1960
Melvin Simon & Associates (MSA) was formed by Melvin, Herbert and Fred Simon.
1960
MSA opens first fully-owned shopping center – Southgate Plaza in Bloomington, IN.
1964
MSA opens first enclosed mall – University Mall in Fort Collins, CO.
1964
Mounds Mall in Anderson, IN opens as the first MSA mall in the Hoosier state, followed soon by College Mall in Bloomington, IN.
1975
Towne East Square opens in Wichita, KS as the Company’s first enclosed mall of more than one million square feet.
May, 1992
MSA opens The Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas, NV which continues to be one of the nation’s most visible and successful retail and entertainment projects.
December, 1993
Simon Property Group is formed from an Initial Public Offering (NYSE:SPG), becoming the largest REIT IPO in U.S. history to date.
January, 1995
David Simon is named President and CEO of Simon Property Group; Melvin Simon and Herbert Simon become Co-Chairmen.
August, 1996
Simon merges with DeBartolo Realty Corporation (NYSE:EJD), creating the nation's largest REIT.
May, 1997
Simon announces strategic alliance with Chelsea Property Group (NYSE:CPG) to develop and acquire upscale manufacturers' outlet centers with 500,000 or more square feet in the United States.
August, 1997
The Company acquires a 50 percent interest in Dadeland Mall in Miami, FL
August, 1997
Simon Brand Ventures is launched as a Company strategic business unit, the world's largest and most sophisticated mall marketing initiative
September, 1997
Simon acquires 10 enclosed malls and one community shopping center from Retail Property Trust
February, 1998
Simon announces $5.8 billion acquisition of Corporate Property Investors (CPI), making the Company more than two times the size of its nearest competitor. Transaction adds 23 malls and 4 office buildings to the Simon portfolio.
March, 1998
Simon acquires 12 regional malls from the IBM Retirement Plans Master Trust in a 50/50 joint venture with The Macerich Company
June, 1998
Simon and two institutional partners commit to acquire an initial 34 percent joint ownership position in European Retail Enterprises B.V. (ERE) to pursue retail development opportunities on the European continent. ERE operates through a wholly-owned subsidiary, Groupe BEG, S.A. (BEG). ERE and BEG are fully integrated retail real estate developers, lessors and managers, headquartered in Paris, France. This transaction marks Simon's initial foray into Europe
August, 1998
Simon and the Simon family establish the Simon Youth Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing educational and career development opportunities for young people nationwide
March, 1999
Simon Property Group launches nationwide branding campaign at 145 enclosed malls, including radio and television advertising, exterior and interior on-mall banners and signage, and introduction of enhanced customer service features
August, 1999
Simon acquires 14 regional malls through a joint venture with JP Morgan Investment Management's Strategic Property Fund, New York State Teachers Retirement System and Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association. Simon gains a preeminent position in the Boston and New England markets.
October, 2001
Simon purchases 50% interest in Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego.
May, 2002
In a unique and unprecedented partnership, Simon, The Rouse Company and Westfield America Trust jointly acquire the real estate assets of Rodamco North America, N.V. The assets acquired by Simon include interests in nine malls new to the Simon portfolio as well as increased ownership in four existing joint ventures. High profile assets include Copley Place in Boston, The Galleria in Houston and SouthPark Mall in Charlotte, North Carolina.
June , 2002
Simon Property Group is added to the S&P 500 Index. Simon is the fourth real estate investment trust in the index.
February, 2003
Simon Property Group is recognized as the top ranked real estate company in Fortune's 2003 List of America's Most Admired Companies.
August, 2003
Simon Property Group purchases a 100% ownership stake in Stanford Shopping Center, one of the most successful regional malls in the U.S., located in Palo Alto, California, from Stanford University.
November, 2003
Simon Property Group increases it ownership in Kravco Investments, a Philadelphia-based owner of seven regional malls to 80 % and Kravco Company, its affiliated property management company to 50%. The entities are renamed Kravco Simon Investments and Kravco Simon Company.
December, 2003
Simon Property Group enters into a joint venture with Rinascente Group. Gallerie Commerciali Italia S.p.A is created for the ownership, management and development of shopping malls in Italy. The portfolio consists of 38 shopping centers comprising approximately six million square feet and several projects under construction and in predevelopment.
January, 2004
Simon Brand Ventures announces that in its first full year, the Visa Simon Giftcard became the world's largest prepaid debit card program with total annual sales of approximately $340 million.
May, 2004
Simon Property Group expands into the Caribbean area by purchasing Plaza Carolina in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Plaza Carolina is the premier shopping destination in the northeast sector of Puerto Rico and receives over 30,000 visitors per day.
October, 2004
Simon Property Group acquires Chelsea Property Group. Chelsea is the leading owner, developer and manager of Premium Outlet® centers in the U.S. and Asia. Its portfolio includes 36 Premium Outlet centers (32 in the U.S. and 4 in Japan) with properties located in major metropolitan markets such as New York City, Los Angeles and Boston and tourist destinations such as Orlando, Las Vegas and Palm Springs.
December, 2004
Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Chelsea Property Group, Simon Property Group opens the first Premium Outlet® center in Mexico, Premium Outlets Punta Norte.
May, 2005
Simon Property Group announces that it will open a regional office in Hong Kong. Operating as Simon/Chelsea International Ltd., a newly formed subsidiary, the office will be responsible for Simon's retail real estate activities in east and southeast Asia.
July, 2005
Simon Property Group signs a Co-operation Framework Agreement with the Morgan Stanley Real Estate Funds and SZITIC Commercial Property Co. Ltd. to develop retail shopping center projects in China.
February, 2006
Simon Property Group is recognized as the top ranked real estate company in Fortune's 2006 List of America's Most Admired Companies.
March, 2006
Simon Property Group receives an upgrade from Standard & Poor's on its corporate and senior unsecured debt to A- from BBB+ with a stable outlook.
November, 2006
Simon Property Group's stock closes above $100 per share for the first time.
November, 2006
Simon Property Group receives an upgrade from Moody's on its senior unsecured debt to A3 with a stable outlook from Baa1.
Fall, 2006
Simon starts construction on four malls in China.
April, 2007
Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management acquire The Mills Corporation whose assets total 37 properties and over 45 million square feet of gross leasable area.
June, 2007
Simon Property Group's Chelsea division opens Yeoju Premium Outlets, the first Premium Outlet center in South Korea, approximately 36 miles southeast of Seoul.
October, 2007
CEO David Simon is named Chairman of the Board of Directors. Melvin Simon and Herbert Simon are named Chairman Emeriti.
November, 2007
Simon wins NAREIT's Leader in the Light Gold Award in recognition of its energy efficiency practices, the second consecutive year Simon has won the award.
March, 2008
Simon Property Group selected "Energy Partner of the Year" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
December, 2008
Simon completes the largest solar installation by a mall owner in the U.S. with a 173 kW solar facility on the roof of The Shops at Mission Viejo in Mission Viejo, CA.
February, 2009
Simon Property Group is recognized as the top ranked real estate company in Fortune's 2009 List of America's Most Admired Companies.
September, 2009
Melvin Simon, founder of what would become Simon Property Group, the largest U.S. retail REIT, dies at age 82.
August, 2010
Simon adds 21 outlet center properties to its portfolio as the transaction with Prime Outlets is completed.
March, 2011
Simon Property Group is recognized as the top ranked real estate company in Fortune’s 2011 List of America’s Most Admired Companies.
December, 2011
Simon and Genting open Johor Premium Outlets – the first Premium Outlet Center in Southeast Asia.
December, 2011
Simon and Macerich came to an agreement to swap ownership in a number of properties. Simon obtains full ownership interest in Empire Mall, Empire East Mall, Rushmore Mall, Mesa Mall, Southern Hills Mall and Lindale Mall.
March, 2012
Simon Property Group acquires a 28.7% equity stake in Klepierre, a publicly-traded French REIT with a portfolio of approximately 270 shopping centers in 13 countries in Europe. David Simon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SPG, was appointed to the position of Chairman of Klepierre’s nine-member Supervisory Board.
March, 2012
Simon Property Group is added to the S&P 100 Index. Simon is the first real estate company to be included in the index.
March, 2013
Simon Property Group is recognized as the top ranked real estate company in Fortune’s 2013 List of America’s Most Admired Companies.