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Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies | 9. Commitments and Contingencies Legal Matters The Company is a party to various joint ventures with the Coventry II Fund, through which 10 existing or proposed retail properties, along with a portfolio of former Service Merchandise locations, were acquired at various times from 2003 through 2006. The properties were acquired by the joint ventures as value-add investments, with major renovation and/or ground-up development contemplated for many of the properties. The Company was generally responsible for day-to-day management of the properties through December 2011. On November 4, 2009, Coventry Real Estate Advisors L.L.C., Coventry Real Estate Fund II, L.L.C. and Coventry Fund II Parallel Fund, L.L.C. (collectively, “Coventry”) filed suit against the Company and certain of its affiliates and officers in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York. The complaint alleges that the Company: (i) breached contractual obligations under a co-investment agreement and various joint venture limited liability company agreements, project development agreements and management and leasing agreements; (ii) breached its fiduciary duties as a member of various limited liability companies; (iii) fraudulently induced the plaintiffs to enter into certain agreements; and (iv) made certain material misrepresentations. The complaint also requests that a general release made by Coventry in favor of the Company in connection with one of the joint venture properties be voided on the grounds of economic duress. The complaint seeks compensatory and consequential damages in an amount not less than $500 million, as well as punitive damages. In response, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the complaint or, in the alternative, to sever the plaintiffs’ claims. In June 2010, the court granted in part the Company’s motion, dismissing Coventry’s claim that the Company breached a fiduciary duty owed to Coventry (and denying the motion as to the other claims). Coventry filed a notice of appeal regarding that portion of the motion granted by the court. The appeals court affirmed the trial court’s ruling regarding the dismissal of Coventry’s claim for breach of fiduciary duty. The Company filed an answer to the complaint, and has asserted various counterclaims against Coventry. On October 10, 2011, the Company filed a motion for summary judgment, seeking dismissal of all of Coventry’s remaining claims. The motion is currently pending before the court. The Company believes that the allegations in the lawsuit are without merit and that it has strong defenses against this lawsuit. The Company will continue to vigorously defend itself against the allegations contained in the complaint. This lawsuit is subject to the uncertainties inherent in the litigation process and, therefore, no assurance can be given as to its ultimate outcome and no loss provision has been recorded in the accompanying financial statements because a loss contingency is not deemed probable or estimable. However, based on the information presently available to the Company, the Company does not expect that the ultimate resolution of this lawsuit will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. On November 18, 2009, the Company filed a complaint against Coventry in the Court of Common Pleas, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, seeking, among other things, a temporary restraining order enjoining Coventry from terminating “for cause” the management agreements between the Company and the various joint ventures because the Company believes that the requisite conduct in a “for-cause” termination (i.e., fraud or willful misconduct committed by an executive of the Company at the level of at least senior vice president) did not occur. The court heard testimony in support of the Company’s motion (and Coventry’s opposition) and, on December 4, 2009, issued a ruling in the Company’s favor. Specifically, the court issued a temporary restraining order enjoining Coventry from terminating the Company as property manager “for cause.” The court found that the Company was likely to succeed on the merits, that immediate and irreparable injury, loss or damage would result to the Company in the absence of such restraint, and that the balance of equities favored injunctive relief in the Company’s favor. The Company filed a motion for summary judgment seeking a ruling by the Court that there was no basis for Coventry’s “for cause” termination as a matter of law. On August 2, 2011, the court entered an order granting the Company’s motion for summary judgment in all respects, finding that, as a matter of law and fact, Coventry did not have the right to terminate the management agreements “for cause.” Coventry filed a notice of appeal, and on March 15, 2012, the Ohio Court of Appeals issued an opinion and order unanimously affirming the trial court’s ruling. No further appeal was undertaken in this case. In addition to the litigation discussed above, the Company and its subsidiaries are subject to various legal proceedings, which, taken together, are not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company. The Company is also subject to a variety of legal actions for personal injury or property damage arising in the ordinary course of its business, most of which are covered by insurance. While the resolution of all matters cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes that the final outcome of such legal proceedings and claims will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity, financial position or results of operations. Commitments and Guaranties In conjunction with the development and expansion of various shopping centers, the Company has entered into agreements with general contractors for the construction of shopping centers aggregating approximately $34.9 million as of December 31, 2012. At December 31, 2012, the Company had outstanding letters of credit of $44.4 million. The Company has not recorded any obligation associated with these letters of credit. The majority of the letters of credit are collateral for existing indebtedness and other obligations of the Company. In connection with the development of shopping centers owned by certain affiliates, the Company and/or its equity affiliates have agreed to fund the required capital associated with approved development projects aggregating approximately $7.6 million at December 31, 2012. These obligations, composed principally of construction contracts, are generally due in 12 to 36 months, as the related construction costs are incurred, and are expected to be financed through new or existing construction loans, revolving credit facilities and retained capital. The Company is entitled to receive a priority return on these capital advances at a rate of 8.5%. In connection with certain of the Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures, the Company agreed to fund amounts due to the joint venture’s lender if such amounts are not paid by the joint venture based on the Company’s pro rata share of such amount, aggregating $15.4 million at December 31, 2012. In connection with Service Holdings LLC, the Company guaranteed the annual base rental income for various affiliates of Service Holdings in the aggregate amount of $2.2 million. The Company has not recorded a liability for the guaranty, as the subtenants of Service Holdings are paying rent as due. The Company has recourse against the other parties in the partnership in the event of default. No assets of the Company are currently held as collateral to pay this guaranty. The Company has guaranteed certain special assessment and revenue bonds issued by the Midtown Miami Community Development District. The bond proceeds were used to finance certain infrastructure and parking facility improvements. In the event of a debt service shortfall, the Company is responsible for satisfying the shortfall. There are no assets held as collateral or liabilities recorded related to these guaranties. To date, tax revenues have exceeded the debt service payments for these bonds. Leases The Company is engaged in the operation of shopping centers that are either owned or, with respect to certain shopping centers, operated under long-term ground leases that expire at various dates through 2070, with renewal options. Space in the shopping centers is leased to tenants pursuant to agreements that provide for terms ranging generally from one month to 30 years and, in some cases, for annual rentals subject to upward adjustments based on operating expense levels, sales volume or contractual increases as defined in the lease agreements. The scheduled future minimum rental revenues from rental properties under the terms of all non-cancelable tenant leases, assuming no new or renegotiated leases or option extensions for such premises for the subsequent five years ending December 31, are as follows for continuing operations (in thousands):
2013 |  | $ | 558,615 |
2014 |  |  | 501,262 |
2015 |  |  | 437,489 |
2016 |  |  | 365,587 |
2017 |  |  | 280,403 |
Thereafter |  |  | 1,010,690 |
|  | $ | 3,154,046 |
Scheduled minimum rental payments under the terms of all non-cancelable operating leases in which the Company is the lessee, principally for office space and ground leases, for the subsequent five years ending December 31, are as follows for continuing operations (in thousands):
2013 |  | $ | 3,724 |
2014 |  |  | 3,290 |
2015 |  |  | 3,780 |
2016 |  |  | 3,609 |
2017 |  |  | 3,048 |
Thereafter |  |  | 118,557 |
|  | $ | 136,008 |

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- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 14 -Paragraph 3 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25287-109308 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6449706&loc=d3e16207-108621 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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