There Are Malls and Then There Are Malls

The delegation was scheduled to go to view an authentic American Indian Pow-Wow this afternoon. However, there's not much time left in this trip to Minnesota. I can't return home without going to The Mall of America. It is not because I want to go shopping. It's more not to have to say "no" every time I am asked, "Hey, so you were in Minneapolis-St. Paul, did you go to The Mall of America?"

The place is huge.

Some quick facts.

1. It has over 4 million square feet of space with a Phase 2 project that will more than double the size of the mall to over 10 million square feet.
   
2. There is no heating system beyond the use of lighting and the body temperature of the mass of people in the mall on a daily basis.
3. The mall is built on the site of the former Metropolitan Stadium where the Twins played before the construction of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The location of where homeplate was is commemorated by plaque.
4. A little over 60% of the refuse is recycled.
   
5. The vegetable oil from the fryers of the restaurants within the mall is processed into biodiesel to power the malls fleet.
6. Leftover food is separated from the trash by a staff of over 10 people and then is pasteurized and sold to a local hog farmer.
7. The mall welcomes 40 million visitors a year and after the expansion the number will jump to about 60 million.
8. The average expenditure by a local is $150 and by a tourist, $350 a visit.

This is only what I can remember from what one of the mall's representatives told both Mike Pappas and myself. It's an amazing facility, and was full of people at 1pm on a Thursday in September.