Simon Property’s brief Santa Barbara hop coincides with mall expansion announcement

Simon Property flew from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (KSBA) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (KSBA) on Wednesday, a circuit lasting just 15 minutes at low altitude. The brief hop, with a maximum speed of 125 knots and altitude of 475 feet, appeared to be a test flight or a local inspection.

The flight came the same week Simon Property Group announced a $50 million expansion of the Paseo Nuevo shopping center in downtown Santa Barbara, per a press release on Tuesday. The company plans to add a luxury wing with new storefronts and a rooftop garden, reinforcing its commitment to high-end retail in upscale markets.

This local trip follows a pattern of Simon Property’s frequent visits to Santa Barbara, which served as both a departure and arrival point in multiple recent flights. The group is known for scouting and managing premium retail locations, and this quick aerial survey likely allowed executives to survey the site from above before breaking ground.