SAVANNAH, GA. — Premier Outlets, a division of Ben Carter Enterprises, has broken ground on the Outlet Mall of Georgia, a $200 million outlet development on Interstate 95 in Pooler, approximately 10 miles west of Savannah. The outlet mall will feature 500,000 square feet of restaurants, children's play areas and retail outlet stores. The project is expected to open in spring 2015.
Savannah, located along the east coast of south Georgia, has more than 12 million visitors per year, according to Ben Carter, founder of Atlanta-based Ben Carter Enterprises. The site for the outlet mall has more than 25 million passing vehicles annually and its regional trade area encompasses more than 860,000 people.
The new outlet center will contain more than 80 outlet stores and is projected to create approximately 800 to 900 permanent jobs for the Savannah area. In addition to the main retail venue, The Outlet Mall of Georgia is also offering about 45 acres of adjacent land for retail, restaurant and hotel development. Upon completion, the overall project will consist of approximately 1 million square feet.
The groundbreaking ceremony, which was held on Tuesday, Sept. 3, included dignitaries Edna Branch Jackson, the mayor of Savannah; Mike Lamb, mayor of Pooler; and David Paddison, chairman of the Savannah Economic Development Authority.
The project team includes architect Hennon Design, civil engineers ETM and Coleman Engineers and general contractor DPR Hardin.
Mike Elleman of Retail Portfolio Strategies is handling leasing responsibilities for the outlet mall, along with Heather Kaminsky and Ben Carter. David Ober of Global Outlet Management is handling the marketing and management for the outlets.
“We are 70 percent committed and have active interest to complete our lease-up of the project,” says Carter.
Ben Carter Enterprises is a private retail development and acquisition company that has completed more than 3 million square feet of regional and mixed-use retail projects since its inception in 1993. The firm has developed more than 5 million square feet of Class A retail centers valued at more than $3 billion. Ben Carter Enterprises is currently pursuing two additional outlet developments through its Premier Outlet division.
— John Nelson