Amstar and Renaissance's Kozzy Shopping Center Nominated for ICSC's Worldwide "Best-of-the-Best" Award

LAS VEGAS, April 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Amstar and Renaissance Development's Kozzy Shopping Center located in Istanbul, Turkey has been nominated as one of 11 finalists for the International Council of Shopping Center's ("ICSC") 2012 "Best-of-the-Best" VIVA Award for outstanding shopping center development. The VIVA (Vision, Innovation, Value and Achievement) Award honors the best examples of shopping center marketing, design and development, sustainability and community service from around the world.

Kozzy Shopping Center, which opened in April 2010, was previously awarded Europe's Best New Retail Project (under 20,000 m2) by the ICSC as well as Best New Shopping Center Development (under 50,000 m2) by Turkey's Trade Council of Shopping Centers & Retailers (AMPD).  Kozzy was developed through a joint venture between Amstar and Renaissance and is located on the Anatolian side of Istanbul in the affluent residential neighborhood of Kadikoy.

"We are honored that Kozzy Shopping Center has been recognized among the top shopping centers of the world," said Jason Lucas, president of Amstar Global Partners. "It is a testament to the quality of the property and the development expertise of both Amstar and Renaissance.  We are currently under construction on an additional three shopping center developments in Turkey and will strive to achieve similar recognition after their grand openings in 2013."   

"The Best-of-the-Best" VIVA Awards presentation will be held at ICSC's RECon in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 21, 2012.  For more information please visit www.icsc.org/globalawards.

About Amstar:

Amstar Advisers, LLC is a global investment manager focused on creating value for its clients through the implementation of sound real estate-related investment strategies. The firm is an affiliate of Amstar Global Partners, Ltd and Amstar Group, LLC, a real estate investment manager with more than 25 years of experience in acquisition, development, and capitalization of office, hotel, multifamily, industrial, and retail properties within the major markets of the United States and select markets in Europe and Latin America.

Together, Amstar Advisers, LLC, Amstar Global Partners, Ltd and Amstar Group, LLC, collectively referred to as "Amstar", have approximately $1.7 billion in assets under management. Amstar Advisers, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser with approximately $750 million in assets under management. For more information on Amstar, go to www.amstar.com or contact Amstar Managing Director Rob Toomey at rob.toomey@amstar.com.

About Renaissance:

Renaissance Development is the investment branch of Renaissance Engineering and Construction of Turkey, the world's third largest international retail contractor and 18th largest international general building contractor.  Renaissance, which has over 2.8 million m2 of commercial space and 11 shopping centers in Turkey, was awarded "Best Real Estate Developer in Turkey" by Euromoney Magazine in 2011.  For more information about Renaissance visit the company's website at www.rendvlp.com.