First Nation Projects Nab Anchors
Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, and RONA are the first of several marquee retailers for the new Tsawwassen Mills, above, and Tsawwassen Commons, the first major developments being constructed on Tsawwassen First Nation Lands, scheduled to open spring 2016. (Ivanhoe Cambridge is developing Mills, while Property Development Group is developing Commons.) Lauding the project as a model of how B.C.’s treaty process can work, Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister John Rustad says the project will make a major contribution in creating jobs for the Lower Mainland.
Bass Pro Shops is taking 145k SF, while Walmart is leasing 108k SF and RONA 44k SF. Overall, Tsawwassen Mills will include 1.2M SF of retail, with 16 anchors—a mix of premium fashion brands, factory outlets, restaurants, and first-to-market retailers, as well as a 1,100-seat food court, above. Tsawwassen Commons will provide 550k SF of outdoor retail space, with a blend of national, regional, and independent retailers, restaurants, and financial services.
