CBL to Bring Entertainment Centers to Malls

Image courtesy of dbreen via pixabay

CBL Properties is planning to add four new entertainment centers to its malls in North Dakota, North Carolina and South Carolina.

In North Dakota, the firm will bring Tilt Studios to two locations, while a Stars and Strikes will open at its Coastal Grand property in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The company is also planning the addition of a Main Event location at Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville, N.C.

Tilt, taking the place of a former Scheels, will move into a 50,000-square-foot space at the Dakota Square Mall in Minot, N.D. The space opened after Scheels relocated to the former Sears building within the same property.

At the Kirkwood Mall in Bismarck, N.D., a Tilt entertainment center will occupy 92,500 square feet in the former Herberger’s building. Following the redevelopment of an adjacent parking lot, Kirkwood Mall recently expanded its offerings with new dining options such as Blaze Pizza, Panchero’s Mexican Grill and Chick-fil-A.

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The Tilt location at Dakota Square is anticipated to open in December of this year, while the Tilt center at Kirkwood Mall is expected to open in 2023.

At the Coastal Grand Mall, a Stars and Strikes will replace a former DICK’S Sporting Goods. The space is 52,000 square feet. DICK’S Sporting Goods moved to a new and expanded location within the mall, adding a Golf Galaxy to its site.

Main Event at the Cross Creek Mall will take up 38,000 square feet as part of the Sears redevelopment of the property, which also added a Longhorn Steakhouse and a Rooms To Go.

Entertainment sweeping the nation

In prepared remarks, Stephen Lebovitz, CEO of CBL, said that leasing demand is back to pre-COVID levels. Demand from entertainment users has increased over the last several of years, leading CBL to open 11 new large-scale entertainment sites since 2017.

According to a Morgan Stanley report, approximately 70 percent of companies in the entertainment business were expected to see a 10 percent increase in their revenue growth throughout 2022. With rebounds in the sector following lockdowns, many major players are expanding.

As the entertainment industry grows, more leasing and development deals are being seen across the nation. Recently, Caliber has closed on a 100-acre project for an entertainment-centric endeavor in Phoenix.