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SALT LAKE CITY — Retail sales are up in the Beehive State according to a monthly snapshot. Sales tax numbers from March, the month City Creek opened, are now in for both Salt Lake City and the state of Utah, the numbers appear to be up across the board. Among large malls, City Creek Center is leading the way, but they're not the only ones in positive territory.
City Creek Center is bustling, with shoppers and diners coming in from all over.
"Yeah, so we came down, went to the Cheesecake Factory and ate there and then went shopping around after," said Maren Malan, a resident of Mountain Green. We usually make a lunch out of it also."
All those visits appear to be paying off for Salt Lake City's bottom line according to its budget director. Sales tax figures for March show revenues for the city are up 16% over the same month in 2011.
"We have seen encouraging sales tax numbers all year," said Gina Chamness, the Salt Lake City budget director."
Salt lake City as a whole: 16% Zip code 84103, which has City Creek and Gateway malls: 21% Valley Fair Mall: 14% Jordan Landing up 5% Fashion Place Mall up 12% South Town Mall up 5%.
According to the state tax commission, for the downtown zip code that includes both City Creek and Gateway malls, retail, entertainment and food sales are up 21%.
"Based on what our retailers have told us since we've opened, sales have exceeded their expectations," said Linda Wardell, general manager of City Creek Center. "This has really been across all categories of retail performance in the center."
Figures are up at other retail locations as well. For March, sales at Valley Fair Mall were up 14%, Jordan Landing up 5%, Fashion Place Mall up 12%, South Town Mall up 5%.
City and state budget officials say they're continuing to see steady growth.
"We're encouraged and hopeful that city creek is a big part of that," Chamness said. "But car sales are also a really large part of that number, both in the month of March and all year long."
