Who’s Up for Skiing in Miami?

Miami may soon be home to America’s biggest mall, thanks to the owners of Minnesota’s Mall of America.

Rendering of the proposed “American Dream Miami” mall

This is your first of three free stories this month. Become a free or sustaining member to read unlimited articles, webinars and ebooks.

Become A Member

Northwestern Miami-Dade may be home to the next super-mall. Triple Five, the owners of Minnesota’s Mall of America released a proposal on Thursday for American Dream Miami, a 200-acre shopping center and entertainment complex complete with a ski slope, a live sea lion show and a Legoland. It will even have an artificial lake where visitors can take a submarine ride. (Guess that someone’s American dream.)

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced the deal in an interview on Thursday. As he’s gearing up for reelection on an economic development platform, he says he hopes that the American Dream project will be a great job creator.

“It takes a lot of logistics to keep a thing like that going. All the food, and the mechanical equipment, air-conditioning — there’s going to be a huge spin-off,” he said.

According to the Miami Herald, the proposal has been in the works for a year, but has remained secret until this week. The newspaper has the details:

Much of the 200 acres will come from the Graham Companies in a deal with Triple Five, but about 80 acres of it belong to the state of Florida. Further complicating negotiations, Miami-Dade’s school system holds a lease on a large chunk of the state parcel in a land-bank arrangement for the possibility of future development there.

Triple Five has agreed to pay $7 million to compensate the school system for waiving its lease, and Miami-Dade would then purchase it from the state, county officials said. Triple Five would pay $11 million for the state land, officials said, with Miami-Dade County acting as a pass-through for the transaction. County commissioners and school board members are expected to consider the proposals later this month.

In a statement on Thursday, Triple Five said, “It is our intent that this project — American Dream Miami — will exceed our other world famous projects in all respects.”

Like what you’re reading? Get a browser notification whenever we post a new story. You’re signed-up for browser notifications of new stories. No longer want to be notified? Unsubscribe.

Jenn Stanley is a freelance journalist, essayist and independent producer living in Chicago. She has an M.S. from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Follow Jenn .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Tags: miamiretail

×
Next City App Never Miss A StoryDownload our app ×
×

You've reached your monthly limit of three free stories.

This is not a paywall. Become a free or sustaining member to continue reading.

  • Read unlimited stories each month
  • Our email newsletter
  • Webinars and ebooks in one click
  • Our Solutions of the Year magazine
  • Support solutions journalism and preserve access to all readers who work to liberate cities

Join 1099 other sustainers such as:

  • Gabby at $5/Month
  • Abigail at $10/Month
  • Gloria at $5/Month

Already a member? Log in here. U.S. donations are tax-deductible minus the value of thank-you gifts. Questions? Learn more about our membership options.

or pay by credit card:

All members are automatically signed-up to our email newsletter. You can unsubscribe with one-click at any time.

  • Donate $20 or $5/Month

    20th Anniversary Solutions of the Year magazine

has donated ! Thank you 🎉
Donate
×