Anchor Tenant Question

[John Yarenis]

Our anchor tenant, a corporate owned restaurant chain that occupies over 5K SF of space, has contacted us with a request.  They're looking to perform some improvements to their location but are looking to us for partial funding.  They options they presented to us are as follows:

• Contribute $85K towards 200K remodel; base lease extended 10 years from 8/2014; four 5 Year options and increases.
• Contribute $0 towards remodel; base lease extended 10 years from 8/2014; Rent remains unchanged for next 10 years; four 5 Year options and increases.

This sounds a little questionable to me; and the circumstances are a little questionable.  The tenant has 2 years left on their inital lease and have not exercised any of their 5 year options mentioned above.  If we go tell them to pound salt, they begin to look to acquire new space now and have the entire build-out process completed by the time our lease is up. 

One of our partners is claiming that this is their way of muscling us into funding some of their remodel; and I tend to agree.  The belive that they would prefer to not have to fund a $2MM capital expenditure if they can avoid it; but they would also prefer if they didn't have to fund the entire amount of their remodel.

What I'm asking is: has anyone been faced with a similar situation where the anchor tenant has requested contribution to their remodeling expense?  Thanks in advance.