In our Spotlight on Business Report tonight, American Dream Mall is being ordered to pay millions of dollars to towns in the Meadowlands.

A Bergen County judge has ruled the Mega mall was fully open for business when it opened its doors to the public in 2019.

Dealing a major blow to American dreams, lawyers who argued it never reached 100% occupancy and was therefore not fully open.

That clause, in its agreement with the state, enabled the mall to avoid paying $13 million in what's known as payments, in lieu of taxes or pilot fees to surrounding towns.

Now, officials in East Rutherford, where the mall is based, sued the owners in 2023 over those missed payments.

Eight other surrounding communities are also owed money.

Attaining 100% occupancy is a benchmark few malls reach.

As of July 1st, American Dream was 87% leased.

In the court ruling, the judge said those payments should have started the day customers could enter and start using the entertainment complex.