OPINION OF STINSON MORRISON HECKER LLP REGARDING LEGALITY
Published on February 28, 2007
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EXHIBIT 5.1 www.stinsonmoheck.com |
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WICHITA
WASHINGTON, D.C.
PHOENIX
ST. LOUIS
OMAHA
JEFFERSON CITY
OVERLAND PARK
WICHITA
WASHINGTON, D.C.
PHOENIX
ST. LOUIS
OMAHA
JEFFERSON CITY
February 27, 2007
Entertainment Properties Trust
30 West Pershing Road, Suite 201
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
30 West Pershing Road, Suite 201
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with the registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration
Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) of
Entertainment Properties Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”),
proposed to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) on or about the date hereof, you have requested our opinions set forth below.
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the
Registration Statement.
You have provided us with a copy of the Registration Statement, which relates to an
indeterminate amount of (i) debt securities of the Company (the “Debt Securities”), (ii)
common shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share, of the Company (the “Common
Shares”), (iii) preferred shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share, of the
Company (the “Preferred Shares”), (iv) depositary shares representing Preferred Shares
(“Depositary Shares”) evidenced by depositary receipts therefor (“Depositary
Receipts”), and (v) warrants to purchase one or more classes of securities registered under the
Registration Statement (the “Warrants” and, together with the Debt Securities, the Common
Shares, the Preferred Shares and the Depositary Shares, the “Registered Securities”), in
each case which may be offered from time to time, as set forth in the final prospectus that forms a
part of the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), and as to be set forth in one or
more final supplements to the Prospectus (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”). As described
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, Registered Securities may be offered as units
with other Registered Securities.
As described in the Prospectus, (i) the Debt Securities will be issued in one or more series
pursuant to one or more indentures (each, an
“Indenture”) to be entered
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into between the Company and the trustees party thereto (each, a “Trustee”),
substantially in the form of Exhibit 4.1 or Exhibit 4.2 to the Registration
Statement; (ii) the Depositary Shares will be issued in one or more series pursuant to one or more
depositary agreements (each, a “Depositary Agreement”) to be entered into between the
Company and the depositary party thereto (each, a “Depositary”); and (iii) the Warrants
will be issued in one or more series pursuant to one or more warrant agreements (each, a
“Warrant Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and the warrant agent party
thereto (each, a “Warrant Agent”). Each Indenture, Depositary Agreement and Warrant
Agreement and each underwriting agreement and other agreement or instrument, if any, that are
hereafter required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement by an amendment thereto
or by the filing of a Form 8-K by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, in
connection with offerings of Debt Securities, Depositary Shares, Warrants, Common Shares or
Preferred Shares are referred to herein as “Related Documents”.
In connection with this opinion, we have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
and originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records,
agreements and instruments of the Company, certificates of public officials and of officers of the
Company and such other documents and records, and such matters of law, as we have deemed necessary
as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed, including the Amended and Restated Declaration
of Trust, as amended, and Bylaws of the Company.
For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to
us as originals, the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies and the
authenticity of the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. We have also assumed the
genuineness of the signatures of persons signing all documents in connection with which this
opinion is rendered, the authority of such persons signing on behalf of the parties thereto other
than the Company and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by the parties
thereto other than the Company. As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein which we
have not independently established or verified, we have relied upon the statements and
representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.
We have also assumed in connection with the opinions expressed below that: (i) the Company is
a real estate investment trust duly formed and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the
State of Maryland and in good standing with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of
Maryland; (ii) the Company has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to issue
and offer the Registered Securities and enter into and perform its obligations under the Related
Documents, and the issuance of the Registered Securities to be issued from time to time and the
terms and conditions thereof and of the Related Documents, and the execution and delivery of the
Related Documents by the Company, will be duly
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authorized and approved on behalf of the Company (such approvals referred to herein as the
“Trust Proceedings”); (iii) the Trust Proceedings, the issuance of the Registered
Securities and the terms and conditions of Related Documents will be (A) in accordance with all
applicable laws and the Company’s charter and bylaws, and (B) not in conflict with any contractual
or other restrictions which are binding on the Company; (iv) each Trustee, Depositary and Warrant
Agent is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction
of organization and has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to enter into
perform its obligations under the Related Documents to which it is a party; (v) when executed and
delivered by the parties thereto, the Related Documents will be the valid and binding obligations
of the parties thereto, other than the Company; and (vi) except in the case of the forms of
Indentures, each Related Document will be properly filed by an amendment to the Registration
Statement or by the filing of a Form 8-K by the Company under the Exchange Act, and properly
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, as permitted by the Securities Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
We render no opinion herein as to matters involving the laws of any jurisdiction other than
the present laws of the United States of America, the present laws of the State of Missouri
(excluding local laws), the Maryland Corporations and Associations Act, and the present judicial
interpretations thereof. We advise you that the issues addressed by this opinion may be governed
in whole or in part by other laws, and we express no opinion as to whether any relevant difference
exists between the laws upon which our opinion is based and any other laws that may actually
govern.
Our opinion expressed below is subject to the qualifications that we express no opinion as to
the applicability of, compliance with, or effect of (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, arrangement and other laws affecting creditors’ rights, including,
without limitation, the effect of statutory or other laws regarding fraudulent conveyances,
fraudulent transfers and preferential transfers, (ii) the limitations imposed by general principles
of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and
fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law; and (iii) public policy
considerations which may limit the rights of parties to obtain certain remedies.
Based on and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that, as of the date hereof:
1. Each series of Debt Securities will be valid and binding obligations of the
Company when (i) the Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act
and the applicable Indenture shall have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, (ii) all Trust Proceedings relating to such series of Debt Securities and any applicable
Related Documents shall have been duly completed and shall not have been modified or rescinded,
(iii) the applicable
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Indenture (and any related supplemental indenture) shall have been duly executed and delivered
by the Company and the applicable Trustee, (iv) such series of Debt Securities shall have been (A)
duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided in the applicable
Indenture and Trust Proceedings, and (B) duly delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment
of the agreed consideration therefor, as provided in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
the applicable Prospectus Supplement, Indenture and Trust Proceedings.
2. Each series of Depositary Shares will be validly issued, and the related
Depositary Receipts will be validly issued and will entitle the holders thereof to the rights
specified therein and in the applicable Depositary Agreement, when (i) the Registration Statement
shall have become effective under the Securities Act, (ii) all Trust Proceedings relating to such
series of Depositary Shares and the underlying Preferred Shares and any applicable Related
Documents shall have been duly completed and shall not have been modified or rescinded, (iii) the
applicable Depositary Agreement shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the
applicable Depositary, (iv) the underlying Preferred Shares shall have been validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable and shall have been duly deposited with such Depositary under such
Depositary Agreement, and (v) the applicable Depositary Receipts shall have been duly executed by
such Depositary as provided in the such Depositary Agreement and the applicable Trust Proceedings
and shall have been duly delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed
consideration therefor, as provided in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the
applicable Prospectus Supplement, Depositary Agreement and Trust Proceedings.
3. Each series of Warrants will constitute the valid and binding obligations of the Company
when (i) the Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act, (ii) all
Trust Proceedings relating to such series of Warrants and the Registered Securities which are
issuable upon exercise thereof and any applicable Related Documents shall have been duly completed
and shall not have been modified or rescinded, (iii) the applicable Warrant Agreement shall have
been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the applicable Warrant Agent, and (iv) such
Warrants shall have been duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Warrant Agent as
provided in the applicable Warrant Agreement and the applicable Trust Proceedings and shall have
been duly delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor,
as provided in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement,
Warrant Agreement and Trust Proceedings.
4. The Common Shares will be validly issued, fully-paid and non-assessable when (i) the
Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act, (ii) all Trust
Proceedings relating to such Common Shares and any applicable Related Documents shall have been
duly completed and shall not have been modified or rescinded, (iii) such Common Shares shall have
been (A) duly executed by the Company and authenticated as provided by the Trust Proceedings,
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February 27, 2007
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and (B) duly delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration
therefor, as provided in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus
Supplement and Trust Proceedings.
5. The Preferred Shares will be validly issued, fully-paid and non-assessable when (i) the
Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act, (ii) all Trust
Proceedings relating to such Preferred Shares and any applicable Related Documents shall have been
duly completed and shall not have been modified or rescinded, (iii) such Preferred Shares shall
have been (A) duly executed by the Company and authenticated as provided by the Trust Proceedings,
and (B) duly delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration
therefor, as provided in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus
Supplement and Trust Proceedings.
This opinion is limited to the specific issues addressed herein, and no opinion may be
inferred or implied beyond that expressly stated herein. This opinion shall not be construed as or
deemed to be a guaranty or insuring agreement. This opinion is rendered on the date hereof and we
have no continuing obligation hereunder to inform you of changes of law, including judicial
interpretations of law, or of facts of which we become aware after the date hereof.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement
and to reference to this firm under the caption “Legal
Opinions” in the Prospectus. In giving such consent, we do not
thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or the rules of the Commission.
Very truly yours,
/S/ STINSON MORRISON HECKER LLP