Sanko Park is an enclosed shopping mall located in Gaziantep, Turkey. The largest enclosed mall in the region, construction of the US$160 million project began in 2007,SANKO Holding'den Alışveriş Merkezi, Haber27, November 14, 2008 and the centre opened in the spring of 2009., Aksam (in Turkish), January 28, 2009 (noting planned opening date of March 20, 2009.Gaziantep’e 160 milyon dolarlık AVM, Milliyet, April 17, 2009
Because of its location in southeastern Turkey, it draws a significant number of shoppers from nearby Syria.Syrians’ New Ardor for a Turkey Looking Eastward, The New York Times, July 24, 2010Turkey hopes to grow economic ties and influence within Middle East, The Washington Post, April 8, 2010 The mall is approximately a two-hour drive from Aleppo, the largest city in northern Syria. With the elimination of visa requirements for travel between Turkey and Syria in September 2009, the center saw the number of Syrian shoppers rise from approximately 3,000 per month to 50,000 by early 2010.Visa-free travel boosts Gaziantep economy, Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review, February 1, 2010
The four story structure has about of leasable space.Hakkimizda (About Us), sankopark.com, Retrieved July 26, 2010 Anchor tenants include a Carrefour hypermarket and Marks & Spencer, and the first floor features an ice rink.Ice rink photo, Photo gallery in Hürriyet, Accessed July 27, 2010
The center was developed by Rönesans Gayrimenkul (Renaissance Construction), a real estate concern that has developed a number of centers in the country.Shopping Centers Take Over Turkey, Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review, March 8, 2010
References
External links sankopark.com Photo gallery of mall published in Hürriyet