Mall of America

About this mall

This is a mega mall, located between Minneapolis and St. Paul.  It offers more than 500 stores and at least 50 eateries.  It houses nightclubs and cinemas for entertainment.  There is a four-storey Lego store, a subterranean aquarium with more than 4500 marine animals, a flight simulator and a virtual racing centre.  The mall hosts in excess of 40 million visitors each year.  

In 1982, 78 acres of prime real estate became available when the Twins and the Vikings, Minnesota’s pro baseball and football teams, moved from the Metropolitan Stadium to the Metrodome.  The site was located a mere one and a half miles from the St. Paul International airport, close to major highways.  The site was bought by the Bloomington Port Authority with a view to development.

During 1986, the Ghermezian brothers signed an agreement to develop one of the largest entertainment and retail complexes in the country.  The mall offers a huge number of stores on three levels of walkways.  A fourth level is situated on the east side. It offers about 12287 parking spaces, with space for overflow parking.

Anchor tenants: Nord Storm, Macy’s, Sear’s, Nickelodeon Universe, Radisson Blue Hotel.

Restaurants: The Hooters restaurant, Cantina #1 restaurant, Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy, Dick’s Last Resort, Skydeck Sports Grille and Lanes.

Attractions: Nickelodeon Universe, The Theatres,  SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, Barbie: The Dreamhouse Experience.