Extraordinary excitement at the opening of Multi Turkmall’s and Meinl’s Shopping & Lifestyle centre in the Turkish city of Trabzon; the largest retail development project (49,000 m² GLA) in the Black Sea region.
The festive opening ceremony was attended by thousands of flagwaving and cheering people. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the shopping centre that will give an immense boost to the economy of the region. “Forum Trabzon offers the highest standard of retail and leisure space. I personally embrace and compliment the companies that are responsible. It sets an example and demonstrates to all international companies that Turkey is a growth area in a stable economic situation, with a good investment climate”.
The centre provides 49,000 m² of retail and leisure space and features 170 shops. The complex has been constructed on a 72,000 m² site. The concept for Forum Trabzon’s architecture was inspired by the unique characteristics and icons of its surroundings. Forum Trabzon was developed by Multi Turkmall and co-invested by Multi Turkmall and Meinl European Land. Multi Turkmall Mall Management is responsible for the management of the centre. T+T Design in Gouda, the Netherlands served as the concept architects for this project.
VIP Opening
The VIP opening was held on June 20th and was attended by Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Prime Minister of Turkey, Faruk Nafiz Özak; Minister of Public Works and Settlement, Nuri Okutan; Governor of Trabzon, Mehmet Volkan Canalioglu; Mayor of Trabzon, Hans van Veggel; Chairman of Multi Corporation, Nico Veldhuis; Managing Director of Multi Development and Vice Chairman of Multi Turkmall, Levent Eyuboglu; Managing Driector of Multi Turkmall and Peter Weinzeirl; Executive Board Member of Meinl European Land.
The centre was opened to the public on 21 June 2008.
The Project
Forum Trabzon is located in Trabzon, which is one of Turkey’s most important tourist destinations. The city of Trabzon has a privileged status in the region owing to its colourful history, breathtaking nature and solid economic structure. Trabzon attracts visitors from throughout the entire region thanks to its range of historical site, including the well-known Sumela Monastery, and its exquisite natural beauty.
Forum Trabzon is ideally located with the new coastal express motorway, public parks and the Karadeniz Technical University all within the close vicinity. The centre is easily accessible from throughout the entire city and neighbouring areas. The main motorway and the new express road run just to the south and north of the new shopping and lifestyle centre.
The anchor retail outlets of the 49,000 m² GLA centre are Migros hypermarket, Koçtaş DIY, Cinebonus (Mars Entertainment) multi screen cinema complex, Boyner, Mudo, Marks&Spencer department stores, TeknoSA electronics store, YKM Sports store and L.C.Waikiki fashion store. Forum Trabzon includes 170 national and international brand-name shops, cafes, restaurants and entertainment facilities.
Forum Trabzon will provide a shopping experience that is enhanced through inner courts and galleries. It has a public park that is a perfect venue for festivals, concerts and special events. With its attractive multi-coloured and multi-dimensional facades and prominent lighthouse overlooking the Black Sea, the shopping centre is certain to become an important landmark and popular destination for the entire region. The concept design for Forum Trabzon was created
by the Dutch firm T+T Design and executed by the Portuguese company CPU and Turkish company ARUP.
Forum Trabzon enhances the region’s social, cultural and economic life
Forum Trabzon will attract visitors from all over the city and other nearby towns. It will add a new dimension to the existing retail market and is expected to contribute immensely to the city’s social and commercial life. Forum Trabzon is the largest shopping centre in the region and will provide employment opportunities for 2,000 people.