Ghermezian expects the mall to be the highest-grossing in the country. “On par with Dubai” is how he puts it, referring to the huge mall in the United Arab Emirates’ largest city. He says American Dream’s retail space is already 70 percent leased, although the mall won’t open for two more years.
We are barraged with fanciful details about gardens, waterfalls, and Champagne and caviar bars. The concierge service and helipad. The cobblestones meant to evoke Paris. The electronic tracking system parents can use for their kids. The fountain that will somehow part every two hours, allowing two members of Cirque du Soleil to emerge and perform acrobatics for seven minutes. The stores have to be “experiential,” Ghermezian says. They’ll also be really big. Fourteen retailers are building their largest outlets in American Dream. He can’t name many names, but he does mention Hermès, which will open an 8,000-sq.-ft. store with a 30-foot glass facade.
These people are out of their minds.