San Bernardino County

One Big Outlet Mall: Groundbreaking for the 1.7-million-square-foot Ontario Mills mall will take place Wednesday at the intersection of Interstates 10 and 15 in Ontario. The mall, which will cost about $150 million, is scheduled to open in late 1996. It will create up to 2,500 construction jobs and another 5,000 permanent jobs when it opens. The facility will be California’s largest discount-oriented outlet mall. J.C. Penney Outlet, Marshalls, Burlington Coat Factory, Sports Authority and The Clearinghouse by Saks Fifth Avenue will be among its major tenants. Developer Mills Corp., an outlet mall operator based in Washington, calls it the nation’s biggest retail construction project this year. The company said the mall is already 70% leased and will produce $4.1 million in tax revenue for the city of Ontario in its first year.