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ASSOCIATED PRESS
An architectural computer rendering released by Kirvin Doak Communications shows the proposed redevelopment for Harmon Avenue area off the Las Vegas strip.
LAS VEGAS >> Officials with the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood said they plan to turn a block of vacant storefronts just off the Las Vegas Strip into a pedestrian-friendly dining and entertainment destination, following a trend away from closed-off casinos and toward open-air retail and restaurant districts.
The project would revamp 60,000 square feet along the nondescript Harmon Avenue corridor on the south side of the large, mostly indoor shopping mall. A cost estimate hasn’t been determined.
“Our goal is to create a walkable, fun destination activated with day life and nightlife including live music and restaurants with indoor and outdoor dining,” said Jerry Irwin, general manager of the Miracle Mile Shops.
The existing storefronts were built in 2000 as part of the Desert Passage mall, a precursor to the Miracle Mile Shops, and retain a Moroccan theme. They once housed nightclubs but are now largely empty, except for a sushi restaurant.
“It gives us the opportunity to redevelop the area,” Irwin said of the vacancies.
Miracle Mile officials said the underused area gets heavy foot traffic. It sits next to a wide street that links Las Vegas Boulevard with major timeshare complexes set further back from the tourist corridor.
Construction on the project is set to begin in early 2015. Irwin said Miracle Mile is in talks with potential tenants.
The project is one of several similar redevelopments in Las Vegas. Caesars’ LINQ district, the planned Grand Bazaar Shops outside Bally’s casino and MGM’s proposed development “The Park” follow similar models.
“It goes to show that this type of project is one that’s very popular and one that people want to see,” Irwin said.
