SECAUCUS — American Dream may be one of New Jersey’s biggest attractions, but its owners are facing a growing dispute with neighboring towns over millions of dollars in payments that local officials say the mall owes them.

Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli said this week that he is prepared to sue Triple Five Group, the privately held company owned by the Ghermezian family, over nearly $1 million the town says it is owed.

“This is a prelude to suing,” Gonnelli said. “We want to sit down and talk to them and work something out. If we don't get our money, we're going to sue. No question about it.”

But the dispute comes as American Dream continues to navigate significant financial challenges, raising questions about how much the mall can reasonably be expected to pay under the decades-old agreement.

The Ghermezian family, an Iranian Jewish family that left Iran for Canada around the time of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, owns American Dream along with the Mall of America in Minnesota and West Edmonton Mall in Alberta.

Under the Meadowlands Commission’s Municipal Assistance Program, or MAP, American Dream is expected to provide payments to surrounding municipalities to help offset the costs associated with hosting a massive regional attraction.

Secaucus says it is owed $966,666. Carlstadt says it is owed approximately $5 million.

The other 11 Meadowlands municipalities are estimated to be owed roughly $387,500 each, according to Bob Ceberio, Carlstadt’s business administrator and former executive director of the Meadowlands Commission.

The money was intended to help communities deal with infrastructure demands, including traffic and emergency responses involving the mall and sports complex.

Secaucus has, in fact, sent police and firefighters to American Dream for emergencies, including a fire involving the indoor ski slope and a 2022 shooting.

But the central dispute appears to be over the conditions under which the payments are owed.

Ceberio said Triple Five has maintained that payments are only required once the mall reaches 100% occupancy. He disputes that interpretation and says the original agreement contains no such condition.

American Dream was approximately 88% occupied as of Jan. 1.

That distinction could become increasingly important given the mall’s financial picture.

American Dream’s assessed value was reduced by more than $1 billion this year, falling from $3.43 billion to $1.65 billion. Triple Five has also faced missed PILOT payments to East Rutherford and reported missed mortgage and debt payments.

The mall was built with billions in borrowed money, with the state also providing financial assistance to help complete the long-delayed project.

Those circumstances don't necessarily eliminate any obligation to neighboring towns. But they do raise a legitimate question: What is the agreement actually requiring, and is there room for the parties to negotiate a workable solution?

Ceberio acknowledged as much.

“OK, so maybe there are mitigating circumstances,” he said. “So maybe it's not $5 million but at least acknowledge you owe us something. Let's sit down and talk.”

Gonnelli, however, is less sympathetic.

He pointed to the crowds American Dream attracted during the World Cup, including packed parking lots and parking fees that reportedly reached $250.

“American Dream is making millions and millions of dollars,” Gonnelli said.

Triple Five did not respond to requests for comment.

Carlstadt Mayor Robert Zimmermann also criticized the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which owns the land beneath the mall, for not enforcing the agreement.

“We are done waiting for the NJSEA to act in good faith,” Zimmermann said.

The dispute now appears headed toward a confrontation that could have been avoided through direct negotiations.

American Dream has spent years trying to establish itself as more than a shopping mall, adding entertainment, restaurants, concerts, sporting events and major attractions. Its new performing arts center and event space have expanded that mission even further.

The surrounding towns understandably want compensation for the demands placed on their police, fire and infrastructure.

But if the parties disagree over what the MAP agreement actually requires, a lawsuit may ultimately be less useful than sitting down and negotiating a number that reflects both the towns' needs and the financial realities facing American Dream.

For now, Gonnelli says he is ready to take the fight to court.