A shopping center has opened in Frýdek-Místek for 700 million CZK.

Frýda Shopping Center during construction; photo by nasemesto.fm

Frýdek-Místek - A new shopping center, Frýda, was opened today in Frýdek-Místek, with the construction costing around 700 million CZK. The center was built on the site of a former multi-purpose sports hall, which had been a landmark of the city for several decades. Its demolition sparked a wave of discontent among some experts and local residents, who tried to save the hall, which they considered a technical monument.
    The new shopping center, with a retail space of approximately 14,800 square meters, is 98 percent occupied. There are still five vacant rental units. According to the representative of the developer, Bohumil Mach, the center should be fully occupied by next spring. The company expects to recoup its investment in 12 years. It is estimated that it will take about two years for the center to fully ramp up and for people to get used to shopping there.
    The shopping center offers more than 60 stores. In addition to a supermarket and shops focused on services or fashion, it also includes restaurants, cafes, and a 5D cinema. "We believe that by opening the center, we will provide the residents of the city with convenient shopping for fashion brands and other products under one roof, which they previously had to travel to Ostrava for," said Mach.
    The construction of the center has created more than 200 jobs, which, according to the center's director, Petra Bujnošková, have primarily been filled by people living in Frýdek-Místek or the surrounding area.
    The center also features an underground parking lot for more than 570 cars, which will offer three hours of free parking on weekdays, and five hours of free parking on weekends. The center has a special facade system designed to achieve a twenty percent energy saving.
    In close proximity to the center, near the Ostravice River, the construction of a new multi-purpose sports hall, Polárka, is also nearing completion at a cost of 284 million CZK. It is expected to open to the public in December.