KidZania Will Bring 500K To 1M Visitors To American Dream Meadowlands: CEO

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — KidZania's CEO says his attraction will bring at least 500,000 visitors — and maybe 1 million — when it opens at the most expensive retail project on earth: American Dream Meadowlands.

KidZanias give kids 4 to 14 a chance to go to school, get a job and work in 80,000-square-foot educational centers with their own economies. Kids are paid with "kidZos" currency. Companies like Honda, Sony, Kellogg's, Coca-Cola and others have sponsored businesses and landmarks in the attraction.

Keith Rubenstein, CEO of KidZania USA, was on CNBC recently and spoke about the possible impact his entertainment attraction has on malls. He also discussed struggling malls in the United States.

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"I'm going to bring 500,000 to 1 million visitors to your mall," Rubenstein said. "You figure out how to keep them."

There are 19 KidZania throughout the world. The company's first United States location will open outside of Dallas in 2018 followed by one in Chicago in 2019.

RELATED: 'Most Expensive Retail Project On Earth' Coming To Meadowlands

American Dream Meadowlands was slated to open this summer, but developer Triple Five has had trouble securing the $1.1 billion in bonds needed to finance the $5 billion project. The opening has been delayed until next summer.

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Photos of children at other KidZanias participating in various vocations. — Courtesy of KidZania