German Fund Deka Puts Ballonti Shopping Centre (Vizcaya) Up For Sale

26 February 2018 – Expansión

Deka wants to make some cash and has hung the “for sale” sign up over the Ballonti shopping centre, located in the municipality of Portugalete (Vizcaya). The German fund, which acquired the asset in 2010, at the height of the economic crisis, has decided now, eight years later, to put it up for sale and has engaged the consultancy firm CBRE to manage the process, according to reports from market sources speaking to Expansión.

The German group purchased the shopping centre from Eroski for €116 million and the current valuation could reach €150 million, in such a way that Deka could obtain significant capital gains from the sale.

In any case, sources in the sector consider that the timing of the operation will depend on the evolution of the sales process involving a portfolio of three shopping centres by Sonae and CBRE Global Investors, which is expected to come onto the market within the next few days. That portfolio of assets, which includes the Gran Casa shopping centre (Zaragoza), the Valle Real shopping centre (Cantabria) and the Max Center (Barakaldo), may be sold for around €500 million.

Ballonti, inaugurated in 2008, has a surface area of more than 50,000 m2 spread over two floors, and its tenants include Primark, H&M, Springfield, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Lefties and Women’s Secret. Moreover, the shopping centre is home to a large Eroski hypermarket spanning a surface area of more than 13,000 m2.

The retail space includes an upper floor dedicated to leisure with a cinema, an adventure park, a gym and a restaurant area with brands such as Burger King, Foster’s Hollywood, 100 Montaditos, Krunch, Mr Wok, Café and Bodega Ballonti.

Investor appetite

After the significant investment drive in shopping centres last year, which ended with a transaction volume of around €2.7 billion, thanks to record operations such as the purchase of Xanadú, in Arroyomolinos (Madrid) for €530 million, investor appetite is expected to be maintained this year.

According to data from the Spanish Association of Shopping Centres and Retail Parks (AECC), last year, 29 transactions were closed involving 36 assets for €2.7 billion, which represents growth of 35% with respect to the previous year.

Original story: Expansión (by Rebeca Arroyo)

Translation: Carmel Drake