Cresco Labs Enters Into Sale-and-Leaseback Agreement With Innovative Industrial Properties for Illinois Facilities
CHICAGO, September 27, 2019–(BUSINESS WIRE), September 27, 2019- Cresco Labs Inc. (“Cresco Labs” or the “Company”) (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF), one of the largest vertically integrated multistate cannabis operators in the United States, today announced that it has signed a binding agreement to sell its Joliet and Kankakee, Illinois properties to Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (“IIP”) for approximately $46.3 million, which amount includes funding for additional tenant improvements at the Kankakee property. Concurrent with the closing of the sale, Cresco Labs will enter into a long-term, triple-net lease agreement with IIP and will continue to operate each property as a licensed cannabis cultivation and processing facility. The two properties represent approximately 100,000 square feet of industrial space in aggregate. The agreement is expected to close within the next 30 days.
“This sale-and-leaseback agreement with IIP represents a non-dilutive capital solution for Cresco Labs that will support the expansion of our Illinois operations in preparation for the legalization of adult-use cannabis on January 1, 2020,” said Cresco Labs CEO and Co-founder Charlie Bachtell.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the two properties will be utilized to create the scale in our cultivation capacity and retail dispensary network necessary to meet the significant increase in demand projected from the legalization of adult-use cannabis and the expansion of the medical-use program in Illinois.
Cresco Labs CEO and Co-founder Charlie Bachtell
With the Illinois cannabis market projected to reach $2 billion to $4 billion in annual sales at maturity, the expansion of our operations will position Cresco Labs to build upon our leading market share and significantly increase the revenue we generate from Illinois in the coming years.
About Cresco Labs:
Cresco Labs is one of the largest vertically-integrated multi-state cannabis operators in the United States. Cresco is built to become the most important company in the cannabis industry by combining the most strategic geographic footprint with one of the leading distribution platforms in North America. Employing a consumer-packaged goods (“CPG”) approach to cannabis, Cresco’s house of brands is designed to meet the needs of all consumer segments and includes some of the most recognized and trusted national brands including Cresco, Remedi and Mindy’s, a line of edibles created by James Beard Award-winning chef Mindy Segal. Sunnyside*, Cresco’s national dispensary brand, is a wellness-focused retailer designed to build trust, education and convenience for both existing and new cannabis consumers. Recognizing that the cannabis industry is poised to become one of the leading job creators in the country, Cresco has launched the industry’s first national comprehensive Social Equity and Educational Development (SEED) initiative designed to ensure that all members of society have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to work in and own businesses in the cannabis industry. Learn more about Cresco Labs at www.crescolabs.com.
