Real Estate Joint Ventures

The Company enters into real estate joint ventures, from time to time, for the purpose of developing real estate in which the Company may or may not have a controlling financial interest. GAAP requires consolidation of VIEs in which an enterprise has a controlling financial interest and is the primary beneficiary. A controlling financial interest will have both of the following characteristics: (a) the power to direct the VIE activities that most significantly impact economic performance and (b) the obligation to absorb the VIE losses and right to receive benefits that are significant to the VIE. The Company examines specific criteria and uses judgment when determining whether the Company is the primary beneficiary and must consolidate a VIE. The Company continues to assess whether it is the primary beneficiary on an ongoing basis.

Consolidated Real Estate Joint Ventures

During 2012, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with a partner to develop a retail lifestyle center at Pier Park North. The Company and its partner have contributed total cash of approximately $14.4 million to the joint venture, of which the Company has contributed $9.5 million, or 66%, and the Company’s partner contributed $4.9 million, or 34%, as of March 31, 2015. Additionally, during 2013 the Company contributed land with an agreed upon value of $6.0 million to the joint venture. During 2013, the Company received a cash distribution of $2.3 million as the result of a sale of a portion of the property in the joint venture.

In February 2013, the joint venture entered into a $41.0 million construction loan agreement that matures in February 2016 with the possibility of an option for a two year extension. The construction loan required capital contributions from the partners as specified in the construction loan agreement before amounts under the construction loan could be disbursed, which were met in 2013. As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, $33.8 million and $31.6 million, respectively, were outstanding on the construction loan. Pursuant to the construction loan agreement the Company has provided the following: (i) a completion guarantee until substantial completion; (ii) a principal repayment guarantee limited to 33% of the outstanding balance of the loan; (iii) a guarantee covering, among other things, operating deficits and accrued and unpaid interest; and (iv) customary non-recourse covenants covering items like misrepresentations, misappropriation of funds and fraud. In addition, pursuant to the construction loan the Company has agreed to maintain minimum liquidity of $25 million, which is defined as unencumbered and unrestricted cash, cash equivalents or U.S. Treasury securities and net worth of $350 million, which is defined as total assets less the Company’s direct liabilities.

As of March 31, 2015, the Company’s capital account represents over 73% of the total equity in the joint venture. In addition, the Company and its partner have provided the above guarantee on the VIE’s construction loan. In accordance with the joint venture agreement, the first $6.0 million of cash distributions and profits will be made to the Company and subsequent cash distributions and profits and losses will be allocated 66% and 34%, to the Company and its partner, respectively, subject to the ability of the Company’s partner to increase its percentage ownership interest to 40%.

The Company’s partner is responsible for the day-to-day activities; however, the Company has significant involvement in the design of the related development plan and approves all major decisions including the project development and annual budgets. The Company has evaluated the VIE consolidation requirements with respect to this transaction and has determined that the Company is the primary beneficiary as the Company has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses and the right to receive benefits that are significant to the VIE; therefore, the results of the VIE have been consolidated within the financial results of the Company.

In addition, the Company is the primary beneficiary of another real estate joint venture, Artisan Park, L.L.C, that is consolidated within the financial results of the Company. The Company is entitled to 74% of the profits or losses of this VIE. The Company has determined that the Company is the primary beneficiary as it has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the joint venture’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses and the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE; therefore, the results of the VIE have been consolidated within the financial results of the Company. If it is determined by the joint venture’s executive committee that an additional capital contribution is needed, the partners shall be afforded the right, but shall not have the obligation, to make a capital contribution based on the partner’s respective percentage interest.

As of March 31, 2015, the carrying amounts of the real estate VIEs’ assets that are consolidated were $53.9 million and non-recourse liabilities $36.6 million, including debt of $33.8 million, which the Company has a principal repayment guarantee limited to 33% of the outstanding balance. Each VIEs’ assets can only be used to settle obligations of that VIE. Those assets are owned by, and those liabilities are obligations of, that VIE, and not the Company, except for the above described guarantees and covenants.

Unconsolidated Real Estate VIE

As of March 31, 2015, the Company is a partner in ALP Liquidating Trust (“ALP”) that is accounted for using the equity method. The Company has evaluated the VIE consolidation requirements with respect to this joint venture and has determined that the Company is not the primary beneficiary, since the Company does not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE. The Company is not required to contribute additional funds to ALP.

Summarized financial information for ALP is as follows:



	March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
BALANCE SHEETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	14,987	$	15,461
Other assets	58		57
Total assets	$	15,045	$	15,518

Accounts payable and other liabilities	$	483	$	605
Equity⁽¹⁾	14,562		14,913
Total liabilities and equity	$	15,045	$	15,518

(1) In 2008, the Company wrote-off its investment in ALP as a result of ALP reserving its assets to satisfy potential claims and obligations in accordance with its publicly reported liquidation basis of accounting. Subsequently, ALP changed its method of accounting to a going concern basis and reinstated its equity and stated it would report certain expenses as they are incurred. The Company has not recorded any additional equity income as a result of the ALP’s change in accounting.

For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, ALP reported a net loss of $0.6 million and $0.4 million, respectively.