Data: Orbital Insight; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios
Nearly 11 months after its temporary pandemic closure, foot traffic at the Mall of America in the Twin Cities appears to be way down.
State of play: Despite an increase since reopening in June, average activity levels are 45% below the February 2020 baseline, according to cell phone data analyzed by the geospatial analytics company Orbital Insight and provided to Axios.
Why it matters: MOA’s recovery could have an especially significant impact on the state and local economy.
- With 40 million annual visitors in normal times, MOA estimates it generates $2 billion a year in economic impact for the state. About 10% of the city of Bloomington’s property tax base comes from the mall.
- A MOA spokesperson didn’t respond to requests for comment.
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