Turner Outdoor Advertising v. Commissioner

1995 T.C. Memo. 227, 69 T.C.M. 2692, 1995 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 229
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMay 23, 1995
DocketDocket No. 12123-93
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1995 T.C. Memo. 227 (Turner Outdoor Advertising v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Turner Outdoor Advertising v. Commissioner, 1995 T.C. Memo. 227, 69 T.C.M. 2692, 1995 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 229 (tax 1995).

Opinion

TURNER OUTDOOR ADVERTISING, LTD., MANDERSON & ASSOCIATES, INC., TAX MATTERS PARTNER, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Turner Outdoor Advertising v. Commissioner
Docket No. 12123-93
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1995-227; 1995 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 229; 69 T.C.M. (CCH) 2692;
May 23, 1995, Filed

*229 Decision will be entered under Rule 155.

T, a partnership, purchased the assets of an outdoor advertising company. R has challenged T's allocation of cost to certain depreciable assets (the sign plant). P, the tax matters partner of T, petitioned for a readjustment. P argues that the cost (fair market value) of the sign plant was approximately $ 30 million. Alternatively, P argues that, if the cost of the sign plant was less than $ 30 million, the difference should be allocated to a depreciable intangible asset in the form of certain leasehold interests that T purchased.

1. Held: The cost of the sign plant was $ 27,924,586.

2. Held, further, P has failed to show that it purchased a depreciable intangible asset in the form of certain leasehold interests.

3. Held, further, T correctly accounted for the costs incurred when it demolished or took down certain signs.

For petitioner: David M. Wooldridge, Timothy A. Bush.
For respondent: Robert J. Shilliday, Jr., and Lawrence B. Austin.
HALPREN

HALPREN

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

HALPREN, Judge: This is a proceeding for the readjustment of various adjustments to the partnership*230 returns of Turner Outdoor Advertising, Ltd. (Turner), for Turner's taxable (calendar) years 1983 through 1987. The details of the adjustments are set forth in the notice of final partnership administrative adjustment sent to petitioner, Manderson & Associates, Inc., the tax matters partner of Turner, on March 15, 1993. The parties have settled several issues. The issues remaining for decision concern the fair market value of certain assets (principally outdoor advertising signs) acquired by Turner on August 1, 1983, and the tax treatment of certain signs demolished by Turner.

All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure, unless otherwise indicated.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Stipulations of Fact

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulations of fact filed by the parties and attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference.

Computation Stipulation

The parties have also entered into a "Stipulation of Computations of Fair Market Value" (the computation stipulation). The computation stipulation contains a number of*231 rules, certain facts, certain definitions, and a methodology that the parties agree the Court should follow to find the fair market value of the outdoor advertising signs acquired by Turner on August 1, 1983. The methodology consists of 40 steps that will lead the Court to the fair market value of such assets. Some of those steps request the Court to accept certain stipulated values for certain items, while many of the remainder request the Court to find the value of certain items. There are also computational steps, which are agreed upon by the parties. An exhibit to the computation stipulation consists of a computer disk on which is a spreadsheet on which are entered many stipulated amounts and on which the Court is requested to enter various findings of values. Execution of the spreadsheet will allow the Court to determine the fair market value in question. The Court accepts the computation stipulation and will follow it to find fair market value. Stipulated facts set forth in the computation stipulation that have not otherwise been found are so found. The computation stipulation is set forth in an appendix hereto, along with a printout of an executed copy of the spreadsheet.

*232 General Background

Turner

Turner is a limited partnership organized and existing under the laws of the State of Alabama and having a principal place of business in Atlanta, Georgia. Turner was organized on July 27, 1983. Petitioner was incorporated under the laws of the State of Alabama on June 1, 1983. At the time the petition herein was filed, petitioner had its principal office in Atlanta, Georgia.

1983 Acquisition

On June 9, 1983, petitioner entered into an agreement styled "Business Assets Purchase Agreement" (the agreement) with Turner Advertising Co., a Georgia general partnership (seller), for the purchase by petitioner of certain assets of seller. By the agreement, seller agreed to sell its accounts receivable, leases, contracts, government licenses and permits, nongovernment licenses and permits, display leases, operating property, and real property. In major part, those assets constitute the plant of an outdoor advertising company. The term "plant" is used in the outdoor advertising industry to refer, collectively, to an outdoor advertising company's office, shop facilities, real estate, machinery and equipment, furniture and fixtures, outdoor advertising*233 signs (signs), and display locations (i.e., property on which signs are placed). The term "sign plant" refers to the signs and display locations acquired from seller. 1 By the agreement, petitioner agreed to pay to seller $ 33,990,000, subject to certain adjustments. In addition, petitioner agreed to pay $ 10,000 pursuant to a license agreement for the use of the trade name "Turner".

Petitioner assigned its rights under the agreement to Turner, and, on August 1, 1983, Turner acquired the assets described in the agreement.

Outdoor Advertising Signs

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Related

Newark Morning Ledger Co. v. United States
507 U.S. 546 (Supreme Court, 1993)
Moore v. Commissioner
15 T.C. 906 (U.S. Tax Court, 1950)
Messing v. Commissioner
48 T.C. 502 (U.S. Tax Court, 1967)
Banc One Corp. v. Commissioner
84 T.C. No. 35 (U.S. Tax Court, 1985)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1995 T.C. Memo. 227, 69 T.C.M. 2692, 1995 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 229, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/turner-outdoor-advertising-v-commissioner-tax-1995.