Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Accounts payable and accrued expenses consist of the following as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 (amounts in thousands):



	September 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	106,420	$	102,866
Payable to the estate of Leona M. Helmsley ⁽¹⁾	18,367		18,367
Interest rate swap agreements liability	13,378		5,591
Accrued interest payable	3,903		6,230
Due to affiliated companies	622		1,010
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	142,690	$	134,064

___________

(1)

Reflects a payable to the estate of Leona M. Helmsley, as required under our formation agreements, for New York City transfer taxes which would have been payable in absence of the estate's exemption from such tax. The taxing authority's final approval of such exemption was issued during the three months ended September 30, 2017, and upon receipt of the confirming documents we made this payment to the estate of Leona M. Helmsley on October 2, 2017.