West Edmonton Mall located in
EdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
,
AlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, is the largest
shopping mallA shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in
North AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and the fifth largest in the world. The mall was founded by the
Ghermezian brothersThe Ghermezian family is a Canadian family of Iranian Jewish origin who have developed several of the world's largest shopping malls. The family's holdings include the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota and the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Canada. In 2011, the family's Triple Five Group...
, who emigrated from Iran in 1959. It was the world's largest mall until 2004.
West Edmonton Mall covers a gross area of about 570,000 m
2 (well over 6 million sq ft). There are over 800 stores and services and parking for more than 20,000 vehicles. More than 23,000 people are employed at the property. The mall receives 28.2 million visitors per year; it also attracts between 60,000 and 150,000 shoppers daily, depending on the day and season. The mall was valued at in January 2007.
History
West Edmonton Mall first opened its doors to the public on September 15, 1981. The mall has been expanded three times since its opening in 1981, with these additions completed in 1983 (Phase II), 1985 (Phase III) and 1999 (Phase IV). It was the largest indoor shopping centre in the world until 2004 (History of Shopping Malls) and was put in the
Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
. Up until recently, the four phases of construction were used as a guideline for finding stores and attractions. Currently, a colour-coding system is used.
The mall's
amusement parkthumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
was originally called Fantasyland, until
The Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
took the mall to court, claiming ownership of the name, which is a themed area found at its
DisneylandDisneyland Park is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company. Known as Disneyland when it opened on July 18, 1955, and still almost universally referred to by that name, it is the only theme park to be...
-style theme parks around the world. WEM lost and subsequently renamed the attraction
GalaxylandGalaxyland, previously known as Fantasyland, is the world's second largest indoor amusement park, situated in the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is home to the world's tallest , and longest indoor roller coaster, the Mindbender. It is also home to the Space Shot, the world's...
. Since the name change, they introduced the mall's mascot Cosmo who is the basis for several rides in Galaxyland. The amusement park is located in what used to be referred to as Phase One, although it stretches into the former Phase II. However, the mall was allowed to retain the name Fantasyland Hotel for its on-site hotel. The hotel is a separate building but it is attached to the former Phase III of the mall.
The MindbenderThe Mindbender is the world's largest indoor triple loop roller coaster. It is located in Galaxyland Amusement Park, a major attraction inside West Edmonton Mall, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada...
indoor
roller coasterThe roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
had a fatal accident on June 14, 1986 when several of the cars came loose and came off the track. Three people died in the accident.
In the early 1990s, the
Woodward'sWoodward's was the name of a department store chain which operated in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada for one hundred years, before its sale to the Hudson's Bay Company .-History:...
department store chain, one of WEM's anchors, went bankrupt, and its locations were purchased by the
Hudson's Bay CompanyThe Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. As a result, WEM boasted two full Bay department stores until the late 1990s when one of the locations was closed, leading to a renovation (then known as Phase IV) that added a
Famous PlayersCineplex Entertainment LP , is the largest film exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,351 screens. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec...
multiplexA multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
, a two-floor HMV location (complete with an HMV stage, which has played hosts to autograph signings for bands,
HollywoodThe cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
celebrities and
World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
superstars), a $12.6 million
PlaydiumPlaydium is a Canadian company which operates a large Family Entertainment Center in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada...
entertainment complex/arcade (now closed), an indoor shooting range, a
ChaptersChapters is a Canadian big box bookstore banner owned by Indigo Books and Music. Formerly a company in its own right competing with Indigo, the combined company has continued to operate both banners since their merger in 2001.-History:...
bookstore with a
StarbucksStarbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, as well as several other smaller stores. In 2005, the upstairs space previously occupied by
Playdium was rented by three
NewCap RadioNewfoundland Capital Corporation Limited is a major Canadian broadcasting company, majority-owned by Harold R. Steele. Newfoundland Capital is the parent company of Newcap Inc. . It is currently the number two private-sector radio broadcaster in Canada, just behind Astral Media...
radio stations:
790 CFCWCFCW is a country music radio station in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, broadcasting on 790 kHz AM. The station is owned by Newcap Broadcasting. CFCW also has studios in the NewCap Broadcast Centre in West Edmonton Mall....
,
K-97 97.3 (Formerly, 97.3 K-Rock)CIRK-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts classic rock on 97.3 MHz FM in Edmonton, Alberta. The station, owned by Newcap Broadcasting, uses the on-air brand name K97 ....
, and
96.3 Capital FMCKRA-FM is a radio station licensed to and serving Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, broadcasting at 96.3 FM. The station is owned by Newcap Broadcasting, and launched a classic hits format as "96.3 Capital FM" on March 28, 2008...
(formerly 96.3 Big Earl). The downstairs area is now partially used as a
paintballPaintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye and gelatin shell outside propelled from a device called a paintball marker . Paintballs have a non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble...
playing area. In 2007, the Famous Players multiplex, formerly known as Silver City, was renamed
ScotiabankThe Bank of Nova Scotia , commonly known as Scotiabank , is the third largest bank in Canada by deposits and market capitalization. It serves some 18.6 million customers in more than 50 countries around the world and offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial,...
Theatre.
The closures of
Canadian TireCanadian Tire Corporation, Limited is one of Canada's 60 largest publicly traded companies. The firm operates an inter-related network of businesses engaged in retailing hardgoods, apparel and petroleum as well as financial and automotive services, employing more than 58,000 people across Canada...
and
IKEAIKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
in the mid 1990s left vacancies that sat unfilled until the spaces were converted into a "Chinatown"-themed area in 2002 which includes an
Asian supermarketAn Asian supermarket, sometimes called an "Oriental supermarket", is a grocery store in non-Asian countries that stocks items imported from the many countries in East and Southeast Asia. They carry items and ingredients generally well-suited for Asian cuisines and not found in most Western...
,
T & T SupermarketT & T Supermarket is a Canadian supermarket chain which sells primarily Chinese and Asian foods. The supermarket chain is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia. In 1993, the first T & T was opened in Burnaby's Metropolis shopping centre in Metro Vancouver.With rapid expansion, T & T is now...
, and an entertainment complex that consisted of a billiard hall, bowling alley and nightclub, respectively.
Among the exclusive to Edmonton stores are DeSerres,
Hollister Co.Hollister Co., sometimes advertised as Hollister or HCo., is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The concept was originally designed to attract consumers aged 14–18 through its SoCal-inspired image and casual wear. Goods are available in-store and through the company's online store...
, and
Abercrombie & FitchAbercrombie & Fitch is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear for consumers aged 18 to 22. It has over 300 locations in the United States, and is expanding internationally....
, along with approximately 10 others.
The mall suffered millions of dollars in damage on July 11, 2004 when a severe storm of
hailHail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...
and
rainRain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
caused roofs to fail and drains to overflow. The Ice Palace and surrounding sections were the most damaged, and the
World WaterparkWorld Waterpark is the world's largest indoor waterpark with a size of roughly six acres. The World Waterpark opened to public in 1986. It is located in the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada...
had a
sewageSewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
overflow. The damage was promptly repaired. The Ice Palace has suffered occasional flood damage since as well.
In the summer of 2009, the mall's dinner theatre was relocated and Edmonton's second branch of Bed, Bath and Beyond opened in the dinner theatre's old location above the west-end food court. In August 2010,
Victoria's SecretVictoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products. It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales of over US$5 billion and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006...
opened their first Canadian store in the mall.
Galaxyland
Galaxyland was originally known as
Fantasyland, however, during a court battle with Disney, 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 WorldFerrari World is a Ferrari themed amusement park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The park is situated under a roof making it the largest indoor amusement park in the world. Ferrari World officially opened on November 4, 2010...
, and features 24 rides and attractions. There are 8 beginner rides, 9 intermediate rides, 7 thrill rides, including the triple loop
MindbenderThe Mindbender is the world's largest indoor triple loop roller coaster. It is located in Galaxyland Amusement Park, a major attraction inside West Edmonton Mall, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada...
roller coaster, and 5 other "pay at site" rides/games. The Mindbender is the world's largest indoor triple loop roller coaster. The latest attraction in Galaxyland, which opened on July 17, 2007, called the
Galaxy Orbiter, begins at the Mindbender and intertwines with the entire park. Arguably the second most popular attraction in Galaxyland (after the Mindbender), 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 ShotSpace Shot is a type of amusement ride manufactured by S&S Power.The ride is a drop tower type attraction that uses compressed air to rapidly propel riders up the tower then gently lower them with a series of air-cushioned bounces back to the loading platform.The first space shot to be built in the...
, a
S&S Double Shot Tower RideDouble Shot is a type of amusement ride manufactured by S&S Power.The ride is a drop tower type attraction that uses compressed air to rapidly propel riders up the tower then gently lower them with a series of air-cushioned bounces back to the loading platform.The ride is very similar to the Space...
. Only recently was the loading area replaced by an interactive laser ride based on the theme of the park's mascot,
Cosmo. In March 2011, A brand new feature, which just so happens to replace the Sonic Twister (which succeeded the Disco Dynamo) will debut. It's dubbed the "Cosmic Revolution" and it rotates and maneuvers in a similar pattern to the "Sonic Storm" but with possible upside-down sensations thrown into the mix. Other popular attractions include the
TurboRide 3D Theatre which sits directly underneath the Mindbender, the privately owned
Haunted Castle and
3D Fun House (also beneath the Mindbender), the
Autosled roller coaster which is a tamer alternative to the Mindbender, the
Swing of the Century, and also
Galaxy Kids, a large play area for young children.
World Waterpark
The
World Waterpark is the world's largest indoor waterpark, built in 1985, with a size of over 20000 square metres (4.9 acre). The park has the world's largest indoor
wave poolA wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, reasonably large waves, similar to the ocean's. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks...
. The highest slides in the park are the
Twister and
Cyclone, which is 25.3 metres (83 ft) high.
The wavepool has six wave bays, each with two panels with a total of 1500 hp generating waves up to two metres high.
The major slides are all on the east side of the park, with a children's play area and change room access behind them. On the west side is a tube ride which has been changed many times over, a three-person inflatable raft slide and the separately owned
Bungee Tower where one can bungee jump directly over the wave pool.
Recent renovations brought new signage, a complete resurfacing of the wave pool, and
changeroomA changing room, locker room, dressing room or changeroom is a room or area designated for changing one's clothes...
upgrades. There have also been large renovations to the children's play park at the far east side in 2008. The new version of this play park is called
Caribbean Cove and contains a 1200 litre bucket that drops water on the whole play park on regular 2 minute intervals. A small dolphin themed child's park was open during the renovations and is still open to this date.
Sea Life Caverns / Sea Lions Rock
West Edmonton Mall has an indoor lake which contains a salt-water habitat with a sea lion and a replica of the
Santa MaríaLa Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción , was the largest of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage. Her master and owner was Juan de la Cosa.-History:...
, built during the
1986 World ExpositionThe 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo '86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Friday, May 2 until Monday, October 13, 1986...
in
VancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. The Santa María has been used for an annual Christmas fundraiser, raising toys for underprivileged children. Also, the submarines, a long time favorite, had been replaced with the
Deep-Sea Derby, a
bumper boatBumper boats are an amusement park ride that uses inner tube shaped watercraft that can be steered by the rider. Some are driven by electric motors, some by gasoline engines, and some require the rider to propel the craft by pedaling. Most are equipped with water guns for duels with other riders...
ride with
squirt gunsA water gun is a type of toy designed to shoot water. Similar to water balloons, the primary purpose of the toy is to soak another person in a game such as water warfare....
. 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". Today, what was once the
Dolphin's Lagoon is now the
Sea Lions' Rock, with three sea lions (Clara, Kelpie and Pablo) providing the entertainment for the current presentation labeled "Swim, Slide, and Splash!".
Ice Palace
Ice Palace is a scaled down version of a
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) regulation sized
ice rinkAn ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...
located in the centre of the mall. The
Edmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
occasionally practiced at the Ice Palace. This drew huge crowds during the
Wayne GretzkyWayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
years in the 1980s. The Oilers' contract for using the rink, however, has since expired. The rink is used for various hockey and other sporting tournaments.
Professor WEM's Adventure Golf
Professor WEM's Adventure Golf is an 18-hole
miniature golfMiniature golf, or minigolf, is a miniature version of the sport of golf. While the international sports organization World Minigolf Sport Federation prefers to use the name "minigolf", the general public in different countries has also many other names for the game: miniature golf, mini-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 LinksPebble Beach Golf Links is a golf course located in Pebble Beach, California, on the west coast of the United States.Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of Carmel Bay, opening to the Pacific Ocean,...
. The course was refurbished and given the Professor WEM theme in the mid-1990s.
Movie theatres
Originally, the mall was home to four
movie theatreA movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
complexes. However, as of 2008, only the
ScotiabankThe Bank of Nova Scotia , commonly known as Scotiabank , is the third largest bank in Canada by deposits and market capitalization. It serves some 18.6 million customers in more than 50 countries around the world and offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial,...
Theatre, formerly Silver City Famous Players, (with an animatronic fire breathing dragon and
IMAXIMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
screen) is in the mall. Until 2005, 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
skateboardingSkateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
/
snowboardingSnowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
store
West 49 which also built an indoor
skateparkA skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
in the basement. Prior to the opening of Silver City, in the mid 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 Recreation Centre
- Ed's Recreation Centre (formerly Red's), is an entertainment complex consisting of a bowling alley
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, pool hallA billiard/billiards, pool or snooker hall is a place where people get together for playing cue sports such as pool, snooker or carom billiards...
, music stage, arcade, and restaurant. The stage is one of Edmonton's major music venues. Past players have included many bands, both Canadian and international. WilcoWilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
, Arcade Fire, The Mars VoltaThe Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
, Motörhead, SloanSloan is a Toronto-based alternative rock quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Throughout their 20-year tenure Sloan has released 10 LPs , two EPs, a live album, a "best of" collection and no less than thirty singles...
, P.O.D.Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
, Joe SatrianiJoseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
, Cradle of FilthCradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
, Theory of a DeadmanTheory of a Deadman is a Canadian rock band from Delta, British Columbia, formed in 2001. The band is currently signed to Roadrunner Records as well as Island Records. The band also includes traits of other music styles, such as country and acoustic, as well as their post-grunge and alternative...
, Our Lady PeaceOur Lady Peace is a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Headed by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band additionally consists of Jeremy Taggart on percussion, Duncan Coutts on bass, and Steve Mazur as lead guitarist...
, In FlamesIn Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, LifehouseLifehouse is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The band came to mainstream prominence in 2001 with the hit single "Hanging by a Moment" from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The single won a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year, beating out Janet Jackson and Alicia...
, Children of BodomChildren of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
, Bring Me the HorizonBring Me the Horizon are a British metalcore band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. Bring Me the Horizon constits of Oliver Sykes as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist Lee Malia, rhythm guitarist Jona Weinhofen, bassist Matt Kean and drummer Matt Nicholls...
, TestamentTestament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, DragonForceDragonForce are an English power metal band from London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-based lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are the only two...
, OpethOpeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, GWARGwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984. The band is best known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo...
and SwitchfootSwitchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
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; the other area which contains the lounge, the arcade and the bowling alley was re-dubbed Ed's Rec Room and a mini-golf course, Putt 'n' Glow.
Other attractions
- Fantasyland Hotel
- Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products. It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales of over US$5 billion and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006...
: the first Victoria's Secret to open in Canada
- An indoor shooting range
A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
(named "Wild West Shooting Centre")
- Large-scale replica of the Santa María
La Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción , was the largest of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage. Her master and owner was Juan de la Cosa.-History:...
, one of the ships sailed by Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
.
- 24-Hour Gold's Gym
Gold's Gym International, Inc. is an international chain of co-ed fitness centers originally started in California by Joe Gold. Each gym features a wide array of exercise equipment, group exercise classes and personal trainers to assist clients...
.
- Dinner Theatre - Jubilations Dinner Theatre offers original Canadian 3 act musical comedies along with a four course dinner. Full bar service is available and the theatre's productions run Wednesday to Sunday.
- 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 and Ed's Rec Room have seen several tenants over the years including The Joint and Ka'os Nightclub.
- Nightclub Whisky Jack's; a country themed nightclub.
- West 49
West 49 Inc., is a Canadian specialty retailer of fashion and apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment related to the youth action sports lifestyle. West 49 was established in 1995 by C.E.O. Sam Baio. The retailer operates more than 130 stores across the country...
skate shop with indoor skate park, built in a converted cinema.
- An Internet café
An Internet café or cybercafé is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name...
- An inter-denominational chapel
- Four radio stations. Three of them, K-97 (classic rock), 790 CFCW (classic country and news/sports programming), 96.3 Capital FM, are owned by Newcap Radio. The fourth, HOT 107, is owned by John Charles Yerxa. 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).
The mall also includes several "theme areas" including:
- Bourbon Street - Features clubs and restaurants in a New Orleans
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
-influenced setting. Several restaurants and clubs are located here including Boston PizzaBoston Pizza is a Canadian-based restaurant chain which owns and franchises locations in Canada, the United States and Mexico.-History:...
with BP's Lounge, HootersHooters is the trade name of two privately held American restaurant chains: Hooters of America, Incorporated, based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Hooters, Incorporated, based in Clearwater, Florida...
, Tony Roma'sTony Roma's is a casual dining chain restaurant specializing in baby back ribs . The first location was established in 1972 in North Miami, Florida, by the founder, and today there are roughly 260 locations in 27 countries comprising 32 territories...
Ribhouse, The Old Spaghetti FactoryThe Old Spaghetti Factory is an Italian-style restaurant currently operating in 40 locations in several U.S. states, primarily Oregon, Washington, California and Utah as well as Nagoya in Japan,[3] and previously in Kobe and Kawagoe, Saitama .There are also Old Spaghetti Factories in Canada There...
, Albert's Family Restaurant, Moxie'sMoxie's Classic Grill is a Canadian restaurant chain operating in six provinces from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. Moxie's began as a small deli and diner in Calgary in 1986, before transforming itself into a premium casual dining restaurant and lounge in 1998. Following recent economic and...
, EarlsEarls Leroy Earl Fuller's pride and joy is a casual dining restaurant chain that operates in Western Canada as well as Arizona, Washington and Colorado in the United States, and recently in Mississauga, Ontario. Earls has approximately 50 locations and their head office in North Vancouver, British...
, Jungle Jim's and the Comedy Club. The lighting in this area is left intentionally darker than other parts of the mall in order to simulate a nighttime atmosphere.
- Europa Boulevard - Eclectic shops in an area designed to look like a Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an streetscape. It is home to A Piece of Cake, G-Star, Energie/Miss Sixty, Urban, Paradox, Europa Cafe and several rentable conference rooms that look down on the Boulevard. Also, Europa Boulevard will soon be home to the first La Maison SimonsLa Maison Simons, commonly known as Simons, is a fashion retailer in Quebec, Canada.-History:La Maison Simons was founded by the Simons family in 1840 in Quebec City, and is headquartered in that city. The store began operations as Simons House, where retail operations began in 1889...
to open outside of Quebec.
- Chinatown - Businesses catering to the Asian population, headlined by T & T Supermarket (in the former Canadian Tire location). It is located directly above Bourbon Street and features a miniature koi pond with a bridge.
Future developments
West Edmonton Mall is currently preparing to welcome its newest shopping attraction,
La Maison SimonsLa Maison Simons, commonly known as Simons, is a fashion retailer in Quebec, Canada.-History:La Maison Simons was founded by the Simons family in 1840 in Quebec City, and is headquartered in that city. The store began operations as Simons House, where retail operations began in 1889...
from Quebec. This will be Simons's first outlet outside of the province and the store will be four times the size of WEM's current
H&MH & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
store. Simons is scheduled to open August 2012. Also plans are underway for a total retrofit of the mall shopping areas through all the phases. Construction will begin in spring 2011 and will be staged, expected to last 18 to 24 months.
In 2002, the City of Edmonton approved plans for the mall to expand with an additional 30,000 m
2 (320,000 sq ft) of retail space, a facility for sports,
trade showsA trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...
and conventions, a 12-story
office buildingAn office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
, and a 600-unit apartment building, along with more parking. , however, construction on any of these items has yet to begin.
Currently, a number of large shopping malls, all larger than the West Edmonton Mall, are under construction in
ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, and the retail centre in
BeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
has already displaced the West Edmonton Mall as the world's largest. The
SM Mall of AsiaSM Mall of Asia is a shopping mall owned and developed by SM Prime Holdings, the largest mall developer and owner in the Philippines. SM Mall of Asia is the 2nd largest mall in the Philippines after SM City North EDSA, 3rd largest shopping mall in Asia and the 4th largest shopping mall in the world...
, located in
Pasay CityThe City of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the north by the country's capital, Manila, to the northeast by Makati City, to the east by Taguig City, and Parañaque City to the south.Pasay City was one of the original four...
,
Metro ManilaMetropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
,
PhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
has also surpassed the mall's gross floor size by 36000 square metres (43,055.6 sq yd).
See also