SEC Company Response from Feldman Mall Properties, Inc. (CIK 0001299901) — Nov 23, 2004
Feldman Mall Properties, Inc. (CIK 0001299901)
Date: Nov. 23, 2004 · CIK: 0001299901 · Accession: 0001125282-04-005902
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File numbers found in text: 333-118246
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CORRESP
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Prepared and filed by St Ives Burrups
VIA EDGAR AND FACSIMILE
November 19, 2004
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attention: Elaine Wolff, Special Counsel
Re:
Feldman Mall Properties, Inc.
Registration No. 333-118246
Dear Ms. Wolff:
On behalf of our
client, Feldman Mall Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company” ),
and in accordance with our telephone conversation of today, we wish to set
forth (i) our conclusions that the contribution transaction involving the
existing members of Feldman Equities of Arizona, LLC (“FEA”) is
not a “roll-up transaction” within the meaning of Item 901 of Regulation
S-K and (ii) proposed language to be added to the Prospectus relating
to the integration issues raised by the Staff.
Roll-up Transaction
First, Item 941(c)(1)
of Regulation S-K defines a roll-up transaction as “a transaction
involving the combination or reorganization of one or more partnerships,
directly or
indirectly, in which some or all of the investors in any of such partnerships
will receive new securities, or securities in another entity.” Item
901(b)(1) of Regulation S-K defines a partnership as a “(i) Finite-life
limited partnership; or (ii) Other finite-life entity.” In addition
Item 901(b)(2)(i) provides that a limited partnership or other entity is “finite
life” if: (A) it operates as a conduit vehicle for investors to participate
in the ownership of assets for a limited period of time; and (B) it has
as a policy or purpose distributing to investors proceeds from the sale,
financing
or refinancing of assets or cash from operations, rather than reinvesting
such proceeds or cash in the business (whether for the term of the entity
or after an initial period of time following commencement of operations).”
FEA is not a finite
life entity because it does not operate as a conduit vehicle for investors
to participate in the ownership of assets for a limited period of time. It
was organized as an infinite life limited liability company
with no stated terms for dissolution and as the central vehicle for the Feldman
organization to own, operate, manage and reposition under-performing or distressed
malls. The members of FEA organized it to continue to make a series of investments
in malls over time and to build a portfolio of malls in joint ventures with
institutional investors. In addition, FEA did not have, as a policy or purpose,
distributing to investors proceeds from the sale, financing or refinancing
of assets. As Section 6.4 of the operating agreement of FEA provides: “Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all distributions shall be made
at such times and in such amounts as is determined by the Manager.” In
essence, the Manager of FEA determined when distributions to members would
United States Securities and
Exchange Commission
Attention: Elaine Wolff, Special Counsel
November 19,
2004
be made or if distributions would
be made at all. Thus, it is clear that the contribution transaction involving
the existing
members of FEA is not a “roll-up transaction.”
Proposed Language
We would also propose
to include in the filing the following disclosure:
The exemption tom the registration
requirements of the Securities Act may not be available in the formation
transactions. The exemption from the registration requirements
of the Securities Act may not be available in the formation transactions.
In connection with the formation transactions, members of our management
team will receive 100,000 shares of common stock and 989,684 OP units
to be held by Larry Feldman, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
and his affiliates, 233,504 OP units to be held by Jim Bourg, our Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, 233,504 OP units to be held
by Scott Jensen, our Executive Vice President of Leasing, 160,000 OP
units to be held by Jeffrey Erhart, our Executive Vice President and
General Counsel. The offering and issuance of these equity securities
to our management team has been structured as a private placement transaction
that is exempt from the registration requirements under the Securities
Act of 1933 pursuant to the exemption afforded by Section 4(2) thereof
and/or Regulation D thereunder. Under federal securities laws as interpreted
by the Securities and Exchange Commission, an exemption from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 may not be available to an
otherwise valid private placement if that private placement is determined
to be “integrated” with another public offering. Generally,
a valid private placement will not be “integrated” with another
registered offering if the investor in the private placement has completed
its investment decision with regard to the private placement before the
initial filing of the registration statement for the registered offering
and the definitive investment agreement executed prior to the initial
filing of the registration statement is complete and encompasses all
material terms. In addition, federal securities laws provide for a one-year
rescission
right for investors who purchase securities in an unregistered transaction
for which the private offering exemption is not available. Because the
investment agreements executed by the management team prior to the initial
filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part
provide for the issuance to the management team of a fixed percentage
(rather than a fixed number) of the equity securities of the company
and the operating partnership that will not be sold by us in the offering
made pursuant to this prospectus, a question may arise under federal
securities laws as to whether the investment decisions of the management
team were made prior to the initial filing of such registration statement,
which could make the private placement exemption unavailable for the
private placement made to the management team. On this issue, we have
obtained an opinion from our legal counsel that the offer and issuance
of the equity securities to the management team is exempt from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2) thereof and/or
Regulation D promulgated thereunder. In addition, we will avoid any possible
liability arising out of the private placement of the equity securities
to the management team because each member of the management team has
(i) indicated in writing to us that he will not under any circumstances
exercise any rescission rights arising out of the formation transactions,
(ii) irrevocably waived any right to rescission that may arise with respect
to the formation transactions and (iii) irrevocably agreed with us and
the operating partnership to contribute to the operating partnership
any proceeds received by him as a result of any rescission action arising
out of the formation transactions if it is ultimately determined that
such statement and/or waiver is not enforceable.
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United States Securities
and Exchange Commission
Attention: Elaine Wolff, Special Counsel
November
19, 2004
We have been advised
by the Company and the underwriters that they plan to print the prospectus
for the offering tonight. We would thus greatly appreciate resolving this
matter tonight. Questions in connection with this letter should be directed
to the undersigned at 212-878-8527.
Thank you for all of
your thoughts and attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Jay L. Bernstein
Jay L. Bernstein, Esq.
cc:
Jeffrey A. Shady, Esq.
Larry Feldman
Jim Bourg
Tom
Wirth
Alexander G. Simpson, Esq.
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