In 2003 , after a six year legal battle between Simon Property Group , the managing general partner of the property , and the Ghermezian brothers\/Triple Five Group , over majority ownership of the site , a federal appeals judge ruled in favor of the Ghermezians , effectively transferring control and planning authority of the mall back to its original founders . In 2003 , after a protracted six year legal battle between Simon Property Group , the managing general partner of the property , and the Ghermezian brothers\/Triple Five Group , over majority ownership of the site , a federal appeals court ruled in favor of the Ghermezians , effectively transferring control and planning authority of the mall back to its original conceptualizer .