For Secaucus residents who live along the Hackensack River, the sight of the giant complex being built across the river in Rutherford is a familiar sight. It is the site of the American Dream Mall, a 3 million square-foot complex. For years, the complex sat idle as sort of an eye sore, consisting of rusting steal beams, gaudy wall panels, and a protruding ramp which supposedly would be an indoor ski hill. However, in the last couple of years, the pace of construction has really picked up. With each passing week, one could see noticeable differences as the giant structure is getting built. And two weeks ago, developer Triple Five Group announced that the mega-mall will open in late summer 2019.
Many people are still skeptical about the actual opening date, though. That's because the huge project has been delayed numerous times already. In fact, the original completion date was sometime in 2007. Not only that, in the last 16 years, the project has changed hands three times between different developers. Originally, Mills Corp was selected in 2003 to complete Xanadu, the former name for the complex. Then in 2006, the project was handed off to Colony Capital by the ailing Mills Corp. However, construction had to be halted in 2009 due to lack of financing. Later on, in 2011, Triple Five took over the project and renamed it from Xanadu to American Dream. But even under Triple Five's watch, the deadline has been pushed multiple times.
The plan is for American Dream to be broken up into 55 percent entertainment based and 45 percent retail, including more than 450 stores and restaurants.
Although a definitive list of the retailers are not yet available, reported stores include high end resellers as well as more accessible outlets. Some of the retailers are Aritzia, Banana Republic, Gap, Hermes, Lord & Taylor, Lululemon, MAC Cosmetics, Microsoft, OFF 5th, Primark, Saks Fifth Avenue, UNIQLO, Victoria's Secret, Zara, as well as the department store Century 21.
Unlike the case of retailers, the plans for entertainment attractions are more concrete. As of this writing, American Dream will feature:
BIG SNOW America - Now, you can ski or snowboard any time of the year. BIG SNOW America is an indoor skiing and snowboarding facility, including a 16-story high ski slope.
DreamWorks Waterpark - That's right. There will be a climate-controlled, glass-domed water park right inside the mall. It will be based on characters from DreamWorks movies.
Cinemex - What mall is complete without a movie theater? Well, Cinemex takes it a step further providing a 4D movie experience with moving seats and an environment where weather elements and scents in the theater are synchronized to the movie.
KidZania - This is not traditional entertainment. KidZania lets kids try out more than 100 different jobs through role playing inside a miniature city.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center - This is not just a LEGO store. LEGOLAND Discovery is designed for parents and children to spend hours playing together in a fun, interactive, and educational environment.
Nickelodeon Universe - This is an indoor amusement park, complete with roller coasters, themed around Nickelodeon shows and characters.
Observation Wheel - A giant Ferris wheel with climate controlled gondolas will give riders a view of New York City.
SEA Life Aquarium - The world's biggest aquarium brand, SEA Life, will bring its spectacular displays of marine life.
Skating rink - A NHL-sized skating rink will be surrounded by three stories of shops, a food court and a window looking into the waterpark.
Like all malls, American Dream will also provide eateries. But given its size, you know it won't be just the traditional food court. The mega-mall will feature a 38,000 square-foot food hall with 18 vendors, cooking demonstrations, and other events. There will also be specialized restaurants like Dons Bogam, a Korean barbecue restaurant, and For the Win, an arcade-themed restaurant featuring bowling and live music.
Hopefully, American Dream Mall will indeed open at the end of the Summer as announced. Secaucus is already bordered on the East by New York City, home to a plethora of retailers and attractions. Once American Dream opens, the town will also be bordered on the West by the third largest mall in North America. Not only will this offer Secaucus residents great new shopping and entertainment options just a few minutes away, but the new complex will most likely boost Secaucus' hotel industry and raise property values.
