Nashville Mall Turns to Madame Tussauds to Draw Crowds

By Esther Fung 

Simon Property Group is hosting the nation's first Madame Tussauds in a shopping mall, part of the retail landlord's push to offer customers new experiences that go well beyond shopping.

The Madame Tussauds Nashville, located in the Opry Mills mall in Nashville, is a music-themed attraction that features 45 artists who have helped shape America's musical landscape, from Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars to Stevie Wonder and Johnny Cash.

The new location in Music City is the 22nd Madame Tussauds spot globally. Merlin Entertainment PLC, which owns and operates Madame Tussauds, previously had launched the attractions in overseas malls, including Shanghai and Bangkok.

The Nashville installment has taken up a 25,854-square-foot space that once was occupied by book retailer Barnes & Noble.

"The Mills and Simon properties offer tourists and locals alike an experience far beyond just shopping, including an array of dining and entertainment options," said Gregg Goodman, president of The Mills, a subsidiary of Simon Property.

Customers are encouraged to touch and take photos with the figures, as well as design a concert T-shirt and record a song.

Opry Mills, an outlet shopping center with more than 200 stores, including Forever 21 and H&M, in the spring is adding other retail stores such as Champs, Asics and New Balance.

Other mall landlords such as Triple Five Worldwide Group of Companies, which is developing the massive American Dream mall in New Jersey, are courting more entertainment-focused tenants.

Tenants such as KidsZania USA, an educational mini-city for children, and Crayola Experience, which offers live shows on how crayons are made in the factory, are increasingly sought after because they provide experiences that customers can't get online.

Write to Esther Fung at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 18, 2017 17:34 ET (21:34 GMT)

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