Private Equity Firm that owns PFG/VISTAR , Blackstone acquires Centro's 588 U.S. shopping malls for $9.4 bln

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Private equity firm Blackstone Group LP <BX.N> has acquired 588 U.S. shopping mall assets from Australia's debt-laden property group Centro Properties <CNP.AX> for $9.4 billion in one of the biggest global property deals since the credit crisis.

Centro confirmed on Tuesday it had agreed to sell its U.S. assets to Blackstone as part of a major restructure, marking Blackstone's first major entry into U.S. retail real estate.

Blackstone beat rival bidders including Morgan Stanley Real Estate <MS.N> which had teamed up with Starwood Capital Group as well as New York-based NRDC, a source familiar with the transaction told Reuters on Monday.

Centro did not name the other bidders on Tuesday but said it had received a number of bids for the assets.

Blackstone acquired the assets for $9.4 billion, including debt. The U.S. assets were acquired at a 1.3 percent discount to December 31 book values, Centro said.

Who is going to control the vending in malls now? 

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