The holiday shopping season is the busiest time of year for the Park Meadows mall. In November and December, 2.5 million people will visit the mall district. The mall reported about $196 million in sales in the two months last year, according to Lone Tree city officials.

This year, the National Retail Federation, a retail trade association, estimates shoppers will increase their spending by about 3.6 percent, according to a 2018 study. November and December sales made up 24 percent of the mall's annual revenue in 2017.

“It's our Super Bowl,” said Pam Kelly, senior general manager at Park Meadows.

Running out of a popular item or having potential customers deterred because of long lines can mean the difference of millions of dollars in sales revenues. And retailers are taking notice.

One of those retailers is Macy's, a flagship holiday department store and one of Park Meadows' five anchor stores.

Macy's rolled out new technology this fall to make shopping at its Park Meadows location as “friction-free” as possible, according to media relations director Joy Deinla.

To give shoppers an option for waiting in line at the cash register, shoppers can download the Macy's Mobile Checkout app to let customers scan items and pay for products with their phone as they shop. Sensors at each exit will allow customers to remove the security tags on the clothes once they have paid. Macy's began introducing the scan-and-pay system in its stores earlier this year, but the technology has just recently made its way to the Park Meadows location.

“We anticipate customers really enjoy the liberty of not having to stand in lines if they don't want to,” Deinla said. “It's a lot of quicker service, streamlined service, so that the experience is better and there's less waiting time.”

Another retailer preparing for the holidays is the new Amazon 4-star store, a brick-and-mortar Amazon outlet that curates a selection of the top-rated trending items on the website. The store opened in early November.

“We designed this store for customers to discover products and have fun,” said Cameron Janes, vice president of Amazon 4-star. “Here, we make it really easy to discover something for yourself or for gifts.”

Park Meadows is gearing up for the holidays by decking out the mall inside and out. The light display on the outside will be offered in 3-D. A Santa display will be set up near the Dillard's outlet, featuring snowmen, reindeer, custom costumes and interactive elements for kids. This year will debut 6-foot glitter ornaments hanging from a ceiling of the Center Court, complementing the “America the Beautiful” mural. The mall will also offer complimentary gift wrap.

“We plan all year long and then take 10 to 12 nights to install over $1 million of decor,” Kelly said.

Park Meadows works with the Lone Tree Public Works department and the Colorado Department of Transportation to develop a holiday traffic plan for the mall, from light signal synchronization to maximizing parking spaces for customers. Most mall employees will park across the street during the holidays for customers to have more access to parking, and there is a six-person golf cart shuttle for people who need help traversing the parking lot.

“Mostly that traffic plan is really focused on 'How do you get the best customer experience?'” Kelly said. “Park Meadows is committed to providing a one-of-a-kind holiday experience that is truly memorable and enjoyable while also supporting our Colorado businesses.”