New England Development of Newton, Mass., announced in a release today that CDI Contractors of Little Rock would be the construction manager for the Outlets at Little Rock, an outlet mall planned for the Gateway Town Center at I-30 and I-430 in Otter Creek.
Site work has begun for the 325,000-square-foot center, which will have about 75 shops adjacent to the new Bass Pro Shops.
The center is projected to open by summer 2015. It’s hoped that opening will coincide with reworking of the I-30/I-430 junction, a project going out for bids to the Highway Commission July 23. Work includes a new I-430 southbond off-ramp and connection to a frontage road leading to the shopping center. The I-30 exit for Otter Creek/Mabelvale West is to be moved farther to the east.
Developers say the project will employ1,000 people in retailing and generate $100 million in annual sales, which would produce $9 million annually in state and local taxes. The outlet mall has a website here. New England Development has an existing outlet center in West Palm Beach, Fla., and one soon to open in Asheville, N.C., with plans for similar in Iowa and Michigan.