Here’s a rundown of the better-known malls, past and present, in the Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga areas:
Rivergate Mall
Opened: October 1971
Owner: Hendon Properties (Georgia)
Size: 1,129,035 million square feet of leasable area (main structure, out-parcels); 514,894 square feet in the main structure; 80 stores and restaurants, four anchor sites
Current State: The mall was listed for sale by its owners in March. The listing revealed 67% of available space is leased. The sale price was not disclosed. The two occupied anchors, JCPenney and Dillard’s, own their property and are not included in the sale.
CoolSprings Galleria
Opened: August 1991
Owner: CBL Properties and TIAA-CREF
Size: 1,166,284 square feet of total retail space; 150 stores and services
Current State: Anchor stores include JCPenney, two Belk stores, H&M, American Girl, Ulta Beauty, Dillard’s, Forever 21 and Macy’s. The Cheesecake Factory also is a major tenant.
100 Oaks Mall
Opened: October 1967
Owner: An LLC affiliated with LaSalle Investment Management, Chicago (purchase price was $49.2 million in December 2006)
Size: 750,000 square feet with outparcels
Current State: The upper floor was converted to a medical center satellite facility operated by Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2008; the lower floors remain as retail with tenants including Michael’s, Kirkland’s and Petsmart.
The Mall at Green Hills
Opened: Original strip mall opened in 1955, enclosed mall in 1998.
Owner: Taubman Centers
Size: 1,053,000 square feet
Current State: The mall has three anchor tenants and 100 stores and services. Major and well-known retailers include Macy’s, Nordstrom, Tiffany’s and The Cheesecake Factory.
Harding Mall
Opened: 1966
Size: 232,500 square feet
Current State: Haring Mall was the first enclosed shopping center in Tennessee, and one of its anchor tenants was longtime Nashville retailer Castner Knott. The mall closed in 2005 and was demolished later that year. A Walmart Supercenter now occupies the site.
Opry Mills
Opened: May 2000
Owner: Simon Property Group (originally developed by Gaylord Entertainment Co. and The Mills Corp.)
Size: 1,168,641 square feet of retail space
Current State: 13 of 14 anchor stores are occupied, with 178 stores in total on the property. Major tenants include Regal Cinemas, Madame Tussauds. Sun & Ski Sports, Bass Pro Shops and Dave & Buster’s.
Knoxville
West Town Mall
Opened: August 1972
Owner: Simon Property Group
Size: 1,339,000 square feet
Current State: More than 150 stores, including Dillard’s, Belk, Dick’s House of Sport, JCPenney, The Cheesecake Factory, H&M, Coach, Sephora, Cinebarre (former Regal Cinema site) and Williams-Sonoma.
East Towne Mall/Knoxville Center
Opened: 1984
Owner: Knoxville Partners LLC
Size: 964,000
Current Occupancy: None; demolished in 2021. Now the site of a planned Amazon Fulfillment Center.
Chattanooga
Hamilton Place Mall
Opened: August 1987
Owner: CBL & Associates Properties
Size: 1,170,712 square feet, (retail floor area)
Current State: More than 200 stores and services, including Dillard’s, Belk, JCPenney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dave & Busters
Northgate Mall
Opened: March 1972
Owner: CBL & Associates Properties
Size: 820,000 square feet
Current State: Space for 60 stores, currently Belk occupies one of the four anchor sites (Sears and JC Penney occupied the vacant anchors).