DDR Launches FranchiseConnect, New Service Connecting Franchise Opportunities and Entrepreneurs

BEACHWOOD, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DDR Corp. (NYSE: DDR) today announced the launch of FranchiseConnect, a new online platform connecting shopping centers, franchise opportunities and entrepreneurs.

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FranchiseConnect is DDR's latest program designed to provide business opportunities to aspirational entrepreneurs. DDR recently launched Set Up Shop, a program offering flexible terms at specific locations for entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses.

DDR developed FranchiseConnect in partnership with its franchise retailers to provide entrepreneurs with web-based tools to research local and site-specific franchise opportunities across the company's national portfolio of market-dominant prime shopping centers. FranchiseConnect will assist aspiring business owners by facilitating a connection to local franchise opportunities with some of the world's leading retailers.

"Franchisees are excellent tenants as they have a personal investment in their business and at the same time they are backed by a national brand, an existing customer base and a proven business model. We have many successful franchise establishments currently in our portfolio and look forward to expanding that category further," said Paul Freddo, senior executive vice president of leasing and development.

DDR uses geographic information technology and business intelligence systems to identify the best locations for each of its franchise partners. When analyzing the company's shopping center portfolio, DDR considers the franchisor's ideal requirements such as distance from the nearest location, trade area demographics, shopping center venue, tenant mix, competition, space size and location within the shopping center.

DDR currently has over 1,200 open and operating franchise establishments within its portfolio with reputable brands like Dunkin' Donuts, Great Clips, GNC, Subway, Domino's Pizza, Panera Bread, Massage Envy Spa, Menchie's Frozen Yogurt and The UPS Store, many of which have franchise opportunities listed on FranchiseConnect.

For more information about FranchiseConnect, visit it on the web at www.FranchiseConnect.com.  

About DDR

DDR is an owner and manager of 538 value-oriented shopping centers representing 134 million square feet in 41 states, Puerto Rico and Brazil. The company's assets are concentrated in high barrier-to-entry markets with stable populations and high growth potential and its portfolio is actively managed to create long-term shareholder value. DDR is a self-administered and self-managed REIT operating as a fully integrated real estate company, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DDR. Additional information about the company is available at www.ddr.com.

Safe Harbor

DDR considers portions of the information in this press release to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended, with respect to the Company's expectation for future periods. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, among other factors, local conditions such as oversupply of space or a reduction in demand for real estate in the area; competition from other available space; dependence on rental income from real property; the loss of, significant downsizing of or bankruptcy of a major tenant; constructing properties or expansions that produce a desired yield on investment; our ability to sell assets on commercially reasonable terms; our ability to secure equity or debt financing on commercially acceptable terms or at all; our ability to enter into definitive agreements with regard to our financing and joint venture arrangements or our failure to satisfy conditions to the completion of these arrangements; our ability to continue to pay dividends on our common shares at the current or higher rates; and the finalization of the financial statements for the three-month period and year ended December 31, 2011. For additional factors that could cause the results of the Company to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

SOURCE DDR Corp.

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