WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS /TX/
8-K, 1998-02-23
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
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<PAGE>   1




                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



      Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):  February 23, 1998



                          WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

<TABLE>
           <S>                                 <C>                           <C>
           TEXAS                                1-9876                        74-1464203
 (State or other jurisdiction of        (Commission file number)           (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                                          Identification Number)
</TABLE>


      2600 Citadel Plaza Drive, P.O. Box 924133, Houston, Texas 77292-4133
              (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


      Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (713) 866-6000



                                 Not applicable
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
<PAGE>   2
ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS.

          On February 19, 1998, completed an offering of 3,000,000 shares of
7.44% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares at $25.00 per share(the "Series A
Preferred Shares").  The Series A Preferred Shares, which may be called by the
Company on or after March 31, 2003, has no stated maturity and will not be
subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption and will not be convertible
into any other securities of the Company.  The Company has applied for approval
from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to list the Series A Preferred Shares
on the NYSE.

          The net proceeds of the offering will be approximately $72.5 million
and will be sued to pay down the outstanding balance under the Company's
revolving credit facilities, for acquisitions, new development, and other
corporate purposes.  Merrill Lynch & Co., Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley
Dean Witter and Salomon Smith Barney served as co-managers in the offering of
the Series A Preferred Shares.



ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

          (c)    Exhibits.

                     1    Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the
                          Agents dated February 19, 1998, supplemented by the
                          Pricing Agreement among the Company and the Agents
                          dated February 19, 1998 relating to the Series A
                          Preferred Shares.

                     4    Form of certificate for the 7.44% Series A Cumulative
                          Redeemable Preferred Shares

                    99    Statement of Designation
<PAGE>   3
                                   SIGNATURES


          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly  caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: February 23, 1998
                                           WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS



                                           By:  /s/Stephen C. Richter
                                              ---------------------------------
                                                   Stephen C. Richter
                                                   Vice President/Financial 
                                                   Administration and Treasurer
<PAGE>   4
                          WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
       <S>          <C>
       EXHIBIT
       -------

          1         Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the Agents 
                    dated February 19, 1998 supplemented by the Pricing
                    Agreement among the Company and the Agents dated February
                    19, 1998 relating to the Series A Preferred Shares.

          4         Form of Certificate for the 7.44% Series A 
                    Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares

         99         Statement of Designation
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   1
                                                                       EXHIBIT 1



                          WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS

                       Common Shares and Preferred Shares

                             Underwriting Agreement


                                                               February 19, 1998



Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Smith Barney Inc.
        c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                Incorporated
World Financial Center
North Tower
New York, New York  10281-1326


Ladies and Gentlemen:

         From time to time Weingarten Realty Investors, a Texas real estate
investment trust (the "Company"), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing
Agreements (each a "Pricing Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto, with
such additions and deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject
to the terms and conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the
firms named in Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms
constituting the "Underwriters" with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the
securities specified therein) certain of its shares of beneficial interest (the
"Shares") specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect to
such Pricing Agreement, the "Designated Shares").  The Shares may include the
Company's common shares of beneficial interest, par value $.03 per share (the
"Common Shares"), or preferred shares of beneficial interest, par value $.03
per share (the "Preferred Shares").

         The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Shares
shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or
pursuant to the resolutions of the board of trust managers of the Company
identified in such Pricing Agreement.

           Particular sales of Designated Shares may be made from time to time
to the Underwriters of such Shares, for whom the firms designated as
representatives of the Underwriters of such Shares in the Pricing Agreement
relating thereto will act as representatives (the "Representatives").  The term
"Representatives" also refers to a single
<PAGE>   2
firm acting as sole representative of the Underwriters and to an Underwriter or
Underwriters who act without any firm being designated as its or their
representatives.  This Underwriting Agreement shall not be construed as an
obligation of the Company to sell any of the Shares or as an obligation of any
of the Underwriters to purchase the Shares.  The obligation of the Company to
issue and sell any of the Shares and the obligation of any of the Underwriters
to purchase any of the Shares shall be evidenced by the Pricing Agreement with
respect to the Designated Shares specified therein.  Each Pricing Agreement
shall specify the aggregate number of such Designated Shares, the initial
public offering price of such Designated Shares, the purchase price to the
Underwriters of such Designated Shares, the names of the Underwriters of such
Designated Shares, the names of the Representatives of such Underwriters and
the number of such Designated Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter and
shall set forth the date, time and manner of delivery of such Designated Shares
and payment therefor.  The Pricing Agreement shall also specify (to the extent
not set forth in the registration statement and prospectus with respect
thereto) the terms of such Designated Shares.  A Pricing Agreement shall be in
the form of an executed writing (which may be in counterparts), and may be
evidenced by an exchange of telegraphic communications or any other rapid
transmission device designed to produce a written record of communications
transmitted.  The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and each
Pricing Agreement shall be several and not joint.

           The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:

                    A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-12179) 
           in respect of the Securities has been filed with the Securities and
           Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); such registration statement
           and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore
           delivered or to be delivered to the Representatives and, excluding
           exhibits to such registration statement, but including all documents
           incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained therein, to
           the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters have been
           declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a
           registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering
           (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement") filed pursuant to Rule
           462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),
           which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect
           to such registration statement or document incorporated by reference
           therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with the
           Commission (other than prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of
           the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act each in
           the form heretofore delivered to the Representatives); and no stop
           order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement,
           any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration
           Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that
           purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any
           preliminary prospectus included in such registration statement or
           filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act, is
           hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of
           such registration statement and
<PAGE>   3
           Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits
           thereto and the documents incorporated by reference in the
           prospectus contained in the registration statement at the time such
           part of the registration statement became effective, each as amended
           at the time such part of the registration statement became effective
           or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any,
           became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively
           called the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to the
           Shares, in the form in which it has most recently been filed, or
           transmitted for filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date
           of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any
           reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
           shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated
           by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act,
           as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the
           case may be; any reference to any amendment or supplement to any
           Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to
           and include any documents filed after the date of such Preliminary
           Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities
           Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and
           incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or
           Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to
           the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include
           any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or
           15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the
           Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the
           Registration Statement; and any reference to the Prospectus as
           amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus
           as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated
           Shares in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant
           to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof,
           including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the
           date of such filing and if the Company elects to rely on Rule 434
           under the Act, any reference to the Prospectus shall be deemed to
           include, without limitation, the form of prospectus and the
           abbreviated term sheet, taken together, provided to the Underwriters
           by the Company in reliance on Rule 434 under the Act (the "Rule 434
           Prospectus));

                    The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,
           when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the
           case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements
           of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and
           regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents
           contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
           a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
           the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances
           under which they were made; and any further documents so filed and
           incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment
           or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are
           filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all
           material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange
           Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
           thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material
<PAGE>   4
           fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
           or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
           provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not
           apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
           conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by
           an Underwriter of Designated Shares through the Representatives
           expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
           relating to such Shares;

                The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any
           further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
           the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the
           requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the
           Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable
           effective date and Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof)
           as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of
           its date of issuance and Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4
           hereof) as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
           thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
           state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
           make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that
           this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements
           or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with
           information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter of
           Designated Shares through the Representatives expressly for use in
           the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Shares;

                The Company is a real estate investment trust duly formed and
           validly existing under the laws of the State of Texas, with full
           power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
           conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and the Company
           is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in
           each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or
           conducts any business, so as to require such qualification, or is
           subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the
           failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction, and holds all
           authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and
           permits from all governmental authorities which are material to the
           conduct of its business;

                 Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and
           is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws
           of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has full power and
           authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct
           its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as
           a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing
           in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
           whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the
           conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify would
           not have a material adverse effect or a prospective material adverse
           effect, on the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings or
           business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as
           one enterprise; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of
           each such subsidiary has been duly authorized and
<PAGE>   5
           validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the
           Company, directly or through subsidiaries (except for Weingarten
           Properties Trust, of which the Company owns approximately 77% of the
           outstanding capital shares), free and clear of any security
           interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity;

                Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained 
           since the date of the latest audited financial statements included
           or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any material loss or
           interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
           calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
           dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise
           than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the
           respective dates as of which information is given in the
           Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any
           change in the consolidated capital stock of the Company (except for
           issuances of Common Shares pursuant to the Company's employee
           benefit and stock option plans and the Company's Dividend
           Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan) or any change in the
           consolidated debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
           decrease in consolidated net current assets or net assets or any
           material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective
           material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs,
           management, financial position, shareholders' equity or results of
           operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as
           set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, and there has been no
           material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or
           in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
           Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether
           or not arising in the ordinary course of business;

                The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
           Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the
           Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are
           fully paid and non-assessable;

                The Shares have been duly and validly authorized, and, when
           Designated Shares are issued and delivered pursuant to this
           Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated
           Shares, such Designated Shares will be duly and validly issued and
           fully paid and non-assessable; and the Shares conform to the
           description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, and the
           Designated Shares will conform to the description thereof contained
           in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to such
           Designated Shares;

                The issue and sale of the Shares and the compliance by the 
           Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and any Pricing
           Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein and
           therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or
           violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
           default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
           agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or
           any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of
<PAGE>   6
           its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets
           of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will such
           action result in any violation of the provisions of the Declaration
           of Trust or By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule
           or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having
           jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of
           their respective properties; and no consent, approval,
           authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any
           such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue
           and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the
           transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Pricing
           Agreement, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the
           Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof), obtained under
           the Act and except for the listing of the Designated Shares on the
           New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or other stock exchange and such
           consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications
           as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in
           connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the
           Underwriters;

                The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions
           "Description of Common Shares," "Description of Preferred Shares,"
           "Description of Securities Warrants," "Plan of Distribution" and
           "Underwriting," insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of
           the terms of the Shares, or to describe the provisions of the laws
           and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;

                Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation
           of its charter or By-laws or in default in the performance or
           observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or
           condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
           agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a
           party or by which it or its properties may be bound;     

                Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
           governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
           subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or
           any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined
           adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would
           individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on
           the current or future consolidated financial position, shareholders'
           equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries;
           and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are
           threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened
           by others;

                The consolidated financial statements together with related 
           notes and schedules as set forth or incorporated by reference in the
           Registration Statement, present fairly the financial position and
           the results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries at the
           indicated dates and for the indicated periods.  Except as otherwise
           stated in the Registration Statement, such financial statements have
           been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
           principles, applied on a consistent basis; and the supporting
<PAGE>   7
           schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the
           information required to be stated therein;

                The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable 
           title to all real property and interests in real property owned by
           them and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by
           them, in each case free and clear of all pledges, liens,
           encumbrances, claims, security interests and defects, except as are
           described in the Prospectus and except for property owned in the
           joint ventures set forth in Annex III hereto or such as do not
           materially affect the value of such property and interests in the
           aggregate and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be
           made of such property and interests by the Company and its
           subsidiaries taken as a whole; in the case of real property and
           interests in real property, the Company and its subsidiaries have
           obtained satisfactory confirmation (consisting of policies of title
           insurance or binders therefor or opinions of counsel based upon the
           examination of abstracts) confirming, except as is otherwise
           described in the Prospectus, (a) that the Company and its
           subsidiaries have the foregoing title to such real property and
           interests in real property; provided, however, that in those cases
           in which such information is not current, the Company and its
           subsidiaries do not have notice of any material claim of any sort
           which has been asserted by anyone adverse to the Company's or its
           subsidiaries foregoing title to such real property and interests in
           real property, and (b) that the instruments securing the
           indebtedness of third parties to the Company or its subsidiaries
           create valid liens upon the real properties described in such
           instruments enjoying the priorities intended, subject only to
           exceptions to title which have no materially adverse effect on the
           value of such real properties and interests; and any real property
           and buildings held under lease by the Company or its subsidiaries or
           leased by the Company or its subsidiaries to a third party are held
           or leased by them under valid, binding and enforceable leases
           conforming to the description thereof set forth in the Prospectus,
           with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with
           the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings
           by the Company or its subsidiaries or such third party;
           
                The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state,
           local and foreign income tax returns which have been required to be
           filed on or before the due date (taking into account all extensions
           of time to file) and have paid or provided for all taxes indicated
           by said returns and all assessments received by it to the extent
           that taxes have become due;

                With respect to all tax periods regarding which the Internal 
           Revenue Service is or will be entitled to assert any claim, the
           Company has met the requirements for qualification as a real estate
           investment trust under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal
           Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code), and the Company's
           present and contemplated operations, assets and income continue to
           meet such requirements;
<PAGE>   8
                 The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
           and sale of the Shares, will not be an "investment company" or an
           entity "controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are
           defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
           "Investment Company Act");

                Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have audited certain financial 
           statements of the Company and its subsidiaries filed with the
           Commission as part of, or incorporated by reference in, the
           Registration Statement and Prospectus are independent public
           accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of
           the Commission promulgated thereunder; and
           
                 Although the Company is aware of the presence of hazardous
           substances, hazardous materials, toxic substances or waste materials
           ("Hazardous Materials") on certain of its properties, nothing has
           come to the attention of the Company which, at this time, would lead
           the Company to believe that the presence of such Hazardous
           Materials, when considered in the aggregate, would materially
           adversely affect the financial condition of the Company.  In
           connection with the construction on or operation and use of the
           properties owned or leased by the Company or any of its
           subsidiaries, the Company represents that, as of the date of this
           Agreement, it has no knowledge of any material failure by the
           Company or any of its subsidiaries to comply with all applicable
           local, state and federal environmental laws, regulations, ordinances
           and administrative and judicial orders relating to the generation,
           recycling, reuse, sale, storage, handling, transport and disposal of
           any Hazardous Materials.

           Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any
Designated Shares and authorization by the Representatives of the release of
such Designated Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer such
Designated Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented.

           Certificates for the Designated Shares to be purchased by each
Underwriter pursuant to the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in definitive
form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the
Representatives may request upon at least twenty-four hours' prior notice to
the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such
Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor by certified or
official bank check or checks, payable to the order of the Company in the funds
specified in such Pricing Agreement, all at the place and time and date
specified in such Pricing Agreement or at such other place and time and date as
the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and
date being herein called the "Time of Delivery" for such Shares.

           The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated
Shares:
<PAGE>   9
           If the Company does not elect to rely on Rule 434 under the Act,
immediately following execution and delivery of the applicable Pricing
Agreement, to prepare the Prospectus as amended and supplemented in relation to
the applicable Designated Shares in a form approved by the Representatives and
to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than
the Commission's close of business on the business day following the execution
and delivery of the Pricing Agreement relating to the applicable Designated
Shares or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b),
or if the Company elects to rely on Rule 434 under the Act, immediately
following execution and delivery of the applicable Pricing Agreement, to
prepare an abbreviated term sheet relating to the Designated Shares in a form
approved by the Representatives that complies with the requirements of Rule 434
under the Act and to file such form of Rule 434 Prospectus complying with Rule
434(c)(2) of the Act pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the
Commission's close of business on the business day following the execution and
delivery of the Pricing Agreement relating to the applicable Designated Shares
or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b); to make
no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus as amended or supplemented after the date of the Pricing Agreement
relating to such Shares and prior to the Time of Delivery for such Shares which
shall be disapproved by the Representatives for such Shares promptly after
reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives promptly of any such
amendment or supplement after such Time of Delivery and furnish the
Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and any
definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company
with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in
connection with the offering or sale of such Shares, and during such same
period to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice
thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been
filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended
Prospectus has been filed with the Commission, of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use
of any prospectus relating to the Shares, of the suspension of the
qualification of such Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any
request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the
issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending
the use of any prospectus relating to the Shares or suspending any such
qualification, to promptly use every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal
of such order;

           Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Shares for offering and
sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may
request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales
and dealings therein in such
<PAGE>   10
jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of
such Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be
required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to
service of process in any jurisdiction;

           Prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time, on the New York business day
next succeeding the date of the applicable Pricing Agreement and from time to
time to furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City
as amended or supplemented in such quantities as the Representatives may
reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any
time in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time
any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then
amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such
Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall
be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or
to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the
Representatives and upon their request to file such document and to prepare and
furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as
many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of
an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance;

           To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under
the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need
not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the
Company, Rule 158);

           During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing Agreement
for such Designated Shares and continuing to and including the later of (i) the
termination of trading restrictions for such Designated Shares, as notified to
the Company by the Representatives and (ii) the Time of Delivery for such
Designated Shares, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise issue any
shares of beneficial interest of the Company which are substantially similar to
such Designated Shares, without the prior written consent of the
Representatives or enter into any swap or any other agreement or any
transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the
economic consequence of ownership of shares of beneficial interest of the
Company which are substantially similar to such Designated Shares, whether any
such swap or transaction described above is to be settled by delivery of shares
of beneficial
<PAGE>   11
           interest of the Company which are substantially similar to such
           Designated Shares, in cash or otherwise;

                To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the 
           Shares in the manner specified in the Prospectus under the caption
           "Use of Proceeds"; and
           
                To elect to qualify as a "real estate investment trust" under 
           the Code, and to use its best efforts to continue to meet the
           requirements to qualify as a "real estate investment trust".

                The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters
that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following:  (i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in
connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto (including each abbreviated term sheet
delivered by the Company pursuant to Rule 434 under the Act) and the mailing
and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost
of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, any
Pricing Agreement, any blue sky and legal investment surveys and any other
documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the
Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares
for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b)
hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with such qualification and in connection with the blue sky and
legal investment surveys; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating services
for rating the Shares; (v) any filing fees incident to any required review by
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale
of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing certificates for the Shares (vii) the
fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar or dividend disbursing
agent; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of
its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in
this Section.  It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this
Section and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their
own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on
resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected
with any offers they may make.
           
           The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Shares under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Shares shall be subject, in
the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or
incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
Shares are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares, true
and correct, to the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its
obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional
conditions:

                The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the
           applicable Designated Shares shall have been filed with the
<PAGE>   12
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed
for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance
with Section 5(a) hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the
Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives' reasonable
satisfaction;
           
                Brown & Wood LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have
furnished to the Representatives such opinion or opinions, dated the Time of
Delivery for such Designated Shares, with respect to the matters covered in
paragraphs (i), (ii), (v) (as to the Designated Shares only), (vii), (viii),
(xi) and (xv) of subsection (c) below as well as such other related matters as
the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have
received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable
them to pass upon such matters;

           Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Hill & LaBoon, L.L.P., counsel for the
Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion,
dated the Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:

                 The Company is a real estate investment trust duly formed and
           validly existing under the laws of the State of Texas and is
           entitled to the benefits of the Texas Real Estate Investment Trust
           Act.

                The Company has the power and authority (corporate and other) to
           own its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
           Prospectus as amended or supplemented.
           
                The Company is duly qualified to transact business and is in 
           good standing in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases
           properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such
           qualification or is subject to no material liability, or disability
           by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such
           jurisdiction.
           
                 Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated (or,
           with respect to Weingarten Properties Trust, has been formed as a
           real estate investment trust) and is validly existing as a
           corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
           its incorporation, has power and authority (corporate and other) to
           own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as
           described in the Prospectus and, to the best of their knowledge and
           information, is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or trust to
           transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
           which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the
           ownership or leasing of property or the
<PAGE>   13
           conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify would
           not have a material adverse effect or a prospective material adverse
           effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings or
           business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as
           one enterprise; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of
           each such subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is
           fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly
           or through subsidiaries (except for Weingarten Properties Trust, of
           which the Company owns approximately 77% of the outstanding capital
           shares), free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge,
           lien, encumbrance, claim or equity.

                The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
           Prospectus as amended or supplemented and all of the issued shares
           of capital stock of the Company (including the Designated Shares
           being delivered at such Time of Delivery) have been duly and validly
           authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.
        
                To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as set 
           forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental 
           proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
           is a party or of which any property of the Company or any its
           subsidiaries is the subject other than as set forth in the
           Prospectus, which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of
           its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a
           material adverse effect on the current or future consolidated
           financial position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of
           the Company and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of such counsel's
           knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
           governmental authorities or threatened by others.

                This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the 
           Designated Shares have been duly authorized, executed and delivered
           by the Company.

                The Designated Shares conform to the description thereof in 
           the Prospectus as amended or supplemented.
           
                The issue and sale of the Shares and the compliance by the 
           Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and any Pricing
           Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein and
           therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or
           violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
           default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
           agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or
           any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of
           its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets
           of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will such
           action result in any violation of the provisions of the Declaration
           of Trust or By-laws of the Company or any statute or any
<PAGE>   14
           order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or
           body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries
           or any of their respective properties.

                    No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
           qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or
           body is required for the issue and sale of the Designated Shares or
           the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by
           this Agreement or the Pricing Agreement, except such as have been,
           or will have been prior to the Time of Delivery, obtained under the
           Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders,
           registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
           securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
           distribution of the Designated Shares by the Underwriters.

                    The information set forth in the Prospectus, under the 
           captions "Description of Common Shares," "Description of Preferred
           Shares," "Plan of Distribution" and "Underwriting," to the extent
           such information constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal
           matters, documents or proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been
           reviewed by them and is correct.
           
                    Based upon review of such documents, certificates and 
           records as counsel has deemed necessary to express its opinion, upon
           its discussions with management of the Company, independent
           accountants for the Company and with certain shareholders of the
           Company and based upon the facts set forth in the Registration
           Statement, certain assumptions and certain representations made to
           it by the Company's management and by certain of its shareholders,
           counsel is of the view that, as of the date of its opinion the
           Company's form of organization and its share ownership is such as to
           enable the Company to meet the requirements of the Code for
           qualifications as a real estate investment trust thereunder and that
           its income, assets and method of operations have allowed it to
           qualify as a real estate investment trust for its taxable year ended
           December 31, 1985 and all years thereafter, and its currently
           contemplated future assets, income and method of operations should
           put it in a position to qualify to be treated as a real estate
           investment trust for the calendar year 1998.
           
                    The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
           and sale of the Designated Shares, will not be an "investment
           company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company", as
           such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act;
          
                    The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus 
           as amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements and
           related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no
           opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the
           Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material
           respects with the
<PAGE>   15
           requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
           rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and they have no
           reason to believe that any of such documents, when they became
           effective or were so filed, as the case may be, contained, in the
           case of a registration statement which became effective under the
           Act, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
           material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
           statements therein not misleading, and, in the case of other
           documents which were filed under the Act or the Exchange Act with
           the Commission, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
           state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
           therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
           made when such documents were so filed, not misleading.

                    The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or
            supplemented and any further amendments and supplements thereto
           made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery for the Designated
           Shares (other than the financial statements and related schedules
           therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as
           to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act
           and the rules and regulations thereunder; although they do not
           assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness
           of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the
           Prospectus, except for those referred to in the opinion in
           subsection (xi) of this Section 7(c), they have no reason to believe
           that, as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or any
           further amendment thereto (other than the financial statements and
           related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no
           opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
           to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
           to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus
           as amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements and
           related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no
           opinion), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any
           such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at the Time of
           Delivery, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material
           fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make
           the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
           which they were made, not misleading.

           On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated Shares and
at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares, the independent public
accountants of the Company who have certified the financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter,
dated the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of the most
recent report filed with the Commission containing financial statements and
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, if the date of such
report is later than such effective date, and a letter dated
<PAGE>   16
such Time of Delivery, respectively, to the effect set forth in Annex II
hereto, and with respect to such letter dated such Time of Delivery, as to such
other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representatives;

           (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the
Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Shares any loss or interference
with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, or from any
labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, or any material
adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings,
business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as
amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated
Shares, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating
to the Designated Shares there shall not have been any change in the capital
stock of the Company or any change in the consolidated long-term debt of the
Company and its subsidiaries or any decrease in consolidated net current assets
or net assets or any change, or any development involving a prospective change,
in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as
amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated
Shares, the effect of which, in any such case described in Clause (i) or (ii),
is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Designated Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated
in the Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the Designated
Shares;

           On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Shares (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded
the Company's debt securities or preferred shares by any "nationally recognized
statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the Commission for
purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act and (ii) no such organization shall
have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible
negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities or
preferred shares;

           On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Shares there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New
York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the
Company's securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general
<PAGE>   17
moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York or Texas declared by
either Federal, Texas or New York authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or
escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the
United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event
specified in this Clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Designated Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated
in the Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the Designated
Shares; and

           The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Shares a certificate
or certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the Representatives
as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein
at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all
of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of
Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this
Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably
request.

           The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise
out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Shares, or any amendment
or supplement thereto (including the information deemed to be a part of the
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 434 under the Act, if applicable), or
arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, against any and all loss, liability, claim,
damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate
amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding
by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
alleged untrue statement or omission any such settlement is effected with the
written consent of the Company, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection
with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus
supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the
<PAGE>   18
Shares, or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter of
Designated Shares through the Representatives expressly for use in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Shares.

           Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are
based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement,
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any
other prospectus relating to the Shares, or any amendment or supplement thereto
(including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement
pursuant to Rule 434 under the Act, if applicable), or arise out of or are
based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
was made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement,
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any
other prospectus relating to the Shares, or any such amendment or supplement in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use
therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or
defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

           Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified
party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in
writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection.  In case any such
action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be
entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not,
except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the
indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such
indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the
indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such
subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel (unless separate counsel is
required due to conflict of interest) or any other expenses, in each case
subsequently
<PAGE>   19
incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof
other than reasonable costs of investigation.

           If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable
to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated
Shares on the other from the offering of the Designated Shares to which such
loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates.  If,
however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the
notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but
also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of
the Designated Shares on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and such Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion
as the total net proceeds from such offering (before deducting expenses)
received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by such Underwriters.  The relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to
state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one
hand or such Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission.  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would
not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this
subsection (d).  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result
of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which
the applicable Designated Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the
public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
<PAGE>   20
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The obligations of the
Underwriters of Designated Shares in this subsection (d) to contribute are
several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations with respect
to such Shares and not joint.

           The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall
extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who
controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of
the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability
which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the
same terms and conditions, to each officer and trust manager of the Company and
to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.

             If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Designated Shares which it has agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement
relating to such Designated Shares, the Representatives may in their discretion
arrange for themselves or another party or other parties to purchase such
Designated Shares on the terms contained herein.  If within thirty-six hours
after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do not arrange for
the purchase of such Designated Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a
further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or
other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Designated
Shares on such terms.  In the event that, within the respective prescribed
period, the Representatives notify the Company that they have so arranged for
the purchase of such Designated Shares, or the Company notifies the
Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Designated
Shares, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares for a period of not more than seven
days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or in any
other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which
in the opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made necessary.  The term
"Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted
under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a
party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Shares.

           If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate number of such Designated Shares which remains unpurchased does not
exceed one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Designated Shares, then the
Company shall have the right to require
<PAGE>   21
           each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Designated
           Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing
           Agreement relating to such Designated Shares and, in addition, to
           require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata
           share (based on the number of Designated Shares which such
           Underwriter agreed to purchase under such Pricing Agreement) of the
           Designated Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for
           which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall
           relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

                   If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase
           of the Designated Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
           by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a)
           above, the aggregate number of Designated Shares which remains
           unpurchased exceeds one-tenth of the aggregate number of the
           Designated Shares, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the
           Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b)
           above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Designated
           Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then the Pricing
           Agreement relating to such Designated Shares shall thereupon
           terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
           Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by
           the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and
           the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but
           nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability
           for its default.

           The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the
Company, or any officer or trust manager or controlling person of the Company,
and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

           If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9
hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter
with respect to the Designated Shares covered by such Pricing Agreement except
as provided in Section 6 and Section 8 hereof.  If this Agreement shall be
terminated as a result of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof
(other than Section 7(g)(i), (iii) or (iv)) not being satisfied, the Company
will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representatives for all
out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including
fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in
making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of such Designated
Shares, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any
Underwriter with respect to such Designated Shares except as provided in
Sections 6 and 8 hereof.

           In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters
of Designated Shares shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the
parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement,
<PAGE>   22
request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.

         All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex
or facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in
the Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by
mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth
in the Registration Statement: Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that
any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered
or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its
address set forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting
such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the
Representatives upon request.  Any such statements, requests, notices or
agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

           This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon, and
inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the
extent provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and trust managers of
the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and
their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and
no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement or any such Pricing, Agreement.  No purchaser of any of the Shares
from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of
such purchase.

           Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement.  As used
herein, "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.

           THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH PRICING AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

           This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one
or more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

         If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us four counterparts hereof.


                                         Very truly yours,
                                         
                                         
                                         WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS
                                         
                                         
                                         By:______________________________
                                            Name:
                                            Title:
<PAGE>   23




Accepted as of the date hereof:


MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED
SMITH BARNEY INC.

BY: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
                INCORPORATED



By:  ________________________
         Authorized Signatory
                                                                        ANNEX I

                               Pricing Agreement
                               -----------------


[Name(s) of Representative(s)]
  As Representatives of the several
  Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
[Name and address of Representative]



                                                         _________________, 199_



Dear Sirs:

         Weingarten Realty Investors, a Texas real estate investment trust (the
"Company"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in
the Underwriting Agreement, dated _______________ __, 199_ (the "Underwriting
Agreement"), between the Company on the one hand and [names of Representatives
named therein] on the other hand, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named
in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") the Shares specified in Schedule II
hereto (the "Designated Shares").  Each of the provisions of the Underwriting
Agreement is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be
deemed to be a part of
<PAGE>   24
this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in
full herein; and each of the representations and warranties set forth therein
shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Pricing
Agreement, except that each representation and warranty which refers to the
Prospectus in Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a
representation or warranty as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement in
relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a representation and
warranty as of the date of this Pricing Agreement in relation to the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Shares which are the
subject of this Pricing Agreement.  Each reference to the Representatives
herein and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by
reference shall be deemed to refer to you.  Unless otherwise defined herein,
terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined.
The Representatives designated to act on behalf of the Representatives and on
behalf of each of the Underwriters of the Designated Shares pursuant to Section
12 of the Underwriting Agreement and the address of the Representatives
referred to in such Section 12 are set forth at the end of Schedule II hereto.

         An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Shares, in the form
heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the Commission.

         Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time
and place and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule
II hereto, the number of Designated Shares set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.

         If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us ____ counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you,
on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof,
including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by
reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the
Underwriters and the Company.  It is understood that your acceptance of this
letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the
authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of
which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but
without warranty on the part of the Representatives as to the authority of the
signers thereof.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS


                                            By:______________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:
<PAGE>   25




Accepted as of the date hereof:

[Name of Representatives]

By_______________________

On behalf of each of the Underwriters
<PAGE>   26
                                   SCHEDULE I



                                                                   Number of
                                                               Designated Shares
      Underwriter                                               to be Purchased
      -----------                                              -----------------
      Merrill Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith Incorporated           $  750,000
      Goldman, Sachs & Co.                                           750,000
      Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporate                               750,000
      Smith Barney Inc.                                              750,000
                                                                   
                                                                  ----------
      Total                                                       $3,000,000
                                                                  ----------
                                                                



                Total                                             -----------
                                                                  
                                                                  ===========



                                  SCHEDULE II


TITLE OF DESIGNATED SHARES:

[DATE OF BOARD RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING DESIGNATED SHARES:]

NUMBER OF DESIGNATED SHARES:

INITIAL OFFERING PRICE TO PUBLIC:

[$ ___ per share]   [Formula]
<PAGE>   27
PURCHASE PRICE BY UNDERWRITERS:

[$ ___ per share] [Formula]

[COMMISSION PAYABLE TO UNDERWRITERS:

$ ___ per share]

SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:
[New York] Clearing House funds

DIVIDEND RATE:
[   % per annum]

DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATES:
[months and dates]

DIVIDEND RIGHTS:

[Non-] cumulative, [deferred]


VOTING RIGHTS:


LIQUIDATION RIGHTS:


PREEMPTIVE AND CONVERSION RIGHTS:


REDEMPTION PROVISIONS:

       [No provisions for redemption]

       [The Designated Shares may be redeemed, [otherwise than through the
       sinking fund,] in whole or in part at the option of the Company, [on or
       after......., at the following redemption prices:

Redemption
Year
Price   
- ------------

       and thereafter at $.... per share, together in each case with accrued
       dividends to the redemption date.]

       [on any dividend payment date falling in or after         ,           ,
       at the election of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the
       stated amount thereof, plus accrued dividends to the date of
       redemption.]

       [Other possible redemption provisions, such as mandatory redemption upon
       occurrence of certain events or redemption for changes in tax law]
<PAGE>   28
SINKING FUND PROVISIONS:

       [None]

       [The Designated Shares are entitled to the benefit of a sinking
       fund to retire         Designated Shares on         in each of
       the years       through        at 100% of their stated amount
       plus accrued dividends] [, together with [cumulative]
       [noncumulative] redemptions at the option of the Company to
       retire an additional      Designated Shares in the years      
       through        at 100% of their stated amount plus accrued dividends].

TIME OF DELIVERY:

     CLOSING LOCATION FOR DELIVERY OF SHARES: 

NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF REPRESENTATIVES:

Designated Representatives:

Address for Notices, etc.:


[OTHER TERMS]*:



___________
*A description of particular tax, accounting or other unusual features (such as
the addition of event risk provisions) of the Designated Shares should be set
forth, or referenced to an attached and accompanying description, if necessary
to ensure agreement as to the terms of the Shares to be purchased and sold.
Such a description might appropriately be in the form in which such features
will be described in the Prospectus Supplement for the offering.
                                                                        ANNEX II

     Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:

          (i)  They are independent certified public accountants with respect
     to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the
     applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;

          (ii)  In their opinion, the financial statements and any
     supplementary financial information and schedules audited (and, if
     applicable, financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial information)
     examined by them and included or incorporated by reference in the
     Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all material
     respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act or the
     Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules and
     regulations thereunder; and, if
<PAGE>   29
     applicable, they have made a review in accordance with standards
     established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of
     the consolidated interim financial statements, selected financial data,
     pro forma financial information, financial forecasts and/or condensed
     financial statements derived from audited financial statements of the
     Company for the periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their
     reports thereon, copies of which have been [separately] furnished to the
     representative or representatives of the Underwriters (the
     Representatives ) such term to include an Underwriter or Underwriters who
     act without any firm being designated as its or their representatives [and
     are attached hereto];

          (iii)  They have made a review in accordance with standards
     established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of
     the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated
     balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the
     Prospectus and/or included in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q
     incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as indicated in their
     reports thereon copies of which [have been separately furnished to the
     Representatives][are attached hereto]; and on the basis of specified
     procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company who have
     responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding whether the
     unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in
     paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects with
     the applicable accounting requirements of the [Act and the Exchange] Act
     and the related published rules and regulations, nothing came to their
     attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited condensed
     consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in all material
     respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the [Act and the
     Exchange] Act and the related published rules and regulations;

          (iv)  The unaudited selected financial information with respect to
     the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
     Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus
     and included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's
     Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the
     corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the audited
     consolidated financial statements for five such fiscal years which were
     included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Reports on
     Form 10-K for such fiscal years;

          (v)  They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
     selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and
     on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came
     to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused
     them to believe that this information does not conform in all material
     respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and
     503(d) respectively, of Regulation S-K;
<PAGE>   30
          (vi)  On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
     examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
     consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
     information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
     financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of
     the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the
     latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference
     in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its
     subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such
     other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing
     came to their attention that caused them to believe that:

                (A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of
          income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
          cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included or incorporated
          by reference in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
          incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form
          in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements
          of the Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations,
          or (ii) any material modifications should be made to the unaudited
          condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance
          sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the
          Prospectus or included in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form
          10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus for them to be in
          conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;

                (B)  any other unaudited income statement data and balance
          sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the
          corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
          statements from which such data and items were derived, and any such
          unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis substantially
          consistent with the basis for the corresponding amounts in the
          audited consolidated financial statements included or incorporated by
          reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most
          recent fiscal year;

                (C)  the unaudited financial statements which were not included
          in the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed
          financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any unaudited
          income statement data and balance sheet items included in the
          Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B) were not determined on a
          basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited
          financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
          Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;

                (D)  any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
          statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do
          not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
          accounting requirements of the
<PAGE>   31
          Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the pro
          forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical
          amounts in the compilation of those statements;

                (E)  as of a specified date not more than five days prior to
          the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
          consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock
          upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights, upon
          earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of convertible
          securities, in each case which were outstanding on the date of the
          latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the
          Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term debt of the
          Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated net
          current assets or net assets or shareholders' equity or other items
          specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items
          specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with
          amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by
          reference in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes,
          increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred
          or may occur or which are described in such letter; and

                (F)  for the period from the date of the latest financial
          statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to
          the specified date referred to in Clause (E) there were any decreases
          in total revenues or net income or net income per share or other
          items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items
          specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with the
          comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of
          corresponding length specified by the Representatives, except in each
          case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
          occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and

          (vii)  In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s)
     included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited
     procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures
     referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out
     certain specified procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with
     generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts,
     percentages and financial information specified by the Representatives
     which are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and
     its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents
     incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules
     to, the Registration Statement specified by the Representatives or in
     documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the
     Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages
     and financial information with the accounting records of the Company and
     its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.
<PAGE>   32
     All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein)
as defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered
on the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Shares for purposes
of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares.

                                                                      ANNEX III



Alabama-Shepherd Shopping Center
DeVargas Center Joint Venture
Eastdale Center, Ltd.
Eastex Venture
East Town, Lake Charles Co.
Jacinto City, Ltd.
Maine J.V. (Lisbon Street Shopping Trust)
Main/OST, Ltd.
Mansfield Road Associates
Mesquite Center, Ltd.
Northwest Hollister Venture
Phelan Boulevard Venture
Randall's Center/Lake Houston Parkway
Rosenberg, Ltd.
Sheldon Center, Ltd.
South-Loop-Long-Wayside Company
Southridge Plaza Venture
Steeplechase Mall Joint Venture
WRI/Palans Venture
Yale/20 Venture
York Townhouse Apartment
<PAGE>   33
                               Pricing Agreement


Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
            Incorporated
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Smith Barney Inc.
    c/o Merrill Lynch & Co.
    World Financial Center
    North Tower
    New York, New York 10281-1326


                                                               February 19, 1998



Ladies and Gentlemen:

    Weingarten Realty Investors, a Texas real estate investment trust (the
"Company"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in
the Underwriting Agreement, dated February 19, 1998 (the "Underwriting
Agreement"), between the Company on the one hand and Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated and Smith Barney Inc., on the other hand, to issue and sell to the
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") the Shares
specified in Schedule II hereto (the "Designated Shares").  Each of the
provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by reference in
its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same
extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and each of the
representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been
made at and as of the date of this Pricing Agreement, except that each
representation and warranty which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the
Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of
the date of the Underwriting Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as
therein defined), and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this
Pricing Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
relating to the Designated Shares which are the subject of this Pricing
Agreement.  Each reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions
of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to
refer to you.  Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the
Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined.  The Representatives
designated to act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf of each of the
Underwriters of the Designated Shares pursuant to Section 12 of the
Underwriting Agreement and the address of the Representatives referred to in
such Section 12 are set forth at the end of Schedule II hereto.

    An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Shares, in the form 
heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the Commission.

    Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time
and place and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule
II hereto, the number of Designated Shares set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.

    If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us four counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on
behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof,
including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by
reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the
Underwriters and the Company.  It is understood that your acceptance of this
letter on
<PAGE>   34

<PAGE>   35
behalf of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set
forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be
submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on
the part of the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.


                                          Very truly yours,


                                          WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS


                                          By:______________________________
                                             Name:
                                             Title:






Accepted as of the date hereof:

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
            Incorporated
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Smith Barney Inc.

By: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
               Incorporated


By: _________________________________
         Authorized Signatory
    On behalf of each of the Underwriters



                                   SCHEDULE I


                                                                 Number of
            Underwriter                                      Designated Shares
            -----------                                       to be Purchased  
                                                             -----------------
Merrill Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith                                $  750,000
            Incorporated
Goldman, Sachs & Co.                                                   750,000
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated                                      750,000
Smith Barney Inc.                                                      750,000
                                                                    ---------- 
         Total                                                      $3,000,000
                                                                    ==========
<PAGE>   36
                                  SCHEDULE II


TITLE OF DESIGNATED SHARES:

          7.44% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (par value
          $0.03 per share)

     NUMBER OF DESIGNATED SHARES:

          3,000,000

     OVER-ALLOTMENT OPTION:

          450,000 Option Shares; exercisable for 30 days from the date hereof.

     INITIAL OFFERING PRICE TO PUBLIC:

          $25.00 per share, plus accrued dividends, if any, from the date of
          original issue.

     PURCHASE PRICE BY UNDERWRITERS:

          $ 24.2125 per share

     COMMISSION PAYABLE TO UNDERWRITERS:

          $ 0.7875 per share

     PURCHASE PRICE FOR OPTION SHARES:

          $25.00 per share, plus accrued dividends, if any, from the date of
          original issue.

     SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:

          Same-day funds.

     DIVIDEND RATE:

          7.44% of the liquidation preference per annum

     DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATES:

          Payable quarterly on or about the last day of each March, June,
          September and December or, if not a business day, the succeeding
          business day, commencing March 31, 1998.

     DIVIDEND RIGHTS:

          Cumulative

     VOTING RIGHTS:

          None, except as provided in the Prospectus Supplement
<PAGE>   37
LIQUIDATION RIGHTS:

     Liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any
     accrued and unpaid dividends

PREEMPTIVE AND CONVERSION RIGHTS:

     None

REDEMPTION PROVISIONS:

     On or after March 31, 2003, the Designated Shares may be redeemed, in
     whole or in part at the option of the Company, at a redemption price of
     $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends

SINKING FUND PROVISIONS:

     None

TIME OF DELIVERY:

     9:00 a.m., New York City time, on February 24, 1998

CLOSING LOCATION FOR DELIVERY OF SHARES:

                                    Brown & Wood LLP
                                    One World Trade Center
                                    New York, New York 10048-0557

NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF REPRESENTATIVES:

     Designated Representatives:Merrill Lynch & Co.
                                    Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                                                Incorporated
                                    Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                                    Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
                                    Smith Barney Inc.

     Address for Notices, etc.: c/o Merrill Lynch & Co.
                                    World Financial Center
                                    North Tower
                                    New York, New York 10281-1326
OTHER TERMS:

     The Representatives waive receipt of the letter from the independent
public accountants of the Company, to be dated the date of this Pricing
Agreement, referenced in Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement.

                                                                        ANNEX II

     Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:

          (i)  They are independent certified public accountants with respect
     to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the
     applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
<PAGE>   38
         (ii)  In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary
     financial information and schedules audited (and, if applicable, financial
     forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by them and
     included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
     accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and
     the related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable,
     they have made a review in accordance with standards established by the
     American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated
     interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial
     information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements
     derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods
     specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of
     which have been [separately] furnished to the representative or
     representatives of the Underwriters (the Representatives ) such term to
     include an Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm being
     designated as its or their representatives [and are attached hereto];
     
          (iii)  They have made a review in accordance with standards
     established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of
     the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated
     balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the
     Prospectus and/or included in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q
     incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as indicated in their
     reports thereon copies of which [have been separately furnished to the
     Representatives][are attached hereto]; and on the basis of specified
     procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company who have
     responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding whether the
     unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in
     paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects with
     the applicable accounting requirements of the [Act and the Exchange] Act
     and the related published rules and regulations, nothing came to their
     attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited condensed
     consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in all material
     respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the [Act and the
     Exchange] Act and the related published rules and regulations;

          (iv)  The unaudited selected financial information with respect to
     the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
     Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus
     and included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's
     Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the
     corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the audited
     consolidated financial statements for five such fiscal years which were
     included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Reports on
     Form 10-K for such fiscal years;

          (v)  They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
     selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and
     on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came
     to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused
     them to believe that this information does not conform in all material
     respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and
     503(d) respectively, of Regulation S-K;

          (vi)  On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
     examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
     consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
     information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
     financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of
     the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the
     latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference
     in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its
     subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such
     other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing
     came to their attention that caused them to believe that:

             (A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
          consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
          included in the Prospectus and/or included or incorporated by
          reference in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated
          by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all
          material respects with the
<PAGE>   39
          applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and the
          related published rules and regulations, or (ii) any material
          modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed consolidated
          statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated
          statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus or included in
          the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by
          reference in the Prospectus for them to be in conformity with
          generally accepted accounting principles;

             (B)  any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
          items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding
          items in the unaudited consolidated financial statements from which
          such data and items were derived, and any such unaudited data and
          items were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the
          basis for the corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated
          financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
          Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;

             (C)  the unaudited financial statements which were not included in
          the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed
          financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any unaudited
          income statement data and balance sheet items included in the
          Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B) were not determined on a
          basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited
          financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
          Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;

             (D)  any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
          statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do
          not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
          accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and
          regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not been
          properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those
          statements;

             (E)  as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the
          date of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated
          capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock upon exercise of
          options and stock appreciation rights, upon earn-outs of performance
          shares and upon conversions of convertible securities, in each case
          which were outstanding on the date of the latest balance sheet
          included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) or any
          increase in the consolidated long-term debt of the Company and its
          subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated net current assets or
          net assets or shareholders' equity or other items specified by the
          Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the
          Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in the
          latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the
          Prospectus, except in each case for changes, increases or decreases
          which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are
          described in such letter; and

             (F)  for the period from the date of the latest financial
          statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to
          the specified date referred to in Clause (E) there were any decreases
          in total revenues or net income or net income per share or other items
          specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items
          specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with the
          comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of
          corresponding length specified by the Representatives, except in each
          case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
          occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and

     (vii)  In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s) included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures,
inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in
paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified
procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with generally accepted
auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial
information specified by the Representatives which are derived
<PAGE>   40
     from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries,
     which appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by
     reference), or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the
     Registration Statement specified by the Representatives or in documents
     incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the
     Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages
     and financial information with the accounting records of the Company and
     its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.

     All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein)
as defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered
on the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Shares for purposes
of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares.

<PAGE>   1
                                                                       EXHIBIT 4

                            STATEMENT OF DESIGNATION
                                       OF
              7.44% SERIES A CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES
                                       OF
                           WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS

                                   ARTICLE ONE

     WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS (the "Company"), pursuant to the provisions of
Section 3.30 of the Texas Real Estate Investment Trust Act (the "TREITA"),
hereby files this Statement of Designation of 7.44% Series A Cumulative
Redeemable Preferred Shares of the Company (the "Statement") prior to the
issuance of any shares of 7.44% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares,
such series of unissued shares having been established by a resolution duly
adopted by all necessary action on the part of the Company and the Board of
Trust Managers, as provided for in the Restated Declaration of Trust, as amended
("Declaration of Trust").

                                   ARTICLE TWO

     The name of the Company is Weingarten Realty Investors.

                                  ARTICLE THREE

     Pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Trust Managers by the
Declaration of Trust and Section 3.30 of the TREITA, the Board of Trust
Managers, pursuant to Section 10.20 of the TREITA, adopted a resolution
establishing the 7.44% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of the
Company and designating the series and fixing and determining the preferences,
limitations, and relative rights thereof, as set forth in the true and correct
copy of the resolution attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Designating
Resolution").

                                  ARTICLE FOUR

     The Designating Resolution was adopted effective as of February 19, 1998.

                                  ARTICLE FIVE

     The Designating Resolution was duly adopted by all necessary action on the
part of the Company.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned officer has executed this Statement
effective as of February 23, 1998.

                                    By:   /s/Stephen C. Richter
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                    Name:  Stephen C. Richter
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                    Title:   Senior Vice President and Treasurer
                                          --------------------------------------

<PAGE>   2

                                    EXHIBIT A

                             DESIGNATING RESOLUTION
                             BOARD OF TRUST MANAGERS
                           WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS
                                FEBRUARY 19, 1998


AUTHORIZATION OF 7.44% SERIES A CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES

     WHEREAS, the Board of Trust Managers of the Company has deemed it to be in
the best interest of the Company and its shareholders for the Company to
establish a series of preferred shares pursuant to the authority granted to the
Board of Trust Managers in the Restated Declaration of Trust, as amended (the
"Declaration of Trust") of the Company:

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that, pursuant to the authority vested in
the Board of Trust Managers by Article Seven of the Declaration of Trust of the
Company, a series of preferred shares, par value $.03 per share, is hereby
established, and the terms of the same shall be as follows:

     (i) TITLE. The series of preferred shares is hereby designated as the
"7.44% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares" (the "Series A Preferred
Shares").

     (ii) NUMBER. The maximum number of authorized shares of the Series A
Preferred Shares shall be 3,450,000.

     (iii) RELATIVE SENIORITY. In respect of rights to receive dividends and to
participate in distributions of payments in the event of any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, the Series A Preferred Shares shall
rank senior to the common shares and any other class or series of shares of the
Company ranking, as to dividends and upon liquidation, junior to the Series A
Preferred Shares (collectively, "Junior Shares").

     (iv) DIVIDENDS.

         (A) The holders of the then outstanding Series A Preferred Shares shall
be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Trust Managers out
of any funds legally available therefor, cumulative dividends at the rate of
$1.86 per share per year, payable in equal amounts quarterly in cash on the last
day of each March, June, September and December or, if not a Business Day (as
hereinafter defined), the next succeeding Business Day (each such day being
hereafter called a "Quarterly Dividend Date" and each period ending on a
Quarterly Dividend Date being hereinafter called a "Dividend Period"). Dividends
shall begin on March 31, 1998. Dividends shall be payable to holders of record
as they appear in the share records of the Company at the close of business on
the applicable record date (the "Record Date"), which shall be the 15th day of
the calendar month in which the applicable Quarterly Dividend Date falls on or
such other date designated by the Board


                                       2
<PAGE>   3

of Trust Managers of the Company for the payment of dividends that is not more
than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to such Quarterly Dividend Date. The amount
of any dividend payable for any Dividend Period shorter than a full Dividend
Period shall be prorated and computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months. Dividends paid on the Series A Preferred Shares in an amount less
than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such
shares shall be allocated pro rata on a per share basis among all such shares at
the time outstanding.

         "Business Day" shall mean any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday,
that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New
York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to
close.

         (B) The amount of any dividends accrued on any Series A Preferred
Shares at any Quarterly Dividend Date shall be the amount of any unpaid
dividends accumulated thereon, to and including such Quarterly Dividend Date,
whether or not earned or declared, and the amount of dividends accrued on any
shares of Series A Preferred Shares at any date other than a Quarterly Dividend
Date shall be equal to the sum of the amount of any unpaid dividends accumulated
thereon, to and including the last preceding Quarterly Dividend Date, whether or
not earned or declared, plus an amount calculated on the basis of the annual
dividend rate of $1.86 per share for the period after such last preceding
Quarterly Dividend Date to and including the date as of which the calculation is
made based on a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

         (C) Except as provided in this resolution, the Series A Preferred
Shares will not be entitled to any dividends in excess of full cumulative
dividends as described above and shall not be entitled to participate in the
earnings or assets of the Company, and no interest, or sum of money in lieu of
interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the
Series A Preferred Shares which may be in arrears.

         (D) Any dividend payment made on the Series A Preferred Shares shall be
first credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect
to such shares which remains payable.

         (E) If, for any taxable year, the Company elects to designate as
"capital gain dividends" (as defined in Section 857 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the "Code")), any portion (the "Capital Gains Amount") of
the dividends paid or made available for the year to holders of all classes of
shares (the "Total Dividends"), then the portion of the Capital Gains Amount
that shall be allocated to the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall
equal (i) the Capital Gains Amount multiplied by (ii) a fraction that is equal
to (a) the total dividends paid or made available to the holders of the Series A
Preferred Shares for the year over (b) the Total Dividends. Subject to the
provisions of applicable law, the current and accumulated earnings and profits
of the Company will be allocated first to distributions to the Series A
Preferred Shares and then to distributions with respect to common shares of the
Company.

         (F) No dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares shall be authorized
by the Board of Trust 

                                       3
<PAGE>   4

Managers or be paid or set apart for payment by the Company at such time as the
terms and provisions of any agreement of the Company, including any agreement
relating to its indebtedness, prohibit such authorization, payment or setting
apart for payment or provide that such authorization, payment or setting apart
for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if
such authorization or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares will
accrue whether or not the Company has earnings, whether or not there are funds
legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such
dividends are authorized.

         (v)  LIQUIDATION RIGHTS.

         (A) Upon the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or
winding up of the Company, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares then
outstanding shall be entitled to receive and to have paid out of the assets of
the Company available for distribution to its shareholders, before any payment
or distribution shall be made on any Junior Shares, the amount of $25.00 per
share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends thereon.

         (B) After the payment to the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares
of the full preferential amounts provided for in this resolution, the holders of
the Series A Preferred Shares, as such, shall have no right or claim to any of
the remaining assets of the Company.

         (C) If, upon any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or
winding up of the Company, the amounts payable with respect to the preference
value of the Series A Preferred Shares and any other shares of the Company
ranking as to any such distribution on a parity with the Series A Preferred
Shares are not paid in full, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and of
such other shares will share ratably in any such distribution of assets of the
Company in proportion to the full respective preference amounts to which they
are entitled.

         (D) Neither the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or
substantially all of the property or business of the Company, nor the merger or
consolidation of the Company into or with any other entity or the merger or
consolidation of any other entity into or with the Company, shall be deemed to
be a dissolution, liquidation or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, for the
purposes of this resolution.

         (vi) REDEMPTION.

         (A) OPTIONAL REDEMPTION. On and after March 31, 2003, the Company may,
at its option, redeem at any time all or, from time to time, part of the Series
A Preferred Shares at a price per share (the "Redemption Price"), payable in
cash, of $25.00, together with all accrued and unpaid dividends to and including
the date fixed for redemption (the "Redemption Date"), without interest, to the
full extent the Company has funds legally available therefor. The Series A
Preferred Shares have no stated maturity and will not be subject to any sinking
fund or mandatory redemption provisions, except as provided for in subparagraph
(ix) below.


                                       4
<PAGE>   5

         (B)  PROCEDURES OF REDEMPTION.

                  (1) Notice of redemption will be given by publication in a
         newspaper of general circulation in the City of New York, such
         publication to be made once a week for two successive weeks commencing
         not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.
         Notice of any redemption will also be mailed by the registrar, postage
         prepaid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption
         Date, addressed to each holder of record of the Series A Preferred
         Shares to be redeemed at the address set forth in the share transfer
         records of the registrar. No failure to give such notice or any defect
         therein or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the
         proceedings for the redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares except
         as to the holder to whom the Company has failed to give notice or
         except as to the holder to whom notice was defective. In addition to
         any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any
         exchange upon which Series A Preferred Shares may be listed or admitted
         to trading, such notice shall state: (a) the Redemption Date; (b) the
         Redemption Price; (c) the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be
         redeemed; (d) the place or places where certificates for such shares
         are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price; and (e) that
         dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on the
         Redemption Date. If fewer than all of the Series A Preferred Shares
         held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder
         shall also specify the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be
         redeemed from such holder.

                  (2) If notice has been mailed in accordance with subparagraph
         (vi)(B)(1) above and provided that on or before the Redemption Date
         specified in such notice all funds necessary for such redemption shall
         have been irrevocably set aside by the Company, separate and apart from
         its other funds in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the
         Series A Preferred Shares so called for redemption, so as to be, and to
         continue to be available therefor, then, from and after the Redemption
         Date, dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares so called for
         redemption shall cease to accumulate, and said shares shall no longer
         be deemed to be outstanding and shall not have the status of Series A
         Preferred Shares and all rights of the holders thereof as shareholder
         of the Company (except the right to receive the Redemption Price) shall
         cease. Upon surrender, in accordance with such notice, of the
         certificates for any Series A Preferred Shares so redeemed (properly
         endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Company shall so require and
         the notice shall so state), such Series A Preferred Shares shall be
         redeemed by the Company at the Redemption Price. In case fewer than all
         the Series A Preferred Shares represented by any such certificate are
         redeemed, a new certificate or certificates shall be issued
         representing the unredeemed Series A Preferred Shares without cost to
         the holder thereof.

                  (3) Any funds deposited with a bank or trust company for the
         purpose of redeeming Series A Preferred Shares shall be irrevocable
         except that:

                           (a) the Company shall be entitled to receive from
                  such bank or trust company the interest or other earnings, if
                  any, earned on any money so deposited in trust, and 



                                       5
<PAGE>   6

                  the holders of any shares redeemed shall have no claim to such
                  interest or other earnings; and

                           (b) any balance of monies so deposited by the Company
                  and unclaimed by the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares
                  entitled thereto at the expiration of two years from the
                  applicable Redemption Date shall be repaid, together with any
                  interest or other earnings earned thereon, to the Company, and
                  after any such repayment, the holders of the shares entitled
                  to the funds so repaid to the Company shall look only to the
                  Company for payment without interest or other earnings.

                  (4) No Series A Preferred Shares may be redeemed except from
         proceeds from the sale of other capital stock of the Company, including
         but not limited to common shares, preferred shares, depositary shares,
         interests, participations or other ownership interests (however
         designated) and any rights (other than debt securities convertible into
         or exchangeable for equity securities) or options to purchase any of
         the foregoing.

                  (5) Unless full accumulated dividends on all Series A
         Preferred Shares shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and
         paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart
         for payment for all past Dividend Periods and the then current Dividend
         Period, no Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed or purchased or
         otherwise acquired directly or indirectly; provided, however, that the
         foregoing shall not prevent the redemption of Series A Preferred Shares
         in accordance with the applicable provisions of Article XVIII of the
         Declaration of Trust of the Company or as may otherwise be necessary to
         preserve the Company's REIT status or the purchase or acquisition of
         Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made
         on the same terms to holders of all outstanding Series A Preferred
         Shares.

                  (6) If the Redemption Date is after a Record Date and before
         the related Quarterly Dividend Date, the dividend payable on such
         Quarterly Dividend Date shall be paid to the holder in whose name the
         Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed are registered at the close of
         business on such Record Date notwithstanding the redemption thereof
         between such Record Date and the related Quarterly Dividend Date or the
         Company's default in the payment of the dividend due. Except as
         provided above, the Company will make no payment or allowance for
         unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred
         Shares to be redeemed.

                  (7) In case of redemption of less than all Series A Preferred
         Shares at the time outstanding, the Series A Preferred Shares to be
         redeemed shall be selected pro rata from the holders of record of such
         shares in proportion to the number of Series A Preferred Shares held by
         such holders (with adjustments to avoid redemption of fractional
         shares) or by any other equitable method determined by the Company.

         (vii) VOTING RIGHTS. Except as required by law, and as set forth below,
the holders of the 


                                       6
<PAGE>   7

Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the
shareholders for election of Trust Managers or for any other purpose or
otherwise to participate in any action taken by the Company or the shareholders
thereof, or to receive notice of any meeting of shareholders.

                  (A) Whenever dividends on any Series A Preferred Shares shall
         be in arrears for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not such
         quarterly periods are consecutive, the holders of such Series A
         Preferred Shares (voting separately as a class with all other series of
         preferred shares upon which like voting rights have been conferred and
         are exercisable) will be entitled to vote for the election of two
         additional Trust Managers of the Company at a special meeting called by
         the holders of record of at least ten percent (10%) of the Series A
         Preferred Shares so in arrears (unless such request is received less
         than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special
         meeting of the shareholders) or at the next annual meeting of
         shareholders, and at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends
         accumulated on such Series A Preferred Shares for the past dividend
         periods and the then current dividend period shall have been fully paid
         or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for
         payment. In such case, the entire Board of Trust Managers of the
         Company will be increased by two Trust Managers.

                  (B) So long as any Series A Preferred Shares remain
         outstanding, the Company will not, without the affirmative vote or
         consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the Series A Preferred
         Shares outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in
         writing or at a meeting (such series voting separately as a class), (i)
         authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount of,
         any class or series of shares of capital stock ranking prior to the
         Series A Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of dividends or
         the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up
         or reclassify any authorized shares of the Company into such shares, or
         create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into
         or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares; or (ii) amend,
         alter or repeal the provisions of the Company's Declaration of Trust or
         this resolution, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise (an
         "Event"), so as to materially and adversely affect any right,
         preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Shares
         or the holders thereof; provided, however, with respect to the
         occurrence of any of the Events set forth in (ii) above, so long as the
         Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding with the terms thereof
         materially unchanged, taking into account that upon the occurrence of
         an Event, the Company may not be the surviving entity, the occurrence
         of any such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely
         affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of holders
         of Series A Preferred Shares and provided further that (x) any increase
         in the amount of the authorized Preferred Shares or the creating or
         issuance of any other series of preferred shares, or (y) any increase
         in the amount of authorized Series A Preferred Shares or any other
         series of preferred shares, in each case ranking on a parity with or
         junior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to payment of
         dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution
         or winding up, shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect
         such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers.



                                       7
<PAGE>   8

                  The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior
         to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would
         otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding Series A
         Preferred Shares shall have been redeemed or called for redemption and
         sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust to effect such
         redemption.

                  (C) On each matter submitted to a vote of the holders of
         Series A Preferred Shares in accordance with this resolution, or as
         otherwise required by law, each Series A Preferred Share shall be
         entitled to one vote. With respect to each Series A Preferred Share,
         the holder thereof may designate a proxy, with each such proxy having
         the right to vote on behalf of the holder.

         (viii) CONVERSION. The Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible
into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Company.

         (ix) RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP. The Series A Preferred Shares shall be
subject in all respects to the provisions of Article XVIII of the Declaration of
Trust of the Company.

Ratification and Authorization

         RESOLVED, that any and all acts and deeds of any officer or Trust
Manager of the Company taken prior to the date hereof on behalf of the Company
with regard to the foregoing resolutions are hereby approved, ratified and
confirmed in all respects as and for the acts and deeds of the Company.

         FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers of the Company be, and each of them
hereby is, severally and without the necessity for joinder of any other person,
authorized, empowered and directed to execute and deliver any and all such
further documents and instruments and to do and perform any and all such further
acts and deeds that may be necessary or advisable to effectuate and carry out
the purposes and intents of the foregoing resolutions, including, but not
limited to, the filing of a statement with the County Clerk of Harris County,
Texas, setting forth the designations, preferences, limitations and rights of
Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to Section 3.30 of TREITA, all such actions
to be performed in such manner, and all such documents and instruments to be
executed and delivered in such form, as the officer performing or executing the
same shall approve, the performance or execution thereof by such officer to be
conclusive evidence of the approval thereof by such officer and by the Board of
Trust Managers.


                                       8

<PAGE>   1
                                                                 EXHIBIT 99


      

<TABLE>
                     TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE-EXCHANGEABLE FOR DEFINITIVE ENGRAVED CERTIFICATE WHEN READY FOR DELIVERY
                                        
7.44% SERIES A CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE                                                      7.44% SERIES A CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE
          PREFERRED SHARES                                                                            PREFERRED SHARES



<S>                                        <C>                                                   <C>

         NUMBER                                                                                                  [SHARES]
          
          PA
                                                
     PAR VALUE $.03                                                                                             PAR VALUE $.03
                                                  WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS

                                             A TEXAS REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST
FORMED UNDER THE LAWS                                                                            THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN
OF THE STATE OF TEXAS                                                                            NEW YORK, NY OR RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ

                                                                                                           CUSIP 948741 20 2
                                                                                                 SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

THIS CERTIFIES THAT





IS THE OWNER OF
 

                       FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE 7.44% SERIES A CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES OF

                                                       CERTIFICATE OF STOCK


Weingarten Realty Investors (the "Trust"), transferable on the books of the Trust by the holder hereof in person, or by duly
authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed.  This Certificate is not valid unless countersigned by 
the Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar.

        WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Company and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized representatives.


Dated:                                                                                          
                                   
                                                                                    COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED: 
                                                                                       CHASE MELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
                                                                                                                 TRANSFER AGENT 
                                                                                                                 AND REGISTRAR
/s/ STANFORD ALEXANDER                                                                                
- -------------------------------------
     Stanford Alexander                                                             BY
     Chairman                                                                                           
                                                  [WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS SEAL]

/s/ M. CANDACE DUFONE
- -------------------------------------                                                                   
    M. Candace Dufone
    Secretary                                                                                                 AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

                                 THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THE SHARES EVIDENCED BY
                                  THIS CERTIFICATE AS MORE FULLY SET FORTH ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.

</TABLE>
<PAGE>   2

                          WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS

     This Certificate and the shares represented hereby are subject in all
respects to the laws of the State of Texas and to the Declaration of Trust and
Bylaws of the Trust and any amendments thereto. The Declaration of Trust, as
amended, provides that no shareholder shall have any preemptive rights to
acquire unissued or treasury shares of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust also
restricts the transfer of the shares of beneficial interest evidenced by this
Certificate in connection with the qualification by the Trust as a real estate
investment trust. Copies of the Trust's Declaration of Trust are on file with
the Harris County, Texas, County Clerk and will be furnished to any shareholder
of record without charge upon written request to the Trust at the principal
place of business or registered office.

     The Trust will furnish a full statement of the designations and any
preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions,
limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and terms and conditions of
redemption of the shares of each class which the Trust is authorized to issue
and the difference in the relative rights and preferences between the shares of
each series of any preferred class to the extent they have been set and the
authority of the trust managers to set the relative rights and preferences of
subsequent series to any holder of shares without charge on written request to
the Trust at its principal place of business or registered office.

     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:


<TABLE>
        <S>                                             <C>
        TEN COM -- as tenants in common                 UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -- _____________ Custodian ___________
        TEN ENT -- as tenants by the entireties                                 (Cust)                  (Minor)
        JT TEN  -- as joint tenants with right of                            under Uniform Gifts to Minors
                   survivorship and not as tenants                           Act __________________
                   in common                                                           (State)
</TABLE>

   Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.


NOTICE: The signature of this assignment must correspond with the name as
written upon the face of the Certificate, in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement, or any change whatever.

For value received __________________ hereby sell, assign and transfer unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
   IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
[                                    ]

_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print or typewrite name and address, including postal zip code, 
of assignee)

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________ Series
A Preferred Shares represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________
Attorney to transfer the said shares on the books of the within-named Trust
with full power of substitution in the premises.





                                     ________________________________________
                                     
                                     ________________________________________


ALL GUARANTEES MUST BE MADE BY A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION (SUCH AS A BANK OR
BROKER) WHICH IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE SECURITIES TRANSFER AGENTS MEDALLION
PROGRAM ("STAMP"), THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. MEDALLION SIGNATURE PROGRAM
("MSP"), ON THE STOCK EXCHANGES MEDALLION PROGRAM ("SEMP") AND MUST NOT BE
DATED. GUARANTEES BY A NOTARY PUBLIC ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.



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