Jess Handley, Peter McCawe, Steve Lewis and Blair Johnston. Photo / George Novak
Jess Handley, Peter McCawe, Steve Lewis and Blair Johnston. Photo / George Novak
When the clock strikes 9am tomorrow, about 1000 employees will be ready for the opening of stage two of Tauranga's newest mega-mall.
Tauranga Crossing will be opening its doors to 45 new stores, 17 new dining options and an 800-seat cinema in stage two of the $150 million development.
Staff have been busy putting the final touches on their stores - windows were being cleaned, stock unpacked, the floors vacuumed and signs unveiled when the Bay of Plenty Times walked through the large corridors yesterday.
Tauranga Crossing chief executive Steve Lewis said as of Thursday about 1000 people were now employed in retail, food and beverage jobs at the centre.
"That shows this centre is going to attract customers from a much broader part of the Bay of Plenty," he said. "That is going to be great for an already booming economy."
That includes global fashion retailer H&M, Decjuba, Pagani, Cotton On and Bras N Things.
The two-level centre galleria and dining area will include 29 restaurants and eateries including Hawker & Roll, Bird on a Wire and Ramen IPPIN.
The Event Cinemas in the entertainment precinct will feature an 800-seat cinema with Vmax screen, full recliner chairs and double daybeds.
Event Cinemas area manager Steve Kimi said the cinema included an electronic screen for movie-goers to book their tickets and select their type of seating.
"It is all digital," he said.
Cinema manager Justin Chaney expected the daybeds and recliners to be popular and were a way of bringing a new experience to movie watching at the cinema.
"It is all about your cinema, your way," he said. "We try to make sure it is accessible to everybody."
The Vmax screen and 800-seat cinema. Photo / George Novak
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stan Gregec said the city's latest retail developments meant shoppers would be spoilt for choice "like never before".
"With the latest developments at this and other malls across town, we really are setting a high bar for retail and hospitality in our region," he said.
Gregec said the creation of 1000 jobs was "a fantastic boost to the region's employment numbers".
However, with the "explosion" of shopping malls, Gregec worried for the future of the CBD as the city expanded into its peripheral areas.
The Fernery - a kinetic sculpture created by Kiwi artist, Phil Price at the shopping centre. Photo / George Novak
Priority One projects manager Annie Hill said "unprecedented" levels of job and business growth had underpinned the expansion of the retail sector and the attraction of new brands to the city.
Hill said developments combining retail, hospitality and entertainment demonstrated the growth and maturity of the city.
"The inclusion of cinemas and arcades draw more people into a retail area and cause them to stay longer and spend more," she said.
Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless welcomed the creation of 1000 jobs inside the mall.
"As the city grows, everything else does too, including retail, entertainment and dining opportunities," he said.
"When you look into the demographic you can see how quickly Tauranga is growing," he said.
Lattemann said the Tauranga H&M store would recruit about 50 people including store manager, department manager, visual merchandisers and sale advisors.
The whole store size was 1600sq m of men's, women's and children's fashion, not including the new home store.
THE DETAILS What: Stage Two of Tauranga Crossing opening When: Doors open 9am, live music and entertainment, giveaways and an official opening ceremony with Greg Brownless will begin in the centre carpark from 7am
TAURANGA CROSSING: Final cost: - Investment in the mall project exceeds $150 million
Centre size on completion: - 47,000sq m of trading lettable area
