Kings Garden Lawsuit
In July 2022, one of our tenants, Kings Garden Inc., defaulted on its obligations to pay base rent and property management fees under each of its six leases with our indirect, wholly owned subsidiary, IIP-CA 2 LP, and defaulted on its obligations to reimburse us for certain insurance premiums at the properties incurred by us that are payable by Kings Garden as operating expenses under such leases.
On July 25, 2022, IIP-CA 2 LP filed a lawsuit against Kings Garden. The case was named IIP-CA 2 LP, a Delaware limited partnership v. Kings Garden Inc., a Nevada corporation, CK Endeavors, Inc., a California corporation, and JM Endeavors, Inc., a California corporation, and was filed in the Superior Court of the State of California. The lawsuit asserts claims for breach of contract, declaratory relief, and injunctive relief. On August 2, 2022, the case was amended to be named IIP-CA 2 LP, a Delaware limited partnership v. Kings Garden Inc., a Nevada corporation, CK Endeavors, Inc., a California corporation, JM Endeavors, Inc., a California corporation, Michael King, an individual, Gary LaSalle, an individual, Charles Kieley, an individual, and Laurie Kibby, an individual, and to include claims relating to construction at the expansion project and the property that was under redevelopment as of June 30, 2022 for breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, conversion, theft by false pretenses, money had and received, and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (18 U.S.C. Section 1962(c)). The amount related to these project costs reported in construction in progress as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 was approximately $33.2 million.
On September 11, 2022, the parties to the lawsuit entered into a confidential, conditional settlement agreement pertaining to matters related to the lawsuit. Pursuant to the conditional settlement agreement, as of December 31, 2022, the Company received a total of $15.4 million in partial settlement payments from Kings Garden, which was accounted for as a reduction to construction in progress on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Of the six properties previously leased to Kings Garden, four were operational, with an expansion project at one of those properties, and the other two properties were in development or redevelopment as of December 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023. In connection with the conditional settlement agreement, the Company terminated leases and regained possession of the two properties that were in development or redevelopment as of December 31, 2022.
Out of the amounts included in construction in progress at March 31, 2023, we are in the process of investigating additional costs paid of approximately $9.8 million to determine whether these are potential overpayments. Although there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss may have been incurred in connection with the default by Kings Garden and the related construction projects, as of March 31, 2023, we are unable to make such an estimate.
On February 14, 2023, Kings Garden filed an Arbitration Demand related to the interpretation of the confidential, conditional settlement agreement between the parties that concerns certain terms governing (along with the relevant lease) the assignment of one of the Kings Garden leases. The Company filed a Response to Kings Garden’s Arbitration Demand, Affirmative Defenses and Counter-Claim on March 1, 2023 (the “Counter-Claim”). Kings Garden filed an answer to the Counter-Claim on March 15, 2023. An emergency hearing was conducted on April 13, 2023, pursuant to which the arbitrator denied Kings Garden’s Motion for Interim Relief, and established timeframes and procedures for the arbitration.
Parallel Pennsylvania Litigation
On February 6, 2023, IIP-PA 8 LLC, as landlord and an indirect subsidiary of the Company, filed a lawsuit against Goodblend Pennsylvania LLC, as tenant, and Parallel, as guarantor, in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, regarding the lease and related guaranty for one of the Company’s properties located in Pennsylvania. The lawsuit asserts claims for breach of contract by the tenant and guarantor and ejectment. Goodblend Pennsylvania LLC and Parallel filed preliminary objections to the lawsuit on March 3, 2023. IIP-PA 8 LLC filed its response to Goodblend Pennsylvania LLC’s and Parallel’s preliminary objections on March 23, 2023. On April 25, 2023, IIP-PA 8 LLC filed a motion to compel Goodblend Pennsylvania LLC to pay rent owing under the lease to IIP-PA 8 LLC. A hearing regarding Parallel’s preliminary objections and IIP-PA 8 LLC’s motion to compel payment of rent is scheduled for June 8, 2023.
Parallel Texas Litigation
On February 11, 2023, a subsidiary of Parallel defaulted on its obligations to pay rent under the lease at one of our properties in Texas that is under development. On February 23, 2023, IIP-TX 1 LLC, as landlord and an indirect subsidiary of the Company, filed a lawsuit against Surterra San Marcos, LLC, as tenant, in the Justice Court of Hays County, Texas, regarding the lease, asserting claim for possession. On March 9, 2023 a judgment for possession was entered in favor of IIP-TX 1 LLC, as well as monthly rental amounts due. On March 13, 2023, IIP-TX 1 LLC filed a subsequent lawsuit against Surterra San Marcos, LLC, Parallel and Sunstream