Outlet mall plans Southaven site

City touts it as regional draw

A major outlet mall that local officials are touting as a regional shopping destination has begun to take shape in Southaven, where a site plan for the 37-acre development was submitted Thursday.

The Outlet Shops of the Mid-South, with 312,804 square feet of space, is planned for Church Road and Airways at Interstate 55. Officials say the development by Memphisbased Poag Lifestyle Centers and the Simkin Group will house more than 50 brand name and designer stores, though specific stores have not been identified.

“This site plan shows they are ready, and the next step on this is getting building plans and starting to move dirt,” said Southaven Planning Director Whitney Choat-Cook.

The Southaven Planning Commission is scheduled to review the site plan — which includes an application for a PUD amendment and signs, and a subdivision application that would divide the parcel into seven lots — at its Sept. 24 meeting.

The expected cost of the project is $50-$60 million.

Choat- Cook said there will be no access on Church Road. All access to the mall will be off Airways, with two planned signaled intersections at Plum Point and Airways, where there is currently a three-way stop, and another traffic signal farther south.

The site plan shows parking in a racetrack design, which is a circular loop with buildings situated on the interior, Choat-Cook said. She said the development will mirror outlet malls in Destin, Fla., and the Tanger Outlet in Foley, Ala.

Southaven Mayor Greg Davis said construction could start early next year and called the development “a true regional retail destination.”

“This type of regional outlet mall can only be supported in a large travel destination area, and the closest one to us is in Birmingham and Nashville,” Davis said. “From an economic standpoint, it means several millions of dollars a year to the tax coffers of the state of Mississippi and the city of Southaven. Plus, it will be another amenity for our residents to enjoy without having to leave the comforts of home.”

Last May, city and county officials laid the groundwork for the project when they approved a $15 million tax increment financing plan under which bonds will be issued to pay for the infrastructure.

“It offers an alternative, and now we will become a regional draw — not just for holiday shopping, but for everyday shopping,” Davis said.