haydawg149 Posted December 1, 2006 Posted December 1, 2006 "The Mall of America has announced that they plan on investing $25million into the park over the next 18 months. The plans include a euro-fighter that would open in 2008." A 6,000-seat performing arts auditorium, a roller coaster, a Bass Pro Shop and a hotel will be among the additions to the Mall of America's current complex and its $1 billion-plus Phase II addition, mall officials said this afternoon at a press conference. AEG of Los Angeles said it would partner with mall ownership group Triple Five to build the performing arts auditorium in Phase II that is appropriate for music and dance performances. AEG owns the Los Angeles Kings, a hockey team, and a piece of the L.A. Lakers. The group operates similar facilities in Dallas and Las Vegas where artists such as Elton John and Dolly Parton are known to perform. AEG didn't disclose the price of the auditorium, but said similar projects have ranged in cost from $50 million to $150 million. They said they picked the Mall of America they feel they have can fill a niche - big name performers looking for smaller venues - that isn't filled in the metro area today. The Mall of America said Bass Pro Shops, a Springfield, Mo.-based outdoor retailer, would lease about 300,000 square feet in its 5.6 million-square-foot Phase II project, which just gained approval from the city of Bloomington last week. Construction on Phase II could begin by mid-2007. About 70,000 square feet in the Bass Pro Shop will be devoted to Tracker, Nitro and Tahoe boats built by the Tracker Marine Group. Officials said tax-increment financing, which the mall is asking both the state and city of Bloomington for, is essential to the magnitude of the auditorium and the Bass Pro development. However that money would be used for the development of parking and other infrastructure. In addition, San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants will build a hotel that will be attached to the south side of the mall off of Killebrew Drive. It will be Kimpton's first property in Minnesota. The hotel will be eight stories high with 202 rooms that will go for $180 to $250 a night. Construction of the $40 million project, pending city approval, is expected to take 14 to 16 months. Bass Pro officials said they are still looking to attach a hotel to their planned store. Mall officials said they would invest $25 million into new rides and attractions at the Park at MOA over the next 18 months. Construction is expected to begin next year on a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter roller coaster. Gerstlauer is a German designer and manufacturer of amusement rides. The roller coaster is expected to debut in 2008. The mall plans to fill fourth-floor space once occupied by Fat Tuesday's and Knuckleheads with Cantina No. 1 Corona, the first restaurant branded by Corona beer. The 13,000-square-foot restaurant will feature Mexican food and specialty beers and is slated to open in 2007. A spokeswoman said they were targeting an open date on Cinco de Mayo. Two previous plans for enlarging the Mall failed to take hold. One envisioned a so-called "hyperport," billed as an international showplace to display new technology. More recently, mall owners floated a casino plan that failed to get the attention of lawmakers.
robbalvey Posted December 1, 2006 Posted December 1, 2006 There is already a thread for this: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31192 Please do a search when posting a "news" topic...especially about a new ride, park, etc, etc..... Thanks. --Robb
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