Nickelodeon has unveiled plans to build the largest indoor amusement park in the western hemisphere as part of New Jersey’s under-construction American Dream Meadowlands mall and leisure complex.

Dubbed Nickelodeon Universe, the 35,000sq m (370,000sq ft) amusement park will feature a number of rides based on iconic Nickelodeon brands, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and newer shows like Blaze and the Monster Machines. In addition to a selection of rides, Nickelodeon Universe will feature live shows, retail, games, entertainment, food venues and themed party rooms.

"Long term strategic partnerships between Triple Five and Nickelodeon is a win-win,” said Don Ghermezian, president of Triple Five.

“Together with Nickelodeon, we understand how powerful our brands can be in reaching and delivering a global audience. From infants to adults we all can relate to something Nickelodeon. Also, having them based right here in New York will create synergies with American Dream we have not even thought of yet, and that is very exciting.”

In addition to Nickelodeon Universe, the US$5bn (€4.4bn, £3.8bn) American Dream Meadowlands will have wide range of entertainment options in addition to its 450 retail stores when it opens in 2018.

These include a list boasting a DreamWorks waterpark and amusement park, a 16-storey indoor ski slope, a 1,500 seat performing arts venue, 285-foot (86.8-metre) high observation wheel, luxury cinema, full-sized ice rink and an 18-hole miniature golf course. The New Jersey mall will also be home to two Merlin brands, with the operator announcing earlier this year plans to bring its Sea Life and Legoland Discovery Centres to the mega complex.

American Dream New Jersey was scheduled to open in Q3 2017 after more than a decade of development, which Triple Five took over in 2011, but the developer pushed that date back to Q3 2018 thanks to financing problems.