Mall of America strikes deal with Nickelodeon for theme park

Coming soon to the MOA
SpongeBob SquarePants and other popular characters from Nickelodeon television shows will be featured at the Mall of America's amusement park, after the MOA struck a deal with the cable TV network.
Photo by Matthew Peyton/Getty Images

(AP) - Goodbye, Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Say hello to SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Jimmy Neutron.

The Mall of America announced Wednesday that it has signed a branding-rights deal with the cable television network Nickelodeon for the megamall's indoor amusement park.

The park used to be called Camp Snoopy, but the mall's 13-year partnership with the "Peanuts" gang ended last year. Since then, the amusement park has been simply named, "The Park at MOA."

The Bloomington mall also plans to add a new ride, a freefall tower aimed at teens and adults. It already has a log flume and a roller coaster.

And a new roller coaster is planned based on the animated series, "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Construction on the upside-down roller coaster will begin this year.

The announcement comes amid the megamall's plans for a $1.9 billion expansion that would about double its size and includes an 8,000-space parking garage. The plan seeks a package of $234 million in state and local subsidies.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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