SANDY, Utah — The Shops at Southtown will be home to a new practice facility for the Utah Hockey Club, and stores at the mall are hoping to draw more customers.
Smith Entertainment Group is building a facility on the south side of the mall and has no plans to remove the store.
“Initially, we’re not going to touch any of the existing mall areas that are currently operating. We’re going to expand and build out the mall,” SEG executive Jim Olson said.
Olson is also in charge of planning the shopping mall.
Will business at The Shops at South Town grow?
Olson and Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski both said the new addition will bring more people to the mall and help those businesses, a sentiment Local Manager Brandon Anderson agreed.
Anderson, who owns Buckle, has worked at the mall for seven years and has seen businesses come and go, but believes the hockey team will help bring more customers back to the area.
“I’m excited. I think this mall and this area needed something big and exciting to happen,” Anderson said.
Anderson believes the mall has needed something like this for a long time, and he said he’s not worried about the future of the mall or his store.
Bobby Norton, general manager of The Shops at Southtown, also expressed excitement about the opportunity to develop a shopping center for the community.
“More than 200 people attended yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony, including enthusiastic tenants, and we look forward to supporting the NHL franchise, including their efforts to further enhance the merchandising mix and consumer experience for our guests,” Norton said.
Construction on the project broke ground on Monday, with SEG hoping to have the facility ready in time for the start of next season.
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