Downtown Summerlin: Does It Live Up to All the Hoopla It Created?

By Sabrina Siracusa. 

Seemingly overnight Downtown Summerlin was erected. But in reality the project was started by General Growth Properties back in 2008. It spun development into the Howard Hughes Corporation and in the middle of 2013, construction started for the first phase of the master plan for Downtown Summerlin.

For many years, locals were stuck with an eyesore and little hope of seeing anything more than steel beams sticking out of a large plot of dry desert land. But all of that changed in 2014 when construction went fast forward and the excitement of what could be the greatest mall in Las Vegas kicked up. Downtown Summerlin had its grand opening on October 9, 2014. But one of the main questions still seems to be: Has it lived up to great expectations? And will it survive and thrive among all its competitors?

In the Middle of Summerlin

Located in the Summerlin community, right off the 215/Sahara and along a bus route, Downtown Summerlin is easy to access and gives locals the opportunity to shop at a variety of stores without having to cross the Strip. This is a welcome relief for many locals who don’t always want to be surrounded by crowds of tourists, or deal with the congested traffic on the Strip and crowded parking lots.

Among the 125 stores, you can find high-end stores such as Macy’s and Dillard’s, but you can turn the corner and shop at more affordable retailors such as Forever 21. There are countless places to eat, sit for a while and people watch. The weekly Farmer’s Market recently started in March 2015 and may just be worth the drive to Downtown Summerlin.

What you won’t find in Downtown Summerlin are the overly pushy kiosks workers that have taken over most malls in Las Vegas. People who shop at Downtown Summerlin seem to enjoy a more relaxed environment. It’s no surprise as many Summerlin locals are California transplants who moved out here for better opportunities, favorable taxes, and affordable housing, but who want to stay away from the neon lifestyle.

What People Are Saying

The reviews for Downtown Summerlin are mostly good. Originally, locals were put off by the fact that not all stores and restaurants were open during the grand opening. But, more recently shoppers like what they see. Some of the comments found on review sites such as Yelp include positive comments about the variety of the stores and restaurants opening, no crowds, ample parking. Some have even commented on how “pretty” the mall looks.

 The one possible negative and frequent comment from Las Vegans is that the mall seems to be a bit far from where they live. But with so many other shopping venues in Las Vegas, that comment is to be expected. For many Las Vegans, the Strip will always be considered the central hub and their first choice for shopping, food, and entertainment.

What the Future Holds

Downtown Summerlin seems to be in sync with the growth of Summerlin, and Las Vegas in general. It’s expanding with new phases for additional housing and office space. People expecting a completed project may not exactly “get” Downtown Summerlin. But they need to understand that downtowns in most major cities took many decades to build and are constantly changing.

One of the challenges for Downtown Summerlin will be to pull locals away from the many other malls available around or on the Strip. It will need to create an experience that will compete with what people can find on the Strip. If it can accomplish this, then the future may be very bright for Downtown Summerlin as it continues to grow with the rest of the Summerlin community.

More information on Downtown Summerlin can be found at www.downtownsummerlin.com