JENKS, Oklv. – Drivers and commuters who have driven down the Creek Turnpike within the past few years are well aware of the outlet mall construction project that has taken nearly a decade to complete. After many setbacks, the lot where the project was in arrested development for four years has now finally blossomed into the Tulsa Premium Outlets. Not only does the outlet mark the newest shopping attraction in the Tulsa area, it also marks the newest attraction on the Mvskoke Reservation. It is predominantly located just two miles south of the OneFire-owned Jenks Riverwalk. The grand opening for the facility was held on the morning of Thursday, Aug. 15.
Tribal dignitaries from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation including Principal Chief David Hill, Second Chief Del Beaver and National Council Speaker Randall Hicks were in attendance to celebrate the momentous economic development and share the tribe’s history along the Arkansas River. Chief Hill believes the new center will be beneficial to the reservation.
“I was blessed to give some remarks of our history along the Arkansas River and provide our vision for river development with Tulsa and Jenks,” Chief Hill said in a public statement. “Our partnerships in working together, will secure economic success and jobs for our future!”
Opening events included a $1,000 shopping spree, an Inspyral Circus Parade and a bubble show. Activities provided during the opening weekend will include a community mural project, glam stations, and a meet and greet with members of the Tulsa Oilers hockey team. The celebration will also feature live DJs, the band Drive and various radio personalities from K-Hits, K95.5 and Mix 96.5. Additionally each store will feature their own discounts, promotions and giveaways.
The mall hosts over 79 tenants including Abercrombie & Fitch, Cavender’s and Nike to name just a few. It features no shortage of clothing, shoes and accessory brands.
The outlet took a new approach in designing an environment for shoppers. This includes a main court with a fire pit and outdoor fountain, a local art showcase, and a play park for children.
Shoppers who work up an appetite from browsing will find traditional mall options like Los Cabos, Auntie Anne’s and Barbee Cookies. They will also find non-traditional mall options in the food truck village that offer options such as Andolini’s, Bondi Bowls and Afrikan Delights. Amenities provided at the facility include bike racks, atms, and mobile device charging stations.
The Journey to Opening
The idea for a new major outlet mall in Tulsa had been in the works since 2014. Initial plans involved building it near Turkey Mountain. Shortly after that, the City of Jenks announced that an outlet mall would be built near the Oklahoma Aquarium, south of the Creek Turnpike. Construction on the lot officially broke ground in 2020, just weeks before the Covid-19 global pandemic would shut down businesses across the United States, including Jenks. The project would be plagued for years with development setbacks before finally opening in 2024.
The outlet mall was built by the Simon Property Group, the same parent company that owns Woodland Hills in Tulsa and Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City.
This would not be Simon Property Group’s first project to experience arrested development woes in the Tulsa area. In the 1970s the group began construction on Eastland Mall, which was idealized as a less-crowded alternative to the goup’s popular Woodland Hills location in south Tulsa. Similar to the Tulsa Premium Outlet Mall, Eastland would see construction delays over the course of nearly a decade as well. Eastland finally opened in the 1980s, and became a successful shopping center until its decline in the mid 2000s. The facility was sold and eventually repurposed into a business park, the Eastgate Metroplex.
Other shopping malls across the country have seen economic decline in recent years as well. According to research conducted by Capital One Shopping, shopping malls have seen a 16.7% decline from 2017 to 2022. Some estimates indicate that there are fewer than 700 large shopping malls left in the U.S. Projections look more bleak, suggesting there may be fewer than 150 malls left in operation by 2032.
Based on the evolving consumer landscape, malls have undergone drastic changes to their approach to driving in foot traffic. Many centers like the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota and the Quail Springs Mall in Edmond, Oklahoma now offer attractions like indoor theme park rides, escape rooms, aquariums and miniature golf courses. The Simon Property Group previously announced that its Woodland Hills property would expand to build a SCHEELS sporting goods store, the first location to open in the state. This expansion will include an indoor ferris wheel, coffee shop and arcade.
Traffic Woes
While the Tulsa Premium Outlets’ opening has been a long time coming, its opening notably came on the same day of Jenks Public Schools’ first day of class. Some took to social media to voice their concerns for community safety. Regarding traffic delays, JPS released the following statement,
“Please allow extra time tomorrow morning and afternoon when dropping off and picking up your student. Expect some buses to be behind schedule as they navigate the traffic. Be patient and kind to each other on the road!”
To account for the increased volume of traffic, the Jenks Police Department provided extra officers on site during opening day.
In a public statement the City of Jenks commended the hard work it took across several administrations and departments to make the Tulsa Premium Outlets project come to fruition after many setbacks. The statement reads,
“None of this would be possible without our Jenks citizens, past and present City Councilors and Mayors, past and present state and local representatives, and our great partners at Simon Malls. HUGE thank you to the Jenks Chamber of Commerce and all our hard working employees: City Hall staff, Jenks Police Department, Jenks Fire Department, and Jenks Public Works. The dedication shown by our employees to successfully complete our part of this massive development has been outstanding.”
Those driving down the Creek turnpike will now see a completed shopping center with all the bells and whistles to accompany it. For those interested in the Tulsa Mall Outlets’ list of opening weekend activities visit their website.
