The owners of the Sunrise Mall in Northern California have a vision for updating the 45-year-old center. Tenants there are making it difficult to get it done.

Proposed changes have been held up by the property's department stores, which include Macy's, J.C. Penney and Sears. Shoppers in the area, meanwhile, are turning to other, more modern centers as the redevelopment stalls.

Department stores may be struggling to draw customers, but they haven't relinquished their hold on America's malls. The aging retail juggernauts are exploiting contracts with landlords that give them the power to dictate how a property can be developed, covering everything from parking to signage to what types of operators are allowed into a center.