[Vision2020] Prepare to shop till you drop

[Tom Hansen]

See attached.

CrossIron Mills appears to be just a bit larger than one and a half square 
miles, which makes it almost large enough to hold Doug Wilson's, or Dale 
Courtney's, ego but certainly not both and certainly not simultaneously.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho



> A news item and comment from Calgary, Alberta, I think Hawkins fans  
> might enjoy.
> 
> Ralph
> 
> 
> 
> Prepare to shop till you drop: mega-mall, racetrack open in 2009
> 
> Last Updated: Thursday, May 22, 2008 | 2:31 PM MT
> CBC News
> The new mega-mall and racetrack being built north of Calgary will  
> open in August 2009, developer Ivanhoe Cambridge Development Group  
> said Thursday.
> 
> John Scott, vice-president of development with Ivanhoe Cambridge,  
> said during a news conference that he expects the 1.4 million-square- 
> foot complex in Balzac to be a draw for shoppers from across the  
> province as well as a tourist destination for non-Albertans when it  
> opens on Aug. 19, 2009.
> 
> The mall, which will be called CrossIron Mills, will have 17 anchor  
> stores and more than 200 specialty stores, along with 6,000 parking  
> spots. Scott said that 80 per cent of the anchor stores and 77 per  
> cent of the specialty stores have already been leased.
> 
> Confirmed tenants include Holt Renfrew Last Call, Bed, Bath and  
> Beyond, a Lacoste outlet, and a Jones New York outlet.
> 
> The project, which the developer said is the first enclosed mall to  
> be built in Alberta in 20 years, will cost roughly $400 million to  
> complete.
> 
> The design elements "celebrate the beauty and diversity of Alberta"  
> and are inspired by the province's geography, landmarks and cultural  
> icons, Ivanhoe Cambridge said in a news release. Inside the mall,  
> there will be different themed areas, the release said, such as  
> campfire, fashion, ranch, resources and wildlife.
> 
> The accompanying Racing Entertainment Centre, which will be developed  
> and operated by the United Horsemen of Alberta, will feature a "one- 
> mile-long thoroughbred track, a seven-furlong standardbred track, a  
> gaming parlor, entertainment stage and simulcast room," the release  
> said.
> 
> “From the beginning, Ivanhoe Cambridge and United Horsemen of Alberta  
> shared the vision of creating an incredible destination for  
> Albertans,” said Scott. “We believe that UHA’s racing entertainment  
> centre adds a very special element to the overall offering.”
> 
> An additional 120 acres of land north of the racetrack and mall will  
> be developed, with further retail, service, hotel and office space,  
> the company said.
> 
> The complex is expected to employ more than 5,000 people.
> 
> SteveC wrote:
> Posted 2008/05/22
> 
> It's like they can read my mind. I was just thinking that what  
> Alberta really needs is another megamall, so that we can all buy more  
> junk that we don't need and waste more resources wantonly and VOILA!  
> Here's this story.
> 
> Thank you Ivanhoe Cambridge, what would we do without you.
> 
> maija- wrote:
> Posted 2008/05/22
> 
> Someone didn't think their cunning plan all the way through. Local  
> retailers can't get staff as it is. They need 5000 staff? They're  
> going to pull them from where? The race horses' behinds? Have these  
> developers noticed that retail staff cannot be had in this city?
> 
> Toyotared thinks that these mythical employees will come from "low  
> income" families. Really? "Low income"? Yes, because what already low- 
> income earners need is another low-income job that necessitates a car  
> and gas money ($1.50/L by 2009, at least) to get to, when instead  
> they could earn the same amount of money at places in the city that  
> are on the transit system.
> 
> And what kind of super-geniuses think to open a mega mall in an  
> economy that is slowing and inflation that is rising? Or did did  
> these developers imagine that the folks who come out to gamble at the  
> track would hold a few dollars back to spend at the Holt Renfrew outlet?
> 
> This thing is going to be a mega-failure. What a gross waste of  
> resources.
> 
> KevinN wrote:
> Posted 2008/05/22
> 
> Well said SteveC. And the location is perfect - far enough away that  
> I can "feel good" about not only buying useless crap, but waste  
> resources and create lots of pollution and GHG's drving there. Then  
> again I could do the longer "shopping trip" to Montana as suggested,  
> and really fill up on non-essential "stuff" and save a bunch of money!
> 
> Hmm, on second thought maybe I think I'll stick to Chinook mall that  
> I can walk to and only go when I absolutely need something. Bad me  
> not being the car-driving consumer......sorry.
> 
> Kimbahley wrote:
> Posted 2008/05/22
> 
> A ranch themed mega-mall and racetrack? If it were any other province  
> I'd think this was a joke. I agree with Steve, this isn't  
> necessary... but if I was a business man, Calgary certainly is the  
> perfect market to open a large shopping complex. For me, however, it  
> will probably swarming with too many teenagers to tolerate.
> 
> What Alberta culture icons will this mall be inspired by, exactly?  
> Buckshot?
> 
> stanmck wrote:
> Posted 2008/05/22
> 
> Oh Boy. A big deal.
> How many small towns can one mega fancy mall drive out of business?
> This is great. What better reason to divert water from the Red Deer  
> River.
> Please import more great quality stuff from China.
> 
> 
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2007)

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