The first sod on the project for the setting of Rousse's biggest commercial center – Mall Rouse, was turned today. The ceremony was attended by regional governor Mariya Dimova and Rousse deputy mayor, Orlin Lazarov.

The project will be implemented by Real Estate Services Bulgaria (RESB), which is the investment company of Cinema City International and Ocif Group in Bulgaria, in partnership with local company Iris.

“Rousse continues to attract an increasing volume of investments. I believe that this project will bring about a positive change in the appearance of the city and in the standard of living of its citizens”, Dimova said.

Mall Rousse will be built on a 60,000 sq. m plot between Rousse's major boulevards Lipnik and Potsdam. The complex will have three above-ground floors with a total built-up area of over 51,000 sq. m. The complex will have a gross leasable area of over 35,500 sq. m, as well as a parking lot for 1,200 vehicles. The opening of Mall Rousse is slated for the beginning of 2010.

A total of 60% of the leasable area has already been rented out under long-term contracts with a duration of between 5 and 10 years.

Key tenants in Mall of Sofia and Mall Plovdiv are also represented in Mall Rousse. These include: Piccadilly (4,700 sq. m), Cinema City (3,000 sq. m), Technomarket (2,900 sq. m), Leonardo (1,000 sq. m), Happy (900 sq. m), Esprit (700 sq. m) and Ciela (490 sq. m). The entire gross leasable area is expected to be rented out until in the beginning of 2009.

The investments in the project are expected to top 85 mln euros, which will bring RESB's investments to over 300 mln euros, allocated in over 250,000 sq. m of commercial and office space. RESB completed successfully the Mall of Sofia project in June 2006 and currently works on Mall Plovdiv, Park Tower, Mall Rousse and Mall Stara Zagora projects.