Distrito T-Mobile pumping $1M+ into venue upgrades, leasing space
Distrito T-Mobile, an entertainment and retail complex in San Juan’s Miramar sector, is receiving more than $1 million in improvements, including preparing the retail space for new tenants.
In an interview with News is my Business, Francisco Mariani, general manager of the venue, which opened in April 2021, said the goal this year is to grow the number of visitors from nearly 3.1 million in 2023 to more than 3.4 million in 2024.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in visitors, the majority of which are locals. We also get many outside tourists visiting and so we need to find a way to make our entertainment options to please both groups and make everything incredible for them,” said Mariani. “We have many goals and are always looking to do things differently and change things up every year.”
To bump up the number of visitors, Distrito T-Mobile works in partnership with hotels, the Puerto Rico Tourism Co., Discover Puerto Rico, and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, among other efforts. The venue also works with the airlines – specifically those serving international destinations such as Spain, Colombia, and Canada – as well as cruise ship operators to “increase visibility.”
“We depend on all of them to make the experience unique for our visitors,” Mariani added.
Nelia Villanueva, director of sales, marketing and communications at Distrito T-Mobile, confirmed that partnerships are also a key component to the venue’s expansion.
Late last year, Distrito T-Mobile added Rones de Puerto Rico to its partner roster, which Villanueva said has already generated “innovative experiences” for visitors.
“This allows them to have a direct opportunity to talk about the different brands under Rones de Puerto Rico, and a way to do that is by integrating product activations during our events,” she said, noting as an example the government entity’s participation in the Caribbean Baseball Classic earlier in the year.
Villanueva added that the venue is pursuing other potential partnerships, in sectors such as automotive and education, that “benefit the brands,” but there is nothing concrete yet.
$1M investment underway
As part of its growth strategy, Distrito T-Mobile is pumping about $300,000 into a new lighting system for its central Popular Plaza, “to set the scene in another way,” Mariani said.
Investments are also being made to prepare commercial space for offices on the second level, where there is about 25,000 square feet available for leasing.
“We have around 13,000 square feet of office space that is move-in-ready or concept spaces that can be developed into offices or studios, which are tech-forward,” said Mariani. “We’re open to suggestions for the spaces that are move-in-ready, ranging from 5,973 square feet to 8,000 square feet.”
As for the retail aspect, Mariani said a new concept will join Distrito T-Mobile in early May.
“People will love it. It’s a multiconcept store that will offer clothing, home appliances, shoes and everything in between. It will continue to change within the space,” he said. “The architecture and atmosphere within the space is super novel.”
Plans also call for refreshing the menus of the existing roster of restaurants, including Barullo.
“Last year, we reconceptualized the offers at La Lupe, La Central and Pudge’s Pizza. We’ll now be bringing more emblematic dishes to Barullo, which we hope to launch in April,” Mariani noted.
I don’t see any money allotted to improve parking in the area. What are your plans concerning this problem. Thank you