urbanMSP

I was in the area recently. The new Lindau "Tunnel" opened last week. It looked like a fair amount of concrete had been poured for the MOA project as well.

The office building portion is up to floor 2 or possibly 3 of the concrete elevator shaft, for both the mall portion and the tower portion. They are installing the steel for the 2nd floor base as well.

The hotel portion hasn't popped up above the hole yet.

This leads me to believe that Triple Five is moving forward with building the office on spec, or that they have an office customer but haven't announced it yet.

I was in the area recently. The new Lindau "Tunnel" opened last week. It looked like a fair amount of concrete had been poured for the MOA project as well.

I swear I was down here not that long ago...suddenly I went yesterday and there was a tunnel and all sorts of progress out front.

The colors of the tunnel's material are sort of ugly. Strikes me as something used in a 90s cheap gym or something. I dunno. Couldn't quite put my finger on it.

The Lindau tunnel is open, but you can't walk across it yet, and all crosswalks were removed from Lindau to put in the tunnel. I tried to walk from MoA to IKEA, and ended up having to jaywalk across the 6-lane stroad (and back) because there is currently no legal way to do it. I saw at least 6 other people do it as well.

I have a feeling they removed the crosswalks so that pedestrian traffic will go through the new expansion. They could have at least put up temporary ones while it's being built since it will be a while before it's completed.

There is a path from the MoA to the Ikea, it's just very hard to find. If you head out the NE corner of the Mall and along the edges of the giant parking lot, there are signs for a "Walkway" between the two. It's certainly true, though, that it's not very convenient or easy to discover.

It's downright miserable, in fact. Kind of a slap in the face to people trying to do something silly like take the light rail.

Looks like the Hard Rock Cafe won't be on the 4th floor after all, it'll be inside Camp Snoopy (yes I know that's not what it is called). It was supposed to open this month, but there is no set date. Anyone been there recently or have pics?

http://bringmethenews.com/2014/08/22/ha ... f-america/

It will always be Camp Snoopy! I've never eaten at a Hard Rock Cafe, it reminds me of the Rainforest Cafe in that people go there for the atmosphere, not the food.

They gutted a lot of the kitchen areas and are completely revamping the theater they had there. The theater will now be their concert stage and should hold 1000-1500 people. It doesn't surprise me that it isn't done yet, but I would plan on it being open in less than a month. This Hard Rock will be considerably larger than the one that was downtown!

It was supposed to open this month, but there is no set date.

"The restaurant is expected to open around Labor Day."

Inside the Mall of America's Hard Rock Cafe: So what Minnesota musicians made it in?
Aug 21, 2014
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/m ... -what.html

Hard Rock is opening this Thursday 8/28 at 11am.

https://www.facebook.com/HRCMallOfAmerica?fref=nf

I don't normally go to the Hard Rock Cafe...
...but when I do, it's at 11 AM on a Tuesday.

I was at MOA on Saturday and was surprised that the Hard Rock Cafe had not yet opened. The exterior looked 99% finished. There was one painter who was doing some touch-up work and the shop was was fully stocked. I'm sure it'll be quite busy today for the opening. it's nice to know that Hard Rock is giving the twin cities a second change after failing miserably in Block E.

Here are some Hard Rock interior photos

http://blog.thecurrent.org/2014/08/phot ... f-america/

I don't think it really failed miserably at Block E...I mean, I am sure they had a really cheap lease based on sales like some of the other places...but it is my understanding that they left that location against their will. Lease wasn't renewed...like many of the other tenants after Lux purchased it and wanted the casino.

Too bad none of their merchandise has any other regional identity other than "Mall of America". Nice attraction for the mall though.

Too bad none of their merchandise has any other regional identity other than "Mall of America". Nice attraction for the mall though.

Someone asked about that on their facebook page and the comment said there was a mixture of Minneapolis and Mall of America. Makes me wonder if they had Minneapolis merchandise left over from the last go at it?

Debt deal shows the Mall of America is the most valuable asset in Minnesota — and it's not even close

“This significant transaction marks yet another milestone for Mall of America” said Bill Griffith, president of Bloomington-based Larkin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren. “We feel fortunate to have worked on what will certainly be the largest transaction of its kind in Minnesota this year.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... -minn.html

Debt deal shows the Mall of America is the most valuable asset in Minnesota — and it's not even close

“This significant transaction marks yet another milestone for Mall of America” said Bill Griffith, president of Bloomington-based Larkin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren. “We feel fortunate to have worked on what will certainly be the largest transaction of its kind in Minnesota this year.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... -minn.html

It might have the largest dollar amount attached to it, but out of curiosity what it its value per acre? I bet any tower in Minneapolis or St. Paul is more valuable per acre.

Speaking of, the Hennepin County Assessor's fun tidbit he shared with me is that MOA is more valuable than all the real estate in the city of Loretto. Which makes me wonder why we spend so much money building roads to places much less valuable than a mall.

Quick phone quality pic I took of the north end of the mall. Sitting at the intersection of Ikea way and Lindau.

https://i.imgur.com/jhBb5KM.jpg