New retail leasing agent sought

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2000 | 12:28 p.m.

Mandalay Resort Group Inc. expects to name a new developer/leasing agent within a month for its planned upscale shopping center at the south end of the Strip.

Mandalay plans a 1.2 million-square-foot retail mall anchored by Southern Nevada's first Nordstrom Inc. department store between the Mandalay Bay and Luxor hotel-casinos.

Mandalay said the recent termination of a development agreement with Westcor Partners, a Phoenix-based shopping center builder, won't impact the scheduled fall 2001 opening date for the retail complex. The pact was dissolved due to a disagreement between Mandalay and Westcor over leasing fees.

Mandalay has its own construction subsidiary, Mandalay Development Corp., which built Mandalay Bay, the Monte Carlo, Luxor and the expansion at Circus Circus. Mandalay Development will act as general contractor for the shopping center.

Nordstrom has already signed a letter of intent directly with Mandalay, but the casino company is negotiating with a shopping-center developer that can double as a leasing agent to sign up other upscale retail outlets.