BLOOMINGTON (AP) — A luxury Radisson Blu hotel has opened next to the Mall of America.

The 13-story, 500-room hotel becomes the first nearby hotel to be linked by skyway to the Bloomington mall.

Construction on the $137.5 million Bloomington Radisson Blu began in mid-2011. The mall eliminated parking areas on its south side to accommodate the new hotel.

Kurt Hagen, executive vice president of development at Mall of America owner Triple Five Group,says the hotel serves the same purpose as an anchor store — to bring in more people.

New York and Los Angeles also were under consideration for the second Radisson Blu to open in the U.S. after Chicago, but the Mall of America location became available first.

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