Village at Gulfstream Park debuts first phase

South Florida’s largest new shopping mall project, the Village at
Gulfstream Park, welcomed its first customers Thursday, as about 30
shops opened their doors. The rest of the 70 retail shops, restaurants
and bars in the $250 million first phase will be opening in the next
several days. The 500,000-square-foot project was planned to work in
tandem with the adjacent horse track and casino at Gulfstream Park.
Cleveland-based developer Forest City had to delay the project several
times due to the economic collapse, but has a 99-year lease with Magna
Entertainment, which owns Gulfstream. Will Voegele, vice
president of development for Forest City, said that about 40 percent
of the total shops will open in this phase, and that total will reach
about 64 percent by late March and 85 percent by summer. [Miami
Herald] and [Sun Sentinel]