Majors

Miami Set to Get Largest Mall in the US

MajorsJun 28, 2018

Miami Set to Get Largest Mall in the US

Officials approved plans in May for American Dream Miami, a 7.2 million-square-foot retail and entertainment center.

20180628_Am-Dream-Miami.jpg
A rendering of the American Dream Miami, which will be the U.S.’s largest mall when constructed. The 7.2 million-square-foot retail and entertainment center is expected to open in late 2023.

Miami--There will be a new mall crowned the country’s biggest in five years, and it will be located in Florida.

American Dream is the creation of Triple Five Worldwide, which also developed, owns and manages the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, which is currently the country’s largest.

The idea behind these malls is to provide a place where families can go for activities beyond shopping, including arts, entertainment and dining.  

The company currently is constructing an American Dream center in Bergen County, New Jersey, at the Meadowlands Complex. That mall, which is 3 million square feet, is projected to open in 2019.

To give an idea of what these developers have in mind in setting themselves apart from other malls or shopping centers, the New Jersey American Dream is set to feature two record-breaking roller coasters in its Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park, an observation wheel, a water park and an indoor snow park and chalet.

Now, Triple Five is readying to build what will be the largest mall in the United States: American Dream Miami.

Robert Gorlow, a Florida-based real estate adviser and developer acting as the local representative for the facility, told National Jeweler Wednesday that American Dream Miami will be 7.2 million square feet in size. Of that, 3.5 million will be retail space and 2 million square feet will be entertainment space, with the remaining comprised of common areas and back-of-house areas.

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Triple Five received final approval on American Dream Miami from the Miami-Dade County Commission in May.

Gorlow said he couldn’t yet confirm how many stores it will feature or which stores will be there, noting only that they’ve had a lot of interest already and expect retailers similar to those that have signed on for the New Jersey megamall: Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Zara, Gap and Hermes.

The Miami location also will offer 2,000 hotel rooms to provide families the chance to stay for a few days.

Triple Five is hoping to open American Dream Miami on Black Friday 2023. Current projections for visitors are at about 30 million people per year, Gorlow said.

He also said it is expected to generate about 25,000 direct and indirect permanent jobs.

Approval for the project came despite objections from local residents and detractors who said it would harm wetlands and wildlife, clog roads and create light pollution,
according to The Sun-Sentinel.
Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.

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