The site of a planned outlet mall along I-10 in Marana has uncovered a pretty big deal...but not of the retail variety.

It turns out there is a significant archeological site there. Experts said it could date back thousands of years.

Peter Steere is the historic preservation officer for the Tohoho O’Odham Nation and said three archeological sites take up about half the total 160 acre area.

In a situation like this, there are a bunch of agencies and organizations involved. One of them is the Army Corps of Engineers. Mike Langley is a senior project manager with the Corps and said the agency is responsible for permitting projects that affect rivers, streams and other water-related areas. It did so several years ago for a project on this site, but the economy pushed development back until recently.

We did reach out to two of the companies involved with this development. We didn’t hear back from one, and the other did not want to speak on tape. But, a representative with that company, Vintage Partners, said in an email that, “We plan to be a part of carrying out the town of Marana's 2007 Specific Plan for this property which has a combination of retail and mixed use components.”