International developer Triple Five has moved a step closer to realising its vision of creating North America’s largest mega-mall after submitting a planning document to Miami-Dade County.
The hugely ambitious American Dream Miami scheme – described by Triple Five as “as an evolution in retail and entertainment” – includes 6.2m sq ft (576,000sq m) of leisure, retail and dining space located on a greenfield site at the intersection of the Florida Turnpike and Interstate 75, near Miami Lake.
The planning application outlines Triple Five’s intention to build a mall with an almost unprecedented amount of leisure and culture facilities. It includes 3.5m sq ft (325,000sq m) of retail space; a 370,000sq ft (34,300sq m) theme park; a 20-slide water park; an indoor ski slope; a 2,000-room hotel; 3D movie theatre; a performing arts venue; a 35,000sq ft (3,200sq m) garden; and a 120,000sq ft (11,100sq m) Art Deco village of restaurants and entertainment facilities.
Sports components include a 75,000sq ft (6,900sq m) sports centre; a miniature golf course; an indoor ice rink for figure skating and hockey; and a ‘submarine lake’ where guests can go on underwater ride attractions, go water skiing or take a gondola ride.
According to Triple Five, Miami was chosen for the site because it welcomes over 14m tourists each year, second only to New York in terms of popular US cities.
Local reports claim the project will cost around US$4bn (€3.6bn, £2.8bn) to build. Over $12m (€11m, £8.3m) has already been spent by International Atlantic LLC – an affiliate of Triple Five – to buy the land for the scheme.
A decision from the county’s planning department is expected before the end of the year. If the scheme is given the green light, the developers claim it will open around 2019.
No architecture team has yet been publicly revealed.
Triple Five, which has headquarters in the US and Canada, is one of the world’s largest tourism, retail and entertainment real estate developers. It’s portfolio includes the Mall of America in Minnesota – the country’s largest mall –
which is currently undergoing a US$500m (€470m, £331m) expansion. In a statement released last year, the company said “It’s our intention that American Dream Miami will exceed our other world famous projects in all respects.”
The Miami metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing in the US, due to its climate and favourable tax regime. The airport has been extended in recent years and now offers flights to 150 international destinations on 80 airlines.
