Practice Areas & Industries: Adams and Reese LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview

The Economic Development Practice Team of Adams and Reese is turning future possibilities into realities for our clients and communities across the South Central United States. Our well-positioned team of attorneys and governmental relations professionals are meaningfully involved in economic development initiatives that generate new jobs, retain existing jobs and stimulate industrial growth and commercial growth. We work with the public and private sectors on strategically-planned economic growth and revitalization projects, and these efforts have yielded proven results.

Our FootPrint:

With attorneys and advisors in nine markets throughout the South Central United States and Washington D.C., Adams and Reese works with companies, governmental entities and organizations in developing projects that generate new jobs, retain existing jobs and stimulate industrial and commercial growth.

Our attorneys are situated throughout Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee to assist companies and site selectors with project development, expansions, restructurings, finance options, tax incentives, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, regulatory standards and administrative law.

By offering legal services on a regional basis, we provide clients with localized control over their legal matters, and access for clients in multiple markets where they have interests.

Below is a sampling of some of the deals that have been handled by members of our team:

TENNESSEE

• Since 1990, our attorneys have represented the Memphis Center City Commission and related entities in connection with the redevelopment of Downtown Memphis.
• Our team helped manage the structuring, site acquisition, development and financing of Autozone Park in Downtown Memphis.
• We represented Memphis Center City Revenue Finance Corporation in connection with over 150 tax abatement transactions.
• We have handled the structuring and financing of public private partnerships including a 102-room Marriott and adjoining parking deck in Memphis.
• Our team continues to represent developers in connection with tax credit transactions.
• Our attorneys played a leading role in many economic development projects throughout Tennessee, including:
  • the expansion of the Dell Computer Corporate facility
  • the relocation of the Houston Oilers (d/b/a Tennessee Titans)
  • Nashville Predators License and Use Agreement
  • Columbia/HCA PILOT
  • Dollar General PILOT
  • Downtown Nashville Library Project
  • several multi-million dollar property tax abatement projects with County and Municipal Industrial Development Corporations throughout Tennessee.

LOUISIANA

• Our team represented a client in a four-subdivision purchase of several hundred lots of land. The subdivisions, located in two parishes in Louisiana, were in a partial state of construction, with streets being built and permits being obtained from local authorities. Our team assisted in the negotiations of the deal, and the curing of various title issues.
• Our team represented Stewart Title in issuing the title policy on a $25 million shopping Center closing in St. Tammany parish.
• Members of our team represented one of the nation s largest homebuilders in its purchase of building sites in Orleans Parish.
• New Orleans partner Ray Cornelius worked with economic developers throughout the State of Louisiana in creating the Acadiana Economic Development Council, which represents the primary economic development organizations in Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, and Vermilion Parishes.
• Our team assisted in structuring and creating a private foundation affiliated with a state university system that facilitates the transfer and commercialization of university-based research and technology to the marketplace.
• Team members provided services in creating the first early stage venture capital fund in Louisiana that focuses on the identification of investment opportunities from research universities and other organizations in Louisiana.
• Members of our team represented a start-up pharmaceuticals company in securing equity financing and in the intellectual property licensing rights that will help it develop, test and bring to market an anticancer technology emanating from university-based biotechnology research in Louisiana.
• Our team assisted with the construction of an $80 million bio-diesel plant in St. Charles Parish that will produce approximately 60 million gallons of vegetable-based fuel per year. This plant is expected to generate 100 construction jobs and 25 permanent jobs.
• We negotiated a creative Endeavor Agreement between Bollinger Shipyards and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development for capital outlay funds for the construction of new shipyard facilities in Louisiana.

MISSISSIPPI

• Our team represented a REIT in preparing leases for a build-to-suit industrial facility for an automotive supplier for the Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi.
• We represent the State of Mississippi, local governmental entities, school districts and developers on various bond issues.
• Our team represents a developer of a twelve story office building in Jackson, Mississippi. We helped the client achieve Go-Zone Accelerated depreciation and new market tax credits.
• We represent businesses concerning industrial leasing of properties in state facilities including ports and industrial development districts. For example, we recently completed the 30 year (primary term) ground lease with a port on the
• Mississippi Gulf Coast involving the port, the board of supervisors and the Secretary of State of the State of Mississippi.

Contact Attorney

James B.McLaren, Jr.
(901)524-5277
james.mclaren@arlaw.com