A 60-year-old shopping mall in Burlington County is gearing up for some big changes after voters approved an unusual ballot question on Election Day.
The successful referendum in Moorestown will allow the Moorestown Mall to bring in businesses that offer games of chance or skill.
The voters overturned a 1962 vote in which Moorestown opted out of the New Jersey State Amusement Games Licensing Law that would have allowed games of chance or skill in the township.
More than 66% of voters approved the change Nov. 7, with 3,578 in support and 1,832 opposed, according to the official results.
Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie, who supported the referendum, said it will open the door to businesses with amusement games, but not gambling. The ballot question listed several possible uses, including laser tag, arcade game rooms and virtual reality games.
PREIT, the publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns the mall, has not specified any prospective new businesses.
“We are thrilled we can continue to move forward with the planned redevelopment of Moorestown Mall into a vibrant destination for the entire community. Transforming the mall into a community hub filled with entertainment, dining, shopping, and residential will create an exciting new venue for Moorestown,” Joe Coradino, CEO of PREIT, said in a statement to NJ Advance Media.
The Moorestown Mall is seeking to make changes as traditional shopping malls continue to contend with the loss of business to online retailers, vacancies exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving consumer preferences.
Lord & Taylor — once a thriving department store chain, now an online retailer — had been among the mall’s anchor stores prior to closing in 2020.
Asked why nearly a third of voters opposed the question, Gillespie said some local voters refused to accept that the change would not result in gambling and others thought, mistakenly, that it would lead to additional liquor sales.
The mayor said approving the referendum would not raise taxes but will boost revenues for the mall, currently the township’s second-largest taxpayer behind only Lockheed Martin, the defense contractor.
“The goal is — it’s going to turn into sort of a mixed-use town center,” Gillespie said of the mall.
The Moorestown Mall describes itself on its website as a destination retail hub with national and local retailers and a range of dining options. Shops at the mall include Bath & Body Works, Five Below, H&M, Michaels, HomeSense, Sierra, Victoria’s Secret, Champs, Hot Topic and Daily Thread.
“While we will share more specifics on the new tenant in the near future, this next phase will generate new jobs, tax revenue, and economic growth for the township,” Coradino said.
The referendum also had the support of the Moorestown Business Association.
Moorestown is located about 14 miles from Philadelphia and is home to about 21,000 residents.
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Rob Jennings may be reached at [email protected].
