As of 2014, Minnesota’s most arguably popular attraction, the Mall of America, is undergoing a massive construction project. The plan is to build an expansive new addition, which will nearly double the size of the mall.

According to Mall Of America Public Relations Manager Sarah Schmidt, the mall welcomes an average of 42 million visitors per year. The number of visitors on any given day ranges anywhere from 115,000-125,000 guests.

The mall has attractions for all age groups, however, mostly teenagers and young adults have made their presence known on the Mall’s Facebook page. About 70% of Facebook fans are

between the ages 13-24.

Stores being added to the new addition are not yet available for the public, however they are worth the wait. “The expansion will include a 342-room JW Marriott hotel, office tower, about 50-70 new, high-end retailers, new dining options, a tourist welcome center, and a large event space,” Schmidt said.

“I can’t imagine many stores they could add. I’m pretty content with the ones they have. They have two Oakley stores which I love, Nordstrom, the Puma store, the Nike store, the New Era store, a college store, a ton of hockey stores, and the Lululemon store, which are always on my list when I go!” said Edina High School senior and Mall of America enthusiast Luke Perunovich.

The Mall of America already consists of over 500 stores and 50 restaurants. “For more than 20 years, it has been a dream of the Mall of America owners to increase the size of the mall, firmly establishing it as a world renowned attraction, and now that dream is becoming a reality,” Schmidt said. “The new addition to the Mall of America will give guests traveling from near and far even more excitements and memories that will last a lifetime.”