Some Deer Park residents did anything but celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Tanger Mall Wednesday.

The 800,000-square foot retail center, Tanger Outlet at the Arches, is being built on the corner of Grand Boulevard and Commack Road. Developers say it is going to be the biggest and best mall Long Island has ever seen.

Some residents, however, say the new mall is going to create a traffic nightmare in the area. One resident said the mall could generate 8 million to 9 million cars a year, and the parking lot only has enough spaces to accommodate 5,000 cars.

Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone said despite some negative reviews, most of the community has supported the mall. He adds the Tanger Outlet has offered $250,000 worth of scholarships to Deer Park High School students. He also says the outlet will generate money that will go to the school district which will, in turn, reduce local property taxes.

As far as traffic concerns go, Bellone says $10 million has been devoted to deal with the traffic issues in the area.