Macerich, one of the nation’s largest owners, operators and developers of regional shopping centers, Tuesday, May 5, 2009, marked a key milestone for Santa Monica Place and announced its plans to open the new retail and dining destination on Aug. 6, 2010, alongside the new Bloomingdale’s.

“We launched construction just over a year ago to begin transforming Santa Monica Place from an enclosed, old-style mall into a modern, open-air center with fresh retail offerings and a spectacular rooftop Dining Deck with views of the ocean,” said Randy Brant, Executive Vice President, Real Estate, for Macerich. “The center is making terrific progress, and we plan to open the new Santa Monica Place on Aug. 6, 2010, along with Bloomingdale’s and a wide array of high-quality specialty retailers and chef-driven restaurants.

“With Nordstrom opening just a few weeks after Bloomingdale’s and Santa Monica Place are introduced, our guests can look forward to an exciting month full of exceptional debut experiences. August in Santa Monica is prime time for tourists, who, along with affluent local residents and the vibrant local business community, are an important target shopper base for the new Santa Monica Place,” added Brant.

In addition to Bloomingdale’s, which selected Santa Monica Place as the site of its first SoHo concept store outside Manhattan, and Nordstrom, retailers signed on for the project include Arthur, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Coach, Ed Hardy, Ilori, Joe’s Jeans, Love Culture, Kitson, Michael Brandon, R.O.C. Republic of Couture, Shuz and True Religion, as well as Artevo, a technology-driven art gallery.

The urban beach environment at Santa Monica Place is a major focus of the experience, which is keyed to the property’s signature indoor/outdoor rooftop Dining Deck featuring ocean views and a carefully selected set of chef-driven restaurants and quick-casual dining options. Already announced restaurants include two concepts from nationally recognized restaurateur Richard Sandoval, Zengo and La Sandia, plus Pizza Antica, Ozumo Sushi, and XINO Restaurant + Lounge.

Santa Monica Place, which officially launched construction in April 2008, with a high-profile “Demo Day” celebration, is a three-level, open-air, approximately 550,000-square-foot retail and dining destination located just two blocks from the beach and adjacent to the popular Third Street Promenade.

Macerich is a fully integrated self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. The company is the sole general partner and owns an 87% ownership interest in The Macerich Partnership, L.P. Macerich now owns approximately 76 million square feet of gross leaseable area consisting primarily of interests in 72 regional malls. Additional information about Macerich can be obtained from the Company’s Web site at www.macerich.com.

(top) Mariachi Estrella de Jalisco, performs at Virginia Avenue Park during Cinco de Mayo Fiesta and Classic Car Show on Sunday, May 03, 2009. (above) Carlos Barajas, 52,grooms his 1946 Chevy Fleetmaster during Cinco de Mayo Fiesta and Classic Car Show at Virginia Avenue Parkon Sunday, May 03, 2009.

(1) First-grader Nell Kerndt makes a card for her mother during Santa Monica Library’s "The Living Room Project" on Saturday, May 2, 2009. (2) Mitch and his son Isiah, 4, make Mother Day cards during the Living Room Project. (3) James Ghaffari, 20 months, plays Tic-Tac-Toe with his mother Lohne during the Living Room Project. (4) Anita Nepus, 90, hula hoop during the Living Room Project (5) Hoopnotica gives a class to children during the Living Room Project. (6) Henri Blits, 59, gives an uppercut to Robin Davidson, 52, while boxing on Wii Fit during Santa Monica Library’s "The Living Room Project" on Saturday, May 2, 2009. Blits knocked-out Davidson in the third round.

Activities during Santa Monica Library’s Living Room Project included live music, hula hooping, yoga, a film screening, a Mother’s Day card workshop, and a dance class. The Living Room project is designed to help adults rediscover the library as their community center, a place to connect, get active, and learn. The Living Room promotes the idea that adults can meet for lifelong learning and social connections in the comfort of the community library. Santa Monica Public Library is an environment where adults can keep learning, and where they can create and nurture an active lifestyle. "The Living Room” was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

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Athletes run south on Barnard Way during the  Santa Monica Classic 5K on Sunday, May 03, 2009. The race finishes at the Santa Monica Pier. The run  benefits Heal the Bay.

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(top) Competitors begin the 11th Annual Gumball 3000 Rally from Santa Monica Beach on Saturday, May 2, 2009. (above) Cat Bailey looks inside of a Buick Rivera at Santa Monica Beach.

The Gumball 3000 is an annual 3000 mile international rally which takes place on public roads, with a different 3000 mile route around the world each year. This year 120 cars will drive 3000 miles traveling from Santa Monica through Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Santa Fe, Dallas, New Orleans and ending in Miami on Friday 8th May.

Gumball 3000 Rally are officially working with the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organisation benefiting and raising awareness for the needs of severely injured United States Service men and women. Wounded Warrior representatives will be present throughout the event as well as partnering with Gumball 3000 at forthcoming events and fundraisers.

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Hiroshima performs at the Broad Stage during Santa Monica College's 10th Annual Asian/Pacific Islander Celebrationon Friday,May 1, 2009. Since Hiroshima's inception in 1980, the group has assumed the artistic mission of bridging cultural divides through the power of music. Hiroshima has borrowed from numerous cultures - Asian, Latin American, African American and more - and merged these influences into a unique and innovative whole that is solely their own. The result is a brand of music that speaks to nearly every aspect of contemporary culture.

The blue 13 dance company performs Bollywood Delicious at The Broad Stage during a press conference announcing the 2009-2010 Second Season for the Broads Stage at Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 30, 2009. The 2009-2010 spans 81 performance, between September 2009 and May 2010, and includes Broadway and theatre, as well as the return of chamber music, jazz, world music, baroque, dance, opera/voice; and family and educational programs.

(left to right) Dale Franzen, Director of The Broad Stage and Broad Stage Artistic Chair Dustin Hoffman talk with actors Hattie Winston, James Cromwell and cast from 'Jane Austen Unscripted' about their craft after a press conference announcing the 2009-2010 Second Season for the Broads Stage at Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 30, 2009. The 2009-2010 season spans 81 performance, between September 2009 and May 2010, and includes Broadway and theatre, as well as the return of chamber music, jazz, world music, baroque, dance, opera/voice; and family and educational programs. Legendary Mikhail Baryshnikov will be opening the Second Season of The Broad Stage with a tour de force performance of unforgettable artistry and passion. Joined by prima ballerina Ana Laguna, the program features two U.S. premieres of dances by Alexei Ratmansky and Benjamin Millepied.

“The Broad Stage is a place where emerging artists may play large, and established artists may play small,” explains Dustin Hoffman, Chair, Artistic Advisory Committee, “where exploration of the edge is encouraged and supported, and the community experiences art outside the rails of commerciality.”

“Our mission is to bring established and emerging performing artists from all over the world and give them the freedom to do what they do best,” adds Dale Franzen. “The artists have responded brilliantly! For 2009-2010, our second season, we’ve added Theater, Jazz, Opera, World Music, and Broadway series and greatly increased the number of performances on both our stages from 40 to 81. There’s excitement surrounding our sophomore season, with opening night and open-air parties, free community concerts and legendary artists stepping out in ways we rarely, if ever, see. On top of that, we’ve got a free parking lot, ticket prices as low as $20 and ocean breezes,” says Franzen.