80,000-Square-Foot Young People's Entertainment Complex Planned For Buckland Hills Mall

MANCHESTER, CT — The Shoppes at Buckland Hills mall has found an anchor tenant to take over a 2-story vacancy.

Conversion work is underway for a new 80,000-square-foot children's entertainment complex at the mall. Mall officials said an opening date has not been announced, citing the local regulatory process.

The new businesses will be called ALI Dream Land and Apex Adventure Park. The complex will occupy the space that previously housed Dick's Sporting Goods. Dick's left the mall in 2021 for a smaller location at The Plaza at Burr Corners. The former anchor space was subsequently vacant.

The new complex will be operated by Angel Land, which has other entertainment centers in the state.

Plans show that ALI Dream Land would occupy approximately 40,000 square feet on the lower level targeting the younger crowd with elements like party facilities, soft-play areas, climbing apparatus, slides, bumper cars, and a kart track.

Apex Adventure Park would take up the other 40,000 square feet on the upper level and will target older children with similar elements plus arcade features.

The mall was built in 1990 on former golf course land. The Dick's Sporting Goods space was one of its major anchor areas with what is essentially a self-contained rear parking area.

The Shoppes at Buckland Hills is owned primarily by Namdar Realty Group, which acquired most of the mall property through a court-approved $25.8 million purchase in 2025. Several anchor properties, including Macy's and JCPenney, are separately owned.