Millennium Investment & Acquisition Co. Inc. (US-OTC: MILC)
(“MILC” or the “Company”) today announced that it has agreed to
invest in a newly formed cannabis operator - VinCann LLC (“VC”). As
part of the transaction, MILC has agreed to invest $750,000. The
investment will take the form of a preferred equity interest that
receives a full return of invested capital plus a preferred return
of 12.5% after which MILC has a 77.5% ownership stake. The
remaining subordinated ownership will be held by the management
team of VC.
Concurrent with MILC’s investment, VC entered
into a 20-year lease (the “Lease”) for a 9.35 acre plot of land
with approximately 40,000 square feet of greenhouse, 3,000 square
feet of office space, and 100,000 square feet of fully fenced
outdoor growing area with 20,000+ square feet of hoop structures
that have been purchased by Power REIT (NYSE-American: PW). This
property has significant potential to become a low-cost producer of
high-quality cannabis to compete effectively in the Oklahoma
market.
Oklahoma is a relatively new cannabis market and
due to its open licensing represents an interesting opportunity. It
is referred to as the “wild-wild-west” of cannabis and is projected
to see rapid growth in the coming years. This investment positions
MILC for attractive risk adjusted returns and by working with Power
REIT provides significant leverage to its investment.
David Lesser,
MILC’s Chairman and CEO,
commented, “MILC recently announced an initial foray
into cannabis cultivation with a transaction in southern Colorado.
This transaction expands MILC’s entry into the cannabis cultivation
space as MILC transitions to an operating company from an
Investment Company under Securities and Exchange Act of 1940. As
previously disclosed, MILC has now completed the sale of its sole
investment in securities and is now focused on two areas:
sustainable cannabis cultivation in greenhouses and production of
activated carbon. MILC is enthusiastic about the prospects for
these two focus areas and its portfolio expansion with this
investment in Oklahoma. I look forward to announcing additional
exciting developments in the near future.”
VC is led by Jared Schrader, an experienced
cannabis cultivation operator with a solid track record growing
revenue at a Colorado cultivation facility from $150,000 annually
to over $150,000 weekly (i.e. > $8 million annually) across the
span of two years.
Jared Schrader,
VinCann’s
President, commented, “This cannabis cultivation
facility is already operational and has significant potential for
growth in undeveloped areas that can be easily constructed to
expand the operation. This allows VC to pursue a strategy focused
on speed to revenue and has the potential for rapid revenue growth
given the nature of Oklahoma cannabis licensing which is based on
an unlimited plant count per property. Based on the initial
property configuration, VC intends to quickly establish
approximately 32,000 cannabis plants which can be harvested
approximately five times per year. Based on recent prices for
cannabis in Oklahoma, this can result in an annual run rate of
revenue in excess of $8 million.”
Deregistration as a 1940 Act Company
On October 14, 2020, shareholders approved a
proposal to change the nature of the Company’s business from a
registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of
1940 (the “1940 Act”) and to a holding company that focuses
primarily on owning and operating businesses that produce activated
carbon and acquiring other private businesses (collectively, the
“Deregistration Proposal”). The Company is in the process of
implementing the Deregistration Proposal so that it is no longer an
“investment company” under the 1940 Act and has applied to the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for an order under
the 1940 Act declaring that the Company has ceased to be an
investment company (the “Deregistration Order”).
While the Company is committed to fully
implementing the Deregistration Proposal, it is still contingent
upon regulatory approval and the ability to reconfigure the
Company’s portfolio to deregister as an investment company. The
time required to reconfigure the Company’s portfolio could be
impacted by, among other things, the COVID-19 pandemic and related
market volatility, determinations to preserve capital, the
Company’s ability to identify and execute on desirable acquisition
opportunities, and applicable regulatory, lender and governance
requirements. The conversion process could take up to 24 months;
and there can be no assurance that the Deregistration Proposal,
even if fully implemented, will improve the Company’s performance.
Further, the SEC may determine not to grant the Company’s request
for the Deregistration Order, which would materially change the
Company’s plans for its business.
As previously announced, MILC has now completed
the liquidation of its sole investment in securities - its
investment in SMC and plans to invest the proceeds in operating
businesses.
ABOUT MILLENNIUM INVESTMENT & ACQUISITION COMPANY
INC.
Millennium Investment and Acquisition Co. Inc.
(ticker: MILC) is an internally managed, non-diversified,
closed-end investment company. During 2020, MILC announced that it
was seeking to de-register as an Investment Company that is
regulated under Investment Company Act of 1940. MILC is currently
seeking an Order from the SEC declaring that it has ceased to be an
Investment Company as it no longer meets the definition of holding
itself out as investing in securities but rather has pivoted to
focus on direct investments in operating businesses.
MILC is currently focusing on opportunities in
sustainable cannabis cultivation and the production of activated
carbon.
Additional information about MILC can be found
on its website: www.millinvestment.com
ABOUT POWER REIT
Power REIT is a specialized real estate
investment trust (REIT) that owns sustainable real estate related
to infrastructure assets including properties for Controlled
Environment Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Transportation. Power
REIT is actively seeking to expand its real estate portfolio
related to Controlled Environment Agriculture for the cultivation
of food and cannabis.
Power REIT is focuses on the “Triple Bottom
Line” with a commitment to Profit, Planet and People.
Additional information about Power REIT can be
found on its website: www.pwreit.com
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ABOUT
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document includes forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the U.S. securities laws.
Forward-looking statements are those that predict or describe
future events or trends and that do not relate solely to historical
matters. You can generally identify forward-looking statements as
statements containing the words "believe," "expect," "will,"
"anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "project," "plan," "assume",
"seek" or other similar expressions, or negatives of those
expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain
these identifying words. All statements contained in this document
regarding our future strategy, future operations, future prospects,
the future of our industries and results that might be obtained by
pursuing management's current or future plans and objectives are
forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on
any forward-looking statements because the matters they describe
are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond our control. Our
forward-looking statements are based on the information currently
available to us and speak only as of the date of the filing of this
document. Over time, our actual results, performance, financial
condition or achievements may differ from the anticipated results,
performance, financial condition or achievements that are expressed
or implied by our forward-looking statements, and such differences
may be significant and materially adverse to our security
holders.
CONACT:
David H. Lesser, Chairman &
CEOdavid@dlesser.com 212-750-0371
301 Winding Road Old Bethpage, NY
11804www.millinvestment.com
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