Shopping season is set to open at Tampa Premium Outlets — no license is required.
The highly anticipated outdoor mall – in the bull’s eye of Pasco County development – will have its ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 29 at 9:40 a.m.
Shop doors open at 10 a.m.
Courtesy of Tampa Premium Outlets
Shelves will be stocked with upscale brand names at more than 100 shops, including Saks Off 5th, Calvin Klein, Nike, Coach and Michael Kors. Opening day is expected to bring thousands to check out typical discounts ranging from 25 percent to 65 percent on coveted merchandise.
Mall developers at Simon Property Group are planning a full weekend of special events, family-friendly activities, and Halloween Happenings.
As a regular feature, there is a play area for children.
“We want to encourage everyone to come out with their families,” said Stacey Nance, the mall’s general manager, who recently gave the media a sneak peek at the mall.
Reality television star Bethenny Frankel of The Housewives of New York will be a special guest on Oct. 31 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Frankel, also founder of Skinnygirl Cocktails, will greet shoppers, participate in interactive style segments and share fashion advice. She also will host two autograph sessions with fans at the VIP Shoppers Club Lounge.
To access the lounge, fans can enroll in Simon Premium Outlets VIP Shoppers Club at premiumoutlets.com/vip, or in person at the mall, outside the lounge.
Club members are eligible for exclusive deals, coupons and other benefits. The lounge will host several activities during opening weekend, including chair massages, a beauty bar and a photo station.
Other highlights during opening weekend include free entertainment, deals and giveaways.
FRED BELLET/PHOTO
Rack Room Shoes, for instance, will give shoppers a chance to win a $500 gift card and other giveaways, including coupon books with discounts, according to a news release from the shoe company.
The 441,000-square-foot mall is designed with a “Key West” vibe, with airy pastel colors, a multitude of palm trees, covered walkways and water features.
The centerpiece is a clear blue lagoon outside the Market Hall, which houses customers services, the food court and a lounge where people can sit and watch television.
A bridge crosses the lagoon, which is surrounded by a deck with benches and bistro chairs. A fire pit and Adirondack chairs are nearby.
“I think it will be a feature where people will want to take their picture by,” Nance said.
Traffic in and out of the mall is expected to be heavy but Nance said talks have been ongoing for months with Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.
Typically, opening days at malls see parking lots turn over four or five times.
“It’s going to be a constant ebb and flow throughout the day,” Nance predicted.
The mall will offer valet parking on a trial basis. If successful, Nance anticipates the service will become permanent.
On opening weekend, 12 extra duty law enforcement officers, paid for by the mall, will be stationed at mall entrances as well as inside the mall, Pasco County Sheriff’s spokesman Kevin Doll said.
The officers will include two supervisors.
If more help is needed, Doll said the sheriff’s citizen patrol group could be tapped to help with traffic.
“We’ve handled big events in the past,” he said. “Hopefully this will go smoothly.”
Outlet mall openings are special events wherever they happen, said Linda Humphers, editor in chief of Value Retail News/International Council of Shopping Centers.
There are only about 100 or so outlet malls in the nation.
In the central Florida area, Tampa Premium Outlets is situated between outlet malls in Orlando and New Ellenton.
“That’s part of the mystique of them,” Humphers said. “You go there. You stay longer and spend more. It’s not like going to a mall and getting something you need.”
Outlet mall developers typically look for locations with easy access, high visibility, lots of rooftops and a solid tourism base, Humphers said.
Pasco scores on all counts for Tampa Premium Outlets, which is off State Road 56 and the Interstate 75 interchange. And the county recently released a report showing a record number of tourist visitors and revenues in the past year.
Marketing for the Tampa Premium Outlets extends into the Tampa Bay region, but in future could spread a wider net, Nance said.
“We’ll definitely be looking at that when we get further along in our marketing plan,” she said.
Pasco’s future is set on a course for more retail and rooftops as developers saturate commercial corridors such as State Road 54 and State Road 56.
New shops are coming to property northeast of the Shoppes at Wiregrass. The Florida Center Ice sports complex is expected to open in 2016. Cypress Creek Town Center is anticipating openings for Chick Fil A, Culver’s and Cheddar Café. And the town center’s representatives recently met with county planners to discuss construction of a retail building, parking space and a boat storage area.
Speculation is that sporting goods retailer, Cabelas, is on the way to Wesley Chapel, too.
And there is a lot of buzz swirling around Tampa Premium Outlets’ opening day, Humphers said.
“Retail begets retail,” she said.
Tampa Premium Outlets grand opening
Grand opening: Oct. 29 through Nov. 1
Hours: Ribbon cutting Oct. 29 at 9:40 a.m.; extended hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. opening day through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Regular hours begin Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Celebrity guest: Reality television star, Bethenny Frankel, on Oct. 31 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Published October 28, 2015
