[Vision2020] Prepare to shop till you drop

[Ralph Nielsen]

A news item and comment from Calgary, Alberta, I think Hawkins fans  
might enjoy.

Ralph



Prepare to shop till you drop: mega-mall, racetrack open in 2009

Last Updated: Thursday, May 22, 2008 | 2:31 PM MT
CBC News
The new mega-mall and racetrack being built north of Calgary will  
open in August 2009, developer Ivanhoe Cambridge Development Group  
said Thursday.

John Scott, vice-president of development with Ivanhoe Cambridge,  
said during a news conference that he expects the 1.4 million-square- 
foot complex in Balzac to be a draw for shoppers from across the  
province as well as a tourist destination for non-Albertans when it  
opens on Aug. 19, 2009.

The mall, which will be called CrossIron Mills, will have 17 anchor  
stores and more than 200 specialty stores, along with 6,000 parking  
spots. Scott said that 80 per cent of the anchor stores and 77 per  
cent of the specialty stores have already been leased.

Confirmed tenants include Holt Renfrew Last Call, Bed, Bath and  
Beyond, a Lacoste outlet, and a Jones New York outlet.

The project, which the developer said is the first enclosed mall to  
be built in Alberta in 20 years, will cost roughly $400 million to  
complete.

The design elements "celebrate the beauty and diversity of Alberta"  
and are inspired by the province's geography, landmarks and cultural  
icons, Ivanhoe Cambridge said in a news release. Inside the mall,  
there will be different themed areas, the release said, such as  
campfire, fashion, ranch, resources and wildlife.

The accompanying Racing Entertainment Centre, which will be developed  
and operated by the United Horsemen of Alberta, will feature a "one- 
mile-long thoroughbred track, a seven-furlong standardbred track, a  
gaming parlor, entertainment stage and simulcast room," the release  
said.

“From the beginning, Ivanhoe Cambridge and United Horsemen of Alberta  
shared the vision of creating an incredible destination for  
Albertans,” said Scott. “We believe that UHA’s racing entertainment  
centre adds a very special element to the overall offering.”

An additional 120 acres of land north of the racetrack and mall will  
be developed, with further retail, service, hotel and office space,  
the company said.

The complex is expected to employ more than 5,000 people.

SteveC wrote:
Posted 2008/05/22

It's like they can read my mind. I was just thinking that what  
Alberta really needs is another megamall, so that we can all buy more  
junk that we don't need and waste more resources wantonly and VOILA!  
Here's this story.

Thank you Ivanhoe Cambridge, what would we do without you.

maija- wrote:
Posted 2008/05/22

Someone didn't think their cunning plan all the way through. Local  
retailers can't get staff as it is. They need 5000 staff? They're  
going to pull them from where? The race horses' behinds? Have these  
developers noticed that retail staff cannot be had in this city?

Toyotared thinks that these mythical employees will come from "low  
income" families. Really? "Low income"? Yes, because what already low- 
income earners need is another low-income job that necessitates a car  
and gas money ($1.50/L by 2009, at least) to get to, when instead  
they could earn the same amount of money at places in the city that  
are on the transit system.

And what kind of super-geniuses think to open a mega mall in an  
economy that is slowing and inflation that is rising? Or did did  
these developers imagine that the folks who come out to gamble at the  
track would hold a few dollars back to spend at the Holt Renfrew outlet?

This thing is going to be a mega-failure. What a gross waste of  
resources.

KevinN wrote:
Posted 2008/05/22

Well said SteveC. And the location is perfect - far enough away that  
I can "feel good" about not only buying useless crap, but waste  
resources and create lots of pollution and GHG's drving there. Then  
again I could do the longer "shopping trip" to Montana as suggested,  
and really fill up on non-essential "stuff" and save a bunch of money!

Hmm, on second thought maybe I think I'll stick to Chinook mall that  
I can walk to and only go when I absolutely need something. Bad me  
not being the car-driving consumer......sorry.

Kimbahley wrote:
Posted 2008/05/22

A ranch themed mega-mall and racetrack? If it were any other province  
I'd think this was a joke. I agree with Steve, this isn't  
necessary... but if I was a business man, Calgary certainly is the  
perfect market to open a large shopping complex. For me, however, it  
will probably swarming with too many teenagers to tolerate.

What Alberta culture icons will this mall be inspired by, exactly?  
Buckshot?

stanmck wrote:
Posted 2008/05/22

Oh Boy. A big deal.
How many small towns can one mega fancy mall drive out of business?
This is great. What better reason to divert water from the Red Deer  
River.
Please import more great quality stuff from China.