Meadowlands Xanadu

infobox shopping mall|shopping_mall_name = Meadowlands Xanadu
location = East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
coordinates = Coord|40|48|43.25|N|74|04|09.38|W|type:landmark|region:US-MN|display=inline,title
opening_date = Summer, 2009 (Projected)
owner = New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority
developer = Colony Capital
architects = The RockwellGroup
building_costs = $2 billion
size = convert|4800000|sqft|m2|abbr=on.
website = http://www.meadowlandsxanadu.com

The Meadowlands Xanadu (also known as the Xanadu Project) is a 5-story retail and entertainment complex undergoing construction in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA. This complex was to have been completed in 2007, but the grand opening has been pushed back until summer 2009. Meadowlands Xanadu will be the largest retail and entertainment complex in the United States and the third largest in the world, with convert|4500000|sqft|m2 of entertainment, sports, retail, office, and hotel space. The Xanadu Project will reside within the Meadowlands Sports Complex, using underutilized and existing parking areas. Additional parking will be provided through the addition of new parking decks.

The project was originally developed by the Mills Corporation in partnership with Mack-Cali Realty Corporation, with financing by Kan Am. In May, 2006, the SEC announced it was formally investigating the Mills Corporation after the company announced that it was restating four years of earnings due to executive misconduct and accounting errors. Subsequently, the troubled developer sold their stake in Xanadu to private investment firm Colony Capital. The complex was designed by The Rockwell Group.

Architectural detail

The exterior of the Meadowlands Xanadu will be a combination of aluminum composite and aluminum siding, producing a patchwork of turquoises, reds, yellows, and greens. The south end of the building is accented by America's first indoor ski slope that will double as a giant sculpture. Some politicians have expressed concern over the building's appearance. Former New Jersey Governor Richard Codey was quoted in the New York Times as calling the structure "yucky-looking". [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/realestate/commercial/23xanadu.html?_r=1&ref=commercial&oref=slogin Is a Giant Mall an Eyesore? Developer Urges Patience - Real Estate - NYTimes.com] ] In response to Codey's criticism, and that of other vocal New Jersey leaders, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (which owns the land that Xanadu sits on) has written in a letter to the developers that the NJSEA's Board of Directors has "widespread concerns with the current appearance" of Xanadu. [ [http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/119387 NJSEA Demands Xanadu Update Following Criticism of Appearance Street and Smith's SportsBusiness Daily] ]

The mall will be visible from the New Jersey Turnpike.

Main features

The project, based on a similar one in Madrid, Spain, will be divided into five areas:

ports

Sports enthusiasts can watch live television remotes for their favorite NFL pre-game show on a three-story video wall, and participate in tailgating parties, contests and events featuring favorite athletes. There will also be a barbecue area and TV production and broadcast studio. Attractions include:

* Snowdome: A convert|250000|sqft|m2|abbr=on. indoor ski resort that will be open year round. It is the first indoor ski resort in the U.S.

* SkyVenture [http://skyventure.com/] : A state-of-the-art skydiving simulator and Vertical wind tunnel.

* Bergen Ballpark at the Meadowlands: The Bergen Ballpark at the Meadowlands will be a 8,000-seat baseball-only stadium housing a minor league baseball team.

* Cabela's: A convert|175000|sqft|m2|abbr=on. outdoor equipment store including a mountain replica with running waterfalls and streams, a trout pond and trophy animals in re-creations of their distinct habitats, a 40,000-gallon freshwater aquarium stocked with fish native to the area, museum-quality representations of many wild-game species, including an expansive diorama devoted to African game animals, a World-class Gun Library, a full-service fly-fishing shop, a shooting gallery, indoor archery range, Bargain Cave, featuring discount prices on returned and discontinued merchandise. There will also be live fishing demonstrations, indoor archery and boating lessons.

Entertainment

An entertainment area will include a ribbon of giant digital screens will feature music videos and movie trailers for upcoming releases, views of the Manhattan skyline and beyond on the giant roof-top Ferris wheel, to be developed in partnership with theme park and entertainment guru and CEO of Grupo Magico, Rene Aziz, and live performances and album release parties will be held in this area. Attractions include:

* AEG Live!: a 3,400 capacity live theater by Anschultz Entertainment Group that will hold concerts and other live performances. It will be "sister" to the Nokia Theater in Times Square, NYC.
*Muvico Theaters: As the country's largest theater, the 18-screen, convert|160000|sqft|m2|abbr=on Egyptian-themed Muvico will host film festivals and opening-night premieres. The theater will feature 18 wall-to-wall movie screens, stadium seating, on-line advance ticketing, valet parking, a children's playroom, a Premier Level with its own restaurant and bar and nine balcony auditoriums with oversized loveseats, and a colossal rooftop terrace featuring a convert|60|ft|m|sing=on outdoor screen.

*Lucky Strike: An upscale bowling lounge that brings together bowling and entertainment, where visitors will bowl in an intimate contemporary decor with a 1930s/1940s feel while enjoying American cuisine in an upscale restaurant and lounge.

Cancelled:

*Virgin Megastore: At what would have been the first Virgin Megastore in New Jersey, plans were launched to situate one of the area's largest inventories of music, games, videos and DVDs, plus hundreds of listening posts, video viewing stations, live music, music video screens and more. In addition, this new store - next door to Izod Center, one of the nation's most popular concert venues - was to have hosted in-store appearances by many performers. Virgin withdrew their interest in the Xanadu project after numerous cost overruns and delays.

Youth Culture

An area called "Youth Culture" will include children's stores, interactive games, and play areas. Attractions include:

* LegoLand: the largest in the U.S.

* It's Sugar!: The largest specialty sweets store in the world, visitors will travel across a candy-themed bridge over a convert|30|ft|m|sing=on chocolate waterfall into a convert|36000|sqft|m2|sing=on city created out of sweets where they can enjoy a candy-themed elevated ride and candy museum.

* Wannado City: Wannado City is an indoor role-playing amusement center. Billed as "where kids can do what they wannado," it is a child-sized representation of a metropolis where children aged 2–14 participate in different careers and other lifelike activities. Careers in which the "kidizens" can participate include firefighter, police officer, lawyer, TV reporter, and actor. They can use issued money, "Wongas", to set up bank accounts.

The district's planned name was "Children's Education" until February 2008 when it was changed into "Youth Culture."

Food & home

A food & home district with restaurants include:

* Zeytinia: A gourmet food market with on-premise dining, Zeytinia's offers fresh perishable foods and chef-prepared meals, upscale brands, unusual imports, market stalls, tasting stations, pantry and household necessities and a dedication to offering the best tasting foods in the world.

* Cooking Studio: An area where visitors can watch world-renowned chefs duel in competition in a cooking studio that will be featured on national TV.

* Culinary Arts Center: A state-of-the-art cooking school, theater-style demonstration area and themed ancillary retail located in the Food & Home District, visitors will be able to celebrate their passion for food by honing their cooking skills in a glass-enclosed teaching school.

* Mitchell's Fish Market

* The Melting Pot (restaurant)

* Sofrito: A restaurant by Jimmy Rodriguez which captures the true spirit of genuine Puerto Rican/Caribbean cuisine.

* The Cheesecake Factory

Fashion

A fashion area will have most of the mall's stores, designer appearances, and fashion shows. This area includes:

*Paris Runway: A uniquely designed fashion runway that will be the setting for fashion shows.

Other features

Commercial

Four convert|440000|sqft|m2|sing=on class A office buildings built over a six-story parking podium will be located next to the mall.

Accommodations

A 520-room, twelve-story hotel will be located near the office buildings next to the mall.

Pepsi Globe

Announced on February 2008, the "Pepsi Globe" Ferris wheel will be constructed at the Xanadu facing the NJ Turnpike. At 287 ft. high, the 26 glass-capsule wheel will be the tallest Ferris wheel in North America. Pepsi will have a 10-year naming right with the wheel, with the attraction operated by Merlin Entertainments.

Concerns and controversy

The Xanadu Project is not without controversy. From traffic concerns to environmental concerns, there are many who oppose the idea of building a permanent shopping center within the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The New York Giants proposed that Xanadu be closed on days when the NFL team had home games, as part of the deal to build a New Meadowlands Stadium to replace Giants Stadium. The Giants then made an agreement with Xanadu to allow the complex to be open on game days, with the option to sue if traffic became a concern, an agreement which remains in effect now that the proposed NFL stadium will be co-owned with the New York Jets. As of early 2006, the project has gained necessary approvals, therefore building of the Xanadu Project has begun.

New Jersey Transit is working on extending the nearby Pascack Valley Line to the Meadowlands Sports Complex by the middle of 2009, in preparation for the opening of the Meadowlands Xanadu in summer of 09. [ [http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=Project077To New Jersey Transit ] ] There are also plans to extend the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to the complex. [ [http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2051 New Jersey Transit ] ]

An analyst at Banc of America Securities pushed Mills Corporation to drop the Xanadu project, citing significant cost overruns. [ [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2OTc0MzAxJnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg= Analyst tells Mills to drop Xanadu] , "The Record (Bergen County)", August 12, 2006]

The FAA has expressed concerns with the height of the proposed Ferris wheel (~330ft) affecting local air traffic to and from Teterboro Airport. [ [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjA5ODMzJnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg= FAA objects to Ferris wheel at Xanadu] , "The Record (Bergen County)", October 19, 2007] The height for the proposed Ferris wheel has since been reduced to 287ft.

As the current construction on the exterior facade was built, there were several complaints from both officials and residents about its garish exterior, which contains blue-and-white and orange-and-red panels. It has been compared to insulation and even the shipping crates on the docks along the Hudson River. Controversy has also developed over the Pepsi Globe's appearance and that it will obstruct nearby residents' views of New York City. [ [http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2008/03/xanadu_ferris_wheel_spoils_vie.html Bergen properties hit by Xanadu Ferris wheel - New Jersey Local & Small Business News – Economics & Finance News Articles - NJ.com ] ]

Construction progress

As of April 2008, the mall structure itself is complete, with the indoor ski slope finished and the controversial facade put up. The parking garages are open and complete, and have been for over a year.

References

External links

* [http://www.meadowlandsxanadu.com/ Colony Capital - Meadowlands Xanadu's official website]
* [http://www.conway.com/ssinsider/snapshot/sf030804.htm $1.3B, 4.8MSF Xanadu Project Will Transform 'Swamps of Jersey']
* [http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=71470&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=623625&highlight= Meadowlands Xanadu Unveils First Wave of Major Tenants, Consumer Brands and Entertainment Experiences]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/nyregion/05meadow.html?scp=8&sq=hoboken&st=nyt New York Times: Delay, Turmoil and High Costs Plague Meadowlands Projects ]