Being developed by General Growth Properties, Summerlin Centre will be located northeast of the intersection of the 215 Beltway and Sahara Avenue. The 100-acre development will combine 1.4 million sf of retail shopping and dining with office space, a hotel and residences. An adjoining 300 acres that already includes the new Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa will consist primarily of residential development.

The Nordstrom at Summerlin Centre will be the retailer's second full-line store in Nevada. The retailer opened a store at Fashion Show Mall -- another General Growth-owned- and-managed shopping center -- in 2002. Nordstrom also operates one of its Rack outlet stores in Las Vegas.

Nordstrom president Erik Nordstrom says the decision to open another store in the Las Vegas area was an "easy decision" because "the city continues to grow, and our store at Fashion Show has done very well over the last four years."

General Growth says is will officially break ground for Summerlin Centre "within weeks," at which time it expects to be able to announce additional anchor stores. Company chief executive John Bucksbaum says the signing of Nordstrom "accelerates our progress toward opening day." A grand opening is scheduled for spring 2009.

Development of Summerlin began in 1990 and is scheduled for completion in 2020. The master developer is Howard Hughes Corp., which was acquired by GGP in 2004. Currently, more than 92,000 people live in 37,000 homes and apartments in Summerlin, which includes 19 schools, nine golf courses, a dozen houses of worship, about 100 parks and a 120-mile Summerlin Trail. In addition to the 1.4 million sf of retail, Summerlin Centre will include 5,500 housing units, a 250-room four-star hotel and at least one million sf of office space.