Form S-3 for WRI Strom L.P. filed 06/2006
As
filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 9, 2006
Registration
No. 333-
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
________________
FORM
S-3
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
Under
THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
________________
WEINGARTEN
REALTY INVESTORS
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Texas
(State
or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation or organization)
|
|
74-1464203
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
|
2600
Citadel Plaza Drive, Suite 300
Houston,
Texas 77008
(713)
866-6000
(Address,
including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's
principal executive offices)
________________
Andrew
M. Alexander
President
and Chief Executive Officer
Weingarten
Realty Investors
2600
Citadel Plaza Drive, Suite 300
Houston,
Texas 77008
(713)
866-6000
(Name,
address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
agent
for service)
________________
Copies
to:
Bryan
L. Goolsby
Gina
E. Betts
Locke
Liddell & Sapp LLP
2200
Ross Avenue, Suite 2200
Dallas,
Texas 75201
(214)
740-8000
________________
Approximate
date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: from time to time after
the
effective date of this Registration Statement.
If
the
only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to
dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.
¨
If
any of
the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed
or
continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other
than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. x
If
this
form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to
Rule
462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If
this
form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the
Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration
statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. ¨
If
delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please
check the following box. ¨
CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE
|
Title
of Each Class of Securities
to
be Registered
|
Amount
to be
Registered
|
Proposed
Maximum Aggregate Price Per Share (1)
|
Proposed
Maximum Aggregate
Offering
Price
|
Amount
of
Registration
Fee
|
Common
Shares of Beneficial Interest, $.03 par value per share
|
133,014
|
$39.87
|
$5,303,269
|
$568.00
|
(1)
|
Estimated
solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant
to
Rule 457(c) based on the high and low sales prices of the common
shares on
the New York Stock Exchange on June 5,
2006
|
The
Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates
as
may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file
a
further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement
shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the
Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become
effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.
PROSPECTUS
SUBJECT
TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 9, 2006
Weingarten
Realty Investors
133,014
Common Shares of Beneficial Interest
__________
This
prospectus relates to the possible redemption by us of your Class A Partnership
Units (the "Units") in WRI Strom, L.P. for up to an aggregate of 133,014 common
shares of beneficial interest, par value $.03 per share. You will receive one
common share for each Unit you redeem. We
will
not receive any proceeds from the issuance to you of the common shares.
We
are
registering the common shares being offered by this prospectus in order to
permit the recipient thereof to sell such shares without restriction, in the
open market or otherwise; however, the registration of such common shares does
not necessarily mean that any of the Units will be submitted for redemption
or
that any of the common shares to be issued upon such redemption will be offered
or sold by the recipient thereof.
Our
common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "WRI."
On June 5, 2006, the closing sale price on the New York Stock Exchange for
our common shares was $39.52 per share.
Our
executive offices are located at 2600 Citadel Plaza Drive, Suite 300, Houston,
Texas 77008, and our telephone number is (713) 866-6000.
____________
Neither
the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission
has
approved or disapproved the securities discussed in this prospectus, nor have
they determined whether this prospectus is accurate or adequate. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The
date
of this prospectus is June __, 2006
The
information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We
may not
sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the
Securities
and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer
to sell
these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities
in
any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
You
should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference
in
this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized
anyone else to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you
with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We will
not make an offer to sell these securities in any state where the offer or
sale
is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this
prospectus, as well as the information we previously filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission and incorporated by reference, is accurate only as
of
the date of the documents containing the information.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Cautionary
Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
|
(i)
|
About
This Prospectus
|
1
|
The
Company
|
1
|
Use
of Proceeds
|
1
|
Plan
of Distribution
|
1
|
Redemption
of Units
|
2
|
Federal
Income Tax Consequences
|
2
|
Legal
Matters
|
16
|
Experts
|
16
|
Where
You Can Find More Information
|
16
|
Incorporation
of Documents by Reference
|
16
|
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain
statements contained herein constitute forward-looking statements as such term
is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking
statements are not guarantees of performance. Our future results, financial
condition and business may differ materially from those expressed in these
forward-looking statements. You can find many of these statements by looking
for
words such as "plans," "intends," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects,"
"believes" or similar expressions in this prospectus and the applicable
prospectus summary. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous
assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Many of the factors that will determine
these items are beyond our ability to control or predict.
For
these
statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor forward-looking
statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements,
which speak only as of the date of this prospectus and the applicable prospectus
summary or the date of any document incorporated by reference. All subsequent
written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person
acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary
statements contained or referred to in this section. We do not undertake any
obligation to release publicly any revisions to our forward-looking statements
to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus and the
applicable prospectus summary.
ABOUT
THIS PROSPECTUS
This
prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC.
This
prospectus only provides you with a general description of the securities being
issued. You should read this prospectus together with the additional information
described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information."
All
references to "we," "our" and "us" in this prospectus mean Weingarten Realty
Investors and all entities owned or controlled by us, except where it is made
clear that the term means only the parent company. All references to the
"Operating Partnership" in this prospectus mean WRI Strom, L.P.
THE
COMPANY
We
are a
real estate investment trust based in Houston, Texas. We develop, acquire and
own neighborhood and community shopping centers. To a lesser degree, we develop,
acquire and own industrial real estate. We have engaged in these activities
since 1948.
As
of
March 31, 2006, we owned or had an equity interest in operating properties
consisting of approximately 48.6 million square feet of building area. These
properties consist of 294 shopping centers generally in the 100,000 to 400,000
square foot range and 65 industrial projects. Our properties are located in
21
states that span the southern half of the United States from coast to coast.
Our
shopping centers are anchored primarily by supermarkets, drugstores and other
retailers that sell basic necessity-type items. As of March 31, 2006, we leased
to approximately 5,200 different tenants under approximately 6,900 separate
leases. The weighted average occupancy rate of all of our improved properties
as
of March 31, 2006 was 94.4%.
Our
executive offices are located at 2600 Citadel Plaza Drive, Suite 300, Houston,
Texas 77008, and our telephone number is (713) 866-6000. Our website address
is
www.weingarten.com. The information contained on our website is not part of
this
prospectus.
USE
OF PROCEEDS
We
will
not receive any proceeds from the issuance of the common shares offered by
this
prospectus.
PLAN
OF DISTRIBUTION
This
prospectus relates to the issuance of our common shares when you elect to have
us redeem your Units in the Operating Partnership. Pursuant to the Amended
and
Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Operating Partnership, on
or
after June 9, 2006 you have the right to require us to redeem Units you hold
that were issued to you at the initial closing. At our option, each Unit may
be
redeemed for one of our common shares. You may not redeem Units unless you
redeem at least (1) 2,500 Units, or (2) if you hold less than 2,500 Units,
the
total number of Units you hold. For a more detailed description of how to redeem
your Units, see "Redemption of Units."
We
are
registering the common shares covered by this prospectus in order to permit
the
recipient thereof to sell such shares without restriction, in the open market
or
otherwise; however, the registration of such common shares does not necessarily
mean that any of the Units will be submitted for redemption or that any of
such
common shares to be issued upon such redemption will be offered or sold by
the
recipient thereof. We are registering the common shares pursuant to the
provisions of the registration rights agreement among us, the Operating
Partnership and the Unitholders.
We
will
not receive any cash proceeds from the redemption of the Units and the issuance
of the common shares. We will pay all expenses incident to the registration
of
the common shares.
REDEMPTION
OF UNITS
Each
Unit
holder may, subject to certain limitations, require that the Operating
Partnership redeem its Units, by delivering a notice to the Operating
Partnership and to Weingarten. In addition, upon the occurrence of certain
events set forth in the partnership agreement of the Operating Partnership,
the
general partner of the Operating Partnership may elect to call your Units for
redemption. Upon redemption, a Unit holder will receive one common
share for each Unit elected to be redeemed by such Unit holder.
We
anticipate that we may elect to satisfy any redemption right exercised by a
Unit
holder through our issuance of common shares, whereupon we will acquire, and
become the owner of, the Units being redeemed. Such an acquisition of Units
by
us will be treated as a sale of the Units by the redeeming Unit holders to
us
for federal income tax purposes. See "Federal Income Tax Consequences -- Tax
Consequences of Redemption." Upon redemption, such Unit holder's right to
receive distributions from the Operating Partnership with respect to the Units
redeemed will cease. The Unit holder will have rights as our shareholder,
including the receipt of dividends, from the time of its acquisition of common
shares issued in connection with the redemption of its Units. If you receive
common shares on a record date for certain distributions as a holder of Units,
such distributions shall be reduced by any dividend to which you are entitled
on
such date as a holder of common shares.
You
must
notify the Operating Partnership and Weingarten of your desire to require the
Operating Partnership to redeem Units by sending a notice in the form attached
as an exhibit to the Partnership Agreement, a copy of which is available from
us. You may not redeem Units unless you redeem at least (1) 2,500 Units, or
(2)
if you hold less than 2,500 Units, the total number of Units you hold. No
redemption can occur if the delivery of common shares would be prohibited under
the provisions of our declaration of trust or if the holder fails to exercise
its redemption right prior to the thirtieth day following delivery of a
liquidation notice by the several parties of the Operating Partnership to the
holder. In addition, we will not redeem any Units to the extent they are subject
to any liens or other encumbrances, if you cannot give us adequate assurances
that the Units will be free of such or if you refuse to fully indemnify us
in
the event they are not.
FEDERAL
INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
General
The
following summary of material federal income tax consequences that may be
relevant to a Unit holder is based on current law, is for general information
only and is not intended as tax advice. The following discussion, which is
not
exhaustive of all possible tax consequences, does not include a detailed
discussion of any state, local or foreign tax consequences, nor does it discuss
all of the aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to a Unit
holder in light of the Unit holder’s particular circumstances or to certain
types of Unit holders (including insurance companies, tax-exempt entities,
financial institutions or broker-dealers, foreign corporations and persons
who
are not citizens or residents of the United States and persons holding
securities as part of a conversion transaction, a hedging transaction or as
a
position in a straddle for tax purposes) who are subject to special treatment
under the federal income tax laws.
The
statements in this discussion are based on current provisions of the Internal
Revenue Code, existing, temporary and currently proposed Treasury Regulations
under the Internal Revenue Code, the legislative history of the Internal Revenue
Code, existing administrative rulings and practices of the IRS and judicial
decisions. No assurance can be given that legislative, judicial or
administrative changes will not affect the accuracy of any statements in this
discussion with respect to transactions entered into or contemplated prior
to
the effective date of such changes. Any such change could apply retroactively
to
transactions preceding the date of the change. We do not plan to request any
rulings from the IRS concerning our tax treatment and the statements in this
discussion are not binding on the IRS or any court. Thus, we can provide no
assurance that these statements will not be challenged by the IRS or that such
challenge will not be sustained by a court.
THIS
DISCUSSION IS NOT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR CAREFUL TAX PLANNING. EACH UNIT
HOLDER IS ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH THE UNIT HOLDER’S OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING
THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THE UNIT HOLDER OF THE REDEMPTION OF THE UNIT
HOLDER’S UNITS AND THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF SECURITIES
IN
AN
ENTITY ELECTING TO BE TAXED AS A REIT, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL,
FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH REDEMPTION, PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP,
DISPOSITION AND ELECTION, AND OF POTENTIAL CHANGES IN APPLICABLE TAX
LAWS.
We
have
elected to be treated as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal
Revenue Code for federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year
ended December 31, 1985. We believe that we have been organized and have
operated in a manner that qualifies for taxation as a REIT under the Internal
Revenue Code. We also believe that we will continue to operate in a manner
that
will preserve our status as a REIT. We cannot however, assure you that such
requirements will be met in the future.
We
have
received an opinion from Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP, our legal counsel, to the
effect that we qualified as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code for our
taxable year ended December 31, 2005, we are organized and our manner of
operation is in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation
as a REIT as of the date of this prospectus and that our proposed manner of
operation and diversity of equity ownership should enable us to continue to
satisfy the requirements for qualification as a REIT for the calendar year
2006
if we operate in accordance with the method of operation described in this
prospectus and the representations made by us in a factual representation letter
concerning our intended method of operation. However, you should be aware that
opinions of counsel are not binding on the IRS or on the courts, and, if the
IRS
were to challenge these conclusions, no assurance can be given that these
conclusions would be sustained in court. The opinion of Locke Liddell & Sapp
LLP is based on various assumptions as well as on certain representations made
by us as to factual matters, including a factual representation letter provided
by us. The rules governing REITs are highly technical and require ongoing
compliance with a variety of tests that depend, among other things, on future
operating results, asset diversification, distribution levels and diversity
of
share ownership.
Locke
Liddell & Sapp LLP will not monitor our compliance with these requirements.
While we expect to satisfy these tests, and will use our best efforts to do
so,
no assurance can be given that we will qualify as a REIT for any particular
year, or that the applicable law will not change and adversely affect us and
our
shareholders. See “-- Failure to Qualify as a REIT.” The following is a summary
of the material federal income tax considerations affecting us as a REIT and
the
holders of our securities. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the
applicable Internal Revenue Code provisions, relevant rules and regulations
promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code, and administrative and judicial
interpretations of the Internal Revenue Code and these rules and
regulations.
REIT
Qualification
We
must
be organized as an entity that would, if we do not maintain our REIT status,
be
taxable as a regular corporation. We cannot be a financial institution or an
insurance company. We must be managed by one or more trust managers. Our taxable
year must be the calendar year. Our beneficial ownership must be evidenced
by
transferable shares. Our capital shares must be held by at least 100 persons
during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a
proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. Not more than
50%
of the value of the shares of our capital shares may be held, directly or
indirectly, applying the applicable constructive ownership rules of the Internal
Revenue Code, by five or fewer individuals at any time during the last half
of
each of our taxable years. We must also meet certain other tests, described
below, regarding the nature of our income and assets and the amount of our
distributions.
Our
outstanding common shares are owned by a sufficient number of investors and
in
appropriate proportions to permit us to satisfy these share ownership
requirements. To protect against violations of these share ownership
requirements, our declaration of trust provides that no person is permitted
to
own, applying constructive ownership tests set forth in the Internal Revenue
Code, more than 9.8% of our outstanding capital shares, unless the trust
managers (including a majority of the independent trust managers) are provided
evidence satisfactory to them in their sole discretion that our qualification
as
a REIT will not be jeopardized. In addition, our declaration of trust contains
restrictions on transfers of capital shares, as well as provisions that
automatically convert common shares into excess securities to the extent that
the ownership otherwise might jeopardize our REIT status. These restrictions,
however may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to satisfy the share
ownership requirements. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership
requirements, except as provided below, our status as a REIT will terminate.
However, if we comply with the rules contained in applicable Treasury
Regulations that require us to ascertain the actual ownership of our shares
and
we do not know, or would not have known through the exercise of reasonable
diligence,
that we failed to meet the 50% requirement described above, we will be treated
as having met this requirement. See “—Failure to Qualify as a REIT.” We may also
qualify for relief under certain other provisions. See the section below
entitled “—Relief from Certain Failures of the REIT Qualification
Requirements.”
To
monitor our compliance with the share ownership requirements, we are required
to
and we do maintain records disclosing the actual ownership of our common shares.
To do so, we will demand written statements each year from the record holders
of
certain percentages of shares in which the record holders are to disclose the
actual owners of the shares (i.e., the persons required to include in gross
income the REIT dividends). A list of those persons failing or refusing to
comply with this demand will be maintained as part of our records.
Shareholders
who fail or refuse to comply with the demand must submit a statement with their
tax returns disclosing the actual ownership of the shares and certain other
information.
We
currently satisfy, and expect to continue to satisfy, each of these requirements
discussed above. We also currently satisfy, and expect to continue to satisfy,
the requirements that are separately described below concerning the nature
and
amounts of our income and assets and the levels of required annual
distributions.
Sources
of Gross Income.
In
order to qualify as a REIT for a particular year, we also must meet two tests
governing the sources of our income - a 75% gross income test and a 95% gross
income test. These tests are designed to ensure that a REIT derives its income
principally from passive real estate investments.
The
Internal Revenue Code allows a REIT to own and operate properties through
wholly-owned subsidiaries which are “qualified REIT subsidiaries.” The Internal
Revenue Code provides that a qualified REIT subsidiary is not treated as a
separate corporation, and all of its assets, liabilities and items of income,
deduction and credit are treated as assets, liabilities and items of income,
deduction and credit of the REIT.
In
the
case of a REIT which is a partner in a partnership or any other entity such
as a
limited liability company that is treated as a partnership for federal income
tax purposes, Treasury Regulations provide that the REIT will be deemed to
own
its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership. Also, the REIT will
be
deemed to be entitled to its proportionate share of the income of the
partnership. The character of the assets and gross income of the partnership
retains the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of Section
856
of the Internal Revenue Code, including satisfying the gross income tests and
the asset tests. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets and items of income
of any partnership in which we own an interest are treated as our assets and
items of income for purposes of applying the requirements described in this
discussion, including the income and asset tests described below.
75%
Gross Income Test.
At
least 75% of a REIT’s gross income for each taxable year must be derived from
specified classes of income that principally are real estate related. The
permitted categories of principal importance to us are:
· |
rents
from real property;
|
· |
interest
on loans secured by real property;
|
· |
gains
from the sale of real property or loans secured by real property
(excluding gain from the sale of property held primarily for sale
to
customers in the ordinary course of our business, referred to below
as
“dealer property”);
|
· |
income
from the operation and gain from the sale of property acquired in
connection with the foreclosure of a mortgage securing that property
(“foreclosure property”);
|
· |
distributions
on, or gain from the sale of, shares of other qualifying
REITs;
|
· |
abatements
and refunds of real property taxes;
|
· |
amounts
received as consideration for entering into agreements to make loans
secured by real property or to purchase or lease real property; and
“qualified temporary investment income” (described
below).
|
In
evaluating our compliance with the 75% gross income test, as well as the 95%
gross income test described below, gross income does not include gross income
from “prohibited transactions.” In general, a prohibited transaction is one
involving a sale of dealer property, not including foreclosure property and
not
including certain dealer property we have held for at least four
years.
We
expect
that substantially all of our operating gross income will be considered rent
from real property and interest income. Rent from real property is qualifying
income for purposes of the gross income tests only if certain conditions are
satisfied. Rent from real property includes charges for services customarily
rendered to tenants, and rent attributable to personal property leased together
with the real property so long as the personal property rent is not more than
15% of the total rent received or accrued under the lease for the taxable year.
We do not expect to earn material amounts in these categories.
Rent
from
real property generally does not include rent based on the income or profits
derived from the property. However, rent based on a percentage of gross receipts
or sales is permitted as rent from real property and we will have leases where
rent is based on a percentage of gross receipts or sales. We do not intend
to
lease property and receive rentals based on the tenant’s income or profit. Also
excluded from “rents from real property” is rent received from a person or
corporation in which we (or any of our 10% or greater owners) directly or
indirectly through the constructive ownership rules contained in Section 318
and
Section 856(d)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code, own a 10% or greater
interest.
A
third
exclusion from qualifying rent income covers amounts received with respect
to
real property if we furnish services to the tenants or manage or operate the
property, other than through an “independent contractor” from whom we do not
derive any income or through a “taxable REIT subsidiary.” A taxable REIT
subsidiary is a corporation in which a REIT owns stock, directly or indirectly,
and with respect to which the corporation and the REIT have made a joint
election to treat the corporation as a taxable REIT subsidiary. The obligation
to operate through an independent contractor or a taxable REIT subsidiary
generally does not apply, however, if the services we provide are “usually or
customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only
and are not considered rendered primarily for the convenience of the tenant
(applying standards that govern in evaluating whether rent from real property
would be unrelated business taxable income when received by a tax-exempt owner
of the property). Further, if the gross income from non-customary services
with
respect to a property, valued at no less than 150% of our direct cost of
performing such services, is 1% or less of the total income derived from the
property, then the provision of such non-customary services shall not prohibit
the rental income (except the non-customary service income) from qualifying
as
“rents from real property.”
We
believe that the only material services generally to be provided to tenants
will
be those usually or customarily rendered in connection with the rental of space
for occupancy only. We do not intend to provide services that might be
considered rendered primarily for the convenience of the tenants, such as hotel,
health care or extensive recreational or social services.
Consequently,
we believe that substantially all of our rental income will be qualifying income
under the gross income tests, and that our provision of services will not cause
the rental income to fail to be included under that test.
Upon
the
ultimate sale of our properties, any gains realized also are expected to
constitute qualifying income, as gain from the sale of real property (not
involving a prohibited transaction).
95%
Gross Income Test.
In
addition to earning 75% of our gross income from the sources listed above,
95%
of our gross income for each taxable year must come either from those sources,
or from dividends, interest or gains from the sale or other disposition of
stock
or other securities that do not constitute dealer property. This test permits
a
REIT to earn a significant portion of its income from traditional “passive”
investment sources that are not necessarily real estate related. The term
“interest” (under both the 75% and 95% tests) does not include amounts that
are
based
on the income or profits of any person, unless the computation is based only
on
a fixed percentage of receipts or sales.
Failing
the 75% or 95% Tests; Reasonable Cause.
As a
result of the 75% and 95% tests, REITs generally are not permitted to earn
more
than 5% of their gross income from active sources, including brokerage
commissions or other fees for services rendered. We may receive certain types
of
that income. This type of income will not qualify for the 75% test or 95% test
but is not expected to be significant and that income, together with other
nonqualifying income, is expected to be at all times less than 5% of our annual
gross income. While we do not anticipate that we will earn substantial amounts
of nonqualifying income, if nonqualifying income exceeds 5% of our gross income,
we could lose our status as a REIT. We may establish taxable REIT subsidiaries
to hold assets generating non-qualifying income. The gross income generated
by
these subsidiaries would not be included in our gross income. However, dividends
we receive from these subsidiaries would be included in our gross income and
qualify for the 95% income test.
If
we
fail to meet either the 75% or 95% income tests during a taxable year, we may
still qualify as a REIT for that year if, following the identification of such
failure, (1) we file a description of each item of our gross income in
accordance with regulations prescribed by Treasury, and (2) the failure to
meet
the tests is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect. It is not
possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled
to
the benefit of this relief provision. For example, if we fail to satisfy the
gross income tests because nonqualifying income that we intentionally accrue
or
receive causes us to exceed the limits on nonqualifying income, the IRS could
conclude that our failure to satisfy the tests was not due to reasonable cause.
If these relief provisions do not apply to a particular set of circumstances,
we
will not qualify as a REIT. As discussed below, even if these relief provisions
apply, and we retain our status as a REIT, a tax would be imposed with respect
to our non-qualifying income. Beginning in the 2005 tax year, we would be
subject to a 100% tax based on the greater of the amount by which we fail either
the 75% or 95% income tests for that year times a fraction intended to reflect
our profitability. See “—Taxation as a REIT.”
Prohibited
Transaction Income.
Any
gain that we realize on the sale of any property held as inventory or other
property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business
(including our share of any such gain realized by any subsidiary partnerships),
will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to
a
100% penalty tax. This prohibited transaction income may also adversely affect
our ability to satisfy the income tests for qualification as a REIT. Under
existing law, whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to
customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business depends on all the
facts
and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. We intend to hold
our
and our subsidiary partnerships intend to hold their properties for investment
with a view to long-term appreciation, to engage in the business of acquiring,
developing and owning properties, and to make occasional sales of the properties
as are consistent with their investment objectives. The IRS may contend,
however, that one or more of these sales is subject to the 100% penalty
tax.
Character
of Assets Owned.
At the
close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year, we also must meet three
tests concerning the nature of our investments. First, at least 75% of the
value
of our total assets generally must consist of real estate assets, cash, cash
items (including receivables) and government securities. For this purpose,
“real
estate assets” include interests in real property, interests in loans secured by
mortgages on real property or by certain interests in real property, shares
in
other REITs and certain options, but excluding mineral, oil or gas royalty
interests. The temporary investment of new capital in debt instruments also
qualifies under this 75% asset test, but only for the one-year period beginning
on the date we receive the new capital.
Second,
although the balance of our assets generally may be invested without
restriction, other than certain debt securities, we will not be permitted to
own
(1) securities of any one non-governmental issuer (other than a taxable REIT
subsidiary) that represent more than 5% of the value of our total assets, (2)
securities possessing more than 10% of the voting power of the outstanding
securities of any single issuer or (3) securities having a value of more than
10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer. A REIT,
however, may own 100% of the stock of a qualified REIT subsidiary, in which
case
the assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit of the
subsidiary are treated as those of the REIT. A REIT may also own more than
10%
of the voting power or value of a taxable REIT subsidiary. Third, securities
of
a single taxable REIT subsidiary may represent more than 5% of the value of
the
total assets but not more than 20% of the value of a REIT’s total assets may be
represented by
securities
of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. In evaluating a REIT’s assets, if the
REIT invests in a partnership, it is deemed to own its proportionate share
of
the assets of the partnership.
After
initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not
lose
our status as a REIT for failure to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a
later quarter solely by reason of changes in asset values. If we fail to satisfy
the asset tests because we acquire securities or other property during a
quarter, we can cure this failure by disposing of sufficient nonqualifying
assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. We intend to take such
action within the 30 days after the close of any quarter as may be required
to
cure any noncompliance. If we fail to cure noncompliance with the asset tests
within this time period, we could cease to qualify as a REIT.
Beginning
in the 2005 taxable year, if we fail to satisfy one or more of the asset tests
for any quarter of a taxable year, we nevertheless may qualify as a REIT for
such year if we qualify for relief under certain provisions of the Code. Those
relief provisions generally will be available for failures of the 5% asset
test
and the 10% asset tests if (i) the failure is due to the ownership of assets
that do not exceed the lesser of 1% of our total assets or $10 million, and
the
failure is corrected within 6 months following the quarter in which it was
discovered, or for the failure of any asset test if (ii) the failure is due
to
ownership of assets that exceed the amount in (i) above, the failure is due
to
reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, we file a schedule with a
description of each asset causing the failure in accordance with regulations
prescribed by the Treasury, the failure is corrected within 6 months following
the quarter in which it was discovered, and we pay a tax consisting of the
greater of $50,000 or a tax computed at the highest corporate rate on the amount
of net income generated by the assets causing the failure from the date of
failure until the assets are disposed of or we otherwise return to compliance
with the asset test. We may not qualify for the relief provisions in all
circumstances.
Annual
Distributions to Shareholders.
To
maintain our REIT status, we generally must distribute as a dividend to our
shareholders in each taxable year at least 90% of our net ordinary income.
Capital gain is not required to be distributed. More precisely, we must
distribute an amount equal to (1) 90% of the sum of (a) our “REIT Taxable
Income” before deduction of dividends paid and excluding any net capital gain
and (b) any net income from foreclosure property less the tax on such income,
minus (2) certain limited categories of “excess noncash income,” including
income attributable to leveled stepped rents, cancellation of indebtedness
and
original issue discount income. REIT Taxable Income is defined to be the taxable
income of the REIT, computed as if it were an ordinary corporation, with certain
modifications. For example, the deduction for dividends paid is allowed, but
neither net income from foreclosure property, nor net income from prohibited
transactions, is included. In addition, the REIT may carry over, but not carry
back, a net operating loss for 20 years following the year in which it was
incurred.
A
REIT
may satisfy the 90% distribution test with dividends paid during the taxable
year and with certain dividends paid after the end of the taxable
year.
Dividends
paid in January that were declared during the last calendar quarter of the
prior
year and were payable to shareholders of record on a date during the last
calendar quarter of that prior year are treated as paid on December 31 of the
prior year. Other dividends declared before the due date of our tax return
for
the taxable year, including extensions, also will be treated as paid in the
prior year if they are paid (1) within 12 months of the end of that taxable
year
and (2) no later than our next regular distribution payment. Dividends that
are
paid after the close of a taxable year that do not qualify under the rule
governing payments made in January (described above) will be taxable to the
shareholders in the year paid, even though we may take them into account for
a
prior year. A nondeductible excise tax equal to 4% will be imposed for each
calendar year to the extent that dividends declared and distributed or deemed
distributed on or before December 31 are less than the sum of (a) 85% of our
“ordinary income” plus (b) 95% of our capital gain net income plus (c) any
undistributed income from prior periods.
To
be
entitled to a dividends paid deduction, the amount distributed by a REIT must
not be preferential. For example, every shareholder of the class of shares
to
which a distribution is made must be treated the same as every other shareholder
of that class, and no class of shares may be treated otherwise than in
accordance with its dividend rights as a class.
We
will
be taxed at regular corporate rates to the extent that we retain any portion
of
our taxable income. For example, if we distribute only the required 90% of
our
taxable income, we would be taxed on the retained 10%.
Under
certain circumstances we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets
to
meet the distribution requirement. This could arise because of competing demands
for our funds, or due to timing differences between tax reporting and cash
receipts and disbursements (i.e., income may have to be reported before cash
is
received, or expenses may have to be paid before a deduction is
allowed).
Although
we do not anticipate any difficulty in meeting this requirement, no assurance
can be given that necessary funds will be available. In the event these
circumstances do occur, then in order to meet the 90% distribution requirement,
we may have to arrange for short-term, or possibly long-term, borrowings to
permit the payment of required dividends.
If
we
fail to meet the 90% distribution requirement because of an adjustment to our
taxable income by the IRS, we may be able to cure the failure retroactively
by
paying a “deficiency dividend,” as well as applicable interest and penalties,
within a specified period.
Taxation
As A REIT
As
a
REIT, we generally will not be subject to corporate income tax to the extent
we
currently distribute our REIT taxable income to our shareholders. This treatment
effectively eliminates the “double taxation” imposed on investments in most
corporations. Double taxation refers to taxation that occurs once at the
corporate level when income is earned and once again at the shareholder level
when such income is distributed. We generally will be taxed only on the portion
of our taxable income that we retain, which will include any undistributed
net
capital gain, because we will be entitled to a deduction for dividends paid
to
shareholders during the taxable year. A dividends paid deduction is not
available for dividends that are considered preferential within any given class
of shares or as between classes except to the extent that class is entitled
to a
preference. We do not anticipate that we will pay any of those preferential
dividends. Because excess shares will represent a separate class of outstanding
shares, the fact that those shares will not be entitled to dividends should
not
adversely affect our ability to deduct our dividend payments.
Even
as a
REIT, we will be subject to tax in certain circumstances as
follows:
· |
we
would be subject to tax on any income or gain from foreclosure property
at
the highest corporate rate (currently 35%);
|
· |
a
confiscatory tax of 100% applies to any net income from prohibited
transactions;
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· |
beginning
in the 2005 tax year, if we fail to meet either the 75% or 95% source
of
income tests described above, but still qualify for REIT status under
the
reasonable cause exception to those tests, a 100% tax would be imposed
equal to the amount obtained by multiplying (a) the greater of the
amount,
if any, by which it failed either the 75% income test or the 95%
income
test, times (b) a fraction intended to reflect our
profitability;
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· |
beginning
in the 2005 taxable year, if we fail, in more than a de minimis fashion,
to satisfy one or more of the asset tests for any quarter of a taxable
year, but nonetheless continue to qualify as a REIT because we qualify
under certain relief provisions, we may be required to pay a tax
of the
greater of $50,000 or a tax computed at the highest corporate rate
on the
amount of net income generated by the assets causing the failure
from the
date of failure until the assets are disposed of or we otherwise
return to
compliance with the asset test;
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· |
beginning
in the 2005 taxable year, if we fail to satisfy one or more of the
requirements for REIT qualification (other than the income tests
or the
rules providing relief from asset test failures, described above),
we
nevertheless may avoid termination of our REIT election in such year
if
the failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect
and
we pay a penalty of $50,000 for each failure to satisfy the REIT
qualification requirements;
|
· |
we
will be subject to the alternative minimum tax on items of tax preference,
excluding items specifically allocable to our
shareholders;
|
· |
if
we should fail to distribute with respect to each calendar year at
least
the sum of (a) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for that year, (b)
95% of
our REIT capital gain net income for that year, and (c) any undistributed
taxable income from prior years, we would be subject to a 4% excise
tax on
the excess of the required distribution over the amounts actually
distributed;
|
· |
we
also may be taxed at the highest regular corporate tax rate on any
built-in gain attributable to assets that we acquire in certain tax-free
corporate transactions, to the extent the gain is recognized during
the
first ten years after we acquire those assets. Built-in gain is the
excess
of (a) the fair market value of the asset over (b) our adjusted basis
in
the asset, in each case determined as of the beginning of the ten-year
recognition period; and
|
· |
we
will be taxed at regular corporate rates on any undistributed REIT
taxable
income, including undistributed net capital
gains.
|
In
addition, a tax is imposed on a REIT equal to 100% of redetermined rents,
redetermined deductions and excess interest. Redetermined rents are generally
rents from real property which would otherwise be reduced on distribution,
apportionment or allocation to clearly reflect income as a result of services
furnished or rendered by a taxable REIT subsidiary to tenants of the REIT.
There
are a number of exceptions with regard to redetermined rents, which are
summarized below.
· |
Redetermined
rents do not include de minimis payments received by the REIT with
respect
to non-customary services rendered to the tenants of a property owned
by
the REIT that do not exceed 1% of all amounts received by the REIT
with
respect to the property.
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· |
The
redetermined rent provisions do not apply with respect to any services
rendered by a taxable REIT subsidiary to the tenants of the REIT,
as long
as the taxable REIT subsidiary renders a significant amount of similar
services to persons other than the REIT and to tenants who are unrelated
to the REIT or the taxable REIT subsidiary or the REIT tenants, and
the
charge for these services is substantially comparable to the charge
for
similar services rendered to such unrelated
persons.
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· |
The
redetermined rent provisions do not apply to any services rendered
by a
taxable REIT subsidiary to a tenant of a REIT if the rents paid by
tenants
leasing at least 25% of the net leasable space in the REIT’s property who
are not receiving such services are substantially comparable to the
rents
paid by tenants leasing comparable space who are receiving the services
and the charge for the services is separately
stated.
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· |
The
redetermined rent provisions do not apply to any services rendered
by a
taxable REIT subsidiary to tenants of a REIT if the gross income
of the
taxable REIT subsidiary from these services is at least 150% of the
taxable REIT subsidiary’s direct cost of rendering the
service.
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· |
The
Secretary of the Treasury has the power to waive the tax that would
otherwise be imposed on redetermined rents if the REIT establishes
to the
satisfaction of the Secretary that rents charged to tenants were
established on an arm’s length basis even though a taxable REIT subsidiary
provided services to the tenants.
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· |
Beginning
in the 2005 taxable year, the prior rule that redetermined rents
do not
include amounts received directly or indirectly by a REIT for customary
services does not apply.
|
Redetermined
deductions are deductions, other than redetermined rents, of a taxable REIT
subsidiary if the amount of these deductions would be decreased on distribution,
apportionment or allocation to clearly reflect income between the taxable REIT
subsidiary and the REIT. Excess interest means any deductions for interest
payments
made by a taxable REIT subsidiary to the REIT to the extent that the interest
payments exceed a commercially reasonable rate of interest.
Relief
From Certain Failures of the REIT Qualification Provisions
Beginning
in the 2005 taxable year, if we fail to satisfy one or more of the requirements
for REIT qualification (other than the income tests or the rules providing
relief from asset test failures, described above), we nevertheless may avoid
termination of our REIT election in such year if the failure is due to
reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000
for each failure to satisfy the REIT qualification requirements. We may not
qualify for this relief provision in all circumstances.
Failure
To Qualify As A REIT
For
any
taxable year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT and certain relief provisions
do not apply, we would be taxed at regular corporate rates, including
alternative minimum tax rates on all of our taxable income.
Distributions
to our shareholders would not be deductible in computing that taxable income,
and distributions would no longer be required to be made. Any corporate level
taxes generally would reduce the amount of cash available for distribution
to
our shareholders and, because the shareholders would continue to be taxed on
the
distributions they receive, the net after tax yield to the shareholders from
their investment likely would be reduced substantially. As a result, failure
to
qualify as a REIT during any taxable year could have a material adverse effect
on an investment in our common shares. If we lose our REIT status, unless
certain relief provisions apply, we would not be eligible to elect REIT status
again until the fifth taxable year which begins after the taxable year during
which our election was terminated. It is not possible to state whether in all
circumstances we would be entitled to this statutory relief.
Taxation
of Taxable U.S. Shareholders
As
used
herein, the term "taxable U.S. shareholder" means a holder of our shares that
for U.S. federal income tax purposes is
· |
a
citizen or resident of the United
States;
|
· |
a
corporation, partnership, or other entity created or organized in
or under
the laws of the United States, any of its states or the District
of
Columbia;
|
· |
an
estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless
of its source; or
|
· |
any
trust with respect to which (A) a U.S. court is able to exercise
primary
supervision over the administration of such trust and (B) one or
more U.S.
persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of
the
trust. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, to the extent provided
in
the Treasury Regulations, some trusts in existence on August 20,
1996, and
treated as United States persons prior to this date that elect to
continue
to be treated as United States persons, shall be considered taxable
U.S.
shareholders.
|
If
a
partnership, including an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S.
federal income tax purposes, is a beneficial owner of our stock, the treatment
of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the
partner and the activities of the partnership.
Except
as
discussed below, distributions generally will be taxable to taxable U.S.
shareholders as ordinary income to the extent of our current or accumulated
earnings and profits. We may generate cash in excess of our net earnings. If
we
distribute cash to shareholders in excess of our current and accumulated
earnings and profits (other than as a capital gain dividend), the excess cash
will be deemed to be a return of capital to each shareholder to the extent
of
the adjusted tax basis of the shareholder’s shares. Distributions in excess of
the adjusted tax basis will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of
the
shares. A shareholder who has received a distribution in excess of
current
and our accumulated earnings and profits may, upon the sale of the shares,
realize a higher taxable gain or a smaller loss because the basis of the shares
as reduced will be used for purposes of computing the amount of the gain or
loss. Distributions we make, whether characterized as ordinary income or as
capital gains, are not eligible for the dividends received deduction for
corporations. For purposes of determining whether distributions to holders
of
common shares are out of current or accumulated earnings and profits, our
earnings and profits will be allocated first to the outstanding preferred
shares, if any, and then to the common shares.
Dividends
we declare in October, November or December of any year and payable to a
shareholder of record on a specified date in any of these months shall be
treated as both paid by us and received by the shareholder on December 31 of
that year, provided we actually pay the dividend on or before January 31 of
the
following calendar year. Shareholders may not include in their own income tax
returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses.
Distributions
that we properly designate as capital gain dividends will be taxable to taxable
U.S. shareholders as gains from the sale or disposition of a capital asset
to
the extent that they do not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable
year. Depending on the period of time the tax characteristics of the assets
which produced these gains, and on certain designations, if any, which we may
make, these gains may be taxable to non-corporate U.S. shareholders at a 15%
or
25% rate. U.S. shareholders that are corporations may, however, be required
to
treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary
income.
We
may
elect to retain, rather than distribute as a capital gain dividend, our net
long-term capital gains. If we make this election, we would pay tax on our
retained net long-term capital gains. In addition, to the extent we designate,
a
U.S. shareholder generally would:
· |
include
its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gains
in
computing its long-term capital gains in its return for its taxable
year
in which the last day of our taxable year
falls;
|
· |
be
deemed to have paid the capital gains tax imposed on us on the designated
amounts included in the U.S. shareholder’s long-term capital
gains;
|
· |
receive
a credit or refund for the amount of tax deemed paid by
it;
|
· |
increase
the adjusted basis of its common shares by the difference between
the
amount of includable gains and the tax deemed to have been paid by
it;
and, in the case of a U.S. shareholder that is a corporation,
appropriately adjust its earnings and profits for the retained capital
gains in accordance with Treasury Regulations to be prescribed by
the
IRS.
|
Distributions
we make and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. shareholder of
our
shares will not be treated as income from a passive activity, within the meaning
of Section 469 of the Internal Revenue Code, since income from a passive
activity generally does not include dividends and gain attributable to the
disposition of property that produces dividends. As a result, U.S. shareholders
subject to the passive activity rules will generally be unable to apply any
“passive losses” against this income or gain.
Distributions
we make, to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital, generally
will be treated as investment income for purposes of computing the investment
interest limitation. Gain arising from the sale or other disposition of our
shares, however, will be treated as investment income if a shareholder so
elects, in which case the capital gain is taxed at ordinary income
rates.
Generally,
gain or loss realized by a shareholder upon the sale of shares will be
reportable as capital gain or loss. If a shareholder receives a long-term
capital gain dividend from us and has held the shares for six months or less,
any loss incurred on the sale or exchange of the shares is treated as a
long-term capital loss to the extent of the corresponding long-term capital
gain
dividend received. All or a portion of any loss a taxable U.S. shareholder
realizes upon a taxable disposition of shares may be disallowed if the taxable
U.S. shareholder purchases substantially identical shares within the 61-day
period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the
disposition.
In
any
year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT, the shareholders generally will
continue to be treated in the same fashion described above, except that none
of
our dividends will be eligible for treatment as capital gains dividends,
corporate shareholders will qualify for the dividends received deduction and
the
shareholders will not be required to report any share of our tax preference
items. Also, dividend distributions would be “qualified dividend income,” which
in the hands of individual shareholders is taxable at the long-term capital
gain
rates for individuals.
The
tax
rate on both dividends and long-term capital gains for most non-corporate
taxpayers is 15% until 2008. This reduced maximum tax rate generally does not
apply to ordinary REIT dividends, which continue to be subject to tax at the
higher tax rates applicable to ordinary income (a maximum rate of 35%). The
15%
maximum tax rate, however, does apply to (1) long-term capital gains recognized
on the disposition of REIT shares; (2) REIT capital gain distributions (except
to the extent attributable to real estate depreciation, in which case such
distributions continue to be subject to a 25% tax rate), (3) REIT dividends
attributable to dividends received by the REIT from non-REIT corporations,
such
as taxable REIT subsidiaries, and (4) REIT dividends attributable to income
that
was subject to corporate income tax at the REIT level (e.g., when the REIT
distributes taxable income that had been retained and taxed at the REIT level
in
the prior taxable year).
Backup
Withholding
We
will
report to our shareholders and the IRS the amount of dividends paid during
each
calendar year and the amount of tax withheld, if any. If a shareholder is
subject to backup withholding, we will be required to deduct and withhold a
tax
from any dividends payable to that shareholder. These rules may apply (1) when
a
shareholder fails to supply a correct taxpayer identification number, (2) when
the IRS notifies us that the shareholder is subject to the rules or has
furnished an incorrect taxpayer identification number, or (3) in the case of
corporations or others within certain exempt categories, when they fail to
demonstrate that fact when required. A shareholder that does not provide a
correct taxpayer identification number may also be subject to penalties imposed
by the IRS. Any amount withheld as backup withholding may be credited against
the shareholder’s federal income tax liability. We also may be required to
withhold a portion of capital gain distributions made to shareholders who fail
to certify their non-foreign status.
Taxation
of Tax-Exempt Entities
In
general, a tax-exempt entity that is a shareholder will not be subject to tax
on
distributions or gain realized on the sale of shares. The IRS has confirmed
that
a REIT’s distributions to a tax-exempt employees’ pension trust do not
constitute unrelated business taxable income. A tax-exempt entity may be subject
to unrelated business taxable income, however, to the extent that it has
financed the acquisition of its shares with “acquisition indebtedness” within
the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code. In determining the number of
shareholders a REIT has for purposes of the 5/50 rule described above under
“—REIT Qualification,” generally, any shares held by tax-exempt employees’
pension and profit sharing trusts which qualify under Section 401(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code and are exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code will be treated as held directly by its beneficiaries
in
proportion to their interests in the trust and will not be treated as held
by
the trust.
One
of
these trusts owning more than 10% of a REIT may be required to treat a
percentage of dividends from the REIT as UBTI. The percentage is determined
by
dividing the REIT’s gross income (less direct expenses related thereto) derived
from an unrelated trade or business for the year (determined as if the REIT
were
a qualified trust) by the gross income of the REIT for the year in which the
dividends are paid. However, if this percentage is less than 5%, dividends
are
not treated as UBTI. These UBTI rules apply only if the REIT qualifies as a
REIT
because of the “look-thru” rule with respect to the 5/50 rule discussed above
and if the trust is “predominantly held” by qualified trusts. A REIT is
predominantly held by qualified trusts if at least one pension trust owns more
than 25% of the value of the REIT or a group of pension trusts each owning
more
than 10% of the value of the REIT collectively own more than 50% of the value
of
the REIT. We do not currently meet either of these requirements.
For
social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment
benefit trusts and qualified group legal services plans exempt from federal
income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) and (c)(20) of the
Internal Revenue Code, respectively, income from an investment in our capital
shares will constitute UBTI unless the organization is able to deduct an amount
properly set aside or placed in reserve for
certain
purposes so as to offset the UBTI generated by the investment in our capital
shares. These prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors
concerning the “set aside” and reserve requirements.
Taxation
of Foreign Investors
The
rules
governing federal income taxation of nonresident alien individuals, foreign
corporations, foreign partnerships and other foreign shareholders are complex
and no attempt will be made herein to provide more than a summary of such rules.
Prospective non-U.S. shareholders should consult with their own tax advisors
to
determine the impact of federal, state and local income tax laws with regard
to
an investment in common shares, including any reporting requirements, as well
as
the tax treatment of such an investment under the laws of their home
country.
Dividends
that are not attributable to gain from any sales or exchanges we make of United
States real property interests and which we do not designate as capital gain
dividends will be treated as dividends of ordinary income to the extent that
they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. Those
dividends ordinarily will be subject to a withholding tax equal to 30% of the
gross amount of the dividend unless an applicable tax treaty reduces or
eliminates that tax. However, if income from the investment in the common shares
is treated as effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a
United States trade or business, the non-U.S. shareholder generally will be
subject to a tax at graduated rates, in the same manner as U.S. shareholders
are
taxed with respect to those dividends, and may also be subject to the 30% branch
profits tax in the case of a shareholder that is a foreign corporation. For
withholding tax purposes, we are currently required to treat all distributions
as if made out of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and thus
we
intend to withhold at the rate of 30%, or a reduced treaty rate if applicable,
on the amount of any distribution (other than distributions designated as
capital gain dividends) made to a non-U.S. shareholder unless (1) the non-U.S.
shareholder files on IRS Form W-8BEN claiming that a lower treaty rate applies
or (2) the non-U.S. shareholder files an IRS Form W-8ECI claiming that the
dividend is effectively connected income.
Under
certain Treasury Regulations, we would not be required to withhold at the 30%
rate on distributions we reasonably estimate to be in excess of our current
and
accumulated earnings and profits. Dividends in excess of our current and
accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a shareholder to the
extent that they do not exceed the adjusted basis of the shareholder’s shares,
but rather will reduce the adjusted basis of those shares. To the extent that
those dividends exceed the adjusted basis of a non-U.S. shareholder’s shares,
they will give rise to tax liability if the non-U.S. shareholder would otherwise
be subject to tax on any gain from the sale or disposition of his shares, as
described below. If it cannot be determined at the time a dividend is paid
whether or not a dividend will be in excess of current and accumulated earnings
and profits, the dividend will be subject to such withholding. We do not intend
to make quarterly estimates of that portion of dividends that are in excess
of
earnings and profits, and, as a result, all dividends will be subject to such
withholding. However, the non-U.S. shareholder may seek a refund of those
amounts from the IRS.
For
periods through the 2004 taxable year in which we qualify as a REIT,
distributions that are attributable to gain from our sales or exchanges of
United States real property interests will be taxed to a non-U.S. shareholder
under the provisions of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of
1980,
commonly known as “FIRPTA.” Under FIRPTA, those dividends are taxed to a
non-U.S. shareholder as if the gain were effectively connected with a United
States business. Non-U.S. shareholders would thus be taxed at the normal capital
gain rates applicable to U.S. shareholders subject to applicable alternative
minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident
alien individuals. Also, dividends subject to FIRPTA may be subject to a 30%
branch profits tax in the hands of a corporate non-U.S. shareholder not entitled
to treaty exemption. We are required by the Internal Revenue Code and applicable
Treasury Regulations to withhold 35% of any dividend that could be designated
as
a capital gain dividend. This amount is creditable against the non-U.S.
shareholder’s FIRPTA tax liability.
Beginning
in the 2005 taxable year, the above taxation under FIRPTA of distributions
attributable to gains from our sales or exchanges of United States real property
interests (or such gains that are retained and deemed to be distributed) will
not apply, provided our common shares are “regularly traded” on an established
securities market in the United States, and the non-U.S. shareholder does not
own more than 5% of the common stock at any time during the taxable year.
Instead, such amounts will be taxable as a dividend of ordinary income not
effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business, as described
earlier.
Gain
recognized by a non-U.S. shareholder upon a sale of shares generally will not
be
taxed under FIRPTA if we are a “domestically controlled REIT,” defined generally
as a REIT in which at all times during a specified testing period less than
50%
in value of the shares was held directly or indirectly by foreign persons.
It is
currently anticipated that we will be a “domestically controlled REIT,” and
therefore the sale of shares will not be subject to taxation under FIRPTA.
Because the common shares will be publicly traded, however, no assurance can
be
given that we will remain a “domestically controlled REIT.” However, gain not
subject to FIRPTA will be taxable to a non-U.S. shareholder if (1) investment
in
the common shares is effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s
United States trade or business, in which case the non-U.S. shareholder will
be
subject to the same treatment as U.S. shareholders with respect to that gain,
and may also be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a corporate
non-U.S. shareholder, or (2) the non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien
individual who was present in the United States for 183 days or more during
the
taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case the
nonresident alien individual will be subject to a 30% withholding tax on the
individual’s capital gains. If we were not a domestically controlled REIT,
whether or not a non-U.S. shareholder’s sale of shares would be subject to tax
under FIRPTA would depend on whether or not the common shares were regularly
traded on an established securities market (such as the NYSE) and on the size
of
selling non-U.S. shareholder’s interest in our capital shares. If the gain on
the sale of shares were to be subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the non-U.S.
shareholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. shareholders with
respect to that gain (subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a
special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals
and
the possible application of the 30% branch profits tax in the case of foreign
corporations) and the purchaser of our common shares may be required to withhold
10% of the gross purchase price.
State
And Local Taxes
We,
and
our shareholders, may be subject to state or local taxation in various state
or
local jurisdictions, including those in which it or they transact business
or
reside. Consequently, Unit holders should consult their own tax advisors
regarding the effect of state and local tax laws on an investment in our capital
shares.
Tax
Consequences Of Redemption
The
following summarizes certain United States federal income tax considerations
that may be relevant to a Unit holder who exercises the right to require the
redemption of Units.
If
a Unit
holder exercises the right to require the redemption of Units and we elect
to
acquire the Units in exchange for common shares and/or cash, the acquisition
will be treated as a sale of Units for federal income tax purposes. The sale
will be fully taxable to the Unit holder. The selling Unit holder generally
will
be treated as realizing for tax purposes an amount equal to the sum of either
the cash or the fair market value of the shares received and the amount of
any
Operating Partnership liabilities allocable to the redeemed Units at the time
of
the sale.
If
we
elect not to acquire the Units and instead redeem the Unit holder’s Units for
cash, the tax consequences would be as described in the previous paragraph.
If
the Operating Partnership redeems less than all of a Unit holder’s Units, we
intend to treat the transaction as a sale by the Unit holder of the Unit
holder’s Units to us, and expect that the sale will be taxable to the Unit
holder. However, in such event, and subject to the “disguised sale” rules
discussed below, the Unit holder may be able to take the position that the
transaction is a partnership distribution and as such the Unit holder would
recognize taxable gain only to the extent that the cash plus the amount of
any
Operating Partnership liabilities allocable to the redeemed Units exceeded
the
Unit holder’s adjusted basis in all of such Unit holder’s Units immediately
before the redemption. In either event, however, upon a partial redemption
of
Units, the Unit holder would not recognize any loss occurring on the
transaction. EACH UNIT HOLDER SHOULD CONSULT WITH THE UNIT HOLDER’S OWN TAX
ADVISOR FOR THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES RESULTING FROM A REDEMPTION OF
UNITS.
The
method used by the Operating Partnership to allocate its liabilities to its
partners may result in varying amounts of such liabilities being allocated
to
different Unit holders. Under the method of allocation used by the Operating
Partnership, it is possible that Unit holders who hold an identical amount
of
Units are allocated different amounts of liabilities of the Operating
Partnership for federal income tax purposes.
If
a
holder’s Units are redeemed or a Unit holder otherwise disposes of the Unit
holder’s Units, the determination of the gain or loss from the redemption or
other disposition will be based on the difference between the amount realized
for tax purposes and the tax basis in those Units. Upon the sale of Units,
the
amount realized will be the sum of the cash or fair market value of common
shares or other property received plus the reduction in the amount of any
Operating Partnership liabilities allocable to the Unit holder. To the extent
that the amount of cash or property received plus the reduction in the allocable
share of any Operating Partnership liabilities exceeds the Unit holder’s basis
in the Unit holder’s Units, such Unit holder will recognize gain. It is possible
that the amount of gain recognized or even the tax liability resulting from
such
gain could exceed the amount of cash or the value of the shares received upon
such disposition.
Except
as
described below, any gain recognized upon a sale or other disposition of Units
should be treated as gain attributable to the sale or disposition of a capital
asset. To the extent that the amount realized upon the sale or other disposition
of a Unit attributable to a Unit holder’s share of unrealized receivables of the
Operating Partnership (as defined in section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code)
exceeds the basis attributable to those assets, however, this excess will be
treated as ordinary income. Unrealized receivables include, to the extent not
previously included in Operating Partnership income, any rights to payment
for
services rendered or to be rendered. Unrealized receivables also include amounts
that would be subject to recapture if the Operating Partnership had sold its
assets at their fair market value at the time of the transfer of the
Unit.
For
individuals, trusts and estates, the maximum rate of tax on the net capital
gain
from a sale or exchange of a long-term capital asset (i.e., a capital asset
held
for more than 12 months) is 15%. The maximum rate for net capital gains
attributable to the sale of depreciable real property held for more than 12
months is 25% to the extent of the prior depreciation deductions constituting
“unrecaptured Section 1250 gain” (that is, depreciation deductions not otherwise
recaptured as ordinary income under the existing depreciation recapture rules).
Treasury Regulations provide that the individuals, trusts and estates are
subject to a 25% tax to the extent of their allocable share of unrecaptured
Section 1250 gain immediately prior to their sale or disposition of the Units
(the “25% Amount”). Provided that the Units are held as a long-term capital
asset, such Unit holders would be subject to a maximum rate of tax of 15% of
the
difference, if any, between any gain on the sale or disposition of the Units
and
the 25% Amount.
There
is
a risk that a redemption of the Units may cause the original transfer of
property to the Operating Partnership in exchange for Units to be treated as
a
“disguised sale” of property. Section 707 of the Internal Revenue Code and
Treasury Regulations thereunder generally provide that a partner’s contribution
of property to a partnership and the partnership’s simultaneous or subsequent
transfer of money or other consideration (including the assumption of or taking
subject to a liability) to the partner, which would not have been made but
for
the transfer of property, will be presumed to be a sale, in whole or in part,
of
such property by the partner to the partnership, unless one of the prescribed
exceptions is applicable. Further the disguised sale rules generally provide
that, if a partner’s transfer of property to the partnership is within two years
of the partnership’s transfer of money or other consideration to a partner, the
transfers are presumed to be a sale of the property unless the facts and the
circumstances clearly establish that the transfers do not constitute a sale.
These rules also provide that if the transfers are made more than two years
apart, the transfers are presumed not to be a sale unless the facts and
circumstances clearly establish that the transfers do constitute a
sale.
Accordingly,
if a Unit is redeemed, the IRS could contend that the disguised sale rules
apply
because the Unit holder will receive consideration subsequent to the Unit
holder’s (or the Unit holder's predecessor) previous contribution of property to
the Operating Partnership. In that event, the IRS could contend that any of
the
transactions where Unit holders received Units that may be redeemed for common
shares that may in turn be sold are taxable as a disguised sale under those
rules. Any gain recognized as a result of the disguised sale treatment may
be
eligible for installment reporting under section 453 of the Internal Revenue
Code, subject to certain limitations. EACH UNIT HOLDER SHOULD CONSULT WITH
THE
UNIT HOLDER’S OWN TAX ADVISOR TO DETERMINE WHETHER A REDEMPTION OF UNITS COULD
BE SUBJECT TO THE DISGUISED SALE RULES.
LEGAL
MATTERS
Unless
otherwise noted in a prospectus supplement, Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP,
Dallas, Texas, will pass on the legality of the securities offered through
this
prospectus.
EXPERTS
The
consolidated financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference
from Weingarten Realty Investors’ Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 8, 2006,
and the related financial statement schedules and management’s report on the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated
in this
prospectus by reference from Weingarten Realty Investors’ Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, have been audited by Deloitte
&
Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated
in their
reports, which are incorporated herein by reference, and have been so
incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We
are
subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy
statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any
document we file at the SEC's public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents by writing
to
the SEC and paying a fee for the copying cost. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the public reference
room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC's web site
at
http://www.sec.gov.
In
addition, you may read and copy our SEC filings at the offices of the New York
Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. Our website address
is http://www.weingarten.com.
This
prospectus is only part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and therefore omits certain information
contained in the registration statement. We have also filed exhibits and
schedules to the registration statement that we have excluded from this
prospectus, and you should refer to the applicable exhibit or schedule for
a
complete description of any statement referring to any contract or document.
You
may inspect or obtain a copy of the registration statement, including exhibits
and schedules, as described in the previous paragraph.
INCORPORATION
OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The
SEC
allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it. This
means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to
those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to
be
part of this prospectus and the information we file later with the SEC will
automatically update and supersede this information.
We
incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings
we
make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 until this offering is completed:
· |
Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2005.
|
· |
Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31,
2006.
|
· |
Current
Report on Form 8-K filed on June 8,
2006.
|
· |
The
description of our common shares of beneficial interest contained
in our
registration statement on Form 8-A filed March 17,
1988.
|
You
may
request copies of these filings at no cost by writing or telephoning our
Investor Relations Department at the following address and telephone
number:
Weingarten
Realty Investors
2600
Citadel Plaza Drive Suite 300
Houston,
Texas 77008
(713)
866-6000.
PART
II
INFORMATION
NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
ITEM
14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
The
following table sets forth the estimated expenses in connection with the
offering contemplated by this Registration Statement:
SEC
Registration Fee
|
|
$
|
568.00
|
|
Accounting
Fees and Expenses
|
|
|
25,000.00
|
* |
Legal
Fees and Expenses
|
|
|
35,000.00
|
* |
Miscellaneous
|
|
|
25,000.00
|
* |
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
85,568.00
|
* |
*Estimated
ITEM
15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Section
9.20 of the Texas REIT Act empowers a real estate investment trust to indemnify
any person who was, is, or is threatened to be made a named defendant or
respondent in any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, or investigative, any
appeal in such an action, suit, or proceeding, or any inquiry or investigation
that can lead to such an action, suit or proceeding because the person is or
was
a trust manager, officer, employee or agent of the real estate investment trust
or is or was serving at the request of the real estate investment trust as
a
trust manager, director, officer, partner, venturer, proprietor, trustee,
employee, agent, or similar functionary of another real estate investment trust,
corporation, partnership, joint venture, sole proprietorship, trust, employee
benefit plan, or other enterprise against expenses (including court costs and
attorney fees), judgments, penalties, fines and settlements if he conducted
himself in good faith and reasonably believed his conduct was in or not opposed
to the best interests of the real estate investment trust and, in the case
of
any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct
was
unlawful.
The
Texas
REIT Act further provides that, except to the extent otherwise permitted
therein, a trust manager may not be indemnified in respect of a proceeding
in
which the person is found liable on the basis that a personal benefit was
improperly received by him or in which the person is found liable to the real
estate investment trust. Indemnification pursuant to Subsection (B) of Section
9.20 of the Texas REIT Act is limited to reasonable expenses actually incurred
and may not be made in respect of any proceeding in which the person has been
found liable for willful or intentional misconduct in the performance of his
duty to the real estate investment trust.
Subsection
(C) of Section 15.10 of the Texas REIT Act provides that a trust manager shall
not be liable for any claims or damages that may result from his acts in the
discharge of any duty imposed or power conferred upon him by the real estate
investment trust, if, in the exercise of ordinary care, he acted in good faith
and in reliance upon information, opinions, reports or statements, including
financial statements and other financial data, concerning the real estate
investment trust or another person, that were prepared or presented by officers
or employees of the real estate investment trust, legal counsel, public
accountants, investment bankers, or certain other professionals, or a committee
of trust managers of which the trust manager is not a member. In addition,
no
trust manager shall be liable to the real estate investment trust for any act,
omission, loss, damage, or expense arising from the performance of his duty
to a
real estate investment trust, save only for his own willful misfeasance, willful
malfeasance or gross negligence.
Article
Sixteen of our amended and restated declaration of trust provides that we shall
indemnify officers and trust managers, as set forth below:
(a) We
shall
indemnify, to the extent provided in our bylaws, every person who is or was
serving as our or our corporate predecessor's director, trust manager or officer
and any person who is or was serving at our request as a director, officer,
partner, venturer, proprietor, trustee, employee, agent or similar functionary
of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, sole
proprietorship, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise with respect
to
all costs and expenses
incurred
by such person in connection with any proceeding in which he was, is, or is
threatened to be named as a defendant or respondent, or in which he was or
is a
witness without being made a defendant or respondent, by reason, in whole or
in
part, of his holding or having held a position named above in this
paragraph.
(b) If
the
indemnification provided in paragraph (a) is either (i) insufficient to cover
all costs and expenses incurred by any person named in such paragraph as a
result of such person being made or threatened to be made a defendant or
respondent in a proceeding by reason of his holding or having held a position
named in such paragraph or (ii) not permitted by Texas law, we shall indemnify,
to the fullest extent that indemnification is permitted by Texas law, every
person who is or was serving as our or our corporate predecessor's director,
trust manager or officer and any person who is or was serving at our request
as
a director, officer, partner, venturer, proprietor, trustee, employee, agent
or
similar functionary of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership,
joint venture, sole proprietorship, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise with respect to all costs and expenses incurred by such person in
connection with any proceeding in which he was, is or is threatened to be named
as a defendant or respondent, or in which he was or is a witness without being
made a defendant or respondent, by reason, in whole or in part, of his holding
or having held a position named above in this paragraph.
Our
bylaws provide that we may indemnify any trust manager or officer who was,
is or
is threatened to be made a party to any suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative, arbitrative or investigative, because the person
is or
was serving as our trust manager, officer, employee or agent, or is or was
serving at our request in the same or another capacity in another corporation
or
business association, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and
reasonable expenses actually incurred if it is determined that the person:
(1)
conducted himself in good faith; (2) reasonably believed that, in the case
of
conduct in his official capacity, his conduct was in our best interests, and
that, in all other cases, his conduct was at least not opposed to our best
interests; and (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable
cause to believe his conduct was unlawful; provided that, if the person is
found
liable to us, or is found liable on the basis that personal benefit was
improperly received by the person, the indemnification (A) is limited to
reasonable expenses actually incurred by the person in connection with the
proceeding and (B) will not be made in respect of any proceeding in which the
person shall have been found liable to us for willful or intentional misconduct
in the performance of his duty.
ITEM
16. EXHIBITS.
3.1
|
Amended
and Restated Declaration of Trust, as amended (filed as Exhibit 3.1
to our
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-49206) and incorporated
herein
by reference).
|
3.2
|
Amendment
to the Restated Declaration of Trust (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to our
Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed January 19, 1999 and incorporated
herein by reference).
|
3.3
|
Second
Amendment to the Restated Declaration of Trust (filed as Exhibit
3.3 to
our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed January 19, 1999 and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
3.4
|
Third
Amendment to the Restated Declaration of Trust (filed as Exhibit
3.4 to
our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed January 19, 1999 and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
3.5
|
Fourth
Amendment of the Restated Declaration of Trust dated April 28, 1999
(filed
as Exhibit 3.5 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2001 and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
3.6
|
Fifth
Amendment of the Restated Declaration of Trust dated April 20, 2001
(filed
as Exhibit 3.6 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2001 and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
3.7
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to our Registration Statement
on
Form S-3 (No. 33-49206) and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
4.1
|
Form
of common share certificate (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to our Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-104559) and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
5.1
|
Opinion
of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP as to the legality of the securities being
registered.
|
8.1
|
Form
of opinion of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP as to certain tax
matters.
|
23.1
|
Consent
of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
|
23.2
|
Consent
of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1
hereto).
|
23.3
|
Consent
of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1
hereto).
|
24.1
|
Power
of Attorney (included on signature
page).
|
ITEM
17. UNDERTAKINGS.
(a)
|
The
undersigned registrant hereby
undertakes:
|
(1) To
file,
during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To
include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act");
(ii) To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;
(iii) To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to
such information in the Registration Statement;
provided,
however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13
or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
(2) That,
for
the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
(3) To
remove
from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities
being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.
(b) The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining
any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual
report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where
applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant
to
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
(c) Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
pursuant to the provisions described in Item 15 of this Registration Statement
or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy
as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than
in
payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trust manager,
director, officer or controlling person in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted against the registrant by such trust manager,
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered hereby, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel
the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed
by
the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies
that
it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements
for
filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of
Houston, State of Texas, on the 9th day of June, 2006.
WEINGARTEN
REALTY INVESTORS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Andrew M. Alexander
|
|
Andrew
M. Alexander
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer and
President
|
POWER
OF ATTORNEY
KNOW
ALL
MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby
constitutes and appoints Stanford Alexander, Stephen C. Richter and Andrew
M.
Alexander, and each of them, with the full power to act without the other,
such
person’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead,
in
any and all capacities, to sign, execute and file this Registration Statement,
and any or all amendments thereto (including, without limitation, post-effective
amendments), any subsequent Registration Statements pursuant to Rule 462 of
the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any amendments thereto and to fill
the
same, with all exhibits and schedules thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to
do
and perform each and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done
in
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done.
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement
has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.
|
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Stanford Alexander
|
Chairman
of the Board,
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Stanford
Alexander
|
Trust
Manager
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Andrew M. Alexander
|
President,
Chief Executive Officer,
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Andrew
M. Alexander
|
and
Trust Manager
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
J. Murry Bowden
|
Trust
Manager
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
J.
Murry Bowden
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
James W. Crownover
|
Trust
Manager
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
James
W. Crownover
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Robert J. Cruikshank
|
Trust
Manager
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Robert
J. Cruikshank
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Melvin Dow
|
Trust
Manager
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Melvin
Dow
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Stephen A. Lasher
|
Trust
Manager
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Stephen
A. Lasher
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Stephen C. Richter
|
Executive
Vice President and
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Stephen
C. Richter
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Douglas W. Schnitzer
|
Trust
Manager
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Douglas
W. Schnitzer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Marc J. Shapiro
|
Trust
Manager
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Marc
J. Shapiro
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Joe D. Shafer
|
Vice
President/Chief Accounting Officer
|
June
9, 2006
|
|
Joe
D. Shafer
|
(Principal
Accounting Officer)
|
|
EXHIBIT
INDEX
Exhibit
Number
3.1
|
Amended
and Restated Declaration of Trust, as amended (filed as Exhibit 3.1
to our
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-49206) and incorporated
herein
by reference).
|
3.2
|
Amendment
to the Restated Declaration of Trust (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to our
Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed January 19, 1999 and incorporated
herein by reference).
|
3.3
|
Second
Amendment to the Restated Declaration of Trust (filed as Exhibit
3.3 to
our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed January 19, 1999 and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
3.4
|
Third
Amendment to the Restated Declaration of Trust (filed as Exhibit
3.4 to
our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed January 19, 1999 and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
3.5
|
Fourth
Amendment of the Restated Declaration of Trust dated April 28, 1999
(filed
as Exhibit 3.5 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2001 and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
3.6
|
Fifth
Amendment of the Restated Declaration of Trust dated April 20, 2001
(filed
as Exhibit 3.6 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2001 and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
3.7
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to our Registration Statement
on
Form S-3 (No. 33-49206) and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
4.1
|
Form
of common share certificate (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to our Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-104559) and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
5.1
|
Opinion
of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP as to the legality of the securities being
registered.
|
8.1
|
Form
of opinion of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP as to certain tax
matters.
|
23.1
|
Consent
of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
|
23.2
|
Consent
of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1
hereto).
|
23.3
|
Consent
of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1
hereto).
|
24.1
|
Power
of Attorney (included on signature
page).
|