World Market Center Construction, Phase One, Ahead of Schedule

Furniture World Magazine

Construction of World Market Center is ahead of schedule, with the exterior of the 1.3 million square-foot building starting to take shape, 230 showrooms in design and development, and October marking the “topping off” of the 10th floor of the facility. Furthermore, construction permits have been obtained for tenant improvements in individual showrooms on the first few floors; tenant work has already begun in these spaces and will continue floor by floor. More than half of the tenants in the entire building have completed their showroom design and architectural process. “The vast majority of our permanent exhibitors are going all-out and really putting together some incredible showrooms for the Las Vegas Market,” said Tenant Improvement Director Jim Reding. “Our exhibitors are taking full advantage of this unique opportunity to build their showrooms from the ground up, and it’s exciting to see fresh ideas and inspiration across the board. Next July, their buyers are going to be very impressed.” The most popular upgrades include additional glass frontage, wet bar facilities, interior walls, and upgraded finishes. These tenant improvements are going to be a very important part of what sets this Market apart from anything the industry has seen, according to Las Vegas Market officials. “We’ve established a unique approach to our TI program, in terms of assembling a Design/Build Team to take care of all the tenants’ needs – from design and architecture to permitting and construction. This enables the tenants to be very creative in their build-outs and maximize their efficiencies,” said Reding.  “This process of meeting the unique needs of each tenant has proven to be a very successful model as our exhibitors are able to communicate their concepts, approve preliminary layouts and cost estimates, and approve final construction documents and construction bids,” he added. To further ease this process, The City of Las Vegas Office of Business Development is also developing a specialized program to assist World Market Center tenants in obtaining their necessary business licenses. This program will include helpful information on incorporating in Nevada, which many tenants have expressed interest in doing since the state offers a number of unique economic advantages for small and large businesses.   Completion of the first building and tenant build-outs is expected by May 2005. Phase One will feature 230 permanent showrooms showcasing furniture, decorative accessories, lighting, area rugs, and related segments, as well as a Design Center open year-round to members of the trade.  The first Las Vegas Market will be held from July 25-29, 2005. Buyers can now pre-register on-line at www.LasVegasMarket.com. Phase One tenants can reach Jim Reding at jreding@LasVegasMarket.com.  For leasing information on future phases, contact Babs or Russell Blair at (888) 416-8600 or Julie Schwartz at (214) 234-0122.