This type of game would remind me of Mall Tycoon. It wasn't about controlling what was sold, and or what each individual store would need such as in other type tycoon games but what the player could build. Build a mall. Design a mall, but not control what was sold and or any menus to set prices and or types of goods. It was all about building then sitting back and watching 'agents' go through it into rabbit hole (some) stores and could only decorate within the mall or outside. You had to make money to get enough to build more stores inside the mall but you weren't in control of picking the type of goods. Like Game Stop was a special cube you earned after so long of doing whatever.
It was a game about building nothing more and earning enough (depending on big box stores to help support smaller shops) to build bigger and better malls. It was also a challenge game requiring you to build such and such type malls and floors. However, there was a sandbox side where the same rules applied (money) but build whatever type you wanted. Same difference with this idea here. Just watch little people go in and out and carry bags and you could zoom in and watch but not much to see, other than running around the mall and rating the enviornment (decorations, types of stores etc.) is what they sort of did. And of course having to hire more mall security when gangs showed up to ruin it all.
If you didn't have enough security they just kept coming and tearing down everything.
I'm not sure I would want to sit back and not be able to control Sims. I don't think I want to play tycoon games and or just build in The Sims. I don't mind it in other games but Sims are why The Sims is so popular.
