Treasurer: SouthPark Mall owners on the hook for over $400k in missed property taxes

MOLINE, Ill. (KWQC) - The future of SouthPark Mall could be in danger.

In May of 2025, SouthPark Mall was sold from real estate investment trust Macerich to current owners Koehn Retail Investment Group.

Rock Island County Treasurer Nick Camlin said in the time Koehn has owned the SouthPark Mall property, they’ve paid no money in property taxes for the 2025 year, racking up a bill of over $400,000 in four missed increment payments.

With the owners not footing the bill, Camlin said this could pose significant problems for the community.

“If they do not pay in that year to year and a half time frame, then at that time, the tax buyers who provided the tax dollars up front, they will be able to petition the court for a tax deed and once they get a tax deed in hand, they can turn that tax deed into our county recorder of deeds office and thereby take ownership of the property,” Camlin said. “At that time, it could create some serious issues for the community, especially for tenants who might be in the building dealing with a new owner so it is something that deserves serious attention, the owners at this time, and also from our community.”

As the Rock Island county has been trying to receive payment from the Koehn Group, Camlin said just yesterday Koehn made contact with the county.

Before that, Camlin said they had made multiple attempts to get in contact.

“Typically after we send out the friendly reminder, a lot of people get caught up with their taxes after the certified delinquent notice letter goes out and also the publishing in the newspaper, we get a lot of people who call and make an effort,” said Camlin. " We did not, we were not contacted by Koehn or SouthPark reality, until just yesterday."

Thursday, Koehn contacted the county to find out what their back tax payoff would be, Camlin said. But if it’s not paid it could cause problems for the community.

“ The school districts, the cities, the townships, the other various taxing bodies, park districts, so for example on a $400,000 bill the schools are usually about on average so you can image that is $210,000 that the school districts would not be getting for their operations,” Camlin said.

But, Camlin also said that’s why the city has the tax sale and tax buyers in place as an essential tax code to pay that liability.

As for now, Camlin said they’ve started the process to receive payment.

The Kohan Group also owns the Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids.