Shopping mall may<br>be built in Tusayan

TUSAYAN — It appears Tusa-yan will be the site of a new shopping mall, which would be located along the east side of State Route 64 across the highway from IMAX.

Although details have not yet been formally released, Regina Jaworski did say that "what's going on is our family is building a shopping mall there. It will probably break ground the first of the month (Dec. 1)," she said.

Tom Jaworski said he did not want to release any details because there were still too many uncertainties with the project. His wife echoed that statement.

"We aren't prepared at this time to share that information with the newspaper," she said.

Regina Jaworski did say the shopping mall will cover "the entire space between the Tourist Center and the Steakhouse.”

The Jaworskis are leasing the property from Elling Halvorson.

Bill Towler, director of community development for the county, said "that is the location of a big retail center that was approved by the commission at the end of September."

Towler said he believed the new structure will be two stories high with retail and possibly office space.

A rumor about a Marriott Hotel going up in Tusayan has been circulating. Jasamyn Ryans, a public relations employee at Marriott Inc., in New York, said "it's too early to tell if that would be a done deal. It's too far out to talk about it."

There’s no confirmation whether the possible Marriott would be part of the Jaworski project or elsewhere.

Tom Jaworski said he plans to share details of his project in a few weeks. The Jaworskis have been longtime businesspeople in the Tusayan area. They are owners of the Steakhouse and operators of the Halvorson-owned Tourist Center.