Mesa's Mekong Plaza expansion expected to open in late 2024

The much-anticipated Mekong Plaza expansion is expected to open by the end of the year, its developer tells Axios Phoenix.

Why it matters: The plaza was the catalyst for what has become Mesa's Asian District , the state's largest collection of Asian restaurants, grocery stores and shops.

The big picture: The 32,000-square-foot addition to Mekong Plaza will bring even more options, including Haidilao , China's largest hot pot chain.

Zoom in: Drew Burtoni, Mekong Real Estate Investment Group development manager, told Axios that Haidilao typically seeks high-end areas and malls for its chain, which shows how far Mesa's Asian District has come.

Flashback: Mekong Plaza opened in a shuttered Target in 2008.

• Burtoni said his father-in-law has operated grocery stores in California for decades and heard there was a demand for Asian goods in the Valley. He chose Mesa because of its easy freeway access.
• There are now more than 70 Asian businesses within a 2-mile radius of Mekong Plaza.