AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTY OF
PAYMENT OF DEBT
FOREST CITY ENTERPRISES,
INC.
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2. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, CONSIDERATION
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7. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
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14. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
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16. INDEPENDENCE OF COVENANTS
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AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTY OF
PAYMENT OF DEBT
THIS
AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTY OF PAYMENT OF DEBT (this
“Guaranty”) is made and issued by FOREST CITY
ENTERPRISES, INC., an Ohio corporation (the
“Guarantor”), as of this 6th day of June, 2007, in
order to induce the Banks (as hereinafter defined), KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as administrative agent for the Banks (the
“Administrative Agent”), NATIONAL CITY BANK, as
syndication agent for the Banks (the “Syndication
Agent” and together with the Administrative Agent, the
“Agents”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., and LASALLE BANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as co-documentation agents, (the
“Co-Documentation Agents”), to enter into, and lend
money pursuant to, a certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
of even date herewith (said Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
as it may be from time to time amended, restated, or modified being
herein called the “Agreement”), by and among the Banks,
the Agents, the Co-Documentation Agents and FOREST CITY RENTAL
PROPERTIES CORPORATION, a subsidiary of the Guarantor (the
“Borrower”).
WHEREAS,
the Guarantor previously executed a Guaranty of Payment of Debt,
dated as of March 22, 2004, in favor of the Banks (as hereinafter
defined)(as amended to the date hereof, the “Original
Guaranty”); and
WHEREAS,
Borrower, the Banks, the Agents and the Co-Documentation Agents
desire to amend and restate the Original Guaranty in its entirety
as hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS,
in accordance with Section 13.02 of the Agreement, the Agents,
the Co-Documentation Agents and the Banks have consented to the
modifications to the Original Guaranty that are contained
herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, the Original Guaranty is hereby amended and restated as
follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Guaranty, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
“Banks”
shall mean each of the financing institutions that are party to the
Agreement as of the date of this Guaranty, any other bank(s) that
may become parties to the Agreement after the date hereof, and all
successors and assigns of any such bank; and “Bank”
shall mean any one of the foregoing.
“Capital
Stock” of any Person as used herein shall mean any and all
shares, interests, participations, or other equivalents (however
designated) of corporate stock or other equity participations or
interests including, without limitation, partnership
interests,
whether general
or limited, and membership interests, whether of managing or
non-managing members, of such Person.
“Cash
Flow Coverage Ratio” shall mean, for any Test Period, the
ratio of (i) Consolidated Net Operating Cash Flow to
(ii) Consolidated Corporate Debt Service.
“Collateral”
shall mean, collectively, all property, if any, securing the Debt
or any part thereof at the time in question.
“Company”
shall mean the Guarantor and/or a Subsidiary of the
Guarantor.
“Completion
Guaranty” shall mean any performance guarantee by the
Guarantor that construction of a real estate project will be
completed in accordance with applicable plans and specifications
and that all costs associated with such completion will be paid,
provided , that such costs may include an interest reserve
only through completion of the project and not through
stabilization of such project.
“Consolidated
Corporate Debt Service” shall mean, for any period, the sum
of (i) all scheduled payments of principal of (excluding
balloon payments) and interest on any Indebtedness owing by the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (excluding any non-recourse
mortgage Indebtedness owing by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of
the Borrower, (ii) all scheduled payments of principal of
(excluding balloon payments) and interest on any Indebtedness owing
by the Guarantor and (iii) Dividends paid by the
Guarantor.
“Consolidated
GAAP Shareholders’ Equity” shall mean the consolidated
shareholders equity of the Guarantor, as calculated in accordance
with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Net Operating Cash Flow” shall mean, for any Test Period, Net
Operating Income (a) less (i) all scheduled payments of
principal of non-recourse mortgage Indebtedness owing by the
Guarantor and/or its Subsidiaries (excluding any balloon payments),
(ii) all interest payments on such non-recourse Indebtedness,
(iii) Twelve Million Dollars ($12,000,000) of normal recurring
capital expenditures and (b) plus (i) net income
(loss) before taxes and corporate interest expense of the Land
Group, (ii) net income (loss) before taxes of the Lumber
Trading Group, (iii) net income (loss) before taxes and
corporate interest expense (including, but not limited to, interest
incurred on Debt, subordinated debt or any other third party debt)
of the Corporate Activity Group, (iv) actual cash taxes paid
on the Net Operating Income and the income set forth in subsections
(b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) above, (v) non-cash interest
expense accrued but not currently payable up to a maximum of Five
Million Dollars ($5,000,000) with respect to Indebtedness owing by
the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries other than Indebtedness owing by
the Guarantor and/or its Subsidiaries to the government of the
United States or any state or municipality thereof or any agencies
of any of the foregoing and (vi) non-cash interest expense
accrued but not currently payable with respect to Indebtedness by
the Guarantor and/or its Subsidiaries owing to the government of
the United States or any state or municipality thereof or any
agencies of any of the foregoing.
“Contingent
Obligation” shall mean, with respect to any Person at the
time of any determination, without duplication, any obligation,
contingent or otherwise, of such
Person
guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any
Indebtedness of any other Person in any manner, whether directly or
otherwise; provided , that the term “Contingent
Obligation” shall not include endorsements for collection or
deposit, in each case in the ordinary course of business. The
amount of any Contingent Obligation shall be deemed to be an amount
equal to the stated or determinable amount of the Indebtedness in
respect of which such Contingent Obligation is made or, if not
stated or determinable, the maximum reasonable anticipated
liability in respect thereof (assuming such Person is required to
perform thereunder).
“Controlled
Group” shall mean a controlled group of corporations as
defined in Section 1563 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as may be amended from time to time, of which Guarantor or any
Subsidiary of the Guarantor is a part.
“Debt”
shall mean, collectively, (a) all Indebtedness now owing or
hereafter incurred by the Borrower to the Agents and/or the Banks
arising under or in connection with the Agreement, whether pursuant
to commitment or otherwise, and including, without limitation, the
principal amount of all Loans made pursuant to the Agreement, all
interest thereon determined as provided in the Agreement, all fees
provided to be paid by the Borrower to the Banks and/or the Agents
pursuant to the Agreement or any Related Writing and all
liabilities in respect of letters of credit issued by the
Administrative Agent and/or any of the Banks for the account of the
Borrower (but not including Indebtedness held by any Bank arising
and outstanding under any transaction or document referred to in
Sections 8.04 (other than that referred to in subclause
(a) thereof), and/or 8.07 of the Agreement), (b) each
renewal, extension, consolidation or refinancing of any such
Indebtedness in whole or in part, and (c) all interest from
time to time accruing on any of the foregoing
Indebtedness.
“Distributions”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.13(e)
hereof.
“Dividends”
shall include all dividends (in cash or otherwise) declared and/or
paid, capital returned, and other distributions of any kind made on
or in respect of any share of Capital Stock outstanding at any
time.
“EBDT”
shall mean net earnings from operations before depreciation,
amortization and deferred taxes on income and excludes provision
for decline in real estate, gain (loss) on disposition of
properties and extraordinary gains.
“Environmental
Laws” means all provisions of law, statutes, ordinances,
rules, regulations, permits, licenses, judgments, writs,
injunctions, decrees, orders, awards and standards promulgated by
the government of the United States of America or by any state or
municipality thereof or by any court, agency, instrumentality,
regulatory authority or commission of any of the foregoing, now or
hereafter in effect, and in each case, as amended, concerning or
relating to health, safety and protection of, or regulation of the
discharge of substances into, the environment.
“ERISA
Net Worth” shall mean (a) as to any Subsidiary of the
Guarantor, the excess of the net book value of such
Subsidiary’s assets (other than patents, treasury stock,
goodwill and similar intangibles but including unamortized mortgage
and lease costs) over all of its liabilities (other than
liabilities to any other Company), such excess being determined
in
accordance with
GAAP applied on a basis consistent with the Guarantor’s
present accounting procedures, and (b) as to the Guarantor,
the excess of the net book value (after deducting all applicable
reserves and deducting any value attributable to the re-appraisal
or write-up of any asset) of the Guarantor’s assets (other
than patents, good will, treasury stock and similar intangibles but
including unamortized mortgage and lease costs) over all of its
liabilities as determined on an accrued and consolidated and
consolidating basis and in accordance with GAAP not inconsistent
with the Guarantor’s present accounting principles
consistently applied.
“Event
of Default” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 10 hereof.
“Fiscal
Quarterly Date” shall mean each of January 31,
April 30, July 31 and October 31.
“GAAP”
shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States of America, in effect from time to time.
“Hedge
Agreement” shall mean any non-fully paid derivative, such as
interest rate swaps or collar agreements or other similar
agreements or arrangements designed to hedge the position of a
Person with respect to interest rates, excluding (a) any such
agreements as to which all obligations of such Person are paid or
payable within twelve (12) months of the date such agreement
is entered into by such Person and (b) Total Rate of Return
Swaps.
“Indebtedness”
shall mean, with respect to any Person at the time of any
determination, without duplication, all obligations of such Person
which in accordance with GAAP should be classified upon the balance
sheet of such Person as liabilities, but in any event including:
(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all
obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or
other similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person
upon which interest charges are customarily paid or accrued,
(d) all written obligations of such Person to maintain working
capital, equity capital or other financial statement condition of
another Person so as to enable such other Person to pay its
Indebtedness or otherwise to protect the holder of such
Indebtedness against loss in respect thereof, (e) all
obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred
purchase price of property or services, (f) all obligations of
others secured by any Lien on property owned or acquired by such
Person, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been
assumed, (g) all capitalized lease obligations of such Person,
(h) all obligations of such Person in respect of Hedge
Agreements and Total Rate of Return Swaps, (i) all obligations
of such Person, actual or contingent, as an account party in
respect of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances, and,
without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder, and (j) all
obligations of any partnership or joint venture as to which such
Person is or may become personally liable, provided , that,
Indebtedness shall not include (i) any obligations incurred as
a result of fraud, misappropriation, misapplication and
environmental indemnities, as are usual and customary in commercial
loan transactions, or (ii) trade payables, deferred revenue,
taxes and accrued expenses, in each case arising in the ordinary
course of business and that is due and payable less than twelve
(12) months after the date such debt was incurred.
“Indemnification
Lien” shall mean a Lien granted by the Guarantor pursuant to
an Indemnity Agreement entered into by the Guarantor with respect
to one or more
Performance
Surety Bonds; provided , that such Indemnification Lien
extends only to the assigned property on which a Surety provides a
Performance Surety Bond and not to other property of the Guarantor
or any Subsidiary of the Guarantor and provided ,
further , that such Indemnification Lien shall become
effective only in the event that (a) the Guarantor fails to
honor its obligations under the related Indemnity Agreement or
Performance Surety Bond; (b) the Guarantor abandons or
breaches a contract on a bonded project; (c) the Guarantor
defaults under any other indebtedness or liability owned to such
Surety or (d) the Guarantor makes an assignment for the
benefit of creditors.
“Indemnity
Agreement” shall mean any indemnity agreement in form and
substance satisfactory to the Agents and the Banks, by and between
the Guarantor and a Surety, and as each such Indemnity Agreement
may be amended, restated or otherwise modified.
“Indenture”
shall mean the indenture dated as of May 19, 2003, between the
Guarantor and The Bank of New York, as indenture trustee and
relating to the Senior Notes.
“Measured
Credit Risk” shall mean the product of (i) the notional
amount of a Hedge Agreement entered into or guaranteed by the
Guarantor, the Borrower, FCCC or any other Subsidiary of the
Borrower (other than a SPE Subsidiary), in each case with any
Person other than a Bank that has a remaining period to maturity of
greater than twelve (12) months, times (ii) the
number of years remaining to maturity of such Hedge Agreement,
times (iii)1.25%.
“MTA
Guaranty” shall mean that certain guaranty dated as of
January 23, 2006, by the Guarantor in favor of the
Metropolitan Transit Authority for the State of New York
(“MTA”), pursuant to which the Guarantor has agreed to
guarantee the obligations of Atlantic Rail Yards, LLC
(“ARY”) under a temporary entry license agreement
between the MTA and ARY and as such MTA Guaranty may, from time to
time, be amended, restated or otherwise modified in accordance with
the terms of this Guaranty.
“Net
Earnings” shall mean the Guarantor’s net earnings, as
determined separately for each fiscal year, after taxes, upon a
consolidated basis (after deducting minority interests) and in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied.
“Net
Losses” shall mean the Guarantor’s net losses, as
determined separately for each fiscal year, after taxes, upon a
consolidated basis (after deducting minority interests) in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied.
“Net
Operating Income” shall mean for any relevant period, the
excess of the Borrower’s revenues over the Borrower’s
operating expenses, in each case as determined in accordance with
the Pro Rata Consolidation Method. For purposes of this definition,
Net Operating Income (i) shall not include any gains or losses
from the sale of income producing real properties, other than gains
or losses obtained from the sale of net outlot parcels to a maximum
aggregate amount of Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) for the
immediately preceding four consecutive quarters and (ii) shall
include adjustments for cash flow of properties pursuant to which
the Borrower is receiving a preferred return over and above its
ownership percentage in such properties.
“Non-Affiliate
Construction Project” shall mean any real property and all
improvements to be constructed thereon (collectively, the
“Non-Affiliate Property”) (i) with respect to
which the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower, as the case may
be, (a) may make a Permitted Non-Affiliate Loan, and
(b) is the developer pursuant to an agreement with a
Non-Affiliated Entity as owner of the Non-Affiliate Property; and
(ii) with respect to which the Borrower or an Affiliate of the
Borrower, as the case may be, holds an irrevocable option from
either the Non-Affiliated Entity or the parent of the
Non-Affiliated Entity to acquire, respectively, either (a) the
Non-Affiliate Property, or (b) all of the equity interests
owned by the parent of the Non-Affiliated Entity in and to such
Non-Affiliated Entity.
“Non-Affiliated
Entity” shall mean any Person that is not an Affiliate of the
Borrower and that is wholly-owned by another Person.
“Obligor”
shall mean any Person or entity who, or any of whose property is or
shall be, obligated on the Debt or any part thereof in any manner
and includes, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Borrower, the Guarantor and any co-maker, endorser, other guarantor
of payment, subordinating creditor, assignor, grantor of a security
interest, pledgor, mortgagor or hypothecator of property, if
any.
“Payment
Default” shall mean any failure by the Borrower or the
Guarantor to make payment of principal of, or interest on, any Note
(as defined in the Agreement) or this Guaranty, as applicable, or
any other fees or expenses provided hereunder or under the
Agreement, when due and payable, whether at maturity or by
acceleration.
“Performance
Surety Bonds” shall mean the bonds, undertakings and like
obligations executed by a Surety for or on behalf of the Guarantor
for one or more of the following purposes:
(a) to
guarantee the performance by the Guarantor or a Subsidiary of the
Guarantor, as applicable, that construction of a real estate
project will be completed in accordance with applicable plans and
specifications and that all costs associated with such completion
will be paid;
(b) to
insure that any mechanics’ liens incurred in the normal
course of constructing a real estate project are duly paid and
discharged;
(c) as
a condition to the issuance of a permit related to a real estate
project;
(d) as
a condition to the issuance of state and local licenses required
for the construction and development of a real estate project;
or
(e) to
support other obligations related to the construction and
development of a real estate project, provided that such
obligations do not constitute Indebtedness.
“Permitted
Debt” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.10
hereof.
“Permitted
Distributions” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 9.13(e) hereof.
“Permitted
Non-Affiliate Loan” shall mean a loan by the Borrower or any
Subsidiary of the Borrower to a Non-Affiliated Entity for the
purposes of (a) purchasing or otherwise acquiring a
Non-Affiliate Property or (b) paying construction costs, in
each case, in connection with a Non-Affiliate Construction
Project.
“Person”
shall mean an individual, a corporation, a limited liability
company, a partnership, an association, a trust or any other entity
or organization, including, without limitation, a governmental or
political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality
thereof.
“Plan”
shall mean any employee pension benefit plan subject to Title IV of
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
established or maintained by the Guarantor, any Subsidiary of the
Guarantor, any member of the Controlled Group, or any such Plan to
which the Guarantor, any Subsidiary of the Guarantor or any member
of the Controlled Group is required to contribute on behalf of its
employees.
“Possible
Default” shall mean any event or condition which, with notice
or lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default
referred to in Section 10 hereof.
“Pro
Rata Consolidation Method” shall mean the pro rata method of
consolidation as opposed to the full consolidation method of
accounting.
“Puttable
Notes Hedge and Warrant Transactions” shall mean the
purchased call option and warrant transactions that may be entered
into from time to time by the Guarantor, with respect to its common
stock, in connection with the 2006 Puttable Senior
Notes.
“Receivable”
shall mean a claim for moneys due or to become due, whether
classified as a contract right, account, chattel paper, instrument,
general intangible or otherwise.
“Related
Writing” shall mean any Note, assignment, mortgage, security
agreement, guaranty agreement, Subordination Agreement, financial
statement, audit report, officer’s certificate or other
writing furnished by the Borrower, the Guarantor or any of their
respective officers to the Agents or the Banks.
“Reportable
Event” shall mean a reportable event as that term is defined
in Title IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended, with respect to a Plan as to which the thirty
(30) day notice requirement has not been waived by the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Restatement
Effective Date” shall mean the date on which all conditions
precedent set forth in Article VI of the Agreement are
satisfied or waived by the Administrative Agent and the Required
Banks.
“Restricted
Company” shall mean the Guarantor or a Restricted
Subsidiary.
“Restricted
Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary of the Guarantor other
than (a) the Borrower, and (b) any Subsidiary of the
Borrower.
“Senior
Notes” shall mean the 2003 Senior Notes, the 2004 Senior
Notes and the 2005 Senior Notes.
“Subordination
Agreement” shall mean any subordination agreement in form and
substance satisfactory to the Agents and the Banks entered into by
a Surety in favor of the Agents and the Banks, and as each such
Subordination Agreement may, from time to time, be amended,
restated or otherwise modified.
“Subsidiary”
of any Person shall mean and include (a) any corporation more
than fifty percent (50%) of whose stock of any class or classes
having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a
majority of the directors of such corporation is at the time owned
by such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries,
(b) any partnership, limited liability company, association
(including business trusts) or other entity in which such Person
directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, has more than a fifty
percent (50%) voting or equity interest at the time, and (c) any
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or
other entity the accounts of which are consolidated with those of
its parent in the parent’s consolidated financial
statements.
“Surety”
means any surety or insurance company reasonably acceptable to the
Agents.
“Surety
Bonds” means the bonds, undertakings and other like
obligations executed by a Surety for the Guarantor subject to an
Indemnity Agreement and a Subordination Agreement in a maximum
aggregate principal amount of $30,000,000 for all Sureties
(excluding Performance Surety Bonds).
“Test
Period” shall mean each period of four consecutive fiscal
quarters of the Guarantor or the Borrower, as applicable, in each
case taken as one accounting period, ended after the, Restatement
Effective Date.
“Total
Rate of Return Swap” shall mean a bilateral financial
contract between a total rate of return payer (the legal owner of
the reference asset) and a total rate of return receiver where the
total rate of return payer pays the total return of a reference
asset and receives a specified fixed or floating cash flow from the
total rate of return receiver.
“2003
Senior Notes” shall mean the senior notes of the Guarantor
issued on May 19, 2003, pursuant to the Indenture, in an
original aggregate principal amount of $300,000,000.
“2004
Senior Notes” shall mean the senior notes of the Guarantor
issued on February 10, 2004, pursuant to the Indenture, in an
original aggregate principal amount of up to
$100,000,000.
“2005
Senior Notes” shall mean the senior notes of the Guarantor
issued on or about January 25, 2005, pursuant to the Indenture, in
an original aggregate principal amount of up to
$150,000,000.
“2006
Indenture” shall mean the indenture dated as of
October 10, 2006, between the Guarantor and The Bank of New
York Trust Company, N.A., as indenture trustee, relating to the
2006 Puttable Senior Notes.
“2006
Puttable Senior Notes” shall mean the puttable equity-linked
senior notes of the Guarantor issued on or about October 10,
2006, pursuant to the 2006 Indenture, in an original aggregate
principal amount of up to $287,500,000.
All
capitalized terms used herein but not herein defined that are
defined in the Agreement shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to them in the Agreement.
All
financial covenants contained in this Guaranty shall be measured on
each Fiscal Quarterly Date.
Any
accounting term not specifically defined in this Section 1 or
elsewhere in this Guaranty, shall have the meaning ascribed thereto
by GAAP not inconsistent with the Guarantor’s present
accounting procedures, provided , that, if the Guarantor
notifies the Administrative Agent that the Guarantor requests an
amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any
change occurring after the Restatement Effective Date in GAAP or in
the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if
the Administrative Agent notifies the Guarantor that the Required
Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such
purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or
after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such
provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect
and applied immediately before such change shall have become
effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such
provision amended in accordance herewith.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the financial statements furnished to the Banks
pursuant hereto shall be made and prepared in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied throughout the periods involved (except as set
forth in the notes thereto or as otherwise disclosed in writing by
the Guarantor to the Banks), provided , that (a) all
computations determining compliance with Sections 9.8 and
9.14, including definitions used therein, shall utilize accounting
principles based on the Pro Rata Consolidation Method, (b) all
computations determining compliance with Sections 9.8, 9.14
and 9.15, including definitions used therein, shall exclude
interest income received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
with respect to loans made by the Borrower or such Subsidiary
pursuant to Sections 8.06(b) and (d) of the Agreement,
unless such loans are funded with the proceeds from Revolving Loans
or the Senior Notes and (c) such financial statements must
also include a report (in the footnotes thereto or otherwise) of
the financial results of the Guarantor using accounting principles
based on the Pro Rata Consolidation Method.
2. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS,
CONSIDERATION. The Guarantor desires that the Agents and the Banks
grant the Borrower and continue the loan(s), credit and
financial
accommodations provided for under the Agreement. The Agreement
provides, on and subject to certain conditions therein set forth,
for Revolving Loans by the Banks to the Borrower up to an aggregate
maximum principal amount of Seven Hundred Fifty Million Dollars
($750,000,000). There exists and will hereafter exist economic and
business relationships between the Guarantor and the Borrower which
will be of benefit to the Guarantor. The Guarantor finds it to be
in the direct business and economic interest of the Guarantor that
the Borrower obtain the loans, credit and financial accommodations
from the Agents and the Banks provided for in the Agreement. The
Guarantor understands that the Agents and the Banks are willing to
grant and continue the loans, credit and financial accommodations
to the Borrower provided for in the Agreement only upon certain
terms and conditions, one of which is that the Guarantor
unconditionally guarantee the payment of the Debt and this
instrument is being executed and delivered by the Guarantor to
satisfy that condition and in consideration of the Agents and the
Banks entering into the Agreement.
3. GUARANTY.
The Guarantor hereby absolutely, irrevocably and unconditionally
guarantees (a) the punctual and full payment of all and every
portion of the Debt when due, by acceleration or otherwise, whether
now owing or hereafter arising, (b) the prompt observance and
performance by the Borrower of each and all of the Borrower’s
covenants, undertakings, obligations and agreements set forth in
the Agreement, the Notes and/or any other Related Writing
evidencing or pertaining thereto, and (c) the prompt payment
of all expenses and costs, including reasonable attorneys’
fees, incurred by or for the account of the Agents and/or the Banks
in connection with any action to enforce payment or collection of
the Debt from the Borrower and/or the Guarantor or to prepare any
amendments, restatements or modifications of the Agreement, the
Notes and/or this Guaranty. If the Debt or any part thereof shall
not be paid in full punctually when due and payable, the Agents
and/or the Banks in each case shall have the right to proceed
directly against the Guarantor under this Guaranty regardless of
whether or not the Agents and/or the Banks shall have theretofore
proceeded or shall then be proceeding against the Borrower or any
other Obligor or Collateral, if any, or any of the foregoing, it
being understood that the Agents and/or the Banks in their sole
discretion may proceed or not proceed against the Borrower, the
Obligors and/or any Collateral and may exercise or not exercise
each right, power or privilege that the Agents and/or the Banks may
at any time have, either simultaneously or separately and, in any
event, at such time or times and as often and in such order as the
Agents and/or the Banks in their sole discretion, may from time to
time deem expedient, all without affecting the obligations of the
Guarantor hereunder or the right of the Agents and/or the Banks to
demand and/or enforce performance by the Guarantor of the
Guarantor’s obligations hereunder.
4. REINSTATEMENT.
This Guaranty shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as
the case may be, if any amount paid by or on behalf of the Borrower
to the Agents or the Banks on or in respect of the Debt is
rescinded, restored or returned in connection with the insolvency,
bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the
Borrower or any other Obligor, or as a result of the appointment of
a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar
officer for, the Borrower or any other Obligor or any part of the
property of the Borrower or any other Obligor, or otherwise, all as
though such payment had not been made.
5. WAIVERS.
The Guarantor waives any and all contractual, legal and/or
equitable rights of subrogation, contribution, exoneration,
indemnity and/or
reimbursement
from or against the Borrower or any Obligor with respect to the
Debt and/or any payments made by the Guarantor on account of this
Guaranty.
6. ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS. Regardless of the duration of time, regardless of
whether the Borrower may from time to time cease to be indebted to
the Banks and irrespective of any act, omission or course of
dealing whatever on the part of the Agents and/or the Banks, the
Guarantor’s liabilities and other obligations under this
Guaranty shall remain in full force and effect until the full and
final payment of all of the Debt. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing:
6.1.
The obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall not be released,
discharged or in any way affected, nor shall the Guarantor have any
rights or recourse against the Agents or the Banks by reason of
(a) any action the Agents or the Banks may take or omit to
take, or (b) any defense raised or asserted by the Borrower
against enforcement of the Agreement or the Notes or any challenge
to the sufficiency or enforceability of the Agreement, any of the
Notes or this Guaranty, or (c) any act or thing that might
otherwise operate as a legal or equitable discharge of a surety, as
to which the Guarantor hereby expressly waives any and all defenses
available to a surety except irrevocable payment in full of the
Debt.
6.2.
The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guaranty shall be
satisfied strictly in accordance with the terms of this Guaranty,
under all circumstances whatsoever, including, without limitation,
the existence of any claim, setoff, defense or right which the
Guarantor or the Borrower may have at any time against the Agents
or the Banks or any other Person or entity, whether in connection
with this Guaranty, the Agreement, the Notes or the transactions
contemplated hereby or any unrelated transaction.
6.3.
The Banks shall at no time be under any duty to the Guarantor to
grant any loans, credit or financial accommodation to the Borrower,
irrespective of any duty or commitment of the Banks to the
Borrower, or to follow or direct the application of the proceeds of
any such loans, credit or financial accommodation.
6.4.
The Guarantor waives (a) notice of the granting of any loan to
the Borrower or the incurring of any other Indebtedness, including,
but not limited to the creation of the Debt by the Borrower or the
terms and conditions thereof, (b) presentment, notice of
nonpayment, demand for payment, protest, notice of protest and
notice of dishonor of the Notes or any other Indebtedness incurred
by the Borrower to the Banks, (c) notice of any indulgence
granted to any Obligor, (d) notice of the Banks’ acceptance
of this Guaranty, and (e) any other notice to which the
Guarantor might, but for the within waiver, be entitled.
6.5.
The Agents and/or the Banks in their sole discretion may, without
prejudice to their rights under this Guaranty, at any time or times
(a) grant the Borrower whatever loans, credit or financial
accommodations that the Banks, or any thereof, may from time to
time deem advisable, even if the Borrower might be in default and
even if those loans, credit or financial accommodations might not
constitute Debt the payment of which is guaranteed hereunder,
(b) assent to any renewal, extension, consolidation or
refinancing of the Debt or any part thereof, (c) forbear from
demanding security, if the Agents and/or the Banks shall have the
right to do so, (d) release any Obligor or Collateral or
assent to any exchange of
Collateral, if
any, irrespective of the consideration, if any, received therefor,
(e) grant any waiver or consent or forbear from exercising any
right, power or privilege that the Agents and/or the Banks may have
or acquire, (f) assent to any amendment, deletion, addition,
supplement or other modification in, to or of any writing
evidencing or securing any Debt or pursuant to which any Debt is
created, (g) grant any other indulgence to any Obligor,
(h) accept any Collateral for or other Obligors upon the Debt
or any part thereof, or (i) fail, neglect or omit in any way
to realize upon any Collateral or to protect the Debt or any part
thereof or any Collateral therefor.
6.6.
The Guarantor’s liabilities and other obligations under this
Guaranty shall survive any merger, consolidation or dissolution of
the Guarantor.
6.7.
The Guarantor’s liabilities and other obligations under this
Guaranty shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of any
lack of validity or enforceability of any agreement, instrument or
document evidencing the Debt or related thereto, or any other
defense available to the Guarantor in respect of this
Guaranty.
7. REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES. The Guarantor represents and warrants that
(a) it is a duly organized and validly existing corporation
under the laws of the State of Ohio, (b) the execution,
delivery and performance of this Guaranty have been duly authorized
by all necessary corporate action, (c) there is no prohibition
in either its Articles of Incorporation, Code of Regulations or in
any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree or order to which it is
a party that in any way restricts or prohibits the execution,
delivery and performance of this Guaranty in any respect,
(d) this Guaranty has been duly executed and delivered by the
Guarantor and is a valid and binding obligation of the Guarantor
enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, and
(e) as of January 31, 2007, there are 56,000,000 shares
authorized of Class B Common Stock of the Guarantor of which
25,254,210 shares are issued and outstanding.
The
Guarantor further represents and warrants that this Guaranty is
made in furtherance of the purposes for which the Guarantor was
incorporated and is necessary to promote and further the business
of the Guarantor and that the assumption by the Guarantor of its
obligations hereunder will result in direct financial benefits to
the Guarantor.
This
Guaranty is not made in connection with any consumer loan or
consumer transaction.
The
Guarantor further represents and warrants that (a) the
Guarantor has received consideration which is the reasonably
equivalent value of the obligations and liabilities that the
Guarantor has incurred to the Agents and/or the Banks, (b) the
Guarantor is not insolvent as defined in any applicable state or
federal statute, nor will the Guarantor be rendered insolvent by
the execution and delivery of this Guaranty to the Agents and the
Banks, (c) the Guarantor is not engaged or about to engage in
any business or transaction for which the assets retained by the
Guarantor shall be an unreasonably small capital, taking into
consideration the obligations to the Agents and the Banks incurred
hereunder, and (d) the Guarantor does not intend to, nor does
the Guarantor believe, that the Guarantor will incur debts beyond
the Guarantor’s ability to pay as they become due.
The
Guarantor further represents and warrants that the Guarantor has no
Indebtedness outstanding from any Subsidiary of the Guarantor to
the Guarantor.
Neither
the Guarantor nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to or in
violation of any law, regulation, or list of any government agency
(including, without limitation, the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset
Control list, Executive Order No. 13224 or the USA Patriot
Act) that prohibits or limits the conduct of business with or the
receiving of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of any
Persons specified therein or that prohibits or limits any Bank or
the Agents from making any advances or extensions of credit to the
Guarantor or from otherwise conducting business with the
Guarantor.
8. NOTICES.
The Agents and/or the Banks shall be deemed to have knowledge or to
have received notice of any event, condition or thing only if the
Agents and/or the Banks shall have received written notice thereof
as provided in the Agreement. A written notice shall be deemed to
have been duly given to the Guarantor whenever a writing to that
effect shall have been sent by registered or certified mail to the
Guarantor at the address set forth opposite the Guarantor’s
signature below (or to such other address of the Guarantor as the
Guarantor may hereafter furnish to the Banks in writing for such
purpose), but no other method of giving notice to or making a
request of the Guarantor is hereby precluded.
9. COVENANTS.
The Guarantor hereby agrees to perform and observe and to cause
each of its Subsidiaries to perform and observe, all of the
following covenants and agreements:
9.1.
INSURANCE. Each Company will:
(a)
insure itself and all of its insurable properties to such extent,
by such insurers and against such hazards and liabilities as is
generally done by businesses similarly situated, it being
understood that the Guarantor has obtained a fidelity bond for such
of its employees as handle funds belonging to the Borrower or the
Guarantor,
(b)
give the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any material
reduction or adverse change in that Company’s insurance
coverage, and
(c)
forthwith upon any Bank’s or the Administrative Agent’s
written request, furnish to each Bank and the Administrative Agent
such information in writing about that Company’s insurance as
any Bank or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, may from time
to time reasonably request.
9.2.
MONEY OBLIGATIONS. Each Company will pay in full:
(a)
prior in each case to the date when penalties would attach, all
taxes, assessments and governmental charges and levies (except only
those so long as and, to the extent that, the same shall be
contested in good faith by appropriate and timely proceedings
diligently pursued and taxes and assessments on inconsequential
parcels of vacant land, the nonpayment of which does not
materially
adversely
affect the financial condition of the Guarantor) for which it may
be or become liable or to which any or all of its properties may be
or become subject,
(b)
all of its wage obligations to its employees in compliance with the
Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. Section 206-207) or any
comparable provisions, and
(c)
all of its other obligations calling for the payment of money
(except only those so long as and to the extent that the same shall
be contested in good faith by appropriate and timely proceedings
diligently pursued) before such payment becomes overdue;
provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Guarantor
shall not make any payment on account of any of the Senior Notes or
the 2006 Puttable Senior Notes in the event of and during the
continuance of any Payment Default under the Agreement or this
Guaranty.
9.3.
RECORDS. Each Company will:
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