New England Development celebrated today the Opening of the Outlets of Des Moines, an open-air lifestyle destination in Altoona, Iowa, and the region’s first outlet center. A drum roll, burst of confetti and ceremonial ribbon cutting welcomed thousands of area residents and visitors eager to shop at the outlet center.
As New England Development’s newest shopping destination, Outlets of Des Moines brings a diverse array of popular fashion retailers sure to excite regional and local shoppers. The center includes nationally renowned stores such as ASICS, Nike Factory Store, Express Factory Store, francesca’s, LOFT Outlet, Converse, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour, Vera Bradley, Levi’s, Brooks Brothers, and Le Creuset – just to name a few.
The Oct. 20 ribbon cutting featured elected officials, dignitaries and business leaders including the honorable Kim Reynolds, Governor of Iowa; Mayor Pro Tem of Altoona, Dean O’Connor; New England Development Chairman, Stephen Karp; New England Development President, Douglass Karp; Outlets of Des Moines General Manager, TJ Just; Altoona Chamber Executive Vice President, Melissa Horton; Altoona Honorary Mayor, Jeanie Conkling; Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau President Greg Edwards; Greater Des Moines Partnership CEO Jay Byers; Developer of The Shoppes at Prairie Crossing, where Outlets of Des Moines is located, Heart of America President and CEO, Mike Whalen.
Douglass Karp expressed New England Development’s enthusiasm about opening the company’s newest outlet center in central Iowa, a region that attracts more than 3 million annual visitors and thanked the many people involved in bringing the project to fruition.
“I’m thrilled to be here today to celebrate the opening of Outlets of Des Moines with my colleagues from New England Development and the many people who have helped make this day possible,” Karp said. “We truly appreciate the vision of the community leaders, dedication of the construction crews, and the stores and employees who made it possible for us to open the region’s first outlet center here in Iowa. Together, we have created an exciting destination that will serve the shopping needs of local and regional residents, help attract thousands of visitors to central Iowa, provide hundreds of employment opportunities, and generate a significant economic impact at both local and state levels.”
“New England Development had many choices when it came to where they could invest, but they chose Iowa,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said. “The positive economic impact began a couple years ago with the construction phase, providing about 500 jobs. Another 800 jobs will be created for people hired at the center. The Outlets of Des Moines are expected to generate about $100 million in annual retail sales and $6 million in sales tax at full occupancy. Iowa is proud to be New England Development’s first Midwest center. We appreciate the vote of confidence in our state’s economic vitality.”
“Just as in business, one of the most powerful elements of success in a community is positive momentum,” said Dean O’Connor, Altoona Mayor Pro Tem. “We, too, are grateful to New England Development for selecting Altoona for this outlet center and creating yet another wave of momentum for our region as an entertainment and shopping destination. These are truly exciting times!”
##
About Outlets of Des Moines
Real Brands. Unreal Savings. Save up to 70 percent off on America’s most desired brands at Outlets of Des Moines, an open-air lifestyle destination developed by New England Development. Discover such popular stores as Converse, Express Factory Store, francesca’s, LOFT Outlet, Nike Factory Store, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour, and Vera Bradley.
Located at 801 Bass Pro Drive, NW in Altoona, Iowa, from I-80 west take exit 141 and from I-80 east take exit 142. It is also served by public transportation. DART’s Route 17 service to Altoona has been extended to Outlets of Des Moines. Visit www.RideDart.com for schedule details.
Visit www.OutletsofDesMoines.com for a full directory listing and follow Outlets of Des Moines on Facebook @OutletsofDesMoines, Twitter @OutletsofDSM, and Instagram @OutletsofDSM.
About New England Development
For over 40 years, New England Development has taken a creative, entrepreneurial approach to real estate development and management, delivering and sustaining successful projects across a wide range of property types and across the country. New England Development’s growing portfolio of retail projects includes an exciting mix of outlet centers including Outlets of Des Moines in Altoona, IA; Asheville Outlets in Asheville, North Carolina; Clarksburg Premium Outlets in Clarksburg, Maryland; Outlets of Little Rock in Little Rock, Arkansas; and Palm Beach Outlets in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Grand Opening photo attached from left to right:
Michael Whalen, Heart of America; Jeanie Conkling, City of Altoona Mayor; Stephen Karp, Chairman, New England Development; Douglass Karp
President, New England Development; TJ Just, Outlets of Des Moines GM; Kim Reynolds, State of Iowa Governor; Dean O’Connor, City of Altoona Mayor Pro Tem; Jay Byers, Greater Des Moines Partnership; Greg Edwards, Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Melissa Horton, Altoona Chamber of Commerce.
