrated South Rim is pitting a tiny Arizona town seeking to expand against opponents who say the development will mar one of the world’s natural wonders.
Tusayan, a community of roughly 550 residents on the outskirts of what is arguably the most famous national park in the United States, has struck an agreement with Italian developers that could open the way for construction projects including more than 2,000 residences and 3 million square feet (280,000 square meters) of commercial space.
The plan has ignited a fierce debate about potential increases in population, traffic, demands on sparse water supplies and air pollution in close proximity to a World Heritage Site prized for panoramic views of multihued canyons shaped by the erosive forces of water and wind.
