-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, RBkMiIct0sVnVJhNhPLQCWiOMNQ7ByA3ZH/y/A8Ne20a+3mKKVA3evjSI+HIGXPF b4EcanUIOnJJyt0GSXsXJg== 0000950123-09-012339.txt : 20090609 0000950123-09-012339.hdr.sgml : 20090609 20090608212500 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950123-09-012339 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20090605 ITEM INFORMATION: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20090609 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20090608 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: GENERAL GROWTH PROPERTIES INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000895648 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798] IRS NUMBER: 421283895 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-11656 FILM NUMBER: 09880827 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 110 N WACKER DRIVE STREET 2: STE 3100 CITY: CHICAGO STATE: IL ZIP: 60606 BUSINESS PHONE: 3129605000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 110 N WACKER DRIVE STREET 2: STE 3100 CITY: CHICAGO STATE: IL ZIP: 60606 8-K 1 c51787e8vk.htm FORM 8-K FORM 8-K
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported)
June 5, 2009
General Growth Properties, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
         
Delaware   1-11656   42-1283895
(State or other
jurisdiction of
incorporation)
  (Commission
File Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification
Number)
110 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(312) 960-5000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
[ ]   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[ ]   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[ ]   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ]   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

 


 

ITEM 5.02   DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS.
(d) On June 5, 2009, General Growth Properties, Inc. (the “Company”) expanded the size of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) from seven to eight directors (by increasing the number of Class III directors from two to three) and appointed William A. Ackman to fill the newly created vacancy. Mr. Ackman is the founder and managing member of the general partner of Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., an investment advisor (together with the investment funds it advises, “Pershing Square”). Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. and its affiliates own slightly less than 7.5% of the Company’s outstanding common stock. A copy of the press release dated June 5, 2009 announcing Mr. Ackman’s appointment to the Board is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. Mr. Ackman is entitled to the same compensation, director indemnity and insurance and other benefits as are accorded to the non-employee directors of the Company.
     On April 15, 2009, the Company and its operating partnership obtained a commitment, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, from Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., as agent, to provide the Company and its debtor subsidiaries with post-petition debtor-in-possession financing. In connection with this commitment, the Company paid Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. a fee of $15 million. The Company and its subsidiaries subsequently received debtor-in-possession financing from an alternative group of lenders.
     In connection with his appointment to the Board, Mr. Ackman executed a Letter Agreement with the Company, dated June 5, 2009 (the “Letter Agreement”), that reflects certain obligations, rights and restrictions. Pursuant to the Letter Agreement, Mr. Ackman and Pershing Square agree that while Mr. Ackman is on the Board (and, if he resigns from or is not reelected to the Board, for a certain period thereafter), they will not make certain public statements about the Company and other matters nor will they take certain actions. If the terms of the Letter Agreement are not honored, Mr. Ackman has agreed to submit his resignation from the Board. These and other matters are set forth in more detail in the Letter Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 99.2 and incorporated herein by reference.

 


 

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(d) Exhibits
     
Exhibit No.   Description
99.1
  Press release dated June 5, 2009.
 
99.2
  Letter agreement dated June 5, 2009 between General Growth Properties, Inc. and William A. Ackman.

 


 

SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
         
    GENERAL GROWTH PROPERTIES, INC.
     
    By:   /s/ Thomas H. Nolan, Jr.
 
        Thomas H. Nolan, Jr.
        President and Chief Operating Officer
Date: June 8, 2009

 


 

EXHIBIT INDEX
     
Exhibit    
Number   Name
99.1
  Press release dated June 5, 2009.
 
99.2
  Letter agreement dated June 5, 2009 between General Growth Properties, Inc. and William A. Ackman.

 

EX-99.1 2 c51787exv99w1.htm EX-99.1 EX-99.1
Exhibit 99.1
GENERAL GROWTH PROPERTIES
ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR
CHICAGO, June 5, 2009—GENERAL GROWTH PROPERTIES, INC. today announced the appointment of William A. Ackman to its Board of Directors. Mr. Ackman brings more than 16 years of investment fund manager and advisor experience to the Company.
Mr. Ackman is the founder and managing member of the general partner of Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., an investment advisor founded in 2003. He is a member of the Board of Dean’s Advisors of Harvard Business School and a Trustee of the Pershing Square Foundation. Pershing Square Capital Management and its affiliates own slightly less than 7.5% of the Company’s outstanding common stock.
“Bill brings an important perspective and creative thinking to our Board at this critical time in the Company’s development of a sustainable long-term capital structure and we look forward to his future contributions to the Company,” said Adam Metz, chief executive officer of General Growth Properties.
GGP Information
The Company currently has ownership interest in, or management responsibility for, over 200 regional shopping malls in 44 states, as well as ownership in master planned community developments and commercial office buildings. The Company’s portfolio totals approximately 200 million square feet of retail space and includes over 24,000 retail stores nationwide. The Company’s common stock is trading in the pink sheets under the symbol GGWPQ. The Company and certain of its subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code on April 16 and April 22, 2009. The Chapter 11 cases are being jointly administered under case number 09-11977 (ALG).
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from the results suggested by these forward-looking statements, for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, the impact of our bankruptcy filing, our ability to refinance, extend or repay our near and intermediate term debt, our substantial level of indebtedness and interest rates, retail and credit market conditions, impairments, land sales in the Master Planned Communities segment, the cost and success of development and re-development projects and our ability to successfully manage our strategic and financial review and our liquidity demands. Readers are referred to the documents filed by General Growth Properties, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which further identify the important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this release. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

 

EX-99.2 3 c51787exv99w2.htm EX-99.2 EX-99.2
Exhibit 99.2
Mr. William A. Ackman
c/o Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.
888 Seventh Avenue, 42nd Floor
New York, New York 10019
Dear Bill:
I am delighted to ask you to join the General Growth Properties, Inc. (“GGP”) Board of Directors, and we look forward to your contributions to GGP.
As a condition to joining the Board, we believe that is appropriate for you to enter into certain undertakings as set forth in this letter in order to address our Board’s concerns regarding confidentiality and other regulatory issues. Accordingly, consistent with your fiduciary duties as a member of the GGP board of directors once you are appointed, we request that you, by countersigning this letter in the space provided below, acknowledge, for the sole benefit of GGP, that you, Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., and the investment funds that you advise (collectively, “Pershing Square”) are in agreement with the following statements.
     1. You acknowledge that you have the authority to bind Pershing Square. You agree to undertake, consistent with the fiduciary duties applicable to all directors of GGP, (i) not to serve, and Pershing Square agrees not to designate any of its personnel (including, for that purpose, consultants compensated by Pershing Square), as an officer or director of any Competitor (as defined below) of GGP, and (ii) except as may be required by law, you and Pershing Square shall (and Pershing Square shall cause its personnel to) be bound by the same confidentiality restrictions that apply to the other directors of GGP. You acknowledge that those restrictions require that you refrain from communicating to anyone (whether to any company in which Pershing Square has an investment or otherwise), except for the other individuals on Pershing Square’s internal investment team (it being understood that there are currently six other individuals on Pershing Square’s internal investment team), Pershing Square’s chief legal officer and Pershing Square’s chief compliance officer, confidential information you learn in your capacity as a director of GGP. In addition, this letter memorializes that, except as may be required by law, all of Pershing Square’s personnel have agreed to maintain the confidentiality of GGP’s nonpublic information they obtain through your service on the GGP board in the same manner that you are so required and not to trade in, or cause Pershing Square to trade in, any GGP securities (which, for purposes of this letter, shall include securities of any direct or indirect subsidiary of GGP) in violation of law or GGP’s policies while in possession of material nonpublic information. For purposes of this letter, “Competitor” means any real estate investment trust that primarily invests in shopping malls, shopping centers and/or master planned communities and that substantially competes with GGP.
     2. Furthermore, you agree that, for so long as you serve on the GGP board, you will comply with the other policies (as applied to you on a reasonable and good faith basis) applicable generally to directors of GGP as currently in effect (and which you have reviewed), including,

 


 

without limitation, the company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, Related Party Transactions Policy, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Insider Trading Policy (together with changes to such policies imposed generally on directors of GGP on a reasonable and good faith basis). In particular, you agree that neither you, Pershing Square nor any of its controlled affiliates will engage in the purchase or sale of GGP securities during GGP blackout periods under the restriction calendar currently in effect, together with changes to such calendar or unscheduled blackout periods (in either case imposed generally on directors of GGP on a reasonable and good faith basis). Further, so long as you are a director of GGP, neither you, Pershing Square (nor any of your controlled affiliates) will conduct any transaction in GGP securities (including without limitation, the acquisition or disposition of GGP securities or transfer of such securities to others), other than in accordance with the pre-clearance policies and procedures required by GGP’s Insider Trading Policy. GGP shall not be responsible for compliance by you or Pershing Square with the securities laws, including regulations relating to insider trading.
     3. Further, you agree that: for so long as you serve on the GGP board (and, if you resign from, or are not reelected to, the GGP board, until the earlier of (i) 180 days after written notice of such resignation or failure to be reelected and (ii) the confirmation of any Chapter 11 plan in respect of GGP or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries), you and Pershing Square will, and will cause your controlled affiliates to: (a) not make any public statement challenging any decision made by the GGP Board of Directors, (b) not make any public statement regarding GGP, its management, the Board or any possible restructuring or alternative transaction involving GGP or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries; (c) not call any shareholders’ or debt holders’ meeting or seek proxies, consents or votes with respect to debt or equity of GGP or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries; (d) not propose to have any Chapter 11 case dismissed or converted to a Chapter 7 case, or seek or propose to have a trustee or examiner with expanded powers appointed, as any such case may apply to or involve GGP or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries; (e) not sell or exchange any general unsecured claims (not including debt securities) relating to any such Chapter 11 or Chapter 7 case; and (f) not make any public statement that you seek a waiver, or have been denied a waiver, of any of the foregoing restrictions; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph 3 will be deemed to prevent Pershing Square from asserting any defenses or counterclaims in any court or courts where any action is filed or pending against Pershing Square. You represent and warrant that as of the date hereof, you have no claims of the kind described in clause (e) of the prior sentence. As used in this paragraph, a public statement will include, without limitation, any “not-for-attribution” statement you make or cause to be made to any member of the media or press. In addition, Pershing Square agrees that it will not, and will cause its controlled affiliates not to, bring any claim, suit, or action in its own name, and will not join in any claim, suit or action brought by any other party, against the Board for actions taken during your tenure on the Board, whether or not you supported the decision of the Board; provided, however, that nothing herein will be deemed to (x) require you to opt out of any class action brought by an unrelated third-party on behalf of holders of any equity or debt securities of GGP or its direct or indirect subsidiaries or (y) restrict your ability to share ratably in any judgment or other award or relief granted by any court or other governmental entity to holders of any equity or debt securities of GGP or its direct or indirect subsidiaries to the extent that Pershing Square is an owner of such equity or debt securities.

 


 

     4. You agree that if you fail to honor any of your agreements set forth in this letter, you will submit your resignation from the Board to the Chairperson of the Nominating & Governance Committee.
     This confirms that, once your service on the GGP board commences, you will be entitled to the same compensation, director indemnity and insurance and other benefits as are accorded to the non-employee directors of GGP. This letter agreement will have no effect unless and until you become a member of the Board.
I look forward to working together with you and the Board.
     
    Very truly yours,
     
    /s/ Adam S. Metz
 
Adam S. Metz

AGREED:
     
/s/ William A. Ackman
 
William A. Ackman
On his own behalf, and on behalf
of Pershing Square (as defined)
   

 

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