What then can a mall that originally opened in 1959 do to develop itself as a tourist destination? It already was the largest open-air mall in the world at almost 2 million square feet sitting on a 50-acre site. It featured great open spaces, garden areas, koi ponds, and an ever-increasing entertainment schedule. Major renovations had been completed and are continuing.
A main focus soon became offering more dining options. For daytime shoppers, the Lower Level food court was modernized and expanded. When I walked through it at about 4:30 p.m. it was jammed with shoppers and lots of teens hanging out after school. There were lots of choices for food and drink and plenty of tables, which is often an issue with food courts.
What GGP recognized was that the mall desperately needed a better variety of sit-down restaurants and they have been working very hard to expand the dining options. Ala Moana Center's 4th level was developed into a dining and entertainment area.
Where once the Aloha Tower Marketplace was the "in" place to meet for cocktails, pupus and entertainment, the Mai Tai Bar has become the current place to meet friends or co-workers in the late afternoon and evening. From 4:00 p.m. till after midnight they feature live music by some of Hawaii's most popular artists.
