Fir$t. as reported by the Huffington Po$t, the Biblically-epoch opening:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/22/city-creek-mormon-mall_n_1372695.html
_____


Then, Channel 5 "New$" (the Mormon-owned TV $tation in $LC), broadca$ting the following on the GA-la event (with a LD$ Church leader-led, Brigham Young-invoking ribbon-pulling) to open the Mall:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=19685852



Edited 13 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2012 11:54PM by steve benson.

Yes, indeed, my child. Burning Bushes are so passe. These days, I need a burning fountain in my new mall in order to get my point across properly.

Now, as you Mormons are all stuck in the Old Testament, you may now all bring your young livestock to City Creek to offer up in this fountain as a burnt offering sacrifice to my glory.

Remember that it must be a firstborn male, without blemish.

"...The Church has a enviable partner in the venture: Taubman Properties, the Detroit-based owner of some of the world's most successful luxury malls. Taubman, which developed the property and leases the underlying land from the Church, invested $76 million on top of the estimated $1.5 billion in cash that the Church gave to the project..."


So, the Church only gave $1,500,000,000 in cash to the project. That's significantly smaller than the estimates members of this board have stated. So which is it -- 1.5B, 3B, 4B,....etc.?

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765560418/LDS-Presiding-Bishop-H-David-Burton-says-part-of-City-Creek-project-goal-has-been-met.html

"The $1.5 billion mixed-use project was developed by City Creek Reserve Inc. (CCRI) — a for-profit real estate company owned by the LDS Church. Including the City Creek project, roughly $4 billion to $5 billion of economic development is currently under way in the downtown area, Bishop Burton said."

Gee; water features, + fire, in the middle of the Desert.
Wow, what Genius thought that up???

How about an educational component for visitors; a time-lapse of construction, history of the building site, info on Green building techniques, energy conservation, were U.S. made materials specified? etc.

Oh, I guess upper-echelon shoppers might not be interested; the church will lay responsibility for things like that to their wink-wink buddies over at Taubman.

People's expectations for these things: Increasing, or about the same? I vote (for SLC) Dumbed-Down.

Mak: a figure of 5B was reported as to be the figure ChurchCo told the C of Commerce (?)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2012 12:13AM by guynoirprivateeye.

I've got to put this into perspective...just for me.

When some Presidents of the United States have taken personal time to play golf, vacation at Martha's Vineyard, etc...they have been critisized because they are accused of not doing their jobs at crutial times (flash to George Jr. contemplating about his lunch shortly after being told about 9/11). No judgements really from me...if golf or whatever (fill in CLinton's name here) will help these chaps make better decisions, ok.

BUTT (spelled purposefully this way)--really...really...a prophet of GOD...really? Now reduced to doing opening gigs at shopping malls. Then, and only to be fair, Monson does not really look like he knows where he is...look carefully at him when they cut the ribbon...is he muttering a counter-curse (ala Harry Potter)? This and Romney's lead are sooooo disturbing.

Really surprised.

First, the fire and water show: My first impression was disgusted (due to how much this show likely cost).
Also, it looks like an "attractive nuisance" to me (California code for injury suits), as sooner or later a kid (or kids) will fall in, with their mother's hands full of shopping bags to hold onto. (Quandary: Let go of the bag(s), and get themselves wet saving their child??) (Remember the running water on the top of the conference center, in which a child fell in and was killed?)

Second: Is this really an open-to-the weather mall? In Utah? Hot in the summer, wet in the rain and snow, and lots of cold. One of the attractions to shopping in malls is the controlled weather. Plus, wet/snowed-on people shopping in high-end stores doesn't speak well for keeping the merchandise in good shape (wet umbrellas, coats, kids, in dressing rooms?). "Open areas to enjoy" are for parks, not merchandising. Who thought open was good?

It doesn't look financially healthy to me. People stay home in bad weather--they don't want to be out in it. So---on to a closed mall choice (if need be out), instead of an open mall--and if one does go, make the shopping trip as short as possible.

Then, I noticed the SLC TV news commentator mentioned, smiling all the time, "this billion dollar mall"---not "this $4-5 billion dollar mall". She must not be upset about her money having been spent on the building, and (likely) they were told not to mention the complete costs.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2012 09:22PM by steve benson.

I have to admit that the photos are impressive. Mormons are very proud of this vainglorious enterprise, and how nice that it doesn't require a temple recommend for entry. There sure are a lot of things to do with church money besides charity. Yay for the rich!