– The first VivoCity mall in China has secured over 80% of committed occupancy to-date
– The 62,500 sqm mall features 150 shops ranging from food & beverage outlets to fashion lifestyle shops and a five-star cinema

China – VivoCity Xi’an officially opens its doors to the consumers of Xi’an today. With great fanfare, the mall celebrates its grand opening on a strong note with more than 80% of committed tenant occupancy (by net lettable area).The celebratory event was graced by Mr Lu Menghu, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Xi’an People’s Congress and Mr Dong Jinwei, Mayor of Xi’an Beilin District, as well as Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman of Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd.

The development of VivoCity Xi’an was undertaken by Mapletree India China (“MIC”) Fund, a private real estate fund sponsored by Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd (“Mapletree”), which conceptualised and developed the largest retail and lifestyle destination VivoCity mall in Singapore. VivoCity Xi’an is Mapletree’s first VivoCity mall to debut outside Singapore.

Auspicious opening marked by strong occupancy

VivoCity Xi’an is proud to bring a new shopping experience to the increasingly sophisticated populace of Xi’an. The mall’s innovative layout and robust retail strategy have successfully garnered over 80% of committed tenant occupancy to-date. Spanning 62,500 square metres (sqm) in gross floor area, VivoCity Xi’an features 150 shops, with approximately 25% of the retail space being taken by international brand names. This is in line with the mall’s retail strategy to serve the needs of the increasingly cosmopolitan lifestyle of Xi’an’s consumers, while a good 75% are popular local brand names which will cater to local tastes and preferences. As further testimony of its attractiveness, VivoCity Xi’an has drawn several new-to-market brands to Xi’an such as H&M, Orange Sky Golden Harvest, GXG 1978 and Quiksilver.

VivoCity Debuts in Xi’an with Great Fanfare

The event was cheered by a lion dance performance to inaugurate the official opening of the mall. Orange Sky Golden Harvest also celebrated its grand opening today, with a special appearance by Singaporean singer and song writer, Huang Yida (黄义达).

The grand opening celebrations will last from 18 October to 20 November, with a slew of entertainment such as a concert starring popular local artiste Allen Su (苏醒), street dance performances, street buskers, talent search, fashion parade, band performance and an exciting pack of fun-filled activities and attractive promotions with participating retailers.

Mapletree’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Hiew Yoon Khong said: “Mapletree has a long-term interest in China. This maiden venture of our VivoCity brand in China underscores our confidence in this country’s economic fundamentals. We believe the growing affluence of China’s western region will fuel growth of the retail business in Xi’an. This is evidenced by the strong take up of retail space in VivoCity Xi’an as well as the encouraging footfall numbers since the mall’s soft opening.”

VivoCity – Striking a chord with Xi’an consumers

Soft opened in April this year, VivoCity Xi’an has to-date attracted more than 1.4 million visitors. As part of Future City, a 200,000 sqm residential and retail mixed-use development undertaken by MIC Fund which was set up in 2008, VivoCity Xi’an introduces an innovative retail concept matching the modern needs of today’s consumers. Adopting the key success attributes of the award-winning VivoCity in Singapore, the mall integrates the ingredients of a cosmopolitan lifestyle experience, while localising its offerings to meet the tastes of Xi’an consumers.

Embracing a retail mix that homes in on shopping, entertainment and leisure and tailored as a lifestyle retail destination for families as well as the young and trendy, the mall was resourcefully equipped with both hardware and software to reflect this positioning.

First, VivoCity Xi’an differentiates its design and layout with a more innovative use of space, providing a 20,000 sqm outdoor landscape area for multiple leisure options such as a pit-stop or meeting hub for shoppers, as well as roomier interiors for year-round events and a more comfortable shopping experience. Family-friendly features such as barrier free access and nursing rooms for mothers were deliberately incorporated, while strollers and wheelchairs are on hand for the convenience of its visitors.

Complementing these is the distinctive software that further defines the VivoCity experience. The mall has established a comprehensive range of retailers and services catering to the demographics of its shoppers. They range from Mango, H&M and JNBY which bring a touch of high fashion to the mall to a five-star cinema. The mall’s interesting spectrum of food and beverage options from all over the world will leave visitors spoiled for choice. In addition, VivoCity Xi’an staffs itself with a customer-focused crew who are always on hand to make your day and just as important, a packed calendar year of festive events and activities further aims to give its visitors a true-to-life encounter of the VivoCity experience.

Ms Joanna Lee, General Manager of Xi’an Ya Jian Real Estate Development Co., Ltd., manager of VivoCity Xi’an said: “In recent years, the retail landscape in Xi’an has been evolving. Having a good tenant mix and a sound mall management strategy that encapsulate our mall positioning which appeals to the modern consumers’ tastes is increasingly important. VivoCity Xi’an brings a dynamic mix of retail elements, a showcase of international and local brand names within one destination to invigorate our retail offering and differentiate our mall in today’s competitive retail market. Above these, we are counting on our proven retail management capabilities to drive traffic to our mall and to constantly appeal to shoppers.”

The mall’s anchor tenants also spared no effort to greet visitors with their exciting product range. Clad in its refreshingly chic and sophisticated interior furnishing, the 2,000 sqm Orange Sky Golden Harvest Cineplex at VivoCity Xi’an is Orange Sky Golden Harvest’s first five-star cinema in the bustling city. The Cineplex has seven movie halls with a total sitting capacity of 1,000. Leading fashion retailer H&M which similarly debuted not only in Xi’an but also in Shaanxi province with its first 1,600 sqm outlet in VivoCity is located on the ground floor, while Century Ginwa EPIN Life Supermarket, a well-known local brand familiar to residents in Xi’an offers a gourmet spread of local and imported range of wine, food and beverage in its 4,150 sqm supermarket.

Giving Back to the Xi’an Community

In commemoration of the official opening of VivoCity Xi’an and to foster engagement with the local community, Mapletree pledged a RMB1 million donation to Xidian University which is near the mall. The donation, which will be disbursed over five years, will go towards assisting financially-constrained students in their tertiary education. The contribution seeks to assist the underprivileged students with the necessary educational skill sets to contribute to the growth of Xi’an.