By: Jon Sham

The Mall in Columbia celebrated its 40th birthday this week, while the Maryland State Lottery Agency reported its sales in fiscal 2011 broke records for the 14th year in a row. Those stories and more in this week’s business top 5.

1. Columbia Mall continues its evolution as it turns 40 – by Alissa Gulin

Some things just get better with age — fine wine, a chunk of bleu cheese. And with the right vision and planning, a shopping mall.

That’s been the case for the Mall in Columbia, said many patrons Tuesday as they bustled from store to store and enjoyed the day-long festivities honoring the mall’s 40th anniversary. The activities — which included a fashion show and an outdoor “birthday party” complete with cupcakes and paper hats — were about commemorating the past four decades of retail success, but for many, the occasion prompted a look to the future.

2. Maryland Lottery Agency says 2011 sales were $1.7 billion – by Rachel Bernstein

The Maryland State Lottery Agency announced Monday that it generated $1.7 billion in sales in fiscal 2011, breaking its record for the 14th year in a row. The lottery agency contributed $519.4 million to the state’s general fund through its sales, an $8.9 million increase from last fiscal year.

That revenue is used to support education, public safety, health and environmental programs. The revenue makes the lottery agency the fourth largest contributor to the state’s funding sources, after sales, income and corporate taxes.

3. New EBDI plan increases size – by Melody Simmons

A report to be released Tuesday details new plans for the stalled 88-acre redevelopment in Middle East that include 345 housing units, a 6-acre urban park, a grocery and a central theme of “wellness” to connect the project with Johns Hopkins Hospital.

But some of the remaining residents of Middle East say they were excluded from the planning process, and one expert called for scrapping the entire 55-page report and redoing it using more local input.

4. Foreclosure puts crimp in Port Covington plans – by Ben Mook

Three years ago, the buzz around Port Covington was that a well-known developer was planning to transform part of the area into a 17-acre mixed-use waterfront development with 2,000 homes and a 38-story tower.

That was then, this is now.

Hopes for the project appear to be dashed, with Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse Inc. — the driving force behind the redevelopment effort and one of the key landowners — scheduled to lose its five-acre parcel to a bank sale next month.

5. Restaurant Week an opportunity to bring in new clientele – by Alissa Gulin

Five of Baltimore’s top restaurateurs doled out hundreds of bite-size delicacies to a lunchtime crowd Wednesday as they competed to win the “Appetizer Challenge,” the kickoff event for Baltimore’s sixth annual Summer Restaurant Week.

The contest, held inside Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace, was intended to remind people of the upcoming promotion, where more than 80 restaurants will offer a $35.11 three-course meal from a special dinner menu, with some places also offering $20.11 lunches.