Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park Coming To American Dream Meadowlands

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Eight-and-one-half acre park will feature ride and attractions featuring SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. â€" SpongeBob SquarePants and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are coming to American Dream Meadowlands.

Developer Triple Five has partnered with Nickelodeon on its creation of the largest indoor amusement park in the western hemisphere, Nickelodeon Universe.

The eight-and-one-half acre park will feature rides and attractions based on Nickelodeon-owned properties, similar to the Nickelodeon Universe at another Triple Five-owned property â€" the Mall of America in Minnesota. That theme park features rides like the Fairly Odd Coaster, Diego's Rescue Rider, and Shredder's Mutant Masher.

“Based on the success we have seen with Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America we are excited to bring the number one entertainment brand for kids to American Dream,” Triple Five President Don Ghermezian said in a statement.

Tickets for the park will be available in a variety of options, from single-ride to an annual pass.

The 91-acre complex will be broken up into five connected sections more than a half-mile long when it opens in the fall of 2018. The $5 billion project is expected to add 20,000 jobs to the North Jersey and compete with New York City as the go-to tourist and family entertainment destination in the area.

Nickelodeon is the latest brand to bring its intellectual properties to the property.

DreamWorks, owner of popular movie franchises such as "Shrek," "Kung Fu Panda," and "How To Train Your Dragon," is the official partner of American Dream's water park.

LEGOLAND is designed specifically for children ages 3 to 10. It will feature a 4D cinema, Lego brick pool, and rides. Kids can also take Lego building classes.

A 22,000-square-foot adult arcade, For The Win, will feature state-of-the-art gaming, a bowling alley, live music performances, and a selection of craft beers. A 1,500-seat, 4D movie theater will allow moviegoers to "smell" the film they're watching.

The first Sea Life aquarium in New Jersey will feature a tropical ocean tank with a walk-through underwater tunnel. There will also be a 300-foot-tall observation wheel, a 12-story indoor ski park with an 800-foot-long hill, and a food court with 15-restaurants and 50 grab-and-go offerings.

American Dream Meadowlands was slated to open in the summer of 2017, but Triple Five pushed the open date back to the fall of 2018 because of difficulities securing the financing needed for the $5 billion project.