COLUMBIA -The Columbia Mall has three big projects on its radar including Dillard's Men's, a Hilton Hotel and Level Up Entertainment.
Dillard's will be opening a second location in the mall, replacing the former Sears store.
It will be called Dillard's Men's and will house the men's, children's and home departments of the store. It's set to open in Spring or early first quarter of 2020.
Columbia City Council approved the rezoning and re-platting of the former Sears building at their meeting on Monday.
Council Member Mike Trapp explained that the re-platting process separates the former Sears store from the mall.
"The mall was one giant parcel of land and we carved out the old Sears location to be its own parcel, so then that will facilitate the mall selling the Sears location to Dillard's," Trapp said.
Columbia Mall general manager Rusty Strodtman said the new Dillard's store will create space for new brands and products that they didn't have room for before.
The mall is also working through the city process to bring a hotel to the parking lot, according to Strodtman.
"It'd be a brand new four story hotel, a Hilton product, and it would be opening probably fall of 2020 if we are able to get through the city process," he said.
Level Up Entertainment will be opening a 30,000 square foot entertainment space on November 1st.
"It's got 12 bowling lanes, laser tag, two-story ropes course, arcade games," Strodtman said.
Although the mall is excited about the expansion and new projects, some shoppers are confused about having two Dillards stores in one mall.
"I don't get why they need two of them but we will see if men shop at that new one," One Dillards shopper said.
