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 Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): August 23, 2004


                       TANGER FACTORY OUTLET CENTERS, INC.
                    -----------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



      North Carolina                    1-11986                  56-1815473
- ----------------------------      --------------------     --------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of  (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
     Incorporation)                                            Identification
                                                                   Number)


             3200 Northline Avenue, Greensboro, North Carolina 27408
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
                                 (336) 292-3010
                ------------------------------------------------
              (Registrants' telephone number, including area code)
                                       N/A
                      -------------------------------------
          (former name or former address, if changed since last report)










Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal  Officers;  Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers

         On August 23, 2004, the Company issued a press release announcing that
its Board of Directors has approved an expansion of its Board from five to six
members and has elected Allan L. Schuman to become a member of the Company's
Board of Directors effective August 17, 2004. This press release, which includes
information about Mr. Schuman's business history, is attached to this current
report as exhibit 99.1.

SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


Dated:  August 23, 2004

                      TANGER FACTORY OUTLET CENTERS, INC.

                      By:      /s/ Frank C. Marchisello, Jr.
                               -----------------------------
                               Frank C. Marchisello, Jr.
                               Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.

99.1     Press release announcing  expansion of the Company's Board of Directors
and the  appointment  of Allan L. Schuman as a member of the Company's  Board of
Directors.

EX-99

FOR RELEASE:      IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:          Rochelle Simpson - (336) 834-6836

             TANGER FACTORY OUTLET CENTERS, INC. ANNOUNCES EXPANSION
                  OF ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND APPOINTMENT OF
                          ALLAN L. SCHUMAN AS DIRECTOR

GREENSBORO, NC, August 23, 2004, Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE:SKT),
announced  today that its Board of  Directors  has  approved an expansion of its
Board from five to six  members  and has  elected  Allan L.  Schuman to become a
member of Tanger's Board of Directors.

Mr. Schuman,  Chairman of the Board of Ecolab, Inc. (NYSE:ECL),  brings 45 years
of executive and  management  experience in  development  and  marketing.  After
service in numerous executive  positions  including President of Ecolab Services
Group from 1988 to 1992, he was named President and Chief  Operating  Officer of
Ecolab,  Inc. in August 1992 and President and Chief Executive  Officer in March
1995.  Mr. Schuman  assumed the additional  position of Chairman of the Board in
January  2000.  In July 2004,  he retired from his  position as Chief  Executive
Officer and remains  active in Ecolab's  growth by serving as its Chairman.  Mr.
Schuman also serves as a director of Schwan's Sales Enterprises,  Inc., The Soap
and Detergent  Association,  the Ordway Center for the  Performing  Arts and the
Guthrie Theater. He is also a member of the Board of Overseers of Carlson School
of  Management  at the  University  of  Minnesota,  and the Board of Trustees of
Hamline University.

"We are  pleased to add to our Board of  Directors  someone  with Mr.  Schuman's
outstanding  credentials and impressive  business  background in running a large
cap public  company,"  said  Stanley K.  Tanger,  Chief  Executive  Officer  and
Chairman of the Board. "Mr. Schuman's insight and business acumen will add value
and perspective to our board."

Tanger  Factory  Outlet  Centers,   Inc.  (NYSE:   SKT),  a  fully   integrated,
self-administered and self-managed publicly traded REIT, presently has ownership
interests in or management responsibilities for 38 centers in 23 states coast to
coast,  totaling  approximately  9.3 million square feet of gross leasable area.
For  more  information  on  Tanger  Outlet  Centers,   visit  our  web  site  at
www.tangeroutlet.com.

                                  *** end ***

             3200 Northline Avenue, Suite 360, Greensboro, NC 27408
                         336-292-3010 - FAX 336-297-0931