Legislature Passes Mall of Amercia Phase II Bill

The Minnesota Legislature passed a tax bill Sunday that includes language
supporting the proposed Mall of America Phase II expansion.

According to a press release from MOA, the bill appears to provide funding from on-site taxes generated by both the present mall and the proposed expansion to help pay for the required public parking facility. The bill also includes numerous conditions and use
restrictions that stand to physically alter the project, including a ban on a proposed 6,000 seat music theater and the elimination of the Chanhassen Dinner Theater and all other live theater venues.

The Mall of America expansion would be the largest commercial construction project in state history. The $1.8 billion private investment in the project is an amount three times larger than this year's bonding bill. The project would put more than 14,000 Minnesotans to work, including 7,000 construction jobs and another 7,000 permanent positions.