Circle Centre Mall tries new tactics to add business with Gen Con welcome

The Circle Centre Mall in downtown Indianapolis is making extra room for Gen Con fans, as uses for the space continue to evolve.

The mall will extend its hours until 11 p.m. through the weekend, and gaming tables and promotions have been added for convention attendees.

Sarah Curtis is from Pennsylvania and used the mall space on Thursday.

“I think it’s a good idea – I think people will come over and hang out especially since seating is limited at the convention center,” Curtis said.

About 75,000 people attend Gen Con, the largest tabletop game convention in the U.S.  The mall is undergoing changes after Simon Property sold the space and real estate firm JLL took over operations last year. 

Circle Centre Mall vice president and general manager Luke Aeschliman said it makes sense to benefit from the close proximity to the convention center.

“The mall naturally serves as an extension of the convention environment. Future redevelopment plans will most assuredly take that into consideration as we further enhance how downtown visitors and residents interact with our physical space,” Aeschliman said.

The Circle Centre Development Company, an investor cooperative, is in charge of finding reuse ideas for the 600,000 square-foot space. Large, empty department store space at the mall may be reworked to include more mixed uses.

Meanwhile, additional businesses have joined the original mall space. New stores have opened this year, including two new, minority and women-owned businesses.