Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Innovative approaches would have enlivened mall

The issue of well-balanced journalism versus puffery in Potters' article made a poignant and positive statement about the integrity of your newspaper and its ability to stand up to editorial pressure from advertisers.

Potters was right about the prime location of the Galleria Mall and that it does have some snazzy stores (minus upper-end anchors like Nordstroms, Nieman-Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue). Potters quoted Eric Strain of UNLV School of Architecture saying that the Galleria Mall was a nice mall but that it didn't push the envelope and that is was a big box to suck shoppers off the streets and contain them. All true.

Conceptually, when I think about the development of the Galleria Mall, I keep on seeing a loose band of boring or bored financiers, brainwashed architects and complaining contractors discussing a happy, sunlit place for the Humpty Dumpty Hendersonians.

The result is a hybridization of '60s Americana inclusive of its storybook colors and motifs, a food court reminiscent of Alice's Wonderland, reflections of Disney theme parks, and "used-up" signifiers for the sunny Southwest.

Considering the Galleria is situated next to a city that thrives upon risk, excitement and incredible visuals not to mention its location upon the best dirt in the fastest-growing city in the country, I expected more than patronizing themes, motifs, interior traffic flow and more than something safe.

I expected more than just another mall.

Deborah H. Perlman

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