The Tiger City shopping and entertainment mall officially opened its doors in Taichung yesterday and is expected to net NT$10 billion in business per year, according to its developer, Asia Tiger Group (
The large-scale shopping and entertainment center, which includes an eight-screen, 3,000-seat Warner Village cinema complex and 1,700m2 Club SEGA video-game arcade, was officially opened yesterday morning by Asia Tiger Group Chairman Eagle Lai (賴信雄), Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) and other dignitaries.
PHOTO: DOUGLAS HABECKER
Following the opening, thou-sands of customers jammed into the mall, located on Honan Road in the city's seventh redevelopment zone, to shop and eat at a total of 100 independent stores and restaurants.
The mall, a NT$3.5 billion investment developed through the Taichung-based business group's subsidiary, B&B International Development Co (野美國際開發), is expected to pull in an average of 30,000 to 50,000 customers per day. Its main focus will be on entertainment and food and beverage businesses, in addition to retail outlets, said officials from Asia Tiger and Jones Lang LaSalle, tasked with managing the property.
"Our target is NT$10 billion per year. That includes the cinema and food court, so it's quite different from so-called department stores and other markets," said company chairman Lai.
Lai said that he believed the new development would enlarge the overall market by offering a completely new experience and higher standards to local consumers.
He noted that Tiger City was "totally different from department stores and therefore was not directly participating in that highly competitive market."
Lai added that there was also no direct competition with Taichung Central mall, due to the fact that the two malls were on opposite sides of the city and targeted different markets.
Mall tenants include local and foreign brands and businesses, including Tommy Jeans, Starbucks, Clarks shoes, Bossini, Lavazza Cafe, Working House, Net, Swatch, Anna Sui, The Perfect Potion, T-Thai restaurant and Stefanel. However, a key to success was also the creation of an ideal venue for a wide range of activities, according to mall managers and the chairman.
"It's quite important to make a good first impression and make [customers] want to come again. I want this to be a landmark, part of the residents' lifestyle, so that they come here two or three times a week, for the cinema, concerts, coffee, art events and other activities," Lai said, noting that the mall's very large, 3,305m2 outdoor "festival plaza would be a focal point for special activities."
Asia Tiger officials said that the mall was off to a very good start, with Warner Village's premier showing of Lord of the Rings expected to draw thousands over the weekend. An aggressive Tiger City Visa card program -- in cooperation with Union Bank -- has also already signed up over 100,000 new card holders.
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