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American Dream has deals, special events tied to weekend's WWE SummerSlam at MetLife


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American Dream’s owners are ramping up for a heavy turnout at the Meadowlands Sports Complex this weekend from a combination of the WWE SummerSlam at MetLife Stadium and the 100th Hambletonian race at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

To prepare for the turnout, the mall has been offering numerous events and discounts to draw customers. 

It effectively takes a page from the playbook the mall used for the FIFA Club World Cup, and expects to use for the upcoming NFL football season during New York Jets and Giants home games, as well as the 2026 FIFA World Cup — that is, to entice sports fans heading to MetLife Stadium to check out the megamall for a few hours.

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“Pregame, the concept is a tailgate indoors with drink specials and food specials,” said Gregg Schwartz, who oversees public relations and sports for American Dream. “Postgame, the concept is, ‘Stay here and avoid the traffic.'” 

American Dream is the second largest mall in the U.S., behind Mall of America. Both malls are owned by Canadian developer Triple Five.

Numerous attractions under one roof

At 3 million square feet, American Dream — a sprawling mall and entertainment venue more than 30 years in the making — features an indoor amusement park with roller coasters, an indoor water park with waterslides and a wave pool, a 300-foot Ferris wheel, indoor miniature golf and ice skating, and the only year-round indoor ski and snowboard park in North America.

American Dream also has more than 200 stores — including flagships for Toys R Us and Babies R Us — and over 50 dining options, including fast-casual, sit-down and high-end dining.

It also boasts stores that sell collectible brands — such as Bandai Namco and Chinese-based retailer Miniso — as well as Balenciaga and Gucci.

Who's facing off at the SummerSlam this year?

The WWE Summerslam is in its 38th year and is scheduled to run Aug. 2 and 3 at MetLife Stadium. A July 30 spot check on TicketMaster found single-day tickets from $95 to more than $425 for seats.  

It will start at 6 p.m. both nights, and the weather is expected to be perfect. On Saturday, Gunther will face off against CM Punk for the WWE World Championship.

Then on Sunday, John Cena will face off against Cody Rhodes in a street fight for the Undisputed WWE Championship. 

What's happening at the Hambletonian?

The 100th annual Hambletonian race will be Aug. 2 at the Meadowlands Racetrack. 

“The Hambletonian is really our Kentucky Derby or Super Bowl” of harness racing, said River Vale resident John Campbell, a six-time winner of the race, and since 2017 president of the Hambletonian Society, which oversees the event. 

Jeff Gural, who owns the Meadowlands Racetrack, said he expects a turnout of between 15,000 and 20,000 fans on Aug. 2. 

What has American Dream been offering for both events?

On July 26, the mall, in conjunction with the Hambletonian Society, brought out two ponies for mall patrons to meet and pet, as well as the chance to inspect trophies and race memorabilia and pose for photos. 

On Aug. 2 and Aug. 3 the mall is offering photo ops and autographs with wrestling stars, including Brett Hart, Kurt Angle, Nikka Bella and the Undertaker. 

The schedule is available online and runs from late morning to early afternoon each day. 

There will also be a “Summer Slam Superstore” on the second floor by Five Guys, Schwartz said, which will have merchandise like replica championship titles, superstar apparel, collectibles, signed memorabilia and mini title belts.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. 

Mall offerings for Jets, Giants NFL season

Schwartz said the mall will offer specials on dining and drinks for Jets and Giants fans looking for an alternative to tailgating during the football season. 

The Giants training camp runs through Aug. 13 in the MetLife complex, and to capitalize on that, mall patrons who wear their Giants jerseys at the mall get 20% off certain attractions and 10% off select restaurants.

Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record. 

Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook