“We are at MAPIC building the brand,” chief operating officer, Dan Pelson, said. “We want to find the right locations and partners for our global expansion.” Focused on the experiential economy Area 15 will bring together everything from art to music and community events and will focus on both the consumer and corporate markets. The concept is aimed to be a draw in its own right. “We want people to say ‘I’m going to Area 15’,” Pelson said.
Growth is targeted across the US, the UK and the Far East; sites must be four acres or more. “All our sites will be purpose-built. Our tenants require open spaces because they are constantly changing their activations and need as blank a canvas as they can get,” he said.
The first site, located a mile outside of the Las Vegas strip, has been built in a 200,000 sq ft warehouse space with limited columns and high ceilings and including 45,000 sq ft of events space and 135,000 sq ft of retail space. The events spaces, which will include corporate events as well as consumer events — including concerts and parties — will launch in February, the remainder of the space opening from April, Pelson said.
Tenants already confirmed include art collective Meow Wolf, which is taking 50,000 sq ft, and axe-throwing company Duelling Axes. And at the first site is in Las Vegas, Pelson confirmed there will also be a wedding chapel. Traditional retail offers suited to the concept would include streetwear brands such as Supreme and sneaker brand Flight Club.
“These types of retail players would be a fit,” Pelson said. “But anything that can be anywhere, like a Lululemon for example, probably can’t exist at Area 15 as a retailer.”
Read more on: https://issuu.com/mipim/docs/mapic_2019_news_1?e=0
