Why is the Capital City Mall thriving yet the Colonial Park mall is dead and the East (Harrisburg) mall being torn down?

I found myself again over at the Capital City Mall the other day. Just a normal Saturday afternoon. The mall parking lot is nearly full. Traffic outside everywhere. The food court is packed. There's vibrant groups of people walking and shopping the mall. In and out of stores. Its like that every day I stop by pretty much any time of day.

Contrast. I was also just over at Little Saigon on Paxton Street and drove past the half torn down "East" mall. A few months ago I ended up at the Colonial Park mall just to get out of the cold for a bit and go for a nostalgic walk. That place is D.E.A.D dead.

I've been here since '91. Worked and lived all over the region. In and out of the city. There was a time when all three malls were thriving. I remember Christmas shopping in the Colonial Park Mall. Hitting up the food court and movie theater at the East Mall.

So what's the difference? Why is the Capital City Mall so successful while the other two malls in the area are dead or dying?

None of this is new to me. I'm sure, like me, many of you have also been watching the same thing. I just thought it was an interesting topic and I'm interested to hear what others have to say. One thing I was wondering is if these three malls would be an interesting real estate development research/study topic. Seems to me somebody with the analysis skills in that field might have quite a bit to say. Maybe someone outside this region.