National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Secures Landmark Financing to Build New Museum

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) announced today that it has successfully secured tax-exempt bond financing, underwritten by HJ Sims, to build the first national museum to tell the story of American law enforcement. Museum construction will commence in February, with an opening expected in mid-2018.

The Museum was authorized by the U.S. Congress and will be built in historic Judiciary Square in Washington, D.C. (444 E Street, NW), adjacent to the existing National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The $103,130,000 of the Series 2016 Revenue Bonds (National Center for Law Enforcement Issue) were issued through the District of Columbia under the DC Revenue Bond Program

The financing consisted of three series of non-rated, tax-exempt fixed rate municipal bonds each with unique features. The $48,130,000 Series A Bonds consist of intermediate and long-term maturities with a final maturity in 2049. The $30,000,000 Series B Bonds consist of two terms that will be repaid from capital campaign contributions raised in support of the Museum. The $25,000,000 Series C Bonds will be subordinate to the Series A and B Bonds. Since the Museum is being built on Federal land, the Series 2016 Bonds are not secured by a mortgage, but are backed by a pledge of multiple revenue sources from the operations of NLEOMF, including the revenue generated by the future Museum. 

"HJ Sims is honored to have led the financing to establish the National Law Enforcement Museum. Our entire firm has been dedicated to ensuring a successful and solid financing for the NLEOMF to make its vision of the Museum a reality and to fulfill its role of being a vital resource for the law enforcement community and the public," explained Aaron Rulnick, Managing Principal with HJ Sims.

"Securing the financing will allow us to now complete construction of the museum and share the powerful story of law enforcement with hundreds of thousands of visitors each year," stated NLEOMF Chairman and CEO Craig W. Floyd. "We could not have gotten to this milestone moment without the valued assistance of the District of Columbia Government, the determined effort of our bond underwriting firm, HJ Sims and, of course, the generous support of our Museum donors."

The NLEOMF has set a goal of raising an additional $25 million over the next several years to help sustain the Museum's operating and maintenance costs, and to help retire some of the tax-exempt bonds that have been sold to construct the Museum.

For more information on purchasing these bonds in the secondary market, please contact HJ Sims at 888-HJS-1935.

ABOUT HJ SIMS
Founded in 1935 on Wall Street, HJ Sims is celebrating 80 years of service as a privately held investment bank and broker-dealer with approximately $1.8 billion of assets under management. HJ Sims is known as one of the country's oldest underwriters of tax-exempt and taxable bonds, having raised approximately $20 billion for projects throughout the US. The firm is headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, with investment banking, private client wealth management and trading offices in Maryland, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Puerto Rico. All client assets are custodied at Pershing LLC, a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. For more information, please visit: www.hjsims.com. Investments involve risk, including the possible fluctuation of principal. Member FINRA/SIPC^®.

ABOUT NLEOMF
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., which contains the names of 20,538 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now working to create the National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement through high-tech, interactive exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive educational programming. For more information, visit www.SupportTheLine.com.

This is not an offer to sell. Such an offer should include a review of the Official Statement (available at www.hjsims.com/ncle) which describes the terms and conditions of the 2016 bonds. Contact an HJ Sims Income Advisor for a copy of an Official Statement. The purchase and sale of securities should be conducted on an individual basis considering the risk tolerance and investment objectives of each investor and with the advice of counsel of a professional advisor. Investments involve risk including the possible fluctuation of principal. HJ Sims is not affiliated with National Center for Law Enforcement of the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund.

CONTACT: Tara Perkins, PR & Marketing Specialist | 203-418-9049 | tperkins@hjsims.com

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160128/327118 

SOURCE National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund