Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Anonymous comment left on earlier post. Flaherty & Collins intent to sell its Indiana Cosmopolitan project, was a CBRE talking point prior to May 2011.

Hat tip on comment to this post. This link, this screenshot on the FC - Cosmo:


Someone is better at finding online information than I am. The hope is that agents of City of Ramsey were as astute as this anonymous person, and loyally reported clearly material information as agents should, as negotiatons were ongoing, and the participation capability of FC in Ramsey was a point of discussion.

This would relate to Cronk in particular, and to Landform, via Cronk's involvement with Landform's people, ostensibly on behalf of Ramsey.

Can any reader help? Is the commercial market one where properties are shopped to known specific buyers, with arms-length negotiation; or is a listing taken, advertised, and there is passive waiting? My take from the entire linked item, the marketing people for big ticket know the players on both sides.

Final question, what's a reasonable time to wait in expectation that a sale will be closed on the Cosmo/Canal property on terms favorable to FC getting liquidity to participate in Ramsey without city cash risks?

A corollary question -- Would it not be proper, given the Ramsey deal is hanging fire and the ramp expansion question is contingent, that Ramsey ask about the offer-negotiation history FC has had, and what if anything has been turned down as a deal in Indianapolis at the same time the representations of needing Ramsey to risk up to eight million in a second position were being advanced? Second corollary question -- If a reasonable offer was spurned, and Ramsey was asked to put itself into new risk ways and means, what is to be inferred?

While I can ask questions, either they remain moot, or somebody decides to pursue answers. It would have to be city officials or agents, on behalf of the city - and it is fully proper and prudent to say, "The request was we put up to eight million bonding at risk on a private sector deal, by taking a high-risk position - a second lien, and at nominal interest in terms of the risk and selling land at its acquisition price hence a wash there, what's the story, were we being played as if a pack of exurban rubes unknowing of ways of diligence, ready for a fleecing?"