HAZELWOOD, Mo. (KMOX) - Developer Dan Buck says it's full steam ahead on plans to redevelop the former St. Louis Mills outlet mall into the POWERPlex sports complex – and he's got a new pro-athlete investor with St. Louis ties. He told KMOX after a press conference on Tuesday they will begin construction soon after officially closing on the mall on Aug. 30.
The 1.5 million sq. foot mall will become a six-sport venues that would host more than 180 major sports tournaments, camps and events.
The only part of the mall that will be staying is the Cabela's sports and outdoors store, but Buck says restaurants, bars and a movie theatre will be added.
Joining the investment group is St. Louis native and NBA All-Star Bradley Beal, a graduate of Chaminade College Prep. The headquarters of his basketball training program will call POWERPlex home.
It's set to open sometime in 2020.
Hazelwood City Council members unanimously approved final terms, last month. City Manager Matthew Zimmerman spoke to KMOX after the decision:
Zimmerman says that, while they're offering some tax incentives, he expects the city to come out on top. "It's going to be generating more money for the general fund where we provide our key services like police, fire, that kind of thing," he says, explaining the city is offering proceeds from its economic development sales tax.
POWERPlex states, additional partners will reopen the 18 theater cineplex, 13 restaurants, several entertainment and recreational venues including three go-kart tracks, putt-putt and a ropes courses. It will also feature more than a dozen sports and family focused retail stores. Zimmerman hopes Hazelwood becomes the success story for repurposing "dinosaur" empty malls. "Nothing like this has ever been built in America," he says.