Back To Business For Colorado Mills
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - After nearly 200 days of being closed, dozens of stores in the Colorado Mills mall reopened Tuesday morning.
Hail destroyed the mall's roof on May 8, and then rain storms and even a snow shower sent gallons of water rushing into the mall.
Officials set Black Friday as a potential opening day but were able to push up the reopening to 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The numbers are staggering: 200,000 sheets of drywall have been installed. That's equal to 183 acres. The roof is new and the size of 21 football fields.
On top of that, all 12,345 light fixtures have been replaced.
In all, 100 stores agreed to return after the storm. The mall has space for 160 stores.
Some anchor stores and restaurants reopened weeks or months after the storm.
More construction will take place into 2018. Carpet will be a final touch before a complete grand re-opening.
Here's a list of 63 stores that will be open by Friday.