A new shopping center billed as “Iowa’s largest mall” is set to open Wednesday in West Des Moines. Julie Jacoby, the spokesperson for mall developer General Growth Properties, says the planning and construction at the 200 acre site called the Jordan Creek Town Center has taken six years. She says there’s two-million square feet and they’ll open with 126 stores, with a potential for 150 stores. Jacoby says they expect to be a tourist draw.She says the primary market area is a 50-mile radius, but they expect to draw people from across the state too. Jacoby says Jordan Creek’s new stores will be one of the things that’ll spur people to drive across the state. She says there are 60 retailers that’re new to the Des Moines market, and 38 of those are new to the state. She says the restaurants are expected to be a big draw too, saying they have “the most enticing restaurant lineup you could find in any metro area in the country.” The mall has not been without controversy, spawning a lawsuit over tax breaks given by the city of West Des Moines. And some say it will have a negative impact on existing malls and businesses. Jacoby says Jordan Creek will help other businesses by drawing in shoppers from across the state.She says they’ve addressed the issue over the years and says the additional business they’ll draw into the area is a win-win situation. She says some retailers are actually expanding into the new mall while keeping their other stores open. Jacoby says the mall is expected to draw 12-million people a year. Jacoby says 106 of the 126 stores will open Wednesday — with the rest to open by Christmas.
