Source: Cirque du Soleil
In an extreme step for retailtainment, Cirque du Soleil, famed for its jaw-dropping acrobatic spectacles found in Las Vegas, plans to open “family entertainment centres” in malls.
In a statement, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group said guests at the centers, called Creactive, can try circus and dance activities, bungee jumping, aerial parkour, wire and trampolines, mask designing and juggling. The indoor spaces will average 24,000 square feet.
“Our fans regularly express their wish to experience Cirque du Soleil from an insider’s perspective, to peek behind the curtain and imagine themselves stepping into our artists’ shoes,” said Marie-Josée Lamy, Cirque du Soleil Producer of CREACTIVE.
The program builds on the success of Club Med CREACTIVE by Cirque Du Soleil at Club Med locations in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and Opio. The traveling performance group’s release stated that mall developers worldwide are looking to “offer entertainment experiences that turn malls into holistic destinations.”
The first center will be opened in a partnership with Montreal-based Ivanhoé Cambridge in a mall in the Greater Toronto area in September 2019. Discussions are underway with Ivanhoé Cambridge about other locations in Canada as well as with other partners for international markets.
Claude Sirois, president, retail at Ivanhoé Cambridge, said, “CREACTIVE is perfectly aligned with our vision for the future of retail: to join forces with the right partners to offer innovative experiences for the benefits of local families and communities.”
The initiative comes as mall traffic continues to suffer with the shift to online selling. Traditional department store anchors have lost their effectiveness as traffic drivers, and spaces are opening as stores and anchors depart malls.
Many malls have been clustering restaurants, adding upscale movie theaters or bringing in periodic fashion shows, concerts and other events to answer a desire for more “experiences” as part of the shopping visit. Cirque du Soleil’s mall venture appears to be more closely in line with the indoor playgrounds, climbing gyms, trampoline parks and other recreational tenants arriving at some malls. Such ventures generally pay lower rent than retail tenants.
- Cirque du Soleil entertainment group to launch family entertainment centres – Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group
- Cirque to open in malls – Castanet
- Cirque du Soleil Is Coming Soon to a Shopping Mall Near You – National Real Estate Investor
- Indoor playgrounds, trampoline parks and places in Phoenix kids can play and stay cool – azcentral
- Shopping Centers Eye Climbing – Climbing Business Journal