Residents of Holladay no longer have to look at a vacant lot that was once home to the first indoor shopping mall in Utah. Since the Cottonwood Mall’s demolition in 2008, the area has been stuck in “development hell.”
Recently, The Howard Hughes Corporation, an entity of General Growth Properties, has finally announced that Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres has signed on as a major entertainment anchor at Cottonwood, a 57-acre mixed-use redevelopment. The upscale development – the first pedestrian-friendly environment in the affluent community – will feature a Smith’s Food & Drug store, shopping, dining, entertainment and offices in a “Town Square” style setting and multi-family residences when complete.
“We are pleased to welcome Utah’s top cinematic experience to the Cottonwood development,” said Grant Herlitz, President of The Howard Hughes Corporation. “The Megaplex will be part of a dynamic lineup of retail, dining and entertainment that will be an exceptional part of the Cottonwood transformation, serving the entire Salt Lake City market.”
Megaplex Theatres, recognized as Utah’s favorite choice for delivering the ultimate “dinner and a movie experience” to the entertainment marketplace, will open a 10-screen, 2,300-seat movie theater beneath the development’s iconic clock tower. Amenities will include a digital 2D/3D IMAX screen, state-of-the-art digital projection and audio systems throughout the facility along with luxurious VIP seating that has become synonymous with the Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres brand. Founded in 1999 by the late Larry H. Miller, Megaplex Theatres has grown from 70 screens in Utah to approximately 200 screens in Utah and Nevada in the past three years.
Guests will also enjoy Reserved Stadium Seating, premiere parties, special corporate events, a full-service dining hall where guests may take their snack and dining selections into the auditorium, ticketing kiosks as well as a wide selection of adaptive services for guests with special needs.
“The Larry H. Miller Group of Companies is committed to giving back to the community, and we anticipate creating nearly 100 full- and part-time jobs at the new Megaplex Theatres at Cottonwood,” said Blake Andersen, President of Megaplex Theatres. “We are thrilled to offer residents in this area of Salt Lake County easier access to the ‘Megaplex Difference.’”
The city of Holladay also hopes that new development will bring some much-needed foot traffic back to the Holladay/Cottonwood area to support smaller, local businesses.
