UPDATE on new Pooler luxury mall (Atlanta, Savannah: sales, 2015, home)

[Newsboy]

This was in the paper today:

Mall project moving forward

Atlanta developer Ben Carter was back in front of the board Tuesday to update a major project he first outlined last October — a $200 million, 1 million-square-foot upscale development on 170 acres in Pooler tentatively titled the Outlet Mall of Georgia.

Projected to open in 2015 in the southwest quadrant of Interstate 95 and Pooler Parkway, the luxury outlet mall will feature four anchor stores, a food court, restaurants and a variety of shops.

“We’ve had very good reception from government officials and have signed letters of intent for 50 percent of the property,” said Carter, whose portfolio of projects includes the Mall of Georgia in Gwinnett County and the upscale St. John’s Town Center in Jacksonville, Fla., as well as several developments in the Buckhead area of Atlanta.

Although no tenants have been announced, they are expected to be of the caliber of those in St. John’s Town Center. Abercrombie, Brooks Brothers, Coach and Louis Vuitton are among the tenants in the Jacksonville mall.

The development is projected to create 1,500 new permanent jobs and more than 1,200 construction jobs.

Voting in executive session later in the meeting the SEDA board approved a tax abatement package for the project.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” said Pat Monahan, retired assistant county manager who now consults with SEDA.

In exchange for $131,000 annually in property taxes, the project will produce annual sales tax revenues of $5.5 million in the first year alone, Monahan said, adding that no incentives become active until the developer reaches the 70-percent pre-leasing commitment required by private financing and construction reaches mid-point.

In addition to boosting sales tax revenues, the development has the potential to positively impact tourism by adding to the average stay, SEDA board chairman David Paddison said.


SEDA announces Intercat expansion, hears update on new mall | Savannahnow.com Mobile

[gentlearts]

Oh, thank God, I feel naked without a $500. handbag.

[bellhead]

1500 permanent jobs... I'll take that to mean 1450 minimum wage jobs working part time..

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by bellhead

1500 permanent jobs... I'll take that to mean 1450 minimum wage jobs working part time..

And the part you get to work is the part when everyone wants to be home with their families, like 5-9 pm and Sat and Sun.

[ellie]

I wish they were putting it at I-16 instead. Who wants to drive out there from town? Guess its not for us, huh?

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by ellie

I wish they were putting it at I-16 instead. Who wants to drive out there from town? Guess its not for us, huh?

Oh please Ellie! Two miles?! You can travel two miles!

[nature's message]

It will be interesting what tenants will commit to the project, given that they will face stiff competition from neighboring Charleston and even Atlanta.

[TheDarkKnight]

Originally Posted by nature's message

It will be interesting what tenants will be commit to the project, given that they will face stiff competition from neighboring Charleston and even Atlanta.

And Hilton Head/Bluffton.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by TheDarkKnight

And Hilton Head/Bluffton.

GOOD POINT! But I think the fact that the developer has already gotten commitments for 50 percent of the space speaks volumes to the vitality of this project.

[ellie]

[QUOTE=Newsboy;29071362]Oh please Ellie! Two miles?! You can travel two miles![/quote]

Still, it's two miles through what will become an increasingly congested stretch of road. Of course, the alternative is to hop on I-95 and fight the fast moving traffic there or to snake our way behind the airport, if that's even possible anymore.

I'm sure I'll check it out, but I rarely shop/go to the mall more than a couple of times a year. Really. So I'm not sure adding miles to my trip will entice me to go more often.

Guess I'm not a very good consumer.