Cork's largest shopping centre will open tomorrow, with the creation of 1,800 jobs.
The €550 million Mahon Point on the south side of the city will have more than 50 retail outlets, three restaurants, six additional food court outlets and an 11-screen cineplex.
The 250,000 sq ft shopping centre's anchor tenants are Tesco and Debenhams. Other high-profile stores include Zara, Easons, Monsoon, Oasis, River Island, Jane Norman, A-Wear, Sasha, Pamela Scott, The Jean Scene and French Connection. The centre will have parking for 1,600 cars.
Under a special programme, unemployed people have been offered training and several hundred of the Mahon Point jobs were reserved for them.
Nearby Nagle College has also started a year-long Fetac certified retail studies course to tie in with the opening of the new centre.
"The project will enhance the business infrastructure in a part of Cork city which has been underdeveloped in recent years. Up to 80 per cent of the jobs in all of these shops will go to local people," Cork-based developer Mr Owen O'Callaghan said.
The jobs will represent a scale of employment in the city not seen since the Ford and Dunlops era.
By completion date in 2008, Mahon Point will also have an industrial park, a 150-bedroom hotel, leisure centre and office accommodation.
When all elements of the development are in place it is expected that close to 6,000 people will be employed on the 111-acre retail/leisure/commercial project.
Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH, one of Germany's largest investment funds, is funding Mahon Point.
The centre is the brainchild of Mr O'Callaghan, who was responsible for the creation of the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in west Dublin, where more than 4,000 people are employed.
Throughout the planning appeal process, the project received the wholehearted support of the Mahon Community Association.