According to some, building the MEC at the proposed site will irrevocably trash the neighborhood and pose serious health risks. If this is so, what have the nearby school districts, Kaiser Permanente, IBM, and local businesses with established operations, employees, students, and customers said about this? It would seem they'd be very active and vocal if they thought their interests would be seriously compromised.

As for real estate values being degraded: I doubt it. Contaminated water and Superfund sites haven't retarded Mountain View, Sunnyvale, or Santa Clara values. Subsidence in Willow Glen hasn't slowed increases. Freeways slicing through Los Altos Hills (280) and Saratoga (85)-- over substantial "community" objection-- haven't prevented home values from reaching seven figures, even when the homes are within earshot and eyesore distances of blacktop. Regional (Bay Area and Santa Clara County) pressure for growth and development is irresistible and difficult to thwart. My belief is that in the end, individuals will be the ones to choose to stay or move on.