ABSTRACT
Argentina suffered a return of socialism and a populist government, political unrest and untamed inflation fueling an exodus of global retail brands (tenants). During my sabbatical, my "Feet were on the Street," as I visited approximately 70 shopping malls in five countries and conducted qualitative interviews with shopping mall owners, brokers for the "marks"(retail brands/tenants), managers, real estate attorneys, retail trade associations, investment groups, and real estate professors. When I teach commercial leasing I discuss the codependent relationship between the parties to the Lease, the shopping center Owner, Tenant, and the "hidden" party to the Lease, the Lender. [...]Latin American shopping mall owners are nimbler and more flexible to make decisions because they do not need Lender permission.