CASE STUDY

With this expansion, Mall of America( MOA), in Minnesota, has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events.

Standing at 5.6 million square feet and home to more than 500 retailers, restaurants and more, MOA hosts over 300 events each year and attracts more than 32 million visitors annually from around the world. Scheduling those events – from concerts to massive outdoor food festivals – requires careful planning to support parking operations and ensure safety and security for attendees.

By expanding its surveillance system and investing in AI-enabled video analytics with Axis Communications, the Mall met its need for a reliable, accurate and scalable solution to support its 24 / 7 safety and security operations.

“ We needed technology that could keep pace with our evolving needs and make sure our security team could focus on the highest-priority tasks,” said Aaron Nielsen, Vice President of Information Technology, MOA.“ Our previous solution struggled with the unpredictable Midwestern weather – including snow, rain and cold – all impacting accuracy and reliability. Car counting is one of the most important operational metrics we have. Implementing a system that delivers accurate data allows us to quickly scale from one location to more than a dozen additional locations throughout the Mall, providing efficiency and invaluable information for our team.”

• Drive decisions with analytics: By deploying AIenabled line-crossing analytics at the edge, MOA benefits from a rugged, scalable and cost-effective approach to decision-making, powered by the business intelligence these devices gather. This is especially valuable in areas where the Mall entrance meets busy intersections, as the line-crossing technology can precisely differentiate between a car entering the Mall and one merely passing by.

• Create a smarter security strategy: Beyond parking intelligence, Axis’ technology supports the Mall’ s broader security strategy. Cameras and Axis network speakers installed in restricted areas detect and deter unauthorized access in real time, with alerts immediately sent to the Mall’ s central dispatch center.

• Prioritize employee safety: With unpredictable Minnesota winters, keeping employees and customers safe was key to this deployment. With the new system, adjustments are intuitive tasks that once required ladders, lifts and multiple people can now be done from a desktop. Non-technical team members can review audits, make changes and immediately analyze results from a safe location.

“ Mall of America presented us with a challenge that required not just technology, but collaboration, trust and innovation,” said James Stark, Segment Development Manager, Retail, Axis Communications.“ We’ re honored to be part of their forward-looking approach to safety and operational intelligence. As Mall of America continues to lead the way in experiential retail and entertainment, we remain committed to delivering the reliability, flexibility and insight-driven technology that their dynamic environment demands.”

Looking ahead, MOA is exploring additional possibilities as it aligns resources for future phases of the project. From advanced capabilities like people counting and license plate recognition to using line

MAGAZINE FRONT COVER

The success of the initial test led MOA to rapidly expand the implementation to over a dozen locations. The car counting data now drives macro-level decisions about Mall hours and event planning, as well as microlevel scheduling for vendors and staff— empowering operational agility across the organization.

With this state-of-the-art expansion, MOA can:

• Deploy solutions anywhere: A trial began with an Axis camera deployed in a particularly challenging location – on a light pole isolated from the building. Despite limited access to power and data, the trial system proved over 99 % accurate. After minor adjustments, performance improved even further.

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