Ventura Plaza, Cúcuta

Ventura Plaza (Centro Comercial y de Negocios Ventura Plaza) is a shopping mall and business center located in Cúcuta, the capital of Norte de Santander department in northeastern Colombia. It sits on Diagonal Santander between Calles 10 and 11, in the sector known as Quinta Vélez, within the city's so-called "Milla de Oro" (Golden Mile) commercial corridor. Construction began in 2006, carried out jointly by the construction firms Colpatria and Ospinas & Cia, and the mall was inaugurated on 9 August 2007. It is described as the largest shopping center in Cúcuta and in the entire Colombian-Venezuelan border region. The project was developed during a period of strong cross-border commerce between Colombia and Venezuela. Cúcuta had long served as a commercial hub for trade between the two countries, and inflows of dollars following Venezuelan exchange controls and the 2005 free trade agreement fueled a retail construction boom in the border city. Ventura Plaza was conceived to concentrate that revitalized commercial potential, following earlier projects such as Centro Comercial Unicentro. The initial investment was reported at roughly 74 to 90 billion Colombian pesos. In 2010 the mall underwent an expansion of 14,300 square meters with an investment of 24 billion pesos, and it was at this point that it took its current name, Ventura Plaza. In 2016 a new food court (plazoleta de comidas) was built. Today the mall offers a mix of retail stores, gastronomy, entertainment, and cinema, along with services such as bicycle parking, Wi-Fi, first aid, and a taxi zone. It also runs customer programs including invoice registration for promotions, a VIP points program ("Soy VIP Ventura"), and a PQRS channel for petitions, complaints, and claims. The mall is located at Calle 10 y 11, Sector Quinta Vélez, Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, and can be reached at (7) 5933637. Commercial hours are Monday to Thursday 10am–8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am–9pm, and Sundays and holidays 11am–9pm.

Ventura Plaza was developed in the context of Cúcuta's long-standing role as a commercial bridge between Colombia and Venezuela. Since the mid-20th century, the city had been an important enclave for trade between the two countries, at times earning the nickname "La Vitrina de Colombia" (Colombia's Showcase). After the devaluation of the Venezuelan bolívar during the 1983 "Black Friday" and the subsequent implementation of exchange controls in Venezuela through CADIVI, along with the 2005 free trade agreement, a significant flow of dollars entered Colombia and energized commerce and transactions throughout the border city. This boom spurred construction projects aimed at concentrating the revitalized commercial potential and giving a new focus to commercial activity in the city, including Centro Comercial Unicentro. With an investment of approximately 74 to 90 billion Colombian pesos, the construction companies Colpatria and Ospinas & Cia began building the shopping center in 2006. It was inaugurated on 9 August 2007. Thanks to its strategic position on Cúcuta's so-called "Milla de Oro" (Golden Mile), it became the largest shopping center in the city and in the Colombian-Venezuelan border region. In 2010, an expansion of 14,300 square meters was carried out with an investment of 24 billion pesos, and the mall adopted its current name, Ventura Plaza. In 2016, a new food court was built. The mall continues to operate as a shopping and business center, offering retail, dining, entertainment, and cinema, along with customer services and loyalty programs.

• 2016

  A new food court (plazoleta de comidas) is built.

• 2010

  A 14,300 m² expansion is completed with an investment of 24 billion pesos; the mall takes its current name, Ventura Plaza.

• 2007

  Ventura Plaza is inaugurated on 9 August 2007.

• 2006

  Construction of the shopping center begins, carried out by Colpatria and Ospinas & Cia.

Largest shopping mall in Cúcuta and the Colombian-Venezuelan border region, located on the city's Golden Mile.

• Retail stores

• Gastronomy and food court

• Entertainment

• Cinema

• Customer services (bicycle parking, Wi-Fi, first aid, taxi zone)

• VIP loyalty program (Soy VIP Ventura)

• Invoice registration for promotions

• PQRS channel for petitions, complaints, and claims

1. 1Ventura Plaza official websiteventuraplaza.com.co
2. 2Ventura Plaza, Cúcuta - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Ventura Plaza (Cúcuta) - Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org