EXCLUSIVE Washington Prime to file bankruptcy as soon as this week-sources

Mall owner Washington Prime Group Inc (WPG.N) is preparing to seek bankruptcy protection as soon as this week after the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to temporarily close some of its roughly 100 shopping centers across the United States and businesses were unable to pay it rent, people familiar with the matter said.

The Columbus, Ohio-based company, formed in 2014 following a spin-off from mall giant Simon Property Group Inc (SPG.N), owns properties that include open-air town centers and enclosed malls, with roughly a third concentrated in the Midwest. Its tenants include brand-name retailers…