Simon Eighty-Sixes Summit Mall Plans

LITTLE ROCK, AR-After a two-year court battle and before a countywide vote on the project, Simon Property Group this week officially gave up on its long-proposed $150-million megamall development here, saying it is now uncertain what it will do with the 97-acre property.

“We are certain, however, that we want to save the city the time and expense of conducting a referendum on a design which will not be built under any circumstances,” says Tom Schneider, an executive vice president of development at SPG.

Located on the east side of Interstate 430 between I-430 and Shackleford Road, the property is owned by Indianapolis-based Simon and Little Rock-based Dillard’s Inc. Originally proposed some 15 years ago, the plans for the 1.1-million-sf mall resurfaced in the fall of 2000. In April 2001, the city Board of Directors approved the plan with the condition that Simon and Dillard’s spend $11 million on upgrades to the surrounding roadways.