The company said the center, to be completed by the thirdquarter of 2008, will have more than 50 stores and restaurants.Five of the main stores have already committed, including Target,Best Buy, The Home Depot, The Sports Authority and Ulta. The centeris already 86% committed, though some tenants haven't signed yet, aCousins spokesman tells GlobeSt.com.

"From location to design to anchor retailers, we couldn't askfor a better entry into the Kansas City market," said AlexChambers, director-central region of the company's retail division,in a statement. Cousins owns retail centers in Atlanta; Snellville,GA; Long Beach and San Jose, CA; Chesapeake, VA; Viera, FL; andMemphis, TN; as well as office and industrial buildings mostly inthe Atlanta area.

The spokesman says the area is growing, with demographicsattractive to retailers. "This is one of those regions of not onlyhigh population growth, but income growth as well," the spokesmansays. He said he could not comment on projected lease rates. Askingretail rents are expected to hit an average of $14.22 per sf by theend of the year, according to a second quarter Marcus &Millichap market report.