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Exhibit 10.33.1
EXECUTION COPY
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
BY AND AMONG
MS RESORT HOLDINGS LLC,
MS RESORT ACQUISITION LLC,
MS RESORT PURCHASER LLC,
ASHFORD SAPPHIRE ACQUISITION LLC
AND
CNL HOTELS & RESORTS, INC.
DATED AS OF JANUARY 18, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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DEFINITIONS;
INTERPRETATION
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Section 1.1 Definitions
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2
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Section 1.2 Interpretation
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11
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ARTICLE II
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THE MERGER
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Section 2.1 The Merger
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11
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Section 2.2 Closing
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11
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Section 2.3 Effective Time
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12
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Section 2.4 Effects of the Merger
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12
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Section 2.5 Charter and Bylaws; Officers and
Directors
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12
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Section 2.6 Tax Treatment
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12
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ARTICLE III
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EFFECT OF THE
MERGER
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Section 3.1 Effect on Stock
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13
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Section 3.2 Paying Agent; Exchange
Procedures
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14
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ARTICLE IV
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
OF THE COMPANY
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Section 4.1 Organization; Minute
Books
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16
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Section 4.2 Subsidiaries
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17
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Section 4.3 Capital Structure
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17
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Section 4.4 Authority
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18
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Section 4.5 Consents and Approvals; No
Violations
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18
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Section 4.6 SEC Documents and Other
Reports
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19
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Section 4.7 Absence of Material Adverse
Effect
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20
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Section 4.8 Information Supplied
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21
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Section 4.9 Compliance with Laws
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21
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Section 4.10 Tax Matters
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21
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Section 4.11 Benefit Plans
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24
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Section 4.12 Litigation
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26
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Section 4.13 State Takeover
Statutes
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26
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Section 4.14 Intellectual
Property
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26
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Section 4.15 Properties
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27
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Section 4.16 Environmental Laws
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29
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Section 4.17 Employment and Labor
Matters
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30
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Section 4.18 Material Contracts
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31
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Section 4.19 Insurance Policies
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33
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Section 4.20 Affiliate
Transactions
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33
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Section 4.21 Opinion of the Company’s
Financial Advisors
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33
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Section 4.22 Brokers
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34
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i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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ARTICLE V
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
OF PARENT, SUB AND MISSOURI
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Section 5.1 Organization
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34
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Section 5.2 Authority
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34
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Section 5.3 Consents and Approvals; No
Violations
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34
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Section 5.4 Information Supplied
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35
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Section 5.5 Litigation
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35
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Section 5.6 Capitalization of Sub
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35
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Section 5.7 Financing
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35
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Section 5.8 Brokers
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36
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Section 5.9 Certain Tax Matters
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36
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ARTICLE VI
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
OF ARIZONA
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Section 6.1 Organization
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36
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Section 6.2 Authority
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36
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Section 6.3 Consents and Approvals; No
Violations
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36
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Section 6.4 Information Supplied
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37
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Section 6.5 Litigation
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37
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Section 6.6 Financing
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37
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Section 6.7 Brokers
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38
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ARTICLE VII
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COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT
OF BUSINESS
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Section 7.1 Conduct of Business by the
Company Pending the Merger
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38
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Section 7.2 Acquisition
Proposals.
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42
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Section 7.3 Actions by Parent and Conduct of
Business of Sub Pending the Merger
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45
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ARTICLE VIII
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ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
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Section 8.1 Employee Benefits
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45
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Section 8.2 Deferred Share Awards
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46
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Section 8.3 Preparation of Proxy Statement;
Stockholder Approval
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46
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Section 8.4 Access to Information;
Confidentiality
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47
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Section 8.5 Fees and Expenses
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48
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Section 8.6 Public Announcements
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51
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Section 8.7 Transfer Taxes
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51
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Section 8.8 State Takeover Laws
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51
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Section 8.9 Indemnification; Directors and
Officers Insurance
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52
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Section 8.10 Reasonable Best
Efforts
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53
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Section 8.11 Financing
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54
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Section 8.12 Notification of Certain
Matters
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56
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Section 8.13 Buyer Party Vote
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56
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ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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Section 8.14 Additional Tax
Matters.
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57
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Section 8.15 Certain Litigation
Matters
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57
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Section 8.16 Resignations
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57
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Section 8.17 Third Party Consents
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57
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Section 8.18 Suspension or Termination of
Reinvestment Plan and Redemption Plan
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58
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Section 8.19 Asset Sales
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58
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ARTICLE IX
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CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
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Section 9.1 Conditions to Each Party’s
Obligation to Effect the Transactions
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58
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Section 9.2 Conditions to the Obligations of
the Company to Effect the Transactions
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59
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Section 9.3 Conditions to the Obligations of
the Buyer Parties to Effect the Transactions
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59
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ARTICLE X
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TERMINATION AND
AMENDMENT
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Section 10.1 Termination
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61
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Section 10.2 Effect of
Termination
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62
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Section 10.3 Extension; Waiver
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62
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ARTICLE XI
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GENERAL
PROVISIONS
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Section 11.1 Non-Survival of Representations
and Warranties and Agreements
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63
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Section 11.2 Notices
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63
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Section 11.3 Counterparts
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64
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Section 11.4 Entire Agreement; No
Third-Party Beneficiaries
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64
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Section 11.5 Assignment
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65
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Section 11.6 Governing Law; Venue; Waiver of
Jury Trial
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65
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Section 11.7 Severability
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65
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Section 11.8 Enforcement of this
Agreement.
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66
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Section 11.9 Obligations of
Subsidiaries
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66
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Section 11.10 Interpretation;
Construction
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66
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Section 11.11 Amendment; Consents
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67
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ARTICLE XII
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SALE OF SPECIFIED
ASSETS
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Section 12.1 Entry into Parent Asset
Purchase Agreement
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67
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Section 12.2 Entry into Arizona Asset
Purchase Agreement
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67
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Section 12.3 Declaration of Special
Dividend
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68
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Section 12.4 Payment of Special
Dividend
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68
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Section 12.5 Right to Structure Asset Sales
as Purchase of Ownership Interests
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68
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iii
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A: Form of Guaranty
Exhibit B: Form of Tax Opinion
Exhibit C: Form of Parent Asset Purchase Agreement
Exhibit D: Form of Arizona Asset Purchase Agreement
iv
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER , dated as of January 18, 2007 (this "
Agreement "), by and among MS Resort Holdings LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (" Parent "), MS Resort
Acquisition LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (" Sub "), MS Resort
Purchaser LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and
wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (" Missouri "), Ashford
Sapphire Acquisition LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("
Arizona "), and CNL Hotels & Resorts, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (the " Company "). Except as otherwise set forth
herein, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings set
forth in Section 1.1 . Parent, Sub, Missouri and
Arizona are hereinafter collectively referred to as the " Buyer
Parties ".
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the board of directors of
the Company (the " Board "), has declared that it is
advisable and in the best interests of the Company and the
stockholders of the Company, to enter into this Agreement to
provide for the Merger (as defined below) and Asset Sales (as
defined below) on the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement;
WHEREAS, on the next day
immediately following completion of the Parent Asset Sale and
Arizona Asset Sale (each as hereinafter defined) the Company and
Sub wish to effect a business combination through a merger of Sub
with and into the Company (the " Merger "), in accordance
with the Maryland General Corporation Law (the " MGCL ") and
the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the " DLLCA "),
upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement, whereby each issued and outstanding share of common
stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the " Company
Common Stock " or the " Shares "), other than Dissenting
Shares (as defined herein) and Shares owned directly or indirectly
by Parent, will be converted into the right to receive cash in an
amount equal to the Per Share Merger Consideration;
WHEREAS, the Board approved the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Merger, the Parent Asset Sale and the Arizona Asset Sale
(collectively, the " Transactions "), in accordance with the
MGCL, upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein
and resolved to recommend approval of the Merger by the
stockholders of the Company;
WHEREAS, the sole member of Parent
and Parent, as the sole member of Sub and Missouri, have;
(a) approved this Agreement and declared it advisable for
Parent, Sub and Missouri to enter into this Agreement and
(b) approved the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by Parent, Sub and Missouri and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger and the
Parent Asset Sale, in accordance with the DLLCA, upon the terms and
conditions contained herein;
WHEREAS, the board of managers of
Arizona has (a) approved this Agreement and declared it
advisable for Arizona to enter into this Agreement and
(b) approved the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation
of the Arizona Asset Sale upon the terms and conditions contained
herein;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the
execution of this Agreement, the Guarantors have delivered to the
Company a joint and several guaranty (the " Guaranty ") of
the obligations arising under this Agreement of the Buyer Parties
in the form attached as Exhibit A to this Agreement;
and
WHEREAS, the parties intend that
for federal, and applicable state and local, income tax purposes
the Merger will be treated as a taxable sale of the Shares.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration
of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, each of
Parent, Sub, Missouri, Arizona and the Company hereby agrees as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION
Section 1.1
Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms
have the meanings specified or referred to in this
Section 1.1 and shall be equally applicable to both the
singular and plural forms. Any agreement referred to below shall
mean such agreement as amended, supplemented or modified from time
to time to the extent permitted by the applicable provisions
thereof and by this Agreement.
" Access " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 8.4 .
" Acquisition Proposal "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(d)
.
" Affiliate " means, with
respect to any Person, any other Person that, at the time of
determination, directly or indirectly Controls, is Controlled by or
is under common Control with such Person.
" Aggregate Award Amount "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.2 .
" Agreement " shall have
the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
" Arizona " shall have the
meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
" Arizona Asset Purchase
Agreement " shall have the meaning set forth in Section
12.2 .
" Arizona Asset Sale "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.2 .
" Arizona Commitment
Letters " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6.6 .
" Arizona Debt Financing "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.6 .
" Articles of Merger "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3 .
2
" Asset Sale Time " means
the time at which the first of the Asset Sales is consummated.
" Asset Sales " means the
Parent Asset Sale and the Arizona Asset Sale.
" Benefit Plan " means any
bonus, pension, profit sharing, deferred compensation, incentive
compensation, stock ownership, stock purchase, stock option,
phantom stock, deferred stock, retirement, vacation, severance,
disability, death benefit, hospitalization, medical, employee stock
purchase, stock appreciation, restricted stock or other employee
benefit plan, program, agreement or arrangement as to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries sponsors, maintains, contributes
or is obligated to contribute for the benefit of any current or
former employee, officer, director, consultant or independent
contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including any
ERISA Benefit Plan.
" Board " shall have the
meaning set forth in the first recital of this Agreement.
" Board Recommendation "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(b)
.
" Business Day " means any
day other than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banks are
required or authorized to close in the City of New York.
" Buyer Parties " shall
have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
" Certificate " shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(c) .
" Change in Recommendation
" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(e)
.
" Closing " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 2.2 .
" Closing Date " shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 .
" Code " means the U.S.
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
" Company " shall have the
meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
" Company Bylaws " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(b) .
" Company Charter " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(b) .
" Company Common Stock "
shall have the meaning set forth in the second recital of this
Agreement.
" Company Expenses " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 8.5(c) .
" Company Intellectual
Property " shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4.14 .
" Company Letter " means
the letter from the Company to the Buyer Parties dated the date
hereof, which letter relates to this Agreement and is designated
therein as the Company Letter.
3
" Company Preferred Stock "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.3 .
" Company Properties "
means, collectively, the Leased Real Property and the Owned Real
Property.
" Company Subsidiary REIT "
shall mean CNL Hotel Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation.
" Company SEC Documents "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.6(a)
.
" Company Stock Plan "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.3 .
" Company Stockholder
Approval " shall have the meaning set forth in Section
8.3(b) .
" Company Title Insurance
Policies " means policies of title insurance issued and
insuring, as of the effective date of each such policy, the
Company’s or its applicable Subsidiary’s title to or
leasehold interest in the Company Properties.
" Confidentiality Agreement
" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.4 .
" Contract " means any
note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease,
license, permit, franchise or other binding commitment, instrument
or obligation.
" Control " means, as to
any Person, the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of such Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. The terms
"Controlled by," "under common Control with" and "Controlling"
shall have correlative meanings.
" Counterproposal " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(e) .
" Debt Financing " means
the Arizona Debt Financing and the Parent Financing.
" Deferred Share Awards "
means deferred shares of Company Common Stock granted under the
Company Stock Plan.
" Delaware Certificate of
Merger " shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3
.
" Dissenting Shares " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(d) .
" Dissenting Stockholder "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(d)
.
" DLLCA " shall have the
meaning set forth in the second recital of this Agreement.
" DSOS " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 2.3 .
" Effective Time " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3 .
4
" Environmental Laws "
means all Laws relating to the protection of the environment,
including the soil, subsurface strata, sediment, surface water or
groundwater, or relating to the protection of human health from
exposure to Hazardous Substances.
" ERISA " means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
" ERISA Benefit Plan "
means a Benefit Plan that is also an "employee pension benefit
plan" (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) or that is also an
"employee welfare benefit plan" (as defined in Section 3(1) of
ERISA).
" Escrowed Amount " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 8.5(e) .
" Exchange Act " means the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
" Exchange Fund " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(a) .
" Excess Shares " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.3 .
" Final Condition Satisfaction
Date " shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.1
.
" GAAP " means United
States generally accepted accounting principles and practices as in
effect from time to time consistently applied.
" Governmental Entity "
means any federal, state, provincial, local or foreign government,
any governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, agency or
commission, or any court, tribunal or other judicial body
(including any political or other subdivision, department or branch
of any of the foregoing).
" Guaranty " shall have the
meaning set forth in the sixth recital of this Agreement.
" Guarantors " shall mean
the guarantors under that certain Guaranty, dated as of the date
hereof, the form of which is attached hereto as
Exhibit A .
" Hazardous Substances "
means (i) regardless of whether subject to the jurisdiction of
a Governmental Entity, those substances defined in or regulated
under the following United States federal statutes and their state
counterparts and all regulations thereunder, including the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Clean Water Act, the
Safe Drinking Water Act, the Atomic Energy Act, the Clean Air Act;
the Oil Pollution Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act,
(ii) natural gas, petroleum and petroleum products, including
crude oil and any fractions thereof and waste oil; (iii)
polychlorinated biphenyls, asbestos and radon; and (iv) any
other pollutant, contaminant, substance, material, waste or
condition regulated by any Governmental Entity pursuant to any
Environmental Law.
" Hotel Contracts " means
all material service contracts, material maintenance contracts, and
other material contracts or agreements, including material
equipment leases capitalized for
5
accounting purposes, in each case with respect to the ownership,
maintenance, operation, provisioning, or equipping of the Company
Properties and material guaranties relating thereto, if any.
" HSR Act " means the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as
amended.
" Indebtedness " means
(a) indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for
borrowed money (including the aggregate principal amount thereof
and the aggregate amount of any accrued but unpaid interest
thereon), (b) obligations of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures, letters of
credit or similar instruments and (c) all obligations of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to guarantee any of the
foregoing types of payment obligations on behalf of any Person
other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
" Indemnified Person "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.9(a)
.
" Intellectual Property "
means intellectual property or other proprietary rights of any
kind, including (a) all patents, patent applications and
patent disclosures, together with all reissuances, continuations,
provisionals, continuations-in-part, divisions, revisions,
extensions and reexaminations thereof (collectively, "
Patents "), (b) all trademarks, service marks, logos,
trade names, corporate names, domain names, trade dress, including
all goodwill associated therewith, and all applications,
registrations and renewals in connection therewith (collectively, "
Marks "), (c) all copyrights and copyrightable works
and all applications, registrations and renewals in connection
therewith (collectively, " Copyrights "), (d) all trade
secrets and confidential business and technical information
(including research and development, know-how, formulas,
compositions, manufacturing and production processes and
techniques, methods, schematics, technology, technical data,
designs, drawings, flowcharts, block diagrams, specifications,
customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information and
business and marketing plans and proposals) (collectively, "
Trade Secrets ") and (e) all computer data and software
(including databases and related documentation).
" IRS " means the U.S.
Internal Revenue Service.
" Knowledge " means,
(i) with respect to the Company, the actual knowledge of the
Company’s chief executive officer; president and chief
operating officer; executive vice president, chief financial
officer and treasurer; executive vice president of portfolio
management & administration; executive vice president, chief
general counsel and corporate secretary; and vice president of tax;
(ii) with respect to Parent, the actual knowledge of Michael
Franco and Michael Quinn; and (iii) with respect to Arizona,
the actual knowledge of Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc.’s
chief executive officer; president; chief operating officer; chief
financial officer; general counsel; and secretary.
" Law " means any federal,
state, provincial, municipal or local statute, law, ordinance,
regulation, rule, code, executive order, injunction, judgment,
decree or other order.
" Lease Documents " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15(b) .
6
" Leased Real Property "
means all material real property leased or otherwise occupied (as
lessee or sublessee) as of the date hereof by the Company or any
Subsidiary from a third party other than the Company or any
Subsidiary, including the improvements thereon.
" Liens " means, with
respect to any asset, any pledges, claims, liens, mortgages,
charges, encumbrances or security interests of any kind in respect
of such asset.
" Major Space Leases "
means all leases, subleases, licenses, concessions, and other
similar agreements for the use or occupancy of more than 10,000
square feet of any of the Company Properties.
" Management Agreement
Documents " shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4.15(h) .
" Marketed Portfolio Purchase
and Sale Agreement " means that certain Agreement of Purchase
and Sale made and entered into on December 17, 2006 between
W2005 New Century Hotel Portfolio, L.P. and the Sellers identified
therein.
" Marketed Portfolio Sale "
means, whether effected directly or indirectly or in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, any sale, transfer
or other business combination involving the 32 hotel properties
owned by the Company and under contract for sale on the date hereof
pursuant to the Marketed Portfolio Purchase and Sale Agreement.
" Material Adverse Effect "
means, (I) with respect to the Company, any change,
development, circumstance, event or effect that, when considered
either individually or in the aggregate together with all other
changes, circumstances, developments, events or effects (a "
Change "), (a) that would prevent or reasonably be
expected to prevent the Company from consummating any of the
Transactions or (b) is materially adverse to the properties,
business, condition (financial or otherwise), liabilities or
results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as
a whole, excluding any Change to the extent resulting from:
(i) the execution or announcement of this Agreement or the
performance of obligations under this Agreement, (ii) Changes
affecting the United States economy or capital or financial markets
generally (including Changes in interest rates) or Changes that are
the result of factors generally affecting the industries in which
the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct their respective business,
except to the extent that such Changes have a materially
disproportionate effect on the Company or the Company Properties
relative to other similarly situated participants in the business
or industry in which the Company operates, (iii) general
Changes in conditions in or otherwise affecting hotel real estate
properties or hotel operators (including diseases and epidemics),
except to the extent that such Changes have a materially
disproportionate effect on the Company or the Company Properties
relative to other similarly situated participants in the business
or industry in which the Company operates (it being understood that
the phrase "similarly situated" shall take into account the
geographical markets in which the Company operates), (iv) any
Changes in applicable Law or GAAP or interpretation or application
thereof, (v) earthquakes, hurricanes or other natural
disasters, except to the extent that such Changes cause physical
damage to a Company Property or have a materially disproportionate
effect on the Company or the Company Properties relative to other
similarly situated participants in the business or industry in
which the Company operates (it being understood that the phrase
7
"similarly situated" shall take into account the geographical
markets in which the Company operates), (vi) the commencement,
occurrence, continuation or escalation of any war, armed
hostilities or acts of terrorism involving or affecting the United
States, its armed forces or any part thereof, except to the extent
that such Changes cause physical damage to a Company Property or
have a materially disproportionate effect on the Company or the
Company Properties relative to other similarly situated
participants in the business or industry in which the Company
operates (it being understood that the phrase "similarly situated"
shall take into account the geographical markets in which the
Company operates) and (vii) any failure, but only in and of
itself, by the Company to meet any financial projection of the
Company’s revenues, earnings or other financial performance
for any period (it being understood that the phrase "but only in
and of itself" shall mean that any Change from such failure that
could otherwise be described in clause (I)(a) or (b)
, above, shall constitute a Material Adverse Effect); and
(II) when used with respect to any of the Buyer Parties, any
change, development, circumstance, event or effect that, when
considered either individually or in the aggregate together with
all other changes, developments, circumstances, events or effects,
would, with the passage of time or otherwise, prevent the
consummation of the Transactions following the satisfaction of all
other conditions precedent thereto or prevent any of the Buyer
Parties from performing their respective obligations under this
Agreement.
" Material Contract " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.18(a) .
" Maximum Premium " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 8.9(b) .
" Merger " shall have the
meaning set forth in the second recital of this Agreement.
" MGCL " shall have the
meaning set forth in the second recital of this Agreement.
" Missouri " shall have the
meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
" Owned Real Property "
means all real property owned by the Company or any Subsidiary as
of the date hereof, together with all buildings, structures, other
improvements and fixtures located on or under such real property
and all easements, rights, and other appurtenances thereto.
" Parent " shall have the
meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
" Parent Asset Purchase
Agreement " shall have the meaning set forth in Section
12.1 .
" Parent Asset Sale " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 12.1 .
" Parent Commitment Letter
" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.7 .
" Parent Debt Financing "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.7 .
" Parent Expenses " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 8.5(c) .
8
" Parent Financing " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5.7 .
" Parent Preferred Equity
Funding Letter " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7 .
" Paying Agent " shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(a) .
" Per Share Merger
Consideration " means (i) $20.50 per Share, minus (ii) the
Special Dividend Amount, divided by the number of Shares
outstanding, on a fully diluted basis, on the Closing Date.
" Permits " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 4.9 .
" Permitted Liens " means
(a) statutory liens for Taxes, assessments or other charges by
Governmental Entities not yet due and payable or the amount or
validity of which is being contested in good faith, (b) any
matter disclosed in the Company Title Insurance Policies,
(c) Liens and obligations under the Material Contracts,
Management Agreement Documents, the Third Party Franchise
Agreements and Lease Documents, (d) mortgages and deeds of
trust granted as security for financings listed or described in the
Company Letter or Company SEC Documents, (e) inchoate
mechanics’, materialmen’s, carriers’,
workmen’s, warehouseman’s, repairmen’s,
landlords’ and similar liens granted or which arise in the
ordinary course of business, (f) liens, charges, encumbrances
and/or title exceptions or imperfections created by or resulting
from the acts or omissions of the Buyer Parties or any of their
Affiliates, employees, officers, directors, agents,
representatives, contractors, invitees or licensees, (g) all
matters that may be shown by a current, accurate survey or physical
inspection of the Company Properties that do not adversely affect,
in a material manner, the value or marketability of such property,
(h) any applicable Laws, including building and zoning Laws,
now or hereafter in effect and (i) such other easements,
rights of way, restrictions, covenants, liens, encumbrances or
imperfections that are not material in amount and do not materially
detract from the value of or materially impair the existing use of
the Company Property affected by such easement, right of way,
restriction, covenant, lien, encumbrance or imperfection.
" Person " means an
individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited
liability partnership, limited liability company, joint venture,
association, trust, unincorporated organization, Governmental
Entity or other entity (including any person as defined in Section
13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act).
" Proxy Statement " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.8 .
" Qualifying Income " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 8.5(e) .
" Redemption Plan " means
the Company’s Amended and Restated Redemption Plan, effective
as of June 16, 2004, as the same may from time to time be
amended or modified.
" Reinvestment Plan " means
the Company’s Amended and Restated Reinvestment Plan, as in
effect as of the date hereof.
" REIT " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 4.10(c) .
9
" Release " means any
spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, discharging,
injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping or disposing of a Hazardous
Substance into the environment.
" Representatives " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(a) .
" Required Vote " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a) .
" Retained Employees "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(a)
.
" SDAT " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 2.3 .
" SEC " means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
" Securities Act " means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
" Shares " shall have the
meaning set forth in the second recital of this Agreement.
" Significant Subsidiary "
of any Person means a Subsidiary of such Person that would
constitute a "significant subsidiary" of such Person within the
meaning of Rule 1.02(w) of Regulation S-X as promulgated
by the SEC.
" Special Dividend " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 12.3 .
" Special Dividend Amount "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.3 .
" Stockholders’
Meeting " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 8.3(b) .
" Sub " shall have the
meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
" Subsidiary " of any
Person means another Person, of which at least a majority of the
securities or ownership interests having by their terms ordinary
voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other
Persons performing similar functions is owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by such first Person and/or by one or more
of its Subsidiaries.
" Superior Proposal " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(d) .
" Surviving Entity " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1 .
" Tax " and " Taxes
" means any federal, state, local or foreign income, property,
sales, hotel room sales, restaurant sales, excise, franchise,
employment, withholding, or other like assessment, together with
any interest or penalty, imposed by any Governmental Entity.
" Tax Protection Agreement
" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.10(j) .
" Tax Sharing Agreement "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.10(j)
.
10
" Tax Return " means any
return, report or similar statement filed or required to be filed
with respect to any Tax including any information return, claim for
refund, amended return or declaration of estimated Tax.
" Termination Date " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 10.1(b)(i) .
" Termination Fee " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 8.5(b) .
" Third Party Franchise
Agreements " shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4.15(g) .
" Transactions " shall have
the meaning set forth in the third recital of this Agreement.
" Transfer Taxes " shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 8.7 .
" Treasury Regulations "
means the regulations promulgated by the U.S. Treasury Department
pursuant to the Code.
" Uncertificated Share "
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(c)
.
" WARN " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 4.17(d) .
Section 1.2
Interpretation . When a reference is made in this Agreement
to an Article, Section or clause, such reference shall be to an
Article, Section or clause of this Agreement unless otherwise
indicated. The table of contents and headings contained in this
Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in
any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever
the words "include," "includes" or "including" are used in this
Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
"without limitation." All references to "dollars" or "$" means
United States dollars.
ARTICLE II
THE MERGER
Section 2.1 The Merger
. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, and in
accordance with the DLLCA and the MGCL, Sub shall be merged with
and into the Company at the Effective Time. Following the Effective
Time, the separate existence of Sub shall cease and the Company
shall continue as the surviving entity (the " Surviving
Entity ") and shall succeed to and assume all the rights,
privileges, franchises, powers and obligations of Sub and the
Company in accordance with Subtitle 1 of Title 3 of the MGCL and
Section 18-209(g) of the DLLCA. The Company shall cause the
opinion described in Section 9.3(d) to be brought down
and dated as of the Closing; provided , that the bringdown
of such opinion shall not be a condition to the consummation of the
Merger.
Section 2.2 Closing .
The closing of the Merger (the " Closing ") will take place
at 10:00 a.m. on the day following the consummation of the
Asset Sales or such other date as mutually agreed to by Parent and
the Company, at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh
Avenue, New York, New York 10019, unless another date, time or
place is agreed to in writing by the parties hereto (the date upon
which the Closing occurs shall be referred to herein as the "
Closing Date ").
11
Section 2.3 Effective
Time . The Merger shall become effective when Articles of
Merger (the " Articles of Merger "), executed in accordance
with the relevant provisions of the MGCL, are duly filed with and
accepted for record by the State Department of Assessments and
Taxation in the State of Maryland (the " SDAT ") and a
certificate of merger (the " Delaware Certificate of Merger
") has been duly filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware (the
" DSOS ") in accordance with the DLLCA, or at such later
time (not to exceed 30 days from the date of the acceptance for
record of the Articles of Merger) as Sub and the Company shall
agree and is specified in the Articles of Merger and the Delaware
Certificate of Merger. When used in this Agreement, the term "
Effective Time " shall mean the later of the date and time
at which the Articles of Merger are duly filed with and accepted
for record by the SDAT and the Delaware Certificate of Merger has
been filed with the DSOS, or such later time (not to exceed
30 days from the date of the acceptance for record of the
Articles of Merger) established by the Articles of Merger and the
Delaware Certificate of Merger. The filing of the Articles of
Merger and the Delaware Certificate of Merger shall be made at the
Closing.
Section 2.4 Effects of the
Merger . The Merger shall have the effects set forth in
Section 3-114 of the MGCL, Section 18-209(g) of the DLLCA
and this Agreement.
Section 2.5 Charter and
Bylaws; Officers and Directors .
(a) The
Company Charter, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective
Time, shall be the charter of the Surviving Entity until thereafter
changed or amended as provided therein or by applicable Law.
(b) The
Company Bylaws, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective
Time, shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Entity until thereafter
changed or amended as provided by the charter or bylaws of the
Surviving Entity or by applicable Law.
(c) The
managers of Parent, if any, immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be the directors of the Surviving Entity, until the earlier
of their resignation or removal or until their respective
successors are duly elected and qualify, as the case may be, in
accordance with the Surviving Entity’s charter and
bylaws.
(d) The
officers of Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
the officers of the Surviving Entity until the earlier of their
resignation or removal or until their respective successors are
duly elected and qualify, as the case may be, in accordance with
the charter and bylaws of the Surviving Entity.
Section 2.6 Tax
Treatment . The parties hereto (i) intend that for
federal, and applicable state and local, income tax purposes, the
Merger will be treated as a taxable purchase by Parent of all of
the Company’s outstanding Shares and (ii) shall prepare
and file their applicable Tax Returns based on such treatment.
12
ARTICLE III
EFFECT OF THE MERGER
Section 3.1 Effect on
Stock . As of the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of any of Parent, Sub, the Company
or the holders of shares of Company Common Stock or holders of any
membership interest in Sub:
(a)
Stock of Sub . Each membership interest of Sub issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
converted into and become one validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Surviving Entity.
(b)
Parent Owned Stock . Each Share that is owned by Parent,
Sub, Missouri or any other wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall automatically be
cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist, and no
consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(c)
Conversion of Shares . Subject to Section 3.1(d)
, each Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time (other than Shares to be cancelled in accordance
with Section 3.1(b) and Dissenting Shares) shall be
cancelled and be converted into the right to receive in cash,
without interest, the Per Share Merger Consideration. As of the
Effective Time, all such Shares shall be cancelled in accordance
with this Section 3.1(c) , and when so cancelled, shall
no longer be outstanding and shall automatically cease to exist,
and (x) each holder of a certificate (a " Certificate
") representing any such Shares shall cease to have any rights with
respect thereto, except the right to receive the Per Share Merger
Consideration for each such Share, without interest and
(y) each holder of shares of Company Common Stock not
represented by a Certificate (each an " Uncertificated Share
") shall thereafter only have the right to receive the Per Share
Merger Consideration for each such Uncertificated Share, without
interest.
(d)
Shares of Dissenting Stockholders . Notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement to the contrary, any issued and outstanding
Shares held by a Person who has filed with the Company a written
objection to the Merger, has not voted in favor of or consented to
the approval of the Merger (a " Dissenting Stockholder ")
and has properly exercised and perfected appraisal rights under
Title 3, Subtitle 2, of the MGCL (" Dissenting Shares ")
shall not be converted into the right to receive the Per Share
Merger Consideration as described in Section 3.1(c) , but
shall be converted into the right to receive such consideration
from the Surviving Entity as may be determined to be due to such
Dissenting Stockholder pursuant to the procedures set forth in
Title 3, Subtitle 2, of the MGCL. If such Dissenting Stockholder
withdraws its demand for appraisal or fails to perfect or otherwise
loses its right of appraisal and payment, in any case pursuant to
the MGCL, such holder’s Shares shall be deemed to be
converted as of the Effective Time into the right to receive the
Per Share Merger Consideration for each such Share, without
interest, and such Shares shall no longer be Dissenting Shares. The
Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any demands
received by the Company for appraisal of any Shares, withdrawals or
such demands and any other instruments served pursuant to Title 3,
Subtitle 2, of the MGCL and received by the Company and
(ii) the opportunity to participate in all negotiations with
respect to demands for appraisals under the MGCL.
13
Section 3.2 Paying Agent;
Exchange Procedures .
(a)
Paying Agent . Prior to the consummation of the Asset Sales,
Parent shall designate a bank or trust company, that shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to act as paying agent with
respect to the Per Share Merger Consideration and the Special
Dividend (the " Paying Agent "). At or before the Effective
Time, Parent shall deposit, or cause Sub to deposit, with the
Paying Agent a cash amount in immediately available funds equal to
the product of (x) the Per Share Merger Consideration and
(y) the number of Shares issued and outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time (exclusive of any Dissenting Shares and
Shares to be cancelled pursuant to Section 3.1(b) ). At
or following the consummation of the Asset Sales, the Company shall
deposit, or cause the escrow agent under the Parent Asset Purchase
Agreement and the Arizona Asset Purchase Agreement to deposit, with
the Paying Agent the Special Dividend Amount. The amounts deposited
pursuant to the prior two sentences shall be referred to
collectively as the " Exchange Fund ". Funds made available
to the Paying Agent shall be invested (if at all) by the Paying
Agent as directed by Parent or, after the Effective Time, the
Surviving Entity; provided , however , that
such investments shall only be in obligations of or guaranteed by
the United States (it being understood that any and all interest or
income earned on funds made available to the Paying Agent pursuant
to this Agreement shall become a part of the Exchange Fund, and any
amounts in excess of the amounts payable under Section
3.1(c) shall be promptly returned to the Surviving Entity).
(b)
Exchange Procedure . As soon as practicable after the
Effective Time (and in any event within four (4) Business Days
thereof), the Surviving Entity or Parent shall cause the Paying
Agent to mail to each holder of record of one or more Shares (other
than holders of Dissenting Shares and Shares to be cancelled
pursuant to Section 3.1(b) ), (i) a letter of
transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected,
and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only
upon delivery of the Certificates (or affidavits of loss in lieu
thereof) to the Paying Agent and shall be in a form and have such
other provisions as Parent and the Company may reasonably agree)
and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of
the Certificates (or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof) in
exchange for the Per Share Merger Consideration as provided in
Section 3.1 . Upon surrender of a Certificate (or
affidavits of loss in lieu thereof) for cancellation to the Paying
Agent, together with such letter of transmittal, duly executed, and
such other documents as may reasonably be required by the Paying
Agent or, in the case of Uncertificated Shares, at or promptly
following the receipt by the Paying Agent of a duly executed letter
of transmittal and such other documents as may be required by the
Paying Agent, the holder of such Certificate or Uncertificated
Shares shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor the amount
of cash (after giving effect to any required Tax withholdings as
provided in Section 3.2(g) ) equal to (x) the
number of Shares held by such stockholder multiplied by
(y) the Per Share Merger Consideration, and any Certificates
surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled. No interest will be paid
or will accrue on the cash payable upon the surrender of any
Certificate (or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof) or in exchange
for Uncertificated Shares. In the event of a transfer of ownership
of Shares that is not registered in the transfer records of the
Company, payment may be made to a Person other than the Person in
whose name the Certificate so surrendered (or affidavits of loss in
lieu thereof) is registered, if such Certificate (or affidavits of
loss in lieu thereof) shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in
proper form for transfer and the Person requesting such payment
shall pay any transfer or other Taxes required by reason of the
payment to a Person other than the registered holder of
14
such Certificate (or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof) or
establish to the satisfaction of the Surviving Entity or the Paying
Agent that such Tax has been paid or is not applicable. Until
exchanged or surrendered as contemplated by this
Section 3.2 , Uncertificated Shares and Shares
represented by Certificates (other than Shares to be cancelled in
accordance with Section 3.1(b) and Dissenting Shares)
shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to represent
only the right to receive upon such exchange or surrender the
amount of cash, without interest, into which the Shares theretofore
represented shall have been converted pursuant to
Section 3.1 .
(c)
No Further Ownership Rights in Shares . All Per Share Merger
Consideration paid upon the surrender of Certificates (or
affidavits of loss in lieu thereof) or in exchange for
Uncertificated Shares in accordance with the terms of this
Article III shall be deemed to have been paid in full
satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such Shares. At the
Effective Time, (i) holders of Certificates or Uncertificated
Shares shall cease to have any rights as stockholders of the
Company, (ii) the stock transfer books of the Company shall be
closed and (iii) there shall be no further registration of
transfers on the stock transfer books of the Surviving Entity of
the Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to
the Surviving Entity or the Paying Agent for any reason, they shall
be cancelled and exchanged as provided in this
Article III .
(d)
Termination of Exchange Fund . Any portion of the Exchange
Fund that remains undistributed to the holders of Shares for nine
months after the Effective Time shall be delivered to the Surviving
Entity, upon demand, and any holders of Shares (other than Shares
to be cancelled in accordance with Section 3.1(b) and
Dissenting Shares) who have not theretofore complied with this
Article III and the instructions set forth in the
letter of transmittal mailed to such holders after the Effective
Time shall, after such funds have been delivered to the Surviving
Entity, look only to the Surviving Entity (subject to abandoned
property, escheat or other similar Laws) for payment of the Per
Share Merger Consideration (after giving effect to any required Tax
withholdings as provided in Section 3.2(g) ) due upon
surrender of their Certificates (or affidavits of loss in lieu
thereof as provided in Section 3.2(f) ) or exchange of
their Uncertificated Shares, without any interest thereon.
(e)
No Liability . None of the Buyer Parties, the Company or the
Paying Agent or any of their respective officers, employees,
stockholders, directors, agents or Affiliates shall be liable to
any Person in respect of any Per Share Merger Consideration
delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned
property, escheat or similar Law.
(f)
Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . If any Certificate
shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an
affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to
be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by the Surviving
Entity, the posting by such Person of a bond in customary amount
and upon such terms as may be required by the Surviving Entity as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with
respect to such Certificate, the Paying Agent will issue a check in
the amount (after giving effect to any required Tax withholdings as
provided in Section 3.2(g) ) equal to the number of
Shares represented by such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate
multiplied by the Per Share Merger Consideration.
(g)
Withholding Rights . The Surviving Entity and the Paying
Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the
consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this
15
Agreement to any holder of Shares such amounts as the Surviving
Entity or the Paying Agent is required to deduct and withhold with
respect to the making of such payment under the Code or under any
provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law. To the extent that
amounts are so withheld by the Surviving Entity or the Paying
Agent, such withheld amounts (i) shall be remitted by the
Surviving Entity or the Paying Agent, as applicable, to the
applicable Governmental Entity, and (ii) shall be treated for
all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of
the Shares in respect of which such deduction and withholding was
made by the Surviving Entity or the Paying Agent, as the case may
be. The parties acknowledge that this Section 3.2(g) is
not intended to, and shall not, amend the terms of any Deferred
Share Award or employment agreement related thereto.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as set forth in the Company
Letter (it being agreed that disclosure of any item in any section
or subsection of the Company Letter shall be deemed disclosure with
respect to any other section or subsection to which the relevance
of such item is reasonably apparent), the Company hereby represents
and warrants to the Buyer Parties as follows:
Section 4.1 Organization;
Minute Books .
(a) The
Company is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has the
requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease
and operate its properties and to carry on its business as now
being conducted. Each of the Company’s Subsidiaries is duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of
the jurisdiction of its organization and has the requisite
corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate
its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted,
except where the failure to be so organized, existing and in good
standing or to have such corporate or similar power and authority
have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries are duly qualified or licensed to do business and in
good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of their
business or the ownership or leasing of their properties makes such
qualification or licensing necessary, except in such jurisdictions
where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good
standing has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(b) The
Company has made available to the Buyer Parties complete and
correct copies of its Articles of Amendment and Restatement, dated
August 7, 2006 (the " Company Charter "), and its
Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated August 30, 2006 (the "
Company Bylaws "), and has made available to the Buyer
Parties the charter and bylaws (or similar organizational
documents) of each of its Significant Subsidiaries. The charter and
bylaws (or similar organizational documents) of the Company and
each of its Subsidiaries are in full force and effect and no
dissolution, revocation or forfeiture proceeding regarding the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been commenced. Neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any of the
provisions of its charter or bylaws (or similar organizational
documents), except, in each case, for such violations that would
not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
16
(c) The
Company has made available to the Buyer Parties materially correct
and complete copies of the minute books of the Company of meetings
of the Board and committees of the Board held since January 1,
2004, except that the Company shall not be obligated to make
available those portions of any minutes of meetings of the Board or
committees of the Board related to the deliberations by the Board
or such committee with respect to the consideration of strategic
alternatives.
Section 4.2
Subsidiaries . A correct and complete list of all of the
Subsidiaries of the Company, together with the jurisdiction of
organization of each such Subsidiary, and the percentage, if any,
of the outstanding equity of each such Subsidiary not owned,
directly or indirectly, by the Company is set forth in
Item 4.2 of the Company Letter. All of the outstanding shares
of stock of each Subsidiary of the Company that is a corporation
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable. All of the outstanding shares of stock or equity
interests and other ownership interests of each Subsidiary of the
Company are owned by the Company, by one or more Subsidiaries of
the Company or by the Company and one or more Subsidiaries of the
Company, free and clear of all Liens. The Company does not own,
directly or indirectly, any stock or other voting or equity
securities or interests (or any interests convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for any equity or similar interests) in
any other Person.
Section 4.3 Capital
Structure . The authorized stock of the Company consists of
3,000,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock, 75,000,000 shares of
preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share (the " Company
Preferred Stock "), and 600,000,000 excess shares, $0.01 par
value per share (the " Excess Shares "). At the close of
business on January 17, 2007, (a) 156,968,775.0187 shares of
Company Common Stock were issued and outstanding, all of which were
duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and
free of preemptive rights, (b) 2,872,743 shares of Company Common
Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to Deferred Share Awards
granted under the Company’s 2004 Omnibus Long-Term Incentive
Plan (the " Company Stock Plan "), (c) no shares of
Company Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding, and
(d) no Excess Shares were issued and outstanding. As of the
date of this Agreement, except as set forth above, no shares of
stock of the Company or options, warrants, convertible or
exchangeable securities or other rights to purchase stock of the
Company are issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding. There are
no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of
the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into, or
exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any
matter on which the Company’s stockholders may vote. As of
the date of this Agreement, except as set forth above, there are no
securities, options, warrants, calls, rights, commitments,
agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any kind to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of
them is bound obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
issue, deliver or sell or create, or cause to be issued, delivered
or sold or created, additional shares of stock or other voting or
equity securities or interests of the Company or of any of its
Subsidiaries or obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such security, option,
warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement, arrangement or
undertaking relating to the voting of stock or equity securities or
interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. As of the date
of this Agreement, other than pursuant to this Agreement, there are
no outstanding contractual obligations or rights of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries to register or repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire, vote, dispose of or otherwise transfer or
register
17
pursuant to any securities Laws any shares of stock or equity
interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. There are no
agreements or understandings to which the Company is a party with
respect to the voting of any shares of Company Common Stock and, to
the Knowledge of the Company, as of the date of this Agreement,
there are no third party agreements or understandings with respect
to the voting of any shares of Company Common Stock.
Section 4.4 Authority
. (a) The Company has the requisite corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and, subject to
approval by the Company’s stockholders of the Merger, to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Asset Sales. The execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, including
the Asset Sales, have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action on the part of the Company, subject to approval of
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, by the
holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote
thereon (the " Required Vote "). This Agreement has been
duly executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming the valid
authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the
Buyer Parties) constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation
of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with
its terms.
(b) The
Board, at a meeting duly called and held has unanimously
(i) approved and declared advisable and in the best interests
of the Company and its stockholders this Agreement, the Merger, the
Parent Asset Purchase Agreement, the Arizona Asset Purchase
Agreement and the Asset Sales and (ii) resolved to recommend
approval by the stockholders of the Company of the Merger and the
transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, which
resolutions, subject to Section 7.2 , have not been
subsequently rescinded, modified or withdrawn in any way
(collectively, the " Board Recommendation "). Approval of
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, by the
stockholders of the Company by the Required Vote is the only vote
of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Company
required to approve the Merger and the transactions contemplated
hereby.
Section 4.5 Consents and
Approvals; No Violations . Except (a) for filings,
permits, authorizations, consents and approvals as may be required
under, and other applicable requirements of, the Securities Act,
Exchange Act, the HSR Act, the MGCL, the DLLCA, state securities
Laws and other applicable competition Law clearances, if any, and
(b) as may be required in connection with the Taxes described
in Section 8.7 , neither the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby will
(i) conflict with or result in any breach of any provision of
the Company Charter or Company Bylaws or of the similar
organizational documents of any of the Significant Subsidiaries,
(ii) require any filing with, or permit, authorization,
consent or approval of, any Governmental Entity,
(iii) conflict with or result in a breach of, or constitute
(with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or
give rise to any right of termination, amendment, cancellation or
acceleration) under, or result in a loss of benefit under or give
rise to a right of purchase, first offer or forced sale under, any
of the terms, conditions or provisions of any Contract to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of
them or any of their properties or assets may be bound,
(iv) violate any Law applicable to the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets, (v) result
in the creation of any Lien on any properties or assets of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
18
except for Permitted Liens or (vi) require the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries to make any payment to any third Person,
except in the case of clause (ii) where the failure to
obtain such permits, authorizations, consents or approvals or to
make such filings or, in the case of clauses (iii) ,
(iv) , (v) or (vi) , for breaches, defaults,
terminations, amendments, cancellations, accelerations, losses of
benefits, violations, Liens or payments that have not had and would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
Section 4.6 SEC Documents
and Other Reports . (a) The Company has filed with the SEC
all forms, reports, statements, schedules, certifications, exhibits
thereto and other documents required to be filed by it since
December 31, 2004 under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act
(collectively, the " Company SEC Documents "). As of their
respective filing dates, the Company SEC Documents (including any
documents or information incorporated by reference therein)
complied, and all documents filed by the Company with the SEC under
the Securities Act or the Exchange Act between the date of this
Agreement and the date of Closing will comply, in each case subject
to the accuracy of the representations and warranties set forth in
Sections 5.4 and 6.4 , in all material respects
with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
as the case may be, each as in effect on the date so filed. At the
time filed with the SEC, none of the Company SEC Documents
(including any documents or information incorporated by reference
therein) contained, or, in the case of documents filed on or after
the date hereof will contain, in each case subject to the accuracy
of the representations and warranties set forth in Sections
5.4 and 6.4 , any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted, or, in the case of documents filed on or after the date
hereof will omit, in each case subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties set forth in
Sections 5.4 and 6.4 , to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. The consolidated financial statements of the
Company included in the Company SEC Documents (including the
related notes and schedules thereto) complied as of their
respective dates in all material respects with the then applicable
accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of
the SEC with respect thereto, have been prepared in accordance with
GAAP (except in the case of the unaudited statements, as permitted
by Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act) during the periods involved
(except as may be indicated therein or in the notes thereto) and
fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial
position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the
dates thereof and the consolidated results of their operations and
their consolidated cash flows for the periods then ended (subject,
in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit
adjustments and to any other adjustments described therein).
(b) The
Company has made available to the Buyer Parties correct and
complete copies of all material written correspondence between the
SEC, on the one hand, and the Company and any of its Subsidiaries,
on the other hand, occurring since December 31, 2004 and prior
to the date hereof and will, promptly following the receipt
thereof, make available to the Buyer Parties any such material
correspondence sent or received after the date hereof. To the
Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company SEC Documents is the
subject of ongoing SEC review or outstanding SEC comment.
(c) Neither
the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has any liability or
obligation of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or
otherwise) which would be required to be reflected, reserved for or
disclosed in a consolidated balance sheet of the Company
19
and its consolidated Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto,
prepared in accordance with GAAP except (i) as reflected,
reserved for or disclosed in the consolidated balance sheet of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of September 30,
2006, including the notes thereto, (ii) as incurred since
September 30, 2006 in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice, (iii) as incurred or to be
incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, in
connection with, or as a result of, the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or (iv) as would
not, or would not reasonably be expected to, have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company.
(d) The
Company has (i) implemented and maintains disclosure controls
and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange
Act) designed to ensure that material information relating to the
Company, including the consolidated Subsidiaries of the Company, is
made known to the management of the Company, and (ii) has
disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation prior to the date
hereof, to the Company’s outside auditors and the audit
committee of the Board (A) all significant deficiencies and
material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control
over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the
Exchange Act) which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the
Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report
financial data and (B) any fraud whether or not material, that
involves management or other employees who have a significant role
in the Company’s or any of Subsidiary of the Company’s
internal controls over financial reporting.
(e) The
Company has not identified, based on its most recent evaluation,
any material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal
controls over financial reporting.
Section 4.7 Absence of
Material Adverse Effect . Since September 30, 2006 and
prior to the date hereof, the Company and its Subsidiaries have
conducted their respective businesses in all material respects in
the ordinary course consistent with past practice, and, other than
in connection with the Marketed Portfolio Sale, there has not been
(a) any effect, event, development, change or circumstance
that, individually or in the aggregate, with all other effects,
events, developments and changes, has resulted in a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company, (b) except for regular
quarterly distributions to the Company’s stockholders with
customary record and payment dates, any declaration, setting aside
or payment of any dividend or other distribution with respect to
its stock or equity interests or, except for regular redemptions of
Shares pursuant to the Redemption Plan, any redemption, purchase or
other acquisition of any of its stock or equity interests,
(c) any change in accounting methods, principles or practices
used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries materially affecting
its assets, liabilities or business, except insofar as may have
been required by a change in GAAP, (d) any material damage,
destruction or loss not covered by insurance to the Owned Real
Property, (e) any material amendment of any term of any
material outstanding debt or equity security of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries other than in the ordinary course of business,
(f) any material amendment of any material employment,
consulting, severance, incentive stock, stock option, deferred
compensation, bonus, retirement, retention or any other agreement,
or the adoption of any material new such agreement, between
(i) the Company or any Company Subsidiary, on the one hand and
(ii) any officer, trustee or director of the Company or any
Company Subsidiary, on the other hand, earning more than $200,000
per year, other than as required by any contract, agreement or
Benefit Plan, (g) any incurrence of indebtedness for borrowed
money or guarantee for such indebtedness, in each case by the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in excess
20
of $1,000,000, other than (i) to meet the current cash
needs of the Company and any Subsidiary of the Company not
exceeding the amount contemplated by the Company’s capital
budget for such period, a copy of which has been previously
provided to the Buyer Parties and (ii) for projects currently
under construction in amounts disclosed in the Company’s
capital budget for such period, or (h) any agreement by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries involving any of the foregoing
since September 30, 2006 and prior to the date hereof, except
as disclosed on Item 4.7 of the Company Letter.
Section 4.8 Information
Supplied . None of the information supplied or to be supplied
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or representatives
specifically for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the
proxy statement relating to the Stockholders’ Meeting
(together with any amendments or supplements thereto and including
any related filings required pursuant to the Exchange Act, the "
Proxy Statement ") will, at the time the Proxy Statement is
first mailed to the Company’s stockholders or at the time of
the Stockholders’ Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made,
not misleading, except that no representation or warranty is made
by the Company with respect to statements made or incorporated by
reference therein based on information supplied by any Buyer Party
or any of their respective representatives specifically for
inclusion or incorporation by reference therein.
Section 4.9 Compliance
with Laws . The businesses and assets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries are not and, since December 31, 2005, have not
been, conducted or held in violation of any Law of any Governmental
Entity, except for any violations that have not had a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company. Each of the Company and its
Subsidiaries has in effect all federal, state, local and provincial
governmental licenses, authorizations, consents, permits and
approvals (collectively, " Permits ") necessary for it to
own, lease or operate its properties and assets and to carry on its
business as now conducted, and no violation or default has occurred
under any such Permit, except for the absence of Permits and for
violations or defaults under Permits that have not had and would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
Section 4.10 Tax
Matters .
(a) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to
be filed (after taking into account all applicable extensions) all
material Tax Returns required to be filed by them, except where the
failure to timely file would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company, and all such Tax Returns
are true, correct and complete in all material respects.
(b) Each
of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid or caused to be paid
all material Taxes required to be paid (whether or not shown on any
Tax return).
(c) The
Company and the Company Subsidiary REIT (i) for all taxable
years commencing in the year in which the Company or the Company
Subsidiary REIT, as applicable, first made an election to be
subject to taxation as a real estate investment trust within the
meaning of Section 856 of the Code (a " REIT "),
through the most recent December 31, has
21
qualified and been subject to taxation as a REIT and
(ii) has operated, and intends to continue to operate until
the Effective Time, in such a manner as would permit it to continue
to qualify as a REIT, from the most recent December 31 and
through the Effective Time, without, however, taking into account
the effect on the Company or the Company Subsidiary REIT, as
applicable, of any of the Transactions required to be entered into,
or distributions required to be made, by the Company or the Company
Subsidiary REIT under this Agreement, and without any express or
implied representation being made that the Company or the Company
Subsidiary REIT will have satisfied as of the Effective Time any
requirement to make dividend distributions as a REIT with respect
to 2007 that would have existed if the Company’s and the
Company Subsidiary REIT’s 2007 taxable years were to have
closed at the Effective Time. The Company has no Subsidiary
classified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes other than the
Company Subsidiary REIT. To the Company’s Knowledge, no
challenge to the Company’s or the Company Subsidiary
REIT’s status as a REIT is pending or threatened in writing.
Each Subsidiary of the Company and each Subsidiary of the Company
Subsidiary REIT that is a partnership, joint venture, or limited
liability company and that has not elected for federal income tax
purposes to be a corporation or a "taxable REIT subsidiary" within
the meaning of Section 856 of the Code is treated for federal
income tax purposes as a partnership or disregarded entity, as the
case may be, and not as a corporation or an association taxable as
a corporation. Each Subsidiary of the Company or the Company
Subsidiary REIT that is a corporation for federal income tax
purposes is a "qualified REIT subsidiary" pursuant to Section
856(i) of the Code, a "taxable REIT subsidiary" pursuant to Section
856(l) of the Code or a corporation which qualifies under the
transitional rules set forth in Section 546(b) of the Tax Relief
Extension Act of 1999. Neither the Company, the Company Subsidiary
REIT nor any of their Subsidiaries holds any assets the disposition
of which would be subject to rules similar to Section 1374 of the
Code as a result of (A) an election under IRS Notice 88-19 or
Treasury Regulations Section 1.337(d)-5 or
Section 1.337(d)-6 or (B) the application of Treasury
Regulations Section 1.337(d)-7.
(d) No
written requests for waivers of the time to assess any material
Taxes of the Company or its Subsidiaries are pending.
(e) There
are no material pending or threatened audits, examinations,
investigations or other proceedings in respect of Taxes of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been notified in writing. To
the Knowledge of the Company, there are no pending or threatening
audits, examinations, investigations or other proceedings in
respect of Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(f) All
Taxes which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are required by
Law to withhold or to collect for payment have been withheld and
collected except as would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(g) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any
agreement, arrangement, understanding or plan that has resulted, or
would result in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement or any change in control, in the payment of any
amount that would, by operation of Section 280G of the Code,
not be deductible by the entity making such payment.
22
(h) Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary has made or is obligated to make any
payment that would not be deductible pursuant to Section 162(m) of
the Code.
(i) There
are no Liens for Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable)
upon any of the assets of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
(j) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any Tax
Sharing Agreement or Tax Protection Agreement, other than any
agreement or arrangement solely between the Company and any of its
Subsidiaries, pursuant to which it will have any obligation to make
any payments after the Closing. For purposes of this
Section 4.10(j) , a " Tax Sharing Agreement "
means any written agreement for the allocation or payment of Tax
liabilities or payment for Tax benefits with respect to a
consolidated, combined or unitary Tax Return which Tax Return
includes or included the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. For
purposes of this Section 4.10(j) , a " Tax
Protection Agreement " means any written agreement to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party pursuant to which, in
connection with the deferral of income Taxes of a third party
partner in any Subsidiary of the Company that is classified as a
partnership for federal income Tax purposes, the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has agreed to (i) maintain a minimum level of
debt or provide rights to guarantee debt, (ii) retain or not
dispose of assets for a period of time that has not since expired,
(iii) make or refrain from making Tax elections, and/or
(iv) only dispose of assets in a particular manner.
(k) Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary (other than a "taxable REIT
subsidiary" or a subsidiary of a "taxable REIT subsidiary") has
engaged at any time in any "prohibited transactions" within the
meaning of Section 857(b)(6) of the Code. Neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any transaction that
would give rise to "redetermined rents," "redetermined deductions"
or "excess interest" described in Section 857(b)(7) of the
Code.
(l) To
the Knowledge of the Company, no claim has been made in writing by
a taxing authority in a jurisdiction where the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries does not file Tax Returns that the Company or any
such Subsidiary is or may be subject to taxation by that
jurisdiction.
(m) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has requested a private
letter ruling from the IRS or comparable rulings from other taxing
authorities.
(n) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any "listed
transaction" described in Treasury Regulations
Section 1.6011-4(b).
(o) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any
"closing agreement" as described in Section 7121 of the Code
(or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or
foreign income Tax Law).
(p) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has recognized taxable gain
or loss from the disposition of any property transferred or
received in an exchange that was reported as a "like kind exchange"
under Section 1031 of the Code.
23
(q) As
of the date hereof, neither the Company nor the Company Subsidiary
REIT has any earnings and profits attributable to any non-REIT year
of the Company or the Company Subsidiary REIT, as applicable, or
any other corporation within the meaning of Section 857 of the
Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
(r) The
dividends paid deduction of the Company and the Company Subsidiary
REIT for each taxable year of each such entity ending with the
taxable year ended December 31, 2006, will equal or exceed the
sum of (i) the amount determined under Code
Section 857(a)(1) with respect to the Company or the Company
Subsidiary REIT, as applicable, but computed with the modifications
described in the next sentence, and (ii) the net capital gain
of the Company or the Company Subsidiary REIT, as applicable, for
such taxable year; provided , however , that such
dividends paid deduction of the Company for the taxable year ended
December 31, 2006 takes into account any Section 858
dividend made by the Company prior to the Closing Date. The amount
described under clause (i) above shall be computed by
substituting "100%" for "90%" in each place it appears in Code
Section 857(a)(1).
(s) The
Special Dividend Amount will equal or exceed the sum of
(i) the amount determined under Code Section 857(a)(1)
with respect to the Company’s current taxable year, computed
with the modifications described in the next sentence and, and
(ii) the net capital gain of the Company for such taxable
year, assuming for purposes of clauses (i) and (ii)
that the current taxable year of the Company will end on the date
of the Closing. The amount described under clause (i) above
shall be computed by substituting "100%" for "90%" in each place it
appears in Code Section 857(a)(1).
(t) The
net proceeds received by the Company Subsidiary REIT from the Asset
Sales will equal or exceed the sum of (i) the amount
determined under Code Section 857(a)(1) with respect to the
Company Subsidiary REIT’s current taxable year, computed with
the modifications described in the next sentence and, and
(ii) the net capital gain of the Company Subsidiary REIT for
such taxable year, assuming for purposes of clauses (i) and
(ii) that the current taxable year of the Company will end
on the date of the Closing. The amount described under clause
(i) above shall be computed by substituting "100%" for "90%" in
each place it appears in Code Section 857(a)(1).
(u) As
of the Effective Time, the net operating loss for federal income
tax purposes carried over to the Company in its acquisition of KSL
Recreation Corp. in April 2004 that remained unused, based on
the Company’s information and belief, was not less than
$125 million, with the use of such net operating losses in
2007 and thereafter being subject to the limitations of
Section 382 of the Code.
Section 4.11 Benefit
Plans . (a) With respect to each Benefit Plan, the Company
has made available to the Buyer Parties a true and correct copy of
(i) each such Benefit Plan that has been reduced to writing
and all amendments thereto and a summary of any unwritten Benefit
Plan; (ii) each trust, insurance or administrative agreement
or insurance policy or other funding medium relating to each such
Benefit Plan; (iii) the most recent written explanation of
each Benefit Plan provided to participants, and, if applicable, the
most recent summary plan description provided to participants;
(iv) if applicable, the three most recent annual reports
(Form 5500) filed with the IRS, including all schedules and
accountants’ opinions; (v) the most recent
24
determination letter and/or application thereof, if any, issued
by the IRS with respect to any Benefit Plan intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, and (vi) all
correspondence to and from any state or federal agency within the
last six years with respect to any Benefit Plan. Except as required
or deemed advisable by Law, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has adopted or amended in any material respect any
Benefit Plan since September 30, 2006 and copies of any such
amendments or Benefit Plans have been provided to Parent.
(b) Except
as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect on the Company, (i) each Benefit Plan has been
maintained in compliance with its terms and, both as to form and in
operation, with the requirements of applicable Law and
(ii) all employer or employee contributions, premiums and
expenses to or in respect of each Benefit Plan have been paid in
full or, to the extent not yet due, have been adequately accrued on
the applicable financial statements of the Company included in the
Company SEC Documents in accordance with GAAP. Each asset held
under any such Benefit Plan (other than assets held in the
Company’s 401(k) plan for the benefit of the participants)
may be liquidated or terminated without the imposition of any
redemption fee, surrender charge or comparable liability. There is
no Person (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) that
together with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries would be
treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code or
Section 4001(b) of ERISA. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has at any time during the six-year period preceding
the date hereof maintained, contributed to or incurred any
liability under any "multiemployer plan" (as defined in
Section 3(37) of ERISA) or any ERISA Benefit Plan that is
subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code.
(c) As
of the date of this Agreement there are no pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened disputes, arbitrations,
claims, suits, grievances, governmental proceedings or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, investigations involving a Benefit Plan
(other than routine claims for benefits payable under any such
Benefit Plan) that would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company.
(d) All
Benefit Plans that are intended by their terms to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code have been determined by the IRS to
be so qualified, or a timely application for such determination is
now pending and, except as would not reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, the Company has no
Knowledge of any reason why any such Benefit Plan is not so
qualified in operation. Except as set forth on Item 4.11 of
the Company Letter, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has any liability or obligation under any welfare plan or agreement
to provide benefits after termination of employment or service to
any employee, director, consultant or dependent other than as
required by Section 4980B of the Code. Each Benefit Plan may
be amended, terminated, or otherwise modified by the Company to the
greatest extent permitted by applicable Law, including the
elimination of any and all future benefit accruals and no employee
communications or provision of any relevant document has failed to
effectively reserve the right of the Company to so amend, terminate
or otherwise modify such Benefit Plan.
(e) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company nor the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will or may
(either alone or in connection with the occurrence of any
additional or subsequent events) (i) result in the
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acceleration or creation of any rights of any Person to
compensation or benefits under any Benefit Plan or other
compensatory arrangement, loan forgiveness or result in an
obligation to fund benefits with respect to any Benefit Plan or
other compensatory arrangement; or (ii) constitute an event
under any Benefit Plan or other arrangement that will or may result
in any payment of deferred compensation subject to
Section 409A of the Code.
(f) The
Company has made available to the Buyer Parties (or as described in
Item 4.11(f) of the Company Letter) all of the employment
agreements, bonus agreements, severance agreements, severance plans
and similar obligations that include amounts that are payable as a
result of consummation transactions contemplated hereby.
Item 4.11(f) of the Company Letter sets forth a good faith
estimate of the amounts that will become payable to employees of
the Company under the terms of any employment agreements, bonus
agreements, severance agreements, severance plans and similar
obligations as a result of the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.12
Litigation . As of the date hereof, there is no outstanding
judgment, order, writ, injunction or decree and no suit, claim,
audit, action, proceeding, arbitration or investigation pending or,
to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company or that seeks to materially
delay or prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby. Except as set forth in Item 4.12 of the Company
Letter, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject
to any order, judgment, writ, injunction or decree, except as would
not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
Section 4.13 State
Takeover Statutes . The Company has taken all action required
to be taken by it in order to exempt this Agreement, the Parent
Asset Purchase Agreement, the Arizona Asset Purchase Agreement and
the Merger from, and this Agreement, the Parent Asset Purchase
Agreement, the Arizona Asset Purchase Agreement and the Merger are
exempt from, the requirements of any "fair price," "moratorium,"
"control share acquisition" or other similar antitakeover statute
or regulation enacted under state or federal Laws in the United
States, including the Maryland Business Combination Act and the
Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act, or any takeover provision
in the Company Charter or Company Bylaws.
Section 4.14 Intellectual
Property . Item 4.14 of the Company Letter contains a
complete and accurate list of all registered Marks and material
unregistered Marks and issued Patents and pending applications for
Patents or pending registrations for Marks, in each case owned or
purported to be owned by the Company and/or used in the conduct of
the business of the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries own,
or are validly licensed or otherwise have the right to use, in each
case free and clear of all Liens, except for Permitted Liens, all
Intellectual Property purported to be owned by the Company and/or
used in the conduct of the business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as currently conducted, except for such Intellectual
Property where the failure to so own, be validly licensed or have
the right to use would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company (the " Company
Intellectual Property "). Except as would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, all
registrations and applications filed by the Company or its
Subsidiaries with respect to Intellectual Property owned or
purported to be owned by the Company or any Subsidiary have been
duly maintained (including payment of maintenance fees) and are
valid,
26
enforceable, subsisting and unexpired. No claims are pending or,
to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, (a) challenging
the ownership, enforceability, validity, or use by the Company or
any Subsidiary of any Company Intellectual Property, or
(b) alleging that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
violating, misappropriating or infringing or otherwise adversely
affecting the rights of any Person with regard to any Company
Intellectual Property, other than claims that would not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company, (i) to the Knowledge of the
Company, no Person is infringing the rights of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries with respect to any Company Intellectual
Property and (ii) the operation of the business of the Company
and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted does not violate,
misappropriate or infringe (or has since December 31, 2004
violated, misappropriated or infringed) the Intellectual Property
of any other Person, other than the rights of any other Person
under any Patent, and to the Knowledge of the Company, the
operation of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as
currently conducted does not violate, misappropriate or infringe
(or has since December 31, 2004 violated, misappropriated or
infringed) the Intellectual Property of any other Person under any
Patent. To the Knowledge of the Company, no other Person is
violating, misappropriating or infringing any of the Company
Intellectual Property. The Company has taken reasonable security
measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of any
Trade Secrets owned by the Company that are used in and material to
the conduct of the business of the Company.
Section 4.15
Properties .
(a) Item 4.15(a)
of the Company Letter sets forth a correct and complete list of all
the Owned Real Property owned or held by the Company and its
Subsidiaries as of the date of this Agreement.
(b) Item 4.15(b)
of the Company Letter sets forth a correct and complete list as of
the date of this Agreement of (i) all the Leased Real Property
and (ii) each ground lease with a third party pursuant to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a lessee and, in
each case, the Subsidiary of the Company holding the leasehold
interest, the date of the lease and each material amendment or
guaranty or other material agreement relating thereto (the leases
referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) , collectively,
the " Lease Documents "). True, correct and complete copies
of all Lease Documents have been made available to Parent. Each of
the Lease Documents is valid, binding and in full force and effect,
in all material respects, as against the Company or its applicable
Subsidiary and, to the Company’s Knowledge, as against the
other party thereto. As of the date hereof, neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s Knowledge, other
party is in material breach or violation of, or material default
(in each case, with or without notice or lapse of time or both)
under, any of the Lease Documents and none of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries has received or given any written notice of
material default under any such agreement which remains
uncured.
(c) Except
as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect on the Company, (i) the Company or one of its
Subsidiaries has good fee simple title to all Owned Real Property
and valid leasehold estates in all Leased Real Property, free and
clear of all Liens, except for Permitted Liens and (ii) there
are no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened
condemnation, eminent domain or similar proceedings or actions
affecting
27
any portion of the Company Properties, and, neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice of the
intention of any Governmental Entity or other Person to take or use
any of the Company Properties.
(d) Company
Title Insurance Policies have been issued insuring, as of the
effective date of each such Company Title Insurance Policy, the
Company’s or the applicable Subsidiary’s (or the
applicable predecessor’s or acquiror’s) fee simple or
leasehold title to the Company Properties, subject only to
Permitted Liens, and to the Company’s Knowledge, such
policies are, at the date hereof, valid and in full force and
effect and no written claim has been made against any such policy.
A true, accurate, and complete copy of each Company Title Insurance
Policy has been made available to the Buyer Parties.
(e) Since
January 1, 2005, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received any written notice to the effect that
(i) any rezoning proceedings adversely affecting the current
use as a hotel of any of the Company Properties are pending or, to
the Knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to any of the
Company Properties, or (ii) any laws including any zoning
regulation or ordinance, building or similar Law have been violated
for any Company Property, or will be violated by the continued
maintenance, operation or use of any buildings or other
improvements on any of the Company Properties, that, in the case of
clauses (i) and (ii) above, would reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(f) Exce
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