The state's blessing to the project follows Lake County commission's unanimous decision in January of this year, also supporting Tom Harb's Phonecia Development LLC's undertaking, as GlobeSt.com previously reported.

Besides the 1.2-million-sf shopping center, the venture is also slated to have 80,000 sf of retail and entertainment space not directly connected to the center, 250,000 sf of mixed-use space and 200 townhomes. The entire undertaking could total over 1.53 million sf at completion, subcontractors who have worked with the Orlando-based developer on other Central Florida projects tell GlobeSt.com.

The only group unhappy with Plaza Collina, in the planning stage for five years, is the Clermont City Council. Council members have told both the county and the state the project, because of its size, will create a traffic nightmare on State Road 50 and smaller connector roads.