e424b5
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)5
Registration No. 333-113061
(To Prospectus dated April 2,
2004)
2,400,000 Shares
Hersha Hospitality Trust
8.00% Series A Cumulative
Redeemable Preferred Shares Of Beneficial Interest
(Liquidation Preference $25.00 Per
Share)
Hersha Hospitality Trust is offering
2,400,000 shares of its 8.00% Series A Cumulative
Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest,
$0.01 par value per share, which we refer to in this
prospectus supplement as the Series A Preferred Shares, on
terms summarized as follows:
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We will pay quarterly cumulative
dividends, in arrears, on the Series A Preferred Shares
from and including the date of original issue, payable on
January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each
year, when and as declared, beginning on October 15, 2005,
at a yearly rate of 8.00% of the $25.00 liquidation preference,
or $2.00 per Series A Preferred Share per year.
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We may not redeem the Series A
Preferred Shares prior to August 5, 2010, except as
necessary to preserve our qualification as a real estate
investment trust, or REIT, for federal income tax purposes. On
or after August 5, 2010, we may, at our option, redeem the
Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part at any time
and from time to time, for $25.00 per Series A
Preferred Share plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid
dividends through and including the date of redemption, payable
in cash. Any partial redemption will generally be on a pro rata
basis.
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The Series A Preferred Shares have no
stated maturity, are not subject to any sinking fund provisions
and will remain outstanding indefinitely unless we redeem them.
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Holders of the Series A Preferred
Shares will generally have no voting rights, except if we fail
to pay dividends on any Series A Preferred Share for six or
more quarterly periods (whether or not consecutive), or as
otherwise required by law.
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To assist us in qualifying as a REIT,
ownership of our Series A Preferred Shares by any person is
generally limited to 9.9% of the aggregate number of outstanding
Series A Preferred Shares.
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There is currently no public market for
the Series A Preferred Shares. We have applied to list the
Series A Preferred Shares on the American Stock Exchange
under the symbol HT.PR.A. If this application is
approved, trading of the Series A Preferred Shares on the
American Stock Exchange is expected to commence within the
30-day period following the initial delivery of the
Series A Preferred Shares to the underwriters.
Investing in our Series A
Preferred Shares involves risks. See Risk Factors
beginning on page S-8 of this prospectus supplement and on
page 2 of the prospectus to which it relates.
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Per Share | |
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Total | |
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Public Offering Price(1)
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$ |
25.0000 |
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$ |
60,000,000 |
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Underwriting Discounts and Commissions
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$ |
0.7875 |
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$ |
1,890,000 |
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Proceeds to Hersha Hospitality Trust (before expenses)
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$ |
24.2125 |
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$ |
58,110,000 |
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(1) |
Plus accrued dividends, if any, from the
date of original issuance.
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Delivery of the Series A Preferred
Shares will be made on or about August 5, 2005.
Neither the Securities and Exchange
Commission, any state securities commission nor any other
regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities
or determined if this prospectus supplement and the prospectus
to which it relates are truthful or complete. Any representation
to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Joint Book Running Managers
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Wachovia Securities |
UBS Investment Bank |
Co-Managers
Raymond James
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Stifel, Nicolaus &
Company Incorporated |
The date
of this prospectus supplement is July 29,
2005.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Prospectus Supplement |
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S-iii |
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Prospectus |
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S-i
You may rely only on the information contained in or
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and
the prospectus to which it relates. Neither we nor any of the
underwriters have authorized anyone to provide information
different from that contained in or incorporated by reference
into this prospectus supplement or the prospectus to which it
relates. We are not making an offer of these securities in any
state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume
that the information contained in this prospectus supplement and
the prospectus to which it relates or the documents incorporated
herein or therein is accurate as of any date other than the date
of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or
such documents.
References to our company, we, and
our in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus mean Hersha Hospitality Trust,
including, unless the context otherwise requires (including the
discussion of federal income tax treatment of Hersha Hospitality
Trust and its shareholders), our operating partnership and other
direct and indirect subsidiaries. Our operating
partnership or HHLP refers to Hersha
Hospitality Limited Partnership, a Virginia limited partnership.
HHMLP refers to Hersha Hospitality Management, L.P.
and its subsidiaries, which are the entities that manage our
hotels. Common shares means our common shares of
beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share.
Series A Preferred Shares means our
Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of
beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share.
S-ii
CAUTIONARY FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE RESULTS
This prospectus supplement and the prospectus to which it
relates contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, or the Exchange Act, including, without limitation,
statements containing the words, believes,
anticipates, expects and words of
similar import. Such forward-looking statements relate to future
events, our future financial performance, and involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause
our actual results, performance or achievements or industry
results to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Readers should specifically consider
the various factors identified, or incorporated by reference in
this report including, but not limited to those discussed in the
sections entitled Risk Factors in this prospectus
supplement and the prospectus to which it relates and those
discussed in any documents filed by us with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, or SEC, that could cause actual results to
differ. We disclaim any obligation to update any such factors or
to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the
forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future
events or developments, except as required by law.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements
and other information with the SEC under the Exchange Act. You
may read and copy any reports, statements, or other information
we file with the SEC at its public reference room in
Washington, D.C. (100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580,
20549). Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further
information on the public reference room. Our filings are also
available to the public on the internet, through a database
maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, you
can inspect and copy reports, proxy statements and other
information concerning Hersha Hospitality Trust at the offices
of the American Stock Exchange, Inc., 86 Trinity Place, New
York, New York 10006, on which our common shares (symbol:
HT) are listed.
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the
information we file with them, which means that we can disclose
important information to you by referring you to other documents
that we file with the SEC. The information incorporated by
reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus, and later information filed
with the SEC will update and supersede this information.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any
future filings made with the SEC under Section 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the completion
of this offering.
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Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2004, filed March 16, 2004, as amended by
Form 10-K/ A, filed May 2, 2005. |
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Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended
March 31, 2004, filed May 10, 2005. |
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Current Reports on Form 8-K filed January 26, 2005;
March 8, 2005; March 10, 2005; April 6, 2005;
May 4, 2005; May 17, 2005; May 19, 2005;
June 1, 2005, as amended by Forms 8-K/ A filed
June 23, 2005 and July 20, 2005; June 6, 2005;
June 21, 2005, as amended by Form 8-K/ A filed
July 25, 2005; June 22, 2005, as amended by
Form 8-K/ A filed July 20, 2005; June 27, 2005;
July 6, 2005 and July 26, 2005. |
S-iii
You may request a copy of these filings (other than exhibits and
schedules to such filings, unless such exhibits or schedules are
specifically incorporated by reference into this prospectus
supplement or the accompanying prospectus), at no cost, by
writing or calling us at the following address:
Hersha Hospitality Trust
510 Walnut Street, 9th Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
215-238-1046
All brand names, trademarks and service marks appearing in this
prospectus supplement are the property of their respective
owners. This prospectus supplement contains registered
trademarks owned or licensed to companies other than us,
including but not limited to Hilton Garden Inn®, Hampton
Inn®, Courtyard® by Marriott®, Residence
Inn® by Marriott®, Sheraton Four Points®,
DoubleTree®, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express®,
Homewood Suites® by Hilton®, Embassy Suites®,
Spring Hill Suites® by Marriott® and Staybridge
Suites®, none of which, in any way, are participating in or
endorsing this offering and shall not in any way be deemed an
issuer or underwriter of the securities issued under this
prospectus supplement, and shall not have any liability or
responsibility for any financial statements or other financial
information contained or incorporated by reference in this
prospectus.
S-iv
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. Because
this is a summary, it may not contain all of the information
that is important to you. You should read this entire prospectus
supplement, the prospectus to which it relates, especially the
Risk Factors section beginning on page S-8 of
the prospectus supplement and on page 2 of the prospectus
to which it relates, and the documents incorporated by reference
carefully before deciding whether to invest in the Series A
Preferred Shares. You should consult your legal and tax advisors
to understand fully the terms of the Series A Preferred
Shares. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the more
detailed information and financial statements, including the
notes thereto, appearing elsewhere or incorporated by reference
in this prospectus supplement and the prospectus to which it
relates.
Hersha Hospitality Trust
Overview
Hersha Hospitality Trust is a self-advised Maryland real estate
investment trust that was organized in 1998 and completed its
initial public offering in January 1999. We focus primarily on
owning and operating high quality, mid-scale and up-scale
limited service hotels in established markets in the Eastern
United States. Our primary growth strategy is to continue to
acquire high quality, mid-scale and up-scale hotels in
metropolitan markets with high barriers to entry in the
Northeastern United States. As of June 30, 2005, our total
portfolio, which includes wholly-owned hotels and hotels we own
in joint ventures, consisted of 35 hotels with a total of 3,705
rooms located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and
Georgia, which operate under leading brands, such as Courtyard
by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Spring Hill Suites by
Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hampton
Inn, Sheraton Four Points, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Holiday
Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites. We have elected
to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. We are
structured as an umbrella partnership REIT, or UPREIT, meaning
that we own our hotels through our operating partnership, Hersha
Hospitality Limited Partnership, or HHLP, for which we serve as
the general partner.
As of June 30, 2005, we owned 31 hotels with a total of
3,101 rooms, which we refer to herein as our wholly-owned
hotels. All of our wholly-owned hotels are leased to 44 New
England Management Company, a wholly-owned taxable REIT
subsidiary, or TRS, or one of its subsidiaries. Our wholly-owned
hotels are currently managed by Hersha Hospitality Management,
L.P., or HHMLP, a private management company owned by certain of
our trustees, officers and other third party investors.
As of June 30, 2005, we owned through four joint ventures
interests in four hotels with a total of 604 rooms, which we
refer to herein as our joint venture hotels, all of which were
leased to TRSs owned by those joint ventures. As of
June 30, 2005, all of our joint venture hotels were managed
by HHMLP.
In addition to owning hotels directly and through joint
ventures, we also invest a smaller amount of our capital in
mortgage, mezzanine and development loans to hotel owners and
developers. As of March 31, 2005, we had advanced loans of
approximately $35.4 million in the aggregate. We typically
acquire options or rights of first refusal to purchase hotels to
which we make loans and believe these loans help us to identify
and secure acquisition opportunities.
Our address is 510 Walnut Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19106. Our telephone number is (215) 238-1046.
Our common shares are listed on the American Stock Exchange, or
AMEX, under the symbol HT. Our website is
www.hersha.com. Information appearing on our website is not a
part of this prospectus supplement or the prospectus to which it
relates.
S-1
Operating Strategy
Increase Same Hotel Performance
Our operating strategy focuses on increasing same hotel
performance for our portfolio. The key elements of this strategy
are:
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working together with our hotel management companies to increase
occupancy levels and revenue per available room, or
RevPAR, through active property-level management,
including intensive marketing efforts to tour groups, corporate
and government extended stay customers and other wholesale
customers and expanded yield management programs, which are
calculated to better match room rates to room demand; and |
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positioning our hotels to capitalize on increased demand in the
mid-scale and up-scale lodging segment, which we believe can be
expected to follow from improving economic conditions, by
managing costs and thereby maximizing earnings. |
Pursue Quality Acquisitions in Cluster Markets in the
Northeastern United States
Our primary growth strategy is to continue to acquire high
quality, mid-scale and up-scale limited service hotels in
primary metropolitan markets and stable secondary markets with
high barriers to entry in the Northeastern United States. We
believe that current market conditions are creating
opportunities to acquire hotels at attractive prices. In
executing our disciplined acquisition program, we intend to
acquire hotels that meet the following additional criteria:
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nationally-franchised hotels operating under popular brands,
such as Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Spring
Hill Suites by Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites by
Hilton, Hampton Inn, Sheraton Four Points, DoubleTree, Embassy
Suites, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites; |
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hotels in locations with significant barriers to entry, such as
high development costs, limited availability of land and lengthy
entitlement processes; and |
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hotels in our target markets where we can realize operating
efficiencies and economies of scale. |
In addition to the recent acquisitions described below, in the
ordinary course of our business, we are actively considering
hotel acquisition opportunities.
Utilize Leverage Prudently
The relative stability of the mid-scale and up-scale segment of
the limited service lodging industry allows us to increase
returns to our shareholders through the prudent application of
leverage. Our strategy is to maintain target debt levels in the
range of approximately 60% to 65% of the total purchase price of
our hotels both on an individual and aggregate basis. As of
March 31, 2005, our total debt was approximately 52% of the
total purchase price of all our hotels on an aggregate basis. We
may employ a higher amount of leverage at a specific hotel to
achieve a desired return when warranted by that hotels
historical operating performance and may use modestly greater
leverage across our portfolio if and when warranted by
prevailing market conditions.
Recent Developments
Recent Acquisitions
Since March 31, 2005, we have completed the following
additions to our portfolio:
Hampton Inn, Herald Square, New York, New York. On
April 1, 2005, we acquired 100% of the membership interests
in Brisam Hotel LLC, the owner of the Hampton Inn, Herald Square
in New York, New York, from Hasu P. Shah, our chairman and chief
executive officer and the sole managing member of Brisam Hotel
LLC, for approximately $31.3 million. In determining the
purchase price, we obtained an independent appraisal of the
membership interests in Brisam Hotel LLC and an agreed-upon
procedures report from an independent public accounting firm.
The acquisition was approved by the acquisition
S-2
committee of our board of trustees, which is comprised solely of
independent trustees, and also by our board of trustees,
including all independent trustees. In connection with the
acquisition of the Hampton Inn Herald Square, a subsidiary of
HHLP assumed a mortgage loan secured by the property which has
since been increased to $22.0 million.
McIntosh Portfolio, Philadelphia and Wilmington. In May
and June 2005, we completed the acquisition of a portfolio of
five hotels from an unaffiliated selling group for approximately
$48.9 million. This portfolio consists of the following
properties located in leading Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and
Wilmington, Delaware submarkets:
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Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites King of Prussia,
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, which was purchased for
approximately $16.1 million; |
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Holiday Inn Express of FrazerMalvern, Frazer,
Pennsylvania, which was purchased for approximately
$8.2 million; |
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Holiday Inn Express of LanghorneOxford Valley, Langhorne,
Pennsylvania, which was purchased for approximately
$7.8 million; and |
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Courtyard by Marriott and McIntosh Inn of Wilmington,
Wilmington, Delaware, which were purchased for approximately
$16.8 million. |
In connection with the acquisition of the McIntosh portfolio, a
subsidiary of HHLP incurred approximately $34.2 million of
mortgage debt secured by the five hotels in the portfolio, which
was provided by UBS Real Estate Investment, Inc., an affiliate
of one of the underwriters.
Brookline Courtyard by Marriott, Brookline,
Massachusetts. On June 16, 2005, we acquired the
Brookline Courtyard by Marriott in Brookline, Massachusetts from
an unaffiliated seller. Our purchase included the hotel,
improvements, certain personal property and a pre-paid ground
lease for the underlying land with a remaining term of
approximately 90 years. The purchase price for our interest
in this property was approximately $54.5 million. In
connection with this acquisition, a subsidiary of HHLP obtained
(and HHLP guaranteed) a $38.9 million mortgage loan secured
by the Brookline property from Wachovia Bank, N.A., an affiliate
of one of the underwriters.
All of these hotels are leased to 44 New England Management
Company, our wholly-owned TRS, or one of its subsidiaries and
are managed by HHMLP or one of its subsidiaries.
Recent Dispositions
Since March 31, 2005, we have completed the following
dispositions from our portfolio:
Holiday Inn Express, Long Island City, New York. On
May 13, 2005, we sold the land, improvements and certain
personal property of the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Long
Island City, New York to an unaffiliated buyer for approximately
$9.0 million.
Doubletree Club Hotel, Jamaica, New York. On May 13,
2005, we sold the land, improvements and certain personal
property of the Doubletree Club Hotel in Jamaica, New York to an
unaffiliated buyer for approximately $11.5 million.
Pending Joint Ventures
Williamsburg Joint Ventures. On March 2, 2005, we
entered into definitive agreements to enter into joint ventures
with the members of LTD Associates One, LLC and LTD Associates
Two, LLC, pursuant to which we will acquire a 75.0% membership
interest in the owners of (i) the Spring Hill Suites
Williamsburg, Virginia for approximately $6.4 million,
which reflects a total valuation of $14.5 million and
$6.0 million of indebtedness secured by the property, and
(ii) the Residence Inn Williamsburg, Virginia for
approximately $5.5 million, which reflects a total
valuation of $16.0 million and $8.7 million of
indebtedness secured by the property. We will have a preferred
equity position in these joint ventures, which will lease the
hotels to joint ventures owned by our TRS and an affiliate of
our joint venture partner. LTD Management Company, a management
company affiliated with our joint venture partner but not
affiliated with our company, will continue to manage the hotels.
Closing on these joint ventures is subject to certain
conditions, including debt refinancing, transfer of the
franchise and other customary closing conditions.
S-3
Mystic Partners Joint Venture with Waterford. On
June 15, 2005, we signed a definitive agreement to enter
into a joint venture with Waterford Hospitality Group, LLC and
Mystic Hotel Investors, LLC, pursuant to which we will establish
a joint venture under the name Mystic Partners, LLC. Waterford
Hospitality Group will contribute to Mystic Partners a portfolio
of its membership interests in nine entities, each of which is
either wholly-owned or majority-owned by the Waterford
Hospitality Group and its affiliates. These entities own seven
stabilized and two newly-developed Marriott- and Hilton-branded
hotels with an aggregate of 1,707 rooms in Connecticut and Rhode
Island. The aggregate value of the portfolio is approximately
$250.0 million. We will contribute to Mystic Partners
approximately $52.0 million in cash, subject to adjustment,
in exchange for a 66.7% preferred equity interest in the seven
stabilized hotel properties in the portfolio and a 50.0%
preferred equity interest in the two newly-developed hotel
properties in the portfolio, subject to the minority
participations. Each property will be leased to a joint venture
between our wholly-owned TRS and Waterford, in which we will
have the same participation as we have in the joint venture.
Each property will be managed by Waterford Hotel Group, Inc., a
management company affiliated with our joint venture partner but
not affiliated with our company. Closing on this joint venture
is subject to certain conditions, including debt refinancings
and re-sizings for the respective properties, transfers of
franchises and other customary closing conditions. We anticipate
using the proceeds of this offering to fund the purchase price
of our joint venture interest. For more information on the
Mystic Partners joint venture with Waterford, please refer to
our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 21, 2005,
as amended on July 25, 2005.
South Boston Joint Venture. On May 17, 2005, we
signed a definitive agreement to enter into two joint ventures
with affiliates of Jiten Hotel Management, Inc., an unaffiliated
hotel management company, pursuant to which we acquired on
July 1, 2005 a 49.9% interest in the owner of a 164
room Courtyard by Marriott in South Boston, Massachusetts,
for approximately $4.7 million, and will acquire a 49.9%
interest in the owner of a 118 room Holiday Inn Express in
South Boston, Massachusetts for approximately $2.3 million.
The two hotels owned by the South Boston joint ventures will be
leased to a joint venture owned by our wholly-owned TRS and our
joint venture partner and managed by an affiliate of our joint
venture partner but not affiliated with our company. Closing on
the second hotel in this joint venture is subject to certain
conditions, including debt refinancing, transfer of the
franchise and other customary closing conditions.
Other Recent Developments
On April 5, 2005, we provided a first lien mortgage
financing commitment of approximately $9.0 million for the
construction of a Homewood Suites in Glastonbury, Connecticut by
PRA Suites at Glastonbury, LLC, an unrelated third party owner.
Advances under this loan will accrue interest at a rate of
10.0% per annum. Pursuant to the terms of this loan, we
have acquired the first right of refusal to purchase a preferred
joint venture interest in this asset, which right will survive
the repayment of the loan.
On April 29, 2005, we provided a first lien mortgage
financing commitment of $5.5 million for the acquisition
and renovation of the Holiday Inn in Norwich, Connecticut by 44
Hersha Norwich Associates, LLC, 50% of which is owned by Hasu P.
Shah. Advances under this loan will accrue interest at a rate of
10.0% per annum. We have a right of first refusal to
purchase this property, which right will survive the repayment
of the loan.
In May 2005, two of our statutory trust subsidiaries conducted
private sales of an aggregate of $50.0 million of trust
preferred securities. In connection with that issuance and sale,
HHLP issued to the statutory trusts an aggregate of
approximately $51.5 million of unsecured
fixed/floating rate junior subordinated notes due 2035. We used
the proceeds from these trust preferred securities for general
corporate purposes including the acquisition of hotel properties.
On June 27, 2005, we announced the appointment of Michael
R. Gillespie as our Chief Accounting Officer. Prior to joining
Hersha, Mr. Gillespie was the Manager, Financial
Policy & Controls for Tyco Electronics Corporation, a
manufacturer of electronic components and subsidiary of Tyco
International, from June 3, 2003 until June 17, 2005.
Prior to this, he was Senior Manager in the Audit and Assurance
Practice at KPMG LLP from May 28, 2002 until June 2,
2003. From September 1995 to May 27, 2002, he served as
Experienced Manager in the Audit and Business Advisory Practice
at Arthur Anderson LLP.
S-4
The Offering
For a more complete description of the rights, preferences
and other terms of the Series A Preferred Shares specified
in the following summary, please see the information under the
captions Description of Series A Cumulative
Redeemable Preferred Shares in this prospectus supplement
and Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest in
the accompanying prospectus.
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Issuer |
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Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust |
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Securities Offered |
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2,400,000 shares of our 8.00% Series A Cumulative
Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest,
$0.01 par value per share. |
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Price per Share |
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$25.00 |
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Dividend Rate and Payment Dates |
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Cash dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares are
cumulative from August 5, 2005, payable at the rate of
8.00% per year of the $25.00 liquidation preference per
share (equivalent to a fixed annual amount of $2.00 per
share), and payable quarterly in arrears on January 15,
April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on
October 15, 2005. The first dividend payment will be for
less than a full quarter and will cover the period from
August 5, 2005 to October 15, 2005. Dividends on the
Series A Preferred Shares will accrue regardless of whether: |
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our agreements, including our credit facilities, at
any time prohibit the current payment of dividends; |
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we have earnings; |
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there are funds legally available for the payment of
such dividends; or |
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such dividends are declared by our board of trustees. |
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See Description of Series A Cumulative Redeemable
Preferred Shares Dividends. |
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Liquidation Preference |
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The liquidation preference for each Series A Preferred
Share is $25.00, plus an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid
dividends (whether or not declared). See Description of
Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares
Liquidation Preference. |
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Optional Redemption |
|
Except in certain circumstances relating to the preservation of
our federal income tax qualification as a REIT, the
Series A Preferred Shares are not redeemable prior to
August 5, 2010. On and after August 5, 2010, the
Series A Preferred Shares may be redeemed for cash at our
option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time,
at a redemption price equal to $25.00 per share plus an
amount equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends to and
including the date fixed for redemption. See Description
of Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred
Shares Redemption. |
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Maturity |
|
The Series A Preferred Shares do not have any stated
maturity date, and we are not required to redeem these shares.
Accordingly, the Series A Preferred Shares will remain
outstanding indefinitely unless we decide to redeem them or
repurchase shares in the open market, in each case, at our
option, subject to |
S-5
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the restrictions on redemption described herein. We are not
required to set aside funds to redeem the Series A
Preferred Shares. |
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Ranking |
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The Series A Preferred Shares will rank: |
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senior to our common shares with respect to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event
of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up; |
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on par with any class or series of our equity
securities the terms of which specifically provide that such
class or series are of equal rank with the Series A
Preferred Shares as to the payment of dividends and the
distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up; and |
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junior to all our indebtedness, including but not
limited to the approximately $51.5 million of
unsecured fixed/floating rate junior subordinated notes due 2035
issued by HHLP to two statutory trust subsidiaries in connection
with the trusts issuance and sale of a like amount of
fixed/floating rate trust preferred securities. |
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See Description of Series A Cumulative Redeemable
Preferred Shares Ranking. |
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Voting Rights |
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Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will generally
have no voting rights, except as required by law. However, if we
fail to pay dividends on any Series A Preferred Shares for
six or more quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive, the
holders of the Series A Preferred Shares (voting together
with all other series of our preferred shares, if any, upon
which like voting rights have been conferred and are
exercisable) will be entitled to vote for the election of two
members to serve on our board of trustees until all dividends
accumulated on the Series A Preferred Shares have been
fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment
thereof set aside for payment. See Description of
Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares
Voting Rights. |
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No Conversion |
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The Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible into or
exchangeable for any of our other shares of beneficial interest
or any other property or securities. |
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Restrictions on Ownership |
|
Subject to certain exceptions, our Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust, provides for an Ownership
Limit (as defined in our Amended and Restated Declaration
of Trust) by a single Person (as defined in our
Amended and Restated Declaration to Trust) to 9.9% of the
aggregate number of outstanding shares of each class or series
of common shares or preferred shares of our shares of beneficial
interest (including the Series A Preferred Shares). See
Description of Series A Cumulative Redeemable
Preferred Shares Restrictions on Ownership. |
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Use of Proceeds |
|
The net proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred
Shares will be used to fund the purchase price of our interest
in the |
S-6
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Mystic Partners joint venture with Waterford and for general
corporate purposes, including future acquisitions. See Use
of Proceeds. |
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Listing |
|
We have applied to list the Series A Preferred Shares on
the AMEX under the symbol HT.PR.A. If this
application is approved, trading of the Series A Preferred
Shares on the AMEX is expected to commence within a 30-day
period following the initial delivery of the Series A
Preferred Shares to the underwriters. |
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Form |
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The Series A Preferred Shares will be issued and maintained
in book-entry form registered in the name of the nominee of The
Depositary Trust Company, except under limited circumstances. |
|
Risk Factors |
|
Investing in our Series A Preferred Shares involves a
number of risks, some of which are described under Risk
Factors beginning on page S-8 of this prospectus
supplement and on page 2 of the prospectus to which it
relates. |
S-7
RISK FACTORS
An investment in our Series A Preferred Shares involves
risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors and other
information included or incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before you
decide to buy our Series A Preferred Shares. You should
also consider the information contained in the section entitled
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations in our most recent
Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q, which are incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as the
same may be updated from time to time by our future filings
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. For more
information, see the section entitled, Where You Can Find
More Information in this prospectus supplement.
We may not be able to complete our pending joint ventures on
the currently proposed terms or at all.
We have signed definitive agreements to acquire interests in
three joint ventures that will own a total of thirteen hotels
for an aggregate of approximately $70.8 million, including
our proposed Mystic Partners joint venture with Waterford. The
proceeds of this offering will be used to fund our contribution
to the Mystic Partners joint venture of approximately
$52.0 million, subject to adjustment. The Mystic Partners
joint venture with Waterford and other pending joint ventures
are subject to various conditions to closing, including the
financing or refinancing of debt secured by the properties,
assignments or consents for franchise and other agreements and
other customary closing conditions. While we and our joint
venture partners are working diligently to satisfy all
conditions to closing, some are not within our control and there
can be no assurance that all such conditions can be satisfied.
If all conditions to closing cannot be satisfied on a timely
basis, the terms of the joint ventures may need to be
restructured to reflect the failure of the condition. Otherwise,
the joint ventures may be terminated. As a result, there can be
no assurance that we will be able to consummate the joint
ventures on the proposed terms or at all. If we consummate this
offering but are not able to close the Mystic Partners joint
venture with Waterford, there can be no assurance that we will
be able to identify other appropriate uses of the proceeds of
this offering on a timely basis.
We may be unable to successfully integrate acquired hotels
into our operations or otherwise manage our planned growth,
which may adversely affect our operating results.
We have recently acquired a substantial number of hotels and
expect to use the proceeds of this offering to close a
significant joint venture. We cannot assure you that we or HHMLP
will be able to adapt our management, administrative, accounting
and operational systems and arrangements, or hire and retain
sufficient operational staff to successfully integrate these
investments into our portfolio and manage any future
acquisitions of additional assets without operational
disruptions or unanticipated costs. Acquisition of hotels
generates additional operating expenses that we will be required
to pay. As we acquire additional hotels, we will be subject to
the operational risks associated with owning new lodging
properties. Our failure to integrate successfully any future
acquisitions into our portfolio could have a material adverse
effect on our results of operations and financial condition and
our ability to pay dividends to shareholders or make other
payments in respect of securities issued by us.
Acquisition of hotels with limited operating history may not
achieve desired results.
Many of our recent acquisitions, including some of the hotels in
the Mystic Partners joint venture with Waterford, are newly
developed hotels. Newly-developed or newly-renovated hotels do
not have the operating history that would allow our management
to make pricing decisions in acquiring these hotels based on
historical performance. The purchase prices of these hotels are
based upon managements expectations as to the operating
results of such hotels, subjecting us to risks that such hotels
may not achieve anticipated operating results or may not achieve
these results within anticipated time frames. In addition, room
revenues may be less than that required to provide us with our
anticipated return on investment. If these newly developed
hotels do not perform as expected, we may not have sufficient
earnings and may need to borrow the necessary funds to pay the
required dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares.
S-8
There can be no assurance that we have successfully remedied
our recently identified material weaknesses in internal control
over financing reporting.
In connection with the closing of our 2004 fiscal year, we
identified certain matters involving our internal control over
financial reporting that we and our independent auditors
determined to be material weaknesses under standards established
by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. These
matters included a (1) lack of appropriately designed
controls over account reconciliations and account analysis
preparation, lack of appropriately designed controls over the
review of recurring journal entries, and failure to maintain
sufficient levels of appropriately qualified personnel in our
financial reporting process; (2) failure of our internal
control activities designed to ensure completeness and accuracy
of payroll expenses to operate effectively and consistently
among all hotel properties, and (3) failure of our internal
control activities designed to ensure the existence and accuracy
of reported revenue to operate effectively and consistently
among all hotel properties. As a result of these material
weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting,
accounting errors, which were evaluated to be material
misstatements in accordance with SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin 99, occurred requiring restatement of our
previously reported interim financial information as of and for
the periods ended March 31, 2004, June 30, 2004 and
September 30, 2004.
Although we have attempted to remedy these material weaknesses
in internal control over financial reporting by implementing a
number of actions aimed at strengthening our financial reporting
processes, we cannot assure you that the remedial measures we
have taken will adequately address the identified material
weaknesses. Moreover, we only implemented these processes during
the end of the first fiscal quarter and throughout the second
fiscal quarter of 2005, and neither we nor any third party has
conducted any subsequent formal evaluation of our internal
control over financial reporting. We will continue to take
further remedial actions to improve our internal control over
financial reporting in order to continue to meet the
requirements for being a public company, including the rules
under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, but
there can be no assurance that the improvements we have made or
will make will be sufficient to ensure that we maintain adequate
controls over our financial processes and reporting in the
future. Any failure to implement required new or improved
controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation,
could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations or
result in misstatements in our financial statements in amounts
that could be material. Inferior internal controls could also
cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial
information, which could have a negative effect on the value of
our Series A Preferred Shares.
We may engage in hedging transactions, which can limit our
gains and increase exposure to losses.
We may enter into hedging transactions to protect us from the
effects of interest rate fluctuations on floating rate debt and
also to protect our portfolio of mortgage assets from interest
rate and prepayment rate fluctuations. Our hedging transactions
may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps, and floors,
options to purchase such items, and futures and forward
contracts. Hedging activities may not have the desired
beneficial impact on our results of operations or financial
condition. No hedging activity can completely insulate us from
the risks associated with changes in interest rates and
prepayment rates. Moreover, interest rate hedging could fail to
protect us or could adversely affect us because, among other
things:
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Available interest rate hedging may not correspond directly with
the interest rate risk for which protection is sought. |
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The duration of the hedge may not match the duration of the
related liability. |
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The party owing money in the hedging transaction may default on
its obligation to pay. |
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The credit quality of the party owing money on the hedge may be
downgraded to such an extent that it impairs our ability to sell
or assign our side of the hedging transaction. |
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The value of derivatives used for hedging may be adjusted from
time to time in accordance with accounting rules to reflect
changes in fair value. Downward adjustments, or
mark-to-market losses, would reduce our
stockholders equity. |
S-9
Hedging involves risk and typically involves costs, including
transaction costs, which may reduce returns on our investments.
These costs increase as the period covered by the hedging
increases and during periods of rising and volatile interest
rates. These costs will also limit the amount of cash available
for distribution to stockholders. The REIT qualification rules
may also limit our ability to enter into hedging transactions.
See Additional Federal Income Tax
Considerations Recent Legislation. We
generally intend to hedge as much of our interest rate risk as
our management determines is in our best interests given the
cost of such hedging transactions and the requirements
applicable to REITs. If we are unable to hedge effectively
because of the cost of such hedging transactions or the
limitations imposed by the REIT rules, we will face greater
interest risk exposure than may be commercially prudent.
The Series A Preferred Shares do not have an established
trading market, which may negatively affect the market value and
your ability to transfer or sell your shares.
The Series A Preferred Shares are a new issue of securities
with no established trading market. Since the Series A
Preferred Shares have no stated maturity date, investors seeking
liquidity will be limited to selling their shares in the
secondary market. We have applied to list the Series A
Preferred Shares on the AMEX, but we cannot assure you that the
shares will be approved for listing. If approved, trading is not
expected to begin until up to 30 days after initial
delivery of the shares. In addition, an active trading market on
the AMEX for the Series A Preferred Shares may not develop
or, even if it develops, may not continue, in which case the
trading price of the shares could be adversely affected and your
ability to transfer your Series A Preferred Shares would be
limited. The trading price of the shares will depend on many
factors, including:
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prevailing interest rates; |
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the market for similar securities; |
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general economic and market conditions; and |
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our financial condition, performance and prospects. |
For example, an increase in market interest rates may have a
negative effect on the trading value of the Series A
Preferred Shares. The underwriters are not obligated to make a
market in the Series A Preferred Shares, and if they do so,
may discontinue market-making at any time without notice.
The Series A Preferred Shares are subordinated to our
existing and future indebtedness.
Payment of amounts due on the Series A Preferred Shares
will be subordinated to all of our existing and future
indebtedness. As of March 31, 2005, our total indebtedness,
including capital lease obligations and our pro rata portion of
joint venture debt, was approximately $126.0 million. In
addition, since March 31, 2005, HHLP has issued to two
subsidiary statutory trusts an aggregate of approximately
$51.5 million of unsecured fixed/floating rate junior
subordinated notes due 2035 in connection with the trusts
sale of $50.0 million of fixed/floating rate trust
preferred securities. Subsidiaries of HHLP have continued to
incur mortgage debt in connection with the various acquisitions
closed since March 31, 2005. We will incur additional debt
in the future to finance our hotel properties.
The Series A Preferred Shares have not been rated.
We have not sought to obtain a rating for the Series A
Preferred Shares from any nationally recognized statistical
rating organization.
Our future offerings of preferred equity securities may
adversely affect the value of the Series A Preferred
Shares.
We may issue additional Series A Preferred Shares and/or
other classes or series of preferred shares. The issuance of
additional preferred shares on parity with or senior to the
Series A Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding
S-10
up could reduce the amounts we may have available for
distribution to holders of the Series A Preferred Shares.
None of the provisions relating to the Series A Preferred
Shares contain any provisions affording the holders of the
Series A Preferred Shares protection in the event of a
highly leveraged or other transaction, including a merger or the
sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of our
assets or businesses, that might adversely affect the value of
the Series A Preferred Shares.
As a result of our obligations to creditors and holders of
securities ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares,
we may not be able to make dividend or liquidation payments to
you.
The Series A Preferred Shares will rank:
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senior to our common shares with respect to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up; |
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on par with any class or series of our equity securities the
terms of which specifically provide that such class or series
are of equal rank with the Series A Preferred Shares as to
the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the
event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and |
|
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|
junior to all our indebtedness, including but not limited to the
approximately $51.5 million of unsecured
fixed/floating rate junior subordinated notes due 2035 issued by
HHLP to two statutory trust subsidiaries in connection with the
trusts issuance and sale of a like amount of
fixed/floating rate trust preferred securities. |
As of March 31, 2005, our total indebtedness, including
capital lease obligations and our pro rata share of joint
venture debt, was approximately $126.0 million, and we
expect to incur additional indebtedness in the future to finance
our hotel properties. The terms of the Series A Preferred
Shares do not limit our ability to incur indebtedness. If we
incur significant indebtedness, we may not have sufficient funds
to make dividend or liquidation payments on the Series A
Preferred Shares. Upon our liquidation, our obligations to our
creditors would rank senior to the Series A Preferred
Shares and would be required to be paid before any payments
could be made to holders of the Series A Preferred Shares.
S-11
USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of the
Series A Preferred Shares offered hereby will be
approximately $57,935,000, after deducting underwriting
discounts and commissions and the estimated expenses of this
offering payable by us.
As required by the partnership agreement of our operating
partnership, we will contribute all of the net proceeds to HHLP
in exchange for a preferred partnership interest in the
operating partnership, the rights, preferences and privileges of
which will be substantially equivalent to the terms of the
Series A Preferred Shares. We intend to use the net
proceeds of this offering to fund the purchase price for our
interest in the Mystic Partners joint venture with Waterford and
for general corporate purposes, including future acquisitions.
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND OF EARNINGS
TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
The following table sets forth our ratios of earnings to fixed
charges and of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred
stock dividends for the three months ended March 31, 2005,
and for each of the last five fiscal years.
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Year Ended December 31, | |
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| |
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Three Months Ended |
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2000 | |
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2001(1) | |
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2002(1) | |
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2003(1) | |
|
2004(1) | |
|
March 31, 2005 |
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| |
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| |
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| |
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| |
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| |
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
|
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1.64 |
x |
|
|
1.63 |
x |
|
|
1.72 |
x |
|
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1.33 |
x |
|
|
1.21 |
x |
|
(2) |
Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock
dividends
|
|
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1.64 |
x |
|
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1.63 |
x |
|
|
1.72 |
x |
|
|
1.04 |
x |
|
|
1.12 |
x |
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(2) |
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(1) |
For the years ended December 31, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004,
the ratios of earnings to fixed charges and of earnings to
combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for each
year differ from their respective ratios of earnings to fixed
charges and of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred
stock dividends as reflected on page 13 of the prospectus
to which this prospectus supplement relates due to the exclusion
of earnings from discontinued operations in such years. |
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(2) |
For the three months ended March 31, 2005, fixed charges
exceeded earnings by $1,304,000 due primarily to the seasonal
variation in the performance of our hotels. Typically, our
hotels have stronger performance in the second and third
quarters and weaker performance in the first and fourth
quarters, as we believe is typical in the hospitality industry. |
The ratio of earnings to fixed charges was computed by dividing
earnings by fixed charges. The ratio of earnings to combined
fixed charges and preferred stock dividends was computed by
dividing earnings by the sum of fixed charges and dividends on
preferred stock. Earnings consist of income from
continuing operations before income taxes and fixed charges.
Fixed charges consist of interest costs, whether
expensed or capitalized, amortization of line of credit fees and
amortization of interest rate caps and swap agreements.
Preferred stock dividends consist of the amount of
pre-tax earnings that is required to pay distributions on
preferred units of limited partnership interest in our operating
partnership, all of which were redeemed in exchange for common
shares effective April 16, 2004.
S-12
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth the capitalization of Hersha
Hospitality Trust as of March 31, 2005:
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(1) |
on an actual basis; |
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(2) |
on a pro forma basis to give effect to the following
acquisitions, dispositions and financing transactions that
occurred after March 31, 2005, as if such acquisitions,
dispositions and financing transactions occurred on such date,
and the incurrence of any acquisition-related indebtedness: |
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the acquisition of the Hampton Inn, Herald Square in New York,
New York on April 1, 2005 for approximately
$31.3 million plus transaction costs; |
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the disposition of the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Long Island
City, New York on May 13, 2005 for approximately
$9.0 million; |
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the disposition of the Doubletree Club Hotel in Jamaica, New
York on May 13, 2005 for approximately $11.5 million; |
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the acquisition of the Holiday Inn Express Hotel &
Suites King of Prussia in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania on
May 23, 2005 for approximately $16.1 million plus
transaction costs; |
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the acquisition of the Holiday Inn Express of
FrazerMalvern in Frazer, Pennsylvania on May 24, 2005
for approximately $8.2 million plus transaction costs; |
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the acquisition of the Holiday Inn Express LanghorneOxford
Valley in Langhorne, Pennsylvania on May 26, 2005 for
approximately $7.8 million plus transaction costs; |
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the acquisition of the Brookline Courtyard by Marriott in
Brookline, Massachusetts on June 16, 2005 for approximately
$54.5 million plus transaction costs; |
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the acquisition of the Courtyard by Marriott and the McIntosh
Inn of Wilmington each in Wilmington, Delaware on June 17,
2005 for approximately $16.8 million plus transaction
costs; and |
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the issuance of an aggregate of
approximately $51.5 million of notes payable relating
to the sale of $50.0 million of trust preferred securities
in May 2005. |
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(3) |
on a pro forma, as adjusted basis to give effect to the
transactions described under (2) above and the sale of the
Series A Preferred Shares offered hereby; and |
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(4) |
on a pro forma basis to give effect to the transactions
described under (2) and (3) above and the acquisition of
our interest in the Mystic Partners joint venture with Waterford. |
This table should be read in conjunction with the section
captioned Managements Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations and our
financial statements and related notes in our most recent Annual
Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
and our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed in connection
with certain of our recent acquisitions and joint ventures,
including amendments to Current Reports on Form 8-K/A filed
on July 20 and 25, 2005, which are incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus.
S-13
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As of March 31, 2005 | |
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Acquisition, | |
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Preferred | |
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Disposition, and | |
|
Offering | |
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Acquisition of | |
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Financing | |
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Pro | |
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Interest in Mystic | |
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Actual | |
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Pro Forma | |
|
Forma | |
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Pro Forma | |
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| |
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|
(Dollars in thousands) | |
Cash
|
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$ |
6,097 |
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$ |
20,561 |
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$ |
78,496 |
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$ |
26,448 |
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Debt:
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Lines of credit
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$ |
400 |
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|
$ |
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$ |
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$ |
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Mortgages payable
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|
97,395 |
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|
187,038 |
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|
187,038 |
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|
187,038 |
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Notes payable relating to trust preferred securities
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51,548 |
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|
51,548 |
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51,548 |
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Debt related to hotel assets held for sale
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12,952 |
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Other notes payable
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|
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|
Capital lease payable
|
|
|
429 |
|
|
|
429 |
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|
|
429 |
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|
|
429 |
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Total debt
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$ |
111,176 |
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$ |
239,015 |
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|
$ |
239,015 |
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|
$ |
239,015 |
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Minority interest
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|
$ |
18,174 |
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|
$ |
18,174 |
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|
$ |
18,174 |
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$ |
18,174 |
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Shareholders equity(1):
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Preferred shares, $0.01 par value, 10,000,000 shares
authorized, 2,400,000 Series A Preferred Shares issued and
outstanding as adjusted
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$ |
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|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
24 |
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|
$ |
24 |
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|
Class A common shares, $0.01 par value,
50,000,000 shares authorized, 20,292,631 shares issued
and outstanding
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203 |
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|
|
203 |
|
|
|
203 |
|
|
|
203 |
|
|
Class B common shares, $0.01 par value,
50,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and
outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive income
|
|
|
231 |
|
|
|
231 |
|
|
|
231 |
|
|
|
231 |
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
135,343 |
|
|
|
135,343 |
|
|
|
193,254 |
|
|
|
193,254 |
|
|
Distributions in excess
|
|
|
(20,438 |
) |
|
|
(19,115 |
) |
|
|
(19,115 |
) |
|
|
(19,115 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders equity
|
|
$ |
115,339 |
|
|
$ |
116,662 |
|
|
$ |
174,597 |
|
|
$ |
174,597 |
|
|
Total capitalization
|
|
$ |
244,689 |
|
|
$ |
373,851 |
|
|
$ |
431,786 |
|
|
$ |
431,786 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,842,437 common shares issuable upon redemption of outstanding
limited partnership units in our operating partnership owned by
management, trustees and other contributors of properties to our
operating partnership, which units are currently redeemable; and |
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1,192,141 common shares issuable upon exchange of the interest
in our joint venture with CNL Hotels & Resorts, Inc. |
S-14
DESCRIPTION OF SERIES A CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED
SHARES
The following description of the Series A Preferred
Shares supplements, and to the extent inconsistent therewith
replaces, the description of the general terms and provisions of
our preferred shares set forth under Description of Shares
of Beneficial Interest Preferred Shares in the
accompanying prospectus, to which reference is hereby made. This
summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the Articles Supplementary setting
forth the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares. Copies of
the Articles Supplementary and of our Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust may be obtained from us upon request.
General
Pursuant to our Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, our
board of trustees has the authority, without further shareholder
action, to cause us to issue up to 10,000,000 preferred shares
of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share.
Immediately prior to this offering, there were no preferred
shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding.
Preferred shares may be offered and sold from time to time, in
one or more series, as authorized by our board of trustees. The
board of trustees is authorized by Maryland law and our Amended
and Restated Declaration of Trust to classify or reclassify any
unissued common or preferred shares and to establish for each
series the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights,
voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions,
qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption. The board
of trustees has established the Series A Preferred Shares
by reclassifying the previously designated but unissued
Series A Preferred Shares described in more detail under
the heading The Series A Preferred Shares on
page 17 of the accompanying prospectus. The board of
trustees has the power to set preferences, powers and rights,
voting or other terms of preferred shares that are senior to, or
better than, the rights of holders of the Series A
Preferred Shares or other classes or series of preferred shares.
The Series A Preferred Shares are being issued pursuant to
Articles Supplementary to our Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust that set forth the terms of a series
consisting of up to 2,400,000 shares designated as 8.00%
Series A Preferred Shares. The offering relates to
2,400,000 Series A Preferred Shares. The board of
trustees has the power and authority to issue additional
Series A Preferred Shares in the future.
Ranking
With respect to the payment of dividends and amounts upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the Series A
Preferred Shares will rank:
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senior to our common shares with respect to the payment of
dividends and other amounts upon liquidation; |
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on par with any class or series of our equity securities, the
terms of which specifically provide that such class or series
are of equal rank with the Series A Preferred Shares as to
the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the
event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and |
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junior to all our indebtedness, including but not limited to the
approximately $51.5 million of unsecured fixed/floating
rate junior subordinated notes due 2035 issued by HHLP to two
statutory trust subsidiaries in connection with the trusts
issuance and sale of $50.0 million of fixed/floating rate
trust preferred securities. |
Dividends
Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled
to receive, when and as declared by our board of trustees, out
of funds legally available for the payment of dividends,
cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 8.00% per year of
the $25.00 liquidation preference per share, equivalent to a
fixed annual amount of $2.00 per share. Dividends on the
Series A Preferred Shares are payable quarterly in arrears
on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of
each year, and if such day is not a business day, the next
S-15
succeeding business day, commencing on October 15, 2005. We
refer to each of these dates as a dividend payment
date in this prospectus supplement, and the period
beginning after each dividend payment date and ending on the
next succeeding dividend payment date is referred to as the
dividend period. The first dividend payment will be
for less than a full quarter and will cover the period from
August 5, 2005 to October 15, 2005. Such dividend and
any dividend payable on the Series A Preferred Shares for
any partial dividend period will be computed on the basis of a
360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends will
be payable to holders of record as they appear in our records at
the close of business on the applicable record date, which is
the first day of the calendar month in which the applicable
dividend payment date falls or on such other date designated by
our board of trustees for the payment of dividends that is not
more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to such dividend
payment date. We refer to each of these dates as a
dividend record date in this prospectus supplement.
No dividends on Series A Preferred Shares may be declared
by our board of trustees or paid or set apart for payment by us
if such declaration or payment is restricted or prohibited by
law, or at any time at which one or more of our contractual
agreements, including any agreement relating to our outstanding
indebtedness, (1) prohibits the declaration, payment or
setting apart for payment of dividends or (2) provides that
the declaration, payment or setting apart for payment of
dividends would constitute a breach thereof or a default
thereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on the Series A
Preferred Shares will accrue regardless of whether:
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our agreements, including our credit facilities, at any time
prohibit the current payment of dividends; |
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we have earnings; |
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there are funds legally available for the payment of such
dividends; or |
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such dividends are declared. |
Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred
Shares will accumulate as of the dividend payment date on which
they first become payable. No dividends will be declared or paid
or set apart for payment, and no distribution will be made, on
any of our common shares or any other series of preferred shares
ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with or junior to the
Series A Preferred Shares other than a dividend that
consists of our common shares or shares of any other class of
shares ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as
to dividends and upon liquidation, for any period unless full
cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares have
been, or contemporaneously are declared and paid, or declared
and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for
such payment for all dividend periods ending on or prior to the
date of such action with respect to our common shares or any
other series of preferred shares ranking, as to dividends, on a
parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares.
When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for
such full payment is not so set apart) with respect to the
Series A Preferred Shares and any other series of preferred
shares ranking on a parity as to dividends with the
Series A Preferred Shares, all dividends declared upon the
Series A Preferred Shares and any other series of preferred
shares ranking on a parity as to dividends with the
Series A Preferred Shares will be declared pro rata so that
the amount of dividends declared per share of Series A
Preferred Shares and such other series of preferred shares shall
in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued
dividends per share on the Series A Preferred Shares and
such other series of preferred shares (which shall not include
any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends for prior dividend
periods if such series of preferred shares do not have a
cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of
money in lieu of interest, will be payable in respect of any
dividend payment or payments on the Series A Preferred
Shares which may be in arrears.
S-16
Unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred
Shares have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid, or
declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set
apart for payment, for all dividend periods ending on or prior
to the date of any action described below:
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no dividends (other than in our common shares or other shares of
beneficial interest ranking junior to the Series A
Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation) shall be
declared or paid or set aside for payment; |
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no other distribution may be declared or made upon our common
shares or any other shares of beneficial interest ranking junior
to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to
dividends or upon liquidation; and |
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no common shares or any other shares of beneficial interest
ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series A
Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation may be
redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired by us for any
consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a
sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) (except by
conversion into or exchange for other of our shares of
beneficial interest ranking junior to the Series A
Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation, and
except for our redemption, purchase or acquisition of
Shares-in-Trust under our Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust, which are intended to assist us in
qualifying as a REIT for federal income tax purposes). |
Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will not be
entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or
shares of beneficial interest, in excess of full cumulative
dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares as provided
above. Any dividend payment made on the Series A Preferred
Shares will first be credited against the earliest accrued but
unpaid dividend due with respect to such shares which remains
payable.
Liquidation Preference
Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of our affairs, the holders of Series A
Preferred Shares will be entitled to be paid out of our assets
legally available for distribution to our shareholders a
liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount
equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends to the date of
payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of
our common shares or any other class or series of our shares of
beneficial interest that ranks junior to the Series A
Preferred Shares as to liquidation rights. Holders of
Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to written
notice of any such liquidation. After payment of the full amount
of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the
holders of Series A Preferred Shares will have no right or
claim to any of our remaining assets.
In the event that, upon any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, our available assets are
insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions
on all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and the
corresponding amounts payable on all other classes or series of
our shares of beneficial interest ranking on a parity with the
Series A Preferred Shares in the distribution of assets,
then the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and all
other such classes or series will share ratably in any such
distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating
distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively
entitled.
Our consolidation, combination or merger with or into any other
corporation, trust or entity or consolidation or merger of any
other corporation with or into us, the sale, lease or conveyance
of all or substantially all of our assets, property or business
or any statutory share exchange, will not be deemed to
constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us.
Optional Redemption
The Series A Preferred Shares are not redeemable before
August 5, 2010. However, in order to assist us in
qualifying as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, the
Series A Preferred Shares and any other of our shares of
beneficial interest that are owned by a shareholder in excess of
a specified ownership limit
S-17
may automatically become Shares-in-Trust under our
Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, which we will have
the right to purchase from the holder. See
Restrictions on Ownership.
On and after August 5, 2010, we, at our option upon not
less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior written notice,
may redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in
part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption
price of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all
accrued and unpaid dividends on such shares to and including the
date fixed for redemption (except as provided below), without
interest. Holders of Series A Preferred Shares to be
redeemed must surrender the Series A Preferred Shares at
the place designated in the notice and will be entitled to the
redemption price and any accrued and unpaid dividends payable
upon the redemption following surrender. If notice of redemption
of any Series A Preferred Shares has been given and if the
funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by us in
trust for the benefit of the holders of any Series A
Preferred Shares called for redemption, then from and after the
redemption date:
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dividends will cease to accrue on the Series A Preferred
Shares; |
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the Series A Preferred Shares will no longer be deemed
outstanding; and |
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all rights of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares
will terminate, except the holders right to receive the
redemption price. |
If less than all of the outstanding Series A Preferred
Shares is to be redeemed, the Series A Preferred Shares to
be redeemed will be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be
practicable without creating fractional shares) or by any other
equitable method determined by us.
Unless full cumulative dividends on all Series A Preferred
Shares have been, or contemporaneously are, declared and paid,
or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set
apart for payment for all dividend periods ending on or prior to
the date of any applicable redemption, purchase or acquisition,
no Series A Preferred Shares may be redeemed unless all
outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are simultaneously
redeemed, and we may not purchase or otherwise acquire directly
or indirectly any Series A Preferred Shares (except by
exchange for shares of beneficial interest ranking junior to the
Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon
liquidation). This requirement will not prevent the
Series A Preferred Shares from becoming
Shares-in-Trust under our Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust or the purchase by us of Shares-in-Trust in
order to assist us in qualifying as a REIT for federal income
tax purposes.
The terms of the Series A Preferred Shares will not prevent
us from conducting open-market purchases of our Series A
Preferred Shares and/or any of our other equity securities from
time to time.
Notice of redemption will be given by publication in the New
York Times, Wall Street Journal or other newspaper of similar
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 before the redemption date. A
similar notice will be mailed by us, postage prepaid, not less
than 30 nor more than 60 days before the redemption date,
addressed to the respective holders of record of the
Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed at their
respective addresses as they appear on our stock transfer
records. 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 notice was defective or
not given. Each notice will state:
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the redemption date; |
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the redemption price; |
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the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed; |
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the place or places where Series A Preferred Shares are to
be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and |
S-18
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that dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares to be
redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date. |
If less than all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by
any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to the holder
will also specify the number of shares to be redeemed.
The holders of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of
business on a dividend record date will be entitled to receive
the dividend payable with respect to the Series A Preferred
Shares on the corresponding dividend payment date
notwithstanding the redemption thereof between the dividend
record date and the corresponding dividend payment date. Except
as provided above, we will make no payment or allowance for
unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series A
Preferred Shares that are called for redemption.
The Series A Preferred Shares have no stated maturity and
will not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption.
Voting Rights
Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will not have any
voting rights, except as set forth below or as otherwise from
time to time required by law.
Whenever we fail to pay dividends on any Series A Preferred
Shares for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not
consecutive, which we refer to in this prospectus supplement as
a preferred dividend default, the holders of the
Series A Preferred Shares (voting separately as a class
with all other series of preferred shares, if any, ranking on a
parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends
or upon liquidation, referred to in this prospectus supplement
as parity preferred, upon which like voting rights
have been conferred and are exercisable) will be entitled to
vote for the election of a total of two members of our board of
trustees, referred to in this prospectus supplement as
preferred trustees:
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at the next annual meeting of the shareholders or at a special
meeting of the shareholders called by the holders of record of
at least 20% of the Series A Preferred Shares or the
holders of 20% of any other series of such parity preferred 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); and |
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at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends accrued on
Series A Preferred Shares for all dividend periods ending
on or prior to the date of any applicable annual meeting shall
have been fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the
payment thereof set aside for payment. |
If and when all accumulated dividends on the Series A
Preferred Shares have been declared and paid in full or declared
and set aside for payment in full, the holders thereof shall be
divested of the foregoing voting rights (subject to revesting in
the event of each and every preferred dividend default) and, if
all accumulated dividends have been paid in full or declared and
set aside for payment in full on all series of parity preferred
upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are
exercisable, the term of office of each preferred trustee so
elected shall terminate.
Any preferred trustee may be removed at any time with or without
cause by, and shall not be removed otherwise than by the vote
of, the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding
Series A Preferred Shares (voting separately as a class
with all other series of parity preferred, if any, upon which
like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable). So
long as a preferred dividend default shall continue, any vacancy
in the office of a preferred trustee may be filled by written
consent of the preferred trustee remaining in office, or if none
remains in office, by a vote of the holders of record of a
majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares when
they have the voting rights described above (voting separately
as a class with all other series of parity preferred, if any,
upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are
exercisable). The preferred trustees will each be entitled to
one vote per trustee on any matter considered by the board.
S-19
So long as any Series A Preferred Shares remain
outstanding, we 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 (voting
separately as a class):
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authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount
of, any class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking
senior to Series A Preferred Shares with respect to payment
of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up or reclassify any authorized shares of
our equity securities into such shares, or create, authorize or
issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing
the right to purchase any such shares; or |
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amend, alter or repeal the provisions of our Amended and
Restated Declaration of Trust, including the
Articles Supplementary creating the Series A Preferred
Shares, 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 event
set forth in the second bullet point above, the occurrence of
any such event will not be deemed to materially and adversely
affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the
Series A Preferred Shares or the holders thereof so long as
the Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding with the
terms thereof materially unchanged, or if we are not the
surviving entity in any merger, consolidation or other event and
the successor entity issues to holders of the Series A
Preferred Shares preferred shares with substantially identical
rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers as the
Series A Preferred Shares; and provided further that
(1) any increase in the amount of the authorized common
shares or preferred shares or the creation or issuance of any
other series of common shares or preferred shares, ranking on a
parity with or junior to Series A Preferred Shares with
respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or (2) any
change to the number or classification of our trustees, will not
be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights,
preferences, privileges or voting powers.
The foregoing voting provisions will not apply, and the
Series A Preferred Shares will not be entitled to vote,
after any notice of redemption is mailed to the holders and a
sum sufficient to redeem the shares has been deposited with a
bank, trust company, or other financial institution under an
irrevocable obligation to pay the redemption price to the
holders upon surrender of the shares.
Conversion
The Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible into or
exchangeable for any other of our property or securities.
Restrictions on Ownership
For information regarding restrictions on ownership of the
Series A Preferred Shares contained in our Amended and
Restated Declaration of Trust, please see the discussion
contained in the accompanying prospectus under the heading
Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent for
the Series A Preferred Shares is Wachovia Bank, N.A.,
Charlotte, North Carolina.
Form
The Series A Preferred Shares will be issued and maintained
in book-entry form registered in the name of the nominee of The
Depositary Trust Company, except under limited circumstances.
S-20
ADDITIONAL FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of certain federal income tax
considerations with respect to the ownership of our
Series A Preferred Shares. For additional information, see
the Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as a
REIT section beginning on page 38 of the accompanying
prospectus.
Taxation of Our Company
We elected to be taxed as a REIT under the federal income tax
laws commencing with our short taxable year ended
December 31, 1999. We believe that we have been organized
and operated in a manner qualifying us for taxation as a REIT
since our election and intend to continue to so operate. In
connection with this offering, Hunton & Williams LLP is
issuing an opinion that we qualified to be taxed as a REIT for
our taxable years ended December 31, 1999 through
December 31, 2004, and our organization and current and
proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to
qualify as a REIT for our taxable year ending December 31,
2005 and in the future. You should be aware that
Hunton & Williams LLPs opinion is based upon
customary assumptions, is conditioned upon certain
representations made by us as to factual matters, including
representations regarding the nature of our properties and the
future conduct of our business, and is not binding upon the
Internal Revenue Service or any court. In addition,
Hunton & Williams LLPs opinion is based on
existing federal income tax law governing qualification as a
REIT, which is subject to change, possibly on a retroactive
basis. Moreover, our continued qualification and taxation as a
REIT depend upon our ability to meet on a continuing basis,
through actual annual operating results, certain qualification
tests set forth in the federal tax laws. Those qualification
tests involve the percentage of income that we earn from
specified sources, the percentage of our assets that falls
within specified categories, the diversity of our share
ownership, and the percentage of our earnings that we
distribute. While Hunton &Williams LLP has reviewed
those matters in connection with the foregoing opinion,
Hunton & Williams LLP will not review our compliance
with those tests on a continuing basis. Accordingly, no
assurance can be given that the actual results of our operations
for any particular taxable year will satisfy such requirements.
For a discussion of the tax consequences of our failure to
qualify as a REIT, see Federal Income Tax Consequences of
Our Status as a REIT Failure to Qualify in the
accompanying prospectus.
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries
As described in Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our
Status as a REIT-Taxable REIT Subsidiaries in the
accompanying prospectus, we may own up to 100% of the stock in
one or more TRSs, and rent from hotels leased to a TRS will
qualify as rents from real property as long as the
property is operated on behalf of the TRS by an eligible
independent contractor. We lease all of our hotels to
TRSs, and all of those TRSs have engaged HHMLP, an
eligible independent contractor, to operate and
manage those hotels. We lease our wholly-owned hotels to 44 New
England Management Company, a TRS wholly-owned by our operating
partnership, or one of its subsidiaries. Our hotels owned by
separate joint ventures are leased to a TRS owned by the joint
venture. We have formed four TRSs in connection with the
financing of certain of our wholly-owned hotels. Those TRSs own
a 1% general partnership interest in the partnerships that own
those hotels. We may form new TRSs in the future, and we have
represented that, with respect to properties that we lease to
our TRSs in the future, each such TRS will engage an
eligible independent contractor to operate the
hotels leased by such TRS.
S-21
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Shareholders
As used herein, the term U.S. shareholder means
a holder of our Series A Preferred Shares that for
U.S. federal income tax purposes is:
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a citizen or resident of the United States; |
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a corporation (including an entity treated as a corporation for
U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in
or under the laws of the United States, any of its states or the
District of Columbia; |
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an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income
taxation regardless of its source; or |
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any trust if (1) a U.S. court is able to exercise
primary supervision over the administration of such trust and
one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of the trust or (2) it has a valid
election in place to be treated as a U.S. person. |
If a partnership, or an entity or arrangement treated as a
partnership for federal income tax purposes, holds our
Series A Preferred Shares, the federal income tax treatment
of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the
status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If
you are a partner in a partnership holding our Series A
Preferred Shares, you should consult your tax advisor regarding
the consequences of the ownership and disposition of our
Series A Preferred Shares by the partnership.
Distributions
As long as we qualify as a REIT, a taxable U.S. shareholder
must generally take into account as ordinary income
distributions made out of our current or accumulated earnings
and profits that we do not designate as capital gain dividends
or retained long-term capital gain. For purposes of determining
whether a distribution is made out of our current or accumulated
earnings and profits, our earnings and profits will be allocated
first to our preferred share dividends and then to our common
share dividends. If, for any taxable year, we elect to designate
as capital gain dividends any portion of the distributions paid
for the year to our shareholders, the portion of the amount so
designated (not in excess of our net capital gain for the year)
that will be allocable to the holders of the preferred shares
will be the amount so designated, multiplied by a fraction, the
numerator of which will be the total dividends (within the
meaning of the Internal Revenue Code) paid to the holders of the
preferred shares for the year and the denominator of which will
be the total dividends paid to the holders of all classes of our
shares for the year.
A U.S. shareholder will not qualify for the dividends
received deduction generally available to corporations. The Jobs
and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 reduced the
maximum federal income tax rate for qualified dividend income
from 38.6% to 15.0% for tax years 2003 through 2008. Without
future congressional action, the maximum federal income tax rate
on qualified dividend income will move to 35.0% in 2009 and
39.6% in 2011. Qualified dividend income generally includes
dividends paid to domestic individual, trust and estate
taxpayers by domestic C corporations and certain qualified
foreign corporations. Because we are not generally subject to
federal income tax on the portion of our REIT taxable income
distributed to our shareholders (see Federal Income Tax
Consequences of Our Status as a REIT Taxation of Our
Company in the accompanying prospectus), our dividends
generally will not be eligible for the 15.0% rate on qualified
dividend income. As a result, our ordinary REIT dividends will
be taxed at the higher tax rate applicable to ordinary income,
which currently is a maximum rate of 35.0%. However, the 15.0%
tax rate for qualified dividend income will apply to our
ordinary REIT dividends to the extent attributable (i) to
dividends received by us from non-REIT corporations, such as a
TRS, and (ii) to income upon which we have paid corporate
income tax (e.g., to the extent that we distribute less than
100% of our taxable income). In general, to qualify for the
reduced tax rate on qualified dividend income, a shareholder
must hold our Series A Preferred Shares for more than
60 days
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during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is
60 days before the date on which our Series A
Preferred Shares become ex-dividend.
A U.S. shareholder generally will take into account as
long-term capital gain any distributions that we designate as
capital gain dividends without regard to the period for which
the U.S. shareholder has held our Series A Preferred
Shares. We generally will designate our capital gain dividends
as either 15.0% or 25.0% rate distributions. See
Capital Gains and Losses. A corporate
U.S. shareholder, however, may be required to treat up to
20.0% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income.
We may elect to retain and pay income tax on the net long-term
capital gain that we receive in a taxable year. In that case, to
the extent that we designate such amount in a timely notice to
such shareholder, a U.S. shareholder would be taxed on its
proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain.
The U.S. shareholder would receive a credit for its
proportionate share of the tax we paid, and may apply for a
refund to the extent such credit exceeds the shareholders
federal income tax liability. The U.S. shareholder would
increase the basis in its stock by the amount of its
proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain,
minus its share of the tax we paid.
To the extent that we make a distribution in excess of our
current and accumulated earnings and profits, such distribution
will not be taxable to a U.S. shareholder to the extent
that it does not exceed the adjusted tax basis of the
U.S. shareholders Series A Preferred Shares.
Instead, such distribution will reduce the adjusted tax basis of
such shares. To the extent that we make a distribution in excess
of both our current and accumulated earnings and profits and the
U.S. shareholders adjusted tax basis in its
Series A Preferred Shares, such shareholder will recognize
long-term capital gain, or short-term capital gain if the
Series A Preferred Shares have been held for one year or
less, assuming the Series A Preferred Shares are capital
assets in the hands of the U.S. shareholder. In addition,
if we declare a distribution in October, November, or December
of any year that is payable to a U.S. shareholder of record
on a specified date in any such month, such distribution shall
be treated as both paid by us and received by the
U.S. shareholder on December 31 of such year, provided
that we actually pay the distribution during January of the
following calendar year.
Finally, at our election, a distribution for a taxable year may
be declared before we timely file our tax return for the year
provided we pay such distribution with or before our first
regular dividend payment after such declaration, and such
payment is made during the 12-month period following the close
of such taxable year. These distributions are taxable to our
shareholders in the year in which paid, even though the
distributions relate to our prior taxable year for purposes of
the 90% distribution requirement.
Shareholders may not include in their individual income tax
returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses.
Instead, we would carry over such losses for potential offset
against our future income. Taxable distributions from us and
gain from the disposition of our Series A Preferred Shares
will not be treated as passive activity income, and therefore,
shareholders generally will not be able to apply any
passive activity losses, such as losses from certain
types of limited partnerships in which the shareholder is a
limited partner, against such income. In addition, taxable
distributions from us and gain from the disposition of our
Series A Preferred Shares generally may be treated as
investment income for purposes of the investment interest
limitations (although any capital gains so treated will not
qualify for the lower 15.0% federal income tax rate applicable
to capital gains of domestic individual, trust and estate
investors). We will notify shareholders after the close of our
taxable year as to the portions of the distributions
attributable to that year that constitute ordinary income,
return of capital and capital gain.
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Dispositions of Series A Preferred Shares |
In general, a U.S. shareholder who is not a dealer in
securities must treat any gain or loss realized upon a taxable
disposition of our Series A Preferred Shares as long-term
capital gain or loss if the U.S. shareholder has held the
Series A Preferred Shares for more than one year and
otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. However, a
U.S. shareholder must treat any loss upon a sale or
exchange of
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Series A Preferred Shares held by such shareholder for six
months or less as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any
actual or deemed distributions from us that such
U.S. shareholder previously has characterized as long-term
capital gain. All or a portion of any loss that a
U.S. shareholder realizes upon a taxable disposition of the
Series A Preferred Shares may be disallowed if the
U.S. shareholder purchases other Series A Preferred
Shares within 30 days before or after the disposition.
The highest marginal individual federal income tax rate is
35.0%. However, the maximum federal income tax rate on long-term
capital gain applicable to domestic individual, trust and estate
taxpayers is 15.0% (after December 31, 2008, the maximum
federal income tax rate is scheduled to increase to 20.0%). The
maximum tax rate on long-term capital gain from the sale or
exchange of section 1250 property, or
depreciable real property, is 25.0% to the extent that such gain
would have been treated as ordinary income if the property were
section 1245 property. Thus, the tax rate
differential between capital gain and ordinary income for
non-corporate taxpayers may be significant. In addition, the
characterization of income as capital gain or ordinary income
may affect the deductibility of capital losses. A non-corporate
taxpayer may deduct capital losses not offset by capital gains
against its ordinary income only up to a maximum annual amount
of $3,000. A non-corporate taxpayer may carry forward unused
capital losses indefinitely. A corporate taxpayer must pay tax
on its net capital gain at ordinary corporate rates. A corporate
taxpayer may deduct capital losses only to the extent of capital
gains, with unused losses being carried back three years and
forward five years.
A redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares will be
treated under Section 302 of the Internal Revenue Code as a
distribution that is taxable as dividend income (to the extent
of our current or accumulated earnings and profits), unless the
redemption satisfies certain tests set forth in
Section 302(b) of the Internal Revenue Code enabling the
redemption to be treated as sale of the Series A Preferred
Shares (in which case the redemption will be treated in the same
manner as a sale described above in Taxation
of U.S. Shareholders on the Disposition of Series A
Preferred Shares). The redemption will satisfy such tests
if it (1) is substantially disproportionate
with respect to the holders interest in our shares of
beneficial interest, (2) results in a complete
termination of the holders interest in all our
classes of beneficial interest, or (3) is not
essentially equivalent to a dividend with respect to the
holder, all within the meaning of Section 302(b) of the
Internal Revenue Code. In determining whether any of these tests
have been met, shares considered to be owned by the holder by
reason of certain constructive ownership rules set forth in the
Internal Revenue Code, as well as shares actually owned,
generally must be taken into account. Because the determination
as to whether any of the three alternative tests of
Section 302(b) of the Internal Revenue Code described above
will be satisfied with respect to any particular holder of the
Series A Preferred Shares depends upon the facts and
circumstances at the time that the determination must be made,
prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors to
determine such tax treatment.
If a redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares does not
meet any of the three tests described above, the redemption
proceeds will be treated as a distribution, as described above
under Distributions. In that case, a
shareholders adjusted tax basis in the redeemed
Series A Preferred Shares will be transferred to such
shareholders remaining share holdings in us. If the
shareholder does not retain any of our shares, such basis could
be transferred to a related person that holds our shares or it
may be lost.
Proposed Treasury Regulations would, if adopted, alter the
method for recovering your adjusted tax basis in any of our
Series A Preferred Shares redeemed in a dividend equivalent
redemption. Under the proposed Treasury Regulations, you would
be treated as realizing a capital loss on the date of the
dividend equivalent redemption equal to the adjusted tax basis
of the Series A Preferred Shares redeemed, subject to
adjustments. The recognition of such loss would generally be
deferred until the occurrence of specified events, such as, for
example, you cease to actually or constructively own any shares
of our beneficial interest. There can be no assurance that the
Proposed Treasury Regulations will be adopted, or that they will
be adopted in their current form.
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Taxation of Tax-Exempt Shareholders
Tax-exempt entities, including qualified employee pension and
profit sharing trusts and individual retirement accounts and
annuities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation.
However, they are subject to taxation on their unrelated
business taxable income. While many investments in real estate
generate unrelated business taxable income, the Internal Revenue
Service has issued a published ruling that dividend
distributions from a REIT to an exempt employee pension trust do
not constitute unrelated business taxable income, provided that
the exempt employee pension trust does not otherwise use the
shares of the REIT in an unrelated trade or business of the
pension trust. Based on that ruling, amounts that we distribute
to tax-exempt shareholders generally should not constitute
unrelated business taxable income. However, if a tax-exempt
shareholder were to finance its acquisition of our Series A
Preferred Shares with debt, a portion of the income that it
receives from us would constitute unrelated business taxable
income pursuant to the debt-financed property rules.
Furthermore, social clubs, voluntary employee benefit
associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, and
qualified group legal services plans that are exempt from
taxation under special provisions of the federal income tax laws
are subject to different unrelated business taxable income
rules, which generally will require them to characterize
distributions that they receive from us as unrelated business
taxable income. Finally, in certain circumstances, a qualified
employee pension or profit sharing trust that owns more than
10.0% of our shares of beneficial interest is required to treat
a percentage of the dividends that it receives from us as
unrelated business taxable income. Such percentage is equal to
the gross income that we derive from an unrelated trade or
business, determined as if we were a pension trust, divided by
our total gross income for the year in which we pay the
dividends. That rule applies to a pension trust holding more
than 10.0% of our shares of beneficial interest only if:
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the percentage of our dividends that the tax-exempt trust would
be required to treat as unrelated business taxable income is at
least 5.0%; |
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we qualify as a REIT by reason of the modification of the rule
requiring that no more than 50.0% of our shares of beneficial
interest be owned by five or fewer individuals that allows the
beneficiaries of the pension trust to be treated as holding our
shares of beneficial interest in proportion to their actuarial
interests in the pension trust (see Federal Income Tax
Consequences of Our Status as a REIT Requirements
for Qualification in the accompanying prospectus); and |
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either (1) one pension trust owns more than 25.0% of the
value of our shares of beneficial interest or (2) a group
of pension trusts individually holding more than 10.0% of the
value of our shares of beneficial interest collectively owns
more than 50.0% of the value of our shares. |
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
The rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of
nonresident alien individuals, foreign corporations, foreign
partnerships, and other foreign shareholders (collectively,
non-U.S. shareholders) are complex. This
section is only a summary of such rules. We urge
non-U.S. shareholders to consult their tax advisors to
determine the impact of federal, state, local and foreign tax
laws on ownership of our Series A Preferred Shares,
including any reporting requirements.
A non-U.S. shareholder that receives a distribution that is
not attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of
United States real property interests, as defined
below, and that we do not designate as a capital gain dividend
or retained capital gain will recognize ordinary income to the
extent that we pay such distribution out of our current or
accumulated earnings and profits. A federal withholding tax
equal to 30.0% of the gross amount of the distribution
ordinarily will apply to such distribution unless an applicable
tax treaty reduces or eliminates the tax. However, if a
distribution is treated as effectively connected with the
non-U.S. shareholders conduct of a U.S. trade or
business, the non-U.S. shareholder generally will be
subject to federal income tax on the distribution at graduated
rates, in the same manner as U.S. shareholders are taxed
with respect to such distributions. A non-U.S. shareholder
that is a
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corporation also may be subject to the 30.0% branch profits tax
with respect to the distribution, subject to exemption or
reduction pursuant to an applicable income tax treaty. We plan
to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30.0% on
the gross amount of any such distribution paid to a
non-U.S. shareholder unless either:
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a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. shareholder
files an IRS Form W-8BEN evidencing eligibility for that
reduced rate with us; or |
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the non-U.S. shareholder files an IRS Form W-8ECI with
us claiming that the distribution is effectively connected
income. |
A non-U.S. shareholder will not incur tax on a distribution
in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits if
the excess portion of such distribution does not exceed the
adjusted basis of its Series A Preferred Shares. Instead,
the excess portion of such distribution will reduce the adjusted
basis of such shares. A non-U.S. shareholder will be
subject to tax on a distribution that exceeds both our current
and accumulated earnings and profits and the adjusted basis of
its Series A Preferred Shares, if the
non-U.S. shareholder otherwise would be subject to tax on
gain from the sale or disposition of its Series A Preferred
Shares, as described below. Because we generally cannot
determine at the time we make a distribution whether the
distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings
and profits, we normally will withhold tax on the entire amount
of any distribution at the same rate as we would withhold on a
dividend. However, a non-U.S. shareholder may apply for a
refund of amounts that we withhold if we later determine that a
distribution in fact exceeded our current and accumulated
earnings and profits.
We may be required to withhold 10.0% of any distribution that
exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits.
Consequently, although we intend to withhold at a rate of 30.0%
on the entire amount of any distribution, to the extent that we
do not do so, we will withhold at a rate of 10.0% on any portion
of a distribution not subject to withholding at a rate of 30.0%.
A non-U.S. shareholder may incur tax on distributions that
are attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of
United States real property interests under special
provisions of the federal income tax laws referred to as FIRPTA.
The term United States real property interests
includes certain interests in real property and stock in
corporations at least 50.0% of whose assets consist of interests
in real property. Under those rules, a non-U.S. shareholder
is taxed on distributions attributable to gain from sales of
United States real property interests as if such gain were
effectively connected with a U.S. business of the
non-U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. shareholder thus
would be taxed on such a distribution at the normal capital
gains rates applicable to U.S. shareholders, subject to
applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative
minimum tax in the case of a nonresident alien individual. A
non-U.S. corporate shareholder not entitled to treaty
relief or exemption also may be subject to the 30.0% branch
profits tax on such a distribution. We must withhold 35.0% of
any distribution that we could designate as a capital gain
dividend. A non-U.S. shareholder may receive a credit
against its tax liability for the amount we withhold.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, capital gain distributions to the
holders of Series A Preferred Shares that are attributable
to our sale of United States real property interests will be
treated as ordinary dividends, rather than as gain from the sale
of a United States real property interest, as long as
(1) our Series A Preferred Shares are treated as being
regularly traded on an established securities market
in the United States and (2) the non-U.S. shareholder
did not own more than 5.0% of our Series A Preferred Shares
at any time during the taxable year. We anticipate that our
Series A Preferred Shares will be treated as being
regularly traded on an established securities market
in the United States. As a result, non-U.S. shareholders
owning 5.0% or less of our Series A Preferred Shares
generally will be subject to withholding tax on such capital
gain distributions in the same manner as they are subject to
withholding tax on ordinary dividends. If our Series A
Preferred Shares cease to be regularly traded on an established
securities market or the non-U.S. shareholder owned more
than 5.0% of our Series A Preferred Shares at any time
during the taxable year, capital gain distributions that are
attributable to our sale of United
S-26
States real property interests would be subject to tax under
FIRPTA, as described in the preceding paragraph.
A non-U.S. shareholder generally will not incur tax under
FIRPTA with respect to gain realized upon a disposition of our
Series A Preferred Shares as long as at all times
non-U.S. persons hold, directly or indirectly, less than
50.0% in value of our shares of beneficial interest. We cannot
assure you that that test will be met. However, a
non-U.S. shareholder that owned, actually or
constructively, 5.0% or less of our Series A Preferred
Shares at all times during a specified testing period will not
incur tax under FIRPTA if the Series A Preferred Shares are
regularly traded on an established securities
market. If, as anticipated, our Series A Preferred Shares
are regularly traded on an established securities
market, a non-U.S. shareholder will not incur tax under
FIRPTA with respect to any such gain unless it owns, actually or
constructively, more than 5.0% of our Series A Preferred
Shares. If the gain on the sale of Series A Preferred
Shares were taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. shareholder
would be taxed in the same manner as U.S. shareholders with
respect to such gain, subject to applicable alternative minimum
tax or, a special alternative minimum tax in the case of
nonresident alien individuals. Furthermore, a
non-U.S. shareholder will incur tax on gain not subject to
FIRPTA if (1) the gain is effectively connected with the
non-U.S. shareholders U.S. trade or business, in
which case the non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to the
same treatment as U.S. shareholders with respect to such
gain, or (2) the non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident
alien individual who was present in the United States for
183 days or more during the taxable year and has a
tax home in the United States, in which case the
non-U.S. shareholder will incur a 30.0% tax on his capital
gains.
Recent Legislation
On October 22, 2004, the President signed into law the
American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, which amended certain rules
relating to REITs. The changes made to the REIT rules by the
American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 most relevant to us include:
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If we fail to satisfy the 95% gross income test after our 2004
taxable year, as described under Federal Income Tax
Consequences of Our Status as a REIT Income
Tests in the accompanying prospectus, but nonetheless
continue to qualify as a REIT because we meet other
requirements, we will be subject to a 100% tax on (1) the
excess of 95% (rather than 90%) of our gross income over our
qualifying income multiplied by (2) a fraction intended to
reflect our overall profitability. |
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For purposes of the 10% value test (i.e., the requirement that
we not own more than 10% of the value of the securities of any
issuer other than a TRS, a qualified REIT subsidiary, or another
REIT) as described under Federal Income Tax Consequences
of Our Status as a REIT Asset Tests in the
accompanying prospectus, the following contingencies do not
preclude a debt instrument from qualifying for the
straight debt exception: |
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a contingency relating to the time of payment of interest or
principal, as long as either (1) there is no change to the
effective yield of the debt obligation, other than a change to
the annual yield that does not exceed the greater of
(A) 0.25% or (B) 5.0% of the annual yield, or
(2) neither the aggregate issue price nor the aggregate
face amount of the issuers debt obligations held by us
exceeds $1.0 million and no more than 12 months of
unaccrued interest on the debt obligations can be required to be
prepaid; and |
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a contingency relating to the time or amount of payment upon a
default or prepayment of a debt obligation, as long as the
contingency is consistent with customary commercial practice. |
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In addition to straight debt securities, loans to individuals
and estates, debt and equity securities issued by REITs and
accrued obligations to pay rents from real property will not be
considered securities for purposes of the 10.0% value test.
Additionally, a security issued by a state or any political
subdivision thereof, the District of Columbia, a foreign
government or any political subdivision thereof, or the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall not be considered a security
for |
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purposes of the 10.0% value test provided that the amounts
received or accrued under the security do not depend in whole or
in part on the profits of any non-governmental entity or on
payments on an obligation issued by any non-governmental entity.
Finally, a debt instrument issued by a partnership that does not
meet one of the safe harbors mentioned above shall not be
considered a security (1) to the extent of our interest as
a partner in the partnership or (2) if at least 75.0% of
the partnerships gross income is derived from sources that
meet the 75.0% gross income test. |
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For purposes of the 10.0% value test, holding a de minimis
amount of an issuers securities that do not qualify for
the straight debt safe harbor (either directly or through a TRS)
will not prevent straight debt of a partnership or corporation
from qualifying for the safe harbor. Specifically, we or a
controlled TRS in which we own more than 50.0% of the voting
power or value of the stock could hold such non-straight debt
securities with a value of up to 1.0% of a partnerships or
corporations outstanding securities. There is no
limitation on the amount of an issuers securities that a
non-controlled TRS can own. |
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In the event that, at the end of a calendar quarter after our
2004 taxable year, more than 5.0% of our assets are represented
by the securities of one issuer, or we own more than 10.0% of
the voting power or value of the securities of any issuer, we
will not lose our REIT status if (1) the failure is de
minimis (i.e., is due to the ownership of assets the value of
which does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the value of all of
our assets or $10.0 million) and (2) we dispose of
assets or otherwise comply with the asset tests within six
months after the last day of the quarter in which we identify
such failure. |
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In the event of a more than de minimis failure of any of the
asset tests after our 2004 taxable year, as long as the failure
is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, we will
not lose our REIT status if we (1) dispose of assets or
otherwise comply with the asset tests within six months after
the last day of the quarter in which we identify such failure,
(2) file a schedule with the IRS that identifies each asset
that caused us to fail such test and (3) pay a tax equal to
the greater of $50,000 or 35.0% of the net income from the
nonqualifying assets during the period in which we failed to
satisfy the asset tests. |
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In the event that we fail to satisfy a REIT requirement after
our 2004 taxable year, other than a gross income or asset test,
we will not lose our REIT status but will incur a penalty of
$50,000 if we establish reasonable cause for failure to satisfy
such a requirement. |
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After our 2004 taxable year, hedging transaction
will mean any transaction entered into in the normal course of
our trade or business primarily to manage the risk of interest
rate changes, price changes or currency fluctuations with
respect to borrowings made or to be made, or ordinary
obligations incurred or to be incurred, to acquire or carry real
estate assets. We will be required to clearly identify any such
hedging transaction before the close of the day on which it was
acquired, originated or entered into. Income and gain from
hedging transactions will be excluded from gross income for
purposes of the 95.0% gross income test, but will continue to be
nonqualifying income for purposes of the 75.0% gross income test. |
The provisions described above relating to the expansion of the
straight debt safe harbor and the additional classes
of securities that are exempt from the 10.0% value test apply to
taxable years beginning after December 31, 2000. All other
provisions apply for taxable years beginning after our 2004
taxable year.
Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding
We will report to our shareholders and to the Internal Revenue
Service the amount of distributions we pay during each calendar
year, and the amount of tax we withhold, if any. Under the backup
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withholding rules, a shareholder may be subject to backup
withholding at the rate of 28.0% with respect to distributions
unless such holder:
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is a corporation or comes within certain other exempt categories
and, when required, demonstrates this fact; or |
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provides a taxpayer identification number, certifies as to no
loss of exemption from backup withholding, and otherwise
complies with the applicable requirements of the backup
withholding rules. |
A shareholder who does not provide us with its correct taxpayer
identification number also may be subject to penalties imposed
by the Internal Revenue Service. Any amount paid as backup
withholding will be creditable against the shareholders
federal income tax liability. In addition, we may be required to
withhold a portion of capital gain distributions to any
shareholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status to us.
See Taxation of
Non-U.S. Shareholders.
State and Local Taxes
We and/or our shareholders may be subject to state or local
taxation in various jurisdictions, including those in which we
or a shareholder transacts business, owns property or resides.
We own interest in properties located in a number of
jurisdictions and may be required to file tax returns in certain
of those jurisdictions. The state and local tax treatment may
differ from the U.S. federal income tax treatment discussed
above and in the accompanying prospectus. Prospective
shareholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the
application and effect of state and local income and other tax
laws on an investment in our Series A Preferred Shares.
S-29
UNDERWRITING
We are offering the Series A Preferred Shares described in
this prospectus supplement through a number of underwriters.
Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC and UBS Securities LLC are the
representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into an
underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the
terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have
agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has
severally agreed to purchase from us, the number of
Series A Preferred Shares listed next to its name below at
the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and
commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus
supplement:
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Underwriter |
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Number of Shares | |
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Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC
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720,000 |
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UBS Securities LLC
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720,000 |
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Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
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480,000 |
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Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated
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240,000 |
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Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
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240,000 |
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Total
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2,400,000 |
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The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the
underwriters to purchase the shares included in this offering
are subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and to
certain other conditions. The underwriters must buy all of these
shares from us if they buy any of them. The underwriters are
offering the Series A Preferred Shares subject to a number
of conditions, including:
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the underwriters receipt and acceptance of the
Series A Preferred Shares from us; and |
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the underwriters right to reject orders in whole or in
part. |
Lock-Up Agreement. In connection with the offering
of the Series A Preferred Shares, we have agreed that for
30 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, we
will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of, directly or
indirectly, any other preferred shares substantially similar to
the Series A Preferred Shares, without the prior written
consent of Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC and UBS Securities LLC.
Settlement Cycle. We expect that delivery of the
Series A Preferred Shares will be made against payments
therefor on or about August 5, 2005, which is the fifth
business day following the date of this prospectus supplement.
Trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle
in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade
expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to
trade Series A Preferred Shares on any day prior to the
third business day before the date of delivery of any payment on
the Series A Preferred Shares will be required, by virtue
of the fact that the Series A Preferred Shares initially
will settle in five business days from the date of this
prospectus supplement, to specify an alternate settlement cycle
at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement.
Purchasers of the Series A Preferred Shares who wish to
trade shares on the day of pricing or the next five succeeding
business days should consult their own advisors.
Stock Market Listing. We have applied to list the
Series A Preferred Shares on the AMEX under the symbol
HT.PR.A. If approved, trading of the Series A
Preferred Shares on the AMEX is expected to commence within the
30-day period following the initial delivery of the
Series A Preferred Shares to the underwriters. The
representatives have advised us that they intend to make a
market in the Series A Preferred Shares prior to the
commencement of trading on the AMEX. The representatives will
have no obligation to make a market, however, and may cease
market-making activities, if commenced, at any time.
The Series A Preferred Shares are a new issue of securities
with no established trading market. An active trading market may
not develop. Even if an active market does develop, the public
price at which our shares trade in the future may be below the
offering price.
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions. The
underwriting discounts and commissions are the difference
between the price the underwriters pay to us and the price at
which the underwriters initially
S-30
offer the shares to the public. The size of the underwriting
discounts and commissions are determined through arms-length
negotiations between us and the representatives. The following
table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and
commissions we will allow to the underwriters.
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Per Share | |
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Total | |
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Public Offering Price
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$ |
25.0000 |
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$ |
60,000,000 |
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Underwriting discounts and commissions
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$ |
0.7875 |
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$ |
1,890,000 |
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Proceeds, before expenses, to us
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$ |
24.2125 |
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$ |
58,110,000 |
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The expenses of this offering, not including the underwriting
discount, are estimated to be approximately $175,000 and will be
paid by us.
Indemnification of the Underwriters. We have
agreed to indemnify the underwriters against specified
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and liabilities arising from breaches of our
representations and warranties contained in the underwriting
agreement. If we are unable to provide this indemnification, we
will contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to
make in respect of those liabilities.
Dealers Compensation. The underwriters
initially will offer our shares to the public at the price
specified on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. The
underwriters may allow to selected dealers a concession of not
more than $0.50 per share. The underwriters may also allow,
and any other dealers may reallow, a concession of not more than
$0.45 per share to some other dealers. If all the shares
are not sold at the public offering price, the underwriters may
change the public offering price and the other selling terms. A
change in the public offering price will not affect the amount
of proceeds that we receive.
Stabilization and Other Transactions. The rules of
the SEC generally prohibit the underwriters from trading our
Series A Preferred Shares on the open market during this
offering. However, the underwriters are allowed to engage in
some open market transactions and other activities during this
offering that may cause the market price of our Series A
Preferred Shares to be above or below that which would otherwise
prevail in the open market. These activities may include
stabilization, short sales, syndicate covering transactions and
penalty bids, each of which is summarized in more detail below.
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Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases made by
the representatives for the purpose of preventing or slowing a
decline in the market price of our Series A Preferred
Shares while this offering is in progress. |
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Short sales involve syndicate sales of Series A Preferred
Shares in excess of the number of shares to be purchased by the
underwriters in the offering, which creates a syndicate short
position. The underwriters must close out any short position by
purchasing Series A Preferred Shares in the open market. A
short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters
are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price
of the shares in the open market after pricing that could
adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. |
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Syndicate covering transactions are bids for or purchases of our
Series A Preferred Shares on the open market by the
underwriters in order to reduce a short position incurred by the
underwriters. Similar to other purchase transactions, syndicate
covering transactions may have the effect of raising or
maintaining the market price of our Series A Preferred
Shares or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price
of our Series A Preferred Shares. As a result, the price of
our Series A Preferred Shares may be higher than the price
that might otherwise exist in the open market. |
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A penalty bid is an arrangement permitting the representatives
to reclaim the selling concession that would otherwise accrue to
an underwriter if the Series A Preferred Shares originally
sold by that underwriter were later repurchased by the
representatives and therefore were not effectively sold to the
public by the underwriter. |
S-31
If the representatives commence these activities, they may
discontinue them at any time without notice. The representatives
may carry out these transactions on the AMEX, in the
over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Related-Party Transactions. Various subsidiaries
of Wachovia Bank, N.A., an affiliate of Wachovia Capital Markets
LLC, act as servicer under certain of the mortgage loans secured
by properties owned by us. Wachovia Bank, N.A. is also the
transfer agent for our Common Shares and Series A Preferred
Shares. In connection with the acquisition of the Brookline
Courtyard by Marriott in Brookline, Massachusetts, Wachovia
Bank, N.A. made a $38.9 million mortgage loan to a
subsidiary of HHLP (guaranteed by HHLP) secured by the Brookline
property. In connection with the acquisition of a 50% joint
venture interest in the Courtyard by Marriott in Ewing-Hopewell,
New Jersey on July 18, 2005, Wachovia Bank, N.A. made a
$13.5 million mortgage loan to the owner of the hotel, in
which we own a 50% interest, secured by the Ewing-Hopewell
property. In connection with the acquisition of the McIntosh
portfolio, UBS Real Estate Investment, Inc., an affiliate of UBS
Securities LLC, made a $34.2 million mortgage loan to a
number of our subsidiaries, the service on such loan being
secured by the lease fees and rents that the subsidiaries will
receive in connection with the five properties in the McIntosh
portfolio. It is currently contemplated that one or more
affiliates of UBS Securities LLC will be a lender under
certain of the refinancings of properties to be contributed to
our Mystic Partners joint venture with Waterford. In addition,
in the ordinary course of their business, the underwriters
and/or their affiliates have engaged, and expect in the future
to engage, in investment banking, commercial banking, financial
advisory and/or general financing transactions with us, for
which they have received, and may in the future receive,
customary fees and commissions.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be
passed upon for us by Hunton & Williams LLP. In
addition, the summaries of legal matters contained in the
section of the accompanying prospectus under the heading
Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as a
REIT and in the section of this prospectus supplement
under the heading Additional Federal Income Tax
Considerations are based on the opinion of
Hunton & Williams LLP. Certain legal matters in
connection with this offering will be passed upon for the
underwriters by Clifford Chance US LLP. With respect to matters
relating to Maryland and Virginia law, Clifford Chance US LLP
will rely on the opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
The consolidated financial statements as of December 31,
2004, and for the year ended December 31, 2004,
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, have
been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public
accountants, as stated in their report in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K dated March 12, 2005, filed on
March 16, 2005, which contains an explanatory paragraph
that indicates that we have adopted FASB Interpretation
No. 46(R), Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities
effective March 31, 2004. Our assessment of the
effectiveness and the effectiveness of internal control over
financial reporting as of December 31, 2004 have been
audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accountants,
as stated in their report in our Amended Annual Report on
Form 10-K/ A dated April 28, 2005, filed on
May 2, 2005, which is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus supplement.
KPMGs report dated April 28, 2005, on
managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal
control over financial reporting and the effectiveness of
internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2004, expresses their opinion that the Company
did not maintain effective internal control over financial
reporting as of December 31, 2004 because of the effect of
material weaknesses on the achievement of the objectives of the
control criteria and contains explanatory paragraphs that state
internal control activities designed to ensure completeness and
accuracy of payroll expense, and existence and accuracy of
reported revenue did not operate effectively at
December 31, 2004. Additionally, an
S-32
explanatory paragraph stated that Hersha Hospitality Trust
lacked appropriately designed controls over account
reconciliations and account analysis preparation, lacked
appropriately designed controls over the review of recurring
journal entries, and did not maintain sufficient levels of
appropriately qualified personnel in its financial reporting
processes.
EXPERTS
Our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2003, and
our consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and
shareholders equity for the year ended December 31,
2003, incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus, have been audited by Reznick
Group, independent registered public accountants, whose report
is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus and given upon their authority as
experts in accounting and auditing. The balance sheet of Hersha
Hospitality Management L.P. as of December 31, 2003, and
the related statements of operations, partners equity
(deficit), and cash flows for the year ended December 31,
2003, incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus have been audited by Reznick
Group, independent registered public accountants, whose report
is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and given upon
their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2004 and
consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and
shareholders equity for the year ended December 31,
2004 for the five hotels in the McIntosh portfolio incorporated
by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus, have been audited by Reznick Group, independent
registered public accountants, whose report is incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus and given upon their authority as experts in
accounting and auditing.
Our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2002, and
our consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and
shareholders equity for each of the years ended
December 31, 2002 and 2001, incorporated by reference in
this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, have
been audited by Moore Stephens, P.C., independent
registered public accountants, whose reports are incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus and given upon their authority as experts in
accounting and auditing. The consolidated balance sheet of
Hersha Hospitality Management L.P. as of December 31, 2002,
and the related statements of operations, partners equity
(deficit), and cash flows for each of the two years in the
period ended December 31, 2002, incorporated by reference
in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
have been audited by Moore Stephens, P.C., independent
registered public accountants, whose reports are incorporated by
reference in this prospectus and given upon their authority as
experts in accounting and auditing.
The balance sheet as of December 31, 2004, and statements
of operations, cash flows and shareholders equity for the
year ended December 31, 2004, for the Courtyard by Marriott
in Brookline, Massachusetts incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, have been
audited by Dworken, Hillman, LaMorte & Sterczala, P.C.,
independent registered public accountants, whose report is
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus and given upon their authority as
experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Waterford Hospitality
Group, LLC and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2004 and
2003 and for each of the three years in the period ended
December 31, 2004 incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been
so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said
firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
S-33
$200,000,000
Hersha Hospitality Trust
Common Shares of Beneficial Interest
Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest
Debt Securities
Hersha Hospitality Trust intends to offer and sell from time to
time the debt and equity securities described in this
prospectus. The total offering price of these securities will
not exceed $200,000,000 in the aggregate. We will provide the
specific terms of any securities we may offer in a supplement to
this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and
any applicable prospectus supplement before deciding to invest
in these securities.
The securities may be offered directly, through agents
designated by us from time to time, or to or through
underwriters or dealers.
NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE
SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE
SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR
COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL
OFFENSE.
For a discussion of certain risks associated with an
investment in the securities, see Risk Factors on
Page 2.
The date of this Prospectus is April 2, 2004.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable
prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to
provide you with different information. If anyone provides you
with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely
on it. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any
state where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should
assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, as
well as the information we previously filed with the SEC and
incorporated by reference, is accurate only as of the date of
the documents containing the information.
i
HOW TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements
and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. You may read and copy any reports, statements, or
other information we file with the SEC at its public reference
room in Washington, D.C. (450 Fifth Street, N.W.
20549). Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further
information on the public reference room. Our filings are also
available to the public on the internet, through a database
maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, you
can inspect and copy reports, proxy statements and other
information concerning Hersha Hospitality Trust at the offices
of the American Stock Exchange, Inc., 86 Trinity Place,
New York, New York 10006, on which our common shares
(symbol: HT) are listed.
INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION FILED WITH THE SEC
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference into
this prospectus the information we file with the SEC, which
means that we can disclose important business, financial and
other information to you by referring you to other documents
separately filed with the SEC. All information incorporated by
reference is part of this prospectus, unless and until that
information is updated and superseded by the information
contained in this prospectus or any information incorporated
later. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below
and any future filings we make with the SEC under
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act),
prior to completion of this offering.
We incorporate our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2003.
We also incorporate by reference all future filings we make with
the SEC between the date of this prospectus and the date upon
which we sell all of the securities we offer with this
prospectus and any applicable supplement.
You may obtain copies of these documents at no cost by
requesting them from us in writing at the following address:
Hersha Hospitality Trust, 148 Sheraton Drive, Box A,
New Cumberland, PA 17070, telephone (717) 770-2405.
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a shelf registration statement. We
may sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, any
combination of the securities described in this prospectus. This
prospectus only provides you with a general description of the
securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities under this
prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that
contains specific information about the terms of the securities.
The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change
information contained in this prospectus. You should read both
this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the
additional information described under the heading How to
Obtain More Information.
The total dollar amount of the securities sold under this
prospectus will not exceed $200,000,000.
ii
FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION
This prospectus and the information incorporated by reference
into it contains certain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without limitation,
statements containing the words believes,
anticipates, expects,
estimates, intends, plans,
projects, will continue and words of
similar import. We have based these forward-looking statements
on our current expectations and projections about future events
and trends affecting the financial condition of our business,
which may prove to be incorrect. These forward-looking
statements relate to future events and our future financial
performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors which may cause our actual results,
performance, achievements or industry results to be materially
different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You
should specifically consider the factors identified under the
caption Risk Factors and the various other factors
identified in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus
and any other documents filed by us with the SEC that could
cause actual results to differ materially from our
forward-looking statements.
Except to the extent required by applicable law, we undertake no
obligation to, and do not intend to, update any forward-looking
statement or the Risk Factors or to publicly
announce the result of any revisions to any of the
forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future
events or developments. There are a number of risk factors
associated with the conduct of our business, and the risks
discussed in the Risk Factors section of this
prospectus may not be exhaustive. New risks and uncertainties
arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict
these events or how they may affect us. All forward-looking
statements should be read with caution.
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Unless otherwise indicated, the terms Hersha,
we, us, our and our
company refer to Hersha Hospitality Trust and its
subsidiaries, including Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership.
All brand names, trademarks and service marks appearing in this
prospectus are the property of their respective owners. This
prospectus supplement contains registered trademarks owned or
licensed to companies other than us, including but not limited
to Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Courtyard® by
Marriott®, Doubletree Suites®, Fairfield Inn® by
Marriott®, Hampton Inn®, Hilton Garden Inn®,
Holiday Inn®, Homewood Suites by Hilton®, Mainstay
Suites®, Residence Inn® by Marriott® and Sleep
Inn®, none of which, in any way, are participating in or
endorsing this offering and shall not in any way be deemed an
issuer or underwriter of the securities issued under this
prospectus, and shall not have any liability or responsibility
for any financial statements or other financial information
contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
iii
OUR COMPANY
Hersha Hospitality Trust is a self-advised Maryland real estate
investment trust that was organized in 1998 and completed its
initial public offering in January of 1999. We focus primarily
on owning and operating high quality, mid-scale limited service
hotels in established markets in the Eastern United States. Our
primary strategy is to continue to acquire high quality,
mid-scale hotels in metropolitan markets with high barriers to
entry in the Northeastern United States. As of December 31,
2003, our portfolio consisted of 22 hotels with a total of 2,169
rooms located in Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Georgia
and New Jersey, which operate under leading brands, such as
Hampton Inn®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Holiday Inn®,
Holiday Inn Express®, DoubleTree®, and Comfort
Suites®.
We are structured as an umbrella partnership REIT, or UPREIT,
and we own our hotels through our operating partnership, Hersha
Hospitality Limited Partnership, or our operating
partnership for which we serve as general partner. All of
our hotels are managed by Hersha Hospitality Management, L.P.,
or HHMLP, a private management company owned by certain of our
trustees, officers and other third party investors. In response
to tax law changes, we recently formed a wholly-owned taxable
REIT subsidiary, or TRS, to which we currently lease twelve
hotels and to which we intend to lease all of our hotels,
including hotels we may acquire in the future and hotels
currently leased to HHMLP as those leases expire. We believe
that transitioning to this TRS structure positions us to
participate more directly in the operating efficiencies and
revenue gains at our hotels.
In April of 2003, we entered into a strategic alliance with CNL
Hospitality Partners, L.P., a subsidiary of CNL Hospitality
Properties, Inc. CNL is a public company which has been one of
the most active investors in lodging properties over the past
several years. The strategic alliance positions us as one of
CNLs preferred partners for investing in mid-scale hotels.
Our agreement with CNL provides that it will invest up to
$25 million in our operating partnership and up to
$40 million in a newly formed hotel acquisition joint
venture. CNL has currently invested $19 million in our
operating partnership and $8 million in the joint venture,
which acquired its first hotel, the Hampton Inn Chelsea,
New York, New York, on August 29, 2003.
We are taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the
Code. REITs are subject to a number of
organizational and operational requirements, including a
requirement that they currently distribute at least 90% of their
taxable income (excluding net capital gains). See Federal
Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as REIT.
1
RISK FACTORS
Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully
consider the following risks, together with the other
information included in this prospectus, any prospectus
supplement and the information incorporated by reference. If any
of the following risks actually occur, our business, financial
condition or results of operations may suffer. As a result, the
trading price of our securities could decline, and you may lose
all or part of your investment.
An investment in our securities involves significant risks,
including the risk of losing your entire investment. In
evaluating our business, prospective investors should carefully
consider the following risk factors in addition to the other
information contained in this prospectus.
Risks Relating to Our Business and Operations
We may be unable to integrate acquired hotels into our
operations or otherwise manage our planned growth, which may
adversely affect our operating results.
We are attempting to acquire a substantial number of hotels. If
we are successful in making these acquisitions, we cannot assure
you that we (or HHMLP) will be able to adapt our management,
administrative, accounting and operational systems and
arrangements, or hire and retain sufficient operational staff to
integrate these investments into our portfolio and manage any
future acquisitions of additional assets without operating
disruptions or unanticipated costs. Acquisition of hotels would
generate additional operating expenses that we would be required
to pay. As we acquire additional hotels, we will be subject to
the operational risks associated with owning new lodging
properties. Our failure to integrate successfully any future
acquisitions into our portfolio could have a material adverse
effect on our results of operations and financial condition and
our ability to pay dividends to shareholders or other payment in
respect of securities issued by us.
Acquisition of hotels with limited operating history may
not achieve desired results.
Many of our acquisitions are likely to be newly developed
hotels. Newly-developed or newly-renovated hotels do not have
the operating history that would allow our management to make
pricing decisions in acquiring these hotels based on historical
performance. The purchase prices of these hotels are typically
based upon managements expectations as to the operating
results of such hotels, subjecting us to risks that such hotels
may not achieve anticipated operating results or may not achieve
these results within anticipated time frames. As a result, we
may not be able to generate enough cash flow from these hotels
to make debt payments or pay operating expenses. In addition,
room revenues may be less than that required to provide us with
our anticipated return on investment. In either case, the
amounts available for distribution to our shareholders could be
reduced.
Our acquisitions may not achieve expected performance,
which may harm our financial condition and operating
results.
We anticipate that acquisitions will largely be financed with
the net proceeds of securities offerings and through externally
generated funds such as borrowings under credit facilities and
other secured and unsecured debt financing. Acquisitions entail
risks that investments will fail to perform in accordance with
expectations and that estimates of the cost of improvements
necessary to acquire and market properties will prove
inaccurate, as well as general investment risks associated with
any new real estate investment. Because we must distribute at
least 90% of our taxable income to maintain our qualification as
a REIT, our ability to rely upon income or cash flow from
operations to finance our growth and acquisition activities will
be limited. Accordingly, were we unable to obtain funds from
borrowings or the capital markets to finance our growth and
acquisition activities, our ability to grow could be curtailed,
amounts available for distribution to shareholders could be
adversely affected and we could be required to reduce
distributions.
2
We own a limited number of hotels and significant adverse
changes at one hotel may impact our lessees ability to pay
rent and our ability to make distributions to
shareholders.
As of December 31, 2003, our portfolio consisted of 22
hotels. Significant adverse changes in the operations of any one
hotel could have a material adverse effect on our lessees
ability to make rent payments and, accordingly, on our ability
to make expected distributions to our shareholders.
We focus on acquiring hotels operating under a limited
number of franchise brands, which creates greater risk as the
investments are more concentrated.
We intend to place particular emphasis in our acquisition
strategy on hotels similar to our current hotels. We invest in
hotels operating under a few select franchises and therefore
will be subject to risks inherent in concentrating investments
in a particular franchise brand, which could have an adverse
effect on our lease revenues and amounts available for
distribution to shareholders. These risks include, among others,
the risk of a reduction in hotel revenues following any adverse
publicity related to a specific franchise brand.
Many of our hotels are located in Pennsylvania, which may
increase the effect of any local economic conditions.
Eleven of our 22 hotels are located in Pennsylvania. Some of our
other hotels are clustered in metropolitan areas, such as
metropolitan New York and Atlanta. As a result, localized
adverse events or conditions, such as an economic recession
around these hotels, could have a significant adverse effect on
our operations, and ultimately on the amounts available for
distribution to shareholders.
We face risks associated with the use of debt, including
refinancing risk.
At December 31, 2003, we had debt outstanding of
$71.8 million. We may borrow additional amounts from the
same or other lenders in the future, or may issue corporate debt
securities in public or private offerings. Some of these
additional borrowings may be secured by our hotels. Our strategy
is to maintain target debt levels of approximately 60% of the
total purchase price of our hotels both on an individual and
aggregate basis, and our Board of Trustees policy is to
limit indebtedness to no more than 67% of the total purchase
price of all our hotels on an aggregate basis. However our
declaration of trust (as amended and restated, our
Declaration of Trust) does not limit the amount of
indebtedness we may incur. We cannot assure you that we will be
able to meet our debt service obligations and, to the extent
that we cannot, we risk the loss of some or all of our hotels to
foreclosure. There is also a risk that we may not be able to
refinance existing debt or that the terms of any refinancing
will not be as favorable as the terms of the existing debt. If
principal payments due at maturity cannot be refinanced,
extended or repaid with proceeds from other sources, such as new
equity capital or sales of properties, our cash flow may not be
sufficient to repay all maturing debt in years when significant
balloon payments come due.
We do not operate our hotels and, as a result, we do not
have complete control over implementation of our strategic
decisions.
In order for us to satisfy certain REIT qualification rules, we
cannot directly operate any of our hotels. Instead, we must
lease our hotels. As of January 26, 2003, eight of our
hotels are leased to an independent management company, HHMLP,
as required by the REIT qualification rules in effect prior to
2001. In addition, twelve other hotels are managed by HHMLP
under management agreements with our wholly-owned TRS, who
leases those hotels from us. HHMLP makes and implements
strategic business decisions with respect to our hotels, such as
decisions with respect to the repositioning of a franchise or
food and beverage operations and other similar decisions.
Decisions made by HHMLP or any other hotel operator to whom we
may lease our hotels may not be in the best interests of a
particular hotel or of our company. Accordingly, we cannot
assure you that our lessees or HHMLP will operate our hotels in
a manner that is in our best interests.
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Dependence on our lessees for rent may impact
distributions to shareholders.
We rely on our lessees to make rent payments in order to make
distributions to shareholders. Obligations under the percentage
leases, including the obligation to make rent payments, are
unsecured. HHMLP, the lessee of eight of our hotels, incurred a
net loss of $1,280,000 for the year ended December 31,
2003, a net loss of $671,000 for the year ended
December 31, 2002, and a net loss of $1,104,000 for the
year ended December 31, 2001, and HHMLP had a
partners deficit of $1,107,000 as of December 31,
2003. Reductions in revenues from our hotels or in the net
operating income of our lessees may adversely affect the ability
of our lessees to make these rent payments and thus our ability
to make anticipated distributions to our shareholders.
We depend on key personnel.
We depend on the services of our existing senior management to
carry out our business and investment strategies. As we expand,
we will continue to need to attract and retain qualified
additional senior management. We do not have employment
contracts with any of our senior management and they may cease
to provide services to us at any time. The loss of the services
of any of our key management personnel, or our inability to
recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have
an adverse effect on our business and financial results.
We face increasing competition for the acquisition of
hotel properties and other assets, which may impede our ability
to make future acquisitions or may increase the cost of these
acquisitions.
We face competition for investment opportunities in mid-scale
hotels from entities organized for purposes substantially
similar to our objectives, as well as other purchasers of
hotels. We compete for such investment opportunities with
entities that have substantially greater financial resources
than we do, including access to capital or better relationships
with franchisors, sellers or lenders. Our competitors may
generally be able to accept more risk than we can manage
prudently and may be able to borrow the funds needed to acquire
hotels. Competition may generally reduce the number of suitable
investment opportunities offered to us and increase the
bargaining power of property owners seeking to sell.
Risks Relating to Conflicts of Interest
Due to conflicts of interest, many of our existing
agreements may not have been negotiated on an arms-length
basis and may not be in our best interest.
Some of our officers and trustees have ownership interests in
HHMLP and in entities with which we have entered into
transactions, including hotel acquisitions and dispositions and
certain financings. Consequently, the terms of our agreements
with those entities, including hotel contribution or purchase
agreements, percentage leases, the Administrative Services
Agreement between us and HHMLP pursuant to which HHMLP provides
certain administrative services, the Option Agreement between
the operating partnership and some of the trustees and officers
and our property management agreements with HHMLP may not have
been negotiated on an arms-length basis and may not be in
the best interest of all our shareholders.
Conflicts of interest with other entities may result in
decisions that do not reflect our best interests.
The following officers and trustees own collectively
approximately 81% of HHMLP: Hasu P. Shah, Jay H. Shah, Neil H.
Shah, David L. Desfor and Kiran P. Patel. The following officers
and trustees serve as officers of HHMLP: David L. Desfor, Kiran
P. Patel and K.D. Patel. Conflicts of interest may arise in
respect of the ongoing leasing, acquisition, disposition and
operation of our hotels including, but not limited to, the
percentage leases and enforcement of the contribution and
purchase agreements, the Administrative Services Agreement, the
Option Agreement and our property management agreements with
HHMLP. Consequently, the interests of shareholders may not be
fully represented in all decisions made or actions taken by our
officers and trustees.
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Conflicts of interest relating to sales or refinancing of
hotels acquired from some of our trustees and officers may lead
to decisions that are not in our best interest.
Some of our trustees and officers have unrealized gains
associated with their interests in the hotels we have acquired
from them and, as a result, any sale of the these hotels or
refinancing or prepayment of principal on the indebtedness
assumed by us in purchasing these hotels may cause adverse tax
consequences to such of our trustees and officers. Therefore,
our interests and the interests of these individuals may be
different in connection with the disposition or refinancing of
these hotels.
Competing hotels owned or acquired by some of our trustees
and officers may hinder these individuals from spending adequate
time on our business.
Some of our trustees and officers own hotels and may develop or
acquire new hotels, subject to certain limitations. Such
ownership, development or acquisition activities may materially
affect the amount of time these officers and trustees devote to
our affairs. Some of our trustees and officers operate hotels
that are not owned by us, which may materially affect the amount
of time that they devote to managing our hotels. Pursuant to the
Option Agreement, as amended, we have an option to acquire any
hotels developed by our officers and trustees.
Need for certain consents from the limited partners may
not result in decisions advantageous to shareholders.
Under our operating partnerships amended and restated
partnership agreement, the holders of at least two-thirds of the
interests in the partnership must approve a sale of all or
substantially all of the assets of the partnership or a merger
or consolidation of the partnership. Some of our officers and
trustees will own an approximately 13.46% interest in the
operating partnership on a fully-diluted basis. Their large
ownership percentage may make it less likely that a merger or
sale of our company that would be in the best interests of our
shareholders will be approved.
Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure
A major shareholder has significant influence over our
affairs.
CNL, through its ownership of Series A Preferred Units of
our operating partnership and its interest in our joint venture
owns approximately 22.8% of our common shares on a fully-diluted
basis. In addition, CNL would be able to acquire an additional
5% of our common shares on a fully-diluted basis upon exchange
of . CNL may also purchase additional Series A Preferred
Units and joint venture interests. Pursuant to the terms of the
Series A Convertible Preferred Units owned by CNL, and the
Series A Preferred Shares into which they are exchangeable,
it has a number of special rights, including, but not limited to:
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certain preemptive rights with respect to any issuance by us
prior to April 2006 of common shares; |
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certain rights to elect members of our Board of
Trustees; and |
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certain approval rights including with respect to: |
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mergers; |
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the sale of all or substantially all of our assets; |
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the issuance of equity securities; |
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the payment of dividends while in arrears with respect to
dividends relating to CNLs securities; |
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certain amendments to our Declaration of Trust; |
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filing for bankruptcy; and |
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terminating our REIT status. |
In addition, for so long as the holders of the Series A
Convertible Preferred Units hold in the aggregate that number of
Series A Preferred Units, common shares and any other class
of our equity that represent on an as-converted or as-exchanged
basis at least five percent of the issued and outstanding common
shares on a fully diluted basis, a majority of the Series A
Preferred Units must approve a sale of all or substantially all
of the assets of the operating partnership or a merger or
consolidation of the operating partnership. CNL therefore holds
veto power over such extraordinary transactions, which could
result in the disapproval of a transaction that would be
beneficial to our shareholders.
In addition, pursuant to the terms of our joint venture with
CNL, until April 21, 2004, we must present all of our
proposed acquisitions to the investment committee of the joint
venture, and we may only acquire such acquisition directly if
the investment committee or CNL fails to approve that
acquisition for the joint venture. This arrangement may make it
more difficult for us to acquire suitable hotels other than
through the joint venture.
As a result of its ownership of our securities and the rights
described above, CNL may have significant influence over our
affairs. This could potentially be disadvantageous to other
shareholders interests, which may not be aligned with the
interests of CNL. For a more detailed description of CNLs
rights, see the sections entitled CNL Strategic
Alliance.
Our ownership limitation may restrict business combination
opportunities.
To qualify as a REIT under the Code, no more than 50% of our
outstanding shares of beneficial interest may be owned, directly
or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals during the last half
of each taxable year. To preserve our REIT qualification, our
Declaration of Trust generally prohibits direct or indirect
ownership of more than 9.9% of the number of outstanding shares
of any class of our securities, including the common shares, by
any person. Generally, common shares owned by affiliated owners
will be aggregated for purposes of the ownership limitation. The
ownership limitation could have the effect of delaying,
deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction
in which holders of common shares might receive a premium for
their common shares over the then prevailing market price or
which such holders might believe to be otherwise in their best
interests.
The Declaration of Trust contains a provision that creates
staggered terms for our Board of Trustees.
Our Board of Trustees is divided into two classes. The terms of
the first and second classes expire in 2004 and 2005,
respectively. Trustees of each class are elected for two-year
terms upon the expiration of their current terms and each year
one class of trustees will be elected by the shareholders. The
staggered terms of trustees may delay, defer or prevent a tender
offer, a change in control of us or other transaction, even
though such a transaction might be in the best interest of the
shareholders.
Maryland Business Combination Law may discourage a third
party from acquiring us.
Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, as amended (MGCL),
as applicable to real estate investment trusts, certain
business combinations (including certain issuances
of equity securities) between a Maryland real estate investment
trust and any person who beneficially owns ten percent or more
of the voting power of the trusts shares or an affiliate
thereof or any person who is an affiliate or associate of the
trust and was the beneficial owner of ten percent or more of the
voting shares of the trust within the two year period
immediately prior to the date in question, are prohibited for
five years after the most recent date on which this shareholder
acquired at least ten percent of the voting power of the
trusts shares. Thereafter, any such business combination
must be approved by two super-majority shareholder votes unless,
among other conditions, the trusts common shareholders
receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their
shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same
form as previously paid by the interested shareholder for its
common shares. These provisions could delay,
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defer or prevent a transaction or change of control of our
company in which our shareholders might otherwise receive a
premium for their shares above then-current market prices or
might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. CNL and some
of our trustees and officers may control a sufficient percentage
of the voting power to block a proposal respecting a business
combination under these provisions. As part of the transaction
with CNL, we exempted CNL from the application of these
provisions, which could make us more vulnerable to an
unsolicited acquisition attempt by CNL that would not be
advantageous for all shareholders.
The Board of Trustees may change our investment and
operational policies without a vote of the common
shareholders.
Our major policies, including our policies with respect to
acquisitions, financing, growth, operations, debt limitation and
distributions, are determined by our Board of Trustees. The
Trustees may amend or revise these and other policies from time
to time without a vote of the holders of the common shares.
Our Board of Trustees may issue additional shares that may
cause dilution or prevent a transaction that is in the best
interests of our shareholders.
Our Declaration of Trust authorizes the Board of Trustees,
without shareholder approval, to:
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amend the Declaration of Trust to increase or decrease the
aggregate number of shares of beneficial interest or the number
of shares of beneficial interest of any class that we have the
authority to issue, |
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cause us to issue additional authorized but unissued common
shares or preferred shares and |
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classify or reclassify any unissued common or preferred shares
and to set the preferences, rights and other terms of such
classified or reclassified shares, including the issuance of
additional common shares or preferred shares that have
preference rights over the common shares with respect to
dividends, liquidation, voting and other matters. |
Any one of these events could cause dilution to our common
shareholders, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change
in control that might involve a premium price for the common
shares or otherwise not be in the best interest of holders of
common shares.
Future offerings of debt securities, which would be senior
to our common shares upon liquidation, or equity securities,
which would dilute our existing shareholders and may be senior
to our common shares for the purposes of dividend distributions,
may adversely affect the market price of our common
shares.
In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources
by making additional offerings of debt or equity securities,
including medium-term notes, senior or subordinated notes and
classes of preferred or common shares. Upon liquidation, holders
of our debt securities and shares of preferred shares and
lenders with respect to other borrowings will receive a
distribution of our available assets prior to the holders of our
common shares. Additional equity offerings may dilute the
holdings of our existing shareholders or reduce the market price
of our common shares, or both. Our preferred shares, if issued,
could have a preference on liquidating distributions or a
preference on dividend payments that could limit our ability to
make a dividend distribution to the holders of our common
shares. Because our decision to issue securities in any future
offering will depend on market conditions and other factors
beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount,
timing or nature of our future offerings. Thus, our shareholders
bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market price
of our common shares and diluting their stock holdings in us.
Possible adverse effect of shares available for future
sale on price of common shares.
At any time, CNL may elect to exchange its Series A
Convertible Preferred Units for up to 2,816,460 common shares
and exchange its interest in their joint venture with us for up
to 1,192,141 additional common shares. To the extent CNL funds
additional capital to us or our joint venture, the number of
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common shares issuable upon such exchange will increase.
Furthermore, there are 2,842,437 outstanding limited partnership
units in our operating partnership (other than the Series A
Convertible Preferred Units) which currently are redeemable for
common shares. Upon the exchange of the Series A
Convertible Preferred Units or the redemption of common limited
partnership units, the common shares received therefor may be
sold in the public market pursuant to shelf registration
statements that we are obligated to file on behalf of CNL and
the limited partners of our operating partnership, or pursuant
to any available exemptions from registration. Sales of a
substantial number of common shares, or the perception that such
sales could occur, could adversely affect prevailing market
prices of the common shares.
There are no assurances of our ability to make
distributions in the future.
We intend to pay quarterly dividends and to make distributions
to our shareholders in amounts such that all or substantially
all of our taxable income in each year, subject to certain
adjustments, is distributed. However, our ability to pay
dividends may be adversely affected by the risk factors
described in this prospectus. All distributions will be made at
the discretion of our Board of Trustees and will depend upon our
earnings, our financial condition, maintenance of our REIT
status and such other factors as our board may deem relevant
from time to time. There are no assurances of our ability to pay
dividends in the future. In addition, some of our distributions
may include a return of capital.
An increase in market interest rates may have an adverse
effect on the market price of our securities.
One of the factors that investors may consider in deciding
whether to buy or sell our securities is our dividend rate as a
percentage of our share or unit price, relative to market
interest rates. If market interest rates increase, prospective
investors may desire a higher dividend or interest rate on our
securities or seek securities paying higher dividends or
interest. The market price of our common shares likely will be
based primarily on the earnings and return that we derive from
our investments and income with respect to our properties and
our related distributions to shareholders, and not from the
market value or underlying appraised value of the properties or
investments themselves. As a result, interest rate fluctuations
and capital market conditions can affect the market price of our
common shares. For instance, if interest rates rise without an
increase in our dividend rate, the market price of our common
shares could decrease because potential investors may require a
higher dividend yield on our common shares as market rates on
interest-bearing securities, such as bonds, rise. In addition,
rising interest rates would result in increased interest expense
on our variable rate debt, thereby adversely affecting cash flow
and our ability to service our indebtedness and pay dividends.
Risks Related to Our Tax Status
If we fail to qualify as a REIT, our dividends will not be
deductible to us, and our income will be subject to
taxation.
We have operated and intend to continue to operate so as to
qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Our continued
qualification as a REIT will depend on our continuing ability to
meet various requirements concerning, among other things, the
ownership of our outstanding shares of beneficial interest, the
nature of our assets, the sources of our income, and the amount
of our distributions to our shareholders. If we were to fail to
qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we would not be allowed a
deduction for distributions to our shareholders in computing our
taxable income and would be subject to federal income tax
(including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our
taxable income at regular corporate rates. Unless entitled to
relief under certain Code provisions, we also would be
disqualified from treatment as a REIT for the four taxable years
following the year during which qualification was lost. As a
result, amounts available for distribution to shareholders would
be reduced for each of the years involved. Although we currently
intend to operate in a manner designed to qualify as a REIT, it
is possible that future economic, market, legal, tax or other
considerations may cause the trustees, with the consent of
holders of two-thirds of the outstanding shares, to revoke the
REIT election.
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Failure to make required distributions would subject us to
tax.
In order to qualify as a REIT, each year we must distribute to
our shareholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, other
than any net capital gain. To the extent that we satisfy the
distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100% of our
taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate income
tax on our undistributed income. In addition, we will incur a 4%
nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which our
distributions in any year are less than the sum of:
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85% of our REIT ordinary income for that year; |
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We have paid out, and intend to continue to pay out, our income
to our shareholders in a manner intended to satisfy the
distribution requirement and to avoid corporate income tax and
the 4% nondeductible excise tax. Differences in timing between
the recognition of income and the related cash receipts or the
effect of required debt amortization payments could require us
to borrow money or sell assets to pay out enough of our taxable
income to satisfy the distribution requirement and to avoid
corporate income tax and the 4% nondeductible excise tax in a
particular year. In the past we have borrowed, and in the future
we may borrow, to pay distributions to our shareholders and the
limited partners of our operating partnership. Such borrowings
subject us to risks from borrowing as described herein.
Recent changes in taxation of corporate dividends may
adversely affect the value of our common shares.
The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, which
was enacted into law on May 28, 2003, among other things,
generally reduces to 15% the maximum marginal rate of tax
payable by domestic noncorporate taxpayers on dividends received
from a regular C corporation. This reduced tax rate,
however, will not apply to dividends paid to domestic
noncorporate taxpayers by a REIT on its stock, except for
certain limited amounts. Although the earnings of a REIT that
are distributed to its shareholders still generally will be
subject to less federal income taxation than earnings of a
non-REIT C corporation that are distributed to its
shareholders net of corporate-level income tax, this legislation
could cause domestic noncorporate investors to view the stock of
regular C corporations as more attractive relative to the
stock of a REIT than was the case prior to the enactment of the
legislation, because the dividends from regular
C corporations will generally be taxed at a lower rate
while dividends from REITs will generally be taxed at the same
rate as the individuals other ordinary income. We cannot
predict what effect, if any, the enactment of this legislation
may have on the value of the stock of REITs in general or on our
common shares in particular, either in terms of price or
relative to other investments.
Risks Related to the Hotel Industry
The value of our hotels depends on conditions beyond our
control.
Our hotels are subject to varying degrees of risk generally
incident to the ownership of hotels. The underlying value of our
hotels, our income and ability to make distributions to our
shareholders are dependent upon the ability of our lessees to
operate the hotels in a manner sufficient to maintain or
increase revenues in excess of operating expenses to enable our
lessees to make rent payments. Hotel revenues may be adversely
affected by adverse changes in national economic conditions,
adverse changes in local market conditions due to changes in
general or local economic conditions and neighborhood
characteristics, competition from other hotels, changes in
interest rates and in the availability, cost and terms of
mortgage funds, the impact of present or future environmental
legislation and compliance with environmental laws, the ongoing
need for capital improvements, particularly in older structures,
changes in real estate tax rates and other operating expenses,
adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies, civil
unrest, acts of terrorism, acts of God, including earthquakes,
hurricanes and other natural
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disasters, acts of war, adverse changes in zoning laws, and
other factors that are beyond our control. In particular,
general and local economic conditions may be adversely affected
by the recent terrorist incidents in New York and
Washington, D.C. Our management is unable to determine the
long-term impact, if any, of these incidents or of any acts of
war or terrorism in the United States or worldwide, on the
U.S. economy, on us or our hotels or on the market price of
our common shares.
Our hotels are subject to general hotel industry operating
risks, which may impact our lessees ability to make rent
payments and on our ability to make distributions to
shareholders.
Our hotels are subject to all operating risks common to the
hotel industry. The hotel industry has experienced volatility in
the past, as have our hotels, and there can be no assurance that
such volatility will not occur in the future. These risks
include, among other things, competition from other hotels;
over-building in the hotel industry that could adversely affect
hotel revenues; increases in operating costs due to inflation
and other factors, which may not be offset by increased room
rates; reduction in business and commercial travel and tourism;
strikes and other labor disturbances of hotel employees;
increases in energy costs and other expenses of travel; adverse
effects of general and local economic conditions; and adverse
political conditions. These factors could reduce revenues of the
hotels and adversely affect the lessees ability to make
rent payments, and therefore, our ability to make distributions
to our shareholders.
Competition for guests is highly competitive.
The hotel industry is highly competitive. Our hotels compete
with other existing and new hotels in their geographic markets.
Many of our competitors have substantially greater marketing and
financial resources than we do. If their marketing strategies
are effective, our lessees may be unable to make rent payments
and we may be unable to make distributions to our shareholders.
Our investments are concentrated in a single segment of
the hotel industry.
Our current business strategy is to own and acquire hotels
primarily in the mid-scale segment of the hotel industry. We are
subject to risks inherent in concentrating investments in a
single industry and in a specific market segment within that
industry. The adverse effect on rent under the percentage leases
and amounts available for distribution to shareholders resulting
from a downturn in the hotel industry in general or the
mid-scale segment in particular could be more pronounced than if
we had diversified our investments outside of the hotel industry
or in additional hotel market segments.
The hotel industry is seasonal in nature.
The hotel industry is seasonal in nature. Generally, hotel
revenues are greater in the second and third quarters than in
the first and fourth quarters. Our hotels operations
historically reflect this trend. We believe that we will be able
to make distributions necessary to maintain REIT status through
cash flow from operations; but if we are unable to do so, we may
not be able to make the necessary distributions or we may have
to generate cash by a sale of assets, increasing indebtedness or
sales of securities to make the distributions. Risks of
operating hotels under franchise licenses, which may be
terminated or not renewed, may impact our lessees ability
to make rent payments and our ability to make distributions to
shareholders.
Risks of operating hotels under franchise licenses, which
may be terminated or not renewed, may impact our lessees
ability to make rent payments and our ability to make
distributions to shareholders.
The continuation of the franchise licenses is subject to
specified operating standards and other terms and conditions.
All of the franchisors of our hotels periodically inspect our
hotels to confirm adherence to their operating standards. The
failure of our partnership, our lessees or HHMLP to maintain
such standards or to adhere to such other terms and conditions
could result in the loss or cancellation of the
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applicable franchise license. It is possible that a franchisor
could condition the continuation of a franchise license on the
completion of capital improvements that the trustees determine
are too expensive or otherwise not economically feasible in
light of general economic conditions, the operating results or
prospects of the affected hotel. In that event, the trustees may
elect to allow the franchise license to lapse or be terminated.
There can be no assurance that a franchisor will renew a
franchise license at each option period. If a franchisor
terminates a franchise license, we, our partnership, our lessees
and HHMLP may be unable to obtain a suitable replacement
franchise, or to successfully operate the hotel independent of a
franchise license. The loss of a franchise license could have a
material adverse effect upon the operations or the underlying
value of the related hotel because of the loss of associated
name recognition, marketing support and centralized reservation
systems provided by the franchisor. Although the percentage
leases require our lessees to maintain the franchise licenses
for each hotel, our lessees loss of a franchise license
for one or more of the hotels could have a material adverse
effect on our partnerships revenues and our amounts
available for distribution to shareholders.
Operating costs and capital expenditures for hotel
renovation may be greater than anticipated and may adversely
impact rent payments by our lessees and our ability to
make distributions to shareholders.
Hotels generally have an ongoing need for renovations and other
capital improvements, particularly in older structures,
including periodic replacement of furniture, fixtures and
equipment. Under the terms of our leases and management
agreements with HHMLP, we are obligated to pay the cost of
expenditures for items that are classified as capital items
under GAAP that are necessary for the continued operation of our
hotels. If these expenses exceed our estimate, the additional
cost could have an adverse effect on amounts available for
distribution to shareholders. In addition, we may acquire hotels
in the future that require significant renovation. Renovation of
hotels involves certain risks, including the possibility of
environmental problems, construction cost overruns and delays,
uncertainties as to market demand or deterioration in market
demand after commencement of renovation and the emergence of
unanticipated competition from hotels.
Adjustments to the purchase price to our hotels may lead
to substantial shareholder dilution.
Five of the hotels currently owned by us were purchased pursuant
to agreements that provide for post-closing purchase price
adjustments based on the hotels performance in relation to
the purchase price. In the event that any of the purchase prices
of these hotels are increased on an adjustment date and the
purchase price adjustment is paid in common limited partnership
units, owners of the common shares at such time will experience
dilution.
Risks Related to Real Estate Investment Generally
Illiquidity of real estate investments could significantly
impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the
performance of our properties and harm our financial
condition.
Real estate investments are relatively illiquid. Our ability to
vary our portfolio in response to changes in operating, economic
and other conditions will be limited. No assurances can be given
that the fair market value of any of our hotels will not
decrease in the future.
If we suffer losses that are not covered by insurance or
that are in excess of our insurance coverage limits, we could
lose investment capital and anticipated profits.
Each lease specifies comprehensive insurance to be maintained on
each of the our hotels, including liability and fire and
extended coverage in amounts sufficient to permit the
replacement of the hotel in the event of a total loss, subject
to applicable deductibles. Leases for hotels subsequently
acquired by us
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will contain similar provisions. However, there are certain
types of losses, generally of a catastrophic nature, such as
earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and acts of terrorism, that may
be uninsurable or not economically insurable. Inflation, changes
in building codes and ordinances, environmental considerations
and other factors also might make it impracticable to use
insurance proceeds to replace the applicable hotel after such
applicable hotel has been damaged or destroyed. Under such
circumstances, the insurance proceeds received by us might not
be adequate to restore our economic position with respect to the
applicable hotel. If any of these or similar events occur, it
may reduce the return from the attached property and the value
of our investment.
REITs are subject to property taxes.
Each hotel is subject to real and personal property taxes. The
real and personal property taxes on hotel properties in which we
invest may increase as property tax rates change and as the
properties are assessed or reassessed by taxing authorities.
Many state and local governments are facing budget deficits
which has led many of them, and may in the future lead others
to, increase assessments and/or taxes. If property taxes
increase, our ability to make expected distributions to our
shareholders could be adversely affected.
Environmental matters could adversely affect our
results.
Operating costs may be affected by the obligation to pay for the
cost of complying with existing environmental laws, ordinances
and regulations, as well as the cost of future legislation.
Under various federal, state and local environmental laws,
ordinances and regulations, a current or previous owner or
operator of real property may be liable for the costs of removal
or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in
such property. Such laws often impose liability whether or not
the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the
presence of such hazardous or toxic substances. The cost of
complying with environmental laws could materially adversely
affect amounts available for distribution to shareholders.
Phase I environmental assessments have been obtained on all
of our hotels. Nevertheless, it is possible that these reports
do not reveal all environmental liabilities or that there are
material environmental liabilities of which we are unaware.
Costs associated with complying with the Americans with
Disabilities Act may adversely affect our financial condition
and operating results.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1993 (ADA), all
public accommodations are required to meet certain federal
requirements related to access and use by disabled persons.
While we believe that our hotels are substantially in compliance
with these requirements, a determination that we are not in
compliance with the ADA could result in imposition of fines or
an award of damages to private litigants. In addition, changes
in governmental rules and regulations or enforcement policies
affecting the use and operation of the hotels, including changes
to building codes and fire and life-safety codes, may occur. If
we were required to make substantial modifications at the hotels
to comply with the ADA or other changes in governmental rules
and regulations, our ability to make expected distributions to
our shareholders could be adversely affected.
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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND OF EARNINGS TO
COMBINED
FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
The following table sets forth the Companys consolidated
ratios of earnings to fixed charges and of earnings to combined
fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for the nine months
ended September 30, 2003, and for each of the last four
fiscal years.
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Year Ended December 31, | |
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2003 | |
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2002 | |
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2001 | |
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2000 | |
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1999 | |
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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1.57 |
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1.84 |
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1.65 |
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1.64 |
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3.13 |
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Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock
dividends
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1.26 |
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1.84 |
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1.65 |
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1.64 |
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3.13 |
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The ratio of earnings to fixed charges was computed by dividing
earnings by fixed charges. The ratio of earnings to combined
fixed charges and preferred stock dividends was computed by
dividing earnings by the sum of fixed charges and dividends on
preferred stock. Fixed charges consist of interest
costs, whether expensed or capitalized, amortization of line of
credit fees and amortization of interest rate caps and swap
agreements. Preferred Stock Dividends consist of the
amount of pre-tax earnings that is required to pay the dividends
on our outstanding preferred stock.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless indicated otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we expect
to use the net proceeds from the sale of these securities for
general corporate purposes.
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DESCRIPTION OF SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
The following summary of the terms of our shares of beneficial
interest does not purport to be complete and is subject to and
qualified in its entirety by reference to our Declaration of
Trust and Bylaws, copies of which are exhibits to the
Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is a part. See
Where You Can Find More Information.
General
Our Declaration of Trust provides that we may issue up to
50,000,000 Class A common shares of beneficial interest,
$0.01 par value per share, up to 50,000,000 Class B
common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per
share, and up to 10,000,000 preferred shares of beneficial
interest, $0.01 par value per share. As of March 18,
2004, 13,571,665 Class A common shares were issued and
outstanding and no Class B common or preferred shares were
issued and outstanding. Effective as of January 26, 2004,
the Class B common shares were automatically converted into
Class A common shares, any differences between the
Class A common shares and Class B common shares
disappeared, and we now have only one class of common shares. As
permitted by the Maryland REIT Law, our Declaration of Trust
contains a provision permitting our Board of Trustees, without
any action by our shareholders, to amend the Declaration of
Trust to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of
beneficial interest or the number of shares of any class of
shares of beneficial interest that we have authority to issue.
Our Declaration of Trust provides that none of our shareholders
is personally liable for any of our obligations solely as a
result of his status as a shareholder. Our Bylaws further
provide that we shall indemnify each shareholder against any
claim or liability to which the shareholder, subject to certain
limitations, may become subject by reason of his being or having
been a shareholder or former shareholder and that we shall pay
or reimburse each shareholder or former shareholder for all
legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by him in
connection with any claim or liability.
Common Shares
All common shares offered through this prospectus will be duly
authorized, fully paid and nonassessable. As a shareholder, you
will be entitled to receive distributions, or dividends, on the
shares you own if the Board of Trustees authorizes a dividend
out of our legally available assets. Your right to receive those
dividends may be affected, however, by the preferential rights
of any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest
and the provisions of our declaration of trust regarding
restrictions on the transfer of shares of beneficial interest.
For example, you may not receive dividends if no funds are
available for distribution after we pay dividends to holders of
preferred shares. You will also be entitled to receive dividends
based on our assets available for distribution to common
shareholders if we liquidate, dissolve or wind-up our
operations. The amount you, as a shareholder, would receive in
the distribution would be determined by the amount of your
beneficial ownership of us in comparison with other beneficial
owners. Assets will be available for distribution to
shareholders only after we have paid all of our known debts and
liabilities and paid the holders of any preferred shares we may
issue which are outstanding at that time.
Voting Rights of Common Shares
Subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust regarding
the restriction of the transfer of shares of beneficial
interest, each outstanding common share entitles the holder to
one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders,
including the election of trustees. There is no cumulative
voting in the election of trustees, which means that the holders
of a majority of the outstanding common shares, voting as a
single class, can elect all of the trustees then standing for
election and the holders of the remaining shares are not able to
elect any trustees.
Under the Maryland REIT Law, a Maryland REIT generally cannot
amend its declaration of trust or merge unless approved by the
affirmative vote of shareholders holding at least two-thirds of
the shares entitled to vote on the matter unless a lesser
percentage (but not less than a majority of all the votes
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entitled to be cast on the matter) is set forth in the
REITs declaration of trust subject to the terms of any
other class or series of shares of beneficial interest. Our
Declaration of Trust provides for approval by a majority of all
the votes entitled to be cast on the matter in all situations
permitting or requiring action by the shareholders except with
respect to: (a) our intentional disqualification as a REIT
or revocation of our election to be taxed as a REIT (which
requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the number of
common shares entitled to vote on such matter at a meeting of
our shareholders); (b) the election of trustees (which
requires a plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting of our
shareholders at which a quorum is present); (c) the removal
of trustees (which requires the affirmative vote of the holders
of two-thirds of our outstanding voting shares); (d) the
amendment or repeal of certain designated sections of the
Declaration of Trust (which require the affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on such
matters); (e) the amendment of the Declaration of Trust by
shareholders (which requires the affirmative vote of a majority
of votes entitled to be cast on the matter, except under certain
circumstances specified in the Declaration of Trust that require
the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the votes entitled to
be cast on the matter); and (f) our termination (which
requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the votes
entitled to be cast on the matter). Under the Maryland REIT Law,
a declaration of trust may permit the trustees by a two-thirds
vote to amend the declaration of trust from time to time to
qualify as a REIT under the Code or the Maryland REIT Law
without the affirmative vote or written consent of the
shareholders. Our Declaration of Trust permits such action by a
majority vote of the trustees. As permitted by the Maryland REIT
Law, our Declaration of Trust contains a provision permitting
our trustees, without any action by our shareholders, to amend
the Declaration of Trust to increase or decrease the aggregate
number of shares of beneficial interest or the number of shares
of any class of shares of beneficial interest that we have
authority to issue.
Preferred Shares
Preferred shares may be offered and sold from time to time, in
one or more series, as authorized by the Board of Trustees. The
Declaration of Trust authorizes our Board of Trustees to
classify any unissued preferred shares and to reclassify any
previously classified but unissued preferred shares of any
series from time to time in one or more series, as authorized by
the Board of Trustees. Prior to issuance of shares of each
series, the Board of Trustees is required by the Maryland REIT
Law and our Declaration of Trust to set for each such series,
subject to the provisions of our Declaration of Trust regarding
the restriction on transfer of shares of beneficial interest,
the terms, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting
powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other
distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of
redemption for each such series. Thus, our Board of Trustees
could authorize the issuance of preferred shares with terms and
conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or
preventing a transaction or a change in control in us that might
involve a premium price for holders of common shares or
otherwise be in their best interest.
You should refer to the prospectus supplement relating to the
offering of any preferred shares for specific terms, including
the following terms:
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the title and stated value of those preferred shares; |
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the number of preferred shares offered and the offering price of
those preferred shares; |
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the dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s) or
method(s) of calculation of any of those terms that apply to
those preferred shares; |
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the date from which dividends on those preferred shares will
accumulate, if applicable; |
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the terms and amount of a sinking fund, if any, for the purchase
or redemption of those preferred shares; |
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the redemption rights, including conditions and the redemption
price(s), if applicable, of those preferred shares; |
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any listing of those preferred shares on any securities exchange; |
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the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which those
preferred shares will be convertible into common shares or any
of our other securities, including the conversion price or rate
(or manner of calculation thereof); |
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the relative ranking and preference of those preferred shares as
to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or
the winding up of our affairs; |
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any limitations on issuance of any series of preferred shares
ranking senior to or on a parity with that series of preferred
shares as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation,
dissolution or the winding up of our affairs; |
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the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any, for
those preferred shares; |
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any other specific terms, preferences, rights, limitations or
restrictions of those preferred shares; |
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a discussion of federal income tax consequences applicable to
those preferred shares; and |
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any limitations on direct or beneficial ownership and
restrictions on transfer in addition to those described in
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer,
in each case as may be appropriate to preserve our status as a
real estate investment trust. |
The terms of any preferred shares we issue through this
prospectus will be set forth in an articles supplementary or
amendment to our declaration of trust. We will file the articles
supplementary or amendment as an exhibit to the registration
statement that includes this prospectus, or as an exhibit to a
filing with the SEC that is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus. The description of preferred shares in any
prospectus supplement will not describe all of the terms of the
preferred shares in detail. You should read the applicable
articles supplementary or amendment to our declaration of trust
for a complete description of all of the terms.
Rank
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Unless we say otherwise in a prospectus supplement, the
preferred shares offered through that supplement will, with
respect to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation,
dissolution or winding up, rank: |
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senior to all classes or series of our common shares, and to all
other equity securities ranking junior to those preferred shares; |
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on a parity with all of our equity securities ranking on a
parity with the preferred shares; and junior to all of our
equity securities ranking senior to the preferred shares. |
The term equity securities does not include
convertible debt securities.
Dividends
Subject to any preferential rights of any outstanding shares or
series of shares and to the provisions of our declaration of
trust regarding ownership of shares in excess of the ownership
limitation described below under Restrictions
on Ownership and Transfer, our preferred shareholders are
entitled to receive dividends, when and as authorized by our
Board of Trustees, out of legally available funds.
Redemption
If we provide for a redemption right in a prospectus supplement,
the preferred shares offered through that supplement will be
subject to mandatory redemption or redemption at our option, in
whole or in part, in each case upon the terms, at the times and
at the redemption prices set forth in that supplement.
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Liquidation Preference
As to any preferred shares offered through this prospectus, the
applicable supplement shall provide that, upon the voluntary or
involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our
affairs, the holders of those preferred shares shall receive,
before any distribution or payment shall be made to the holders
of any other class or series of shares ranking junior to those
preferred shares in our distribution of assets upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, and after payment or
provision for payment of our debts and other liabilities, out of
our assets legally available for distribution to shareholders,
liquidating distributions in the amount of any liquidation
preference per share (set forth in the applicable supplement),
plus an amount, if applicable, equal to all distributions
accrued and unpaid thereon (not including any accumulation in
respect of unpaid distributions for prior distribution periods
if those preferred shares do not have a cumulative
distribution). After payment of the full amount of the
liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the
holders of those preferred shares will have no right or claim to
any of our remaining assets. In the event that, upon our
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up,
the legally available assets are insufficient to pay the amount
of the liquidating distributions on all of those outstanding
preferred shares and the corresponding amounts payable on all of
our shares of other classes or series of equity security ranking
on a parity with those preferred shares in the distribution of
assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, then the
holders of those preferred shares and all other such classes or
series of equity security shall share ratably in any such
distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating
distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively
entitled.
If the liquidating distributions are made in full to all holders
of preferred shares entitled to receive those distributions
prior to any other classes or series of equity security ranking
junior to the preferred shares upon our liquidation, dissolution
or winding up, then our remaining assets shall be distributed
among the holders of those junior classes or series of equity
shares, in each case according to their respective rights and
preferences and their respective number of shares.
Voting Rights
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable supplement, holders
of our preferred shares will not have any voting rights, except
as may be required by applicable law or any applicable rules and
regulations of the American Stock Exchange.
Conversion Rights
The terms and conditions, if any, upon which any series of
preferred shares is convertible into common shares will be set
forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of
those preferred shares. These terms typically will include:
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the number of common shares into which the preferred shares are
convertible; |
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the conversion price (or manner of calculation thereof); |
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the conversion period; |
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provisions as to whether conversion will be at the option of the
holders of the preferred shares or at our option; |
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the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion
price; and |
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provisions affecting conversion in the event of the redemption
of that series of preferred shares. |
The Series A Preferred Shares
On April 21, 2003, in connection with the CNL transaction,
our Board of Trustees classified and designated 350,000
preferred shares of beneficial interest as Series A
Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per
share. The Series A Convertible Preferred Units held by CNL
in our operating
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partnership are exchangeable for our Series A Preferred
Shares on a one for one basis. As of the date hereof, no
preferred shares are outstanding. The Series A Preferred
Shares are senior to the common shares as to payment of
dividends, distributions of assets upon liquidation, dissolution
or winding-up, whether voluntary or involuntary, or otherwise.
The terms of the Series A Preferred Shares are described in
more detail under the heading CNL Strategic
Alliance Investment in Series A Convertible
Preferred Units of Our Operating Partnership.
Classification or Reclassification of Common Shares or
Preferred Shares
Our Declaration of Trust authorizes the Board of Trustees to
classify or reclassify any unissued common shares or preferred
shares into one or more classes or series of shares of
beneficial interest by setting or changing the preferences,
conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions,
limitations as to dividends or distributions, qualifications or
terms or conditions of redemption of such new class or series of
shares of beneficial interest.
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
Our Declaration of Trust, subject to certain exceptions
described below, provides that no person may own, or be deemed
to own by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more
than 9.9% of (i) the number of outstanding common shares of
any class or series of common shares or (ii) the number of
outstanding preferred shares of any class or series of preferred
shares. For this purpose, a person includes a group
and a beneficial owner as those terms are used for
purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act. Any
transfer of common or preferred shares that would
(i) result in any person owning, directly or indirectly,
common or preferred shares in excess of the ownership
limitation, (ii) result in the common and preferred shares
being owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined without
reference to any rules of attribution), (iii) result in us
being closely held within the meaning of
Section 856(h) of the Code, or (iv) cause us to own,
actually or constructively, 10% or more of the ownership
interests in a tenant of our or our partnerships real
property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the
Code, will be null and void, and the intended transferee will
acquire no rights in such common or preferred shares.
Subject to certain exceptions described below, any common shares
or preferred shares the purported transfer of which would
(i) result in any person owning, directly or indirectly,
common shares or preferred shares in excess of the ownership
limitation, (ii) result in the common shares and preferred
shares being owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined without
reference to any rules of attribution), (iii) result in our
being closely held within the meaning of
Section 856(h) of the Code, or (iv) cause us to own,
actually or constructively, 10% or more of the ownership
interests in a tenant of our or our partnerships real
property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the
Code, will be designated as shares-in-trust and
transferred automatically to a trust effective on the day before
the purported transfer of such common shares or preferred
shares. The record holder of the common or preferred shares that
are designated as shares-in-trust will be required to submit
such number of common shares or preferred shares to us for
registration in the name of the trust. The trustee will be
designated by us, but will not be affiliated with us. The
beneficiary of a trust will be one or more charitable
organizations that are named by us.
Shares-in-trust will remain issued and outstanding common shares
or preferred shares and will be entitled to the same rights and
privileges as all other shares of the same class or series. The
trust will receive all dividends and distributions on the
shares-in-trust and will hold such dividends or distributions in
trust for the benefit of the beneficiary. The trust will vote
all shares-in-trust. The trust will designate a permitted
transferee of the shares-in-trust, provided that the permitted
transferee (i) purchases such shares-in-trust for valuable
consideration and (ii) acquires such shares-in-trust
without such acquisition resulting in a transfer to another
trust.
The prohibited owner with respect to shares-in-trust will be
required to repay to the record holder the amount of any
dividends or distributions received by the prohibited owner
(i) that are attributable to
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any shares-in-trust and (ii) the record date of which was
on or after the date that such shares became shares-in-trust.
The prohibited owner generally will receive from the record
holder the lesser of (i) the price per share such
prohibited owner paid for the common shares or preferred shares
that were designated as shares-in-trust (or, in the case of a
gift or devise, the market price (as defined below) per share on
the date of such transfer) or (ii) the price per share
received by the record holder from the sale of such
shares-in-trust. Any amounts received by the record holder in
excess of the amounts to be paid to the prohibited owner will be
distributed to the beneficiary.
The shares-in-trust will be deemed to have been offered for sale
to us, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser
of (i) the price per share in the transaction that created
such shares-in-trust (or, in the case of a gift or devise, the
market price per share on the date of such transfer) or
(ii) the market price per share on the date that we, or our
designee, accepts such offer. We will have the right to accept
such offer for a period of 90 days after the later of
(i) the date of the purported transfer which resulted in
such shares-in-trust or (ii) the date we determine in good
faith that a transfer resulting in such shares-in-trust occurred.
Market price on any date shall mean the average of
the last quoted sale price as reported by the American Stock
Exchange for the five consecutive trading days (as defined
below) ending on such date.
Any person who acquires or attempts to acquire common or
preferred shares in violation of the foregoing restrictions, or
any person who owned common or preferred shares that were
transferred to a trust, will be required (i) to give
immediately written notice to us of such event and (ii) to
provide to us such other information as we may request in order
to determine the effect, if any, of such transfer on our status
as a REIT.
All persons who own, directly or indirectly, more than 5% (or
such lower percentages as required pursuant to regulations under
the Code) of the outstanding common and preferred shares must,
within 30 days after December 31 of each year, provide
to us a written statement or affidavit stating the name and
address of such direct or indirect owner, the number of common
and preferred shares owned directly or indirectly, and a
description of how such shares are held. In addition, each
direct or indirect shareholder shall provide to us such
additional information as we may request in order to determine
the effect, if any, of such ownership on our status as a REIT
and to ensure compliance with the ownership limitation.
The ownership limitation generally does not apply to the
acquisition of common or preferred shares by an underwriter that
participates in a public offering of such shares. In addition,
the trustees, upon receipt of advice of counsel or other
evidence satisfactory to the trustees, in their sole and
absolute discretion, may, in their sole and absolute discretion,
exempt a person from the ownership limitation under certain
circumstances. The foregoing restrictions continue to apply
until (i) the trustees determine that it is no longer in
our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to
qualify, as a REIT and (ii) there is an affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the number of common and preferred shares entitled
to vote on such matter at a regular or special meeting of our
shareholders.
We granted limited waivers of these ownership limitations as
follows:
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a limited waiver to CNL allows CNL to own 100% of the
outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and up to 60% of the
outstanding common shares on a fully diluted basis, subject to
CNLs compliance with certain representations and
warranties (see CNL Strategic Alliance); |
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a limited waiver to RREEF America L.L.C., Deutche Asset
Management, Inc., and their related mutual funds and accounts,
specifically including Scudder RREEF Real Estate Fund Inc.,
Scudder RREEF Real Estate Fund II Inc. and Scudder RREEF
Securities Trust (collectively, the Scudder RREEF
Group) to own 15% of the outstanding common shares,
subject to their compliance with certain representations and
warranties, including that no single person will own more than
9.9% of the outstanding common shares; and |
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a limited waiver to K.G. Redding & Associates, and its
managed accounts to own 15% of the outstanding common shares,
subject to their compliance with certain representations and
warranties including that no single person will own more than
9.9% of the outstanding common shares. |
All certificates representing common or preferred shares bear a
legend referring to the restrictions described above.
This ownership limitation could have the effect of delaying,
deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction
in which holders of some, or a majority, of shares of common
shares might receive a premium for their shares of common shares
over the then prevailing market price or which such holders
might believe to be otherwise in their best interest.
Other Matters
Our transfer agent and registrar for our common shares is
Wachovia Securities, N.A., Charlotte, North Carolina.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description, together with the additional
information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements,
summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt
securities that we may offer under this prospectus. While the
terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any
future debt securities we may offer, we will describe the
particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in
more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we
indicate in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any debt
securities we offer under that prospectus supplement may differ
from the terms we describe below.
The debt securities will be our direct unsecured general
obligations and may include debentures, notes, bonds and/or
other evidences of indebtedness. The debt securities will be
either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities.
The debt securities will be issued under one or more separate
indentures. Senior debt securities will be issued under a senior
indenture, and subordinated debt securities will be issued under
a subordinated indenture. We use the term indentures
to refer to both the senior indenture and the subordinated
indenture. The indentures will be qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act. We use the term debenture
trustee to refer to either the senior trustee or the
subordinated trustee, as applicable.
The following summaries of material provisions of the debt
securities and indentures are subject to, and qualified in their
entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the indenture
applicable to a particular series of debt securities.
General
We will describe in each prospectus supplement the following
terms relating to a series of debt securities:
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the title; |
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any limit on the amount that may be issued; |
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whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in
global form, the terms and who the depository will be; |
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the maturity date; |
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the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the
method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin
to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular
record dates for interest payment dates or the method for
determining such dates; |
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whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured,
and the terms of any secured debt; |
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the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated
debt; |
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the place where payments will be payable; |
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our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum
length of any such deferral period; |
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the date, if any, after which, and the price at which, we may,
at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to
any optional redemption provisions; |
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the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are
obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund provisions or
otherwise, to redeem, or at the holders option to
purchase, the series of debt securities; |
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whether the indenture will restrict our ability to pay
dividends, or will require us to maintain any asset ratios or
reserves; |
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whether we will be restricted from incurring any additional
indebtedness; |
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a discussion on any material or special United States federal
income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities; |
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the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt
securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any
integral multiple thereof; and |
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any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of,
or restrictions on, the debt securities. |
Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms on
which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or
exchangeable for common shares or other securities of ours. We
will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is
mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may
include provisions pursuant to which the number of common shares
or other securities of ours that the holders of the series of
debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale
The indentures do not contain any covenant which restricts our
ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets.
However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume
all of our obligations under the indentures or the debt
securities, as appropriate.
Events of Default Under the Indenture
The following are events of default under the indentures with
respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
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if we fail to pay interest when due and our failure continues
for a number of days to be stated in the indenture and the time
for payment has not been extended or deferred; |
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if we fail to pay the principal, or premium, if any, when due
and the time for payment has not been extended or delayed; |
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if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant contained in
the debt securities or the indentures, other than a covenant
specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and
our failure continues for a number of days to be stated in the
indenture after we receive notice from the debenture trustee or
holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and |
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if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization
occur as to us. |
If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any
series occurs and is continuing, the debenture trustee or the
holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in
writing, and to the debenture trustee if notice is given by such
holders, may declare the unpaid principal of, premium, if any,
and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding
debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or
event of default with respect to the series and its
consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding
payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we
have cured the default or event of default in accordance with
the indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of
default.
Subject to the terms of the indentures, if an event of default
under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the debenture
trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its
rights or powers under such indenture at the request or
direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt
securities,
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unless such holders have offered the debenture trustee
reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal
amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will
have the right to direct the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
debenture trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on
the debenture trustee, with respect to the debt securities of
that series, provided that:
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the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any
law or the applicable indenture; and |
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subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the
debenture trustee need not take any action that might involve it
in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the
holders not involved in the proceeding. |
A holder of the debt securities of any series will only have the
right to institute a proceeding under the indentures or to
appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies if:
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the holder has given written notice to the debenture trustee of
a continuing event of default with respect to that series; |
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the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding debt securities of that series have made written
request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to
the debenture trustee to institute the proceeding as
trustee; and |
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the debenture trustee does not institute the proceeding, and
does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that
series other conflicting directions within 60 days after
the notice, request and offer. |
These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder
of debt securities if we default in the payment of the
principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities.
We will periodically file statements with the debenture trustee
regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the
indentures.
Modification of Indenture; Waiver
We and the debenture trustee may change an indenture without the
consent of any holders with respect to specific matters,
including:
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to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the
indenture; and |
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to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the
interests of any holder of debt securities of any series. |
In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a
series of debt securities may be changed by us and the debenture
trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt
securities of each series that is affected. However, we and the
debenture trustee may only make the following changes with the
consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities
affected:
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extending the fixed maturity of the series of debt securities; |
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reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending
the time of payment of interest, or any premium payable upon the
redemption of any debt securities; or |
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reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which
are required to consent to any amendment. |
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Discharge
Each indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from
our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt
securities, except for obligations to:
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register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the
series; |
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replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series; |
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maintain paying agencies; |
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hold monies for payment in trust; |
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compensate and indemnify the trustee; and |
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appoint any successor trustee. |
In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must
deposit with the trustee money or government obligations
sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium, if any, and
interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates
payments are due.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully
registered form without coupons and, unless we otherwise specify
in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of
$1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indentures provide
that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or
permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company or
another depository named by us and identified in a prospectus
supplement with respect to that series. See Legal
Ownership of Securities for a further description of the
terms relating to any book-entry securities.
At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the
indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities
described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of
the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt
securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any
authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate
principal amount.
Subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations
applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable
prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may
present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of
transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed
thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security
registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the
office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose.
Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder
presents for transfer or exchange, we will make no service
charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may
require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the
security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the
security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt
securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer
agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or
approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent
acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer
agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each
series.
If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will
not be required to:
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issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities
of that series during a period beginning at the opening of
business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of
redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for
redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the
mailing; or |
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register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so
selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the
unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in
part. |
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Information Concerning the Debenture Trustee
The debenture trustee, other than during the occurrence and
continuance of an event of default under an indenture,
undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set
forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default
under an indenture, the debenture trustee must use the same
degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the
conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision,
the debenture trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of
the powers given it by the indentures at the request of any
holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable
security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and
liabilities that it might incur.
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus
supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt
securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose
name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities,
are registered at the close of business on the regular record
date for the interest.
We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the
debt securities of a particular series at the office of the
paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise
indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make
interest payments by check which we will mail to the holder.
Unless we otherwise indicate in a prospectus supplement, we will
designate the corporate trust office of the debenture trustee in
the City of New York as our sole paying agent for payments with
respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the
applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we
initially designate for the debt securities of a particular
series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment
for the debt securities of a particular series.
All money we pay to a paying agent or the debenture trustee for
the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on
any debt securities which remains unclaimed at the end of two
years after such principal, premium or interest has become due
and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the security
thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York,
except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.
Subordination of Subordinated Notes
The subordinated notes will be unsecured and will be subordinate
and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other
indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement.
The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of
subordinated notes which we may issue. It also does not limit us
from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
We can issue securities in registered form or in the form of one
or more global securities. We describe global securities in
greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have
securities registered in their own names on the books that we or
any applicable trustee maintain for this purpose as the
holders of those securities. These persons are the
legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who,
indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in
securities that are not registered in their own names, as
indirect holders of those securities. As we discuss
below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in
securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be
indirect holders.
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Book-Entry Holders
We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will
specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means
securities may be represented by one or more global securities
registered in the name of a financial institution that holds
them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions
that participate in the depositarys book-entry system.
These participating institutions, which are referred to as
participants, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the
securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.
Only the person in whose name a security is registered is
recognized as the holder of that security. Securities issued in
global form will be registered in the name of the depositary or
its participants. Consequently, for securities issued in global
form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the
securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to
the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it
receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments
along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The
depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have
made with one another or with their customers; they are not
obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.
As a result, investors in a book-entry security will not own
securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests
in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial
institution that participates in the depositarys
book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As
long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will
be indirect holders, and not holders, of the securities.
Street Name Holders
We may terminate a global security or issue securities in
non-global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold
their securities in their own names or in street
name. Securities held by an investor in street name would
be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial
institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would
hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an
account he or she maintains at that institution.
For securities held in street name, we will recognize only the
intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in
whose names the securities are registered as the holders of
those securities, and we will make all payments on those
securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments
they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners,
but only because they agree to do so in their customer
agreements or because they are legally required to do so.
Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect
holders, not holders, of those securities.
Legal Holders
Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable
trustee and of any third parties employed by us or a trustee,
run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have
obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global
securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This
will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect
holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the
securities only in global form.
For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the
holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or
notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with
depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along
to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, we may
want to obtain the approval of the holders to amend an
indenture, to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of
our obligation to comply with a particular provision of the
indenture or for other purposes. In such an event, we would seek
approval only from the holders, and not the indirect holders, of
the securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect
holders is up to the holders.
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Special Considerations for Indirect Holders
If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial
institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, you
should check with your own institution to find out:
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how it handles securities payments and notices; |
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whether it imposes fees or charges; |
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how it would handle a request for the holders consent, if
ever required; |
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whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities
registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is
permitted in the future; |
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how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were
a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act
to protect their interests; and |
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if the securities are in book-entry form, how the
depositarys rules and procedures will affect these matters. |
Global Securities
A global security is a security held by a depositary which
represents one or any other number of individual securities.
Generally, all securities represented by the same global
securities will have the same terms.
Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a
global security that we deposit with and register in the name of
a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The
financial institution that we select for this purpose is called
the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable
prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York,
New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all
securities issued in book-entry form.
A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the
name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a
successor depositary, unless special termination situations
arise. We describe those situations below under
Special Situations When a Global Security Will
Be Terminated. As a result of these arrangements, the
depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner
and holder of all securities represented by a global security,
and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests
in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means
of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution
that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another
institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is
represented by a global security will not be a holder of the
security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest
in the global security.
If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates
that the security will be issued in global form only, then the
security will be represented by a global security at all times
unless and until the global security is terminated. If
termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another
book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no
longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.
Special Considerations for Global Securities
As an indirect holder, an investors rights relating to a
global security will be governed by the account rules of the
investors financial institution and of the depositary, as
well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not
recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and
instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global
security.
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If securities are issued only in the form of a global security,
an investor should be aware of the following:
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An investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his
or her name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his
or her interest in the securities, except in the special
situations we describe below; |
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An investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or
her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and
protection of his or her legal rights relating to the
securities, as we describe under Ownership of
Securities above; |
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An investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities
to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are
required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form; |
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An investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a
global security in circumstances where certificates representing
the securities must be delivered to the lender or other
beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be
effective; |
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The depositarys policies, which may change from time to
time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other
matters relating to an investors interest in a global
security. We and any applicable trustee have no responsibility
for any aspect of the depositarys actions or for its
records of ownership interests in a global security. We and the
trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way; |
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The depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require
that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security
within its book-entry system use immediately available funds,
and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and |
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Financial institutions that participate in the depositarys
book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its
interest in a global security, may also have their own policies
affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the
securities. There may be more than one financial intermediary in
the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and
are not responsible for the actions of any of those
intermediaries. |
Special Situations when a Global Security will be
Terminated
In a few special situations described below, the global security
will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for
physical certificates representing those interests. After that
exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or
in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must
consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their
interests in securities transferred to their own name, so that
they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of
holders and street name investors above.
The global security will terminate when the following special
situations occur:
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if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no
longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global
security and we do not appoint another institution to act as
depositary within 90 days; |
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if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate
that global security; or |
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if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities
represented by that global security and has not been cured or
waived. |
The prospectus supplement may also list additional situations
for terminating a global security that would apply only to the
particular series of securities covered by the prospectus
supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary,
and not we or any applicable trustee, is responsible for
deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial
direct holders.
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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND
OF OUR DECLARATION OF TRUST AND BYLAWS
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Classification of the Board of Trustees |
Our Bylaws provide that the number of our trustees may be
established by the Board of Trustees but may not be fewer than
three nor more than nine. As of August 31, 2003, we have
seven trustees. The trustees may increase or decrease the number
of trustees by a vote of at least 80% of the members of the
Board of Trustees, provided that the number of trustees shall
never be less than the number required by Maryland law and that
the tenure of office of a trustee shall not be affected by any
decrease in the number of trustees. Any vacancy will be filled,
including a vacancy created by an increase in the number of
trustees, at any regular meeting or at any special meeting
called for that purpose, by a majority of the remaining trustees
or, if no trustees remain, by a majority of our shareholders.
Pursuant to our Declaration of Trust, the Board of Trustees is
divided into two classes of trustees. Trustees of each class are
chosen for two-year terms and each year one class of trustees
will be elected by the shareholders. We believe that
classification of the Board of Trustees helps to assure the
continuity and stability of our business strategies and policies
as determined by the trustees. Holders of common shares have no
right to cumulative voting in the election of trustees.
Consequently, at each annual meeting of shareholders, the
holders of a majority of the common shares are able to elect all
of the successors of the class of trustees whose terms expire at
that meeting.
The classified board provision could have the effect of making
the replacement of incumbent trustees more time consuming and
difficult. The staggered terms of trustees may delay, defer or
prevent a tender offer or an attempt to change control in us or
other transaction that might involve a premium price for holders
of common shares that might be in the best interest of the
shareholders.
The Declaration of Trust provides that a trustee may be removed
with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of at least
two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of
trustees. This provision, when coupled with the provision in the
Bylaws authorizing the Board of Trustees to fill vacant
trusteeships, precludes shareholders from removing incumbent
trustees, except upon a substantial affirmative vote, and
filling the vacancies created by such removal with their own
nominees.
Under Maryland law, certain business combinations between us and
any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or
more of the voting power of our shares, an affiliate of ours
who, at any time within the previous two years was the
beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of our
shares (who the statute terms an interested
shareholder), or an affiliate of an interested
shareholder, are prohibited for five years after the most recent
date on which they became interested shareholders. The business
combinations that are subject to this law include mergers,
consolidations, share exchanges or, in certain circumstances,
asset transfers or issuances or reclassifications of equity
securities. After the five-year period has elapsed, a proposed
business combination must be recommended by the Board of
Trustees and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:
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80% of our outstanding voting shares; and |
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two-thirds of the outstanding voting shares, excluding shares
held by the interested shareholder, |
unless, among other conditions, the shareholders receive a fair
price, as defined by Maryland law, for their shares and the
consideration is received in cash or in the same form as
previously paid by the interested shareholder for its shares.
These provisions do not apply, however, to business combinations
that the Board of Trustees approves or exempts before the time
that the interested shareholder becomes an interested
shareholder.
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Pursuant to a resolution of our Board of Trustees, CNLs
ownership of our securities are exempt from the Maryland
Business Combination Statute.
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Control Share Acquisitions |
Maryland law provides that control shares acquired
in a control share acquisition have no voting rights
unless approved by a vote of two-thirds of our outstanding
voting shares, excluding shares owned by the acquiror or by
officers or directors who are employees of ours. Control
shares are voting shares which, if aggregated with all
other shares previously acquired by the acquiring person, or in
respect of which the acquiring person is able to exercise or
direct the exercise of voting power, other than by revocable
proxy, would entitle the acquiring person to exercise voting
power in electing trustees within one of the following ranges of
voting power:
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one-tenth or more but less than one-third; |
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one-third or more but less than a majority; or |
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a majority of all voting power. |
Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is
then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained
shareholder approval. A control share acquisition
means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain
exceptions.
A person who has made or proposes to make a control share
acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions, including
an undertaking to pay expenses, may compel our Board of Trustees
to call a special meeting of shareholders to be held within
50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the
shares. If no request for a meeting is made, we may present the
question at any shareholders meeting.
If voting rights are not approved at the shareholders
meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver the
statement required by Maryland law, then, subject to certain
conditions and limitations, we may redeem any or all of the
control shares, except those for which voting rights have
previously been approved, for fair value. Fair value is
determined without regard to the absence of voting rights for
the control shares and as of the date of the last control share
acquisition or of any meeting of shareholders at which the
voting rights of the shares were considered and not approved. If
voting rights for control shares are approved at a
shareholders meeting, and as a result thereof the acquiror
may then vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all
other shareholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value
of the shares for purposes of these appraisal rights may not be
less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in
the control share acquisition. The control share acquisition
statute does not apply to shares acquired in a merger,
consolidation or share exchange if we are a party to the
transaction, nor does it apply to acquisitions approved or
exempted by our Declaration of Trust or Bylaws.
Our Bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share
acquisition act any and all acquisitions by any person of our
shares. There can be no assurance that this provision will not
be amended or eliminated at any time in the future.
Our Declaration of Trust provides that it may be amended with
the approval of at least a majority of all of the votes entitled
to be cast on the matter, but that certain provisions of the
Declaration of Trust regarding (i) our Board of Trustees,
including the provisions regarding independent trustee
requirements, (ii) the restrictions on transfer of the
common shares and the preferred shares, (iii) amendments to
the Declaration of Trust by the trustees and our shareholders
and (iv) our termination may not be amended, altered,
changed or repealed without the approval of two-thirds of all of
the votes entitled to be cast on these matters. In addition, the
Declaration of Trust provides that it may be amended by the
Board of Trustees, without shareholder approval to
(a) increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of
beneficial interest or the number of shares of any class of
beneficial interest that the Trust has authority
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to issue or (b) qualify as a REIT under the Code or under
the Maryland REIT law. Our Bylaws may be amended or altered
exclusively by the Board of Trustees.
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Limitation of Liability and Indemnification |
Our Declaration of Trust limits the liability of our trustees
and officers for money damages, except for liability resulting
from:
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actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money,
property or services; or |
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a final judgment based upon a finding of active and deliberate
dishonesty by the trustees or others that was material to the
cause of action adjudicated. |
Our Declaration of Trust authorizes us, to the maximum extent
permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify, and to pay or reimburse
reasonable expenses to, any of our present or former trustees or
officers or any individual who, while a trustee or officer and
at our request, serves or has served another entity, employee
benefit plan or any other enterprise as a trustee, director,
officer, partner or otherwise. The indemnification covers any
claim or liability against the person. Our Bylaws and Maryland
law require us to indemnify each trustee or officer who has been
successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any
proceeding to which he or she is made a party by reason of his
or her service to us.
Maryland law permits a Maryland real estate investment trust to
indemnify its present and former trustees and officers against
liabilities and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in
any proceeding unless:
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the act or omission of the trustee or officer was material to
the matter giving rise to the proceeding; and |
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was committed in bad faith; or |
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was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; or |
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in a criminal proceeding, the trustee or officer had reasonable
cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. |
However, a Maryland real estate investment trust may not
indemnify for an adverse judgment in a derivative action. Our
Bylaws and Maryland law require us, as a condition to advancing
expenses in certain circumstances, to obtain:
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a written affirmation by the trustee or officer of his or her
good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct
necessary for indemnification; and |
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a written undertaking to repay the amount reimbursed if the
standard of conduct was not met. |
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Certain Provisions of Maryland Law |
Maryland law also provides that Maryland real estate investment
trust that are subject to the Exchange Act and have at least
three outside trustees can elect by resolution of the Board of
Trustees to be subject to some corporate governance provisions
that may be inconsistent with the real estate investment trust
declaration of trust and bylaws. Under the applicable statute, a
board of trustees may classify itself without the vote of
shareholders. A board of trustees classified in that manner
cannot be altered by amendment to the declaration of trust of
the real estate investment trust. Further, the board of trustees
may, by electing into applicable statutory provisions and
notwithstanding the declaration of trust or bylaws:
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provide that a special meeting of shareholders, will be called
only at the request of shareholders, entitled to cast at least a
majority of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting, |
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reserve for itself the right to fix the number of trustees, |
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provide that a trustee may be removed only by the vote of the
holders of two-thirds of the shares entitled to vote, and |
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retain for itself sole authority to fill vacancies created by
the death, removal or resignation of a trustee. |
In addition, a trustee elected to fill a vacancy under this
provision will serve for the balance of the unexpired term
instead of until the next annual meeting of shareholders. A
board of trustees may implement all or any of these provisions
without amending the declaration of trust or bylaws and without
shareholder approval. A real estate investment trust may be
prohibited by its declaration of trust or by resolution of its
board of trustees from electing any of the provisions of the
statute. We are is not prohibited from implementing any or all
of the statute. If implemented, these provisions could
discourage offers to acquire the our shares and could increase
the difficulty of completing an offer.
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Possible Anti-takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of
Maryland Law and of our Declaration of Trust and Bylaws |
The business combination provisions and, if the applicable
exemption in the Bylaws is rescinded, the control share
acquisition provisions of the MGCL, the provisions of our
Declaration of Trust on classification of the Board of Trustees,
the removal of trustees and the restrictions on the transfer of
shares of beneficial interest and the advance notice provisions
of the Bylaws could have the effect of delaying, deferring or
preventing a transaction or a change in the control that might
involve a premium price for holders of the common shares or
otherwise be in their best interest.
CNL STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
The following summary of the terms of the CNL strategic alliance
does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified
in its entirety by reference to the described agreements, which
are exhibits to the Registration Statement of which this
Prospectus is a part. See Where You Can Find More
Information.
In April of 2003, we entered into a strategic alliance with CNL
Hospitality Partners, L.P., a subsidiary of CNL Hospitality
Properties, Inc. CNL is a public company, which has been one of
the most active investors in lodging properties over the past
several years. Since its inception in 1996, CNL has invested
over $2.2 billion in hotel properties. The strategic
alliance positions us as one of CNLs preferred partners
for investing in mid-scale hotels. Our agreement with CNL
provides that it will invest up to $25 million in our
operating partnership and up to $40 million in a newly
formed hotel acquisition joint venture. CNL has currently
invested $19 million in our operating partnership and
$8 million in the joint venture, which acquired its first
hotel, the Hampton Inn Chelsea, New York, New York, on
August 29, 2003.
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Investment in Series A Convertible Preferred Units of
Our Operating Partnership |
On April 21 and May 21, 2003, CNL purchased a total of
150,000 units of a newly created series of convertible
preferred limited partnership units of our operating partnership
(the Series A Convertible Preferred Units) in
exchange for CNLs payment of $15,000,000 in cash, net of
certain transaction costs. CNL purchased an additional 40,266
Series A Convertible Preferred Units on August 29,
2003, for approximately $4 million. CNL may be obligated to
purchase up to an additional 59,734 Series A Convertible
Preferred Units, also at a per unit price of $100.00.
Each Series A Convertible Preferred Unit provides for a
quarterly cumulative preferred dividend of 10.5% per annum
on the $100 original issue price per share and a liquidation
value of $100 per share, plus any accrued but unpaid
dividends.
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Each Series A Convertible Preferred Unit has preemptive
rights during the three-year period after their date of issuance
in the event our operating partnership sells additional
partnership units, provided that no such approval shall be
required in the event of (i) an issuance of common
operating partnership units in exchange for a contribution of
properties to the operating partnership approved by our Board of
Trustees, (b) the issuance of operating partnership units
in connection with an approved employee benefit plan, including
issuance of partnership units to our company in connection with
the issuance of up to 650,000 common shares pursuant to an
approved employee benefit plan, or (c) the issuance of
operating partnership units to our company in connection with
the issuance of common shares pursuant to a dividend
reinvestment plan.
Each Series A Convertible Preferred Unit is exchangeable or
convertible at the option of its holder for either (i) one
Series A Preferred Share or (ii) approximately 14.8
common shares or ordinary operating partnership units, based on
an initial conversion price of $6.7555 per common share or
ordinary operating partnership unit. The initial conversion
price represents the volume weighted average closing price for
the common shares for the 20 trading days preceding
April 21, 2003. The exchange or conversion price is subject
to anti-dilution adjustments upon the occurrence of certain
events, including share splits and combinations,
reclassifications, reorganizations, mergers, consolidations or
asset sales, or the sale of common shares or operating
partnership units below 85% of the then effective conversion or
exchange price (initially $5.74).
Upon a vote of a majority of the members of our Board of
Trustees, we may redeem all or any part of the outstanding
Series A Convertible Preferred Units for a per Unit
redemption price equal to the sum of the original issue price,
all accrued but unpaid dividends and a premium which is
initially $10.50 per unit and declines annually on a
straight line basis over a ten-year period. A Series A
Convertible Preferred Unit holder who has received a redemption
notice will have the opportunity in lieu of redemption to
exchange or convert its Series A Convertible Preferred
Units into Series A Preferred Shares, common shares or
ordinary operating partnership units.
The holders of Series A Convertible Preferred Units have
the right to vote as a single class with holders of ordinary
operating partnership interests on all matters upon which they
are entitled to vote. The holders of operating partnership units
are entitled to a number of votes equal to the number of common
shares for which their units would then be exchangeable.
We must obtain the approval of the holders of a majority of the
Series A Convertible Preferred Units to effect the
following actions:
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any creation, or increase in number of, securities senior to the
Series A Convertible Preferred Units; |
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the issuance of any class or series of equity interest in our
operating partnership prior to the first to occur of
(i) the issuance of an aggregate of 250,000 Series A
Convertible Preferred Units in accordance with the terms of the
CNL strategic alliance or (ii) certain terminating events
defined in the agreement pursuant to which CNL purchased its
Series A Convertible Preferred Units; provided that no such
approval shall be required in the event of (i) an issuance
of common operating partnership units in exchange for a
contribution of properties to the operating partnership approved
by our Board of Trustees, (b) the issuance of operating
partnership units in |
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connection with an approved employee benefit plan, including
issuance of partnership units to our company in connection with
the issuance of up to 650,000 common shares pursuant to an
approved employee benefit plan, or (c) the issuance of
operating partnership units to our company in connection with
the issuance of common shares pursuant to a dividend
reinvestment plan; |
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during any period when distributions with respect to the
Series A Convertible Preferred Units are in arrears, any
purchase, redemption or other acquisition for value (or payment
into or setting aside as a sinking fund for such purpose) of any
operating partnership units junior to the Series A
Convertible Preferred Units; |
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during any period when distributions with respect to the
Series A Convertible Preferred Units are in arrears, any
action that results in the declaration or payment of
distributions, direct or indirect on account of any junior units; |
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any action that results in any amendment, alteration, or repeal
(by merger or consolidation or otherwise) of any provisions of
the amendment to the operating partnership agreement designating
the Series A Convertible Preferred Units, any provisions of
our Declaration of Trust, as amended, or our By-laws which
eliminates, amends or affects any term (adversely or otherwise)
of the Series A Preferred Shares and/or the common shares
or shares of any series ranking senior to the Series A
Preferred Shares, including, without limitation, the redemption,
dividend, voting, preemptive, anti-dilution and other powers,
rights and preferences of such shares or adversely affects any
holder thereof; |
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any action where our company or the operating partnership or any
of our or its material subsidiaries files any voluntary, or
consents to the filing of any involuntary, petition for relief
under title 11 of the United States Code or any successor
statute or under any reorganization, arrangement, insolvency,
readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law with
respect to our company, the operating partnership or any of our
or its subsidiaries; |
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any action where our company, the operating partnership or any
of our material subsidiaries appoints or consents to, or
acquiesces in, the appointment of a receiver, conservator,
trustee or other similar official charged with the
administration, control, management, operation, liquidation,
dissolution or valuation of our company, the operating
partnership or any of our or its material subsidiaries, or any
of their respective businesses or assets; and |
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any agreement to do any of the transactions set forth above. |
We are also required to obtain the approval of the holders of a
majority of the Series A Convertible Preferred Units to
effect the following actions, but only for so long as the
holders of Series A Convertible Preferred Units hold in the
aggregate that number of Series A Convertible Preferred
Units, common shares and any other class or series of our equity
that represents, on an as converted or exchanged basis, at least
five percent of the common shares then outstanding on a fully
diluted basis, assuming the conversion or exchange for common
shares of all convertible or exchangeable securities of our
company and our operating partnership:
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any action where our company or the operating partnership merges
with or into or consolidates with any other entity, but
excluding any merger effected exclusively for the purpose of
changing the domicile of our company or the operating
partnership; |
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any action where the operating partnership or any of its
subsidiaries directly or indirectly sells, leases, transfers,
conveys or assigns (whether in a single transaction or series of
related transactions) all or substantially all of its assets,
other than transactions involving leases by the operating
partnership of its hotel properties in the ordinary course of
its business; |
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all transactions involving our company or the operating
partnership of the type referred in paragraph (a) of
Rule 145 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
all transactions involving our company or the operating
partnership constituting a change-in-control within the meaning
of Rule 14(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended; |
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any action where our company, the operating partnership or any
of our or its subsidiaries, or HHMLP, on the one hand, engages
in any transaction with an affiliate of our company or the
operating partnership on the other hand, provided, however, to
the extent such transactions are of the type which, but for
their affiliated nature, would fall within the ordinary course
of business and day-to-day affairs of the operating partnership,
such actions need not be approved on a
transaction-by-transaction basis but may be entered into
pursuant to annual budgets and purchase plans approved by the
holders of the Series A Convertible Preferred Units. For
purposes of these provisions, affiliate has the
meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and
includes, without limitation, (a) the trustees and senior
officers of our company, the operating partnership or any of our
or its subsidiaries, his or her spouse, parent, sibling,
mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law,
aunt, uncle, or first cousin, (b) any person directly or
indirectly owning, controlling or holding the power to
vote 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of our
company, the operating partnership or any of our or its
subsidiaries, and (c) any person 5% or more of whose
outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned,
controlled or held with power to vote by our company, the
operating partnership or any of our or its subsidiaries; |
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for our company, the operating partnership or any of our or its
subsidiaries to engage in any business where either the
operation of such business or ownership of the assets related to
such business will result in our company failing to satisfy the
provisions of Section 856 of the Code; |
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conducting any business activities or the ownership of any asset
of our company (other than operating partnership interests) in
each case other than through the operating partnership or one or
more subsidiary partnerships as contemplated by the operating
partnership agreement; and |
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admission of a substitute or additional general partner of the
operating partnership. |
We are not required to obtain the approval of the Series A
Convertible Preferred Unit holders regarding any of the
foregoing actions if such action provides that all holders of
Series A Convertible Preferred Units shall as a result of
and simultaneously with such action receive no less than the
liquidation preference plus the applicable premium to which such
Units are entitled under the operating partnership agreement.
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Series A Preferred Shares |
The Series A Preferred Shares, into which the Series A
Convertible Preferred Units are exchangeable, entitle the
holders thereof to substantially similar rights as those
attendant to the Series A Convertible Preferred Units in
our operating partnership with respect to dividends, preemptive
rights and redemption by us. In addition, holders of the
Series A Preferred Shares have substantially similar
approval rights as those held by holders of the Series A
Convertible Preferred Units.
Each Series A Preferred Share is convertible at the option
of its holder into approximately 14.8 common shares, based on an
initial conversion price of $6.7555 per common share and
subject to anti-dilution adjustments upon the occurrence of
certain events, including share splits and combinations,
reclassifications, reorganizations, mergers, consolidations or
asset sales, or the sale of common shares or limited partnership
units below 85% of the then effective conversion price
(initially $5.74).
Subject to the terms of the standstill agreement described
below, holders of Series A Preferred Shares have the right
to vote, on an as converted basis, and as a single class, with
holders of our common shares on all matters other than the
designation, election or removal of trustees. The holders of a
majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares have
the right to nominate an observer to our Board of Trustees. For
so long as the holders of Series A Preferred Shares hold at
least five percent of the common shares on an as-converted and
fully diluted basis, a majority of the Series A Preferred
Share holders will have the right, voting as a separate class,
to nominate and elect at least one member of our Board of
Trustees, and in no event less than 11.1% of the total members
of the Board of Trustees, if (i) they receive a favorable
ruling from the Internal Revenue Service which permits CNL to
continue to qualify as a REIT under certain circumstances,
(ii) there is a change in the law providing for relief
comparable to that
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sought from the IRS as described in clause (i) above,
(iii) they receive an opinion of counsel consistent with
such relief or (iv) there is a transfer of the
Series A Convertible Preferred Units whereby the holder of
a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares was a
transferee of Series A Convertible Preferred Units which
were converted into Series A Preferred Shares and could
hold such shares without causing such holder to violate certain
IRS rules relating to qualifying as a REIT. In addition, upon
the failure of our company or our operating partnership to pay
two consecutive dividends or distributions on the Series A
Preferred Shares or the Series A Convertible Preferred
Units, or our failure to maintain its status as a REIT, the
holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will have the
right to nominate and elect 40% of the members of our Board of
Trustees.
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Excepted Holder Agreement |
In connection with the strategic alliance, we and CNL entered
into an Excepted Holder Agreement pursuant to which we exempted
CNL from compliance with the 9.9% ownership limitation regarding
any class or series of our equity securities set forth in our
Declaration of Trust. Under the Excepted Holder Agreement, and
in compliance with its terms, CNL may own up to 100% of the
outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and up to 60% of the
outstanding common shares (assuming redemption of the
outstanding common limited partnership units for common shares),
provided that the 60% ownership limit will rise to 100% if our
company or our operating partnership fails to pay in full for
two consecutive calendar quarters the dividends or distributions
due on the Series A Preferred Shares and Series A
Convertible Preferred Units or if we fail to maintain our status
as a real estate investment trust.
We have entered into a Standstill Agreement with CNL pursuant to
which CNL and its affiliates have agreed not to acquire any
additional securities of ours other than as contemplated by the
CNL transaction, participate in any solicitation of proxies,
call meetings of our shareholders, seek representation on our
Board of Trustees or vote its securities in excess of 40% of the
total issued and outstanding voting shares. Securities of ours
owned by CNL in excess of the 40% limit are voted by proxy in
the same manner and proportion as the common shares held by all
other holders. The Standstill Agreement provides that it will
remain in effect until April 21, 2009 unless terminated
earlier by CNL upon:
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the failure by our company or our operating partnership to pay
two consecutive quarterly dividends or distributions on the
Series A Preferred Shares or the Series A Convertible
Preferred Units; |
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our failure to maintain our status as a REIT; |
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another person acquiring beneficial ownership in excess of 9.9%
of our equity shares that are issued and outstanding; |
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our Board of Trustees authorizing certain business combinations
involving us; |
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another persons submission of a proposal to us relating to
such business combinations that is not rejected by our Board as
not in the best interests of our shareholders; |
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in connection with any business combination, our removal of any
impediments in our Declaration of Trust or Bylaws to any
business combination; |
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CNLs ownership of our securities, on a fully diluted
basis, decreases to less than 9.9% of the common shares then
outstanding, on a fully diluted basis and the termination of the
Excepted Holder Agreement or other exception to the ownership
limit set forth in our Declaration of Trust applicable to CNL
and its affiliates; and |
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the material failure by our company or our operating partnership
to comply with any of the terms of the Series A Preferred
Shares or the Series A Convertible Preferred Units. |
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Upon the occurrence of any of the aforementioned events, the 60%
ownership limit on CNLs ability to acquire common shares
set forth in the Excepted Holder Agreement and the restrictions
set forth in the Standstill Agreement on CNLs ability to
acquire additional securities of our company will terminate and
CNL will be permitted to acquire any amount of additional
securities of our company or our operating partnership.
We have also entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with
CNL pursuant to which CNL may, subject to certain cutbacks and
restrictions, cause us to register the common shares and
Series A Preferred Shares owned by CNL under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, and under state securities laws of any
jurisdiction requested by CNL.
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Hotel Acquisition Joint Venture |
We have also have formed a joint venture limited partnership
with CNL, in which our operating partnership is serving as the
sole general partner and in which CNL is the sole limited
partner. The joint venture agreement provides that CNL will
invest up to $40 million, and HT will invest up to
$20 million in the joint venture to acquire hotel real
estate assets approved by an investment committee comprised of
an equal number of representatives from Hersha and CNL. The
investments in the joint venture will be subject to satisfaction
of the conditions to closing set forth in the joint venture
agreement.
On August 29, 2003, the joint venture made its first
acquisition, the Chelsea Hampton Inn, New York, New York and
accepted a $4 million capital contribution from us and an
$8 million capital contribution from CNL.
Net cash flow from operations of the joint venture will be
distributed: first, to CNL to provide a 10.5% per annum
return on its unreturned capital contributions; second, to us to
provide an annual administrative fee of .35% of the cost of the
joint ventures assets; third, to us to provide a
13% per annum return on our unreturned capital
contributions; and thereafter to CNL and us in proportion to our
respective capital contributions to the joint venture. Proceeds
from a sale of a joint venture property or other capital event
for the joint venture will be distributed: first, to CNL to
return its capital contributions; second, to us to return our
capital contributions; third, to CNL to provide a 10.5% annual
return on its unreturned capital contributions; fourth, to us to
provide a 13% annual return on our unreturned capital
contributions; and thereafter to CNL and us according to our
respective capital contributions.
CNLs limited partnership interest in the joint venture
generally will be exchangeable, at CNLs option, for common
limited partnership units of our operating partnership or common
shares, based on an initial exchange price of $6.7555 per
share, subject to adjustment.
As part of the joint venture, until April 21, 2004, we must
present all of our proposed acquisitions to the investment
committee of the joint venture, and we may only acquire such
acquisition directly if the investment committee or CNL fails to
approve that acquisition for the joint venture.
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FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF OUR STATUS AS A REIT
This section summarizes the federal income tax issues that you,
as a holder of our securities, may consider relevant.
Hunton & Williams LLP has acted as our counsel, has
reviewed this summary and is of the opinion that the discussion
contained herein fairly summarizes the federal income tax
consequences that are likely to be material to a holder of our
securities. Because this section is a summary, it does not
address all of the tax issues that may be important to you. In
addition, this section does not address the tax issues that may
be important to certain types of holders of our securities that
are subject to special treatment under the federal income tax
laws, such as insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations,
financial institutions or broker-dealers, and
non-U.S. individuals and foreign corporations.
The statements in this section and the opinion of
Hunton & Williams LLP are based on the current federal
income tax laws governing qualification as a REIT. We cannot
assure you that new laws, interpretations of law or court
decisions, any of which may take effect retroactively, will not
cause any statement in this section to be inaccurate.
WE URGE YOU TO CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE
SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO YOU OF INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES
AND OF OUR ELECTION TO BE TAXED AS A REIT. SPECIFICALLY, YOU
SHOULD CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE FEDERAL,
STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH
INVESTMENT AND ELECTION, AND REGARDING POTENTIAL CHANGES IN
APPLICABLE TAX LAWS.
Taxation of Our Company
We elected to be taxed as a REIT under the federal income tax
laws beginning with our taxable year ended December 31,
1999. We believe that we have operated in a manner qualifying us
as a REIT since our election and intend to continue to so
operate. This section discusses the laws governing the federal
income tax treatment of a REIT and its shareholders. These laws
are highly technical and complex.
In the opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP, we qualified
to be taxed as a REIT under the federal income tax laws for our
taxable years ended December 31, 2000 through
December 31, 2003, and our organization and current and
proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to
qualify as a REIT for our taxable year ending December 31,
2004 and in the future. You should be aware that the opinion is
based on current law and is not binding on the Internal Revenue
Service or any court. In addition, the opinion is based on
customary assumptions and on our representations as to factual
matters, all of which are described in the opinion. Our
qualification as a REIT depends on our ability to meet, on a
continuing basis, qualification tests in the federal tax laws.
Those qualification tests involve the percentage of income that
we earn from specified sources, the percentages of our assets
that fall within specified categories, the diversity of our
share ownership and the percentage of our earnings that we
distribute. Hunton & Williams LLP will not review our
compliance with those tests on a continuing basis. Accordingly,
no assurance can be given that the actual results of our
operation for any particular taxable year will satisfy such
requirements. For a discussion of the tax consequences of our
failure to qualify as a REIT, see Failure to
Qualify.
If we qualify as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to
federal income tax on the taxable income that we distribute to
our shareholders. The benefit of that tax treatment is that it
avoids the double taxation, or taxation at both the
corporate and shareholder levels, that generally results from
owning shares in a corporation. However, we will be subject to
federal tax in the following circumstances:
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We will pay federal income tax on taxable income, including net
capital gain, that we do not distribute to shareholders during,
or within a specified time period after, the calendar year in
which the income is earned. |
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We may be subject to the alternative minimum tax on
any items of tax preference that we do not distribute or
allocate to shareholders. |
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We will pay income tax at the highest corporate rate on: |
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net income from the sale or other disposition of property
acquired through foreclosure (foreclosure property)
that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of business, and |
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other non-qualifying income from foreclosure property. |
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We will pay a 100% tax on net income from sales or other
dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property, that
we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course
of business. |
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If we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross
income test, as described below under Requirements for
Qualification-Income Tests, and nonetheless continue to
qualify as a REIT because we meet other requirements, we will
pay a 100% tax on: |
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the gross income attributable to the greater of (1) the
amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test, and
(2) the amount by which 90% of our gross income exceeds the
amount of income qualifying under the 95% gross income test, in
each case, multiplied by |
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a fraction intended to reflect our profitability. |
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If we fail to distribute during a calendar year at least the sum
of: |
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85% of our REIT ordinary income for the year, |
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95% of our REIT capital gain net income for the year, and |
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any undistributed taxable income from earlier periods, |
we will pay a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of the
required distribution over the amount we actually distributed.
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We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term
capital gain. In that case, a U.S. shareholder would be
taxed on its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term
capital gain (to the extent that we made a timely designation of
such gain to the shareholders) and would receive a credit or
refund for its proportionate share of the tax we paid. |
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We will be subject to a 100% excise tax on transactions with a
taxable REIT subsidiary that are not conducted on an
arms-length basis. |
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If we acquire any asset from a C corporation, or a
corporation that generally is subject to full corporate-level
tax, in a merger or other transaction in which we acquire a
basis in the asset that is determined by reference either to the
C corporations basis in the asset or to another asset, we
will pay tax at the highest regular corporate rate applicable if
we recognize gain on the sale or disposition of the asset during
the 10-year period after we acquire the asset provided no
election is made for the transaction to be taxable on a current
basis. The amount of gain on which we will pay tax is the lesser
of: |
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the amount of gain that we recognize at the time of the sale or
disposition, and |
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the amount of gain that we would have recognized if we had sold
the asset at the time we acquired it. |
Requirements for Qualification
A REIT is a corporation, trust, or association that meets each
of the following requirements:
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1. It is managed by one or more trustees or directors. |
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2. Its beneficial ownership is evidenced by transferable
shares, or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest. |
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3. It would be taxable as a domestic corporation, but for
the REIT provisions of the federal income tax laws. |
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4. It is neither a financial institution nor an insurance
company subject to special provisions of the federal income tax
laws. |
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5. At least 100 persons are beneficial owners of its shares
or ownership certificates. |
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6. Not more than 50% in value of its outstanding shares or
ownership certificates is owned, directly or indirectly, by five
or fewer individuals, which the federal income tax laws define
to include certain entities, during the last half of any taxable
year. |
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7. It elects to be a REIT, or has made such election for a
previous taxable year, and satisfies all relevant filing and
other administrative requirements established by the Internal
Revenue Service that must be met to elect and maintain REIT
status. |
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8. It meets certain other qualification tests, described
below, regarding the nature of its income and assets and the
amount of its distributions to shareholders. |
We must meet requirements 1 through 4 during our entire
taxable year and must meet requirement 5 during at least
335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a
proportionate part of a taxable year of less than
12 months. If we comply with all the requirements for
ascertaining the ownership of our outstanding shares in a
taxable year and have no reason to know that we violated
requirement 6, we will be deemed to have satisfied
requirement 6 for that taxable year. For purposes of
determining share ownership under requirement 6, an
individual generally includes a supplemental
unemployment compensation benefits plan, a private foundation,
or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used
exclusively for charitable purposes. An individual,
however, generally does not include a trust that is a qualified
employee pension or profit sharing trust under the federal
income tax laws, and beneficiaries of such a trust will be
treated as holding our shares in proportion to their actuarial
interests in the trust for purposes of requirement 6. We
have issued sufficient common shares with sufficient diversity
of ownership to satisfy requirements 5 and 6. In addition,
our Declaration of Trust restricts the ownership and transfer of
our shares of beneficial interest so that we should continue to
satisfy these requirements.
A corporation that is a qualified REIT subsidiary
(i.e., a corporation that is 100% owned by a REIT with respect
to which no TRS election has been made) is not treated as a
corporation separate from its parent REIT. All assets,
liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of a
qualified REIT subsidiary are treated as assets,
liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of the
REIT. A qualified REIT subsidiary is a corporation,
all of the capital stock of which is owned by the REIT. Thus, in
applying the requirements described herein, any qualified
REIT subsidiary that we own will be ignored, and all
assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit
of such subsidiary will be treated as our assets, liabilities,
and items of income, deduction, and credit.
An unincorporated domestic entity, such as a limited liability
company, that has a single owner, generally is not treated as an
entity separate from its parent for federal income tax purposes.
An unincorporated domestic entity with two or more owners is
generally treated as a partnership for federal income tax
purposes. In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a
partnership that has other partners, the REIT is treated as
owning its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership
and as earning its allocable share of the gross income of the
partnership for purposes of the applicable REIT qualification
tests. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets, liabilities
and items of income of our operating partnership and any other
partnership, joint venture, or limited liability company that is
treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes in
which we have acquired or will acquire an interest, directly or
indirectly (a subsidiary partnership), will be
treated as our assets and gross income for purposes of applying
the various REIT qualification requirements.
A REIT may own up to 100% of the stock of one or more
taxable REIT subsidiaries, or TRSs. A TRS is a fully
taxable corporation that may earn income that would not be
qualifying income if earned
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directly by the parent REIT. However, a TRS may not directly or
indirectly operate or manage any hotels or health care
facilities or provide rights to any brand name under which any
hotel or health care facility is operated. The subsidiary and
the REIT must jointly elect to treat the subsidiary as a TRS. A
TRS will pay income tax at regular corporate rates on any income
that it earns. In addition, the TRS rules limit the
deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a TRS to its parent
REIT to assure that the TRS is subject to an appropriate level
of corporate taxation. Further, the rules impose a 100% excise
tax on transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT or the
REITs tenants that are not conducted on an
arms-length basis. We currently have four TRSs,
(i) 44 New England Management Company, which leases four of
our hotels, (ii) HHM Leasehold Interests, Inc., which
leases 14 of our hotels, (iii) Hersha CNL TRS, Inc., which
is owned by our joint venture with CNL and leases the one hotel
owned by that joint venture, and (iv) Hersha PRA TRS, Inc.,
which is owned by our PRA Glastonbury, LLC joint venture and
leases the one hotel owned by that joint venture. See
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries.
We must satisfy two gross income tests annually to maintain our
qualification as a REIT. First, at least 75% of our gross income
for each taxable year must consist of defined types of income
that we derive, directly or indirectly, from investments
relating to real property or mortgages on real property or
qualified temporary investment income. Qualifying income for
purposes of that 75% gross income test generally includes:
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rents from real property; |
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interest on debt secured by mortgages on real property, or on
interests in real property; |
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dividends or other distributions on, and gain from the sale of,
shares in other REITs; |
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gain from the sale of real estate assets; and |
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income derived from the temporary investment of new capital that
is attributable to the issuance of our stock or a public
offering of our debt with a maturity date of at least five years
and that we receive during the one-year period beginning on the
date on which we received such new capital. |
Second, in general, at least 95% of our gross income for each
taxable year must consist of income that is qualifying income
for purposes of the 75% gross income test, other types of
interest and dividends, gain from the sale or disposition of
stock or securities, income from hedging instruments or any
combination of these. Gross income from our sale of property
that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of business is excluded from both the numerator and the
denominator in both income tests. The following paragraphs
discuss the specific application of the gross income tests to us.
Rents from Real Property. Rent that we receive
from our real property will qualify as rents from real
property, which is qualifying income for purposes of the
75% and 95% gross income tests, only if the following conditions
are met:
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First, the rent must not be based, in whole or in part, on the
income or profits of any person, but may be based on a fixed
percentage or percentages of receipts or sales. |
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Second, neither we nor a direct or indirect owner of 10% or more
of our shares may own, actually or constructively, 10% or more
of a tenant from whom we receive rent other than a TRS. If the
tenant is a TRS, such TRS may not directly or indirectly operate
or manage the related property. Instead, the property must be
operated on behalf of the TRS by a person who qualifies as an
independent contractor and who is, or is related to
a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business of
operating lodging facilities for any person unrelated to us and
the TRS. See Taxable REIT Subsidiaries. |
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Third, if the rent attributable to personal property leased in
connection with a lease of real property is 15% or less of the
total rent received under the lease, then the rent attributable
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personal property will qualify as rents from real property.
However, if the 15% threshold is exceeded, the rent attributable
to personal property will not qualify as rents from real
property. |
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Fourth, we generally must not operate or manage our real
property or furnish or render services to our tenants, other
than through an independent contractor who is
adequately compensated and from whom we do not derive revenue.
However, we need not provide services through an
independent contractor, but instead may provide
services directly to our tenants, if the services are
usually or customarily rendered in connection with
the rental of space for occupancy only and are not considered to
be provided for the tenants convenience. In addition, we
may provide a minimal amount of noncustomary
services to the tenants of a property, other than through an
independent contractor, as long as our income from the services
does not exceed 1% of our income from the related property. |
Pursuant to percentage leases, our lessees lease the land,
buildings, improvements, furnishings and equipment comprising
our hotels, for terms of five years, with options to renew for
terms of five years. The percentage leases provide that the
lessees are obligated to pay (1) the greater of a minimum
base rent or percentage rent and (2) additional
charges or other expenses, as defined in the leases.
Percentage rent is calculated by multiplying fixed percentages
by gross room revenues and gross food and beverage revenues for
each of the hotels. Both base rent and the thresholds in the
percentage rent formulas are adjusted for inflation. Base rent
and percentage rent accrue and are due monthly or quarterly.
In order for the base rent, percentage rent and additional
charges to constitute rents from real property, the
percentage leases must be respected as true leases for federal
income tax purposes and not treated as service contracts, joint
ventures or some other type of arrangement. The determination of
whether the percentage leases are true leases depends on an
analysis of all the surrounding facts and circumstances. In
making such a determination, courts have considered a variety of
factors, including the following:
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the intent of the parties; |
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the form of the agreement; |
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the degree of control over the property that is retained by the
property owner, or whether the lessee has substantial control
over the operation of the property or is required simply to use
its best efforts to perform its obligations under the
agreement; and |
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the extent to which the property owner retains the risk of loss
with respect to the property, or whether the lessee bears the
risk of increases in operating expenses or the risk of damage to
the property or the potential for economic gain or appreciation
with respect to the property. |
In addition, federal income tax law provides that a contract
that purports to be a service contract or a partnership
agreement will be treated instead as a lease of property if the
contract is properly treated as such, taking into account all
relevant factors, including whether or not:
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the service recipient is in physical possession of the property; |
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the service recipient controls the property; |
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the service recipient has a significant economic or possessory
interest in the property, or whether the propertys use is
likely to be dedicated to the service recipient for a
substantial portion of the useful life of the property, the
recipient shares the risk that the property will decline in
value, the recipient shares in any appreciation in the value of
the property, the recipient shares in savings in the
propertys operating costs or the recipient bears the risk
of damage to or loss of the property; |
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the service provider bears the risk of substantially diminished
receipts or substantially increased expenditures if there is
nonperformance under the contract; |
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the service provider uses the property concurrently to provide
significant services to entities unrelated to the service
recipient; and |
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the total contract price substantially exceeds the rental value
of the property for the contract period. |
Since the determination whether a service contract should be
treated as a lease is inherently factual, the presence or
absence of any single factor will not be dispositive in every
case.
Hunton & Williams LLP is of the opinion that the
percentage leases will be treated as true leases for federal
income tax purposes. Such opinion is based, in part, on the
following facts:
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we and the lessees intend for our relationship to be that of a
lessor and lessee and such relationship is documented by lease
agreements; |
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the lessees have the right to the exclusive possession, use and
quiet enjoyment of the hotels during the term of the percentage
leases; |
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the lessees bear the cost of, and are responsible for,
day-to-day maintenance and repair of the hotels, other than the
cost of maintaining underground utilities, structural elements
and capital improvements, and generally dictate how the hotels
are operated, maintained and improved; |
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the lessees bear the costs and expenses of operating the hotels,
including the cost of any inventory used in their operation,
during the term of the percentage leases, other than real estate
and personal property taxes and property and casualty insurance
premiums; |
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the lessees benefit from any savings in the cost of operating
the hotels during the term of the percentage leases; |
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the lessees generally have indemnified us against all
liabilities imposed on us during the term of the percentage
leases by reason of (1) injury to persons or damage to
property occurring at the hotels, (2) the lessees
use, management, maintenance or repair of the hotels,
(3) any environmental liability caused by acts or grossly
negligent failures to act of the lessees, (4) taxes and
assessments in respect of the hotels that are the obligations of
the lessees or (5) any breach of the percentage leases or
of any sublease of a hotel by the lessees; |
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the lessees are obligated to pay substantial fixed rent for the
period of use of the hotels; |
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the lessees stand to incur substantial losses or reap
substantial gains depending on how successfully they operate the
hotels; |
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we cannot use the hotels concurrently to provide significant
services to entities unrelated to the lessees; and |
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the total contract price under the percentage leases does not
substantially exceed the rental value of the hotels for the term
of the percentage leases. |
Investors should be aware that there are no controlling Treasury
regulations, published rulings or judicial decisions involving
leases with terms substantially the same as the percentage
leases that discuss whether such leases constitute true leases
for federal income tax purposes. If the percentage leases are
characterized as service contracts or partnership agreements,
rather than as true leases, part or all of the payments that our
operating partnership and its subsidiaries receive from the
lessees may not be considered rent or may not otherwise satisfy
the various requirements for qualification as rents from
real property. In that case, we likely would not be able
to satisfy either the 75% or 95% gross income test and, as a
result, would lose our REIT status unless we qualify for relief,
as described below under Failure to Satisfy Gross Income
Tests.
As described above, in order for the rent that we receive to
constitute rents from real property, several other
requirements must be satisfied. One requirement is that the
percentage rent must not be
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based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any
person. The percentage rent, however, will qualify as
rents from real property if it is based on
percentages of receipts or sales and the percentages:
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are fixed at the time the percentage leases are entered into; |
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are not renegotiated during the term of the percentage leases in
a manner that has the effect of basing percentage rent on income
or profits; and |
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conform with normal business practice. |
More generally, the percentage rent will not qualify as
rents from real property if, considering the
percentage leases and all the surrounding circumstances, the
arrangement does not conform with normal business practice, but
is in reality used as a means of basing the percentage rent on
income or profits. Since the percentage rent is based on fixed
percentages of the gross revenue from the hotels that are
established in the percentage leases, and we have represented
that the percentages (1) will not be renegotiated during
the terms of the percentage leases in a manner that has the
effect of basing the percentage rent on income or profits and
(2) conform with normal business practice, the percentage
rent should not be considered based in whole or in part on the
income or profits of any person. Furthermore, we have
represented that, with respect to other hotel properties that we
acquire in the future, we will not charge rent for any property
that is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of
any person, except by reason of being based on a fixed
percentage of gross revenues, as described above.
Second, we must not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more
of the stock or the assets or net profits of any lessee (a
related party tenant) other than a TRS. The
constructive ownership rules generally provide that, if 10% or
more in value of our shares is owned, directly or indirectly, by
or for any person, we are considered as owning the stock owned,
directly or indirectly, by or for such person. We do not own any
stock or any assets or net profits of any lessee directly or
indirectly, other than our indirect ownership of our TRS
lessees, 44 New England Management Company, HHM Leasehold
Interests, Inc., Hersha CNL TRS, Inc., and Hersha PRA TRS, Inc.
In addition, our Declaration of Trust prohibits transfers of our
shares that would cause us to own actually or constructively,
10% or more of the ownership interests in a lessee (other than a
TRS). Based on the foregoing, we should never own, actually or
constructively, 10% or more of any lessee other than a TRS.
Furthermore, we have represented that, with respect to other
hotel properties that we acquire in the future, we will not rent
any property to a related party tenant (other than a TRS).
However, because the constructive ownership rules are broad and
it is not possible to monitor continually direct and indirect
transfers of our shares, no absolute assurance can be given that
such transfers or other events of which we have no knowledge
will not cause us to own constructively 10% or more of a lessee
other than a TRS at some future date.
As described above, we may own up to 100% of the stock of one or
more TRSs. A TRS is a fully taxable corporation that is
permitted to lease hotels from the related REIT as long as it
does not directly or indirectly operate or manage any hotels or
health care facilities or provide rights to any brand name under
which any hotel or health care facility is operated. However,
rent that we receive from a TRS will qualify as rents from
real property as long as the property is operated on
behalf of the TRS by an independent contractor who
is adequately compensated, who does not, directly or through its
stockholders, own more than 35% of our shares, taking into
account certain ownership attribution rules, and who is, or is
related to a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or
business of operating qualified lodging facilities
for any person unrelated to us and the TRS lessee (an
eligible independent contractor). A qualified
lodging facility is a hotel, motel, or other establishment
more than one-half of the dwelling units in which are used on a
transient basis, unless wagering activities are conducted at or
in connection with such facility by any person who is engaged in
the business of accepting wagers and who is legally authorized
to engage in such business at or in connection with such
facility. A qualified lodging facility includes
customary amenities and facilities operated as part of, or
associated with, the lodging facility as long as such amenities
and facilities are customary for other properties of a
comparable size and class owned by other unrelated owners. See
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries.
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We have formed several TRSs to lease our hotels. Our TRSs have
engaged an eligible independent contractor, HHMLP,
to operate the related hotels on behalf of such TRSs.
Furthermore, we have represented that, with respect to
properties that we lease to our TRSs in the future, each such
TRS will engage an eligible independent contractor
to manage and operate the hotels leased by such TRS.
Third, the rent attributable to the personal property leased in
connection with the lease of a hotel must not be greater than
15% of the total rent received under the lease. The rent
attributable to the personal property contained in a hotel is
the amount that bears the same ratio to total rent for the
taxable year as the average of the fair market values of the
personal property at the beginning and at the end of the taxable
year bears to the average of the aggregate fair market values of
both the real and personal property contained in the hotel at
the beginning and at the end of such taxable year (the
personal property ratio). With respect to each
hotel, we believe either that the personal property ratio is
less than 15% or that any rent attributable to excess personal
property will not jeopardize our ability to qualify as a REIT.
There can be no assurance, however, that the Internal Revenue
Service would not challenge our calculation of a personal
property ratio, or that a court would not uphold such assertion.
If such a challenge were successfully asserted, we could fail to
satisfy the 75% or 95% gross income test and thus potentially
lose our REIT status.
Fourth, we cannot furnish or render noncustomary services to the
tenants of our hotels, or manage or operate our hotels, other
than through an independent contractor who is adequately
compensated and from whom we do not derive or receive any
income. However, we need not provide services through an
independent contractor, but instead may provide
services directly to our tenants, if the services are
usually or customarily rendered in connection with
the rental of space for occupancy only and are not considered to
be provided for the tenants convenience. Provided that the
percentage leases are respected as true leases, we should
satisfy that requirement, because we do not perform any services
other than customary ones for the lessees. In addition, we may
provide a minimal amount of noncustomary services to
the tenants of a property, other than through an independent
contractor, as long as our income from the services does not
exceed 1% of our income from the related property. Finally, we
may own up to 100% of the stock of one or more TRSs, which may
provide noncustomary services to our tenants without tainting
our rents from the related hotels. We will not perform any
services other than customary ones for our lessees, unless such
services are provided through independent contractors or TRSs.
Furthermore, we have represented that, with respect to other
hotel properties that we acquire in the future, we will not
perform noncustomary services for the lessee of the property to
the extent that the provision of such services would jeopardize
our REIT status.
If a portion of the rent that we receive from a hotel does not
qualify as rents from real property because the rent
attributable to personal property exceeds 15% of the total rent
for a taxable year, the portion of the rent that is attributable
to personal property will not be qualifying income for purposes
of either the 75% or 95% gross income test. Thus, if such rent
attributable to personal property, plus any other income that is
nonqualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test,
during a taxable year exceeds 5% of our gross income during the
year, we would lose our REIT status. If, however, the rent from
a particular hotel does not qualify as rents from real
property because either (1) the percentage rent is
considered based on the income or profits of the related lessee,
(2) the lessee either is a related party tenant or fails to
qualify for the exception to the related party tenant rule for
qualifying TRSs or (3) we furnish noncustomary services to
the tenants of the hotel, or manage or operate the hotel, other
than through a qualifying independent contractor or a TRS, none
of the rent from that hotel would qualify as rents from
real property. In that case, we might lose our REIT status
because we would be unable to satisfy either the 75% or 95%
gross income test. In addition to the rent, the lessees are
required to pay certain additional charges. To the extent that
such additional charges represent either (1) reimbursements
of amounts that we are obligated to pay to third parties, such
as a lessees proportionate share of a propertys
operational or capital expenses, or (2) penalties for
nonpayment or late payment of such amounts, such charges should
qualify as rents from real property. However, to the
extent that such charges do not qualify as rents from real
property, they instead will be treated as interest that
qualifies for the 95% gross income test.
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Interest. The term interest generally
does not include any amount received or accrued, directly or
indirectly, if the determination of such amount depends in whole
or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an
amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from
the term interest solely by being based on a fixed
percentage or percentages of receipts or sales. Furthermore, to
the extent that interest from a loan that is based on the profit
or net cash proceeds from the sale of the property securing the
loan constitutes a shared appreciation provision,
income attributable to such participation feature will be
treated as gain from the sale of the secured property.
Prohibited Transactions. A REIT will incur a 100%
tax on the net income derived from any sale or other disposition
of property, other than foreclosure property, that the REIT
holds primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of
a trade or business. We believe that none of our assets are held
primarily for sale to customers and that a sale of any of our
assets will not be in the ordinary course of our business.
Whether a REIT holds an asset primarily for sale to
customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business
depends, however, on the facts and circumstances in effect from
time to time, including those related to a particular asset.
Nevertheless, we will attempt to comply with the terms of
safe-harbor provisions in the federal income tax laws
prescribing when an asset sale will not be characterized as a
prohibited transaction. We cannot assure you, however, that we
can comply with the safe-harbor provisions or that we will avoid
owning property that may be characterized as property that we
hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of a trade or business.
Foreclosure Property. We will be subject to tax at
the maximum corporate rate on any income from foreclosure
property, other than income that otherwise would be qualifying
income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, less expenses
directly connected with the production of that income. However,
gross income from foreclosure property will qualify under the
75% and 95% gross income tests. Foreclosure property is any real
property, including interests in real property, and any personal
property incident to such real property:
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that is acquired by a REIT as the result of the REIT having bid
on such property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced
such property to ownership or possession by agreement or process
of law, after there was a default or default was imminent on a
lease of such property or on indebtedness that such property
secured; |
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for which the related loan was acquired by the REIT at a time
when the default was not imminent or anticipated; and |
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for which the REIT makes a proper election to treat the property
as foreclosure property. |
We have no foreclosure property as of the date of this
prospectus. Property generally ceases to be foreclosure property
at the end of the third taxable year following the taxable year
in which the REIT acquired the property, or longer if an
extension is granted by the Secretary of the Treasury. However,
this grace period terminates and foreclosure property ceases to
be foreclosure property on the first day:
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on which a lease is entered into for the property that, by its
terms, will give rise to income that does not qualify for
purposes of the 75% gross income test, or any amount is received
or accrued, directly or indirectly, pursuant to a lease entered
into on or after such day that will give rise to income that
does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test; |
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on which any construction takes place on the property, other
than completion of a building or any other improvement, where
more than 10% of the construction was completed before default
became imminent; or |
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which is more than 90 days after the day on which the REIT
acquired the property and the property is used in a trade or
business which is conducted by the REIT, other than through an
independent contractor from whom the REIT itself does not derive
or receive any income. |
Hedging Transactions. From time to time, we or our
operating partnership may enter into hedging transactions with
respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Our hedging
activities may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps,
and floors, options to purchase such items, and futures and
forward
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contracts. To the extent that we or our operating partnership
enters into an interest rate swap or cap contract, option,
futures contract, forward rate agreement, or any similar
financial instrument to hedge our indebtedness incurred to
acquire or carry real estate assets, any periodic
income or gain from the disposition of such contract should be
qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but
not the 75% gross income test. To the extent that we or our
operating partnership hedges with other types of financial
instruments, or in other situations, it is not entirely clear
how the income from those transactions will be treated for
purposes of the gross income tests. We intend to structure any
hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our
status as a REIT.
Failure to Satisfy Gross Income Tests. If we fail
to satisfy one or both of the gross income tests for any taxable
year, we nevertheless may qualify as a REIT for that year if we
qualify for relief under certain provisions of the federal
income tax laws. Those relief provisions generally will be
available if:
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our failure to meet such tests is due to reasonable cause and
not due to willful neglect; |
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we attach a schedule of the sources of our income to our tax
return; and |
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any incorrect information on the schedule was not due to fraud
with intent to evade tax. |
We cannot predict, however, whether in all circumstances we
would qualify for the relief provisions. In addition, as
discussed above in Taxation of Our Company, even if
the relief provisions apply, we would incur a 100% tax on the
gross income attributable to the greater of (1) the amount
by which we fail the 75% gross income test and (2) the
amount by which 90% of our income exceeds the amount of income
qualifying under the 95% gross income test, in each case,
multiplied by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.
Asset Tests
To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we also must satisfy
the following asset tests at the end of each quarter of each
taxable year. First, at least 75% of the value of our total
assets must consist of:
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cash or cash items, including certain receivables; |
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government securities; |
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interests in real property, including leaseholds and options to
acquire real property and leaseholds; |
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interests in mortgages on real property; |
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stock in other REITs; and |
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investments in stock or debt instruments during the one-year
period following our receipt of new capital that we raise
through equity offerings or offerings of debt with at least a
five-year term. |
Second, of our investments not included in the 75% asset class,
the value of our interest in any one issuers securities
may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets.
Third, we may not own more than 10% of the voting power or value
of any one issuers outstanding securities.
Fourth, no more than 20% of the value of our total assets may
consist of the securities of one or more TRSs.
Fifth, no more than 25% of the value of our total assets may
consist of the securities of TRSs and other non-TRS taxable
subsidiaries and other assets that are not qualifying assets for
purposes of the 75% asset test.
For purposes of the second and third asset tests, the term
securities does not include stock in another REIT,
equity or debt securities of a qualified REIT subsidiary or TRS,
mortgage loans that constitute real estate assets, or equity
interests in a partnership. The term securities,
however, generally includes debt securities issued by a
partnership or another REIT, except that certain straight
debt
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securities are not treated as securities for
purposes of the 10% value test (for example, qualifying debt
securities of a partnership or REIT in which neither we nor any
TRS of ours owns an equity interest or of a partnership if we
own at least a 20% profits interest in the partnership).
We believe that our existing assets are qualifying assets for
purposes of the 75% asset test. We also believe that any
additional real property that we acquire and temporary
investments that we make generally will be qualifying assets for
purposes of the 75% asset test. We will monitor the status of
our acquired assets for purposes of the various asset tests and
will manage our portfolio in order to comply at all times with
such tests. If we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of
a calendar quarter, we will not lose our REIT status if:
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we satisfied the asset tests at the end of the preceding
calendar quarter; and |
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the discrepancy between the value of our assets and the asset
test requirements arose from changes in the market values of our
assets and was not wholly or partly caused by the acquisition of
one or more non-qualifying assets. |
If we did not satisfy the condition described in the second
item, above, we still could avoid disqualification by
eliminating any discrepancy within 30 days after the close
of the calendar quarter in which it arose.
Distribution Requirements
Each taxable year, we must distribute dividends, other than
capital gain dividends and deemed distributions of retained
capital gain, to our shareholders in an aggregate amount at
least equal to:
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90% of our REIT taxable income, computed without
regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain
or loss, and |
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90% of our after-tax net income, if any, from foreclosure
property, minus |
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the sum of certain items of non-cash income. |
We must pay such distributions in the taxable year to which they
relate, or in the following taxable year if we declare the
distribution before we timely file our federal income tax return
for the year and pay the distribution on or before the first
regular dividend payment date after such declaration.
We will pay federal income tax on taxable income, including net
capital gain, that we do not distribute to shareholders.
Furthermore, if we fail to distribute during a calendar year, or
by the end of January following the calendar year in the case of
distributions with declaration and record dates falling in the
last three months of the calendar year, at least the sum of:
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85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year, |
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95% of our REIT capital gain income for such year, and |
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any undistributed taxable income from prior periods, |
we will incur a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of
such required distribution over the amounts we actually
distribute. We may elect to retain and pay income tax on the net
long-term capital gain we receive in a taxable year. If we so
elect, we will be treated as having distributed any such
retained amount for purposes of the 4% nondeductible excise tax
described above. We have made, and we intend to continue to
make, timely distributions sufficient to satisfy the annual
distribution requirements and to avoid corporate income tax and
the 4% nondeductible excise tax.
It is possible that, from time to time, we may experience timing
differences between the actual receipt of income and actual
payment of deductible expenses and the inclusion of that income
and deduction of such expenses in arriving at our REIT taxable
income. For example, we may not deduct recognized capital losses
from our REIT taxable income. Further, it is
possible that, from time to time,
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we may be allocated a share of net capital gain attributable to
the sale of depreciated property that exceeds our allocable
share of cash attributable to that sale. As a result of the
foregoing, we may have less cash than is necessary to distribute
taxable income sufficient to avoid corporate income tax and the
excise tax imposed on certain undistributed income or even to
meet the 90% distribution requirement. In such a situation, we
may need to borrow funds or issue additional common or preferred
shares.
Under certain circumstances, we may be able to correct a failure
to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying
deficiency dividends to our shareholders in a later
year. We may include such deficiency dividends in our deduction
for dividends paid for the earlier year. Although we may be able
to avoid income tax on amounts distributed as deficiency
dividends, we will be required to pay interest to the Internal
Revenue Service based upon the amount of any deduction we take
for deficiency dividends.
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries
As described above, we may own up to 100% of the stock of one or
more TRSs. A TRS is a fully taxable corporation that may earn
income that would not be qualifying income if earned directly by
us. A TRS may provide services to our lessees and perform
activities unrelated to our lessees, such as third-party
management, development, and other independent business
activities. However, a taxable REIT subsidiary may not directly
or indirectly operate or manage any hotels or health care
facilities or provide rights to any brand name under which any
hotel or health care facility is operated.
We and our corporate subsidiary must elect for the subsidiary to
be treated as a TRS. A corporation of which a qualifying TRS
directly or indirectly owns more than 35% of the voting power or
value of the stock will automatically be treated as a TRS.
Overall, no more than 20% of the value of our assets may consist
of securities of one or more TRSs, and no more than 25% of the
value of our assets may consist of the securities of TRSs and
other taxable subsidiaries and other assets that are not
qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test.
Rent that we receive from our TRSs will qualify as rents
from real property as long as the property is operated on
behalf of the TRS by a person who qualifies as an
independent contractor and who is, or is related to
a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business of
operating qualified lodging facilities for any
person unrelated to us and the TRS lessee (an eligible
independent contractor). A qualified lodging
facility is a hotel, motel, or other establishment more
than one-half of the dwelling units in which are used on a
transient basis, unless wagering activities are conducted at or
in connection with such facility by any person who is engaged in
the business of accepting wagers and who is legally authorized
to engage in such business at or in connection with such
facility. A qualified lodging facility includes
customary amenities and facilities operated as part of, or
associated with, the lodging facility as long as such amenities
and facilities are customary for other properties of a
comparable size and class owned by other unrelated owners.
We have formed four TRSs to lease hotels in which we own
interests. We lease four of our hotels to 44 New England
Management Company, a TRS owned by our operating partnership. A
subsidiary of HHMLP, HHM Leasehold Interests, Inc., which is a
TRS in which HHMLP owns a 99% interest and in which our
operating partnership owns a 1% interest, leases 14 of our
hotels. Our joint venture with CNL has formed Hersha CNL TRS,
Inc., which is one of our TRSs and leases the hotel owned by
that joint venture. Similarly, our PRA Glastonbury, LLC joint
venture has formed Hersha PRA TRS, Inc., which is one of our
TRSs and leases the hotel owned by that joint venture. We may
form new TRSs in the future. Each of these existing TRSs has
engaged HHMLP, an eligible independent contractor,
to operate the related hotels on its behalf. Furthermore, we
have represented that, with respect to properties that we lease
to our TRSs in the future, each such TRS will engage an
eligible independent contractor to manage and
operate the hotels leased by such TRS.
The TRS rules limit the deductibility of interest paid or
accrued by a TRS to us to assure that the TRS is subject to an
appropriate level of corporate taxation. Further, the rules
impose a 100% excise tax on certain transactions between a TRS
and us or our tenants that are not conducted on an
arms-length
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basis. We believe that all transactions between us and each of
our existing TRSs have been and will be conducted on an
arms-length basis.
Recordkeeping Requirements
We must maintain certain records in order to qualify as a REIT.
In addition, to avoid a monetary penalty, we must request on an
annual basis information from our shareholders designed to
disclose the actual ownership of our outstanding shares of
beneficial interest. We have complied, and we intend to continue
to comply, with these requirements.
Failure to Qualify
If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, and no
relief provision applies, we would be subject to federal income
tax and any applicable alternative minimum tax on our taxable
income at regular corporate rates.
In calculating our taxable income in a year in which we fail to
qualify as a REIT, we would not be able to deduct amounts paid
out to shareholders. In fact, we would not be required to
distribute any amounts to shareholders in that year. In such
event, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and
profits, distributions to most domestic non-corporate
shareholders would generally be taxable at capital gains tax
rates. Subject to certain limitations of the federal income tax
laws, corporate shareholders might be eligible for the dividends
received deduction. Unless we qualified for relief under
specific statutory provisions, we also would be disqualified
from taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the
year during which we ceased to qualify as a REIT. We cannot
predict whether in all circumstances we would qualify for such
statutory relief.
Tax Aspects of Our Investments in Our Operating
Partnership and the Subsidiary Partnerships
The following discussion summarizes certain federal income tax
considerations applicable to our direct or indirect investments
in our operating partnership and any subsidiary partnerships or
limited liability companies that we form or acquire (each
individually a Partnership and, collectively, the
Partnerships). The discussion does not cover state
or local tax laws or any federal tax laws other than income tax
laws.
Classification as Partnerships. We are entitled to
include in our income our distributive share of each
Partnerships income and to deduct our distributive share
of each Partnerships losses only if such Partnership is
classified for federal income tax purposes as a partnership (or
an entity that is disregarded for federal income tax purposes if
the entity has only one owner or member) rather than as a
corporation or an association taxable as a corporation. An
unincorporated entity with at least two owners or members will
be classified as a partnership, rather than as a corporation,
for federal income tax purposes if it:
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is treated as a partnership under the Treasury regulations
relating to entity classification (the check-the-box
regulations); and |
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is not a publicly traded partnership. |
Under the check-the-box regulations, an unincorporated entity
with at least two owners or members may elect to be classified
either as an association taxable as a corporation or as a
partnership. If such an entity fails to make an election, it
generally will be treated as a partnership (or an entity that is
disregarded for federal income tax purposes if the entity has
only one owner or member) for federal income tax purposes. Each
Partnership intends to be classified as a partnership for
federal income tax purposes and no Partnership will elect to be
treated as an association taxable as a corporation under the
check-the-box regulations.
A publicly traded partnership is a partnership whose interests
are traded on an established securities market or are readily
tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent
thereof. A publicly traded partnership will not, however, be
treated as a corporation for any taxable year if 90% or more of
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the partnerships gross income for such year consists of
certain passive-type income, including real property rents,
gains from the sale or other disposition of real property,
interest, and dividends (the 90% passive income
exception). Treasury regulations (the PTP
regulations) provide limited safe harbors from the
definition of a publicly traded partnership. Pursuant to one of
those safe harbors (the private placement
exclusion), interests in a partnership will not be treated
as readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial
equivalent thereof if (1) all interests in the partnership
were issued in a transaction or transactions that were not
required to be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and (2) the partnership does not have more than
100 partners at any time during the partnerships taxable
year. In determining the number of partners in a partnership, a
person owning an interest in a partnership, grantor trust, or
S corporation that owns an interest in the partnership is
treated as a partner in such partnership only if
(1) substantially all of the value of the owners
interest in the entity is attributable to the entitys
direct or indirect interest in the partnership and (2) a
principal purpose of the use of the entity is to permit the
partnership to satisfy the 100-partner limitation. Each
Partnership qualifies for the private placement exclusion. We
have not requested, and do not intend to request, a ruling from
the Internal Revenue Service that the Partnerships will be
classified as partnerships for federal income tax purposes.
If for any reason a Partnership were taxable as a corporation,
rather than as a partnership, for federal income tax purposes,
we likely would not be able to qualify as a REIT. See
Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as a
REIT-Requirements for Qualification-Income Tests and
Requirements for Qualification
Asset Tests. In addition, any change in a
Partnerships status for tax purposes might be treated as a
taxable event, in which case we might incur tax liability
without any related cash distribution. See Federal Income
Tax Consequences of Our Status as a REIT
Requirements for Qualification Distribution
Requirements. Further, items of income and deduction of
such Partnership would not pass through to its partners, and its
partners would be treated as shareholders for tax purposes.
Consequently, such Partnership would be required to pay income
tax at corporate rates on its net income, and distributions to
its partners would constitute dividends that would not be
deductible in computing such Partnerships taxable income.
Income Taxation of the Partnerships and their
Partners
Partners, Not the Partnerships, Subject to Tax. A
partnership is not a taxable entity for federal income tax
purposes. Rather, we are required to take into account our
allocable share of each Partnerships income, gains,
losses, deductions, and credits for any taxable year of such
Partnership ending within or with our taxable year, without
regard to whether we have received or will receive any
distribution from such Partnership.
Partnership Allocations. Although a partnership
agreement generally will determine the allocation of income and
losses among partners, such allocations will be disregarded for
tax purposes if they do not comply with the provisions of the
federal income tax laws governing partnership allocations. If an
allocation is not recognized for federal income tax purposes,
the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in
accordance with the partners interests in the partnership,
which will be determined by taking into account all of the facts
and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement of the
partners with respect to such item. Each Partnerships
allocations of taxable income, gain, and loss are intended to
comply with the requirements of the federal income tax laws
governing partnership allocations.
Tax Allocations With Respect to Contributed
Properties. Income, gain, loss, and deduction
attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is
contributed to a partnership in exchange for an interest in the
partnership must be allocated in a manner such that the
contributing partner is charged with, or benefits from,
respectively, the unrealized gain or unrealized loss associated
with the property at the time of the contribution. The amount of
such unrealized gain or unrealized loss (built-in
gain or built-in loss) is generally equal to
the difference between the fair market value of the contributed
property at the time of contribution and the adjusted tax basis
of such property at the time of contribution (a book-tax
difference). Such allocations are solely for federal
income tax purposes and do
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not affect the book capital accounts or other economic or legal
arrangements among the partners. The U.S. Treasury
Department has issued regulations requiring partnerships to use
a reasonable method for allocating items with
respect to which there is a book-tax difference and outlining
several reasonable allocation methods.
Under our operating partnerships partnership agreement,
depreciation or amortization deductions of our operating
partnership generally will be allocated among the partners in
accordance with their respective interests in our operating
partnership, except to the extent that our operating partnership
is required under the federal income tax laws governing
partnership allocations to use a method for allocating tax
depreciation deductions attributable to contributed properties
that results in our receiving a disproportionate share of such
deductions. In addition, gain or loss on the sale of a property
that has been contributed, in whole or in part, to our operating
partnership will be specially allocated to the contributing
partners to the extent of any built-in gain or loss with respect
to such property for federal income tax purposes.
Basis in Partnership Interest. Our adjusted
tax basis in our partnership interest in our operating
partnership generally is equal to:
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the amount of cash and the basis of any other property
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increased by our allocable share of our operating
partnerships income and our allocable share of
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reduced, but not below zero, by our allocable share of our
operating partnerships loss and the amount of cash
distributed to us, and by constructive distributions resulting
from a reduction in our share of indebtedness of our operating
partnership. |
If the allocation of our distributive share of our operating
partnerships loss would reduce the adjusted tax basis of
our partnership interest below zero, the recognition of such
loss will be deferred until such time as the recognition of such
loss would not reduce our adjusted tax basis below zero. To the
extent that our operating partnerships distributions, or
any decrease in our share of the indebtedness of our operating
partnership, which is considered a constructive cash
distribution to the partners, reduce our adjusted tax basis
below zero, such distributions will constitute taxable income to
us. Such distributions and constructive distributions normally
will be characterized as long-term capital gain.
Depreciation Deductions Available to Our Operating
Partnership. To the extent that our operating
partnership acquired its hotels in exchange for cash, its
initial basis in such hotels for federal income tax purposes
generally was or will be equal to the purchase price paid by our
operating partnership. Our operating partnership depreciates
such depreciable hotel property for federal income tax purposes
under the modified accelerated cost recovery system of
depreciation (MACRS). Under MACRS, our operating
partnership generally depreciates furnishings and equipment over
a seven-year recovery period using a 200% declining balance
method and a half-year convention. If, however, our operating
partnership places more than 40% of its furnishings and
equipment in service during the last three months of a taxable
year, a mid-quarter depreciation convention must be used for the
furnishings and equipment placed in service during that year.
Recently enacted tax legislation provides a first-year
bonus depreciation deduction equal to 50% of the
adjusted basis of qualified property placed in service after
May 5, 2003, which includes qualified leasehold improvement
property and property with a recovery period of less than
20 years, such as furnishings and equipment at our hotels.
Qualified leasehold improvement property generally
includes improvements made to the interior of nonresidential
real property that are placed in service more than three years
after the date the building was placed in service. Under MACRS,
our operating partnership generally depreciates buildings and
improvements over a 39-year recovery period using a straight
line method and a mid-month convention. Our operating
partnerships initial basis in hotels acquired in exchange
for units in our operating partnership should be the same as the
transferors basis in such hotels on the date of
acquisition by our operating partnership. Although the law is
not entirely clear, our operating partnership generally
depreciates such depreciable hotel property for federal
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income tax purposes over the same remaining useful lives and
under the same methods used by the transferors. Our operating
partnerships tax depreciation deductions are allocated
among the partners in accordance with their respective interests
in our operating partnership, except to the extent that our
operating partnership is required under the federal income tax
laws governing partnership allocations to use a method for
allocating tax depreciation deductions attributable to
contributed properties that results in our receiving a
disproportionate share of such deductions.
Sale of a Partnerships Property
Generally, any gain realized by a Partnership on the sale of
property held by the Partnership for more than one year will be
long-term capital gain, except for any portion of such gain that
is treated as depreciation or cost recovery recapture. Any gain
or loss recognized by a Partnership on the disposition of
contributed properties will be allocated first to the partners
of the Partnership who contributed such properties to the extent
of their built-in gain or loss on those properties for federal
income tax purposes. The partners built-in gain or loss on
such contributed properties will equal the difference between
the partners proportionate share of the book value of
those properties and the partners tax basis allocable to
those properties at the time of the contribution. Any remaining
gain or loss recognized by the Partnership on the disposition of
the contributed properties, and any gain or loss recognized by
the Partnership on the disposition of the other properties, will
be allocated among the partners in accordance with their
respective percentage interests in the Partnership.
Our share of any gain realized by a Partnership on the sale of
any property held by the Partnership as inventory or other
property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of the Partnerships trade or business will be
treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject
to a 100% penalty tax. Such prohibited transaction income also
may have an adverse effect upon our ability to satisfy the
income tests for REIT status. See Federal Income Tax
Consequences of Our Status as a REIT Requirements
for Qualification Income Tests. We, however,
do not presently intend to acquire or hold or to allow any
Partnership to acquire or hold any property that represents
inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers
in the ordinary course of our or such Partnerships trade
or business.
State and Local Taxes
We and/or you may be subject to taxation by various states and
localities, including those in which we or a shareholder
transacts business, owns property or resides. The state and
local tax treatment may differ from the federal income tax
treatment described above. Consequently, you should consult
their own tax advisors regarding the effect of state and local
tax laws upon an investment in our securities.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities being offered hereby in one or more
of the following ways from time to time:
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through agents to the public or to investors; |
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to underwriters for resale to the public or to investors; |
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directly to investors; or |
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through a combination of any of these methods of sale. |
We will set forth in a prospectus supplement the terms of the
offering of securities, including:
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the name or names of any agents or underwriters; |
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the purchase price of the securities being offered and the
proceeds we will receive from the sale; |
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any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase
additional securities from us; |
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any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items
constituting agents or underwriters compensation; |
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any initial public offering price; |
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any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to
dealers; and |
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any securities exchanges on which such securities may be listed. |
Agents
We may designate agents who agree to use their reasonable
efforts to solicit purchases for the period of their appointment
or to sell securities on a continuing basis.
We may also engage a company to act as our agent (Offering
Agent) for one or more offerings, from time to time, of
our common shares. If we reach agreement with an Offering Agent
with respect to a specific offering, including the number of
common shares and any minimum price below which sales may not be
made, then the Offering Agent will try to sell such common
shares on the agreed terms. The Offering Agent could make sales
in privately negotiated transactions and/or any other method
permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an
at-the-market offering as defined in Rule 415
promulgated under the Securities Act, including sales made
directly on the American Stock Exchange, or sales made to or
through a market maker other than on an exchange. At-the-market
offerings may not exceed 10% of the aggregate market value of
our outstanding voting securities held by non-affiliates on a
date within 60 days prior to the filing of the registration
statement of which this prospectus is a part. The Offering Agent
will be deemed to be an underwriter within the
meaning of the Securities Act, with respect to any sales
effected through an at-the-market offering.
Underwriters
If we use underwriters for a sale of securities, the
underwriters will acquire the securities, and may resell the
securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated
transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying
prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the
underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the
conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement.
We may change from time to time any public offering price and
any discounts or concessions the underwriters allow or reallow
or pay to dealers. We may use underwriters with whom we have a
material relationship. We will describe in the prospectus
supplement naming the underwriter the nature of any such
relationship.
Direct Sales
We may also sell securities directly to one or more purchasers
without using underwriters or agents. Underwriters, dealers and
agents that participate in the distribution of the securities
may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act and any
discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profit on
their resale of the securities may be treated as underwriting
discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will
identify in the applicable prospectus supplement any
underwriters, dealers or agents and will describe their
compensation. We may have agreements with the underwriters,
dealers and agents to indemnify them against specified civil
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with
or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their
businesses.
Trading Markets and Listing of Securities
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus
supplement, each class or series of securities will be a new
issue with no established trading market, other than our common
shares, which is listed on the American Stock Exchange. We may
elect to list any other class or series of securities on any
exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that
one or more underwriters may make a market in a class or series
of securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do
so and may discontinue any
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market making at any time without notice. We cannot give any
assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of
the securities.
Stabilization Activities
Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing
transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in
accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size,
which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit
bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the
stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short
covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the
open market after the distribution is completed to cover short
positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a
selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally
sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to
cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of
the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If
commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the
activities at any time.
EXPERTS
Our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2003 and
our consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and
shareholders equity for the year ended December 31,
2003 incorporated by reference in this prospectus, have been
audited by Reznick Fedder & Silverman, P.C.,
independent certified public accountants, whose report is
incorporated by reference in this prospectus and given upon
their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. The
balance sheet of Hersha Hospitality Management L.P. as of
December 31, 2003, and the related statements of
operations, partners equity (deficit), and cash flows for
the year ended December 31, 2003, incorporated by reference
in this prospectus have been audited by Reznick
Fedder & Sliverman, P.C., independent certified
public accountants, whose report is incorporated by reference in
this prospectus and given upon their authority as experts in
accounting and auditing.
Our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2002 and
our consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and
shareholders equity for each of the years ended
December 31, 2002 and 2001 incorporated by reference in
this prospectus, have been audited by Moore Stephens, P.C.,
independent certified public accountants, whose reports are
incorporated by reference in this prospectus and given upon
their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. The
consolidated balance sheet of Hersha Hospitality Management L.P.
as of December 31, 2002, and the related statements of
operations, partners equity (deficit), and cash flows for
each of the two years in the period ended December 31,
2002, incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been
audited by Moore Stephens, P.C., independent certified
public accountants, whose reports are incorporated by reference
in this prospectus and given upon their authority as experts in
accounting and auditing.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be
passed upon for us by Hunton & Williams LLP. In
addition, the summary of legal matters contained in the section
of this Prospectus under the heading Federal Income Tax
Consequences of Our Status as a REIT is based on the
opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP.
55
Hersha Hospitality Trust
2,400,000 Shares
8.00% Series A Cumulative
Redeemable
Preferred Shares of Beneficial
Interest
(Liquidation Preference $25.00 per
share)
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
July 29, 2005
Joint Book Running Managers
|
|
Wachovia Securities |
UBS Investment Bank |
Co-Managers
Raymond James
|
|
|
Stifel, Nicolaus &
Company |
Incorporated