Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Big mall planned in southwest LV

A regional mall totaling more than 1 million square feet and at least one casino are included in a larger development plan for land near the Southern Highlands planned community in the southwest Las Vegas Valley.

Garry Goett, president of Southern Highlands Development, said today that he is working on plans to joint venture with a major mall developer to build a mall on land bordered by Cactus and Starr avenues and Las Vegas Boulevard and Interstate 15. The mall would open in 2007. Goett declined to name the mall partner, except to say it will be a "significant mall developer."

The development company owns 255 acres of land east of Southern Highlands and across I-15 where it plans to build a regional mall, one to two casinos, and a residential component.

"We are in the planning stages of this right now," he said.

Goett said the mall would be at least 1.2 million square feet, which would make it one of the largest malls in the Las Vegas Valley. Fashion Show mall, on the Las Vegas Strip is 1.9 million square feet, followed by The Boulevard mall, which is 1.2 million square feet.

But what will be different about Goett's mall will be its architecture.

The mall will have a pedestrian component to it, mixing outdoor restaurants and shops with enclosed portions of the mall.

That type of mall construction is called a hybrid mall, part open-air and part enclosed, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. The style, built around the country, is a response to the growing popularity of regional "lifestyle" centers, outdoor shopping centers that attract shoppers with high-end stores, easy access and Main Street-like environment.

"This type of feel will be very village (like), with a friendly feel to it," Goett said. "It will have the major components, restaurants, shops and major shopping anchors as well as all the retail shops that people would expect in a quality mall."

Goett said because the mall is in the planning stages he does not have any tenants he can announce.

Despite the area's 13 malls, which include malls at Strip casinos, local analysts said the Goett mall could be a success.

"With the level of growth in the south valley area, combined with the volume of traffic on the I-15, it's a great location," said John Restrepo, principal of Restrepo Consulting LLC.

Restrepo said the mall would not only serve those living south of Interstate 215 in the southwest and southeast portion of the valley, it will serve those coming to Las Vegas from California. The mall also will serve the more than 20,000 people who are expected to live in Southern Highlands upon buildout.

"It will probably get a bigger share of tourists than the Galleria (at Sunset) typically would," he said.

In 2003, the average daily auto traffic via I-15 at the Nevada-California border was 38,074 cars, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

"If you look at Las Vegas, you see a big hole right where we have our land," Goett said. "The Galleria (at Sunset) is to the east, Fashion (Show) is on the Strip and (a planned) Summerlin (mall) in the west, we think we need a strong mall in the southwest at I-15, it's a perfect location."

The Summerlin mall, a planned Howard Hughes Corp./ The Rouse Co. development in western Las Vegas, is scheduled to open in 2006.

Restrepo said the mix of entertainment, casinos and residential on one property is an interesting concept. Other developers in town have similar projects under construction, or planned, but none on such a large scale.

"A high-density mixed-use development is a great concept," he said. "Its well positioned location (wise)."

Goett said the planned casino or casinos would be at the northern portion of the 255 acres, while the houses would be on the southern end of the land.

Goett said plans for housing at the site are being developed. works.

"Right now we have been planning it for some time, and we are continuing to plan it," he said. "Hopefully we will have more definitive and final answers on this in the next 60 to 90 days."

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