WHEAT RIDGE, CO-Cabela's, which bills itself as the world's foremost outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, wants to open its first Colorado store in this first-ring suburb west of Denver. The 230,000-sf building would be built on about 45 acres of 230 acres of land near West 32nd Avenue and Interstate 70 that Cabela's recently bought from what is now Molson Coors, although the deal took place before the Golden beer brewer merged with Canadian-based Molson.

But while Wheat Ridge may annex the land as early as Feb. 28, competitor Greg Stevinson, the largest developer on the west side, has problems with potential traffic congestion from the Cabela's and surrounding development that he believes could add about one million sf to an area where the infrastructure already is inadequate. Stevinson says the added traffic could spill on to Jefferson County streets that a metropolitan district created by his family about 25 years ago might have to upgrade, even though his developments didn't cause the traffic. That could cost tens of millions of dollars, he says.

City officials tell GlobeSt.com they are gathering public input, and would welcome comments from Stevinson. One official tells GlobeSt.com much of what Stevinson is saying appears to be incorrect.

Stevinson, who co-developed the 1.2-million-sf Colorado Mills shoppingcenter in Lakewood to the west, as well as another large retail center and the Denver West Office Park, says Cabela's is not being a good neighbor. He says that 32nd Avenue, for example, is rated "F" for its ability to move traffic, and Cabela's solution to fix it is inadequate.

"I grew up in that neighborhood," Stevinson tells GlobeSt.com. "Before we did Colorado Mills [in a joint venture with the Mills Corp.], we talked to all of the neighbors, even though most of them weren't in Lakewood. We listened to what their concerns were and responded to them. We want Cabela's and Wheat Ridge to do the same. But I want to make it very clear that this is a traffic issue, not a land-use issue. I have no problems with them bringing retail to that site. They just have to do it right."

And although Stevinson tried to convince Cabela's to come to Colorado Mills last fall, he says he did that before he learned that another tenant, Gart Sports, is the exclusive sporting goods chain at the development, precluding a deal with Cabela's. John Mullins, a consultant working with Stevinson, looking at an aerial map of the area, points out how much wider the roads are around Colorado Mills than around the proposed Cabela's.