Forum Shops expansion on tap

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003 | 11:18 a.m.

Simon Property Group and Park Place Entertainment Corp. have executed a lease to begin construction of an expansion to the Forum Shops at Caesars retail mall at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip.

Construction on the expansion is to be completed in fall 2004.

The Forum Shops is considered the nation's most successful retail center in terms of annual sales per square foot.

The 175,000-square-foot, three-level expansion will extend from the existing mall to the Las Vegas Strip. The addition will feature upscale specialty retail tenants as well as several new fine-dining restaurants, the companies said.

"This newest expansion provides the opportunity to further solidify the Forum Shops' position as one of the country's premier shopping and entertainment destinations for both domestic and international visitors," Simon Property Group Chief Executive Officer David Simon said.

Recent additions to the mall include Valentino, Tod's, Chopard, MAC Cosmetics, D&G Sport, Dolce & Gabbana and Roberty Cavalli. Soon to open include Torneau, Jay Strongwater and Burberry. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab and Donald Pliner also expect to open restaurants in the mall.

Louis Vuitton, which is tripling in size, and Christian Dior also are undergoing expansions at the mall.