The bustling South Florida area has proposed a massive 6-million-square-foot project known as American Dream Miami, which is truly remarkable.
The project would surpass the size of any retail hub in North America, even the esteemed Mall of America in Minnesota. As Mercury News shares, it’s safe to say that this is not your average everyday shopping mall.
Those who enjoy shopping can feel secure knowing that the project will encompass millions of square feet of retail space. However, this is not just some shopper’s paradise, as a whole wealth of other options are slated to be included.
“We are not mall developers. That’s not what we’re trying to build,” notes Don Ghermezian, president of developer Triple Five Worldwide Group of Edmonton, Canada. “A lot of it is ‘retail-tainment.’ What we’re trying to create is an economic engine.”
To Ghermezian’s point, plans call for an indoor ski slope, a submarine ride attraction, a waterpark, a skating rink, 2,000 hotel rooms, a performing arts center, theaters, and a plethora of places to eat and drink.
“World-class cities have world-class facilities. All of the great things that we have going on in this community, a huge disadvantage is that we don’t have a lot of family entertainment and amusement activities,” said Dennis Moss, a Miami-Dade County commissioner. “This is a game-changer.”
That doesn’t sound like hyperbole, and Ghermezian’s previous projects provide a testament to that fact. This project will end up drawing even more tourists to the area in its own right, and it could provide a template for other developers to replicate on a smaller scale.
“What’s on the way out are the tired strip malls that haven’t been updated in 30 years. What’s in are beautiful shopping complexes and entertainment destinations,” notes Faith Hope Consolo, chair of retail, marketing, and sales at Douglas Elliman Real Estate in New York. “In the future, the emphasis on unique experiences and destinations that you want to visit will be crucial.”
Early estimates say the American Dream Miami would draw 300,000 visitors a day and create about 14,500 permanent jobs. That’s a huge selling point that should help get it through the approval process swiftly, and some residents just can’t wait for the ground to be broken.
One resident stated, “We should make every effort to make this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity happen rather than finding ways to thwart it.” “There are greater goods to consider in this situation.”
