Bldg. B opens in Las Vegas, more to come

By Jenny Heinzen York -- Home Accents Today, 2/1/2007

Even as the founders of the World Market Center were celebrating the grand opening of their second building, construction on the third phase is already under way and plans for the fourth building were announced.

Building C will open in July 2008, and ground will be broken on Building D in the fourth quarter of 2007, WMC officials announced at a press conference during the show. Building C will offer 2.1 million square feet, with focuses on higher-end furniture, lighting and rugs. It is one-third leased, officials said.

According to Ron Wackrow, a managing partner with WMC and The Related Companies, this overlap is intentional to speed along the process and to demonstrate to the furniture industry WMC's ongoing commitment to live up to its promises.

"We will overlap the start of future projects prior to the completion of the previous phase," Wackrow said. "This plan will carry us through eight buildings, 12 million square feet and a completion date of 2013 or sooner."

The dates of the two upcoming shows, as well as the locations for the temporary venues at each, also were revealed. In July of this year, the show will be held July 30-Aug. 3, with the temps to be located at the Sands Expo Center.

The January 2008 dates are Jan. 28–Feb. 1 with the temporaries at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

During the event, it was announced that the show surpassed all of its previous registration figures.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman told the crowd of press and VIPs that the World Market Center has been a true blessing to the city of Las Vegas, which learned after 9/11 that it needed to have more than just gaming to offer visitors.

He said that all the WMC partners asked the city for "was to embrace us."

"From that embrace came this idea that has transformed this community," Goodman said.

Jack Kashani, managing partner of WMC, said he and his colleagues were committed to making the master plan a reality.

"The World Market Center team will do whatever it takes to make a better and larger furniture market."