Outlet mall on Gila River land concerns Chandler

Construction will start before summer on an upscale 90-store outlet mall south of Chandler on the Gila River Reservation. Developers made the announcement during a ceremonial lease-signing last week, and that's worrying Chandler officials who fear the new center will siphon shoppers and tax dollars from the city's nearby regional mall. "They are talking about building a high-end outlet mall that we believe will have similar or identical stores as Chandler Fashion Center. I fear it may affect the mall because we are not making the pie any bigger; we are dividing it up into smaller pieces," said Economic Development Director Christine Mackay. She cited historical examples across the Valley of older malls going into decline and losing tenants after a new one opens a few miles away. "We saw Chandler Fashion Center take hits when SanTan Village opened in Gilbert." Chandler Fashion Center opened in 2001. Representatives from Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group Inc. signed the lease with the Wild Horse Pass Development Authority of the Gila River Indian Community for a 49-acre parcel off Interstate 10 south of Loop 202 next to Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino. The new center will be called Phoenix Premium Outlets and is to open in spring 2013. The only other center in Arizona owned by Simon is Arizona Mills in Tempe.

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