Another 84,000 square feet of retail space will be added to the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport in spring 2019 as construction begins on the commercial precinct's second phase. The European-style open-air shopping complex in Richmond has welcomed nearly ten million shoppers since opening in July 2015.

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport, image by Flickr user GoToVan via Creative Commons

The expansion will bring up to 35 new luxury, premium and lifestyle brands to the centre, resulting in the creation of 400 jobs in the construction and retail sectors. It will latch onto the east side of the existing centre, and continue the design language established across the first phase, with piazzas, cobblestone walkways and multifarious facades featured throughout the space. 

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport, image by Flickr user GoToVan via Creative Commons

Robert Thurlow, general manager of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport, says the centre has become a key retail destination in Metro Vancouver, and one of Canada's best performing malls. The complex is intertwined with Vancouver International Airport in several ways, most obvious of which is the free Canada Line shuttling guests between the two locations in three minutes. The centre also caters to a global clientele by employing multilingual staff, real-time flight information displays, free charging stations, and a free luggage locker facility. 

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport, image by Flickr user GoToVan via Creative Commons

The second phase forms part of McArthurGlen Group's plan to develop over 1.6 million square feet of retail space across its 24-centre portfolio over the next three years. McArthurGlen Group is Europe's leading owner, developer and manager of designer outlets. Founded in 1993, the company manages McArthurGlen Designer Outlets in nine countries.