Planning commission hears proposal for Main Event at former Sears in Towne East; staff recommended approval

Garrett Langford, planning staff with the Mesquite Planning and Zoning Commission, presented item 4, an application (C0325-0390) for a conditional use permit to allow a family entertainment center (Main Event) in the former Sears building at 1738 North Town East Boulevard (also cited as 3000 East Town East Mall).

The staff report said the proposed Main Event would occupy about 58,000 square feet of the first floor of a building the presentation estimated at roughly 200,000 square feet overall, on an 18-acre site. The applicant described planned uses as a full-service restaurant, bowling, laser tag, arcade games (an estimate of about 130 games), party rooms and other recreational activities. Garrett Langford told the commission that staff believes the request meets the conditional-use criteria and recommended approval.

Steve Meyer, a representative of SRB Mesquite LLC, identified himself as the property owner’s representative and said the project is the first phase of a longer redevelopment of the Towne East Mall Sears site. Meyer told the commission the owners are negotiating leases for the ground floor (including Main Event and a proposed sit-down restaurant he named as Vedora) and pursuing a planned development (PD) overlay and replat for outparcels. Meyer described the overall redevelopment as approximately a $30,000,000 private investment and said the owner has been working with city planning staff on site…