Mall comes out of its shell
Jonesboro Sun
Grover Welch
3/29/2006
JONESBORO -- Willie Nelson, Nicole Kidman, Cher, Joan Rivers and Marilyn Monroe -- or reasonable facsimiles thereof -- came out to welcome guests to the grand opening gala at The MALL AT TURTLE CREEK on Tuesday night.
The celebrity impersonators and the red carpet added a splash of style to the Hollywood-style event that gave Jonesboro a black-tie peek inside Northeast Arkansas' new shopping mall.
Ticketholders paid $100 apiece to attend the 2-hour event hosted by the mall.
The event kicked off with guests arriving on an red carpet and greeted by "Joan Rivers."
"It is so great to be here in Jonesboro for this premiere event," the celebrity impersonator told attendees.
"It is incredible," she joked. "I come with every one of these red carpets. It's part of a promotional gig my agent got me."
"Rivers" worked the carpet and hosted the evening's events designed to emulate the glitzy and glamorous style of the Academy Awards, said Bruce Burrow, mall developer and partner in MBC Holdings.
"The whole event is just going great," he said. "The guests all feel pampered and it is a great way to showcase a mall that we built to be the shining star of retail in the area."
Shane Holcomb attended with his wife Holly, an employee at MBC Holdings. Holcomb said that despite all the celebrity impersonators, no one could outshine Burrow and his wife at the event.
"He's grinning ear to ear," Holcomb said. "This is the end of a very long road for Bruce, and we are just looking around at it, amazed by the size and beauty."
The gala raised money to benefit the St. Bernard's Charitable Foundation. Early estimates suggested nearly 500 attended, Burrow said.
Paul Bookout, former state representative, said the event was "a long time coming."
"It is an incredible achievement for the area," he added.
The mall impressed many in the community, said Richard Benesh, director of St. Bernard's Village.
"The mall is marvelous," he said. "Everyone is just taken aback when they come into this center court and look up and down the aisles."
Many attending the event were anxious to spend money in the new mall.
"I brought money with me tonight," said Markham Howe, the director of university communications at Arkansas State University. "My wife and I have been anxiously waiting to see inside the mall, and to spend our money here. It is incredible what this will do for the city."
Attorney General Mike Beebe, in town for the gala opening, said the mall's scale seems like something from a large city.
"It is amazing to walk through these incredible halls and see the stores and the grandeur of this mall and realize we're still in Arkansas," the gubernatorial candidate said.
The gala featured a performance by the celebrity impersonators. They entertained the crowd with a variety of musical standards.
Two simultaneous events, one at Dillard's and one at Barnes & Noble, added to the evening's festivities.
"Barnes & Noble is excited to be here in Jonesboro," said Lindsey Moore, community relations manager. "This evening is all about letting our friends and families in to see the store, and raise some money to benefit the Literacy League of Jonesboro."
An estimated 300 people passed through the new book seller in three hours.
A portion of all sales at the Dillard's store went to help local schools. Staff at the store would not comment on attendance.
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