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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Step inside the Citadel Mall and the pieces have come together for a fairly amazing transformation.

Businesses have faded from the West Ashley mall, but Richard Davis, new owner and basketball lover, hopes to create a new and exciting experience for shoppers.

Call it “ball in the mall.” Davis says the 36-year-old mall was in need of a makeover, and it all starts with this facelift.

It’s a creative idea to increase much needed foot traffic through hoop dreams in the most unlikely place.

“I’ve been on a 7-year mission chasing this property, trying to land it knowing that we had a unique plan to breathe new life into it,” Davis said Friday.

The basketball court is named after Lowcountry native and NBA player Khris Middleton. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Davis said the court will be a place for all local athletes.

“What a better way to do it than to build a sports court,” Davis said. “it’ll be basketball, volleyball, football, cheerleading, gymnastics.”

The former James Island basketball coach said Lowcountry athletes deserve to have a place to play at home — a place where family and friends can see their rising stars.

“This is foreshadowing for a facility that we’re going build attached to the mall, which we’re going debut in front of the city in a couple of weeks, which will basically be a world travel class sports facility,” Davis says.

Friend and AAU Coach, Antoine Saunders, thinks it’s going to be the perfect place for his players to call home.

“It’s a chance to play. It’s a goal to be on these teams, a lot of good teams they play when they travel, and they’re a lot of kids playing basketball, so it’s an opportunity for them to be seen and rewarded for their hard work,” Saunders says.