In Orange County several decades ago, a new shopping mall was in the planning stages, on land owned by the Segerstrom farming family.
One proposal would place the center a few blocks to the north in the city of Santa Ana, while another proposal would put it a little to the south in the city of Costa Mesa.
Santa Ana “planners” saw it as an opportunity to get the developer to pay for streets, parks etc. They made strict demands, for approval.
Costa Mesa planners asked the developer if the city could do anything to help get it built.
Needless to say, it wound up on a site in Costa Mesa along the planned 405 freeway, and today stands as one of the iconic centers in the world.
This scenario with Santa Ana repeated years later, for siting of a professional basketball/hockey facility, with the winner this time Anaheim. (they tried three sites in Santa Ana before it was over)
Good old Santa Ana.
Are you referring to South Coast Plaza? The sales tax generated from that center must be astronomical. It would be a real advantage to a city to have that center in its city limits.
As I recall my history, Santa Ana was a loser in the Mexican War, at least as Gen. Zachary Taylor tells it.
Guess the city decided to copy this man’s accomplishments, not including the massacre of surrendered Texas soldier and civilians at San Jacinto(?) and Goliad.