NEW YORK -- The developer of an Islamic cultural center near ground zero says the "biggest mistake" on the project was not involving the families of 9/11 victims from the start.
"We made incredible mistakes," Sharif El-Gamal told the Associated Press in an interview in his Manhattan office.
The Park51 Islamic community center -- at 51 Park Place, two blocks from the World Trade Center site -- opened to the public Wednesday night with a photo exhibit of New York children representing 160 ethnicities.
El-Gamal told the AP that Park51, which includes a mosque, is modeled after the Jewish Community Center on Manhattan's Upper West Side, where he lives.
"I wanted my daughter to learn how to swim, so I took her to the JCC," said the New Jersey-born Muslim. "And when I walked in, I said, 'Wow. This is great.'"
The project has drawn criticism from opponents who say they don't want a Muslim prayer space near the site of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Some called it the "ground zero mosque."
El-Gamal says the center is open to all faiths and will include a 9/11 memorial. He called opposition to the center part of a "campaign against Muslims."
When the center was first envisioned, several years ago, activist Daisy Khan and her husband, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, played a major, vocal role. But they soon left the project.
El-Gamal confirmed Wednesday that they parted ways because "we had a different vision." He declined to elaborate.
"The biggest mistake we made was not to include 9/11 families," El-Gamal said.
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