Could a massive mall that has been under construction on and off for well over a decade finally open its doors in the near future? While an exact opening date is not yet known, it appears that the American Dream Meadowlands complex off of the New Jersey Turnpike is making some progress, with work continuing on the premises and more names of retailers being revealed. Now, Jersey Digs has learned that a Manhattan restaurant is planning to open a location inside the building.
Dons Bogam is moving forward with its proposed outpost inside the shopping center. The restaurant’s original location is situated on East 32nd Street in Koreatown and includes a wine bar. The business specializes in Korean barbecue and also operates the Dons Bogam Black restaurant on 5th Avenue.
Kyung Kim, the COO of Dons Bogam’s parent company, Group KFF Inc, told Jersey Digs that since the company does not have a presence in the Garden State, they felt that American Dream Meadowlands gave them an opportunity to expand into the New Jersey market.
“We will offer similar Korean dishes as Dons Bogam in NYC,” said Kim, who added that they are required to finish construction and be ready to open by this July.
When it is finally finished, American Dream Meadowlands is expected to include an amusement park, a waterpark, an indoor ski slope, and plenty of stores and restaurants. The mall, originally known and often still referred to as Xanadu, is situated in the Bergen County borough of East Rutherford near Metlife Stadium, the empty Izod Center, and the Meadowlands Sports Complex train station. Some of the other proposed tenants in the building include a Munchies Food Hall, Old Navy, Hollister, and Forever 21.
American Dream Meadowlands is being developed by Triple Five Group, which also runs the Mall of America near Minneapolis.
