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The Westfield Group is an Australia n-owned company that owns Shopping Centre s in Australia , New Zealand , the United Kingdom , and the United States . Their shopping centres were typically branded as Westfield Shoppingtowns, a practice that has been universally criticized in the U.S. as taking away from the historical importance of many malls, however the company discontinued the use of the "Shoppingtown" label in June 2005 . The company pioneered the incorporation of entertainment and dining precincts into shopping centres. WESTFIELD HISTORY In 1959 , Australian businessmen Frank Lowy and John Saunders (businessman) opened a Delicatessen in western Sydney . When the business proved successful, the pair purchased nearby land in Blacktown , and built a shopping centre with two department stores, twelve specialty shops, and parking for 50 cars. They named this centre "Westfield Place", "west" because it was located in the western suburbs, and "field" because the centre had a view across the sprawling Market Garden s. The centre's name was later shortened to simply "Westfield". Westfield Holdings was publicly listed in 1960 , and in the 1960s and 1970s , the company constructed or acquired 14 centres on the Australian east coast. Westfield entered the United States market in 1977 , and the New Zealand and United Kingdom markets in 2000 . It soon established dominance in a number of regions, most notably the crucial Los Angeles and New York, New York markets. Prior to its destruction in the September 11, 2001 Attacks , the underground shopping mall at the World Trade Center was one of Westfield's crown jewels, having acquired it in June 2001. Its 99-year lease enabled Westfield to have a powerful say in the redevelopment of the site, but faced with a protracted process for rebuilding, Westfield sold its rights to the site back to the Port Authority Of New York And New Jersey in 2003. WESTFIELD TODAY Today, Westfield has interests in total assets worth A$ 41.6 billion, representing 129 shopping centres in four countries with over 10 million square meters of retail space. It is the world's largest retail property group by equity market capitalization, yet it is still chaired by Frank Lowy , one of its founders. Since entering the United States market in 1977 , Westfield has aggressively acquired, renovated and expanded many mall properties in order to draw wealthier consumers from longer distances. It has also financed large Advertising campaigns to increase awareness of its Westfield brand. It currently has a £400 million plan to expand and renovate the Broadmarsh shopping centre in Nottingham and is a 50% development partner in the new WhiteCity Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush , west London . LOCATIONS , New South Wales ]] , Sydney]] , Australia]] , Australia ]] Australia Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
South Australia
Western Australia
New Zealand Auckland Metro Area
Christchurch Metro Area
Hamilton Metro Area
Wellington Metro Area
United Kingdom England
Northern Ireland
United States Northern California
Southern California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Missouri
Nebraska
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Washington
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