Local News in Brief : Van de Kamp Asks FTC to Halt Merger That Perils Mall Plan

State Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp has asked the Federal Trade Commission to halt a proposed department store merger that could force the withdrawal of a Robinson’s department store from Burbank’s planned Towncenter mall.

In a three-page letter sent Monday, Van de Kamp asked the commission to challenge the merger of May Co. and Associated Dry Goods, parent company of Robinson’s, as now proposed. He wrote that he agreed with “the perspective of mall developers such as the City of Burbank, which brought this merger to our attention.”

Van de Kamp’s letter said he is concerned that the merger “would produce the possibility of anti-competitive conduct” and added that such conduct “will adversely affect mall developers and, ultimately, consumers.”

Burbank city officials last week asked Van de Kamp to look into the merger. The most severe action Van de Kamp’s office could take, City Atty. Douglas C. Holland said, would have been to file an antitrust suit to prevent the merger.

May Co. officials last month announced that they will remove Robinson’s as one of the mall’s four anchor stores if the merger, which requires federal approval, goes through.

City officials said they expect a decision from the FTC by next week.