Mall of America Eyes New Hotel, Retail in Major Bloomington Push

Triple Five Group, owners of the Mall of America in Bloomington, have unveiled plans for a significant expansion featuring a 500-room luxury hotel and new retail outlets, as initially reported by FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul. The project targets the southeast quadrant near Lindau Lane and Highway 77, echoing the successful 2015 addition that included a 342-room JW Marriott hotel, 268,000 square feet of retail with 50 to 75 upscale tenants, and a 180,000-square-foot office tower.[1][4] Completed on budget at $325 million with city tax increment financing, that phase opened the hotel in November 2015 and retail spaces shortly after, reinforcing the mall's draw as the most visited U.S. building with 42 million annual visitors.[2][4] The new initiative promises 580,000 square feet of retail and mall space alongside the hotel, positioning Bloomington as a tourism powerhouse in the Twin Cities metro.[5] Mortenson Construction, which topped off the prior buildings, highlights the mall's evolution into a 'work, play, stay' destination with direct hotel connections, food halls, and attractions like Nickelodeon Universe and SEA LIFE Aquarium.[4][7][8] Spanning 5.6 million square feet today, the complex anchors local economy amid recent additions such as the NBA Store, CoComelon Playdate, and the upcoming Mystery Cove indoor waterpark slated for the north side in two to three years.[3][7] This expansion arrives as Bloomington thrives within Minnesota's entertainment surge, including a $400 million Shakopee amphitheater near Canterbury Park and a $750 million Blaine sports district.[3] Near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, with its Concourse G expansion by 2028, the Mall of America stands to boost visitor numbers and jobs, sustaining its role as a state economic engine since opening in 1992.[2][3]