[JK37]

Did a little research on RR mall. According to CBL's annual report for last year the mall shops do $276 PSF in annual sales. Not great but not terrible either. Sales were flat year over year 2010>2011. With the recovery they should do a little better but the impact of Sears might offset that. Hard to say right now. Before the recession they were doing about $350 PSF which is very solid. I have seen dying malls and they do well under $200 PSF. RR needs some TLC but it's not dead either. Still think they made a mistake letting go of the Sears site. LU paid a pretty high price for it ($62 PSF) and that might have scared them off.

The stores at the mall certainly aren't drawing the folks with the money in. All it takes is a couple of walks around and a look at the stores to see this. That being said, I know that you are right in regards to a mall turning the corning and becoming a destination again; I just have a hard time believing that this management is interested in that. They have renovated or added on to Valley View in Roanoke twice since they took over (~100,000sf lifestyle center was added to one side 4 years ago), and have never undertaken any kind of real improvement in Lynchburg. I guess they did just improve a bit of the facade for TJ Maxx, but do discount stores really improve the mall? Other stores that don't seem to add much include Jo-Ann Fabrics and several locally owned shops that took the place of tenants that appeal to a wider range of shoppers.

Badger's numbers suggest the mall is improving. Does the movie theatre renovation/addition count for anything?

[Purple Haize]

It's the only reason we go to the mall.

[JK37]

For me when I'm in town, it's the theatre or the food court. (Don't judge me; the options it provides satisfy me and the Mrs.)

[BJWilliams]

Really the only places I would regularly go at the mall outside of the two JK mentioned were Sears and Mastercuts with an occasional visit to Gamestop and maybe a stop at Belk to visit a friend who worked there (she now is in the Charlotte area)

[rogers3]

For all of you who miss Sears, the location on Timberlake has a sign up now and appears to be stocking. Sounds like it will be appliances, tools and outdoor equipment.

[flamehunter]

Yep. One of the "hometown" type stores. Without all the clothes and junk.

[lynchburgwildcats]

Sounds like the crappy Farmville Sears!

[Wilberforce91]

Latest Civic Center news from the N&A:

Lynchburg civic center plans progressing

Eleanor Kennedy

Plans for a possible regional civic center at Lynchburg’s former Sears are moving forward, with a modified feasibility study, a traffic engineering analysis and other explorations on the radar for the Region 2000 Economic Development Council and Liberty University.

Bryan David, executive director of the Region 2000 Economic Development Council, gave local elected and appointed officials an update on the civic center’s progress at a Local Government Council meeting Thursday evening.

David summarized the history of the “long desired” civic center, stretching back to the original feasibility study from about 20 years ago. Discussion slowed after the initial study showed the market could not support a civic center, he said, but interest sparked up three years ago when a Liberty-sponsored market study showed a civic center could be viable in the Lynchburg area, as long as LU is an anchor tenant.

A working group already had formed and commissioned a feasibility study of an empty site in Campbell County near the U.S. 29/460 interchange, David said, when Liberty announced it had purchased the Sears building at River Ridge mall and Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., suggested the site could house a civic center, conference venue and, possibly, a hotel.

Now the project working group — which includes representatives from invested localities, the business community, the tourism industry, and River Ridge parent company CBL Properties — is asking consulting firm Weston Sports and Entertainment to modify its completed feasibility study with the Sears site in mind, David said.

The initial study showed a 10,000 seat center with 87 LU events and 48 community events per year would produce about $4 million in revenue, David said, enough to cover its operating costs.
Still, he said, the civic center is several steps away from being built. The group will seek a number of additional consulting services as the project moves from idea to reality, he said.
“There’s not been any decision to build this project,” he said. “…There’s a lot of things that have to get sorted through at a very high level.”

Speaking later in the evening to government officials and business leaders at the Local Government Council’s annual dinner, Falwell said he and his father were disappointed when initial plans fell through 20 years ago and the university built the Vines Center instead. He added he hopes to see the civic center through to reality.

“We hope this time it can be your facility and we can just be the tenant,” he said.

Falwell talked about Liberty’s recent growth and plans for future development, highlighting projects like the civic center, the James River islands and on-campus construction of new academic and residential buildings as ways the university is working to be a good neighbor and stay connected to the community.

“We look forward to growing together,” he said.

[lynchburgwildcats]

Said for years Lynchburg needed one, to much criticism from some of you on this board I might add!, so nice to see this progressing along.

[rogers3]

Sounds like the crappy Farmville Sears!

In another ten years, they might all be like that. This is Sears model for the future.

[Purple Haize]

Latest Civic Center news from the N&A:

Lynchburg civic center plans progressing

Eleanor Kennedy

Plans for a possible regional civic center at Lynchburg’s former Sears are moving forward, with a modified feasibility study, a traffic engineering analysis and other explorations on the radar for the Region 2000 Economic Development Council and Liberty University.

Bryan David, executive director of the Region 2000 Economic Development Council, gave local elected and appointed officials an update on the civic center’s progress at a Local Government Council meeting Thursday evening.

David summarized the history of the “long desired” civic center, stretching back to the original feasibility study from about 20 years ago. Discussion slowed after the initial study showed the market could not support a civic center, he said, but interest sparked up three years ago when a Liberty-sponsored market study showed a civic center could be viable in the Lynchburg area, as long as LU is an anchor tenant.

A working group already had formed and commissioned a feasibility study of an empty site in Campbell County near the U.S. 29/460 interchange, David said, when Liberty announced it had purchased the Sears building at River Ridge mall and Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., suggested the site could house a civic center, conference venue and, possibly, a hotel.

Now the project working group — which includes representatives from invested localities, the business community, the tourism industry, and River Ridge parent company CBL Properties — is asking consulting firm Weston Sports and Entertainment to modify its completed feasibility study with the Sears site in mind, David said.

The initial study showed a 10,000 seat center with 87 LU events and 48 community events per year would produce about $4 million in revenue, David said, enough to cover its operating costs.
Still, he said, the civic center is several steps away from being built. The group will seek a number of additional consulting services as the project moves from idea to reality, he said.
“There’s not been any decision to build this project,” he said. “…There’s a lot of things that have to get sorted through at a very high level.”

Speaking later in the evening to government officials and business leaders at the Local Government Council’s annual dinner, Falwell said he and his father were disappointed when initial plans fell through 20 years ago and the university built the Vines Center instead. He added he hopes to see the civic center through to reality.

“We hope this time it can be your facility and we can just be the tenant,” he said.

Falwell talked about Liberty’s recent growth and plans for future development, highlighting projects like the civic center, the James River islands and on-campus construction of new academic and residential buildings as ways the university is working to be a good neighbor and stay connected to the community.

“We look forward to growing together,” he said.

I'm warming up to this idea, not that the City or University Fathers care. This would be a delicate ballet but it can be done. I would almost rather have LU build and own it and become THE Destination for all of the traveling Christian Conferences around the Country. That's a unique niche that neither Roanoke or C'Ville can tap readily. 10,000 seems a little small, I would like a 15k place designed similar to JPJ but not sure what the feasibility numbers look like.
Or it could be an unmitigated disaster.

[Purple Haize]

Sounds like the crappy Farmville Sears!

In another ten years, they might all be like that. This is Sears model for the future.

Sears is going with its money makers. Craftsman tools and Kenmore Appliances used to be the Gold Standard

[rogers3]

Fannie Mae foreclosure turn-arounds require Kenmore. Wish I had pull like that... even if it was just with LU!

[JK37]

I think 10k is plenty. Is JPJ really 15k? I didn't realize it was that large.

10k arena, extensive convention space, hotel, all connected to shopping of River Ridge. Sounds like a plan to me!

[Purple Haize]

I think 10k is plenty. Is JPJ really 15k? I didn't realize it was that large.

10k arena, extensive convention space, hotel, all connected to shopping of River Ridge. Sounds like a plan to me!

I think JPJ is like 14,800
And shouldn't you be in a court covered convention center in Raleigh?

[JK37]

Ha! No, another staffer is there. I'm on-campus until Sunday, when I'll be in Pittsburgh

[LUGrad2000]

10k is not much bigger than the Vines. 12-14k might be a better number to look at.

[Purple Haize]

Ha! No, another staffer is there. I'm on-campus until Sunday, when I'll be in Pittsburgh

Gee, Pittsburgh or The Triangle You gotta work in your negotiation skills

[Sly Fox]

I'll take the Steel City over the Triangle anytime from Spring to Fall if given those two choices. Those folks in Western PA know how to eat.

There are a number of ways this convention center deal could go down. I'm sure we are exploring all potential options and outside the box perspectives will be given ample consideration.

[bigsmooth]

JPJ capacity is like 14,500 for hoops. I too am warming to the idea of a civic center. i think a 12,500 seat facility would be perfect but i think parking would be an issue not unless a garage was built. I would hope the city of lynchburg would get an arena management company to run the facility so they could get in a rotation to get quality events. JPJ is managed by SMG and the roanoke civic center is managed by global spectrum. RCC has seen a better mix of events since global started managing it, but RCC needs major renovations..heck the original seats are still in the coliseum from 1971 and the HVAC system was finally replaced recently with something more energy efficient. Since roanoke's facility is outdated, i would think lynchburg is primed to take their events with a nice facility with suites. i would also make this facility to have ice capabilities. I would think a minor league hockey franchise could work especially with LU students around. Haize also makes a good point about all of the Christian conferences and what not and being a destination for that stuff. Im assuming LU would only want to use this place for convocation? it will be exciting to see what happens, but my biggest concern would be parking.

[UVALibertyFan]

I think the original idea, may have changed, was to use the new civic center for athletics and renovate the Vines Center into more of a convocation center with another deck of seating added (I saw the renderings and still don't know how it can be done). With the new basketball practice facility now adjacent to the Vines Center that may have changed. Parking and traffic would be my biggest concerns with the civic center at the mall. This could be helped with traffic control after events and adding another left turn lane from the mall onto Wards Rd, which needs to be done anyway.

[Purple Haize]

It's also possible to buy the space above the RR tracks. You could build the garage over that

[flamesfan30]

if its for convo, 10,000 is much too small. if its for anything else, its almost too large.

[Purple Haize]

But you can always 'cover' the upper levels

[JK37]

But you can always 'cover' the upper levels

One can, but I would think one would want to avoid if possible.

Can't see civic center at old sear's location being used for convo; it's too far for a midday gathering.