There are plenty of malls that don't charge for parking.  Plenty of other cinemas, plenty of shops. So it isn't as though people have no choice to go to City Center if they want to do some shopping.

I don't see what the big deal is.  If you don't want to pay then as Cherrukan points out, go to one of the other big malls. 

They have invested so much money installing all the paid parking infrastructure it's almost impossible to think that they will now change their minds and stop charging.