Even if most of the mall, including all of the shops and eating spots, has yet to open, that didn’t dampen spirits for those in attendance at the opening of the Nickelodeon amusement park at the American Dream mall. NBC New York’s Pat Battle reports.
What to Know
- American Dream will reopen next month -- welcoming guests who want to enjoy some retail therapy or the mall's indoor entertainment experiences -- all with a new set of safety guidelines in the era of coronavirus.
- The mall's reopening is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1 with a number of retailers opening for the first time at the mall, including H&M, Primark and ZARA.
- DreamWorks Water Park, Nickelodeon Universe, Out of This World Blacklight Mini Golf, and The Rink will reopen. Big SNOW American Dream, the indoor ski and snowboard slopes, opened Tuesday.
American Dream will reopen next month -- welcoming guests who want to enjoy some retail therapy or the mall's indoor entertainment experiences -- all with a new set of safety guidelines in the era of coronavirus.
The mall's reopening is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1 with a number of retailers opening for the first time at the mall, including H&M, Primark and ZARA.
DreamWorks Water Park, Nickelodeon Universe, Out of This World Blacklight Mini Golf, and The Rink will reopen. Big SNOW American Dream, the indoor ski and snowboard slopes, opened Tuesday. Additional openings and new experiences will be announced at a later time.
Although some may be excited to have American Dream reopen, the mall and entertainment experience will be different due to the ongoing pandemic. Safety protocols that guests can expect include, but are not limited to:
- Face coverings required for entry into American Dream;
- Reduced capacities throughout the mall and within each of the open attractions. Since the attractions will be operating at reduced capacities, guests are encouraged to book their experiences in advance of their visit at www.americandream.com;
- Increased sanitizing and disinfecting throughout American Dream common areas and attractions;
- Hand sanitizer stations and hygiene reminders installed throughout the mall and within the attractions;
- Physical distancing guidance, including ground markings, plexiglass barriers, touchless programming and more.
“We’d like to thank Governor Murphy, his administration, the New Jersey Department of Health, our legislative delegation, County Executive Jim Tedesco and his team, and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority for their collective efforts throughout this process to get to a safe reopening,” Don Ghermezian, Co-CEO at American Dream, said in a statement.
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“We also want to thank our guests and team members for their patience and loyalty while we were closed,” Mark Ghermezian, Co-CEO at American Dream, said in a statement. “We know that our community has been waiting to return, but it was important to us that we took the proper time and precautions needed to welcome guests back in the safest possible manner. The last several months have been difficult for everyone, and even though we are still adjusting to the new normal, we are confident that we can provide guests a safer environment to make dreams come true for everyone, everywhere, as well as create much needed job opportunities in New Jersey.”
American Dream debuted last autumn. Prior to the COVID crisis, the mall was opening in phases, with the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park first opening in October and Big SNOW opening in time for the December holidays. Retailers were scheduled to open in March before the pandemic halted those plans.
American Dream has been a highly anticipated project that has been plagued by financial problems since the first contract was awarded in 2003. The immense structure, once called "the ugliest damn building in New Jersey" by former Republican Gov. Chris Christie, has sat unfinished between MetLife Stadium and the New Jersey Turnpike for years.
