CentralWorld
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| CentralWorld | |
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| Mall facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | Rama 1 Road, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand |
| Opening date | 1990 (Central World Plaza), 2005 (Central World Tower) |
| Developer | Wang Petchaboon |
| Management | Central Group |
| Owner | Central Group |
| Total retail floor area | 550,000m2 |
| No. of floors | 8 (CentralWorld), 51 (The Offices at CentralWorld) |
| Website | www.centralworld.co.th |
CentralWorld is a large shopping mall and office complex in Bangkok owned by the Central Group. In 2006, after three years of design and renovation, the expanded, 550,000-square-meter mall was opened, topping its nearby rival Siam Paragon in terms of size. The mall is the largest shopping center in Southeast Asia and larger than Hong Kong's Ocean Terminal.
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[edit] History
[edit] World Trade Center
Originally called the World Trade Center, the eight-story mall was opened in 1990. The Central Group acquired the property in 2002 from the Wang Petchaboon group and soon thereafter renamed it CentralWorld. It is on Crown Property Bureau land. In its acquisition, the Central Group's property development arm, Central Pattana Plc, secured a new 30-year lease on the site. [1]
[edit] Mall renovations
Anticipating the opening of the luxury Siam Paragon, Central Pattana started massive renovations and expansion on the site in 2003. The original mall structure was 300,000 square meters. The expansion plans boosted that to 550,000 square meters. Though the work hadn't yet been completed, Central held an official opening of the renovated complex on July 21, 2006, and it was expected to be fully operational by October 2006. However, as of December 2006, construction was still ongoing and portions of the newly built retail areas were not yet open. Major exterior construction is ongoing on the hotel situated in the northwest corner of the mall.
The renovated complex aims to attract 150,000 customers per day, purchasing more than 7 billion baht annually. It is marketing itself as a middle class shopping destination, opposed to the upper class-marketed Siam Paragon. [2] [3] Further plans call for a convention center and hotel at the site.
[edit] The Offices at CentralWorld
The renovations included completing an unfinished office tower, on which work had been halted in 1999. Only 39 of the total 63 floors had been completed. Construction was resumed in early 2003 with a new 51-floor, 204-meter design. The completed Central World Tower opened in 2005. [4]
[edit] Location
CentralWorld is located in Pathum Wan district at the Ratchaprasong Intersection in one of Bangkok's busiest shopping and tourism districts. Gaysorn and BigC Ratchadamri are opposite the shopping center on Ratchadamri Road, as is the Erawan Shrine. Amarin Plaza and the Central Chit Lom department store are nearby, as are Siam Paragon, Siam Center, MBK Center, Platinum Fashion Mall, and Pantip Plaza.
[edit] Transportation
- Bangkok Skytrain - CentralWorld is located between Chit Lom and Siam stations. An elevated walkway has been built between the two stations to facilitate foot traffic. Central World also can be accessed via Gaysorn and a pedestrian overpass.
- Khlong Saen Saeb - Pratu Nam pier is about a 5-minute walk.
[edit] Facilities
[edit] Anchors
- Isetan - A branch of Japanese department store chain.
- Zen - A department store run by the Central Retail Corporation.
[edit] Retail shops
There are more than 300 retail shops, among them a King Power Duty Free shop. As of the renovated mall's grand opening in July 2006, 60% of retail space was occupied, though 90% is expected to be filled by the time the mall becomes fully operational in October 2006.
[edit] Movie theaters
- Major Cineplex operates a six-screen multiplex on the seventh floor.
- SF Cinema City is building a 15-screen multiplex, due to open in December 2006 and is to be called SF World Cinemas or "SFX CentralWorld" SF Cinema City Website.
[edit] Leisure activities
- Golden Pin - A 24-lane bowling alley on the eighth floor.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Jitpleecheep, Sukanya. "Plenty of new offerings in store", Bangkok Post Year-End 2002 Economic Review (retrieved July 21, 2006).
- ^ Nguyen, Lan Anh (July 21, 2006). "Unfinished Central World to hold grand opening", ThaiDay (print edition).
- ^ Thai News Agency (July 21, 2006). Thailand's largest shopping complex Central World opens July 21, MCOT (retrieved July 22, 2003).
- ^ Bangkok Highrises - Central World Tower
