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Pharrell, Oceanfront developer Bruce Thompson among those competing for Military Circle Mall redevelopment in Norfolk

  • Sarah Fearing

    • NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The City of Norfolk has selected four groups to submit their plans to redevelop the Military Circle Mall property.

    Those four groups include various entertainment, construction, concert producer companies — including music artist Pharrell, Oceanfront Cavalier Marriott developer Bruce Thompson, the Garcia Companies, S.B. Ballard Construction, Live Nation, NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith’s real estate company and more.


    The announcement from Norfolk came on Tuesday.

    In November, the city’s Economic Development Authority issued a request for qualifications for the mall’s redevelopment following their combined $13.4 million purchase of the long vacant DoubleTree Hotel and The Gallery at Military Circle Mall earlier in the year.

    The RFQ process was the first part of a two-phase selection process for a redeveloper. Through the RFQ, the city would be able to pre-qualify groups for the project.

    The city hopes the development will create a “mixed-use community” and “walkable neighborhood.”

    However, the presence of at least one concert operator and music artist Pharrell on the list indicates the redevelopment could involve entertainment opportunities as well.

    Three-quarters of the “finalist” groups have partners with histories of operating large arenas, including ASM Global, Live Nation and Spectra.

    Included in one of the four groups, the “Norfolk Next” group has Andrea Kilmer and The Garcia Companies — the company behind the failed City of Virginia Beach arena proposal.

    During a trial over the project’s fallout last year, Kilmer said they’d “still like to build an arena.”

    An arena is on the “to-do” list for the region. In 2020, Virginia General Assembly created the Hampton Roads Regional Arena Authority, calling for a 15,000-seat arena in either Norfolk, Chesapeake, or Virginia Beach.

    Currently, Norfolk’s Scope is the largest arena in the region. While it has recently been home to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Basketball Tournament, it’s less than 11,000-person seating capacity limits the acts that come.

    “The City has been aggressive in pursuing the redevelopment of this corridor in a way that will benefit the entire Hampton Roads region. The location provides direct access the entire Southside and we are excited to continue to move forward with this redevelopment project,” said Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander in a prepared statement in a city news release.

    Here are the four individual groups:

    Stay with WAVY.com for updates on this developing story.