Will Great Wolf Maul Minnesota?

According to the Mall of America, a Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park resort could be on its way to the gargantuan shopping, dining, and entertainment center near Minneapolis and St. Paul. The resort would be part of a $1.8 billion expansion for the mall (at 520 stores, does the place really need to expand?) that is pending public financing assistance and other approvals. Plans call for building an additional 5.2 million square feet that would more than double the size of the mall's current 4.2 million square feet. No details were announced about the size and scope of the Great Wolf Lodge. The Water Park of America, a 70,000-square-foot indoor water park that opened last year, is around the corner from the mall. Its name co-opts its famous neighbor's name, and casual observers may assume that the two entities are partners. It even advertises itself as being "by Mall of America." The phrase refers to proximity rather than ownership, however. It's not unusual for major water park resorts to compete against one another in markets. Wisconsin Dells has 18 indoor water park resorts. Other water park hot spots include Sandusky, Ohio and Niagara Falls. The Mall of America is already home to an indoor theme park. Once known as Camp Snoopy, it now bears the bland name, "The Park at MOA." It is being re-themed, however, in March 2008 as Nickelodeon Universe, and will feature characters from the popular children's television network.

• Find Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Water Park Resorts
• Find Other Indoor Water Park Resorts