MIAMI-DADE COUNTY'S FIRST BASS PRO SHOPS OUTDOOR STORE TO DEBUT AS NEW 100,000-SQUARE-FOOT DOLPHIN MALL ANCHOR
Released: 03/28/05
CONTACTS:
Pete Marrero
General Manager
Dolphin Mall
(305) 599-3000
Karen Mac Donald
Director, Communications
Taubman Centers, Inc
(248) 258-7469
Larry Whiteley
Manager, Corporate Public Relations
Bass Pro Shops
(417) 873-5022
lwhiteley@basspro.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY'S FIRST BASS PRO SHOPS OUTDOOR STORE
TO DEBUT AS NEW 100,000-SQUARE-FOOT DOLPHIN MALL ANCHOR
MIAMI, FL-- March 21, 2005 - Bass Pro Shops, known for its award-winning, interactive outdoor sports centers, will enter the Miami-Dade County market next year as a new anchor store at Dolphin Mall.
The 100,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops Worldwide Sportsman addition at the shopping center's northwest corner will be Dolphin Mall's 16th anchor. It will open in late 2006.
Dolphin Mall, a 1.4-million-square-foot enclosed value retail/entertainment mall located just five miles west of Miami International Airport, is owned and managed by Taubman Centers, Inc. (NYSE: TCO) of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
The showcase store will cater to its South Florida customers with an expansive saltwater fishing section and a 25,000-square-foot boat showroom featuring Tracker, Nitro, Mako, SeaCraft, Sun Tracker and Tahoe boats built by Tracker Marine Group, the world's leading fishing boat manufacturer. Shoppers will also find an in-depth selection of high-quality equipment and clothing for fresh and saltwater fishing, hiking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, camping, outdoor cooking and more. A gift and nature center will offer a wide variety of outdoor-related items, from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and cabin-style furniture.
Bass Pro Shops' unique decor will bring the outdoors indoors with a unique South Florida design, large indoor aquariums and water features stocked with native fish species and an extensive collection of museum-quality fish and wildlife mounts. Local historic photos, artifacts and exhibits will pay tribute to the area's great outdoor heritage. The attention to the finest detail from animal tracks in the floor, art gallery quality murals, to fish and wildlife carvings on logs and rafters, to huge one-of-a-kind chandeliers hanging from the ceiling are all a part of what adds to the uniqueness of a Bass Pro Shops store and enhances their family entertainment value.
Known as a very conservation minded company, Bass Pro Shops has donated more money and products to national and local organizations for their conservation projects and received more awards for their conservation efforts than any other outdoor retailer in America.
Outdoor education is another key component to what makes a Bass Pro Shops store so special. Weekly free outdoor skills workshops are offered at all stores for kids, women, novice adults and families. It is also not unusual to see Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, school and church groups and others on field trips to Bass Pro Shops stores to learn about the great outdoors.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to bring our store to Dolphin Mall," says Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale. "This highly visible and accessible location will enable us to better serve our many customers and all outdoor enthusiasts in South Florida."
Dolphin Mall will be the sixth Florida location for Bass Pro Shops, whose retail stores nationwide draw more than 75 million people annually from all over the United States as well as many foreign countries. Bass Pro Shops stores are among the largest tourist attractions within the states they are located, with several stores being their state's top tourist attraction.
"Landing an outstanding destination retailer such as Bass Pro Shops is a real plus for the area and, once again, demonstrates that today's most in-demand retailers recognize Dolphin Mall's reputation as Miami's dominant shopping, dining and leisure location for locals as well as for tourists," observes Pete Marrero, Dolphin Mall general manager.
About Dolphin Mall:
Dolphin Mall is an enclosed value retail/entertainment mall with an 850-seat food court and more than 240 retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues. Shopping hours are 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Hours at anchor stores and select dining and entertainment venues may vary. Preview the stores, the styles, the savings at www.shopdolphinmall.com.
About Bass Pro Shops:
Bass Pro Shops, also a major catalog and internet retailer, is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. They currently have 26 destination retail locations in 14 states and Canada. For more information on Bass Pro Shops, visit www.basspro.com.
About Taubman Centers:
Taubman Centers, a real estate investment trust, owns and/or manages 22 regional and super regional shopping centers in 10 states. In addition two centers are under construction. Northlake Mall (Charlotte, N.C) is scheduled to open September 15, 2005 and The Pier at Caesars (Atlantic City, N.J.) is scheduled to open in early 2006. The company is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Additional information about Taubman Centers can be obtained from the company's website at www.taubman.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended. These statements reflect management's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expected because of various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to changes in general economic and real estate conditions, changes in the interest rate environment and availability of financing, and adverse changes in the retail industry. Other risks and uncertainties are discussed in Taubman Centers' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including their most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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