| Penang Plaza | |
| Location: | George Town, Penang |
| Mapframe-Wikidata: | yes |
| Mapframe-Zoom: | 15 |
| Coordinates: | 5.4215°N 100.325°W |
| Address: | 126, Burmah Road, 10050 George Town, Penang, Malaysia |
| Opening Date: | 1982 |
| Floor Area: | 138222ft2 |
| Floors: | 10 |
| Parking: | 88 |
| Footnotes: | [1] [2] |
Penang Plaza is a shopping mall within George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at Burmah Road within the city's Central Business District (CBD), the 10-storey 138222abbr=onNaNabbr=on retail complex was the city's first shopping mall. Completed in 1982, it comprises three retail floors, a seven-storey tower that accommodates offices and maintenance spaces, and 88 car park bays.
The mall serves as an annexe to the adjacent Hotel Royal.[3] Giant is the main anchor tenant of the mall, which has experienced declining footfall due to the emergence of newer shopping malls throughout the city.[4] [5]
Penang Plaza was built in 1982, making it the first shopping mall in Penang. It preceded the completions of Komtar and Island Plaza, although GAMA Supermarket & Departmental Store had been opened in 1967.[6] Penang Plaza, Komtar and GAMA emerged as the three primary shopping destinations of George Town by the late 1980s.[7]
Both the mall and the adjacent 21-storey Dorsett Penang Hotel were owned by local real estate company Faber Kompleks. The hotel was managed by Dorsett Hospitality International, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Far East Consortium. Dorsett Penang Hotel was reportedly the first Dorsett hotel that was managed without ownership of the property.[8]
In 2008, Hotel Royal Limited, a Singapore-based hospitality company, acquired both Penang Plaza and the adjacent hotel.[9] Penang Plaza had a net value of RM18.9 million . The mall underwent renovations from 2009 to 2010.[10]
Despite the refurbishments, it struggled with dwindling foot traffic due to competition from newer shopping malls throughout George Town and was referred to as a "white elephant" by local media. Both the mall and the hotel were also impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading Hotel Royal Limited to lay off hotel staff. However, the mall remained operational for the duration of the pandemic.[11]
Penang Plaza is situated at the junction of Burmah Road and Jalan Larut, within George Town's Central Business District.[7]
Komtar was topped out in 1985.[12]
Island Plaza was opened in 1995.[13]