Coronavirus: Mall Of America To Close

BLOOMINGTON, MN — North America's largest shopping mall is closing its doors to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus. The massive retail center said it will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the interest of health and safety for its customers and workers.

The move comes after an executive order signed by Gov. Tim Walz that requires the temporary closure of public places including restaurants, bars, theaters, museums, fitness centers and community clubs.

"As the cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota continue to climb, we must take decisive action to curb the spread of this pandemic and protect the health and safety of Minnesotans," Walz said Monday.

"This is a challenging time for business owners, employees, children and families alike. We must come together as one Minnesota to care for our neighbors and slow the spread of COVID-19."

Read the Mall of America's statement below:

"Our top priority at Mall of America is protecting the health, safety, and wellbeing of our tenants, guests, and team members. That is why Mall of America will close temporarily on March 17 at 5 p.m. through at least March 31.

The shopping and entertainment our tenants provide is an important part of the fabric of this community. Mall of America brings people together, and it will continue to do so once we are past this current situation. But that ability to attract people is precisely why we made the decision to temporarily close our doors.

We must act responsibly and do our part to help slow the spread of this disease (COVID-19) that is impacting the world.

We respect Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’ leadership and decision to further enhance community mitigation to stop people from gathering and potentially spreading the disease. Complying with Governor Walz’ order is the right thing to do for the state, for our tenants, guests, and our team members.

These are unprecedented times that require unprecedented actions. We are confident we will get through these challenging times, and look forward to reopening our doors to the Minnesota community and the world."

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