Developer Says Arlington Killed Plans to Turn Six Flags Mall Into Hispanic Shopping Center (Updated)

[TexasTowelie]

Since its anchor stores began moving out in the late 1990s, followed by all but a couple of other tenants, the empty storefronts and weed-sprouted parking lots of Six Flags Mall have become little more than a haunt for camera-wielding, dead-mall fetishists. It's not completely dead -- a Dillard's outlet still operates there, as does a Cinemark movie theater -- but almost.

But where some saw an outdated eyesore, G.L. "Buck" Harris, an affable furniture and antiques dealer from Fort Worth, saw opportunity. Late last year, he snapped up 364,000 square feet of the mall, which included the shops and food court and one of the four anchor stores. The plan was to renovate the building, now called Plaza Central, and transform it into a shopping center targeting Hispanics.

"God led me," he told the Dallas Business Journal.

Harris did his due diligence before making the reported $5 million purchase. He met with city officials who he says assured him he would run into no permit or zoning issues before renovations.

More at http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/08/developer_says_arlington_kille.php .

[font color=green]The 76-year-old man screwed up and has filed a lawsuit against the city of Arlington.[/font]

[ceonupe]

1. I call BS on this guy

He tried the same thing in Charlotte NC.

His whole goal was to get the city to pay for his renovations and conversin plus tax breaks.

He did not have te money to do anything with the properties but leverage his cash to get loans to buy them. Ultimately Charlotte nc bought the property from him when It became clear he had no fundig to do what he claimed and was really looking for the city to pay for it.

This guy thought playing the Hispanic business / market card would get him hookups on public money to make him richer.

[dem in texas]

2. Arlington has the same mentality as Farmers Branch

I remember when Arlington was going to have a vote for mass transit on the ballot. Citizen council representatives were on the radio talking about "those People" who would come to Arlington if mass transit went in. It was voted down. Heaven forbid they approve a mall for "those people".

[dem in texas]

3. The mall is an eyesore

If they can't use it for a Hispanic shopping mall, they should tear it down, but save the beautiful tile mural on the old Foley's store.

[ceonupe]

4. Your falling for the trap

This is not about Hispanic anything.

This about a guy who bought part of a property and did not follow the rules. Then was advised of the rules again and ran out of money to comply with them.

This guy has a history and thought he could flip this property or convert it on the tax payers dime. Nothing stops him from bring his portion up to code and getting it refined to support the type of business he wants to have there he just did not understand how much it would cost or thought the city would pay to help him get to that point.

He never had the money to buy the other 3 anchor properties so he wantEd the city to buy those for him to make his process easier.

Similar thing happened in Charlotte NC woh east point mall.