Editor's note: Check out more of our comprehensive coverage about American Dream Meadowlands.

Nearly two decades since it was first floated as a concept, workers are putting the finishing touches on the entertainment portion of American Dream, the mammoth retail and amusement center scheduled to open in the heart of East Rutherford in six weeks.

Ahead of its long-anticipated grand opening on Oct. 25, officials invited a small team from (201) Magazine — an affiliate of NorthJersey.com, The Record and the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey — inside the project for a fashion photo shoot in August. As part of the magazine's welcome, the team stepped past American Dream's guarded walls and into the sleek, developing world the public will soon know firsthand.

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Behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the magazine's photo shoot provide a glimpse of how the 3 million-square-foot space is shaping up. The team was invited inside the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park and DreamWorks Water Park, the Ice Rink, and a section of the center's retail end. Here's what we learned.

Active construction

The American Dream project is very much an active construction site. Workers in neon yellow vests and white hard hats were scattered across the site, and the sounds of drilling and beeping machines pierced the air. Some workers operated machinery, while others plastered floors or sat atop electric scissor lifts between the American Dream's many levels. There were cables, multiple levels of scaffolding, makeshift work stations, wooden planks and construction-grade floor polishers. From one of the many roller coaster rides inside the project hung an American flag.

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The Ice Rink

One of American Dream's many attractions is its Ice Rink, which will feature an NHL-sized skating facility. Images last month showed a rink with fiberglass perimeter boards wrapped in plastic, like a brand-new purchase waiting to be opened. The rink is at the bottom of three levels. Two levels overlooking the rink allow curious shoppers to roam. The area is filled with natural light from a glass ceiling above, and dozens of lights on the third level surround the rink's perimeter.

Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park and DreamWorks Water Park

American Dream's indoor theme and water park will sprawl across 16 acres — two of the main attractions inside the massive project. Both parks have record-breaking attractions: The theme park has three world-record-breaking coasters, and the indoor water park will be home to the world's largest indoor wave pool, the tallest indoor body slide and more. This portion of American Dream is slated to open on Oct. 25, and it shows significant progress.

The theme park will feature more than 20 rides, according to American Dream's website. During last month's shoot, many attractions looked nearly or completely finished. There was a giant orange blimp with the "Nickelodeon" logo and (fake) green slime dripping off; a blue train that looks as if it could take you for a sky ride across the park; a tiny Ferris wheel and a carousel. Coasters have empty carts sitting idle on the tracks.

The water park is massive. It will feature 35 water slides and 13 attractions, according to American Dream. It will be the second-largest indoor water park in the world, officials have said. A blue tube snakes along the perimeter of the water park and eventually meets with a jungle-like area, where massive, fake trees and tubes intertwine. The center of the water park includes a massive empty space, possibly where the wave pool will be. Right now, the space is dotted with small cones.

Although both parks have the same overall aesthetic as American Dream — a white, sleek and minimalist design — each attraction adds a pop of color to the project.

Retail

A small majority of the site will be focused on entertainment, but about 45 percent of American Dream will be dedicated to retail. Officials have estimated there will be more than 450 shops, services and amenities in the complex. The project will include six "grand atriums" that will flood the mall's corridors with natural light, and officials have also hinted at "museum-scale interiors."

The (201) Magazine team was invited inside one of American Dream's more luxurious ends: an area where three levels of retail connect below a massive installation of crystal-style lights mixed with streaks of black and white. The backdrop was featured on the cover of (201) Magazine's September issue. This area looks much more like a mall, and it is clear where future retail tenants will be. Some of the storefronts appear to be further along than others — some have interior walls that were being painted, while others were bare save for metal studs and cement beams. The floors in this section are covered in plywood for protection.

Progress

In recent weeks, there have been visible changes to the building's exterior: An "American Dream" sign was installed, the project is now illuminated at night, and roller coasters are clearly visible.

Over the next six weeks, passers-by can expect changes to continue — most notably, American Dream's garish, multicolored ski slope will soon be painted white.