A regional mall's development process : a case study of East Towne Mall

The purpose of this study was to analyze the development process of a regional retail center. Because such a project can completely alter the character of an area, its development process should be understood in detail by the planners whose community will be impacted. A complete understanding of what issues should be addressed and who is responsible for such decisions is needed by the planner if the resulting problems of uncontrolled growth are to be dealt with in a responsible manner.

East Towne Mall in Knoxville, Tennessee, was chosen as the case study example of a regional retail center's development process. East Towne had been in operation for one year at the time of this study, and, as a result, the various processes conducted during its development were readily ascertainable.

The method of analysis included personal and telephone interviews of both the primary public and private sector actors involved in East Towne's development. Such interviews were conducted in order to obtain information necessary for a complete understanding of East Towne's development process. The research also included a literature review which established the framework for the thesis.

The study disclosed the public and private sector's involvement in the process; who made what decisions; how the two sectors interacted and coordinated activities; and how the public sector influenced the decisions made. These findings and additional conclusions are in the final chapter of this study.