But supporters of the planned development say the citizens group is just a front for the owners of the Southcenter shopping mall.

$390 million is the price tag to turn the property into "The Landing" in Renton. It is billed as an urban village along the lines of University Village in Seattle, but with residential and office space.

But The Landing has run into opposition. A citizens group called 'Alliance for the South End' is fighting the plan, saying it's illegal.

But who's paying for this challenge? Who's hiring the attorneys? Westfield Mall at Southcenter, the Australian company that stands to lose if the Landing is successful.

"It appears as though they create a community group at the same time they file the appeal to give it some sense of legitimacy which of course it doesn't have," said Bill Taylor, president of Renton Chamber of Commerce.

Taylor says Westfield founder Frank Lowy does this with a lot of competitors. He forms citizen groups as a front.

But Westfield attorney Peter Buck says not so: "It's totally been up front from day one, that Westfield is helping pay those fees. And the Chamber makes this big deal 'a-ha!'; this big surprise."

Buck insists the chamber wants to divert attention from The Landing because that project hasn't gone through the public hearing phase. Also it’s because the developer will use $20 million of public money for a movie theater garage.

And Buck argues that the so-called village will be only be a few ‘big box’ retailers like Home Depot and Target.

Buck is asked, "Wouldn't Westfield benefit if The Landing just went away?" Buck replied, "Westfield will benefit because The Landing is not going to happen."

Taylor countered, "It's something that we want, it's something that we need. I'd encourage Westfield just to go back to Australia and shoot kangaroos."

This war of words is now in the hands of the Renton hearings commissioner, who'll have to decide on whether The Landing will be able to land.