Simon Property Group, Inc. is an American real estate investment trust that invests in shopping malls, outlet centers, and community/lifestyle centers. It is the largest owner of shopping malls in the United States and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Worldwide, it owns interests in 232 properties comprising approximately of gross leasable area in North America and Asia. History Simon Property Group dates to 1960, when brothers Melvin Simon and Herbert Simon began developing strip malls in Indianapolis, Indiana. In December 1993, they took their interests public as Simon Property Group in the largest initial public offering of a real estate investment trust to date. Simon Property merged with the newly public DeBartolo Realty Corporation, owner of the real estate assets of Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., in 1996 to form Simon DeBartolo Group. In 1997, the company acquired The Retail Property Trust for $1.2 billion in a hostile takeover. Also in 1997, in partnership with Macerich, the company acquired 12 malls from IBM's pension plan for $974.5 million. One year after these acquisitions, the company acquired Corporate Property Investors and was renamed Simon Property Group. The company also acquired an ownership interest in Groupe BEG, S.A., operator of shopping centers in Europe. In 1999, the company acquired 14 shopping centers from New England Development for $725 million. In 2002, in partnership with Westfield Group and The Rouse Company, the company acquired 13 properties from Rodamco North America including Copley Place, Houston Galleria, and SouthPark Mall. In 2003, Simon acquired a majority interest The Kravco Company, owner of the King of Prussia, for $300 million. In 2004, the company entered the outlet mall business with the acquisition of Chelsea Property Group Inc. for $3.5 billion. In April 2007, Simon and Farallon Capital acquired the Mills Corporation. In 2009, Simon tried to buy malls owned by General Growth Properties. In February 2010, Simon placed a bid acquire General Growth, which was in bankruptcy protection. However, the bid was rejected by GGP. A GGP shareholder filed suit (Young v. Bucksbaum) against the company's board of directors for rejecting Simon's bid, alleging breach of fiduciary duty. In April 2010, Simon offered to make a $2.5 billion equity investment in GGP including a $1 billion investment by Paulson & Co. In May 2010, Simon withdrew from the bidding for GGP after GGP favored transactions with Brookfield Asset Management. In May 2010, Simon acquired Prime Retail's Prime