DORAL, Fla. – The city of Doral, hoping to be a new hot spot for those looking for a delicious dish or a shopping spree, had a grand opening Friday for CityPlace.
"CityPlace, as you can see behind me -- this is the entertainment circle and this is where all the action happens," Related Development CEO Steve Patterson told Local 10 News reporter Todd Tongen. "This is where the fun happens, and then we have Boutique Boulevard, which you can see straight down this line with the palm trees."
It has been five years in the making, but at a cost of $800 million, the much anticipated CityPlace Doral is finally open.
The mixed-use development will eventually have 2,000 residents, office space and 40 stores, equaling 235,000 square feet of retail spaces. The urban village concept is not new, but CityPlace has taken it to a new level with boutique shopping, eateries, entertainment and an ice cream and candy shop.
A $4 million fountain features preprogrammed shows, similar to the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
The city of Doral has long been a transient community, but downtown Doral and urban villages, like CityPlace, are hoping to change that.
"There (are) over 100,000 daytime jobs in Doral, but only 50,000 people live here, and traffic is an issue because everybody is leaving town at the same time," Patterson said. "These urban villages -- they create density clusters outside of the main city and a lifestyle for people here in Doral."