VICI Properties Inc., a real estate investment trust(REIT), has entered into a definitive agreement with JACK Entertainment to acquire JACK Cleveland Casino and JACK Thistledown Racino in Ohio, for $843.3 million in a sale and leaseback transaction.
Simultaneous with the closing of the transaction, the Company will enter into a master triple-net lease agreement with JACK Entertainment related to the assets. The master lease will have an initial total annual rent of $65.9 million, for an implied capitalization rate of 7.8%, and an initial term of 15 years with four 5-year tenant renewal options.
JACK Cleveland Casino opened in May 2012 in the historic Higbee Building in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The property features approximately 96,000 square feet of gaming space, 1,300 gaming machines, over 120 table games and eight food and beverage outlets.
JACK Thistledown Racino opened in April 2013 in North Randall, Ohio and is the leading thoroughbred racino in the Cleveland MSA. The property is situated on 129 acres and features approximately 57,000 square feet of gaming space, 1,459 gaming machines and six food and beverage outlets.
“We are excited to partner with the team at JACK Entertainment as they focus on investing and operating in the Cleveland market. Ohio continues to be one of the healthiest and fastest growing regional gaming markets and we are thrilled to add high-quality, urban real estate to our portfolio at an attractive capitalization rate,” said John Payne, President and Chief Operating Ocer of VICI Properties in a statement.
“JACK Entertainment looks forward to continuing to operate JACK Cleveland Casino and JACK Thistledown Racino,” said Mark Dunkeson, Chief Executive Ocer of JACK Entertainment in the statement.
”We have invested more than $700 million into JACK Cleveland Casino and JACK Thistledown Racino since the properties opened in 2012 and we will continue to invest signicant capital into these properties which will have a lasting positive impact on the city and Cuyahoga County,” he added.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to close in early 2020. The acquisition is expected to be accretive immediately upon closing.
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