A sign outside American Dream mall in East Rutherford announces all stores are open Sunday.New Jersey Superior Court
By Allison Pries | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The American Dream Meadowlands is getting support from its landlord, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, in a legal dispute with Paramus over Bergen County’s longtime Sunday shopping ban.
The Borough of Paramus filed a lawsuit in August saying American Dream has flouted the ban, commonly known as “Blue Laws” since at least January 19 2025 by allowing its more than 120 retail tenants to operate on Sundays.
Bergen is the last county in New Jersey to maintain its historic ban on Sunday shopping — a policy that remains popular in the retail mecca. The laws prohibit the sale of clothing and apparel, building materials, furniture and appliances on Sundays.
The operators of the American Dream mall began advertising Sunday shopping earlier this year — sparking a legal fight with the borough of Paramus.
Among the defendants in the lawsuit is the NJSEA, an independent authority established by the state in 1971 to oversee the Meadowlands Sports Complex including MetLife Stadium, the Meadowlands Racetrack and now American Dream.
By Allison Pries | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The American Dream Meadowlands is getting support from its landlord, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, in a legal dispute with Paramus over Bergen County’s longtime Sunday shopping ban.
The Borough of Paramus filed a lawsuit in August saying American Dream has flouted the ban, commonly known as “Blue Laws” since at least January 19 2025 by allowing its more than 120 retail tenants to operate on Sundays.
Bergen is the last county in New Jersey to maintain its historic ban on Sunday shopping — a policy that remains popular in the retail mecca. The laws prohibit the sale of clothing and apparel, building materials, furniture and appliances on Sundays.
The operators of the American Dream mall began advertising Sunday shopping earlier this year — sparking a legal fight with the borough of Paramus.
Among the defendants in the lawsuit is the NJSEA, an independent authority established by the state in 1971 to oversee the Meadowlands Sports Complex including MetLife Stadium, the Meadowlands Racetrack and now American Dream.
The NJSEA leases the land that the mall sits on to American Dream. It’s located in East Rutherford, which is part of Bergen County.
Paramus, which is also in Bergen County, is one of the top retail zip codes in the country with more than $6 billion in retail sales per year.
The lawsuit says that American Dream should be held accountable for disregarding the Blue Laws, with fines of up to $5,000 and by being declared a public nuisance.
Paramus, which is also in Bergen County, is one of the top retail zip codes in the country with more than $6 billion in retail sales per year.
The lawsuit says that American Dream should be held accountable for disregarding the Blue Laws, with fines of up to $5,000 and by being declared a public nuisance.
The NJSEA, last week, filed a motion to dismiss three of the four counts in the lawsuit because Paramus did not file a tort claim with the NJSEA prior to filing the lawsuit, as required.
NJSEA’s filing also says that Paramus can’t bring a lawsuit alleging injury to residents of Bergen County, only to itself and American Dream operating on Sundays has no material impact on Paramus’ day-to-day municipal business.
“Simply put, Paramus is a legal stranger to the question of whether the Sunday Closing Law applies to the American Dream Mall,” the motion to dismiss says. “Paramus has no more (or less) interest in the answer to that legal question than any other citizen in New Jersey, or any of the other 500+ municipalities across the State.”
The motion to dismiss also asks the court to throw out a count that compels the NJSEA to enforce the Blue Laws because its lease does not require it to do so.
“The Authority should be afforded discretion as to how to best handle its tenant relationship, rather than have that commercial relationship micromanaged by the courts (or a stranger like Paramus),“ the motion to dismiss says.
The motion to dismiss was filed in Superior Court in Bergen County on December 22 by Frederick W. Alworth, Kevin W. Weber and Julia E. Browning of Gibbons P.C., the attorneys for the NJSEA.
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NJSEA’s filing also says that Paramus can’t bring a lawsuit alleging injury to residents of Bergen County, only to itself and American Dream operating on Sundays has no material impact on Paramus’ day-to-day municipal business.
“Simply put, Paramus is a legal stranger to the question of whether the Sunday Closing Law applies to the American Dream Mall,” the motion to dismiss says. “Paramus has no more (or less) interest in the answer to that legal question than any other citizen in New Jersey, or any of the other 500+ municipalities across the State.”
The motion to dismiss also asks the court to throw out a count that compels the NJSEA to enforce the Blue Laws because its lease does not require it to do so.
“The Authority should be afforded discretion as to how to best handle its tenant relationship, rather than have that commercial relationship micromanaged by the courts (or a stranger like Paramus),“ the motion to dismiss says.
The motion to dismiss was filed in Superior Court in Bergen County on December 22 by Frederick W. Alworth, Kevin W. Weber and Julia E. Browning of Gibbons P.C., the attorneys for the NJSEA.
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