CHANDLER, AZ — Harkins Theatres has signed on to open an "entertainment concept" at Chandler Fashion Center, ABC15 has learned.
While little is known about what the concept will involve or what it will be called, it is slated to take over the upper level of the former Sears department store located on the southwest side of the mall, confirmed Jennifer Campbell, senior manager of marketing for Chandler Fashion Center, in an email to ABC15.
The new concept will be in addition to the Harkins movie theater that is already there, she said.
The deal itself was briefly announced last week during Macerich's fourth-quarter earnings call with investors (you can listen to the call, here). Macerich manages several malls and shopping centers in the Phoenix area, including Chandler Fashion Center, Scottsdale Fashion Square, Arrowhead Towne Center, and Biltmore Fashion Park.
In an email to ABC15, a spokesperson for the Scottsdale-based movie theater chain said they did not have any details to share.
"Pre-leasing of these redevelopment spaces (former Sears stores) have progressed well, including a recent signing of a new entertainment concept from Harkins Theatres at Chandler Fashion Center," Thomas E. O'Hern, the chief executive officer at Macerich, said during the investor call. He did not go into detail about the project.
According to the "Form 8-K" filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the redevelopment of the Sears store is not expected to be completed until late next year or potentially into the second half of 2021.
The remainder of the Sears space would be redeveloped for "future retail uses," according to the form, but other than mentioning the Harkins project, it did not mention any other tenants.
The form also said that the former Sears store at Arrowhead Towne Center would be redeveloped. (A Form 8-K is a "current report" that companies must file with the SEC "to announce major events that shareholders should know about," according to the SEC.)
In May, Crayola Experience opened a 20,000-square-foot attraction at the Chandler mall near the food court. In August, Chandler Fashion Center announced that Potato Corner, Dough Licious Desserts, Pinkberry, and Haagen-Dazs would all open locations at the mall, along with clothing stores, Evereve and Aerie.
