West Coast Bay Area Sees Commercial Boom: 600,000㎡ Mega-Project to Open in Q4!

In the second half of 2025, Zhongshan’s long-dormant commercial sector is set to shine. Kicking off the season, Sam’s Club will open its first store in Zhongshan this September. But the spotlight falls on Haiya Splendid World—the largest commercial complex in Zhongshan, covering 600,000㎡, and the city’s first to introduce an outlet-style retail format. Recently, the project officially announced its Q4 2025 opening, boosting market confidence and anticipation.

The debut of Haiya Splendid World addresses a critical gap in Zhongshan’s commercial landscape: the lack of large-scale landmark shopping destinations and the absence of outlet-style retail, injecting new energy into the city’s retail ecosystem. With over 95% of construction completed and more than 80% of retail spaces leased, the project has been steadily evolving since the Haiya Group’s investment launch event at the end of 2023, drawing intense market attention from the outset.

Haiya Group, already successful in developing the massive Haiya Splendid City in Shenzhen, brings its expertise to Zhongshan for the first time. Haiya Splendid World is poised to set a new benchmark for scale in the city. According to YingShang big data, Zhongshan currently hosts 60 commercial projects, with a total commercial stock of 4.2372 million㎡, primarily consisting of small-to-medium and community shopping centers. Large-scale complexes remain rare.Haiya Splendid World, with its approximate 600,000㎡ footprint, will integrate multiple components: the shopping center, Lan Kwai Fong Splendid Lane, Haiya HCC Business Center, an international five-star hotel, the nation’s first indoor sports arena over 20,000㎡, and high-end residences—making it the largest commercial complex in Zhongshan to date. Its scale has raised market expectations to new heights.

Zhongshan, often seen as a “low-profile” city in the Greater Bay Area, has lagged behind neighbors like Zhuhai, Dongguan, and Foshan in new commercial supply. In 2024, only six new projects added 49,400㎡, with this year’s upcoming openings limited to Sam’s Club and Haiya Splendid World. The city urgently needs new landmark projects to revitalize its market.Since early 2024, Haiya Splendid World has been actively recruiting global brands while steadily advancing construction. The Haiya Group has maintained its product excellence philosophy, striving to perfect every aspect of the project. The planning has been adjusted to reflect market trends, moving away from traditional mall formats toward a Bay Area-style one-stop, light-vacation outlet model, achieving a strategic transformation and a “shopping-center-style outlet” positioning.

To support this upgrade, Haiya Group meticulously refined the project design: from boundary-free layouts and integration of natural ecology with commercial space, to the perfect proportioning of large outlet stores and diverse experiential formats, every detail showcases a commitment to craftsmanship and innovation.Recently, the project disclosed its latest progress: the exterior façade construction is nearly complete, with finishing touches underway in certain areas. Overall, the construction progress has surpassed 95%, and the project officially announced its Q4 2025 opening, providing a strong vote of confidence for the market.Even more exciting, Haiya Splendid World revealed that over 80% of retail spaces have been leased, with many brands making their Zhongshan debut. Several tenant brands have already been publicly announced:

Retail and entertainment tenants include Pengtai Supermarket, Aichao Shang KTV, Guangmei Lijian Swimming & Fitness, and fashion brands such as Lancôme, ICICLE, Golis, Winner, Martino, as well as outlet stores like FILA, ANTA, SKECHERS, the first Miniso Global Store, and lifestyle and dining concepts including Yuekong City, Leshaer, The Green Party, Coolplay, Chow Tai Fook, Lukfook, Lao Feng Xiang, The Roll’ING, KFC, Lao Zhengjia, Mountain House, PAI STEAK+, Tanyu, GOGIYA, Yikao Tianxia, Xueji Snacks, Starbucks, Luckin Coffee Master Store, Heytea, Bawang Chaji, Lele Tea, Wudai Tongtang, Fangsi Tea. Many of these brands will be opening their first stores in Zhongshan.China Film Southern International IMAX Cinema, Guangdong’s box office leader and Zhongshan North’s first IMAX theater, will conduct a soft opening during the 2025 Spring Festival, already achieving impressive ticket sales in its first week.

From Haiya Group’s initial plan to bring its largest-ever shopping complex to Zhongshan, through strategic upgrades and repositioning, to the current construction and leasing progress, it is clear that the Q4 2025 debut will deliver a comprehensive showcase for both the project and its tenants. The one-stop light-vacation outlet concept is designed to capture the attention of Bay Area consumer groups, creating a unique retail gravity for Haiya Splendid World.With these upgrades, Haiya Splendid World not only highlights the latest construction and leasing milestones but also establishes a market-leading positioning as a one-stop light-vacation outlet mall, tapping into new consumer trends. Today’s market shows a clear segmentation: rational consumers are increasingly price-sensitive, while a growing number of shoppers pursue personalized, high-quality shopping experiences, further driving the outlet market’s vitality.

According to the China Department Store & Shopping Mall Association, the outlet sector in China exceeded RMB 230 billion in sales in 2024, up 9.5% year-on-year, outpacing department stores, convenience stores, and other retail formats. McKinsey predicts that by 2025, the outlet market could reach RMB 260–390 billion, positioning it as one of the fastest-growing retail segments.The thriving outlet market has already spread across the Greater Bay Area, including Shenzhen’s Full Fun World Shanshan Outlet, 8th Warehouse, Huasheng, Yitian Holiday, and Maoye outlets.

In the Guangfo region, notable examples include Wanguo Outlets and Florence Town, with Ship of Sand Super Outlet coming in the near future.Currently, however, Zhongshan and the western Pearl River Delta remain underserved, with outlet options unable to meet local demand for “big brands at small prices.” By introducing the outlet format to Zhongshan for the first time and filling this market gap, Haiya Splendid World differentiates itself from traditional outlet malls. Leveraging its diverse integrated complex model and one-stop light-vacation outlet concept, the project significantly strengthens its core competitiveness and sets a new standard for retail innovation in the region.Boundaryless Spaces + Diverse Formats: Redefining the Outlet Shopping Center

By integrating unbounded spatial design with diverse retail and lifestyle formats, Haiya Splendid World transforms the traditional outlet concept into a true shopping center experience. Under the influence of emerging consumer trends, outlets are no longer just about discounted shopping—they have evolved into lifestyle destinations that express individuality, deliver emotional value, and explore cutting-edge fashion.Haiya Splendid World leverages its massive scale to innovate a shopping-center-style outlet model, centered on fashion-forward quality living, cultural and artistic innovation, trend-driven experiences, ecological technology integration, and a 24-hour economy.

Across floors B1 to L4, it combines a rich mix of retail, dining, entertainment, and lifestyle offerings, hosting over 500 brands.Retail Innovation: Traditional outlets focus solely on discounted branded goods, offering a single-format, retail-heavy experience. Haiya Splendid World disrupts this model with an unprecedented mix of formats, creating a dynamic, multi-layered ecosystem. Beyond outlets, the retail portfolio gathers international luxury brands and high-end categories, while seamlessly integrating dining, entertainment, and lifestyle concepts, providing a one-stop “eat, play, shop” experience that surpasses traditional outlet limitations.

Immersive Spaces: Departing from the typical “warehouse-style” outlet, Haiya Splendid World collaborates with international design teams such as ARQ, RTKL, and AECOM to craft boundaryless spaces. Features include sky gardens, vertical forest atriums, and panoramic glass walls that create layered activity zones, as well as sunken art plazas that naturally foster social interaction and live performances. The mall is elevated into a city public space, offering a fully immersive experience unlike conventional outlets.Integrated Amenities for a Light-Vacation Experience: Beyond diverse retail, the complex’s supporting facilities play a critical role. By connecting with Haiya Hotels and the first-ever indoor sports arena, the project creates multi-dimensional leisure and lifestyle experiences, aligning with Zhongshan’s tourism appeal and positioning itself as a Bay Area micro-vacation destination.

Notably, Haiya Splendid World features China’s first 20,000+㎡ comprehensive indoor sports arena—Chao Hui Wan, an all-weather, all-age sports and entertainment complex combining water, land, ice, snow, and trendy sports. Hosting over 100 sports types, it breaks spatial and seasonal limitations to deliver an immersive athletic experience. Future operations will include sports-themed restaurants, events, and competitions, enhancing visitor engagement.Looking ahead, with phase II and III expansions, Haiya Splendid World plans to include sports parks and additional attractions, creating a fully integrated one-stop complex combining shopping, leisure, entertainment, and vacation experiences. This vision establishes a comprehensive consumer ecosystem, setting a new benchmark for retail, lifestyle, and leisure integration in the region.

Shenzhen-Zhongshan Passage + Dual Highways + Intercity Rail: Haiya Splendid World Anchors the Bay Area Lifestyle CircleWith the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Passage, dual expressways, and intercity railway access, the Bay Area lifestyle circle has become more interconnected than ever. Haiya Splendid World’s massive scale and one-stop light-vacation outlet positioning ensure that it not only fills the local consumer market gap and fully covers the domestic customer base, but also effectively generates a cross-district siphoning effect, attracting consumers from surrounding cities.Last year, Zhongshan experienced its largest infrastructure boon: the official opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Passage. This created a highly efficient traffic gateway between the east and west banks of the Pearl River, facilitating rapid population and industrial flow, which directly boosted commercial consumption and investment vitality.

Capitalizing on this traffic advantage, Haiya Splendid World is strategically located at the “northern gateway” of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai intercity railway. Together with the Guangzhou-Zhuhai West Line and the Guangzhou-Zhongshan-Jiangmen dual expressways, it allows 30-minute access to Foshan Shunde and Guangzhou Panyu, and a one-hour reach to Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, and even Hong Kong, completing a full coverage of the Bay Area urban lifestyle circle.It is worth noting that Haiya Group carries Hong Kong roots. Its successful strategy of attracting Hong Kong residents to Shenzhen Haiya Splendid City has been successfully replicated in Zhongshan. The Haiya Splendid World project includes residential units, with over 5,000 Hong Kong residents as owners. Coupled with the surrounding district’s high Hong Kong resident ratio and the connectivity offered by the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Passage and intercity rail, it is positioned as the ideal northern consumption hub for Hong Kong residents.

30 Years of Commercial Expertise + Leading Resources:Haiya Splendid World, as a 60,000㎡ flagship commercial complex in Zhongshan, achieves its strategic upgrade and timely opening thanks to the operational strength of Haiya Group. With over 30 years of commercial development experience, Haiya Group has developed more than 10 million㎡ of commercial space, from Shenzhen Haiya Splendid City to Liuzhou Bay in Guangxi, showcasing its strong operational capability.The group also maintains a strategic partnership network of over 10,000 brands, ensuring the depth and diversity of tenant recruitment for Zhongshan Haiya Splendid World.Furthermore, Haiya Group has earned numerous accolades, including “Top 10 Most Trusted Malls,” “Top 100 Taxpaying Enterprises,” and “Contract-Abiding & Trustworthy Enterprise”, reinforcing market confidence with this latest project update.

Future Vision:As the countdown to Q4 opening proceeds, the project’s long-term plan unfolds:Integrated Commercial & Office Ecosystem: Office buildings open simultaneously in Q4, attracting over 500 specialized enterprises and 15,000 high-end office workers, supporting a diverse customer base and fostering integration of industry, commerce, culture, and tourism.Local Culture Immersion: Plans include a Chinese internet-famous snack street and Guangdong culture-themed dining, creating unique local charm and drawing more tourists.Sustainable Development Blueprint: Integration with residential, hotel, and cultural tourism assets will create a year-round micro-vacation destination.

The accelerated construction and leasing progress of Haiya Splendid World, set to debut in Q4, marks a turning point for Zhongshan’s commercial landscape. This 600,000㎡ Bay Area commercial flagship carries the expectations of Zhongshan residents and elevates the commercial standards of the Pearl River West Coast. Its innovative one-stop light-vacation outlet positioning is poised to unlock cross-city consumption, setting a milestone for western Bay Area retail development.