Western Colorado’s Retail Powerhouse Mesa Mall Continues Transformation with First to Market Dick’s Sporting Goods

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Washington Prime Group Inc. (NYSE: WPG) today provided an update on adaptive reuse initiatives at Mesa Mall in Grand Junction, Colorado. Dick’s Sporting Goods, with its first location in Grand Junction, will replace the space formerly occupied by Herberger’s, and construction recently kicked off with the interior demolition of the space.

Leasing and redevelopment efforts collectively reinforce Mesa Mall’s location along the Business Loop as the premier retail corridor in the Grand Valley. With the planned addition of several unique and market-exclusive retailers, Mesa Mall is well positioned for long term success.

Dick’s Sporting Goods joins a dynamic tenant lineup at Mesa Mall which includes existing anchors Best Buy, Cabela’s and Target, as well as additional, previously announced new anchor tenants. Dick’s Sporting Goods will announce its grand opening date in the future.

Recently, the management team at Mesa Mall worked with a local artist to add color, texture and vibrancy to exterior spaces for the community to enjoy as part of The Canvas Project. Mesa Mall selected local artist Jamie Copley for the installation showcasing Colorado Mesa University. A long-time Grand Junction resident and CMU alum, Copley has worked on several murals around the Grand Valley.

Mesa Mall serves the western Colorado and eastern Utah regions. The majority of commercial development in Grand Junction is happening within a two-mile radius of the town center, positioning Mesa Mall in the core of the fastest growing retail, restaurant, and financial sector of the valley. With a combination of enclosed and open air formats, Mesa Mall is the only hybrid retail center in the valley and the only hybrid center between Denver and Salt Lake City.

About Washington Prime Group

Washington Prime Group: National footprint with local flavor. With about 100 town centers throughout the US, we’re as American as apple pie. As a matter of fact, we are also as American as deep dish pizza in Chicago, Hawaiian poke salad, vegan spring rolls in Malibu, El Paso Tex-Mex, Maryland crab cakes, kimchi in Orange County, Memphis barbeque and a Kansas City porterhouse. Our well regarded infrastructure, from Hawaii to Connecticut, and pretty much everywhere else in between, allows our tenant and sponsor partners to benefit from the operating efficacy and economies of scale at a large national real estate company, alongside local management who possess comprehensive knowledge of the specific locale within which they reside. Washington Prime Group^® is a registered trademark of the Company. Learn more at www.washingtonprime.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent the current expectations and beliefs of management of Washington Prime Group Inc. (“WPG”) concerning the proposed transactions, the anticipated consequences and benefits of the transactions and the targeted close date for the transactions, and other future events and their potential effects on WPG, including, but not limited to, statements relating to anticipated financial and operating results, future liquidity, the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, cost savings and other statements, including words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “confident,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “should,” “may,” and other similar expressions. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of WPG’s management, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of WPG to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation: changes in asset quality and credit risk; ability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in political, economic or market conditions generally and the real estate and capital markets specifically; the impact of increased competition; the availability of capital and financing; tenant or joint venture partner(s) bankruptcies; the failure to increase store occupancy and same-store operating income; risks associated with the acquisition, disposition, (re)development, expansion, leasing and management of properties; changes in market rental rates; trends in the retail industry; relationships with anchor tenants; risks relating to joint venture properties; costs of common area maintenance; competitive market forces; the level and volatility of interest rates; the rate of revenue increases as compared to expense increases; the financial stability of tenants within the retail industry; the restrictions in current financing arrangements or the failure to comply with such arrangements; the liquidity of real estate investments; the impact of changes to tax legislation and WPG’s tax positions; losses associated with closures, failures and stoppages associated with the spread and proliferation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; to qualify as a real estate investment trust; the failure to refinance debt at favorable terms and conditions; loss of key personnel; material changes in the dividend rates on securities or the ability to pay dividends on common shares or other securities; possible restrictions on the ability to operate or dispose of any partially-owned properties; the failure to achieve earnings/funds from operations targets or estimates; the failure to achieve projected returns or yields on (re)development and investment properties (including joint ventures); expected gains on debt extinguishment; changes in generally accepted accounting principles or interpretations thereof; terrorist activities and international hostilities; the unfavorable resolution of legal or regulatory proceedings; the impact of future acquisitions and divestitures; assets that may be subject to impairment charges; significant costs related to environmental issues; changes in LIBOR reporting practices or the method in which LIBOR is determined; and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in WPG’s statements and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described under “Risk Factors”. The forward-looking statements in this communication are qualified by these risk factors. Each statement speaks only as of the date of this press release and WPG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from current projections, expectations, and plans, if any. Investors, potential investors and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.