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A New Place To Shop In Pasco - It's Cause For Fireworks

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By KEVIN WIATROWSKI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 8, 2007

WESLEY CHAPEL - Developers of The Grove at Wesley Chapel plana weekend-long celebration to mark the formal opening of their plaza just north of County Road 54 on Oakley Boulevard.

Pittsburgh-based Echo Real Estate Services will cut the ribbon for its 800,000-square-foot lifestyle center at 10 a.m. Friday.

The grand opening will feature speeches by Bill Krahe, Echo's managing partner, and Ann Hildebrand, chairwoman of the Pasco County Board of Commissioners. Mary Jane Stanley, president of the Pasco Economic Development Council, also will speak.

The formal opening comes close on the heels of so-called "soft openings" by Best Buy, Toys R Us and Dick's Sporting Goods. All three retailers have quietly welcomed shoppers during the past week.
Toys R Us plans to hold its own opening ceremony for its store - a new model combining the company's flagship toy store and Babies R Us under one roof.

Work will continue on the bulk of the plaza, which will add restaurants, new shops and a 16-screen movie theater over the next six months.

Friday's visitors will have to thread carefully through the network of barricades marking as-yet unfinished road work on C.R. 54 and Oakley Boulevard.

The weekend schedule is:

•Friday: 10 a.m. opening ceremony followed by a fall carnival featuring music, face painters, unicyclists and balloon animals with fireworks after sunset. Toys R Us will have a ribbon cutting at 8 a.m. with Wesley Chapel Honorary Mayor Martine Duncan.

•Saturday: Fall festival with children's craft tent, ice cream and hot dogs and fireworks at day's end.

•Sunday: Veterans Day festivities will include free American flags for shoppers, music and refreshments.

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