Madrid, Spain - July 14th 2010
Sonae Sierra receives Spanish Shopping Centre Association award
- The AECC awards the Plaza Mayor Shopping Centre with the prize for "Best Expansion of a Shopping Centre".
Sonae Sierra has once more been distinguished by the Spanish Shopping Association (AECC), this time in the Best Expansion category. This year's edition of the AECC prizes, given to the most outstanding shopping centres in Spain, were awarded as part of the 12th Spanish Congress of Shopping Centres, held in Bilbao.
Plaza Mayor is located on the outskirts of Malaga. The new expansion, opened in October 2008, completes the centre's leisure offer, which was inaugurated in 2002, adding fashion shops, services and a supermarket. The expansion, an investment of €58 million, is located in an independent building, connected to the existing leisure area via pedestrian walkways. On inauguration, it already had a occupancy rate of 100%, while visitor numbers to the Plaza Mayor Shopping Centre increased from 6.2 million in 2008 to 9.5 million in 2009.
Inspired by traditional Andalusian architecture, the new area evokes the atmosphere of a Mediterranean village, with narrow streets, squares, balconies, tiled roofs, parks and fountains. The life and colour of Malaga infuse the area, with fountains and pools, a thousand new trees and shady areas for visitors to relax.) The Shopping centre has the OSHAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety certificate and was certified under the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard during the construction process.
Plaza Mayor had already been honoured by the AECC in 2004, for "Best New Formula in Integrated Commerce". In the 2008 edition, Sonae Sierra was presented with the best Charity Action prize for the "Smiles against Hunger" campaign and, in 2006; the Luz del Tajo Shopping Centre received the "Best Large-Scale Shopping Centre" award.
Also 2010, Sonae Sierra was distinguished, among other awards, with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) award for its refurbishment of the Valecenter in Venice, Italy.
About Sonae Sierra
Sonae Sierra, www.sonaesierra.com , is an international shopping centre specialist, with a passion for bringing innovation and excitement to the shopping centre industry. The Company owns 52 Shopping Centres in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Romania and Brazil, with a total Gross Lettable Area (GLA) of more than 2 million m2. The Company is also present in Colombia since June 2010. Currently, Sonae Sierra has 2 projects under construction and 9 new projects in different phases of completion in Portugal, Italy, Germany, Greece, Romania and Brazil. In 2009 our Shopping Centres had more than 436 million visits.