KUALA LUMPUR: IKano Centres is expanding in the northern area with the addition of Decathlon's stand-alone flagship store at Klippa Shopping Centre, which is situated inside the Klippa mixed-use development in Batu Kawan, Penang,
The ground-breaking ceremony for the 20,000-square-foot Decathlon store was held two weeks ago, marking the start of construction.
Ikano Centres said it is investing RM20 million in its development.
This will be Decathlon's third store after the ones located in MyTOWN Shopping Centre and Toppen Shopping Centre.
Arnoud Bakker, the commercial director of Ikano Centers, said that the addition of Decathlon broadens the retail selection and especially customises it to meet the demands of the rapidly expanding Batu Kawan population.
"The ceremony marks the beginning of another chapter in Klippa's development, contributing to our aim of being the heart and hub of the Batu Kawan township, located in Aspen Vision City.
"Our commitment to expanding our portfolio and Klippa itself is unwavering. We are on a continuous journey of growth," he said.
The 51-acre Klippa mixed-use project features a total gross build area of 6.5 million square feet and a total gross development value (GDV) of RM3.5 billion.
In addition to the current 660,000 square feet of retail space, future mixed-use developments are currently under development and will provide an additional 800,000 square feet of shopping centre area.
With an estimated GDV of RM1 billion, the retail portion of the project is anticipated to add roughly 300 new tenants to the current numbers.
"At Klippa, we've already opened a wide array of offerings, including a full-fledged grocery store, soon a petrol station, more food and beverage outlets, and other amenities that have become integral parts of the community's daily life.
"In line with Klippa's phased-development approach, this expansion focuses on creating offerings that are relevant to the growing community rather than constructing spaces solely to fill vacancies.
"With a 99 per cent occupancy rate in the initial phases of Klippa, we are confident in moving forward with the next phases of development. This is just the beginning," Bakker said.
Klippa's master plan also includes residential units, with intentions to develop around 4,000 to 4,500 units.
The whole development is expected to be completed within a span of six to nine years.
Adding to the retail excitement is the Soccer Experience @ Klippa Batu Kawan, powered by IKEA.
This endeavour aims to encourage a healthy lifestyle among communities in the northern region while creating connections with football enthusiasts of various age groups, similar to Decathlon.
Covering around 170,000 square feet of land, the area comprises two pitches, featuring an 11-aside open field and a 7-aside covered field, accompanied by a clubhouse equipped with facilities.