Is a buyout of the master lease a feasible alternative?
Most landlords will only entertain a buyout or termination of the master lease if there is a tenant in hand to backfill the space. If the prospective subtenant is looking for a longer term than the sublease provides or the creditworthiness of the prospective subtenant is the same or better than the existing tenant, then the landlord may be willing to negotiate a buyout. The advantage of pursuing a buyout instead of a traditional sublease is that, by terminating the master lease, the tenant avoids the risk of a subtenant not satisfying the terms of the sublease. The disadvantage is that the tenant may have to pay a negotiated lump sum cash termination fee.
