http://seekingalpha.com/news-article/1606255-cbl-properties-and-horizon-group-properties-declaregrand-opening-of-the-outlet-shoppes-at-oklahoma-city-a-success
CBL Properties and Horizon Group
Properties Declare Grand Opening of The
Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City a
Success
Mon August 8, 2011 12:00 PM |
NEWS PROVIDED BY:
Business Wire
The Only Fully Leased Outlet Center to Open To-Date in 2011
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. & OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CBL & Associates Properties,
Inc. (CBL) and Horizon Group Properties, Inc. (HGPI) (OTC:HGPI.PK) announced today that the
outstanding success of the grand opening of The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City held on August 5, 2011,
represented the tremendous strength of the project and its future. Shoppers flocked in record number to
enjoy the fully leased center throughout grand opening weekend.
In our more than 33 years of operation, CBL has never experienced a grand opening quite like this, said
Stephen Lebovitz, president and chief executive officer of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. Shoppers
from as far as 200 miles have come to enjoy a selection of stores that was not available in Oklahoma before
now. We are pleased The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City opened to such a tremendous reception and
anticipate this positive momentum will continue.
The crowds over grand opening weekend were unbelievable, said Gary J. Skoien, chief executive officer of
Horizon Group Properties. Reports from our retail partners indicate that sales levels have handily beat plans
and expectations. The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City has already proved to be a great addition to the
market and we are confident in its continued success.
The center features a wide variety of well-known designer outlets, including Nike, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF
5TH, Polo Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Guess, Chicos, Coach, Banana Republic, DKNY, J. Crew,
Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour, Levis and Carters.
Located at the intersection of Interstate 40 and Council Road, The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City is the
only outlet center in the state. Over 112,000 cars pass by the site daily. The center is expected to draw over
six million visitors a year from a three-state area and travelers on Interstates 35, 40 and 44. In addition,
following the grand opening weekend, The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City has garnered more than
40,000 facebook friends and continues to gain in popularity.
The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City is a joint venture of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. and Horizon
Group Properties.
About Horizon Properties
Based in Muskegon, Michigan, Horizon Group Properties, Inc. is a national owner and developer of factory
outlet shopping centers and is the developer of a master planned community in suburban Chicago.
About CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
CBL is one of the largest and most active owners and developers of malls and shopping centers in the
United States. CBL owns, holds interests in or manages 158 properties, including 85 regional malls/openair centers. The properties are located in 26 states and total 85.2 million square feet including 3.4 million
square feet of non-owned shopping centers managed for third parties. Headquartered in Chattanooga, TN,
CBL has regional offices in Boston (Waltham), MA, Dallas (Irving), TX, and St. Louis, MO. Additional
information can be found at cblproperties.com.
Horizon Group Properties, Inc.
Gina Slechta, SCMD, Vice President of Marketing
402-991-0875
marketing@horizongroup.com
or
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
Katie Reinsmidt, Vice President -Corporate Communications
and Investor Relations
423-490-8301
katie_reinsmidt@cblproperties.com
http://www.news9.com/story/15231054/opening-weekend-brought-in-big-business-for-outlet-shoppes-inokc?clienttype=printable
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http://www.news9.com/story/15231054/opening-weekend-brought-in-bigbusiness-for-outlet-shoppes-in-okc?clienttype=printable
News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News,
Weather, Video and Sports | Opening
Weekend Brought In Big Business For
Outlet Shoppes At OKC
Digital Network:
Opening Weekend Brought In Big Business For Outlet Shoppes At OKC
Posted: Aug 08, 2011 4:53 PM Monday, August 8, 2011 5:53 PM EST Updated: Aug 08,
2011 4:53 PM Monday, August 8, 2011 5:53 PM EST
The mall says more than 160,000 people showed up last Friday through Sunday.
News9.com
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City have released the number of people attended
their grand opening last weekend.
The mall says more than 160,000 people showed up last Friday through Sunday, which was also the tax
free weekend in Oklahoma.
On Friday, News 9 was at the mall and traffic have backed up at I-40 at the Council exit for four miles.
08/05/2011 Related Story: Outlet Mall Shoppes Open In Oklahoma City.
The Outlet Shoppes opened Friday morning and attracted massive crowds from all over the state, and even
out of state to shop and save. Friday morning before noon, there were an estimated 45,000 shoppers at the
mall.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---
Outlet Mall Shoppes Open In Oklahoma City
Posted: Aug 05, 2011 9:04 PM Friday, August 5, 2011 10:04 PM EST Updated: Aug 05, 2011 11:18 PM
Saturday, August 6, 2011 12:18 AM EST
Large crowds thronged the new outlet mall which opened in Oklahoma City Friday.
Dana Hertneky, News 9
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma -- It was the day shop-aholics across the state have been waiting for: the
Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City opened this morning to massive crowds and you can expect more of the
same this weekend.
Friday morning before noon there were an estimated 45,000 shoppers at the mall.
"I think I saved close to $200, I don't want to say how much I spent," laughed Susan Clark, who had been
shopping at the mall for five hours by the time we caught up with her.
"This is my 51st shopping center to open up and we have never experienced anything like Oklahoma," said
Gina Slechta the Vice President of Marketing for Horizon Group Properties.
When the rest of the country is talking about a bad economy, Oklahomans are lining up to spend money.
"Here we are in the middle of the country in 110-degree weather, standing in line to spend thousands of
dollars. This is not like the rest of the world," said Slechta.
But bargains and tax exemptions won't come easy. On Friday, many shoppers had to invent their own
parking spots--a four-wheel-drive may be necessary.
But the crowds weren't enough to change the tune of enthusiastic shoppers. They say just bring your
patience and plan ahead.
"Dress very, very cool. It's extremely hot," said one shopper.
"Definitely bring your husband, put him in line, hand it to him, make him pay," offered Shannon Palacios
when asked for advice.
"Bring some water, make sure you bring a bottle or water," said Clark.
For some time on Friday, traffic was backed up for four miles at the Council Road exit. That's why mall
personnel are saying coming down Reno may be better.
Also, bring your cell phone. The mall has lots of on-line coupons at that you can pull up on your smart
phone and save even more.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----
Oklahoma City report card shows
progress
The city of Oklahoma City released its performance
report for Fiscal Year 2010.
http://newsok.com/oklahma-city-report-card-shows-progress/article/3593183
BY CARRIE COPPERNOLL ccoppernoll@opubco.com 1
Published: August 10, 2011
There's always room for improvement, especially if you've been waiting for a city sewer crew for more
than two hours.
Oklahoma City Manager Jim Couch released the Fiscal Year 2010 Performance Report this week. City
officials used data and trends to analyze how well city government worked during the fiscal year that ended
June 30.
Advertisement
The performance report is like a report card for city government. It tracks all kinds of things, including the
seven citywide goals set out by the city council.
How the city fared
Here are those goals and how they panned out:
Citizen confidence: About 83 percent of residents believe the city is headed in the right direction. The
other 17 percent aren't clear on the destination.
Financial sustainability: About half of the city's general fund comes from sales tax. At least the Outlet
Shoppes at Oklahoma City are going to save us for 2011.
Infrastructure development: About 71 percent of pothole repairs are completed within three working
days of a complaint. The other 29 percent are on my street.
Government efficiency: Water and wastewater issues are resolved quickly. About 73 percent of water
main breaks are repaired within three days, and 88 percent of wastewater backup calls are responded to
within two hours. But then again, a two-hour wait at home with a sewage backup probably doesn't feel that
efficient at the time. And if you were in that 12 percent who had to wait longer, you'd probably want to
stage an anarchist rebellion against the government workers as soon as they showed up, if they ever did.
Public transportation: The good news is that the number of people who approve of the city's public transit
system has risen to 36 percent. That 36 percent probably all own cars.
Economic development: Last year, 3,026 new jobs were created. Only 1 billion more jobs to create until
America is caught up in this recession.
Quality of life: The percent of residents who are satisfied with the quality of life in Oklahoma City has
risen to 79 percent. The other 21 percent are grumps who need to go to the outlet mall.
Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-report-card-shows-progress/article/3593183#ixzz1Uj363qax
Additional Pre-Opening Links
Outlet Opens Today – People Camp out
http://www.koco.com/video/28774993/detail.html#.TkGsncTI7eA.email
American Idol Contestant Lacey Brown and Others Will Perform at The Outlet Shoppes
at Oklahoma City Grand Opening
Information contained on this page is provided by companies via press release distributed through PR
Newswire, an independent third-party content provider. PR Newswire, WorldNow and this Station make no
warranties or representations in connection therewith.
SOURCE The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City welcomes
American Idol contestant Lacey Brown to Oklahoma City to perform for shoppers on Sunday, August 7
from 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110729/DE44119)
After finishing as a Top 12 finalist on American Idol in February 2010, Lacey Brown has appeared on Late
Night with David Letterman, the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Today Show, Wendy Williams, Access
Hollywood and E! She released her debut EP "Let It Go" in 2011 as an independent release. With her
first album, she is looking to inspire her audience to think about things in a simpler way.
Shoppers will be able to enjoy Tax Free Shopping and a variety of live entertainment during the Grand
Opening Weekend including Meet and Greet with Marvel Comic's Captain America and Spiderman, Voler
Thieves of Flight Aerial and Acrobatic Performance, Kristen Stehr Band, musician Jamie Bramble,
Dynamo Gymnastics demonstrations, face painters, mascot visits from Rumble, Boomer & Sooner, and the
OKC RedHawks, a caricature artist, Salsa dancers from Clips 'n Hips and more.
Special hours for the Grand Opening weekend will be Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6 at 8 a.m. –
9 p.m. and Sunday, August 7 at Noon – 6 p.m. The Outlet Shoppes in Oklahoma City is located at the
intersection of Interstate 40 and Council Road.
The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City is a joint venture of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. and Horizon
Group Properties.
About CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
CBL is one of the largest and most active owners and developers of malls and shopping centers in the
United States. CBL owns, holds interests in or manages 157 properties, including 85 regional malls/openair centers. The properties are located in 26 states and total 84.9 million square feet including 3.4 million
square feet of non-owned shopping centers managed for third parties. Headquartered in Chattanooga, TN,
CBL has regional offices in Boston (Waltham), MA, Dallas (Irving), TX, and St. Louis, MO. Additional
information can be found at cblproperties.com.
About Horizon Group Properties
Based in Muskegon, Michigan, Horizon Group Properties, Inc. is a national owner and developer of factory
outlet shopping centers and is the developer of a master planned community in suburban Chicago.
©2011 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.
http://kosu.org/2011/08/oklahomans-show-up-to-shop/
Owners of the new Outlet Shoppes in western Oklahoma City are declaring success after opening during
the state’s tax free weekend.
The Horizon Group which owns the new Outlet Shoppes on I-40 and Council says more than 161,000
people came to shop over its first three days in existence.
VP of Marketing Gina Slechta says Monday also saw a good number of people and the momentum should
keep growing.
“We had a lot of people that came from Tulsa, Arkansas, Wichita, and we know that they’re going to go
back to their cities and spread the word.”
Slechta says this shows that the state of the economy is looking good in Oklahoma as so many people were
willing to endure 110 degree heat to shop.
She says the center is also getting positive feedback from its more than 40,000 fans on Facebook.
http://kosu.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/NewMallWrap.mp3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----
Oklahoma City's outlet mall attracts
record crowds
More than 161,000 shoppers visited The Outlet Shoppes
at Oklahoma City this weekend, surpassing
expectations.
Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-citys-outlet-mall-attracts-recordcrowds/article/3592839#ixzz1Uj5OCK4J
A new mall plus a sales tax discount encouraged a lot of shopping last weekend.
More than 161,000 people visited The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City Friday through Sunday, smashing
retailers' and mall owners' expectations, said Gina Slechta, a spokeswoman for Horizon Group Properties,
which owns the mall at Interstate 40 and Council Road.
press release
Aug. 8, 2011, 12:00 p.m. EDT
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cbl-properties-and-horizon-group-propertiesdeclare-grand-opening-of-the-outlet-shoppes-at-oklahoma-city-a-success-2011-0808?reflink=MW_news_stmp
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CBL Properties and Horizon Group
Properties Declare Grand Opening of The
Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City a
Success
The Only Fully Leased Outlet Center to Open To-Date
in 2011
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. & OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug 08, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- CBL &
Associates Properties, Inc. /quotes/zigman/133059/quotes/nls/cbl CBL -1.37% and Horizon Group
Properties, Inc. (HGPI) announced today that the outstanding success of the grand opening of The Outlet
Shoppes at Oklahoma City held on August 5, 2011, represented the tremendous strength of the project and
its future. Shoppers flocked in record number to enjoy the fully leased center throughout grand opening
weekend.
"In our more than 33 years of operation, CBL has never experienced a grand opening quite like this," said
Stephen Lebovitz, president and chief executive officer of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. "Shoppers
from as far as 200 miles have come to enjoy a selection of stores that was not available in Oklahoma before
now. We are pleased The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City opened to such a tremendous reception and
anticipate this positive momentum will continue."
"The crowds over grand opening weekend were unbelievable," said Gary J. Skoien, chief executive officer
of Horizon Group Properties. "Reports from our retail partners indicate that sales levels have handily beat
plans and expectations. The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City has already proved to be a great addition to
the market and we are confident in its continued success."
The center features a wide variety of well-known designer outlets, including Nike, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF
5TH, Polo Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Guess, Chico's, Coach, Banana Republic, DKNY, J. Crew,
Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour, Levi's and Carters.
Located at the intersection of Interstate 40 and Council Road, The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City is the
only outlet center in the state. Over 112,000 cars pass by the site daily. The center is expected to draw over
six million visitors a year from a three-state area and travelers on Interstates 35, 40 and 44. In addition,
following the grand opening weekend, The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City has garnered more than
40,000 facebook friends and continues to gain in popularity.
The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City is a joint venture of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. and Horizon
Group Properties.
About Horizon Properties
Based in Muskegon, Michigan, Horizon Group Properties, Inc. is a national owner and developer of factory
outlet shopping centers and is the developer of a master planned community in suburban Chicago.
About CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
CBL is one of the largest and most active owners and developers of malls and shopping centers in the
United States. CBL owns, holds interests in or manages 158 properties, including 85 regional malls/openair centers. The properties are located in 26 states and total 85.2 million square feet including 3.4 million
square feet of non-owned shopping centers managed for third parties. Headquartered in Chattanooga, TN,
CBL has regional offices in Boston (Waltham), MA, Dallas (Irving), TX, and St. Louis, MO. Additional
information can be found at cblproperties.com.
Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City open Aug. 4
Aug 5The grand opening of The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City...
Oklahoma City's outlet mall attracts record crowds
“It was truly the biggest opening we've seen,” she said.
Long lines formed at many of the popular stores, including Coach and Nike, despite triple-digit heat. A few
people were treated for heat-related illnesses but it wasn't serious, Slechta said.
Buzz surrounding the new outlet mall attracted shoppers from the metro area and beyond. In the parking
lot, one in every six license plates were from outside Oklahoma, Slechta said.
Brad Blevins, co-owner of City Bites, which opened in the outlet mall's food court, said it was an incredibly
busy weekend.
“All the owners were out there. It took everybody in our company to pitch in and make it happen,” Blevins
said.
Shoppers flocked to the Nike Factory store and Jeff Nichols, general manager of Nike Factory's North
American stores, said Oklahoma City was one of the largest grand opening weekends they've had in five
years.
The novelty and newness attracted crowds to the outlet mall, but many other shoppers sought airconditioned refuge at indoor malls and retailers.
“Having a climate-controlled environment is a plus for us,” said Mis Gaston, a spokeswoman for Penn
Square Mall. “I think a lot of people were relieved to be inside and stay cool.”
Sales and special events at the mall drew plenty of shoppers and Gaston said traffic was on par with last
year.
The state sales tax holiday, which started in 2007, is held on the first weekend in August each year. During
that time, clothing and shoes under $100 are exempt from sales tax.
Actual statistics on the tax dollars saved this year will be available in October, the Tax Commission said.
Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-citys-outlet-mall-attracts-recordcrowds/article/3592839#ixzz1Uj5Y99SV
How the Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma
City beat the odds
The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City overcame the
Great Recession, loss of the project's equity partner,
and a crashing retail industry to become the only
factory outlet mall opening in the country in 2011.
BY STEVE LACKMEYER slackmeyer@opubco.com
Published: August 5, 2011
8
When the Oklahoma City Council approved a $7.4 million incentives package in May 2008 to lure a $50
million outlet mall, all involved parties celebrated what seemed to be a certain success.
FACTORY OUTLET MALL / INTERSTATE 40 / GARY SKOIEN: Gary J. Skoien, Chief
Executive Officer of Horizon Group properties, speaks during the groudbreaking
ceremonies for The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City at I-40 and Council Road in
Oklahoma City Thursday, July 22, 2010. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The
Oklahoman ORG XMIT: KOD
Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City open Aug. 4
Aug 5The grand opening of The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City...
How the Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City beat the odds
NewsOK Related Articles
 Outlet Shoppes preview night attracts thousands
08/05/2011 An estimated 2,800 people bought tickets to shop before
Friday's grand opening, raising more than $25,000 for Children's Hospital
Foundation.
Retail in the city was booming, with shopping centers being announced or launched throughout the metro.
Big box stores, lifestyle centers and luxury retailers were expanding rapidly throughout the country. And
the big investment banks were plowing money into it all to keep the party going.
Just a few months later, the world changed. Gary Skoien, chief executive officer of Michigan-based
Horizon Group, joined city leaders in holding their breath as the deal threatened to unravel.
To many casual observers, the Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City, which opens this weekend, appeared to
be just another pretty rendering that would never become a reality.
With the 2008 stock market crash, investment banks like Lehman Brothers disappeared. And that was
followed by Cousins Properties, the equity partner in the outlet mall, canceling its agreement with Horizon.
‘It was bleak'
“That was a pretty low moment,” Skoien said as he arrived in Oklahoma City for the mall's opening. “But
we never lost confidence in the project itself and in Oklahoma City.”
Alison Oshel, who was hired by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber to oversee a new retail recruitment
office in 2007, had an inside look at just how severe the hit was to retailers.
“It was bleak,” Oshel said. “We had developed quite a bit of momentum from 2007 to 2008. Then the
bottom dropped out. We had retailers that had selected sites, were prepared to announce, and then
disappeared.”
Retailers that were expanding stopped altogether. Others, like Sprouts Fresh Market, were preparing to
open in Oklahoma City but switched focus to California.
“The one surviving retail class during the Great Recession was value retailing,” Oshel said. “You saw
luxury shoppers go away immediately. But the value shoppers stayed, and some outlet malls were
thriving.”
Indeed, the city was even being courted by Horizon's competitors. Brent Bryant, the city's economic
development program manager, deliberated the offers being pitched even as Horizon was scrambling to
come up with a new equity partner to restart the project.
In 2010 Horizon forged a new partnership with Tennessee-based CBL & Associates, which had previously
limited its involvement to traditional retail centers. A new deal was submitted to the Oklahoma City
Council, which called for the city to pay $1 million for a new access road that was to originally be built by
Horizon. The city would still provide sales tax rebates of up to $550,000 a year over a decade as
reimbursements for actual marketing and advertising expenses.
Project revived
Those involved in reviving the project say they persevered because of Oklahoma City's relatively strong
economy during the recession and the lack of retail overbuilding that had occurred in other markets during
the boom.
“Frankly, the most remarkable thing about this is we leased the project once, the economy collapsed, we
lost our partner, and we had to lease the whole thing over because everyone had agreements that had dates
that passed and were no longer valid,” Skoien said.
The mall opens with 98 percent of its space leased and some involved parties not ruling out the possibility
of Horizon someday adding another 60,000 square feet of retail as designed in the mall's master plan.
“I've spent a career dealing with local government, small and large,” Skoein said. “Oklahoma City has one
of the most sophisticated groups of people who understand what it takes to do economic development.”
Read more: http://newsok.com/how-the-outlet-shoppes-at-oklahoma-city-beatthe-odds/article/3591770#ixzz1Uj7qdLQY
Questions and answers with Alison Oshel
Today's questions and answers are with Alison Oshel,
director of community redevelopment with the Greater
Oklahoma City Chamber.
0
Published: August 5, 2011
Q&A with ALISON OSHEL
Q: With the addition of Classen Curve and the Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City, the city is getting
prominent retailers like Whole Foods long desired by local shoppers. What are some of the biggest
names still eluding Oklahoma City?
A: Everybody wants to talk about luxury retailers not here. Neiman, Saks, bigger lines like that. I'm not
getting warm fuzzies from those retailers about Oklahoma City. But there is H&M, lululemon, trendsetting
shops like that we're starting to get interest from. I'm getting a ridiculous amount of calls from grocers
interested in Oklahoma City. Whole Foods has triggered a lot of interest.
Q: Do you have any concern that the influx of new retailers might draw sales away from existing
stores?
A: My hope is if it does, it draws them from suburbs and not Oklahoma City because it will expand our
sales tax base. On the outlet mall I'm drawing calls from people and they're in Edmond, Yukon, Midwest
City. … It's an unfortunate game we have to play, but it's what we have to deal with. I'm fully expecting the
western half of the state will see this as their place to shop, and maybe it will draw from as far away as
Amarillo.
Q: The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City is the only new outlet mall opening in the country this year.
Why is Oklahoma City proving to be the exception in new retail development when so much of the
rest of the county is stagnant?
A: The timing with the Horizon Group is good. They started thinking about this in 2007 when things were
on the rise. And there were only two or three states without an outlet mall. But we also have the story of
growing jobs, the economy, and we have the benevolence of Aubrey McClendon bringing retailers into
Classen Curve that other developers might not have been able to bring in.
Q: As the “retail guru” at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, which store do you look forward to
visiting first the Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City?
A: Probably Saks Off Fifth. I've been there in other cities; it's a fun store, and something we don't have in
Oklahoma City.
STEVE LACKMEYER, BUSINESS WRITER
Read more: http://newsok.com/questions-and-answers-with-alisonoshel/article/3591724#ixzz1Uj90UR9K
Crowds of shoppers visit new Oklahoma
City outlet mall
With 10 times as many shoppers as parking spots,
visitors to The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City got
creative but didn't give up. An estimated 15,000
shoppers are expected each day of opening weekend.
Read more: http://newsok.com/crowds-of-shoppers-visit-new-oklahoma-city-outletmall/article/3592197#ixzz1Uj9MKGKw
With an estimated 15,000 shoppers descending en masse Friday on the city's new outlet mall within hours
of it opening, and one-tenth as many parking spots, the logistics got a little tricky.
Brandi Brewer, right, of Edmond, shops with her sons Austin Payne, 14, and Max
Brewer, 11, for school clothes at The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City on Friday.
PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND - PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND
New outlet mall prepares shoppers for opening weekend
Aug 5A spokeswoman for the newly-opened Outlet Shoppes at...
Crowds of shoppers visit new Oklahoma City outlet mall
But that didn't stop the shoppers, who got creative, hopping curbs to park in vacant lots and even paying $5
a car to park at a business across the street. Gina Slechta, vice president of marketing for Horizon Group
Properties, which owns The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City, advised shoppers to park wherever they
legally can.
Trying to beat the heat and the crowds, many came early. Roseanne Lancaster, of Oklahoma City, staked a
place in line outside the Coach Factory store at 8 a.m. More than an hour later, she was nearing the door.
She had her eye on a Coach handbag. So did thousands of other women who waited in line in the scorching
heat to shop for one.
“Any kind of discount in Oklahoma is good,” she said. “Why waste the gas and go anywhere else?”
Maximizing savings
Opening weekend at the outlet mall attracted shoppers from across Oklahoma and even surrounding states.
“Opening weekend, and it's tax-free weekend,” Slechta said.
“When you combine those two, you have a formula for success.”
Shoppers were maximizing savings by stacking the sales tax discount with in-store deals. Many even asked
about coupons to sweeten the deals.
Coupon books for the outlet mall will be available next week, Slechta said, adding that the opening
weekend discounts retailers were offering were better than coupons.
For example, the Coach Factory store was giving shoppers an extra 30 percent off everything in the store.
The Banana Republic Factory Store had 40 percent off every item. Many shoe stores had buy one pair, get
one pair half price. And at Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th, shoppers were handed a VIP savings coupon
booklet, allowing them 20 percent off any one item.
But for many, the triple-digit heat was overbearing at the outdoor mall, despite shaded walkways. After an
8 a.m. visit to the Outlet Shoppes, seventh-grader Alyssa and her mom, Suzanne Ridgeway, moved on to
MetroShoe Warehouse, 2240 W Memorial Road, to find a backpack.
“We thought we'd beat the crowds,” Alyssa said of their early morning trip to the outlets. “Yeah, right.”
Read more: http://newsok.com/crowds-of-shoppers-visit-new-oklahoma-cityoutlet-mall/article/3592197#ixzz1Uj9hoD00
http://www.newson6.com/story/15217922/okcs-new-outlet-mall-packedparking-a-problem
News9
OKLAHOMA CITY – Bargain-hunting shoppers create booming business for retailers on the opening day
of The Outlet Shoppes in west Oklahoma City. But they also created a traffic nightmare for anyone in the
area of Interstate 40 and Council Road.
Before the outlet mall opened at 8 a.m., there was a long line of customers waiting outside retailers' doors.
Soon, the parking lot was packed. News 9 viewers say traffic was backed up for at least four miles on
Interstate 40 with eager shoppers trying to get to the mall.
One News 9 viewer who works at The Outlet Shoppes says employees had to park off site and be shuttled
in because there was no place to park.
The booming business is due in part to the fact it's tax-free weekend in Oklahoma. However, many people
have long anticipated the opening of the outlet mall. Developers also said several months ago they were
hoping to attract shoppers from Texas, Kansas and Arkansas.