That big red building that’s been growing for more than a year off the side of Frisco’s Stonebriar Centre is KidZania, and it’s almost finished. So is the taller glass tower under construction next to it, a Hyatt Hotel.
Both additions on the north side of the mall are among the reasons that Stonebriar is finishing its second decade as an example of how a still-thriving suburban shopping center can stay relevant in a disrupted retail environment.
KidZania, a children’s-size town where role-playing is the experience, plans to open before Thanksgiving. The 80,000-square-foot town is being turned over to staff this week. They’ll begin moving into KidZania’s 55 buildings, which include stores, a bank, a TV station, an aviation academy, restaurants, an optometrist, a hospital, a university, a theater and a fire station. About 300 people have been hired, and the total workforce is expected to reach 500.
An 18-story Hyatt Hotel attached to the mall plans to open in April with 303 rooms, two ballrooms (13,000 square feet and 4,200 square feet) and several meeting spaces. It’s working with KidZania on creating packages since the mall, already popular with families in Collin County, expects to become an out-of-towner destination, too.
The Frisco KidZania is the first location in the U.S., “but it’s already a proven concept around the world,” said Daniel Moon, vice president and general counsel for Sam Moon Group, which owns the Hyatt that’s under construction. Depending on the market, developer and local incentives, a KidZania could cost $30 million to $50 million.
The Frisco KidZania is the first location in the U.S., “but it’s already a proven concept around the world,” said Daniel Moon, vice president and general counsel for Sam Moon Group, which owns the Hyatt that’s under construction. Depending on the market, developer and local incentives, a KidZania could cost $30 million to $50 million.
