Thursday, June 17, 2010

Schools Matter: Imagine Update

Schools Matter: Imagine Update

Imagine Update

From a recent presentation by the leadership of Entertainment Properties Trust, the REIT that owns 31 schooled operated by the Imagine Schools:

There are about 5000 charter schools in place now at about 4% of the total public school system in the United States and it's grown at about 400-500 units per year, which is about a $2 billion dollar annual investment opportunity set. So it's a very big and high growth category that is going to continue to represent opportunities for the company.
The executives also note the promising political climate.

This all makes me wonder: what exactly is Imagine's tax status? How does their official status impact the way they do business with someone like EPT? Time for a little Imagine update...

Over in Indiana, Don Willis is doing business out in the open these days - well, until today. Willis is now gone, as are two other members. Recall Willis' dealings with the still debated Imagine School in McKinney - and, yes,