Urban Planet is a daily roundup of blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. We’ll be on the lookout for websites outside the country that approach themes related to urban experiences and issues.
Since it’s opening in 2005, the New South China Mall in Dongguan has held the world record for largest mall in terms of gross leasable area, which is also the problem.
With Dongguan’s population of over seven million people, developers projected the mall to attract 200,000 visitors every day. However, much of Dongguan’s workforce is made up of low-paid factory workers who, even if they had expendable income, couldn’t get to the mall in the city’s outer suburbs. Despite the 2,350 retail spots available (not to mention the amusement park, rollercoaster, indoor canals, and a scale replica of the Arc de Triomphe), the mall has had a 99% vacancy rate since its opening. Of the handful of businesses that do operate in the mall, it is mostly the Western fast food chains like McDonald’s and KFC that have been surviving.
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