What our municipal partners say

Braunschweig

With the ECE project, the city has generated a key stimulus. There are already indications that this has set a chain reaction in motion - companies are investing money in new commercial properties once again, and additional projects are already in the pipeline.
Dr. Gert Hoffmann, Lord Mayor of Braunschweig, press release of the city of Braunschweig on Nov 2, 2005

Hamburg

The Alstertal-Einkaufszentrum generates important stimuli for the development of Hamburg, not least because it secures the jobs of well over 2,000 people.
Ole von Beust, Governing Mayor of Hamburg (2005, on the 35th anniversary of the AEZ)

Augsburg

Looking back, it is fair to say that Augsburg has profited from the development of the City-Galerie. The added competition has given a boost to the city centre retail trade, and some stores have made major investments. The events and activities in the City-Galerie enhance the "city centre experience".
Peter Grab, Augsburg City Centre Manager, Augsburger Zeitung on October 10, 2005

Leipzig

The revitalisation of Leipzig central station by ECE has made waves throughout the country. It is the first ever time in Germany that a large-scale service and shopping center has been integrated in a protected railway station building. The company has cooperated closely with the city throughout, from the development of the project all the way to long-term management, thereby making a key contribution to the quality of urban life and civic planning in the trade fair city of Leipzig.
Wolfgang Tiefensee, Lord Mayor of Leipzig

Dessau

The center plays a major role in shaping the quality of life in the city centre.
Wolfgang Böhmer, Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt, Mitteldeutsche Zeitung on Oct 27, 2005

Bautzen

The Kornmarkt-Center has become a magnet for the entire region, attracting high numbers of people and therefore added purchasing power.
Heidemarie Weiß, Bautzen city councillor, Sächsische Zeitung on September 30, 2005

Magdeburg

Six years ago, the Allee-Center built by the Hamburg-based ECE Group opened its doors at the heart of the state capital of Magdeburg. And the people of Magdeburg had heated discussions about whether the new shopping center with 110 shops would harm the existing city centre retail trade. I myself was one of the sceptics. While there were a total 90,000 square metres of retail sales area in Magdeburg in 1990, this figure had already increased to a massive 585,000 square metres by 2000. But today I'm quite happy to admit that I was wrong: since the Allee-Center was opened Magdeburg city centre has become the most popular shopping destination in the entire region with its population of around 900,000. We can now compete on a more equal footing with Braunschweig, Halle or Leipzig. Very few people in Magdeburg and the surrounding region are still willing to spend time travelling to these cities to go shopping. Particularly as they have a wide range of goods and services right on their doorstep.
Arno Frommhagen, Chairman of the Association of Magdeburg City Centre Retailers (October 2004)

The Allee-Center in Magdeburg opened in 1998, and handicapped people can shop there without any problems. Spacious lifts with operating panels that are conveniently placed for those in wheelchairs, a wide mall, disabled toilets. no barriers of any kind and helpful employees make shopping a lot easier. I'm happy that we have this shopping center.
Hans-Peter Pischner, Disability Officer for Magdeburg, the state capital

Wolfsburg

Before the ECE City-Galerie opened in Wolfsburg, there was also heated debate here over whether the additional retail area posed a threat to the existing shops and stores in this city with its 125.000 inhabitants. Three years on, even the loudest protestors have fallen silent, for the City-Galerie has rejuvenated the city centrre retail trade in Wolfsburg. Before the shopping center opened, most people in Wolfsburg used to do their "big shops" in Braunschweig, Magdeburg or Hannover - but now they prefer to spend their hard-earned money in their own city. One of the main reasons is that the City-Galerie has brought names like H&M, Sport-Scheck or Makro-Markt to Wolfsburg. The fashion boutiques are particularly popular among young people. Since September 2001, Wolfsburg has not only succeeded in stopping the dramatic migration of purchasing power to other cities but has also attracted additional purchasing power from the surrounding region. Today, the catchment area for the retail trade in Wolfsburg compises around 350,000 inhabitants.
Rolf Schnellecke, Lord Mayor of Wolfsburg (October 2004)

Plauen

The Stadt-Galerie blends in harmoniously with the surrounding area in the centre of Plauen and greatly ehances the town's attractions. Since the Stadt-Galerie was opened, the town centre has increasingly become the focal point for the retail trade. The new shopping complex has attracted additional chain outlets to the inner city and prompted established retailers to move their stores from less frequented locations back into the town centre. The added competiton has meanwhile had a positive impact on the retail outlets in the vicinity of the center. They now plan joint campaigns and events to revitalise their own locations and make them more attractive, and this has boosted the quality of Plauen town centre as a whole. And it's not only the people of Plauen who identify with their rejuvenated town. The inhabitants of the Vogtland region spanning the German states of Saxony and Thuringia are also beginning to recognise the attractions of Plauen as one of the region's premier shopping destinations (...).
Ralf Oberdorfer, Mayor of Plauen (August 2004)