SouthPark Mall in Moline sold to New York-based company
WQAD News 8
[{'start': '0.080', 'end': '4.080', 'text': "Today we're seeing reports that the new"}, {'start': '1.839', 'end': '6.879', 'text': 'owners of South Park Mall have some'}, {'start': '4.080', 'end': '8.800', 'text': 'cases allegedly struggle to pay taxes'}, {'start': '6.879', 'end': '10.639', 'text': 'and mortgages at other malls across the'}, {'start': '8.800', 'end': '12.160', 'text': "country. Drew coffee explains what he's"}, {'start': '10.639', 'end': '14.240', 'text': 'learned about the company and whether'}, {'start': '12.160', 'end': '16.880', 'text': 'shoppers are sold on a promise that it'}, {'start': '14.240', 'end': '19.840', 'text': "will revitalize the mall because it's"}, {'start': '16.880', 'end': '22.000', 'text': "kind of a sad area right now. That's the"}, {'start': '19.840', 'end': '24.400', 'text': 'consensus from locals who say the South'}, {'start': '22.000', 'end': '26.000', 'text': 'Park Mall in Molen has seen better days.'}, {'start': '24.400', 'end': '27.439', 'text': 'You can tell the lack of shoppers. But'}, {'start': '26.000', 'end': '30.080', 'text': 'after the mall was officially sold'}, {'start': '27.439', 'end': '32.640', 'text': 'Wednesday afternoon, new plans may be on'}, {'start': '30.080', 'end': '35.040', 'text': 'the horizon. The company Cohen Retail'}, {'start': '32.640', 'end': '37.440', 'text': 'Investment Group currently owns malls'}, {'start': '35.040', 'end': '40.079', 'text': 'all over the country, even owning one in'}, {'start': '37.440', 'end': '42.399', 'text': 'Sous City and Cedar Rapids. But Cohen'}, {'start': '40.079', 'end': '44.640', 'text': 'also has a track record of issues when'}, {'start': '42.399', 'end': '46.559', 'text': "it comes to paying taxes. News8's"}, {'start': '44.640', 'end': '49.039', 'text': 'research online shows the company has'}, {'start': '46.559', 'end': '51.039', 'text': 'had issues failing to pay local property'}, {'start': '49.039', 'end': '53.199', 'text': 'taxes. There was even a case in which'}, {'start': '51.039', 'end': '55.600', 'text': 'lights were turned off at one mall for'}, {'start': '53.199', 'end': '57.760', 'text': 'failure to pay utility costs. be buying'}, {'start': '55.600', 'end': '60.239', 'text': 'it with a purpose in mind. Molen city'}, {'start': '57.760', 'end': '61.840', 'text': 'administrator Bob Vita says the city was'}, {'start': '60.239', 'end': '64.400', 'text': "not aware of the company's past"}, {'start': '61.840', 'end': '65.920', 'text': 'ownerships as the sale was private. We'}, {'start': '64.400', 'end': '67.600', 'text': 'would not be directly involved in that'}, {'start': '65.920', 'end': '69.200', 'text': "transaction. Again, we don't have a"}, {'start': '67.600', 'end': '71.360', 'text': 'vested financial interest in the'}, {'start': '69.200', 'end': '73.680', 'text': "property. I can't speak for this company"}, {'start': '71.360', 'end': '75.439', 'text': "cuz we don't know this company. Numerous"}, {'start': '73.680', 'end': '77.920', 'text': 'malls and foreclosure have also been'}, {'start': '75.439', 'end': '80.159', 'text': 'demolished after being sold to Cohen. An'}, {'start': '77.920', 'end': '82.400', 'text': 'option VAS says is now up to the new'}, {'start': '80.159', 'end': '84.000', 'text': 'owner. Something will be there. The'}, {'start': '82.400', 'end': '85.520', 'text': 'question is what ultimately will be'}, {'start': '84.000', 'end': '87.439', 'text': 'there will be based upon what the'}, {'start': '85.520', 'end': '90.000', 'text': 'private property owners there would like'}, {'start': '87.439', 'end': '91.759', 'text': 'to do with their land. Right across the'}, {'start': '90.000', 'end': '94.240', 'text': 'street from the mall, we spoke with'}, {'start': '91.759', 'end': '96.000', 'text': "customers from Flip's Pancake House who"}, {'start': '94.240', 'end': '98.079', 'text': "say they're optimistic about the new"}, {'start': '96.000', 'end': '100.000', 'text': 'direction for South Park. Whatever they'}, {'start': '98.079', 'end': '102.000', 'text': "do, it'd be better than what it is doing"}, {'start': '100.000', 'end': '103.680', 'text': "now. It's just kind of vacant. We're"}, {'start': '102.000', 'end': '105.680', 'text': 'eager and excited to bring more'}, {'start': '103.680', 'end': '107.439', 'text': "opportunities within the area. It's kind"}, {'start': '105.680', 'end': '109.119', 'text': 'of going downhill right now, but with'}, {'start': '107.439', 'end': '111.040', 'text': "hopefully with new owners, there'll be a"}, {'start': '109.119', 'end': '114.799', 'text': 'better future for it. in Molen Drew'}, {'start': '111.040', 'end': '116.560', 'text': 'Coffee, WQAd News8. The company has not'}, {'start': '114.799', 'end': '118.640', 'text': 'yet released how much they spent on'}, {'start': '116.560', 'end': '121.119', 'text': 'South Park Mall. The mall generated just'}, {'start': '118.640', 'end': '124.560', 'text': 'under $30,000 a year in property taxes'}, {'start': '121.119', 'end': '124.560', 'text': 'for the past several years.'}]