Opening Date Set for New Jersey’s Mega-Mall with Nickelodeon Theme Park

New Jersey’s long-awaited mega-mall will officially open on Oct. 25, 2019. The entertainment and shopping complex, called American Dream, and located at the Route 3-New Jersey Turnpike interchange in East Rutherford, will be the largest mall in America at roughly 3 million square feet.

It will consist of 45% retail and 55% entertainment offerings. An eight-acre Nickelodeon Universe indoor theme park will house two roller coasters, based on characters like SpongeBob SquarePants and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Nickelodeon will once again partner with developer Tripe Five, the company it worked with for its branded park at the Mall of America, in Minnesota.

There will also be an eight-acre DreamWorks Waterpark, the first of its kind. The Big SNOW Ski and Snowboard Park will be North America’s first indoor snow sports center. Other entertainment offerings include an NHL-sized skating and hockey rink, an Angry Birds-themed 18-hole miniature golf course, a Legoland Discovery Center, an aquarium, and a luxury movie theater.

There will be over 100 dining and specialty food offerings, including more than 20 full-service restaurants, a 38,000-square-foot Coca-Cola “Eats” Food Hall, and a kosher food hall.

Luxury retail shops will be anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue and a two-level flagship Barneys New York, featuring Hermes, Tiffany & Company, Dolce & Gabbana, and Moncler. There will also be H&M, Zara, Century 21, and Primark stores.

“Over the coming weeks, American Dream will be providing further insights into the property, its attractions, tenants, and the exciting plans and events surrounding the opening and beyond,” the announcement teased.

The project has been delayed, on and off, for years after financial problems caused several name and ownership changes. It was originally developed by the Mills Corporation and Mack-Cali Realty, and was finally acquired by Triple Five Group in 2011.

“We know that the community has been eagerly awaiting the launch of this incredible global destination,” said Don Ghermezian, president of American Dream. “We have a one-of-a-kind property that will reshape the way people think about entertainment, theme parks and shopping.”

The developers are projecting 40 million annual visitors, drawing from the 21 million residents in the surrounding area and nearly 63 million international tourists that visit the region annually.