Local investor group identified as mall's new owner

The new owner of West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau has been identified as a group of area investors calling themselves River City Centre LLC.

The mall was sold in late June in an online auction for nearly $9.8 million. Transaction fees charged by the auction company brought the final price tag to $9,940,972.

However, the identity of the ownership group was not revealed until Monday afternoon in a news release from CBL Properties, the mall’s management company.

Although River City Centre has been announced as the mall’s new ownership group, the names of those involved in the group have not been released.

“I’m not sure how much information they’re ready to release yet,” said mall manager Christy Easley. She did indicate, though, the group is comprised of investors who are “local to our area.”

A source at the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office told the Southeast Missourian that River City Centre registered with the state July 9. According to the registration documents, the group’s registered agent and organizer is Lucas M. Haley and the group has listed its address as 407 N. Kingshighway, Suite 400, in Cape Girardeau.

The Missourian texted Haley but as of late Monday afternoon he had not responded.

According to the news release from CBL Properties, the people associated with River City Centre are “investors who have spent their entire lives utilizing the mall.”

“Right now, I think their plan is to take a really good look at the property, step back and evaluate everything,” said Easley, who has met with representatives of the ownership group.

As of now, CBL will continue to manage the mall.

“It is business as usual at this point,” Easley said.

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