America's Biggest Mall Is Coming And It's The Size Of A Small City

The future of retail is arriving to Miami, Florida – and it comes with a ski slope.

It’s been dubbed ‘American Dream’ and, at roughly 138 acres (for comparison, Rome’s Vatican City is just 110), its gargantuan size appears to match the developer’s ambition to take the ‘destination mall’ to the next level.

The plans, waved through with barely a murmur of dissent by Miami-Dade County, include a water park, theme park, ice-skating rink. Oh, and some stores, too.

Once completed, Miami’s American Dream will be twice the size of King of Prussia Mall in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, which is currently the biggest in the country.

A rendering of the American Dream Mall water park

The idea is simple: nearly half the venue will be given over to entertainment. But, to reach the plethora of leisure activities, visitors will have to pass through the equally expansive retail courts. Want to check out the submarine lake? You can’t get underwater without passing some 1,200 shops. Fancy working on your golf swing? Get ready to be tempted by the this season’s collections before you reach the driving range.

Rendering of the American Dream Miami’s ice skating rink

The developer, Triple Five Group, describes American Dream as a ‘lifestyle center’ and believes the concept will lead the industry for years to come.

This concept will first be put to the test at Triple Five’s 69-acre American Dream mall currently under construction just outside of Manhattan, New York, which is slated to open in 2019.

Malls have suffered in recent years, with thousands of mall-based stores closing annually across the US. In the past year alone, once-staple stops of a weekend shopping spree, such as Toys R Us, Sears, Gap and K Mart, have shut down hundreds of outlets.

Online shopping and shifting consumer habits are to blame. In 2017, e-commerce accounted for 10.2% of global retail sales and this is expected to rise to 17.5% by 2021.

With Miami’s American Dream, Triple Five is seeking to ‘meet the demands of the modern customer’ by building an entertainment and retail epicentre that, as well as being equivalent in size to 100 football fields, will inspire a new kind of mall experience. The developer believes that this, in turn, will boost sales for all brands involved.

American Dream’s multitude of attractions are designed to bring in customers from all over the nation, as opposed to just the local area, and Triple Five expects to welcome 30 million people every year.

A rendering of the American Dream Miami’s ski area

However, the project has been met with criticism, both from local competitors and environmental groups. The latter fear that the low-lying wetlands proposed for American Dream’s site will lead to storm-water flooding. Nonetheless, Triple Five’s plans have been approved by the city, although the developer will still need to obtain another series of permits and secure financing in order to go ahead. Should it clear these final hurdles, the prospect of combining a weekly shop with a cheeky spin around the ice rink will be one step closer to reality.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.