CF Masonville Place is adding a major entertainment complex and two new retailers to fill the hole created when Target closed.

Cineplex confirmed Thursday it is opening a location of its Rec Room in the north London mall.

The 3,300-square-metre venue, the company’s first in Southwestern Ontario, is billed as an “eats and entertainment” hot spot with restaurants, live entertainment and a variety of video games. It is scheduled to open in 2018.

Construction of the Rec Room is underway on the upper floor of the former Target store that shut down in 2015.

Mall owners Cadillac-Fairview announced fashion retailer Marshalls and a HomeSense home decor outlet will open in the lower level of the former Target space later in the year.

Cadillac Fairview said the Target redevelopment is a $28.5 million investment following up on a $77-million project to fill the former Sears Canada space.

Challenged by changing shopping trends, such as power centres and e-commerce, malls are pushing to enter the entertainment sector.

Masonville general manager Brian O’Hoski said the addition of the Rec Room is part of a plan to broaden the appeal of the mall beyond shopping.

But the plan to open the suburban entertainment centre came under fire in October when Cadillac-Fairview applied for a rezoning from city council’s planning and environment committee.

The owner of the Palasad, a venue offering food and games at two locations in London, said at the time the Rec Room was like a “death star” that would kill off businesses closer to the core.

Despite the concerns, city council approved the zoning change.

Cineplex said it plans to broaden its movie house base by opening 10 to 15 locations of the Rec Room over the next few years across Canada.

Locations in Toronto and Calgary are set to open this year and another is planned for the West Edmonton Mall.

At Masonville, some tenants still are waiting to move in to the former Sears space. O’Hoski said The Keg restaurant is expected to make the move from Richmond Row in early February.

hdaniszewski@postmedia.com

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The Rec Room

Entertainment giant Cineplex is opening a location in CF Masonville Place that will include: