The largest shopping center of the region will be built at Presidente Vargas avenue. The project contemplates a total of approximately 280 operations, with capacity to welcome thousands of persons a month.
The group of investors formed by the companies AR Participações, Paysage Empreendimentos and Trust&Co Investimentos signed a Letter of Intent with the City of Passofundo providing for the construction of one of the largest shopping centers of region.

The Passo Fundo Shopping will be built in the neighborhood São Cristóvão, one of the most developed regions with easy access. The chosen area is located at Avenida Presidente Vargas, the former headquarters of ZD Costi. According to informations the group of entrepreneurs will invest approximately R$ 120 million in the project, scheduled to open in late 2016.
 
The construction is scheduled to start in the first half of 2015 with the forecast to generate more than 2,500 direct and indirect jobs. On site, is already under construction a sales booth, which will act as showroom, in addition to having structure to provide information and also for the marketing of stores.
 
According to the director of Shopping Center and Innovation of Paysage Empreendimentos, Luiz Antonio Muller Lameira, the Passo Fundo Shopping will have around 62 thousand square meters of building area, with about 280 operations, with 04 anchors, 06 semi anchors, 06 mega shops, 188 satellite stores, 19 service stores, 20 kiosks, 01 hypermarket, 01 game center, 01 Academy, 01 clinical, large food court with about 24 operations and 05 state of the art movie theaters. The project will be presented to the public at a launch event to be held in November 2014.

Passo Fundo is a reference in the provision of services, commerce, education and health, in addition to host important industries of various segments of the economy. Its regional scope surpasses 1 million people in the North of Rio Grande do Sul state and West of the State of Santa Catarina, holding a great potential for consumption. In addition, the city was placed first in Rio Grande do Sul, 4th in the South and 67th in Brazil in the ranking prepared by Exame magazine that evaluates the ability of economic development and attracting investors.

With this potential, it is expected that the project will attract major retail chains, leisure and services in addition to thousands of consumers, as said Vinicius Roso, an investor, a partner at AR Participações. "The Passo Fundo Shopping was created to meet a demand of Passo Fundo and all the inhabitants of the region, in various segments of commerce, leisure and services. We believe that this project will contribute greatly to consolidating the city as a regional center for shopping and leisure in the North of the State. This fact shall be ratified by the strategic composition of the mix of commercial operations planned for the shopping center, which not only enable new business opportunities, but also new jobs, generating new sources of income", he says. From the signing of the memorandum of understanding, entrepreneurs will make the final adjustments in architectural design for routing and obtain the necessary licenses. According to the Economic Development Secretary of Passo Fundo, Carlos Eduardo Lopes da Silva, the City will assist in this licensing process. "Everything in our power will be done. This is surely one of the biggest investments already made in the city of Passo Fundo." A complete shopping mall as the city and the region expected for a long time", said Silva.

AR Participações is a holding of businessman Antonio Roso family from Passo Fundo, which operates in several companies in the sectors of metallurgy, agribusiness, real estate and services.

The Trust&Co is an investment boutique based in Porto Alegre (RS) which operates in the areas of financial engineering, planning, investor relations and M & A (Mergers & Acquisitions). The company is led by Managing Partner Sergio Maia, former president of Sonae Distribution Brazil.