European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 30, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday november 30, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 17 Canada s West Edmonton mall the largest most comprehensive tourist attraction Ever built in the universe by Charles Campbell associated press t he submarines and the Lull size Spanish Galleon Are not for Sale in the world s Large stand Manlest shopping  Are the baby siberian tigers the performing dolphins the bumper cars or the statues of prostitutes. There s no Price tag on Wayne Gretzky and his Edmonton oilers hockey teammates or on the 500 yellow canaries or the miniaturized Pebble Beach Golf course. All of that is intended to lure millions of tourists Gawker and free spending customers especially the customers to the Tringes of Edmonton Alberta a City of 600,000 in the Northwest Corner of the Canadian Prairies. The West Edmonton mall grew to 5 million Square feet More than 800 stores and a promised listing in the guinness Book of world records with its latest expansion in september. It is the work of four iranian born Brothers the Ghermezian family who Are shy about their personal lives but exuberantly proud of what they be built. It is the largest most comprehensive tourist attraction Ever built in the  Nader Ghermezian who acts As spokesman for the family told a news conference opening the mall s phase three. This project comprises every major tourist attraction in the world he said. Now people in this area never need go to new York or Paris or Miami. They can come  one Arm of the mall while lacking All the delights of Paris does have outlets of snazzy French stores wrought Iron balconies on the second Story facade and a statue of a streetwalker twirling her necklace and offering passers by a come hither look. Son diet enc to the East is the West Edmonton mall s edition of new Orleans Bourbon Street the nightclubs the Street lamps the jazz band and again a statue of a prostitute this one about to be arrested by the artist s image of an old time Southern sheriff Are supposed to provide the Charm of new Orleans without the hassle of going All the Way to Louisiana. / none who tires of City life can pay $6 for a submarine ride or look at the dolphins or the Galleon supposed to be a replica of Columbus Santa Maria. A shopper could consult a Palm Reader ride on a merry go round take the children to a petting zoo or even go shopping. We travelled the world to see where people liked to go Ghermezian said at the news conference. But they could t go to everything in one Day. So we have put it All under one roof. So now you Don t even have to worry if it s  or snowing which happens a fair amount in Edmonton Canada s most northerly major City. Dave Wood who was walking his granddaughter in a stroller while waiting for his wife daughter and son in Law to emerge from a shop in the parisian Section says he visits often. In the wintertime ii you re not an outdoor Type this is perfect for you Wood said. I think it s great for  Many Edmonton businessmen Don t agree comparing the mall to a Black Hole sucking dollars out of the empty looking downtown. Even before the latest expansion West Edmonton mall accounted for 25 percent of the City s retail sales. It s even been called the mall that ate  officials of the Ghermezian s company. Edmonton based triple five corp., respond with studies showing nearly two thirds of mall customers interviewed came from at least 60 Miles away. They contend that the mall draws great quantities of new dollars from shoppers and tourists into the Edmonton Economy. Tom poop com just to see what the Gher meslans modestly Call the eighth wonder of the world or to play miniature Golf ride the submarines take their children to the indoor amusement Park or go ice skating on the full size rink which is open to the Public except when Gretzky and the hockey team Are practising. Jacob Ghermezian the family patriarch moved from what is now the soviet Republic of Azerbaijan to Iran where his sons were bom. In the 1950s, the family moved to Montreal and established a successful business Selling persian rugs. Then it was on to Edmonton in he 1960s. The Gher meslans have achieved a reputation for tightly guarded privacy and for aggressively seeking tax concessions or Grants from All Levels of government. They Are planning to build an even bigger project in Bloomington Minn. A company spokeswoman. Deane Eldredge said triple five is also thinking about projects in Montreal. Toronto Niagara Falls. Boston and Washington. . But they Aren t finished Yel in Edmonton. Still to come All indoors Are a 12-Story roller coaster a water Park uttering year round surfing and water skiing and a 350-room fantasy land hotel with theme rooms giving guests a Chance to sleep in. For example roman japanese Eskimo or polynesian style. Says Nader Ghermezian i can t believe myself what we have  California s computerized sushi bar High tech eating by Ellis e. Conklin United press International t Here s still another reason to hat California. Sushi has gone  los Angeles where an estimated 20tons of raw fish is consumed weekly there is now a computerized sushi bar. It had to happen. The ancient japanese culinary Art has been wedded to a computer terminal. You be heard of ticket tron. Now there s sushi tron. Sounds As if it could be a video game where sushi starved players move yellow tall squid and octopus pieces about a flashing game Board. Owners of this gleaming White Ceramic tiled sushi Shack in the heart of the los Angeles financial District say it is the Only one of its kind in the nation. Cin Token Southl tron Sll in a Long Row of 27 White Vinyl seats and select delicacies from a menu panel using a Light pen pressing the Circle of their sushi Choice to Light the confirmation  orders Are then sorted by the computer and relayed on a video display screen to one of six sushi chefs. Within moments Toro or Salmon or Mekka Rolls or some other strange looking raw creation is placed before the customer. No fooling around Here. It s sushi in a hurry. Wham Bam sushi Man. You re in and out of Here like that said a Finger snapping Cheryl Rich a Law clerk who works a Block away from sushi tron. It s like playing a computer game and then getting  by depressing the White Circle that reads total amount ordered customers Are quickly aware of How much they have eaten or spent As the Dollar amount will show on the screen in the upper right Corner of the menu Board. You d think that would help but i just rang up $15," said Leigh Brewer obviously in a Rush to get Back to work. I just wish they had a Button that said Check please to cancel simply press the red cancel Circle and the last order will be voided. Pess the cancel Circle twice and your last two orders Are automatically cancelled. In Japan a Rev a sushi bar very much like this sushi tron manager Ken Nagashima explained. We have 10 seats and a sushi Man. It works very very Good. Because sometimes it is hard for sushi Man to keep track and the customer will think it is very  the new Melzl group in Gardena Calif. Is responsible for this latest sushi innovation. It is the same food company that delivered take out sushi to grateful Southern californians. But in t this a rather impersonal Way to enjoy the tasty science of combining raw seafood and Rice of no  Nagashima retorted As the sushi men in the background grunted and chopped and delivered. Now people have More time to enjoy the ambiance. They Don t have to worry about How much they re spending and so  it s really marvelous John Amerson. A Bank Teller said. Hit those buttons and the sushi starts coming your Way. Plus it s great it you Don t speak