West Edmonton Mall (WEM), located in Summerlea, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the largest shopping mall in North America, followed by Mall of America, and the tenth largest in the world (along with The Dubai Mall) by gross leasable area. It was the world's largest mall until 2004. The mall was founded by the Ghermezian brothers, who emigrated from Iran in 1959.
West Edmonton Mall covers a gross area of about 490,000 m2 (5,300,000 sq ft). There are over 800 stores and services in the complex, and parking for more than 20,000 vehicles. More than 24,000 people are employed at the property. The mall receives about 32 million visitors per year; it attracts between 90,000 and 200,000 shoppers daily, depending on the day and season. The mall was valued at $926 million (CAD) in January 2007, and in 2016, for tax purposes, it was valued at $1.3034 billion (CAD), making it the most valuable property in Edmonton.
History
Fantasyland Hotel West Edmonton Mall Modern Polynesian Room Tour - Join Drew The Intern, The Legend & Clay as they show you around a Modern Polynesian room at the Fantasyland Hotel in the West Edmonton Mall. Visit us on the web at www.inthelooppodcast.com...
West Edmonton Mall first opened its doors to the public on 15 September 1981. The mall was developed in four phases, completed in 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1999. It was the largest indoor shopping centre in the world until 2004, and was named such in the Guinness Book of Records. The four phases of construction are used in a colour-coded system as a guideline for finding stores and attractions. The Mindbender indoor roller coaster had a fatal accident on 14 June 1986 when one of the cars came loose and came off the track and slammed into a concrete pillar. Three people died and one was injured in the accident.
On 11 July 2004, the mall suffered millions of dollars in damage when a severe storm of hail and rain caused roofs to fail and drains to overflow. The Ice Palace and surrounding sections were the most damaged, and the World Waterpark had a sewage overflow. The damage was promptly repaired.
World records
Past and current West Edmonton Mall world records include;
- World's largest mall (1985-2004) - West Edmonton Mall itself
- World's largest indoor amusement park - Galaxyland
- World's largest indoor roller coaster - the Mindbender
- World's largest indoor lake - Deep Sea Adventure Lake
- Largest indoor waterpark in the Americas - World Waterpark
- World's largest parking lot with 20,000+ spaces, and over 10,000 overflow spaces. - WEM's parking lot
Other records
- Most bungee jumps in 24 hours record while indoors was set by Peter Charney, on 6â€"7 November 2007 at the World Waterpark, completing 225 jumps.
Major attractions
Galaxyland
Galaxyland was originally known as "Fantasyland;" however, during a court battle with the Walt Disney Company, West Edmonton Mall changed the park's name to Galaxyland in July 1995 after completing some minor renovations. It is an indoor amusement park located on the north side of the mall. It is the second-largest indoor amusement park in the world, behind Ferrari World, and features 24 rides and attractions. There are 8 beginner rides, 9 intermediate rides, 7 thrill rides, the triple loop Mindbender roller coaster, (which derailed in 1986 causing 3 deaths) .The Mindbender is the world's largest indoor triple loop roller coaster. The latest attraction in Galaxyland, which opened on 7 December 2016, is called Zero Gravity. The Drop of Doom was shut down in the early 2000s. The tower area was replaced shortly after by a more modern launch ride, the Space Shot, a S&S Double Shot Tower Ride.
World Waterpark
The World Waterpark is the world's second largest indoor waterpark, built in 1985, with a size of 20,903 square metres (5.165 acres). The park has the world's largest indoor wave pool. The highest slides in the park are the Twister and Cyclone, which are each 25.3 metres (83Â ft) high.
The wavepool has six wave bays, each with two panels with a total of 1,500 horsepower (1.1Â MW) generating waves up to two metres high.
Sea Life Caverns / Sea Lions Rock
West Edmonton Mall has an indoor lagoon which contains a salt-water habitat with four California sea lions and a replica of the Santa MarÃa, built during the 1986 World Exposition in Vancouver. The Santa MarÃa has been used for an annual Christmas fundraiser, raising toys for underprivileged children. Also, the submarines, a longtime favorite, had been replaced with the Deep-Sea Derby, a bumper boat ride with squirt guns. This attraction has since been removed. Deep Sea Adventure is also home to the mall's aquatic life, most of which are housed beneath the main floor in the "Sea Life Caverns". Sea Life Caverns is home to a wide variety of animals including fish, reptiles, amphibians and penguins. There is a 525,000 litre tropical salt-water aquarium that is home to an array of fish, sharks and sea turtles. This is the largest of its kind in Western Canada. Today, what was once the 'Dolphin's Lagoon' is now known as 'Sea Lions' Rock', which is home to four California sea lions (Pablo, Kelpie, Clara, (2004â€"present) and Quinty (2008 - present)). They have educational shows with a focus on conservation that run twice a day from Monday to Friday (2pm, 4pm), and three times a day on Saturday and Sunday (12pm, 2pm, 4pm).
Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace
Ice Palace is a scaled down version of a National Hockey League (NHL) regulation sized ice rink located in the centre of the mall. The Edmonton Oilers occasionally practiced at the Ice Palace. This drew huge crowds during the Wayne Gretzky years in the 1980s. The Oilers' contract for using the rink has since expired. The rink is used for various hockey and other sporting tournaments. In 2015, the Ice Palace was renamed Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace after the mall sold the naming rights to a local auto dealership.
During special events, such as Remembrance Day, the ice rink is covered with fabric for a ceremony to be held on it. In 2017, West Edmonton Mall announced that the Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace will get a $3 million renovation. Due to this, it was closed for the summer and reopened in December 2017.
Professor WEM's Adventure Golf
Professor WEM's Adventure Golf is an 18-hole miniature golf course. The miniature golf course was originally known as Pebble Beach Mini Golf, and was designed to be a mini golf version of Pebble Beach Golf Links. The course was refurbished and given the Professor WEM theme in the mid-1990s.
Movie theatres
Originally, the mall was home to four movie theatre complexes. However, as of 2017, only the Scotiabank Theatre (with IMAX), formerly Famous Players SilverCity (which opened with an animatronic fire breathing dragon, which was removed in 2014 due to high maintenance costs, and drying-out, cracking rubber skin ), is in the mall. Until 2010, a discount cinema, owned by Cineplex Odeon was located outside the Phase I entrance to Galaxyland; the majority of the space it occupied was bought out by skateboarding/snowboarding store West 49 which also built an indoor skatepark in the basement. Prior to the opening of SilverCity, in the late 1990s there was a Famous Players theatre located near the Palace Casino, as well as a second Cineplex Odeon below Ed's Recreation Centre (formerly Red's), on the main level with the Gourmet Court (Phase III).
Ed's Bowling
Ed's Bowling (formerly Red's), is an entertainment complex consisting of a bowling alley, arcade, and formerly a pool hall, music stage, and restaurant. The stage was one of Edmonton's major music venues. Past players have included many rock and metal bands, both Canadian and international. Wilco, Arcade Fire, The Flaming Lips, The Mars Volta, Motörhead, Matthew Good Band, Sloan, P.O.D., Joe Satriani, Cradle of Filth, Theory of a Deadman, Our Lady Peace, In Flames, Lifehouse, Children of Bodom, Bring Me the Horizon, Testament, DragonForce, Opeth, GWAR, Muse and Switchfoot are just some of the bands that have played at the venue. It was formerly known as the nightclub/restaurant/rec room Red's. At the end of June 2006, the owners of Red's closed its doors after they chose not to renew their lease. The mall separated it into three areas, converting the stage/restaurant area into a separate concert venue known as the Edmonton Event Centre, while the other area containing the lounge, the arcade and the bowling alley was re-dubbed Ed's Rec Room and a mini-golf course, Putt 'n' Glow. The Edmonton Event Centre closed on New Years Day 2013. It was demolished in December 2013, and Sport Chek took over its former space. In 2017, Ed's Rec Room renamed themselves to Ed's Bowling, so they would not get confused with the newly opened Rec Room, operated by Cineplex.
Other attractions
- Fantasyland Hotel, located within the mall; WEM is also affiliated with a second hotel, the West Edmonton Mall Inn, located across the street from the shopping centre on 90th Avenue.
- An indoor shooting range (named "Wild West Shooting Centre")
- Large-scale replica of the Santa MarÃa, one of the ships sailed by Christopher Columbus in 1492 to San Salvador Island. The deck can be booked for private functions.
- 24-hour Gym, Crunch Fitness
- Dinner Theatre: Jubilations Dinner Theatre offers original Canadian three-act musical comedies along with a four-course dinner. Full bar service is available and the theatre's productions run Wednesday to Sunday. This space was formerly a Famous Players theatre.
- Nightclub Empire Ballroom. The mall has had a history of night clubs, as the space occupied now by Empire as well as other locations nearby the Edmonton Events Centre (now demolished) and Ed's Rec Room have seen several tenants over the years including The Joint and Ka'os Nightclub. The space has been purchased by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment for their expansion of the Palace Casino, which will be renamed to Starlight Casino.
- Envy Nightclub (formerly SET Nightclub), a dance club featuring top 40 and electro music. The space was formerly Whisky Jack's, a country-themed nightclub.
- West 49 skate shop with indoor skate park, built in a converted cinema.
- An Internet café
- An inter-denominational chapel
- Three radio stations: K-97 (classic rock), 840 CFCW (classic country and news/sports programming), 96.3 Capital FM, are owned by Newcap Radio. The Newcap-owned area features studios, offices, and a small free museum. Newcap is located in the space formerly occupied by Playdium, with the broadcast studios visible from the mall (illuminated "on air" signs indicate when broadcasts are under way from those studios).
- Dragon's Tale Black-lit Mini Golf is located nearby Galaxyland, along with the Crystal Labyrinth Mirror Maze.
- A bronze whale sculpture is located nearby Sears
- A brass man sculpture is located in the Phase I (formerly III) food court
- A statue of three oil workers is located outside of the Phase I food court
Themed streets
The mall also includes several "theme areas" including:
- Bourbon Street: Features clubs and restaurants in a New Orleans-influenced setting. Several restaurants and clubs are located here including 1ST RND, Albert's Family Restaurant, Boston Pizza, Earls, Hudsons Canadian Tap House, Jungle Jim's Eatery, Marble Slab Creamery, Moxie's Classic Grill, MR MIKES Steakhouse & Bar, Old Spaghetti Factory, Rick Bronson's The Comic Strip, The Sherlock Holmes, Aussie Rules, Cajun Bistro and Dueling Piano Bar, and Tony Roma's. The lighting in this area is left intentionally darker than other parts of the mall to simulate a nighttime atmosphere. The area is situated in such a way that it can be closed off from the rest of the mall, allowing for hosting of special events, and for its establishments to stay open past the closing time of the rest of the mall. In the mid-2010s, this area was renovated and Bourbon Street was renamed BRBN St.
- Europa Boulevard: Eclectic shops in an area designed to look like a European streetscape. It is home to Europa Watch & Jewelry, Fleurs Flowers, Norquest College, Opulence, G-Star Raw, Munchkin Patch, Dr. Martens, Henry Singer, B3, Cafe Levi, FYidoctors, Scotch & Soda, and several rentable conference rooms that look down on the Boulevard. Also, Europa Boulevard is home to the first La Maison Simons to open outside Quebec.
- "Chinatown": Asian-themed area anchored by a T & T Supermarket (in the former Canadian Tire location). It is located directly above Bourbon Street. The "Chinatown" signage was removed in May 2012 and the section, though still maintaining an Asian decor, is no longer exclusive to such businesses.
- Video game console demos are located in random places around the mall. Nintendo is located near Phase 4 and RAAS, PlayStation is located in the center court, and Xbox is in the Microsoft Store. Besides video games there is also VR demos and a Lamborghini in the center court.
- RAAS: An area where small Edmonton businesses are located. "RAAS" stands for "Retail As A Service".
Upgrades
Construction on a total retrofit of the mall shopping areas through all the phases began in spring 2011 with the "face lift" completed in 2014.
Future developments
In 2002, the City of Edmonton approved plans for the mall to expand with an additional 30,000 square metres (320,000 sq ft) of retail space, a facility for sports, trade shows and conventions, a 12-story office building, and a 600-unit apartment building, along with more parking. However, none of these projects has begun construction except for the completed parking lot expansion located by the Rec Room. A number of large shopping malls, all larger than the West Edmonton Mall, are under construction in China, and the retail centre in Beijing has already displaced the West Edmonton Mall as the world's largest. The SM Mall of Asia, located in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, has also surpassed the mall's gross floor size by 36,000 square metres (390,000 sq ft). As of 2017, however, the mall remains the largest in North America.
Anchor stores expected to arrive in 2018â€"2021 is Nordstrom in place of Sears, and a mix of various department stores in the old Target.
Controversies
West Edmonton Mall was the object of a controversy in 2011 when, after arresting a woman for trespassing, their security staff were caught on video allegedly assaulting her. A judge had agreed to release the video after the charges against the woman were dismissed.
In February 2015, the jihadist terrorist group al-Shabaab released a propaganda video calling for attacks on the West Edmonton Mall and other Western shopping centres. Although the group had hitherto never launched attacks in North America, security at the mall was tightened in response. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also indicated that there was no evidence of any imminent threat. A few mock/drill lockdowns occurred after the threat.
West Edmonton Mall Transit Centre
The West Edmonton Mall Transit Centre is a major transit centre on the south side of West Edmonton Mall, outside mall entrance 48. Buses using the transit centre enter and exit from 87 Avenue. The large shelter building at the transit centre is accessible and equipped with power doors. This transit centre has vending machines and a pay phone but no park & ride, public washrooms, or drop off area. The transit centre is served by Edmonton Transit System (ETS) and St. Albert Transit (StAT).
$3 million in upgrades to the transit centre were completed in June 2017 and included a new heated indoor shelter (double the size of the previous shelter), new sidewalks, new lighting, and a new public art installation, among other changes.
See also
- List of shopping malls in Canada
- List of largest enclosed shopping malls in Canada
- List of largest shopping malls in the world
References
External links
- Official website