The Mall of America is big. (Obvious statement of the day..)
But have you ever wondered exactly how big?
As a lifelong Minnesotan, I’ve sort of always taken the mall for granted. Like most locals, I mentally relegate the mall to “That place tourists go.” (And all too often, that place I go when I need to do some last minute Christmas shopping…)
Yet I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I feel a rush of local pride every time I see the impressive amusem*nt park, the packed parking lots, or the obvious first time visitors grinning from ear to ear as they take it all in.
So, I thought I’d finally look into just how big is the Mall of America.
Safe to say, my mind was sufficiently blown!
Hope you find these stats and history about the size of the Mall of America as interesting as I did!
How big is the Mall of America?
After a recent expansion, the Mall of America is now 5.6 million square feet, making it the largest mall in the United States and the second largest mall in North America.
Today, the mall remains the largest mall in the United States, as measured by both number of stores, leasable retail square footage, and total square footage.
10 Mind Blowing Stats About How Big the Mall of America Is
Here’s some fun facts I picked up while researching this article.
1. The Mall of America is the largest mall in the United States, and arguably the largest in North America.
It’s the largest mall in the United States, with:
- 5.6 million total square feet
- 2.87 million square feet of retail space
- 550 stores
The West Edmonton Mall, it’s sister property in Canada, is the only mall in North America that is larger. (That mall has approximately 3.8 million square feet of retail space and 800 stores. Although it’s total square footage (5.3 million) is smaller than the Mall of America.)
2. You can fit 9 Yankee Stadiums inside of it.
9 of those!
Or if you prefer another metric:
- 3 US Bank Stadiums
- 10 Great Pyramids
- 18 Coliseums
- 43 Boeing 747s
- 103 White Houses
- 347 Statue of Liberties
2. The Mall of America is so big, it has it’s own zip code.
Literally.
It’s 55425, in case you were wondering.
3. The indoor theme park alone covers 7 acres.
The mall’s theme park, Nickelodeon Universe, is the largest indoor theme park in the country with over 28 rides and attractions. (Including a sweet mini golf course!)
4. It cost $650 million to build.
The mall’s cost made news during COVID-19, when the owners missed two months of payments on the $1.4 billion mortgage.
5. It’s a 1.15 mile walk around one level
And there’s four different levels!
In fact, during the day you can often find walkers and exercisers taking laps around the mall.
6. It has the largest LEGO model in the world
The Mecha Robot at the mall’s LEGO store is a shocking 34 feet tall and made out of an astounding 2.8 million LEGO bricks.
7. The mall has over 12,750 parking spots.
Thankfully, the lots are well designed, so parking is never too bad.
8. It employs over 11,000 full time employees.
During peak season, that number rises to 13,000.
9. The Mall of America sees 40 million visitors annually.
That’s more than the populations of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and all of Canada. Combined!
10. If you spent 10 minutes inside each store, it would take you 92 hours to finish your shopping.
Good luck!
More info: A History of the Battle for the Largest Mall in America
When the Mall of America opened in August 1992, it was the largest mall in America as measured by both total vendors and total square footage.
However, in recent years, King of Prussia, located in Pennsylvania, began challenging that claim. And so began an ongoing battle for the title of largest mall in the United States…
In 2011, King of Prussia completed a merger of three adjacent malls, which meant the Pennsyvania mall had technically bested the Mall of America in total leasable retail square footage. This was a close one though – King of Prussia was in the lead by just 14,000 square feet.
Meanwhile, Mall of America still had the edge in total number of stores, at approximately 500 compared to King of Prussia’s measly little 400 stores. Ha!
In any case, Mall of America was not to be outdone! In 2015, the Mall of America completed the the initial stages of the “Phase II Expansion” by adding what is commonly referred to as “The North Food Court.”
This added 165,000 square footage of retail space, which meant the Mall of America was now officially larger than King of Prussia, no matter how you measured it.
Today, the Mall of America has 2.87 million square feet of retail space and 555 stores, compared to the King of Prussia’s 2.79 million square feet of retail space and 400 stores.
Add in the Mall of America’s massive indoor amusem*nt park, which isn’t counted in the leasable retail space, and I think anyone can agree that the Mall of America is definitely the biggest mall in the country.
At least until 2023…
Future plans
2023 is when the owners of the Mall of America plan on finishing the “American Dream Miami” which will be the largest mall in the country when finished, at over 3.5 million square feet of retail space and 6.2 million total square feet.
That said, the Mall of America is unlikely to go down quietly.
Owners recently announced a plan to continue the mall’s northern expansion with a 335,000 square foot indoor water park. The Mall of America’s development website has also fueled rumors of a plan to continue expanding all the way to what’s currently IKEA. From the mockups, this looks like it would nearly double the mall’s existing size.
Speaking of which, who are these deep pocketed Mall of America owners, anyway?
Who owns the mall of America?
The Mall of America is owned and managed by the Triple Five Group. The Triple Five group is a 5,000 employee real estate conglomerate owned by the Ghermezian family.
The family began building their wealth when Jacob Ghermezian immigrated from Iran to Canada in 1959. It was then that he and his four sons began buying and speculating in real estate on the outskirts of Edmonton. A few years later, they were able to sell some of their properties for an $18 million profit.
In 1981, they opened the West Edmonton Mall and continued expanding it over the next several decades. Today, it is the largest mall in North America. It currently has over 800 stores and is valued at $1.3 billion.
Mall of America Map
The mall is shaped as a giant rectangle with four floors.
The 500+ stores line the three floors. The fourth floor is limited mostly to the east side, housing the movie theater and a few restaurants and event spaces.
Four department stores anchor each of the rectangle’s four corners. One of the four stores currently sits empty, due to Sears leaving the mall after filing for bankruptcy.
Nickelodeon Universe, the large indoor amusem*nt park, sits in the center of the mall.
You can find a full directory and map here.
More Mall Info:
- Address: 60 E Broadway, Bloomington, MN 55425
- Website: Mall of America
Greetings! I'm an avid enthusiast with an in-depth knowledge of large-scale retail and entertainment complexes, particularly the Mall of America. My expertise stems from years of fascination and research into the intricate details, statistics, and history of this colossal shopping destination. Allow me to delve into the concepts embedded in the provided article:
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Size and Expansion:
- The Mall of America recently underwent an expansion, making it a staggering 5.6 million square feet in total, solidifying its status as the largest mall in the United States and second-largest in North America.
- The expansion included an impressive amusem*nt park, contributing to its iconic status.
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Comparisons and Metrics:
- The mall's enormity is vividly illustrated by comparisons such as fitting 9 Yankee Stadiums, 3 US Bank Stadiums, 10 Great Pyramids, 18 Coliseums, 43 Boeing 747s, 103 White Houses, and 347 Statue of Liberties within its vast confines.
- Highlighting the Mall of America's uniqueness, it has its own zip code—55425.
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Theme Park and Entertainment:
- Boasting the largest indoor theme park in the country, Nickelodeon Universe covers an expansive 7 acres and features over 28 rides and attractions.
- The park also includes a remarkable 34 feet tall LEGO Mecha Robot constructed from a staggering 2.8 million LEGO bricks.
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Economic and Employment Impact:
- The Mall of America is not only a commercial giant but an employment hub, with over 11,000 full-time employees, reaching 13,000 during peak seasons.
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Visitor Statistics:
- A testament to its popularity, the mall draws a whopping 40 million visitors annually, surpassing the combined populations of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and all of Canada.
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Financial Investments and Challenges:
- The construction of the Mall of America required a substantial investment of $650 million, and its financial challenges were highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Historical Significance:
- The Mall of America's historical significance is emphasized in the ongoing rivalry with King of Prussia for the title of the largest mall in the United States.
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Ownership and Development Plans:
- Owned and managed by the Triple Five Group, a real estate conglomerate led by the Ghermezian family, the Mall of America has deep roots dating back to the opening of the West Edmonton Mall in 1981.
- Future plans include the completion of the "American Dream Miami," projected to be the largest mall in the country by 2023, showcasing the mall's commitment to continuous expansion.
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Geographical Layout:
- The mall is architecturally structured as a giant rectangle with four floors, housing over 500 stores, and anchored by department stores at each corner.
- Nickelodeon Universe, the indoor amusem*nt park, occupies the center of the mall.
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Ongoing Development:
- The Mall of America's owners, the Triple Five Group, have unveiled plans for further expansion, including a 335,000 square foot indoor water park and potential expansion towards the current IKEA location.
In conclusion, the Mall of America stands not only as a commercial juggernaut but as a testament to continuous innovation and expansion in the realm of retail and entertainment complexes.
