Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) concessions and development company MarketPlace Development has been recognised by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) with a Gold MAXI award in the ’NOI Enhancement’ category.

 

This recognises properties that have ’significantly enhanced net operating income’ for their centres. MarketPlace Development manages Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) which operates Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

 

MWAA hired MarketPlace Development in 2013 to lease, manage and market its two concession programmes at Washington’s Airports and redevelop 90% of the retail and F&B offerings within 36 months. As part of this and to generate interest and educate prospective tenants about opportunities within this sharp timeframe, MarketPlace Development implemented a series of Leasing Outreach Forums.

 

Sidney Woods, MarketPlace Development’s Marketing Director at IAD commented: “The leasing outreach forums solved a unique challenge as we sought to attract the industry’s most experienced airport operators, along with the most sought after local, regional and national brands.

 

 

IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES

“These forums allowed us to bring together operators and brands in an informative setting that encouraged dialogue and clearly identified varied opportunities at both airports.”

 

Some of the new tenants include Burberry, Michael Kors, Tumi, Bar Symon, Chef Geoff’s and Carrabba’s Italian Grill at IAD. At DCA, new concessions include Spanx, Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, Ben’s Chili Bowl, &pizza, Taylor Gourmet and American Tap Room.

 

“It’s a privilege to be acknowledged by ICSC in such an innovative, hard-working industry as ours,” said Kimberly Baldy, MarketPlace Development’s Marketing Director at DCA. “We’re absolutely honoured and with two phases of construction completed and the third underway, we will continue to work with our programme partners on delivering an exceptional food and retail concessions program for Washington, D.C.’s airports.”

 

The ICSC awards were held earlier this month during a ceremony at RECon 2015, the world’s largest retail real estate convention held in Las Vegas.