INDIANAPOLIS (WXIN/NEXSTAR) – Simon Property Group plans to reopen malls across the country between Friday and Monday, the nation’s largest mall owner said in a news release.
Simon posted the release to its website after CNBC obtained a company memo detailing the reopening schedule and planned safety measures.
Workers will be required to wear masks while customers will be strongly encouraged to wear them. CDC-approved masks and hand sanitizing packets will be available for shoppers by request. Employees, contractors and vendors will be required to screen themselves for a fever or other symptoms before coming to work.
Mall workers will regularly sanitize high-touch areas like food court tables, escalators and doorknobs. Retailers are encouraged to do the same.
Simon will take several steps to maintain social distancing, including taping over every other sink and urinal, putting down stickers to direct foot traffic flow, limiting seating in the food court and closing play areas and drinking fountains.
Locations will have a limited number of entrances and customer-traffic-measuring technology will monitor the number of people inside.
While the malls themselves plan to reopen, it will be up to individual retailers to decide if they want to follow suit.
Business hours will be limited to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The malls will close early so they can be cleaned overnight.
Simon announced temporary closures of its locations on March 18 as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S.
See the reopening schedule below (locations with asterisks were previously announced):
May 1
Alaska
· Anchorage 5th Ave.
Arkansas
· McCain*
Georgia
· Calhoun Outlet Marketplace
· Lenox Square
· Mall of Georgia/Village Shops
· North Georgia PO
· Phipps Plaza
· Sugarloaf Mills
· Town Center at Cobb
Mississippi
· Gulfport PO
Oklahoma
· Penn Square Mall*
· Woodland Hills Mall*
South Carolina
· Gaffney Outlet Marketplace*
· Haywood*
Tennessee
· West Town Mall
Texas
· Allen PO
· Barton Creek
· Broadway Square
· Cielo Vista
· Firewheel Town Center
· Grande Prairie PO
· Grapevine Mills
· Houston Galleria
· Houston PO
· Ingram Park Mall
· Katy Mills
· La Plaza Mall
· Lakeline Mall
· Midland Park Mall
· North East Mall
· Rio Grande Valley PO
· Round Rock PO
· San Marcos PO
· Shops at Clearfork
· The Domain
· University Park Village
May 2
Indiana
· Castleton Square
· Circle Centre Mall
· College Mall
· Fashion Mall at Keystone
· Greenwood Park Mall
· Hamilton Town Center
· Indiana PO
· Lighthouse Place PO
· Tippecanoe Mall
· University Park Mall
May 4
Missouri
· Battlefield Mall
· St. Louis PO
· Osage Outlet Marketplace
