Phase II of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport means an expansion of 84,000-square feet
Phase II of the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport , scheduled to open next spring, will include another 84,000 square feet of additional retail space and up to 35 new luxury, premium and lifestyle brands. In addition, the expansion will result in the creation of 400 jobs for the construction and retail sectors.
The new section will be located east of the existing centre and will mirror the current European design, expanding on the centre’s open-air village style with luxury piazzas, cobblestone walkways and a variety of facades. Phase II forms part of McArthurGlen Group’s plan to develop more than 1.6 million square feet of retail space over the next three years across all of its locations.
“In less than three years the centre has become a key retail destination in Metro Vancouver,” said Robert Thurlow, general manager of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport in press release. “We have seen tremendous support from local communities and tourists from all over the world and we’re proud of our growing list of awards and various in-centre events and activities. As one of Canada’s best performing malls, we are excited to expand our existing offer, elevating the retail experience for our guests and brand partners.”
Due to its close proximity to YVR, tourism continues to be a strong driver for McArthurGlen. More than 24 million passengers pass through the adjacent Vancouver International Airport annually and the centre caters to these visitors in a variety of ways, including free Canada Line services connecting guests to the airport in just three minutes, multilingual staff, real-time flight information on digital screens throughout the centre, free charging stations and a free luggage locker facility.
“Shopping, Chinese restaurants, visiting Steveston — those are the top three things visitors want to do while in Richmond,” says Bruce Okabe, chief executive officer of Tourism Richmond. “McArthurGlen is a key partner of ours and we’re thrilled about the expansion. It’ll be good for both the local economy as well as visitors seeking a unique shopping experience.”
The expansion comes after 32 months of operation and several awards, including Best New Development at the ICSC Canadian Shopping Centre Awards, the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Award of Excellence for Retail Development, and the MAPIC Best Outlet Center.
“The success we’ve seen so far at the centre has been incredible and we are excited to provide the community with more shopping options with Phase II kicking off this spring,” said Scott Norris, vice president, commercial development, Vancouver Airport Authority. “The Designer Outlet Centre not only creates jobs and encourages tourism for our local community, it is one of the ways we look at generating revenue outside of airport operations with the goal of keeping costs for our passengers and airlines low. This innovative business model enables us to continue building YVR as a world-class connecting hub.”
Sthomas@vancourier.com
