The Mall of America has ambitious plans, but it can’t pay its own way

A long-dormant plan to double the size of Mall of America -- adding hotels, a waterpark, a performing arts center, office towers and hundreds of stores -- seems to be coming back to life. But it hinges on the Minnesota Legislature, which is being asked for up to $250 million in tax breaks to pay for the project's parking ramps, roads and other infrastructure. The plan has drawn scant public attention so far, but it is starting to stir controversy as lawmakers move close to granting the request. Both the House and Senate have given initial approval to tax breaks the mega-mall says it needs to jump-start a $1.5 billion expansion that has stalled since it first was unveiled in 2006. Gov. Mark Dayton supports the idea. Mall of America already ranks as the nation's largest mall and the Midwest's most-visited attraction, drawing 42 million visitors a year. The expansion would add 5.6 million square feet of space and is projected to draw another 20 million visitors a year. "If we'