Mall Developers Ponder the Lure of Plastic

Some worried shopping mall developers are giving thought to creating their own credit cards in a bid to help lure more consumers.

A handful of large mall operators, including Simon DeBartolo Group Inc., are discussing the creation of a proprietary card that would give shoppers one more reason to visit their properties, according to Bloomberg News.

The cards reportedly would give consumers incentives--perhaps a discount on telephone rates--for using the card. “We look at it as an incentive to get more people to spend more time and money in the malls,” said John Bucksbaum, executive vice president of Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc., one of the companies considering a card.

Is the creation of yet another credit card going to pump up spending?

“It might help, but probably not all that much,” said Ken Rosen, chair of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at UC Berkeley.

Greg Johnson covers retail businesses and restaurants for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5950 and at greg.johnson@latimes.com.