The long awaited...Mall of America

Plantboy · #1 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 2:41 AM**

Welcome to Minnesota and the Mall of America. The mall is about 4.2 million sqare feet. It hosts over 250 retail shops, 13,000 parking spaces and 12,000 employees. It was built in Bloomington, MN in 1992. When it was built it was the second biggest mall in the world. It has been outdone now a few times. I forget where though. So, here it is, in all of it's glory.

Shoes on sticks! How cool is that??

Mmmmm...Think it's time for a coffee break!

Much better.

Anyone else listen to NPR?

This is the actual suit Tom Hanks wore in Forest Gump. This is outside of the, "Bubba Gump Shrimp Co."

This is a horrible crop of Minneapolis at a good 10 miles away.

Thanks for viewing and hope you visit someday.

city dweller · #2 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 2:55 AM**

So it's not an urban myth, the mall does exist, I'm glad I now have proof, because I don't think I've ever seen any photos before this. I want to see what a parking lot with 13,000 parking spaces looks like. Great thread, thanks for the pics.

The patience to do this is beyond me...

Derek · #3 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 3:14 AM**

i remember playing in the lego thing and the mini amusement park when i was like...6

havent been back since...but i definitly want to go back and visit some day!

glowrock · #4 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 3:17 AM**

One of these days, I've got to get up to Minneapolis to MOA, as well as to Edmonton for the West Edmonton Mall. Why, I have no idea... But hell, it's just something to do, I guess!

Aaron (Glowrock)

holladay · #5 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 3:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plantboy

looks like a theme park version of opryland

mercator · #6 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 3:42 AM**

what day of the week and time of the day was this. There are so few people. Is this mall in financial trouble?

MSPtoMKE · #7 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 4:11 AM**

You should have stopped for a bite to eat at the Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich restaurant, P.B. Loco, then payed by the minute to take a nap at MinneNAPolis.

peacefu603 · #8 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 4:31 AM**

HOW COOL
I like shopping!

BG918 · #9 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 4:49 AM**

Our family actually took a road trip from Tulsa to Minneapolis to see this place when I was a kid, about 2 years after it opened. I had an cousin living there at the time, fresh out of college and living in a highrise downtown. We visited him and that was one of the first skyline drawings I ever did, of the Minneapolis skyline. I remember thinking the rooftop pool was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. He now lives in Austin, and he has the drawing framed and in one of his kid's bedrooms! Haha, that was my last trip to Minneapolis, I need to go back sometime.

KevinFromTexas · #10 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 5:08 AM**

Legos

BnaBreaker · #11 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 7:07 AM**

Interesting shots of downtown suburbia. Thanks!

Accura · #12 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 7:36 AM**

Interesting pics. I think this was used for an on-location scene in Mighty Ducks 2... why is it so quiet?

Plantboy · #13 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 9:35 AM**

I was there an hour before the stores opened

The mall is definitely not in any financial troubles. Thanks for all the positive feedback!

Stanz · #14 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 9:43 AM**

I wanna go on that rollercoaster, I wanna I wanna

glowrock · #15 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 11:21 AM**

Nah, let's meet up at Cedar Point, and go on a REAL rollercoaster!

Aaron (Glowrock)

Boris · #16 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 11:51 AM**

Very cool, for some reason I knew Kevin would be excited about the Legos.

DruidCity · #17 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 2:18 PM**

Unless I'm going senile (entirely possible), I recall reading a year or two ago that the mall plans an enormous expansion ? Is that still on ?

SLO · #18 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 2:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DruidCity

Unless I'm going senile (entirely possible), I recall reading a year or two ago that the mall plans an enormous expansion ? Is that still on ?

I was wondering the same. I was there about 2 yrs ago and was told that, and saw the spot where construction was to commence....

jard · #19 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 2:27 PM**

Wow, looks like fun

Eric1776 · #20 Posted **Mar 27, 2007, 3:57 PM**

Yes the Mall of America just announced a one billion dollar expansion! This is taken from the Mall of America website:

* Premier hotels on site
* Office complex/business center with conference facilities
* Unique new retail offerings
* Popular destination restaurants
* Recreational/fitness/spa facilities
* Entertainment/cultural attractions
* Performing Arts Center
* Dinner Theater (1,200 seats)
* Water Park

"Q: What exactly is Phase II?
A: Phase II is a four-level complex like the existing Mall of America complex with high fashion retail, entertainment, hotels, office space, a performing arts center, museum, dinner theaters, ice rink and water park that will connect directly to MOA. Additional development is planned for the south area of Mall of America off Killebrew Drive. Phase II can be built up to 5.6 million square feet of mixed-use space, which is planned to be built to the north of the existing Mall, to become the worlds largest mixed use retail, entertainment and recreation project, contributing over 2 billion dollars per year to the regional economy and creating thousands of jobs."

Plus a new rollercoaster that's 67' tall, 1345' long, and has 2 inversions (rcdb.com)