Exhibit 99.3



                    Certification of Chief Executive Officer

         Pursuant  to 18 U.S.C.  ss.  1350,  as created  by  Section  906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley  Act of 2002,  the  undersigned  officer of Tanger Factory Outlet
Centers,  Inc. (the "Company")  hereby certifies,  to such officer's  knowledge,
that:

(i)  the  accompanying  Quarterly  Report  on Form 10-Q of the  Company  for the
     quarterly  period ended March 31, 2003 (the  "Report")  fully complies with
     the  requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d), as applicable,  of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

(ii) the information  contained in the Report fairly  presents,  in all material
     respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.


Dated: May 14, 2003                    /s/ Stanley K. Tanger
       ------------                    ---------------------------
                                       Stanley K. Tanger
                                       Chairman of the Board and
                                       Chief Executive Officer