Mall of America takes another stab at expansion tax shift

Mall of America
The largest mall in the U.S, with more than 40 million visitors a year, the Mall of America has become one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country.
Photo by TIMO GANS/AFP/Getty Images

Officials with the Mall of America were back at the state Capitol today seeking tax breaks on their proposed expansion project.

A provision in last year's tax bill allowed the city of Bloomington to extend a local tax subsidy for the project, but Governor Tim Pawlenty vetoed the bill.

Maureen Bausch, the mall's Vice President for Business Development, told members of the Senate Taxes committee that the planned expansion will create jobs and boost state tourism.

"Mall of America needs to expand. We need to stay number one. We need to grow to be number one again. And saying yes to Mall of America is really saying yes to Minnesota tourism," Bausch said.

Mall officials say public money would help finance a parking ramp and other infrastructure improvements, not the expansion itself.

Senate tax Chairman Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said he is working on a new subsidy provision for the Mall of America that he will include in this year's tax bill.

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