Exhibit 4.1
HARRAH’S OPERATING ESCROW
LLC
HARRAH’S ESCROW
CORPORATION
as Issuer
HARRAH’S ENTERTAINMENT,
INC.
as Parent Guarantor
11
1 / 4 % Senior Secured Notes due
2017
INDENTURE
Dated as of June 10,
2009
U.S. Bank National
Association,
as Trustee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY
REFERENCE
1
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Section 1.01.
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Definitions
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1
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Section 1.02.
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Other
Definitions
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45
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Section 1.03.
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Incorporation
by Reference of Trust Indenture Act
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46
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Section 1.04.
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Rules of
Construction
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47
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ARTICLE II
THE NOTES
47
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Section 2.01.
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Amount of
Notes
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47
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Section 2.02.
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Form and
Dating
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48
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Section 2.03.
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Execution and
Authentication
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49
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Section 2.04.
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Registrar and
Paying Agent
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49
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Section 2.05.
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Paying Agent to
Hold Money in Trust
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50
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Section 2.06.
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Holder
Lists
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50
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Section 2.07.
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Transfer and
Exchange
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50
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Section 2.08.
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Replacement
Notes
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51
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Section 2.09.
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Outstanding
Notes
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52
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Section 2.10.
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[Intentionally
Omitted.]
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52
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Section 2.11.
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Cancellation
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52
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Section 2.12.
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Defaulted
Interest
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52
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Section 2.13.
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CUSIP Numbers,
ISINs, Etc
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52
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Section 2.14.
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Calculation of
Principal Amount of Notes
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53
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Section 2.15.
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Mandatory
Disposition Pursuant to Gaming Laws
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53
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ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION
53
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Section 3.01.
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Redemption
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53
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Section 3.02.
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Applicability
of Article
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54
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Section 3.03.
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Notices to
Trustee
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54
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Section 3.04.
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Selection of
Notes to Be Redeemed
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54
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Section 3.05.
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Notice of
Optional Redemption
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54
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Section 3.06.
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Effect of
Notice of Redemption
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55
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Section 3.07.
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Deposit of
Redemption Price
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55
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Section 3.08.
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Notes Redeemed
in Part
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56
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ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS
56
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Section 4.01.
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Payment of
Notes
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56
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Section 4.02.
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Reports and
Other Information
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56
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i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(cont’d)
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Page
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Section 4.03.
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Limitation on
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and
Preferred Stock
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58
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Section 4.04.
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Limitation on
Restricted Payments
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64
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Section 4.05.
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Dividend and
Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries
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71
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Section 4.06.
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Asset
Sales
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73
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Section 4.07.
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Transactions
with Affiliates
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77
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Section 4.08.
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Change of
Control
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80
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Section 4.09.
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Compliance
Certificate
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82
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Section 4.10.
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Further
Instruments and Acts
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82
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Section 4.11.
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Future
Subsidiary Pledgors; Future Subsidiary Guarantors
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82
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Section 4.12.
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Liens
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83
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Section 4.13.
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After-Acquired
Property and Gaming Approval
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83
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Section 4.14.
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Maintenance of
Office or Agency
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84
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Section 4.15.
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Amendment of
Security Agreements
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84
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Section 4.16.
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Covenant
Suspension
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84
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Section 4.17.
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Maintenance of
Insurance
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85
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ARTICLE V
SUCCESSOR COMPANY
85
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Section 5.01.
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When Issuer May
Merge or Transfer Assets
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85
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ARTICLE VI
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
88
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Section 6.01.
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Events of
Default
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88
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Section 6.02.
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Acceleration
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90
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Section 6.03.
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Other
Remedies
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91
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Section 6.04.
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Waiver of Past
Defaults
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91
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Section 6.05.
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Control by
Majority
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91
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Section 6.06.
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Limitation on
Suits
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92
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Section 6.07.
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Rights of the
Holders to Receive Payment
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92
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Section 6.08.
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Collection Suit
by Trustee
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92
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Section 6.09.
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Trustee May
File Proofs of Claim
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93
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Section 6.10.
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Priorities
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93
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Section 6.11.
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Undertaking for
Costs
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93
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Section 6.12.
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Waiver of Stay
or Extension Laws
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94
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ARTICLE VII
TRUSTEE
94
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Section 7.01.
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Duties of
Trustee
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94
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Section 7.02.
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Rights of
Trustee
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95
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Section 7.03.
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Individual
Rights of Trustee
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97
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Section 7.04.
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Trustee’s
Disclaimer
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97
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ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(cont’d)
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Page
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Section 7.05.
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Notice of
Defaults
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97
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Section 7.06.
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Reports by
Trustee to the Holders
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98
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Section 7.07.
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Compensation
and Indemnity
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98
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Section 7.08.
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Replacement of
Trustee
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99
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Section 7.09.
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Successor
Trustee by Merger
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100
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Section 7.10.
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Eligibility;
Disqualification
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100
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Section 7.11.
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Preferential
Collection of Claims Against the Issuer
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100
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ARTICLE VIII
DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE
100
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Section 8.01.
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Discharge of
Liability on Notes; Defeasance
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100
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Section 8.02.
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Conditions to
Defeasance
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102
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Section 8.03.
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Application of
Trust Money
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103
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Section 8.04.
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Repayment to
Issuer
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103
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Section 8.05.
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Indemnity for
U.S. Government Obligations
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103
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Section 8.06.
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Reinstatement
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103
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ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
104
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Section 9.01.
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Without Consent
of the Holders
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104
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Section 9.02.
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With Consent of
the Holders
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105
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Section 9.03.
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Compliance with
Trust Indenture Act
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106
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Section 9.04.
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Revocation and
Effect of Consents and Waivers
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106
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Section 9.05.
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Notation on or
Exchange of Notes
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107
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Section 9.06.
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Trustee to Sign
Amendments
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107
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Section 9.07.
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Additional
Voting Terms; Calculation of Principal Amount
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107
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ARTICLE X
RANKING OF NOTE LIENS
108
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Section 10.01.
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Relative
Rights
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108
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ARTICLE XI
COLLATERAL
109
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Section 11.01.
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Security
Documents
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109
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Section 11.02.
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Collateral
Agent
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109
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Section 11.03.
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Authorization
of Actions to Be Taken
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110
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Section 11.04.
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Release of
Collateral
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111
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Section 11.05.
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Filing,
Recording and Opinions
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114
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Section 11.06.
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[Intentionally
omitted.]
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115
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Section 11.07.
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Powers
Exercisable by Receiver or Trustee
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115
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iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(cont’d)
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Page
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Section 11.08.
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Release Upon
Termination of the Issuer’s Obligations
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115
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Section 11.09.
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Designations
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115
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Section 11.10.
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Taking and
Destruction
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116
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ARTICLE XII
GUARANTEE
116
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Section 12.01.
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Guarantee
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116
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Section 12.02.
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Limitation on
Liability
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118
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Section 12.03.
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Successors and
Assigns
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119
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Section 12.04.
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No
Waiver
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119
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Section 12.05.
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Modification
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120
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Section 12.06.
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Execution of
Supplemental Indenture for Future Note Guarantors
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120
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Section 12.07.
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Non-Impairment
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120
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ARTICLE XIII
MISCELLANEOUS
120
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Section 13.01.
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Trust Indenture
Act Controls
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120
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Section 13.02.
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Notices
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120
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Section 13.03.
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Communication
by the Holders with Other Holders
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121
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Section 13.04.
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Certificate and
Opinion as to Conditions Precedent
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121
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Section 13.05.
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Statements
Required in Certificate or Opinion
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121
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Section 13.06.
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When Notes
Disregarded
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122
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Section 13.07.
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Rules by
Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar
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122
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Section 13.08.
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Legal
Holidays
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122
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Section 13.09.
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GOVERNING
LAW
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122
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Section 13.10.
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No Recourse
Against Others
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122
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Section 13.11.
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Successors
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122
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Section 13.12.
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Multiple
Originals
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123
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Section 13.13.
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Table of
Contents; Headings
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123
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Section 13.14.
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Indenture
Controls
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123
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Section 13.15.
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Severability
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123
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Section 13.16.
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Intercreditor
Agreements
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123
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ARTICLE XIV
123
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Section 14.01.
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HOC
Assumption
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123
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iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(cont’d)
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Page
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Appendix A –
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Provisions
Relating to Initial Notes, Additional Notes and Exchange
Notes
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EXHIBIT
INDEX
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Exhibit
A –
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Form of Initial
Note
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Exhibit
B –
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Form of
Exchange Note
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Exhibit
C –
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Form of
Transferee Letter of Representation
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Exhibit
D –
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Form of
Supplemental Indenture Related to Subsidiary Guarantors
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Exhibit
E –
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Form of
Supplemental Indenture Related to HOC Assumption
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v
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
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TIA
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Indenture
Section
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310
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(a)(1)
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7.10
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(a)(2)
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7.10
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(a)(3)
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N.A.
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(a)(4)
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N.A.
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(b)
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7.08; 7.10
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(c)
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N.A.
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311
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(a)
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7.11
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(b)
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7.11
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(c)
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N.A.
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312
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(a)
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2.06
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(b)
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13.03
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(c)
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13.03
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313
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(a)
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7.06
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(b)(1)
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N.A.
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(b)(2)
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7.06
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(c)
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7.06
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(d)
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4.02; 4.09
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314
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(a)
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4.02; 4.09
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(b)
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N.A.
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(c)(1)
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13.04
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(c)(2)
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13.04
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(c)(3)
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N.A.
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(d)
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N.A.
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(e)
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13.05
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(f)
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4.10
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315
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(a)
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7.01
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(b)
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7.05
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(c)
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7.01
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(d)
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7.01
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(e)
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6.11
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316
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(a)(last
sentence)
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13.06
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(a)(1)(A)
|
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6.05
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(a)(1)(B)
|
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6.04
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(a)(2)
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N.A.
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(b)
|
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6.07
|
|
317
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(a)(1)
|
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6.08
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(a)(2)
|
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6.09
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(b)
|
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2.05
|
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318
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(a)
|
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13.01
|
N.A. Means Not
Applicable.
Note: This Cross-Reference Table shall not, for
any purposes, be deemed to be part of this Indenture.
INDENTURE dated as of June 10,
2009 among HARRAH’S OPERATING ESCROW LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company, HARRAH’S ESCROW CORPORATION, a Delaware
corporation (together, the “ Escrow Issuers ” or
the “ Issuer ,” provided that, for
purposes of this Indenture, prior to the HOC Assumption (as defined
herein), the references to the “Issuer” in this
Indenture refer only to the Escrow Issuers; after the consummation
of the HOC Assumption, the references to the “Issuer”
only refer to Harrah’s Operating Company, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and not to any of its subsidiaries), HARRAH’S
ENTERTAINMENT, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “ Parent
Guarantor ”) and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as
trustee (the “ Trustee ”).
Each party agrees as
follows for the benefit of the other parties and for the equal and
ratable benefit of the holders of (i) $1,375,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of the Issuer’s 11 1 / 4 % Senior Secured Notes due 2017
issued on the date hereof (the “ Initial Notes
”), and (ii) exchange notes issued in exchange for the
Initial Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or
pursuant to an effective registration statement under the
Securities Act (the “ Exchange Notes ”) and
(iii) Additional Notes issued from time to time as either
Initial Notes or Exchange Notes (together with the Initial Notes
and any Exchange Notes, the “ Notes
”):
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY
REFERENCE
SECTION 1.01.
Definitions .
“ Acquired Indebtedness
” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person
existing at the time such other Person is merged, consolidated or
amalgamated with or into or became a Restricted Subsidiary of such
specified Person, and
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien
encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.
“ Acquisition ”
means the acquisition by Affiliates of the Sponsors of
substantially all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., pursuant to the Merger
Agreement.
“ Acquisition Documents
” means the Merger Agreement and any other document entered
into in connection therewith, in each case as amended, supplemented
or modified from time to time prior to the Issue Date or
thereafter.
“ Acquisition
Transactions ” means the transactions described in the
Offering Memorandum under the section titled “Acquisition
Transactions.”
“Additional First Priority
Lien Obligations” means the Notes Obligations and any Other First
Priority Lien Obligations that are Incurred after the Issue Date
(other than Indebtedness incurred under clause (i) of the
definition of Credit Agreement) and secured by the Common
Collateral on a first priority basis pursuant to the Security
Documents.
“ Additional First Lien
Secured Party ” means the holders of any Additional First
Priority Lien Obligations, including the holders of the Notes, and
any Authorized Representative with respect thereto, including the
Trustee.
“ Additional Notes
” means Notes issued under the terms of this Indenture
subsequent to the Issue Date.
“ Affiliate ” of
any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly
controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For purposes of this
definition, “ control ” (including, with
correlative meanings, the terms “ controlling ,”
“ controlled by ” and “ under common
control with ”), as used with respect to any Person,
means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such
Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by
agreement or otherwise.
“ Applicable Premium
” means, with respect to any Note on any applicable
redemption date, the greater of:
(1) 1% of the then outstanding
principal amount of the Note; and
(2) the excess of:
(a) the present value at such
redemption date of (i) the redemption price of the Note at
June 1, 2013 (such redemption price being set forth in
Paragraph 5 of the Note) plus (ii) all required
interest payments due on the Note through June 1, 2013
(excluding accrued but unpaid interest), computed using a discount
rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date
plus 50 basis points; over
(b) the then outstanding principal
amount of the Note.
“ Asset Sale ”
means:
(1) the sale, conveyance, transfer
or other disposition (whether in a single transaction or a series
of related transactions) of property or assets (including by way of
a Sale/ Leaseback Transaction) outside the ordinary course of
business of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer
(each referred to in this definition as a “
disposition ”) or
(2) the issuance or sale of Equity
Interests (other than directors’ qualifying shares and shares
issued to foreign nationals or other third parties to the extent
required by applicable law) of any Restricted Subsidiary (other
than to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer)
(whether in a single transaction or a series of related
transactions),
2
in each case other than:
(a) a disposition of Cash
Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities or obsolete, damaged or
worn out property or equipment in the ordinary course of
business;
(b) the disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Issuer in a manner permitted
pursuant to Section 5.01 or any disposition that constitutes a
Change of Control;
(c) any Restricted Payment or
Permitted Investment that is permitted to be made, and is made,
under Section 4.04;
(d) any disposition of assets of the
Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or issuance or sale of Equity
Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary, which assets or Equity
Interests so disposed or issued have an aggregate Fair Market Value
(as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of less than $50.0
million;
(e) any disposition of property or
assets, or the issuance of securities, by a Restricted Subsidiary
of the Issuer to the Issuer or by the Issuer or a Restricted
Subsidiary of the Issuer to a Restricted Subsidiary of the
Issuer;
(f) any exchange of assets
(including a combination of assets and Cash Equivalents) for assets
related to a Similar Business of comparable or greater market value
or usefulness to the business of the Issuer and its Restricted
Subsidiaries as a whole, as determined in good faith by the
Issuer;
(g) foreclosure or any similar
action with respect to any property or other asset of the Issuer or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(h) any sale of Equity Interests in,
or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted
Subsidiary;
(i) the lease, assignment or
sublease of any real or personal property in the ordinary course of
business;
(j) any sale of inventory or other
assets in the ordinary course of business;
(k) any grant in the ordinary course
of business of any license of patents, trademarks, know-how or any
other intellectual property;
(l) in the ordinary course of
business, any swap of assets, or lease, assignment or sublease of
any real or personal property, in exchange for services (including
in connection with any outsourcing arrangements) of comparable or
greater value or usefulness to the business of the Issuer and its
Restricted Subsidiaries as a whole, as determined in good faith by
the Issuer;
(m) a transfer of accounts
receivable and related assets of the type specified in the
definition of “ Receivables Financing ” (or a
fractional undivided interest therein) by a Receivables Subsidiary
in a Qualified Receivables Financing;
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(n) any financing transaction with
respect to property built or acquired by the Issuer or any
Restricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date, including any
Sale/Leaseback Transaction or asset securitization permitted by
this Indenture;
(o) dispositions in connection with
Permitted Liens;
(p) any disposition of Capital Stock
of a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement or other
obligation with or to a Person (other than the Issuer or a
Restricted Subsidiary) from whom such Restricted Subsidiary was
acquired or from whom such Restricted Subsidiary acquired its
business and assets (having been newly formed in connection with
such acquisition), made as part of such acquisition and in each
case comprising all or a portion of the consideration in respect of
such sale or acquisition;
(q) any disposition made pursuant to
an Operations Management Agreement;
(r) the sale of any property in a
Sale/Leaseback Transaction within six months of the acquisition of
such property;
(s) dispositions of receivables in
connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in
the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar
proceedings and exclusive of factoring or similar arrangements;
and
(t) any surrender or waiver of
contract rights or the settlement, release, recovery on or
surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind.
“ Authorized
Representative ” means (i) in the case of any Credit
Agreement Obligations or the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the
administrative agent under the Credit Agreement, (ii) in the
case of the Notes Obligations or the holders of the Notes, the
Trustee and (iii) in the case of any Series of Additional
First Priority Lien Obligations or Additional First Lien Secured
Parties that become subject to the First Lien Intercreditor
Agreement, the Authorized Representative named for such Series in
the applicable joinder agreement.
“ Bank Indebtedness
” means any and all amounts payable under or in respect of
the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Agreement Documents as
amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced, restructured,
repaid, refunded, refinanced or otherwise modified from time to
time (including after termination of the Credit Agreement),
including principal, premium (if any), interest (including interest
accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or
for reorganization relating to the Issuer whether or not a claim
for post-filing interest is allowed in such proceedings), fees,
charges, expenses, reimbursement obligations, guarantees and all
other amounts payable thereunder or in respect thereof.
4
“ Board of Directors
” means, as to any Person, the board of directors or
managers, as applicable, of such Person (or, if such Person is a
partnership, the board of directors or other governing body of the
general partner of such Person) or any duly authorized committee
thereof.
“ Business Day ”
means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which
banking institutions are authorized or required by law to close in
New York City.
“ Capital Stock ”
means:
(1) in the case of a corporation,
corporate stock or shares;
(2) in the case of an association or
business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations,
rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate
stock;
(3) in the case of a partnership or
limited liability company, partnership or membership interests
(whether general or limited); and
(4) any other interest or
participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share
of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the
issuing Person.
“ Capitalized Lease
Obligation ” means, at the time any determination thereof
is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital
lease that would at such time be required to be capitalized and
reflected as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the
footnotes thereto) in accordance with GAAP.
“ Capitalized Software
Expenditures ” means, for any period, the aggregate of
all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities)
by a Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in
respect of purchased software or internally developed software and
software enhancements that, in conformity with GAAP, are or are
required to be reflected as capitalized costs on the consolidated
balance sheet of such Person and such Restricted
Subsidiaries.
“ Cash Equivalents
” means:
(1) U.S. dollars, pounds sterling,
euros, the national currency of any member state in the European
Union or, in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary that is a
Restricted Subsidiary, such local currencies held by it from time
to time in the ordinary course of business;
(2) securities issued or directly
and fully guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or any
country that is a member of the European Union or any agency or
instrumentality thereof in each case maturing not more than two
years from the date of acquisition;
(3) certificates of deposit, time
deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year
or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances,
in each
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case with maturities not exceeding
one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any
commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $250.0
million and whose long-term debt is rated “A” or the
equivalent thereof by Moody’s or S&P (or reasonably
equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized ratings
agency);
(4) repurchase obligations for
underlying securities of the types described in clauses
(2) and (3) above entered into with any financial
institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause
(3) above;
(5) commercial paper issued by a
corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Issuer) rated at least
“A-1” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s or
S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another
internationally recognized ratings agency) and in each case
maturing within one year after the date of acquisition;
(6) readily marketable direct
obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or
any political subdivision thereof having one of the two highest
rating categories obtainable from either Moody’s or S&P
(or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally
recognized ratings agency) in each case with maturities not
exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;
(7) Indebtedness issued by Persons
(other than the Sponsors or any of their Affiliates) with a rating
of “A” or higher from S&P or “A-2” or
higher from Moody’s (or reasonably equivalent ratings of
another internationally recognized ratings agency) in each case
with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of
acquisition; and
(8) investment funds investing at
least 95% of their assets in securities of the types described in
clauses (1) through (7) above.
“ Change of Control
” means the occurrence of either of the following:
(1) the sale, lease or transfer, in
one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially
all the assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, to a Person other than any of the Permitted Holders;
or
(2) the Issuer becomes aware (by way
of a report or any other filing pursuant to Section 13(d) of
the Exchange Act, proxy, vote, written notice or otherwise) of the
acquisition by any Person or group (within the meaning of
Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act,
or any successor provision), including any group acting for the
purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities (within
the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act), other than
any of the Permitted Holders, in a single transaction or in a
related series of transactions, by way of merger, consolidation,
amalgamation or other business combination or purchase of
beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act, or any successor provision), of more than 50% of the
total voting power of the Voting Stock of (prior to a Qualified IPO
or upon or after an Issuer IPO) the Issuer or (upon or after a
Holdco Qualified IPO) the Holdco Issuer.
“ Code ” means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
6
“ Collateral ”
means all property subject or purported to be subject, from time to
time, to a Lien under any Security Documents.
“ Collateral Agent
” means the First Lien Collateral Agent and any successor
thereto in such capacity.
“ Collateral Agreement
” means the amended and restated collateral agreement among
the Issuer, each Subsidiary Pledgor and Bank of America, N.A., as
Collateral Agent, dated as of June 10, 2009, as it may be
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time in accordance with its terms and this Indenture.
“ Common Collateral
” means, at any time, Collateral in which the holders of two
or more Series of First Priority Lien Obligations (or their
respective Authorized Representatives) hold a valid and perfected
security interest at such time. If more than two Series of First
Priority Lien Obligations are outstanding at any time and the
holders of less than all Series of First Priority Lien Obligations
hold a valid and perfected security interest in any Collateral at
such time then such Collateral shall constitute Common Collateral
for those Series of First Priority Lien Obligations that hold a
valid security interest in such Collateral at such time and shall
not constitute Common Collateral for any Series which does not have
a valid and perfected security interest in such Collateral at such
time.
“ Consolidated Depreciation
and Amortization Expense ” means, with respect to any
Person for any period, the total amount of depreciation and
amortization expense, including the amortization of intangible
assets, deferred financing fees and Capitalized Software
Expenditures and amortization of unrecognized prior service costs
and actuarial gains and losses related to pensions and other
post-employment benefits, of such Person and its Restricted
Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise
determined in accordance with GAAP.
“ Consolidated Interest
Expense ” means, with respect to any Person for any
period, the sum, without duplication, of:
(1) consolidated interest expense of
such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the
extent such expense was deducted in computing Consolidated Net
Income (including amortization of original issue discount, the
interest component of Capitalized Lease Obligations, and net
payments and receipts (if any) pursuant to interest rate Hedging
Obligations and excluding additional interest in respect of the
Notes, amortization of deferred financing fees, debt issuance
costs, commissions, fees and expenses and expensing of any bridge,
commitment or other financing fees); plus
(2) consolidated capitalized
interest of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such
period, whether paid or accrued; plus
(3) commissions, discounts, yield
and other fees and charges Incurred in connection with any
Receivables Financing which are payable to Persons other than the
Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries; minus
7
(4) interest income for such
period.
For purposes of this definition,
interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to
accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by the Issuer to
be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease
Obligation in accordance with GAAP.
“ Consolidated Leverage
Ratio ” means, with respect to any Person, at any date
the ratio of (i) Indebtedness (other than Qualified
Non-Recourse Debt) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries
as of such date of calculation (determined on a consolidated basis
in accordance with GAAP) less the amount of cash and Cash
Equivalents in excess of any Restricted Cash that would be stated
on the balance sheet of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries
and held by such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of such
date of determination to (ii) EBITDA of such Person for the
four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements
are available immediately preceding such date on which such
additional Indebtedness is Incurred. In the event that the Issuer
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurs, repays, repurchases
or redeems any Indebtedness subsequent to the commencement of the
period for which the Consolidated Leverage Ratio is being
calculated but prior to the event for which the calculation of the
Consolidated Leverage Ratio is made (the “ Consolidated
Leverage Calculation Date ”), then the Consolidated
Leverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect
to such Incurrence, repayment, repurchase or redemption of
Indebtedness as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the
applicable four-quarter period; provided that the Issuer may
elect pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the
Trustee to treat all or any portion of the commitment under any
Indebtedness as being Incurred at such time, in which case any
subsequent Incurrence of Indebtedness under such commitment shall
not be deemed, for purposes of this calculation, to be an
Incurrence at such subsequent time.
For purposes of making the
computation referred to above, Investments, acquisitions,
dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations (including the
Acquisition Transactions) and discontinued operations (as
determined in accordance with GAAP), in each case with respect to
an operating unit of a business, and any operational changes that
the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has determined to
make and/or made during the four-quarter reference period or
subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to or
simultaneously with the Consolidated Leverage Calculation Date
shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all
such Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers,
amalgamations, consolidations (including the Acquisition
Transactions), discontinued operations and other operational
changes (and the change of any associated Indebtedness and the
change in EBITDA resulting therefrom) had occurred on the first day
of the four-quarter reference period. If since the beginning of
such period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted
Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Issuer or any Restricted
Subsidiary since the beginning of such period shall have made any
Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation,
amalgamation, discontinued operation or operational change, in each
case with respect to an operating unit of a business, that would
have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then the
Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro
forma effect thereto for such period as if such Investment,
acquisition, disposition, discontinued operation, merger,
amalgamation, consolidation or operational change had occurred at
the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period. For purposes
of making the computation referred to above, with respect to each
New Project that commences operations and records not less than one
full fiscal quarter’s operations during the four-quarter
reference period, the operating results of such New Project will be
annualized on a straight-line basis during such period.
8
For purposes of this definition,
whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any event, the
pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a
responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer. Any such
pro forma calculation may include adjustments appropriate,
in the reasonable good faith determination of the Issuer as set
forth in an Officer’s Certificate, to reflect
(1) operating expense reductions and other operating
improvements or synergies reasonably expected to result from the
applicable event (including, to the extent applicable, from the
Acquisition Transactions) and (2) all adjustments of the
nature used in connection with the calculation of “Adjusted
EBITDA” as set forth in “Debt Covenant
Compliance” in Exhibit 99.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2009 for
Harrah’s Entertainment to the extent such adjustments,
without duplication, continue to be applicable to such four-quarter
period.
For purposes of this definition, any
amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars will be converted to
U.S. dollars based on the average exchange rate for such currency
for the most recent twelve month period immediately prior to the
date of determination in a manner consistent with that used in
calculating EBITDA for the applicable period.
“ Consolidated Net
Income ” means, with respect to any Person for any
period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis;
provided, however, that:
(1) any net after-tax extraordinary,
nonrecurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses
relating thereto) or expenses or charges, any severance expenses,
relocation expenses, curtailments or modifications to pension and
post-retirement employee benefit plans, any expenses related to any
reconstruction, decommissioning, recommissioning or reconfiguration
of fixed assets for alternate uses and fees, expenses or charges
relating to facilities closing costs, acquisition integration
costs, facilities opening costs, project start-up costs, business
optimization costs, signing, retention or completion bonuses,
expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests,
Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or issuance,
repayment, refinancing, amendment or modification of Indebtedness
(in each case, whether or not successful), and any fees, expenses,
charges or change in control payments made under the Acquisition
Documents or otherwise related to the Acquisition Transactions or
the Offering Transactions, in each case, shall be
excluded;
(2) effects of purchase accounting
adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down
to such Person and such Restricted Subsidiaries) in amounts
required or permitted by GAAP, resulting from the application of
purchase accounting in relation to the Acquisition Transactions or
any consummated acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any
amounts thereof, net of taxes, shall be excluded;
(3) the Net Income for such period
shall not include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting
principles during such period;
9
(4) any net after-tax income or loss
from disposed, abandoned, transferred, closed or discontinued
operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of
disposed, abandoned, transferred, closed or discontinued operations
shall be excluded;
(5) any net after-tax gains or
losses (less all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto)
attributable to business dispositions or asset dispositions other
than in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good
faith by management of the Issuer) shall be excluded;
(6) any net after-tax gains or
losses (less all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto)
attributable to the early extinguishment of indebtedness, Hedging
Obligations or other derivative instruments shall be
excluded;
(7) the Net Income for such period
of any Person that is not a Subsidiary of such Person, or is an
Unrestricted Subsidiary or a Qualified Non-Recourse Subsidiary, or
that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, shall be
included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or
distributions or other payments paid in cash (or to the extent
converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted
Subsidiary thereof (other than a Qualified Non-Recourse Subsidiary
of such referent Person) in respect of such period;
(8) solely for the purpose of
determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under
clause (1) of the definition of “ Cumulative
Credit ,” the Net Income for such period of any
Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary Pledgor) shall be
excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends
or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary of its Net
Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any
prior governmental approval (which has not been obtained) or,
directly or indirectly, by the operation of the terms of its
charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order,
statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that
Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders, unless such restrictions
with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions
have been legally waived; provided that the Consolidated Net
Income of such Person shall be increased by the amount of dividends
or other distributions or other payments actually paid in cash (or
converted into cash) by any such Restricted Subsidiary to such
Person, to the extent not already included therein;
(9) an amount equal to the amount of
Tax Distributions actually made to any parent or equity holder of
such Person in respect of such period in accordance with
Section 4.04(b)(xii) shall be included as though such amounts
had been paid as income taxes directly by such Person for such
period;
(10) any impairment charges or asset
write-offs, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of
intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded;
(11) any non-cash expense realized
or resulting from stock option plans, employee benefit plans or
post-employment benefit plans, or grants or sales of stock, stock
appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock,
preferred stock or other rights, shall be excluded;
10
(12) any (a) one-time non-cash
compensation charges, (b) costs and expenses after the Issue
Date related to employment of terminated employees, or
(c) costs or expenses realized in connection with or resulting
from stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options or other
rights existing on the Issue Date of officers, directors and
employees, in each case of such Person or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, shall be excluded;
(13) accruals and reserves that are
established or adjusted within 12 months after the Issue Date and
that are so required to be established or adjusted in accordance
with GAAP or as a result of adoption or modification of accounting
policies shall be excluded;
(14) solely for purposes of
calculating EBITDA, (a) the Net Income of any Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries shall be calculated without deducting the
income attributable to, or adding the losses attributable to, the
minority equity interests of third parties in any non-Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiary except to the extent of dividends declared or
paid in respect of such period or any prior period on the shares of
Capital Stock of such Restricted Subsidiary held by such third
parties and (b) any ordinary course dividend, distribution or
other payment paid in cash and received from any Person in excess
of amounts included in clause (7) above shall be
included;
(15) (a)(i) the non-cash portion of
“ straight-line ” rent expense shall be excluded
and (ii) the cash portion of “ straight-line
” rent expense which exceeds the amount expensed in respect
of such rent expense shall be included and (b) non-cash gains,
losses, income and expenses resulting from fair value accounting
required by the applicable standard under GAAP and related
interpretations shall be excluded;
(16) any currency translation gains
and losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness, and
any net loss or gain resulting from hedging transactions for
currency exchange risk, shall be excluded; and
(17) to the extent covered by
insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as such Person has
made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that
such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer and only to
the extent that such amount is (a) not denied by the
applicable carrier in writing within 180 days and (b) in fact
reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such evidence (with a
deduction for any amount so added back to the extent not so
reimbursed within 365 days), expenses with respect to liability or
casualty events or business interruption shall be
excluded.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for
the purpose of Section 4.04 only, there shall be excluded from
Consolidated Net Income any dividends, repayments of loans or
advances or other transfers of assets from Unrestricted
Subsidiaries of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer
to the extent such dividends, repayments or transfers increase the
amount of Restricted Payments permitted under such Section pursuant
to clauses (D) and (E) of the definition of “
Cumulative Credit .”
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“ Consolidated Non-cash
Charges ” means, with respect to any Person for any
period, the non-cash expenses (other than Consolidated Depreciation
and Amortization Expense) of such Person and its Restricted
Subsidiaries reducing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for
such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in
accordance with GAAP, provided that if any such non-cash
expenses represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items
in any future period, the cash payment in respect thereof in such
future period shall be subtracted from EBITDA in such future period
to the extent paid, but excluding from this proviso, for the
avoidance of doubt, amortization of a prepaid cash item that was
paid in a prior period.
“ Consolidated Taxes
” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the
provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital, including,
without limitation, state, franchise, property and similar taxes,
foreign withholding taxes (including penalties and interest related
to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) and any Tax
Distributions taken into account in calculating Consolidated Net
Income.
“ Contingent
Obligations ” means, with respect to any Person, any
obligation of such Person guaranteeing any leases, dividends or
other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness (“
primary obligations ”) of any other Person (the
“ primary obligor ”) in any manner, whether
directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any
obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent:
(1) to purchase any such primary
obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security
therefor,
(2) to advance or supply
funds:
(a) for the purchase or payment of
any such primary obligation; or
(b) to maintain working capital or
equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the
net worth or solvency of the primary obligor; or
(3) to purchase property, securities
or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any
such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to
make payment of such primary obligation against loss in respect
thereof.
“ Credit Agreement
” means (i) the credit agreement, dated as of
January 28, 2008, entered into in connection with the
consummation of the Acquisition, among the Issuer, the pledgors
named therein, the financial institutions named therein, and Bank
of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, as
amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not
upon termination, and whether with the original lenders or
otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or otherwise
modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture
extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing or otherwise
restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such
agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or any successor
or replacement agreement or agreements or indenture or
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indentures or increasing the amount loaned or
issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof and
(ii) whether or not the credit agreement referred to in clause
(i) remains outstanding, if designated by the Issuer to be
included in the definition of “Credit Agreement,” one
or more (A) debt facilities or commercial paper facilities,
providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables
financing (including through the sale of receivables to lenders or
to special purpose entities formed to borrow from lenders against
such receivables) or letters of credit, (B) debt securities,
indentures or other forms of debt financing (including convertible
or exchangeable debt instruments or bank guarantees or
bankers’ acceptances), or (C) instruments or agreements
evidencing any other Indebtedness, in each case, with the same or
different borrowers or issuers and, in each case, as amended,
supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed,
refinanced, restated, replaced or refunded in whole or in part from
time to time.
“ Credit Agreement
Agent ” has the meaning given to the term
“Administrative Agent” in the First Lien Intercreditor
Agreement.
“ Credit Agreement
Documents ” means the collective reference to any Credit
Agreement, any notes issued pursuant thereto and the guarantees
thereof, and the collateral documents relating thereto, as amended,
supplemented, restated, renewed, refunded, replaced, restructured,
repaid, refinanced or otherwise modified, in whole or in part, from
time to time.
“ Credit Agreement
Obligations ” means the Obligations in respect of the
Credit Agreement.
“ Credit Agreement Secured
Parties ” means the “Secured Parties” as
defined in the Credit Agreement.
“ Cumulative Credit
” means the sum of (without duplication):
(A) 50% of the Consolidated Net
Income of the Issuer for the period (taken as one accounting
period), from January 1, 2008 to the end of the Issuer’s
most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial
statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment
(or, in the case such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a
deficit, minus 100% of such deficit), plus
(B) 100% of the aggregate net
proceeds, including cash and the Fair Market Value (as determined
in good faith by the Issuer) of property other than cash, received
by the Issuer after February 1, 2008 (other than net proceeds
to the extent such net proceeds have been used to Incur
Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock pursuant to
Section 4.03(b)(xii)) from the issue or sale of Equity
Interests of the Issuer (excluding Refunding Capital Stock,
Designated Preferred Stock, Excluded Contributions and Disqualified
Stock), including Equity Interests issued upon exercise of warrants
or options (other than an issuance or sale to a Restricted
Subsidiary of the Issuer), plus
(C) 100% of the aggregate amount of
contributions to the capital of the Issuer received in cash and the
Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of
property other than cash after February 1, 2008 (other than
Excluded Contributions, Refunding Capital Stock, Designated
Preferred Stock and Disqualified Stock and other than contributions
to the extent such contributions have been used to Incur
Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock pursuant to
Section 4.03(b)(xii)), plus
13
(D) 100% of the principal amount of
any Indebtedness or the liquidation preference or maximum fixed
repurchase price, as the case may be, of any Disqualified Stock of
the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary thereof issued after
February 1, 2008 (other than Indebtedness or Disqualified
Stock issued to a Restricted Subsidiary) which has been converted
into or exchanged for Equity Interests in the Issuer (other than
Disqualified Stock) or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer
( provided in the case of any parent, such Indebtedness or
Disqualified Stock is retired or extinguished),
plus
(E) 100% of the aggregate amount
received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in cash and the
Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of
property other than cash received by the Issuer or any Restricted
Subsidiary from:
(I) the sale or other disposition
(other than to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer)
of Restricted Investments made by the Issuer and its Restricted
Subsidiaries and from repurchases and redemptions of such
Restricted Investments from the Issuer and its Restricted
Subsidiaries by any Person (other than the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries) and from repayments of loans or advances,
and releases of guarantees, which constituted Restricted
Investments (other than in each case to the extent that the
Restricted Investment was made pursuant to clause (vii) of
Section 4.04(b)),
(II) the sale (other than to the
Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer) of the Capital
Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or
(III) a distribution or dividend
from an Unrestricted Subsidiary, plus
(F) in the event any Unrestricted
Subsidiary of the Issuer has been redesignated as a Restricted
Subsidiary or has been merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or
into, or transfers or conveys its assets to, or is liquidated into,
the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, the Fair
Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of the
Investment of the Issuer in such Unrestricted Subsidiary (which, if
the Fair Market Value of such investment shall exceed $250.0
million, shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the
Issuer, a copy of the resolution of which with respect thereto
shall be delivered to the Trustee) at the time of such
redesignation, combination or transfer (or of the assets
transferred or conveyed, as applicable) (other than in each case to
the extent that the designation of such Subsidiary as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary was made pursuant to clause (vii) of
Section 4.04(b) or constituted a Permitted
Investment).
“ Default ” means
any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both
would be, an Event of Default.
“ Designated Non-cash
Consideration ” means the Fair Market Value (as
determined in good faith by the Issuer) of non-cash consideration
received by the Issuer or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries in
connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as Designated
Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate,
setting forth the basis of such valuation, less the amount of Cash
Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale of such
Designated Non-cash Consideration.
14
“ Designated Preferred
Stock ” means Preferred Stock of the Issuer or any direct
or indirect parent of the Issuer (other than Disqualified Stock),
that is issued for cash (other than to the Issuer or any of its
Subsidiaries or an employee stock ownership plan or trust
established by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries) and is so
designated as Designated Preferred Stock, pursuant to an
Officer’s Certificate, on the issuance date
thereof.
“ Destruction ”
means any damage to, loss or destruction of all or any portion of
the Collateral.
“ Disqualified Stock
” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of
such Person which, by its terms (or by the terms of any security
into which it is convertible or for which it is redeemable or
exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event:
(1) matures or is mandatorily
redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise
(other than as a result of a change of control or asset
sale),
(2) is convertible or exchangeable
for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of such Person,
or
(3) is redeemable at the option of
the holder thereof, in whole or in part (other than solely as a
result of a change of control or asset sale),
in each case prior to 91 days after
the earlier of the maturity date of the Notes or the date the Notes
are no longer outstanding; provided, however, that only the
portion of Capital Stock which so matures or is mandatorily
redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable
at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date shall be
deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided, further, however
, that if such Capital Stock is issued to any employee or to any
plan for the benefit of employees of the Issuer or its Subsidiaries
or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock shall not
constitute Disqualified Stock solely because it may be required to
be repurchased by the Issuer in order to satisfy applicable
statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such
employee’s termination, death or disability; provided,
further, that any class of Capital Stock of such Person that by
its terms authorizes such Person to satisfy its obligations
thereunder by delivery of Capital Stock that is not Disqualified
Stock shall not be deemed to be Disqualified Stock.
“ Domestic Subsidiary
” means a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Foreign
Subsidiary.
“ EBITDA ” means,
with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net
Income of such Person for such period plus, without duplication, to
the extent the same was deducted in calculating Consolidated Net
Income:
(1) Consolidated Taxes;
plus
(2) Fixed Charges;
plus
15
(3) Consolidated Depreciation and
Amortization Expense; plus
(4) Consolidated Non-cash Charges;
plus
(5) any expenses or charges (other
than Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense) related to
any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition,
disposition, recapitalization or the Incurrence or repayment of
Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred by this Indenture (including
a refinancing thereof) (whether or not successful), including
(i) such fees, expenses or charges related to the offering of
the Notes and the Bank Indebtedness, (ii) any amendment or
other modification of the Notes or other Indebtedness,
(iii) any additional interest in respect of the Notes and
(iv) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges
(including any interest expense) related to any Qualified
Receivables Financing; plus
(6) business optimization expenses
and other restructuring charges, reserves or expenses (which, for
the avoidance of doubt, shall include, without limitation, the
effect of inventory optimization programs, facility consolidations,
retention, systems establishment costs, contract termination costs,
future lease commitments and excess pension charges);
plus
(7) the amount of management,
monitoring, consulting, transaction and advisory fees and related
expenses paid to the Sponsors (or any accruals relating to such
fees and related expenses) during such period to the extent
otherwise permitted by Section 4.07; plus
(8) the amount of loss on sale of
receivables and related assets to a Receivables Subsidiary in
connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing;
plus
(9) any costs or expense Incurred
pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any
other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock
subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent that such cost
or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the
capital of the Issuer or a Subsidiary Pledgor or net cash proceeds
of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than
Disqualified Stock) solely to the extent that such net cash
proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the Cumulative
Credit; plus
(10) Pre-Opening
Expenses;
less , without duplication,
(11) non-cash items increasing
Consolidated Net Income for such period (excluding the recognition
of deferred revenue or any items which represent the reversal of
any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges that
reduced EBITDA in any prior period and any items for which cash was
received in a prior period).
“ Equity Interests
” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other
rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security
that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital
Stock).
16
“ Equity Offering
” means any public or private sale after the Issue Date of
common stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or any direct or
indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable (other than
Disqualified Stock), other than:
(1) public offerings with respect to
the Issuer’s or such direct or indirect parent’s common
stock registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8;
(2) issuances to any Subsidiary of
the Issuer; and
(3) any such public or private sale
that constitutes an Excluded Contribution.
“ Exchange Act ”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
“ Exchange Offer
Registration Statement ” means the registration statement
filed with the SEC in connection with the Registered Exchange
Offer.
“ Excluded
Contributions ” means the Cash Equivalents or other
assets (valued at their Fair Market Value as determined in good
faith by senior management or the Board of Directors of the Issuer)
received by the Issuer after the Issue Date from:
(1) contributions to its common
equity capital, and
(2) the sale (other than to a
Subsidiary of the Issuer or to any Subsidiary management equity
plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee
benefit plan or agreement) of Capital Stock (other than
Disqualified Stock and Designated Preferred Stock) of the
Issuer,
in each case designated as Excluded
Contributions pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate executed
by an Officer of the Issuer on or promptly after the date such
capital contributions are made or the date such Capital Stock is
sold, as the case may be.
“ Existing Second Lien
Notes ” means the Issuer’s 10.0% Second-Priority
Senior Secured Notes due 2015 and 10.0% Second-Priority Senior
Secured Notes due 2018 issued under the Second Lien Notes Indenture
dated December 24, 2008 and the Issuer’s 10.0%
Second-Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2018 issued under the
Second Lien Notes Indenture dated April 15, 2009.
“ Fair Market Value
” means, with respect to any asset or property, the price
which could be negotiated in an arm’s-length transaction, for
cash, between a willing seller and a willing and able buyer,
neither of whom is under undue pressure or compulsion to complete
the transaction.
“ First Lien Collateral
Agent ” shall mean Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity
as administrative agent and collateral agent for the lenders and
other secured parties under the Credit Agreement and the other
First Lien Documents and in its capacity as collateral agent for
the New First Lien Secured Parties, together with its successors
and permitted assigns under the Credit Agreement, the Indenture and
the First Lien Documents exercising substantially the
same
17
rights and powers; and in each case provided
that if such First Lien Collateral Agent is not Bank of America,
N.A., such First Lien Collateral Agent shall have become a party to
the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the other applicable
First Lien Security Documents.
“ First Lien Documents
” means the credit, guarantee and security documents
governing the New First Priority Lien Obligations, including,
without limitation, the Indenture and the First Lien Security
Documents.
“ First Lien Intercreditor
Agreement ” means the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement,
dated as of June 10, 2009, among the First Lien Collateral
Agent, Bank of America, N.A., as authorized representative for the
holders of the obligations under the Credit Agreement and the
Trustee, as authorized representative for the Holders, and
consented to by the Issuer and the Parent Guarantor, as the same
may be amended restated or modified from time to time.
“ First Lien Secured
Parties ” means (a) the Credit Agreement Secured
Parties, (b) the New First Lien Secured Parties and
(c) any Additional First Lien Secured Parties.
“ First Lien Security
Documents ” means the Security Documents and any other
agreement, document or instrument pursuant to which a Lien is
granted or purported to be granted securing New First Priority Lien
Obligations or under which rights or remedies with respect to such
Liens are governed, in each case to the extent relating to the
Collateral securing both the New First Priority Lien Obligations
and any Junior Lien Obligations.
“ First Priority
After-Acquired Property ” means any property of the
Issuer or any Subsidiary Pledgor that secures any Secured Bank
Indebtedness that is not already subject to the Lien under the
Security Documents other than any securities or other equity
interests of the Issuer or any of the Issuer’s
Subsidiaries.
“ First Priority Liens
” means the Liens securing the Obligations of the Issuer in
respect of the Notes and this Indenture and all present and future
Liens securing Other First Priority Lien Obligations as set forth
in the Collateral Agreement.
“ First Priority Lien
Obligations ” means (i) all Secured Bank
Indebtedness, (ii) all Notes Obligations and (iii) all
other Obligations of the Issuer or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries in respect of Hedging Obligations or Obligations in
respect of cash management services in each case owing to a Person
that is a holder of Secured Bank Indebtedness or an Affiliate of
such holder at the time of entry into such Hedging Obligations or
Obligations in respect of cash management services.
“ Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio ” means, with respect to any Person for any period,
the ratio of EBITDA of such Person for such period to the Fixed
Charges (other than Fixed Charges in respect of Qualified
Non-Recourse Debt) of such Person for such period. In the event
that the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurs,
repays, repurchases or redeems any Indebtedness (other than in the
case of revolving credit borrowings or revolving advances under any
Qualified Receivables Financing, in which case interest expense
shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such
Indebtedness during the applicable period) or issues, repurchases
or redeems Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock subsequent to the
commencement of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio is being calculated but prior to the
18
event for which the calculation of the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the “ Calculation Date
”), then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated
giving pro forma effect to such Incurrence, repayment,
repurchase or redemption of Indebtedness, or such issuance,
repurchase or redemption of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock,
as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable
four-quarter period.
For purposes of making the
computation referred to above, Investments, acquisitions,
dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations (including the
Acquisition Transactions) and discontinued operations (as
determined in accordance with GAAP), in each case with respect to
an operating unit of a business, and any operational changes that
the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has determined to
make and/or made during the four-quarter reference period or
subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to or
simultaneously with the Calculation Date shall be calculated on a
pro forma basis assuming that all such Investments,
acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations
(including the Acquisition Transactions), discontinued operations
and operational changes (and the change of any associated fixed
charge obligations and the change in EBITDA resulting therefrom)
had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period.
If since the beginning of such period any Person that subsequently
became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the
Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such
period shall have made any Investment, acquisition, disposition,
merger, consolidation, amalgamation, discontinued operation or
operational change, in each case with respect to an operating unit
of a business, that would have required adjustment pursuant to this
definition, then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be
calculated giving pro forma effect thereto for such period
as if such Investment, acquisition, disposition, discontinued
operation, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or operational
change had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter
period. For purposes of making the computation referred to above,
with respect to each New Project that commences operations and
records not less than one full fiscal quarter’s operations
during the four-quarter reference period, the operating results of
such New Project will be annualized on a straight line basis during
such period.
For purposes of this definition,
whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any event, the
pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a
responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer. Any such
pro forma calculation may include adjustments appropriate,
in the reasonable good faith determination of the Issuer as set
forth in an Officer’s Certificate, to reflect
(1) operating expense reductions and other operating
improvements or synergies reasonably expected to result from the
applicable event (including, to the extent applicable, from the
Acquisition Transactions), and (2) all adjustments of the
nature used in connection with the calculation of “Adjusted
EBITDA” as set forth in “Debt Covenant
Compliance” in Exhibit 99.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2009 for
Harrah’s Entertainment to the extent such adjustments,
without duplication, continue to be applicable to such four-quarter
period.
If any Indebtedness bears a floating
rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the
interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in
effect on the Calculation Date had been the applicable rate for the
entire period (taking into account any Hedging Obligations
applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a
remaining term in excess of 12 months). Interest on a Capitalized
Lease Obligation shall be
19
deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably
determined by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the
Issuer to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized
Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of making
the computation referred to above, interest on any Indebtedness
under a revolving credit facility computed on a pro forma
basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of
such Indebtedness during the applicable period. Interest on
Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate
based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency
interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been
based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon
such optional rate chosen as the Issuer may designate.
For purposes of this definition, any
amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars will be converted to
U.S. dollars based on the average exchange rate for such currency
for the most recent twelve-month period immediately prior to the
date of determination in a manner consistent with that used in
calculating EBITDA for the applicable period.
“ Fixed Charges ”
means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum, without
duplication, of:
(1) Consolidated Interest Expense of
such Person for such period, and
(2) all cash dividend payments
(excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of
Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock of such Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries.
“ Foreign Subsidiary
” means a Restricted Subsidiary not organized or existing
under the laws of the United States of America or any state or
territory thereof or the District of Columbia and any direct or
indirect subsidiary of such Restricted Subsidiary.
“ GAAP ” means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set
forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting
Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such
other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the
accounting profession, which are in effect on the Issue Date. For
the purposes of this Indenture, the term “
consolidated ” with respect to any Person shall mean
such Person consolidated with its Restricted Subsidiaries, and
shall not include any Unrestricted Subsidiary, but the interest of
such Person in an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be accounted for as
an Investment.
“ Gaming Authorities
” means, in any jurisdiction in which Issuer or any of its
subsidiaries manages or conducts any casino, gaming business or
activities, the applicable gaming board, commission, or other
governmental gaming regulatory body or agency which (a) has,
or may at any time after issuance of the Notes have, jurisdiction
over the gaming activities of the Issuer or any of its
subsidiaries, or any successor to such authority or (b) is, or
may at any time after the issuance of the Notes be, responsible for
interpreting, administering and enforcing the Gaming
Laws.
“ Gaming Laws ”
means all applicable constitutions, treaties, laws and statutes
pursuant to which any Gaming Authority possesses regulatory,
licensing or permit authority over
20
gaming, gambling or casino activities, and all
rules, rulings, orders, ordinances or regulations of any Gaming
Authority applicable to the gambling, casino or gaming businesses
or activities of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries in any
jurisdiction, as in effect from time to time, including the
policies, interpretations and administration thereof by the Gaming
Authorities.
“ guarantee ”
means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable
instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business),
direct or indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation,
letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof),
of all or any part of any Indebtedness or other
obligations.
“ Guaranteed Notes
Indenture ” means the indenture dated as of
February 1, 2008, among the Issuer, the note guarantors named
therein and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee relating to
the Issuer’s 10.75% Senior Notes due 2016 and 10.75% / 11.5%
Senior Toggle Notes due 2018, as it may be amended, restated,
supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance
with its terms.
“ Guarantor ”
means the Parent Guarantor pursuant to the Guaranty and Pledge
Agreement and any Subsidiary that executes a supplemental indenture
and provides a guarantee in accordance with Section 4.11
hereof.
“ Guarantor Intercreditor
Agreement ” means the intercreditor agreement dated as of
January 28, 2008, among Bank of America, N.A., as agent under
the Credit Agreement Documents, U.S. Bank National Association, as
trustee under the Guaranteed Notes Indenture, Citibank N.A., in its
capacity as administrative agent under the Senior Interim Loan
Facility and the Issuer, as it may be amended, restated,
supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance
with its terms.
“ Guaranty and Pledge
Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Guaranty and
Pledge Agreement dated as of January 28, 2008 (as amended and
restated on June 10, 2009) made by Hamlet Merger Inc. (which
was merged on January 28, 2008 with and into Harrah’s
Entertainment, Inc.), in favor of the Collateral Agent, as it may
be amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time
to time in accordance with its terms.
“ Harrah’s
Entertainment ” means Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation.
“ Hedging Obligations
” means, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such
Person under:
(1) currency exchange, interest rate
or commodity swap agreements, currency exchange, interest rate or
commodity cap agreements and currency exchange, interest rate or
commodity collar agreements; and
(2) other agreements or arrangements
designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency
exchange, interest rates or commodity prices.
“ HOC ” means
Harrah’s Operating Company, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
21
“ HOC Assumption
” means the consummation of the transactions whereby HOC will
assume all of the obligations of Harrah’s Operating Escrow
LLC and Harrah’s Escrow Corporation under the Notes and the
Indenture pursuant to a supplemental indenture and other
agreements, as applicable.
“ Holdco Issuer ”
means the issuer in any Holdco Qualified IPO.
“ Holdco Qualified IPO
” means any Qualified IPO in which a direct or indirect
parent of the Issuer is the issuer.
“ holder ” or
“ noteholder ” means the Person in whose name a
Note is registered on the Registrar’s books.
“ Incur ” means
issue, assume, guarantee, incur or otherwise become liable for;
provided, however, that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of
a Person existing at the time such person becomes a Subsidiary
(whether by merger, amalgamation, consolidation, acquisition or
otherwise) shall be deemed to be Incurred by such Person at the
time it becomes a Subsidiary.
“ Indebtedness ”
means, with respect to any Person:
(1) the principal and premium (if
any) of any indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent,
(a) in respect of borrowed money, (b) evidenced by bonds,
notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit or
bankers’ acceptances (or, without duplication, reimbursement
agreements in respect thereof), (c) representing the deferred
and unpaid purchase price of any property (except any such balance
that constitutes (i) a trade payable or similar obligation to
a trade creditor Incurred in the ordinary course of business,
(ii) any earn-out obligations until such obligation becomes a
liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with
GAAP and (iii) liabilities accrued in the ordinary course of
business), which purchase price is due more than six months after
the date of placing the property in service or taking delivery and
title thereto, (d) in respect of Capitalized Lease
Obligations, or (e) representing any Hedging Obligations, if
and to the extent that any of the foregoing indebtedness (other
than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a
liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) of
such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP;
(2) to the extent not otherwise
included, any obligation of such Person to be liable for, or to
pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the obligations referred
to in clause (1) of another Person (other than by endorsement
of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of
business); and
(3) to the extent not otherwise
included, Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on any
asset owned by such Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is
assumed by such Person); provided, however, that the amount
of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of: (a) the Fair
Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of such
asset at such date of determination, and (b) the amount of
such Indebtedness of such other Person;
22
provided, however,
that notwithstanding the foregoing,
Indebtedness shall be deemed not to include (1) Contingent
Obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in
respect of borrowed money; (2) deferred or prepaid revenues;
(3) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the
purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed
obligations of the respective seller; (4) Obligations under or
in respect of Qualified Receivables Financing or
(5) obligations under the Acquisition Documents.
Notwithstanding anything in this
Indenture to the contrary, Indebtedness shall not include, and
shall be calculated without giving effect to, the effects of
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133 and
related interpretations to the extent such effects would otherwise
increase or decrease an amount of Indebtedness for any purpose
under this Indenture as a result of accounting for any embedded
derivatives created by the terms of such Indebtedness; and any such
amounts that would have constituted Indebtedness under this
Indenture but for the application of this sentence shall not be
deemed an Incurrence of Indebtedness under this
Indenture.
“ Indenture ”
means this Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to
time.
“ Independent Financial
Advisor ” means an accounting, appraisal or investment
banking firm or consultant, in each case of nationally recognized
standing, that is, in the good faith determination of the Issuer,
qualified to perform the task for which it has been
engaged.
“ Interest Payment Date
” has the meaning set forth in Exhibit A and
Exhibit B hereto.
“ Investment Grade
Rating ” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or
the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by
S&P, or an equivalent rating by any other Rating
Agency.
“ Investment Grade
Securities ” means:
(1) securities issued or directly
and fully guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or any
agency or instrumentality thereof (other than Cash
Equivalents),
(2) securities that have a rating
equal to or higher than Baa3 (or equivalent) by Moody’s and
BBB- (or equivalent) by S&P, but excluding any debt securities
or loans or advances between and among the Issuer and its
Subsidiaries,
(3) investments in any fund that
invests exclusively in investments of the type described in clauses
(1) and (2) which fund may also hold immaterial amounts
of cash pending investment and/or distribution, and
(4) corresponding instruments in
countries other than the United States customarily utilized for
high quality investments and in each case with maturities not
exceeding two years from the date of acquisition.
“ Investments ”
means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person
in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of loans
(including guarantees), advances or
23
capital contributions (excluding accounts
receivable, trade credit and advances to customers and commission,
travel and similar advances to officers, employees and consultants
made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other
acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or
other securities issued by any other Person and investments that
are required by GAAP to be classified on the balance sheet of the
Issuer in the same manner as the other investments included in this
definition to the extent such transactions involve the transfer of
cash or other property. For purposes of the definition of
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” and
Section 4.04:
(1) “Investments” shall
include the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s equity
interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value (as
determined in good faith by the Issuer) of the net assets of a
Subsidiary of the Issuer at the time that such Subsidiary is
designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however,
that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted
Subsidiary, the Issuer shall be deemed to continue to have a
permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary
equal to an amount (if positive) equal to:
(a) the Issuer’s
“Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such
redesignation less
(b) the portion (proportionate to
the Issuer’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair
Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of the net
assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation;
and
(2) any property transferred to or
from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market
Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) at the time of
such transfer, in each case as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Issuer.
“ Issue Date ”
means the date on which the Notes are originally issued.
“ Issuer IPO ”
means a Qualified IPO by the Issuer.
“ Junior Lien
Obligations ” means the Existing Second Lien Notes and
Obligations with respect to other Indebtedness permitted to be
incurred under the Second Lien Notes Indentures, the Credit
Agreement and this Indenture, which is by its terms intended to be
secured equally and ratably with the Existing Second Lien Notes or
on a basis junior to the Liens securing the Existing Second Lien
Notes; provided such Lien is permitted to be incurred under the
Second Lien Notes Indentures, the Credit Agreement and this
Indenture.
“ Lien ” means,
with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge,
security interest or similar encumbrance of any kind in respect of
such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected
under applicable law (including any conditional sale or other title
retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or
other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any
filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the
Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any
jurisdiction); provided that in no event shall an operating
lease be deemed to constitute a Lien.
24
“ Long-Term Retained
Notes ” means the Issuer’s 5.625% Senior Notes due
2015, 6.500% Senior Notes due 2016 and 5.75% Senior Notes due 2017,
in each case, to the extent outstanding after completion of the
Transactions.
“ Management Group
” means the group consisting of the directors, executive
officers and other management personnel of the Issuer or any direct
or indirect parent of the Issuer, as the case may be, on the Issue
Date together with (1) any new directors whose election by
such boards of directors or whose nomination for election by the
shareholders of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the
Issuer, as applicable, was approved by a vote of a majority of the
directors of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the
Issuer, as applicable, then still in office who were either
directors on the Issue Date or whose election or nomination was
previously so approved and (2) executive officers and other
management personnel of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent
of the Issuer, as applicable, hired at a time when the directors on
the Issue Date together with the directors so approved constituted
a majority of the directors of the Issuer or any direct or indirect
parent of the Issuer, as applicable.
“ Merger Agreement
” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger among Hamlet
Holdings LLC, Hamlet Merger Inc. and Harrah’s Entertainment,
dated as of December 19, 2006, as amended, supplemented or
modified from time to time prior to the Issue Date or thereafter,
in accordance with its terms.
“ Moody’s ”
means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to the
rating agency business thereof.
“ Mortgaged Properties
” means the Real Properties owned or leased by the Issuer or
any Subsidiary Pledgor encumbered by a Mortgage to secure the First
Priority Lien Obligations.
“ Mortgages ”
means, collectively, the mortgages, trust deeds, deeds of trust,
deeds to secure debt, assignments of leases and rents, and other
security documents delivered with respect to Mortgaged Properties,
as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“ Net Income ”
means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such
Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction
in respect of Preferred Stock dividends.
“ Net Insurance
Proceeds ” means the insurance proceeds (excluding
liability insurance proceeds payable to the Trustee for any loss,
liability or expense incurred by it and excluding the proceeds of
business interruption insurance) or condemnation awards actually
received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of
the Destruction or Taking of all or any portion of the Collateral,
net of:
(1) reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses and fees relating to such Taking or Destruction
(including, without limitation, expenses of attorneys and insurance
adjusters); and
(2) repayment of Indebtedness that
is secured by the property or assets that are the subject of such
Taking or Destruction; provided that, in the case of any
Destruction or Taking involving Collateral, the Lien securing such
Indebtedness constitutes a Lien permitted by this Indenture to be
senior to the First Priority Liens.
25
“ Net Proceeds ”
means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Issuer or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale
(including, without limitation, any cash received in respect of or
upon the sale or other disposition of any Designated Non-cash
Consideration received in any Asset Sale and any cash payments
received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note
or installment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when
received, but excluding the assumption by the acquiring Person of
Indebtedness relating to the disposed assets or other consideration
received in any other non-cash form), net of the direct costs
relating to such Asset Sale and the sale or disposition of such
Designated Non-cash Consideration (including, without limitation,
legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and brokerage and
sales commissions), and any relocation expenses Incurred as a
result thereof, taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (after
taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any
tax sharing arrangements related thereto), amounts required to be
applied to the repayment of principal, premium (if any) and
interest on Indebtedness required (other than pursuant to
Section 4.06(b)(i)) to be paid as a result of such
transaction, and any deduction of appropriate amounts to be
provided by the Issuer as a reserve in accordance with GAAP against
any liabilities associated with the asset disposed of in such
transaction and retained by the Issuer after such sale or other
disposition thereof, including, without limitation, pension and
other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related
to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations
associated with such transaction.
“ New First Lien Secured
Parties ” means, at any relevant time, the holders of New
First Priority Lien Obligations at such time, including without
limitation the Trustee and the holders of the Notes (including the
holders of any Additional Notes subsequently issued under and in
compliance with the terms of this Indenture).
“ New First Priority Lien
Obligations ” means all advances to, and debts,
liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, the Issuer or
any Subsidiary Pledgor arising under this Indenture and any other
First Lien Documents, whether or not direct or indirect (including
those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to
become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including
interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against
the Issuer, any Subsidiary Pledgor or any Affiliate thereof of any
proceeding in bankruptcy or insolvency law naming such Person as
the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest
and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“ New Project ”
means each capital project which is either a new project or a new
feature of an existing project owned by the Issuer or its
Restricted Subsidiaries which receives a certificate of completion
or occupancy and all relevant licenses, and in fact commences
operations.
“ Note Guarantee
” means any guarantee of the obligations of the Issuer under
this Indenture and the Notes by any Person in accordance with the
provisions of this Indenture.
26
“ Notes Obligations
” means Obligations in respect of the Notes, this Indenture
and the Security Documents, including, for the avoidance of doubt,
Obligations in respect of the Exchange Notes and guarantees
thereof.
“ Obligations ”
means any principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications,
reimbursements (including, without limitation, reimbursement
obligations with respect to letters of credit and bankers’
acceptances), damages and other liabilities payable under the
documentation governing any Indebtedness; provided that
Obligations with respect to the Notes shall not include fees or
indemnifications in favor of the Trustee and other third parties
other than the holders of the Notes.
“ Offering Memorandum
” means the confidential offering memorandum, dated
May 27, 2009, relating to the issuance of the Initial
Notes.
“ Offering Transactions
” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the
Offering Memorandum.
“ Officer ” means
the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
Officer, President, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice
President or Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the
Issuer.
“ Officer’s
Certificate ” means a certificate signed on behalf of the
Issuer by an Officer of the Issuer, who must be the principal
executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer
or the principal accounting officer of the Issuer, which meets the
requirements set forth in this Indenture.
“ Operations Management
Agreement ” means each of the real estate management
agreements and any other operating management agreement entered
into by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with
Harrah’s Entertainment or with any other direct or indirect
Subsidiary of Harrah’s Entertainment, including, without
limitation, any Real Estate Subsidiary, and any and all
modifications thereto, substitutions therefor and replacements
thereof so long as such modifications, substitutions and
replacements are not materially less favorable, taken as a whole,
to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries than the terms of
such agreements as in effect on the Issue Date.
“ Opinion of Counsel
” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is
acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or
counsel to the Issuer or the Trustee.
“ Other First Priority Lien
Obligations ” means other Indebtedness of the Issuer and
its Restricted Subsidiaries that is equally and ratably secured
with the Notes as permitted by this Indenture and is designated by
the Issuer as an Other First Priority Lien Obligation;
provided that an authorized representative on behalf of the
holders of such Indebtedness has executed joinders to the Security
Documents in the form or substantially in the form provided
therein.
“ Parent Guarantee
” means a Note Guarantee of Harrah’s Entertainment and
its successors.
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“ Parent Guarantor
” means Harrah’s Entertainment and its
successors.
“ Pari Passu
Indebtedness ” means:
(1) with respect to the Issuer, the
Notes and any Indebtedness which ranks pari passu in right of
payment to the Notes; and
(2) with respect to any Subsidiary
Pledgor, its obligations in respect of the Notes and any
Indebtedness which ranks pari passu in right of payment to such
Subsidiary Pledgor’s obligations in respect of the
Notes.
“ Permitted Holders
” means, at any time, each of (i) the Sponsors,
(ii) the Management Group, (iii) any Person that has no
material assets other than the Capital Stock of the Issuer and,
directly or indirectly, holds or acquires 100% of the total voting
power of the Voting Stock of the Issuer, and of which no other
Person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or
Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor
provision), other than any of the other Permitted Holders specified
in clauses (i) and (ii) above, holds more than 50% of the
total voting power of the Voting Stock thereof and (iv) any
group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or
Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor
provision) the members of which include any of the Permitted
Holders specified in clauses (i) and (ii) above and that,
directly or indirectly, hold or acquire beneficial ownership of the
Voting Stock of the Issuer (a “ Permitted Holder Group
”), so long as (1) each member of the Permitted Holder
Group has voting rights proportional to the percentage of ownership
interests held or acquired by such member and (2) no Person or
other “ group ” (other than the Permitted
Holders specified in clauses (i) and (ii) above)
beneficially owns more than 50% on a fully diluted basis of the
Voting Stock held by the Permitted Holder Group. Any Person or
group whose acquisition of beneficial ownership constitutes a
Change of Control in respect of which a Change of Control Offer is
made in accordance with the requirements of this Indenture will
thereafter, together with its Affiliates, constitute an additional
Permitted Holder.
“ Permitted Investments
” means:
(1) any Investment in the Issuer or
any Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) any Investment in Cash
Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities;
(3) any Investment by the Issuer or
any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in a Person if as a result
of such Investment (a) such Person becomes a Restricted
Subsidiary of the Issuer, or (b) such Person, in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged,
consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys
all or substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into,
the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(4) any Investment in securities or
other assets not constituting Cash Equivalents and received in
connection with an Asset Sale made pursuant to the provisions of
Section 4.06 or any other disposition of assets not
constituting an Asset Sale;
28
(5) any Investment existing on, or
made pursuant to binding commitments existing on, the Issue Date or
an Investment consisting of any extension, modification or renewal
of any Investment existing on the Issue Date; provided that
the amount of any such Investment may be increased (x) as
required by the terms of such Investment as in existence on the
Issue Date or (y) as otherwise permitted under this
Indenture;
(6) advances to employees, taken
together with all other advances made pursuant to this clause (6),
not to exceed $25.0 million at any one time outstanding;
(7) any Investment acquired by the
Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) in exchange
for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Issuer
or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result
of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the
issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable, or
(b) as a result of a foreclosure by the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or
other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in
default;
(8) Hedging Obligations permitted
under Section 4.03(b)(ix);
(9) any Investment by the Issuer or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a Similar Business having an
aggregate Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the
Issuer), taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to
this clause (9) that are at that time outstanding, not to
exceed the greater of (x) $500.0 million and (y) 4.5% of
Total Assets at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market
Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and
without giving effect to subsequent changes in value); provided,
however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause
(9) is made in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary
of the Issuer at the date of the making of such Investment and such
Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer after such
date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made
pursuant to clause (1) above and shall cease to have been made
pursuant to this clause (9) for so long as such Person
continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary;
(10) additional Investments by the
Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate
Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer),
taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this
clause (10) that are at that time outstanding, not to exceed
the greater of (x) $950.0 million and (y) 4.5% of Total
Assets at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value
of each Investment being measured at the time made and without
giving effect to subsequent changes in value); provided,
however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause
(10) is made in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary
of the Issuer at the date of the making of such Investment and such
Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer after such
date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made
pursuant to clause (1) above and shall cease to have been made
pursuant to this clause (10) for so long as such Person
continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary;
(11) loans and advances to officers,
directors or employees for business-related travel expenses, moving
expenses and other similar expenses, in each case Incurred in the
ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or to
fund such person’s purchase of Equity Interests of the Issuer
or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer;
29
(12) Investments the payment for
which consists of Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than
Disqualified Stock) or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer,
as applicable; provided, however, that such Equity Interests
will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments
under clause (C) of the definition of “ Cumulative
Credit ”;
(13) any transaction to the extent
it constitutes an Investment that is permitted by and made in
accordance with the provisions of Section 4.07(b) (except
transactions described in clauses (ii), (vi), (vii), (xi) and
(xii)(b) of such Section);
(14) Investments consisting of the
licensing or contribution of intellectual property pursuant to
joint marketing arrangements with other Persons;
(15) guarantees issued in accordance
with Section 4.03 and Section 4.11, including, without
limitation, any guarantee or other obligation issued or Incurred
under the Credit Agreement in connection with any letter of credit
issued for the account of Harrah’s Entertainment or any of
its subsidiaries (including with respect to the issuance of, or
payments in respect of drawings under, such letters of
credit);
(16) Investments consisting of or to
finance purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies,
materials, services or equipment or purchases of contract rights or
licenses or leases of intellectual property;
(17) any Investment in a Receivables
Subsidiary or any Investment by a Receivables Subsidiary in any
other Person in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing,
including Investments of funds held in accounts permitted or
required by the arrangements governing such Qualified Receivables
Financing or any related Indebtedness;
(18) any Investment in an entity or
purchase of a business or assets in each case owned (or previously
owned) by a customer of a Restricted Subsidiary as a condition or
in connection with such customer (or any member of such
customer’s group) contracting with a Restricted Subsidiary,
in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(19) any Investment in an entity
which is not a Restricted Subsidiary to which a Restricted
Subsidiary sells accounts receivable pursuant to a Qualified
Receivables Financing;
(20) additional Investments in joint
ventures not to exceed at any one time in the aggregate outstanding
under this clause (20) the greater of $350.0 million and 2.0%
of Total Assets; provided, however, that if any Investment
pursuant to this clause (20) is made in any Person that is not
a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer at the date of the making of
such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of
the Issuer after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be
deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (1) above and
shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (20) for
so long as such Person continues to be a Restricted
Subsidiary;
30
(21) Investments of a Restricted
Subsidiary of the Issuer acquired after the Issue Date or of an
entity merged into, amalgamated with or consolidated with the
Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in a transaction
that is not prohibited by Section 5.01 after the Issue Date to
the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of
such acquisition, merger, amalgamation or consolidation and were in
existence on the date of such acquisition, merger, amalgamation or
consolidation; and
(22) any Investment in any
Subsidiary of the Issuer or any joint venture in connection with
intercompany cash management arrangements or related activities
arising in the ordinary course of business.
“ Permitted Liens
” means, with respect to any Person:
(1) pledges or deposits by such
Person under workmen’s compensation laws, unemployment
insurance laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in
connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the
payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party,
or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such
Person or deposits of cash or U.S. government bonds to secure
surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits
as security for contested taxes or import duties or for the payment
of rent, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of
business;
(2) Liens imposed by law, such as
carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens,
in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith
by appropriate proceedings or other Liens arising out of judgments
or awards against such Person with respect to which such Person
shall then be proceeding with an appeal or other proceedings for
review;
(3) Liens for taxes, assessments or
other governmental charges not yet due or payable or subject to
penalties for nonpayment or which are being contested in good faith
by appropriate proceedings;
(4) Liens in favor of issuers of
performance and surety bonds or bid bonds or with respect to other
regulatory requirements or letters of credit issued pursuant to the
request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary
course of its business;
(5) minor survey exceptions, minor
encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others
for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and
telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other
restrictions as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental
to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership
of its properties which were not Incurred in connection with
Indebtedness and which do not in the aggregate materially adversely
affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use
in the operation of the business of such Person;
(6) (A) Liens on assets of a
Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Pledgor securing
Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary permitted to be
Incurred
31
pursuant to Section 4.03,
(B) Liens securing First Priority Lien Obligations in an
aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of
(x) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted
to be Incurred pursuant to Section 4.03(b)(i) and (y) the
maximum principal amount of Indebtedness that, as of the date such
Indebtedness was Incurred, and after giving effect to the
Incurrence of such Indebtedness and the application of proceeds
therefrom on such date, would not cause the Secured Indebtedness
Leverage Ratio of the Issuer to exceed 4.50 to 1.00 and,
provided that, with respect to Liens securing First Priority
Lien Obligations permitted under this subclause (B), the Notes are
secured by Liens on the property or assets subject to such Liens on
at least a pari passu basis with the Liens securing all such First
Priority Lien Obligations, with the priority and subject to
intercreditor arrangements, in each case no less favorable to the
holders of the Notes than those contemplated by Article XI of this
Indenture; (C) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted to be
Incurred pursuant to clause (iii), (xi), (xv), (xix) or
(xxii) of Section 4.03(b) ( provided that
(1) in the case of clause (iii), such Lien extends only to the
assets and/or Capital Stock, the acquisition, lease, construction,
repair, replacement or improvement of which is financed thereby and
any proceeds or products thereof, (2) in the case of clause
(xix), such Lien does not extend to the property or assets of any
Subsidiary of the Issuer other than a Foreign Subsidiary, and
(3) in the case of clause (xxii) such Lien applies solely
to acquired property or asset of the acquired entity, as the case
may be) and (D) Liens securing the Notes
Obligations;
(7) Liens existing on the Issue Date
(other than Liens in favor of the lenders under the Credit
Agreement);
(8) Liens on assets, property or
shares of stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a
Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not
created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of,
such other Person becoming such a Subsidiary; provided,
further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other
property owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the
Issuer;
(9) Liens on assets or property at
the time the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer
acquired the assets or property, including any acquisition by means
of a merger, amalgamation or consolidation with or into the Issuer
or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer; provided,
however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in
connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition;
provided, further, however, that the Liens may not extend to
any other property owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary
of the Issuer;
(10) Liens securing Indebtedness or
other obligations of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Issuer or
another Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer permitted to be
Incurred in accordance with Section 4.03;
(11) Liens securing Hedging
Obligations not Incurred in violation of this Indenture;
provided that with respect to Hedging Obligations relating
to Indebtedness, such Lien extends only to the property securing
such Indebtedness;
32
(12) Liens on specific items of
inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such
Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances
issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the
purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other
goods;
(13) leases and subleases of real
property which do not materially interfere with the ordinary
conduct of the business of the Issuer or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries;
(14) Liens arising from Uniform
Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating
leases entered into by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries
in the ordinary course of business;
(15) Liens in favor of the Issuer or
any Subsidiary Pledgor;
(16) Liens on accounts receivable
and related assets of the type specified in the definition of
“ Receivables Financing ” Incurred in connection
with a Qualified Receivables Financing;
(17) deposits made in the ordinary
course of business to secure liability to insurance
carriers;
(18) Liens on the Equity Interests
of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;
(19) grants of software and other
technology licenses in the ordinary course of business;
(20) Liens to secure any
refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement (or
successive refinancings, refundings, extensions, renewals or
replacements) as a whole, or in part, of any Indebtedness secured
by any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (6), (7), (8),
(9), (10), (11) and (15); provided, however, that
(x) such new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same
property that secured the original Lien ( plus improvements
on such property), and (y) the Indebtedness secured by such
Lien at such time is not increased to any amount greater than the
sum of (A) the outstanding principal amount or, if greater,
committed amount of the Indebtedness described under clauses (6),
(7), (8), (9), (10), (11) and (15) at the time the
original Lien became a Permitted Lien under this Indenture, and
(B) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses,
including premiums, related to such refinancing, refunding,
extension, renewal or replacement; provided further ,
however, that in the case of any Liens to secure any refinancing,
refunding, extension or renewal of Indebtedness secured by a Lien
referred to in clause (6)(B), the principal amount of any
Indebtedness Incurred for such refinancing, refunding, extension or
renewal shall be deemed secured by a Lien under clause
(6)(B) and not this clause (20) for purposes of
determining the principal amount of Indebtedness outstanding under
clause (6)(B) for purposes of the definition of Secured Bank
Indebtedness;
33
(21) Liens on equipment of the
Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary granted in the ordinary course
of business to the Issuer’s or such Restricted
Subsidiary’s client at which such equipment is
located;
(22) judgment and attachment Liens
not giving rise to an Event of Default and notices of lis pendens
and associated rights related to litigation being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves
have been made;
(23) Liens arising out of
conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar
arrangements for the sale of goods entered into in the ordinary
course of business;
(24) Liens Incurred to secure cash
management services or to implement cash pooling arrangements in
the ordinary course of business;
(25) other Liens securing
obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business which
obligations do not exceed $100.0 million at any one time
outstanding;
(26) any encumbrance or restriction
(including put and call arrangements) with respect to Capital Stock
of any joint venture or similar arrangement pursuant to any joint
venture or similar agreement;
(27) any amounts held by a trustee
in the funds and accounts under an indenture securing any revenue
bonds issued for the benefit of the Issuer or any Restricted
Subsidiary;
(28) Liens arising by virtue of any
statutory or common law provisions relating to banker’s
Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to
deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a depository or
financial institution; and
(29) Liens that rank junior to the
Liens securing the Notes and securing the Junior Lien
Obligations.
For purposes of this definition,
notwithstanding anything in the foregoing clauses (1) through
(29), any Lien that secures Retained Notes or Long-Term Retained
Notes shall not under any circumstances be deemed Permitted
Liens.
“ Person ” means
any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust,
unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political
subdivision thereof or any other entity.
“ Preferred Stock
” means any Equity Interest with preferential right of
payment of dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding
up.
“ Pre-Opening Expenses
” means, with respect to any fiscal period, the amount of
expenses (other than interest expense) Incurred with respect to
capital projects that are classified as “ pre-opening
expenses ” on the applicable financial statements of the
Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, prepared in
accordance with GAAP.
34
“ Project Financing
” means (1) any Capitalized Lease Obligations, mortgage
financing, purchase money Indebtedness or other Indebtedness
Incurred in connection with the acquisition, lease, construction,
repair, replacement, improvement or financing related to any of the
Margaritaville Casino & Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi, the
retail facilities related to the Margaritaville Casino &
Resort and the planned casino and hotel in the community of Ciudad
Real, Spain or any refinancing of any such Indebtedness that does
not extend to any assets other than the assets listed above and
(2) any Sale/Leaseback Transaction with respect to any of
Margaritaville Casino & Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi, the
retail facilities related to the Margaritaville Casino &
Resort and the planned casino and hotel in the community of Ciudad
Real, Spain.
“ Qualified IPO ”
means any underwritten public Equity Offering.
“ Qualified Non-Recourse
Debt ” means Indebtedness that (1) is
(a) Incurred by a Qualified Non-Recourse Subsidiary to finance
(whether prior to or within 270 days after) the acquisition, lease,
construction, repair, replacement or improvement of any property
(real or personal) or equipment (whether through the direct
purchase of property or the Equity Interests of any person owning
such property and whether in a single acquisition or a series of
related acquisitions) or (b) assumed by a Qualified
Non-Recourse Subsidiary, (2) is non-recourse to the Issuer and
any Subsidiary Pledgor and (3) is non-recourse to any
Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Qualified Non-Recourse
Subsidiary.
“ Qualified Non-Recourse
Subsidiary ” means (1) a Restricted Subsidiary that
is not a Subsidiary Pledgor and that is formed or created after the
Issue Date in order to finance an acquisition, lease, construction,
repair, replacement or improvement of any property or equipment
(directly or through one of its Subsidiaries) that secures
Qualified Non-Recourse Debt and (2) any Restricted Subsidiary
of a Qualified Non-Recourse Subsidiary.
“ Qualified Receivables
Financing ” means any Receivables Financing of a
Receivables Subsidiary that meets the following
conditions:
(1) the Board of Directors of the
Issuer shall have determined in good faith that such Qualified
Receivables Financing (including financing terms, covenants,
termination events and other provisions) is in the aggregate
economically fair and reasonable to the Issuer and the Receivables
Subsidiary;
(2) all sales of accounts receivable
and related assets to the Receivables Subsidiary are made at Fair
Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer);
and
(3) the financing terms, covenants,
termination events and other provisions thereof shall be market
terms (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) and may include
Standard Securitization Undertakings.
The grant of a security interest in
any accounts receivable of the Issuer or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries (other than a Receivables Subsidiary) to secure Bank
Indebtedness, Indebtedness in respect of the Notes or any
Refinancing Indebtedness with respect to the Notes shall not be
deemed a Qualified Receivables Financing.
35
“ Rating Agency ”
means (1) each of Moody’s and S&P and (2) if
Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes for reasons
outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” within the
meaning of Rule 15cs-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act selected
by the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer as a
replacement agency for Moody’s or S&P, as the case may
be.
“ Real Estate Facility
” means the mortgage financing and mezzanine financing
arrangements between the Real Estate Subsidiaries, which are direct
or indirect subsidiaries of Harrah’s Entertainment, and
JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. and its successors and assigns, on behalf
of the noteholders dated as of January 28, 2008, as amended,
restated, supplemented, extended, waived, replaced, restructured,
repaid, refunded, refinanced or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“ Real Estate
Subsidiary ” means those Subsidiaries of Harrah’s
Entertainment that are party to (prior to, on or after the Issue
Date) the Real Estate Facility (and their respective Subsidiaries)
secured by the Real Property collateralizing such facility on the
Issue Date plus any additional Real Property sold,
contributed or transferred to such Subsidiaries by the Issuer or
any Restricted Subsidiary (whether directly or indirectly through
the sale, contribution or transfer of the Capital Stock of a
Subsidiary the assets of which are comprised solely of such Real
Property) subsequent to the Issue Date pursuant to
Section 4.06.
“ Real Property ”
means, collectively, all right, title and interests (including any
leasehold, mineral or other estate) in and to any and all parcels
of or interests in real property owned, leased or operated by any
Person, whether by lease, license or other means, together with, in
each case, all easements, hereditaments and appurtenances relating
thereto, all buildings, structures, parking areas and improvements
and appurtenant fixtures and equipment, all general intangibles and
contract rights and other property and rights incidental to the
ownership, lease or operation thereof.
“ Record Date ”
has the meaning specified in Exhibits A and B
hereto.
“ Receivables Fees
” means distributions or payments made directly or by means
of discounts with respect to any participation interests issued or
sold in connection with, and all other fees paid to a Person that
is not a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with, any Receivables
Financing.
“ Receivables Financing
” means any transaction or series of transactions that may be
entered into by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to
which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may sell, convey or
otherwise transfer to (a) a Receivables Subsidiary (in the
case of a transfer by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries); and
(b) any other Person (in the case of a transfer by a
Receivables Subsidiary), or may grant a security interest in, any
accounts receivable (whether now existing or arising in the future)
of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, and any assets related
thereto including, without limitation, all collateral securing such
accounts receivable, all contracts and all guarantees or other
obligations in respect of such accounts receivable, proceeds of
such accounts receivable and other assets which are customarily
transferred or in respect of which security interests are
customarily granted in connection with asset securitization
transactions involving accounts receivable and any Hedging
Obligations entered into by the Issuer or any such Subsidiary in
connection with such accounts receivable.
36
“ Receivables Repurchase
Obligation ” means any obligation of a seller of
receivables in a Qualified Receivables Financing to repurchase
receivables arising as a result of a breach of a representation,
warranty or covenant or otherwise, including as a result of a
receivable or portion thereof becoming subject to any asserted
defense, dispute, off-set or counterclaim of any kind as a result
of any action taken by, any failure to take action by or any other
event relating to the seller.
“ Receivables
Subsidiary ” means a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary
of the Issuer (or another Person formed for the purposes of
engaging in Qualified Receivables Financing with the Issuer in
which the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer makes an
Investment and to which the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer
transfers accounts receivable and related assets) which engages in
no activities other than in connection with the financing of
accounts receivable of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, all
proceeds thereof and all rights (contractual or other), collateral
and other assets relating thereto, and any business or activities
incidental or related to such business, and which is designated by
the Board of Directors of the Issuer (as provided below) as a
Receivables Subsidiary and:
(a) no portion of the Indebtedness
or any other obligations (contingent or otherwise) of which
(i) is guaranteed by the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the
Issuer (excluding guarantees of obligations (other than the
principal of and interest on, Indebtedness) pursuant to Standard
Securitization Undertakings), (ii) is recourse to or obligates
the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer in any way other
than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings, or
(iii) subjects any property or asset of the Issuer or any
other Subsidiary of the Issuer, directly or indirectly,
contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof, other than
pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings;
(b) with which neither the Issuer
nor any other Subsidiary of the Issuer has any material contract,
agreement, arrangement or understanding other than on terms which
the Issuer reasonably believes to be no less favorable to the
Issuer or such Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the
time from Persons that are not Affiliates of the Issuer;
and
(c) to which neither the Issuer nor
any other Subsidiary of the Issuer has any obligation to maintain
or preserve such entity’s financial condition or cause such
entity to achieve certain levels of operating results.
Any such designation by the Board of
Directors of the Issuer shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing
with the Trustee a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of
Directors of the Issuer giving effect to such designation and an
Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation
complied with the foregoing conditions.
“ Representative
” means the trustee, agent or representative (if any) for an
issue of Indebtedness; provided that if, and for so long as,
such Indebtedness lacks such a Representative, then the
Representative for such Indebtedness shall at all times constitute
the holder or holders of a majority in outstanding principal amount
of obligations under such Indebtedness.
37
“ Responsible Officer
” means, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer
within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any
vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary,
assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the
Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those
performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers,
respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred
because of such Person’s knowledge of and familiarity with
the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for
the administration of this Indenture.
“ Restricted Cash
” means cash and Cash Equivalents held by Restricted
Subsidiaries that are contractually restricted from being
distributed to the Issuer, except for (i) such cash and Cash
Equivalents subject only to such restrictions that are contained in
agreements governing Indebtedness permitted under this Indenture
and that are secured by such cash or Cash Equivalents and
(ii) cash and Cash Equivalents constituting “ cage
cash .”
“ Restricted Investment
” means an Investment other than a Permitted
Investment.
“ Restricted Subsidiary
” means, with respect to any Person, any Subsidiary of such
Person other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary of such Person. Unless
otherwise indicated in this Indenture, all references to Restricted
Subsidiaries shall mean Restricted Subsidiaries of the
Issuer.
“ Retained Notes
” means the Issuer’s 5.500% Senior Notes due 2010,
8.00% Senior Notes due 2011, 5.375% Senior Notes due 2013, 7.875%
Senior Subordinated Notes due 2010, and 8.125% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2011.
“ Reversion Date
” means the date on which one or both of the Rating Agencies
withdraw their Investment Grade Rating or downgrade the rating
assigned to the Notes below an Investment Grade Rating.
“ Sale/Leaseback
Transaction ” means an arrangement relating to property
now owned or hereafter acquired by the Issuer or a Restricted
Subsidiary whereby the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary transfers
such property to a Person and the Issuer or such Restricted
Subsidiary leases it from such Person, other than leases between
the Issuer and a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or between
Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.
“ S&P ” means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group or any successor to
the rating agency business thereof.
“ SEC ” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Second Lien Intercreditor
Agreement ” means the intercreditor agreement among the
Credit Agreement Agent, the trustee under the Second Lien Notes
Indenture dated December 24, 2008, and the other parties from
time to time party thereto, dated as of December 24, 2008, as
supplemented by the joinder and supplement to the intercreditor
agreement by the trustee under the Second Lien Notes Indenture
dated April 15, 2009, the agent and the other parties from
time to time party thereto dated April 15, 2009 as it may be
further amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time.
38
“ Second Lien Notes
Indentures ” means the Indenture among the Issuer,
Harrah’s Entertainment and U.S. Bank National Association, as
trustee and collateral agent, dated December 24, 2008, and the
Indenture among the Issuer, Harrah’s Entertainment and U.S.
Bank National Association, as trustee and collateral agent, dated
April 15, 2009, in each case as they may be amended, restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance
with the terms thereof.
“ Second Lien Notes
Obligations ” means the Obligations in respect of the
Secured Lien Notes.
“ Secured Bank
Indebtedness ” means any Bank Indebtedness that is
secured by a Permitted Lien incurred or deemed incurred pursuant to
clause (6)(B) of the definition of Permitted Liens.
“ Secured Indebtedness
” means any Indebtedness secured by a Lien.
“ Secured Indebtedness
Leverage Ratio ” means, with respect to any Person, at
any date the ratio of (i) Secured Indebtedness constituting
First Priority Lien Obligations of such Person and its Restricted
Subsidiaries as of such date of calculation (determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP) less the amount of cash
and Cash Equivalents in excess of any Restricted Cash held by such
Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date of
determination to (ii) EBITDA of such Person for the four full
fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are
available immediately preceding such date on which such additional
Indebtedness is Incurred. In the event that the Issuer or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurs, repays, repurchases or redeems
any Indebtedness subsequent to the commencement of the period for
which the Secured Indebtedness Leverage Ratio is being calculated
but prior to the event for which the calculation of the Secured
Indebtedness Leverage Ratio is made (the “ Secured
Leverage Calculation Date ”), then the Secured
Indebtedness Leverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro
forma effect to such Incurrence, repayment, repurchase or
redemption of Indebtedness as if the same had occurred at the
beginning of the applicable four-quarter period; provided
that the Issuer may elect pursuant to an Officer’s
Certificate delivered to the Trustee to treat all or any portion of
the commitment under any Indebtedness as being Incurred at such
time, in which case any subsequent Incurrence of Indebtedness under
such commitment shall not be deemed, for purposes of this
calculation, to be an Incurrence at such subsequent
time.
For purposes of making the
computation referred to above, Investments, acquisitions,
dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations (including the
Acquisition Transactions) and discontinued operations (as
determined in accordance with GAAP), in each case with respect to
an operating unit of a business, and any operational changes that
the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has determined to
make and/or made during the four-quarter reference period or
subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to or
simultaneously with the Secured Leverage Calculation Date shall be
calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such
Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, amalgamations,
consolidations (including the Acquisition Transactions),
discontinued operations and other operational changes (and the
change of any associated Indebtedness and the change in EBITDA
resulting therefrom) had occurred on the first day of the
four-quarter reference period. If since the beginning of such
period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary
or was merged with or into
39
the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary since
the beginning of such period shall have made any Investment,
acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation, amalgamation,
discontinued operation or operational change, in each case with
respect to an operating unit of a business, that would have
required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then the Secured
Indebtedness Leverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro
forma effect thereto for such period as if such Investment,
acquisition, disposition, discontinued operation, merger,
amalgamation, consolidation or operational change had occurred at
the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period. For purposes
of making the computation referred to above, with respect to each
New Project that commences operations and records not less than one
full fiscal quarter’s operations during the four-quarter
reference period, the operating results of such New Project will be
annualized on a straight line basis during such period.
For purposes of this definition,
whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any event, the
pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a
responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer. Any such
pro forma calculation may include adjustments appropriate,
in the reasonable good faith determination of the Issuer as set
forth in an Officer’s Certificate, to reflect
(1) operating expense reductions and other operating
improvements or synergies reasonably expected to result from the
applicable event (including, to the extent applicable, from the
Acquisition Transactions) and (2) all adjustments of the
nature used in connection with the calculation of “Adjusted
EBITDA” as set forth in “Debt Covenant
Compliance” in Exhibit 99.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2009 for
Harrah’s Entertainment to the extent such adjustments,
without duplication, continue to be applicable to such four-quarter
period.
For purposes of this definition, any
amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars will be converted to
U.S. dollars based on the average exchange rate for such currency
for the most recent twelve-month period immediately prior to the
date of determination in a manner consistent with that used in
calculating EBITDA for the applicable period.
“ Securities Act
” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
“ Security Documents
” means the Collateral Agreement and the security agreements,
pledge agreements, collateral assignments, mortgages and related
agreements, as amended, supplemented, restated, renewed, refunded,
replaced, restructured, repaid, refinanced or otherwise modified
from time to time, creating the security interests in the
Collateral as contemplated by this Indenture.
“ Senior Interim Loan
Facility ” means the interim loan agreement, dated as of
January 28, 2008, by and among the Issuer, as borrower, the
lenders party thereto in their capacities as lenders thereunder and
Citibank, N.A. as administrative agent, including any guarantees,
instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and
any amendments, supplements, modifications or restatements
thereof.
“ Series ” means
(a) with respect to the First Lien Secured Parties, each of
(i) the Credit Agreement Secured Parties (in their capacities
as such), (ii) the holders of the Notes and the Trustee, each
in their capacity as such) and (iii) the Additional First Lien
Secured Parties that
40
become subject to the First Lien Intercreditor
Agreement after the date hereof that are represented by a common
Authorized Representative (in its capacity as such for such
Additional First Lien Secured Parties) and (b) with respect to
any First Priority Lien Obligations, each of (i) the Credit
Agreement Obligations, (ii) the Notes Obligations and
(iii) the Additional First Priority Lien Obligations incurred
pursuant to any applicable agreement, which pursuant to any joinder
agreement, are to be represented under the First Lien Intercreditor
Agreement by a common Authorized Representative (in its capacity as
such for such Additional First Priority Lien
Obligations).
“ Significant
Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary that would
be a “ Significant Subsidiary ” of the Issuer
within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by
the SEC (or any successor provision).
“ Similar Business
” means a business, the majority of whose revenues are
derived from the activities of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries as
of the Issue Date or any business or activity that is reasonably
similar or complementary thereto or a reasonable extension,
development or expansion thereof or ancillary thereto.
“ Sponsors ”
means (i) Apollo Management, L.P. and any of its respective
Affiliates other than any portfolio companies (collectively, the
“ Apollo Sponsors ”), (ii) Texas Pacific
Group and any of its respective Affiliates other than any portfolio
companies (collectively, the “ Texas Pacific Sponsors
”), (iii) any individual who is a partner or employee of
an Apollo Sponsor or a Texas Pacific Sponsor that is licensed by a
relevant gaming authority on the Issue Date or thereafter replaces
such licensee and (iv) any Person that forms a group (within
the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of
the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) with any Apollo
Sponsors and/or Texas Pacific Sponsors; provided that the
Apollo Sponsors and/or the Texas Pacific Sponsors (x) own a
majority of the voting power and (y) control a majority of the
Board of Directors of the Issuer.
“ Standard Securitization
Undertakings ” means representations, warranties,
covenants, indemnities and guarantees of performance entered into
by the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer which the Issuer has
determined in good faith to be customary in a Receivables Financing
including, without limitation, those relating to the servicing of
the assets of a Receivables Subsidiary, it being understood that
any Receivables Repurchase Obligation shall be deemed to be a
Standard Securitization Undertaking.
“ Stated Maturity
” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in
such security as the fixed date on which the final payment of
principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant
to any mandatory redemption provision (but excluding any provision
providing for the repurchase of such security at the option of the
holder thereof upon the happening of any contingency beyond the
control of the issuer unless such contingency has
occurred).
“ Subordinated
Indebtedness ” means (a) with respect to the Issuer,
any Indebtedness of the Issuer which is by its terms subordinated
in right of payment to the Notes, and (b) with respect to any
Subsidiary Pledgor, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Pledgor
which is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to
obligations in respect of the Notes.
41
“ Subsidiary ”
means, with respect to any Person, (1) any corporation,
association or other business entity (other than a partnership,
joint venture or limited liability company) of which more than 50%
of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled
(without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in
the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the
time of determination owned or controlled, directly or indirectly,
by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that
Person or a combination thereof, and (2) any partnership,
joint venture or limited liability company of which (x) more
than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity
and voting interests or general and limited partnership interests,
as applicable, are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by
such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person
or a combination thereof, whether in the form of membership,
general, special or limited partnership interests or otherwise, and
(y) such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person is a
controlling general partner or otherwise controls such
entity.
“ Subsidiary Pledgor
” means any Subsidiary of the Issuer that pledges its
property and assets to secure the Notes, as provided in the
Security Documents; provided that upon the release or
discharge of such Subsidiary of the Issuer from its obligations to
pledge its assets and property to secure the Notes in accordance
with this Indenture, such Subsidiary of the Issuer ceases to be a
Subsidiary Pledgor.
“ Suspension Period
” means the period of time between a Covenant Suspension
Event and the related Reversion Date.
“ Taking ” means
any taking of all or any portion of the Collateral by condemnation
or other eminent domain proceedings, pursuant to any law, general
or special, or by reason of the temporary requisition of the use or
occupancy of all or any portion of the Collateral by any
governmental authority, civil or military, or any sale pursuant to
the exercise by any such governmental authority of any right which
it may then have to purchase or designate a purchaser or to order a
sale of all or any portion of the Collateral.
“ Tax Distributions
” means any distributions described in
Section 4.04(b)(xii).
“ TIA ” or
“ Trustee Indenture Act ” means the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in
effect on the date of this Indenture.
“ Total Assets ”
means the total consolidated assets of the Issuer and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, as shown on the most recent balance sheet
of the Issuer, without giving effect to any amortization of the
amount of intangible assets since February 1, 2008.
“ Transfer Restricted
Notes ” means, each and collectively, the Transfer
Restricted Definitive Notes and the Transfer Restricted Global
Notes.
“ Treasury Rate ”
means, as of the applicable redemption date, the yield to maturity
as of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities
with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most
recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has
become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to such
redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer
published, any publicly available source of similar market data))
most nearly equal to the period from such redemption date to
June 1, 2013; provided ,
42
however, that if the period from such redemption date to
June 1, 2013, is less than one year, the weekly average yield
on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a
constant maturity of one year will be used.
“ Trust Officer ”
means:
(1) any officer within the corporate
trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president,
assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer,
trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily
performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at
the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any
corporate trust matter is referred because of such Person’s
knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject,
and
(2) who shall have direct
responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“ Trustee ” means
the party named as such in this Indenture until a successor
replaces it and, thereafter, means the successor.
“ Uniform Commercial
Code ” or “ UCC ” means the New York
Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time.
“ Unrestricted
Subsidiary ” means:
(1) any Subsidiary of the Issuer
that at the time of determination shall be designated an
Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of such Person in
the manner provided below; and
(2) any Subsidiary of an
Unrestricted Subsidiary;
The Issuer may designate any
Subsidiary of the Issuer (including any newly acquired or newly
formed Subsidiary of the Issuer) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary
unless such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries owns any Equity
Interests or Indebtedness of, or owns or holds any Lien on any
property of, the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer that
is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated;
provided, however, that the Subsidiary to be so designated
and its Subsidiaries do not at the time of designation have and do
not thereafter Incur any Indebtedness pursuant to which the lender
has recourse to any of the assets of the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, further, however , that
either:
(a) the Subsidiary to be so
designated has total consolidated assets of $1,000 or less;
or
(b) if such Subsidiary has
consolidated assets greater than $1,000, then such designation
would be permitted under Section 4.04.
The Issuer may designate any
Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided,
however, that immediately after giving effect to such
designation:
43
(x) (1) the Issuer could Incur $1.00
of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio test set forth in Section 4.03(a), or (2) the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio for the Issuer and its Restricted
Subsidiaries would be greater than such ratio for the Issuer and
its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such designation,
in each case on a pro forma basis taking into account such
designation, and
(y) no Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing.
Any such designation by Issuer shall
be evidenced to the Trustee by promptly filing with the Trustee a
copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors or any committee
thereof of the Issuer giving effect to such designation and an
Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation
complied with the foregoing provisions.
“ U.S. Government
Obligations ” means securities that are:
(1) direct obligations of the United
States of America for the timely payment of which its full faith
and credit is pledged, or
(2) obligations of a Person
controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or
instrumentality of the United States of America, the timely payment
of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit
obligation by the United States of America,
which, in each case, are not
callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and
shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as
defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act) as custodian
with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligations or a specific
payment of principal of or interest on any such U.S. Government
Obligations held by such custodian for the account of the holder of
such depository receipt; provided that (except as required
by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from
the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from
any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S.
Government Obligations or the specific payment of principal of or
interest on the U.S. Government Obligations evidenced by such
depository receipt.
“ Voting Stock ”
of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person
that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board
of Directors of such Person.
“ Weighted Average Life to
Maturity ” means, when applied to any Indebtedness or
Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, as the case may be, at any
date, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the
products of the number of years from the date of determination to
the date of each successive scheduled principal payment of such
Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such
Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock multiplied by the amount of
such payment, by (2) the sum of all such payments.
“ Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary ” is any Wholly Owned Subsidiary that is a
Restricted Subsidiary.
“ Wholly Owned
Subsidiary ” of any Person means a Subsidiary of such
Person 100% of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership
interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares
or shares required to be held by Foreign Subsidiaries) shall at the
time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly Owned
Subsidiaries of such Person.
44
SECTION 1.02. Other
Definitions .
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|
|
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Defined in Section
|
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“Additional Interest”
|
|
Appendix
A
|
|
“Affiliate Transaction”
|
|
4.07
|
|
“Asset Sale Offer”
|
|
4.06(b)
|
|
“Bankruptcy Law”
|
|
6.01
|
|
“Change of Control
Offer”
|
|
4.08(b)
|
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“Collateral Asset Sale
Offer”
|
|
4.06(b)
|
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“Collateral Asset Sale Offer
Period”
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4.06(e)
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“Collateral Excess
Proceeds”
|
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4.06(b)
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“covenant defeasance
option”
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8.01(b)
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“Covenant Suspension
Event”
|
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4.16
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“Custodian”
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6.01
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“Definitive Note”
|
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Appendix
A
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“Depository”
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Appendix
A
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“Disqualified Holder”
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2.15
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“Escrow Issuers”
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Preamble
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“Event of Default”
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6.01
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“Excess Proceeds”
|
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4.06(b)
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“Exchange Notes”
|
|
Preamble
|
|
“Global Notes”
|
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Appendix
A
|
|
“Global Notes Legend”
|
|
Appendix
A
|
|
“Guaranteed Obligations”
|
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12.01(a)
|
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“IAI”
|
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Appendix
A
|
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“incorporated provision”
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13.01
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“Initial Guarantee
Event”
|
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4.11(b)
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“Initial Notes”
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Preamble
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“Initial Purchasers”
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Appendix
A
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“Issuer”
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Preamble
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“legal defeasance
option”
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8.01(b)
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“Notes”
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Preamble
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“Notes Custodian”
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Appendix
A
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“Notice of Default”
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6.01
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“Offer Period”
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4.06(d)
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“Paying Agent”
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2.04(a)
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“protected purchaser”
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2.08
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“QIB”
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Appendix
A
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“Refinancing
Indebtedness”
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4.03(b)
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“Refunding Capital
Stock”
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4.04(b)
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“Registered Exchange
Offer”
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Appendix
A
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“Registrar”
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2.04(a)
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45
|
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Defined in Section
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“Registration Rights
Agreement”
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Appendix
A
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“Regulation S”
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Appendix
A
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“Regulation S Notes”
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Appendix
A
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“Restricted Notes
Legend”
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Appendix
A
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“Restricted Payment”
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4.04(a)
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“Restricted Period”
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Appendix
A
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“Retired Capital Stock”
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4.04(b)
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“Reversion Date”
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4.16
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“Rule 501”
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Appendix
A
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“Rule 144A”
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Appendix
A
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“Rule 144A Notes”
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Appendix
A
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“Second Commitment”
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4.06(b)
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“Shelf Registration
Statement”
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Appendix
A
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“Successor Issuer”
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5.01(a)
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“Successor Parent
Guarantor”
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5.01
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“Successor Subsidiary
Pledgor”
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5.01(b)
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“Suspended Covenants”
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4.16
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“Transfer Restricted Definitive
Notes”
|
|
Appendix
A
|
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“Transfer Restricted Global
Notes”
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|
Appendix
A
|
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“Unrestricted Definitive
Notes”
|
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Appendix
A
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“Unrestricted Global
Notes”
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Appendix
A
|
SECTION 1.03. Incorporation
by Reference of Trust Indenture Act . This Indenture
incorporates by reference certain provisions of the TIA. The
following TIA terms have the following meanings:
“ Commission ”
means the SEC.
“ indenture securities
” means the Notes and any Note Guarantee.
“ indenture security
holder ” means a holder.
“ indenture to be
qualified ” means this Indenture.
“ indenture trustee
” or “ institutional trustee ” means the
Trustee.
“ obligor ” on
the indenture securities means the Issuer and each Guarantor and
any other obligor on the Notes.
All other TIA terms used in this
Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to
another statute or defined by SEC rule have the meanings assigned
to them by such definitions.
46
SECTION 1.04. Rules of
Construction . Unless the context otherwise
requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned
to it;
(b) an accounting term not otherwise
defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with
GAAP;
(c) “ or ” is not
exclusive;
(d) “ including ”
means including without limitation;
(e) words in the singular include
the plural and words in the plural include the singular;
(f) unsecured Indebtedness shall not
be deemed to be subordinate or junior to Secured Indebtedness
merely by virtue of its nature as unsecured
Indebtedness;
(g) the principal amount of any
non-interest bearing or other discount security at any date shall
be the principal amount thereof that would be shown on a balance
sheet of the issuer dated such date prepared in accordance with
GAAP;
(h) the principal amount of any
Preferred Stock shall be (i) the maximum liquidation value of
such Preferred Stock or (ii) the maximum mandatory redemption
or mandatory repurchase price with respect to such Preferred Stock,
whichever is greater;
(i) unless otherwise specified
herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all
accounting determinations hereunder shall be made, and all
financial statements required to be delivered hereunder shall be
prepared in accordance with GAAP;
(j) “ $ ” and
“ U.S. dollars ” each refer to United States
dollars, or such other money of the United States of America that
at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts; and
(k) whenever in this Indenture or
the Notes there is mentioned, in any context, principal, interest
or any other amount payable under or with respect to any Notes,
such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of
Additional Interest, to the extent that, in such context,
Additional Interest is, were or would be payable in respect
thereof.
ARTICLE II
THE NOTES
SECTION 2.01. Amount of
Notes . The aggregate principal amount of Notes which may be
authenticated and delivered under this Indenture on the Issue Date
is $1,375,000,000.
The Issuer may from time to time
after the Issue Date issue Additional Notes under this Indenture in
an unlimited principal amount, so long as (i) the Incurrence
of the
47
Indebtedness represented by such Additional
Notes is at such time permitted by Section 4.03 and
(ii) such Additional Notes are issued in compliance with the
other applicable provisions of this Indenture. With respect to any
Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date (except for Notes
authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in
exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to
Section 2.07, 2.08, 2.09, 3.06, 4.06(f), 4.08(c) or Appendix
A), there shall be (a) established in or pursuant to a
resolution of the Board of Directors and (b) (i) set
forth or determined in the manner provided in an Officer’s
Certificate or (ii) established in one or more indentures
supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of such Additional
Notes:
(1) the aggregate principal amount
of such Additional Notes which may be authenticated and delivered
under this Indenture,
(2) the issue price and issuance
date of such Additional Notes, including the date from which
interest on such Additional Notes shall accrue;
(3) if applicable, that such
Additional Notes shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form
of one or more Global Notes and, in such case, the respective
depositaries for such Global Notes, the form of any legend or
legends which shall be borne by such Global Notes in addition to or
in lieu of those set forth in Exhibit A hereto and any
circumstances in addition to or in lieu of those set forth in
Section 2.2 of Appendix A in which any such Global Note
may be exchanged in whole or in part for Additional Notes
registered, or any transfer of such Global Note in whole or in part
may be registered, in the name or names of Persons other than the
depositary for such Global Note or a nominee thereof;
and
(4) if applicable, that such
Additional Notes that are not Transfer Restricted Notes shall not
be issued in the form of Initial Notes as set forth in Exhibit
A , but shall be issued in the form of Exchange Notes as set
forth in Exhibit B .
If any of the terms of any
Additional Notes are established by action taken pursuant to a
resolution of the Board of Directors, a copy of an appropriate
record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary of the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee at
or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate or the
indenture supplemental hereto setting forth the terms of the
Additional Notes.
The Initial Notes, including any
Additional Notes, may, at the Issuer’s option, be treated as
a single class for all purposes under this Indenture, including,
without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to
purchase.
SECTION 2.02. Form and
Dating . Provisions relating to the Initial Notes and the
Exchange Notes are set forth in Appendix A , which is hereby
incorporated in and expressly made a part of this Indenture. The
(i) Initial Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of
authentication and (ii) any Additional Notes (if issued as
Transfer Restricted Notes) and the Trustee’s certificate of
authentication shall each be substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto, which is hereby incorporated in and
expressly made a part of this Indenture. The (i) Exchange
Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication and
(ii) any Additional Notes issued other than as Transfer
Restricted Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of
authentication shall each be substantially in the
48
form of Exhibit B hereto, which is hereby
incorporated in and expressly made a part of this Indenture. The
Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law,
stock exchange rule, agreements to which the Issuer, the Parent
Guarantor or any Subsidiary Pledgor is subject, if any, or usage (
provided that any such notation, legend or endorsement is in
a form acceptable to the Issuer). Each Note shall be dated the date
of its authentication. The Notes shall be issuable only in
registered form without interest coupons and in denominations of
$2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000.
SECTION 2.03. Execution and
Authentication . The Trustee shall authenticate and make
available for delivery upon a written order of the Issuer signed by
one Officer (a) Initial Notes for original issue on the date
hereof in an aggregate principal amount of $1,375,000,000,
(b) subject to the terms of this Indenture, Additional Notes
in an aggregate principal amount to be determined at the time of
issuance and specified therein and (c) the Exchange Notes for
issue in a Registered Exchange Offer pursuant to the Registration
Rights Agreement for a like principal amount of Initial Notes
exchanged pursuant thereto or otherwise pursuant to an effective
registration statement under the Securities Act. Such order shall
specify the amount of separate Note certificates to be
authenticated, the principal amount of each of the Notes to be
authenticated, the date on which the original issue of Notes is to
be authenticated, the registered holder of each of the Notes and
delivery instructions and whether the Notes are to be Initial Notes
or Exchange Notes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Indenture or Appendix A, any issuance of Additional Notes after the
Issue Date shall be in a principal amount of at least $2,000 and
integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.
One Officer shall sign the Notes for
the Issuer by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on
a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee
authenticates the Note, the Note shall be valid
nevertheless.
A Note shall not be valid until an
authorized signatory of the Trustee manually signs the certificate
of authentication on the Note. The signature shall be conclusive
evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this
Indenture.
The Trustee may appoint one or more
authenticating agents reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to
authenticate the Notes. Any such appointment shall be evidenced by
an instrument signed by a Trust Officer, a copy of which shall be
furnished to the Issuer. Unless limited by the terms of such
appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Notes
whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to
authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such
agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as any
Registrar, Paying Agent or agent for service of notices and
demands.
SECTION 2.04. Registrar and
Paying Agent .
(a) The Issuer shall maintain
(i) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for
registration of transfer or for exchange (the “
Registrar ”) and (ii) an office or agency where
Notes may be presented for payment (the “ Paying Agent
”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of
their transfer and exchange. The Issuer may have one or more
co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term
“ Registrar ” includes any
co-registrars.
49
The term “ Paying Agent ”
includes the Paying Agent and any additional paying agents. The
Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent
and the Notes Custodian with respect to the Global
Notes.
(b) The Issuer may enter into an
appropriate agency agreement with any Registrar or Paying Agent not
a party to this Indenture, which shall incorporate the terms of the
TIA. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture
that relate to such agent. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in
writing of the name and address of any such agent. If the Issuer
fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall
act as such and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation
therefor pursuant to Section 7.07. The Issuer or any of its
domestically organized Wholly Owned Subsidiaries may act as Paying
Agent or Registrar.
(c) The Issuer may remove any
Registrar or Paying Agent upon written notice to such Registrar or
Paying Agent and to the Trustee; provided, however, that no
such removal shall become effective until (i) if applicable,
acceptance of an appointment by a successor as evidenced by an
appropriate agreement entered into by the Issuer and such successor
Registrar or Paying Agent, as the case may be, and delivered to the
Trustee or (ii) notification to the Trustee that the Trustee
shall serve as Registrar or Paying Agent until the appointment of a
successor in accordance with clause (i) above. The Registrar
or Paying Agent may resign at any time upon written notice to the
Issuer and the Trustee; provided, however, that the Trustee
may resign as Paying Agent or Registrar only if the Trustee also
resigns as Trustee in accordance with Section 7.08.
SECTION 2.05. Paying Agent
to Hold Money in Trust . Prior to each due date of the
principal of and interest on any Note, the Issuer shall deposit
with each Paying Agent (or if the Issuer or a Wholly Owned
Subsidiary is acting as Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust
for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto) a sum sufficient
to pay such principal and interest when so becoming due. The Issuer
shall require each Paying Agent (other than the Trustee) to agree
in writing that a Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit
of holders or the Trustee all money held by a Paying Agent for the
payment of principal of and interest on the Notes, and shall notify
the Trustee of any default by the Issuer in making any such
payment. If the Issuer or a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Issuer
acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate the money held by it as
Paying Agent and hold it in trust for the benefit of the Persons
entitled thereto. The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent
to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any
funds disbursed by such Paying Agent. Upon complying with this
Section, a Paying Agent shall have no further liability for the
money delivered to the Trustee.
SECTION 2.06. Holder
Lists . The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the
names and addresses of holders. If the Trustee is not the
Registrar, the Issuer shall furnish, or cause the Registrar to
furnish, to the Trustee, in writing at least five Business Days
before each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the
Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such
date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and
addresses of holders.
SECTION 2.07. Transfer and
Exchange . The Notes shall be issued in registered form and
shall be transferable only upon the surrender of a Note for
registration of transfer and in compliance with Appendix A .
When a Note is presented to the Registrar with a request
to
50
register a transfer, the Registrar shall
register the transfer as requested if its requirements therefor are
met. When Notes are presented to the Registrar with a request to
exchange them for an equal principal amount of Notes of other
denominations, the Registrar shall make the exchange as requested
if the same requirements are met. To permit registration of
transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee
shall authenticate Notes at the Registrar’s request. The
Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to pay all taxes,
assessments or other governmental charges in connection with any
transfer or exchange pursuant to this Section. The Issuer shall not
be required to make, and the Registrar need not register, transfers
or exchanges of Notes selected for redemption (except, in the case
of Notes to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be
redeemed) or of any Notes for a period of 15 days before a
selection of Notes to be redeemed.
Prior to the due presentation for
registration of transfer of any Note, the Issuer, the Parent
Guarantor, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Registrar may deem
and treat the Person in whose name a Note is registered as the
absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of
principal of and interest, if any, on such Note and for all other
purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note is overdue, and none
of the Issuer, the Parent Guarantor, the Trustee, the Paying Agent
or the Registrar shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.
Any holder of a beneficial interest
in a Global Note shall, by acceptance of such beneficial interest,
agree that transfers of beneficial interests in such Global Note
may be effected only through a book-entry system maintained by
(a) the holder of such Global Note (or its agent) or
(b) any holder of a beneficial interest in such Global Note,
and that ownership of a beneficial interest in such Global Note
shall be required to be reflected in a book entry.
All Notes issued upon any transfer
or exchange pursuant to the terms of this Indenture shall evidence
the same debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under this
Indenture as the Notes surrendered upon such transfer or
exchange.
SECTION 2.08. Replacement
Notes . If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Registrar or
if the holder of a Note claims that the Note has been lost,
destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Issuer shall issue and the
Trustee shall authenticate a replacement Note if the requirements
of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code are met, such
that the holder (a) satisfies the Issuer or the Trustee within
a reasonable time after such holder has notice of such loss,
destruction or wrongful taking and the Registrar does not register
a transfer prior to receiving such notification, (b) makes
such request to the Issuer or the Trustee prior to the Note being
acquired by a protected purchaser as defined in Section 8-303
of the Uniform Commercial Code (a “ protected
purchaser ”) and (c) satisfies any other reasonable
requirements of the Trustee. If required by the Trustee or the
Issuer, such holder shall furnish an indemnity bond sufficient in
the judgment of the Trustee and the Issuer to protect the Issuer,
the Trustee, a Paying Agent and the Registrar from any loss or
liability that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced and
subsequently presented or claimed for payment. The Issuer and the
Trustee may charge the holder for their expenses in replacing a
Note (including without limitation, attorneys’ fees and
disbursements in replacing such Note). In the event any such
mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Note has become or
is about to become due and payable, the Issuer in its discretion
may pay such Note instead of issuing a new Note in replacement
thereof.
51
Every replacement Note is an
additional obligation of the Issuer.
The provisions of this
Section 2.08 are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent
lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the
replacement or payment of mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully
taken Notes.
SECTION 2.09. Outstanding
Notes . Notes outstanding at any time are all Notes
authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those
delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this
Section as not outstanding. Subject to Section 13.06, a Note
does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer or an Affiliate
of the Issuer holds the Note.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to
Section 2.08 (other than a mutilated Note surrendered for
replacement), it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee and
the Issuer receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced
Note is held by a protected purchaser. A mutilated Note ceases to
be outstanding upon surrender of such Note and replacement thereof
pursuant to Section 2.08.
If a Paying Agent segregates and
holds in trust, in accordance with this Indenture, on a redemption
date or maturity date money sufficient to pay all principal and
interest payable on that date with respect to the Notes (or
portions thereof) to be redeemed or maturing, as the case may be,
and no Paying Agent is prohibited from paying such money to the
holders on that date pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, then
on and after that date such Notes (or portions thereof) cease to be
outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.
SECTION 2.10. [
Intentionally Omitted .]
SECTION 2.11.
Cancellation . The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to
the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and each Paying Agent
shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for
registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee and no
one else shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of
transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and shall dispose of
canceled Notes in accordance with its customary procedures. The
Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has redeemed,
paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. The Trustee
shall not authenticate Notes in place of canceled Notes other than
pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
SECTION 2.12. Defaulted
Interest . If the Issuer defaults in a payment of interest on
the Notes, the Issuer shall pay the defaulted interest then borne
by the Notes ( plus interest on such defaulted interest to
the extent lawful) in any lawful manner. The Issuer may pay the
defaulted interest to the Persons who are holders on a subsequent
special record date. The Issuer shall fix or cause to be fixed any
such special record date and payment date to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Trustee and shall promptly mail or cause to be
mailed to each affected holder a notice that states the special
record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest
to be paid.
SECTION 2.13. CUSIP Numbers,
ISINs, Etc . The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use CUSIP
numbers, ISINs and “ Common Code ” numbers (if
then generally in use) and, if so, the Trustee shall use CUSIP
numbers, ISINs and “ Common Code ” numbers in
notices of redemption as a convenience to holders; provided,
however, that any such notice may state that
52
no representation is made as to the correctness
of such numbers, either as printed on the Notes or as contained in
any notice of a redemption that reliance may be placed only on the
other identification numbers printed on the Notes and that any such
redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of
such numbers. The Issuer shall advise the Trustee of any change in
the CUSIP numbers, ISINs and “ Common Code ”
numbers.
SECTION 2.14. Calculation of
Principal Amount of Notes . The aggregate principal amount of
the Notes, at any date of determination, shall be the principal
amount of the Notes at such date of determination. With respect to
any matter requiring consent, waiver, approval or other action of
the holders of a specified percentage of the principal amount of
all the Notes, such percentage shall be calculated, on the relevant
date of determination, by dividing (a) the principal amount,
as of such date of determination, of Notes, the holders of which
have so consented, by (b) the aggregate principal amount, as
of such date of determination, of the Notes then outstanding, in
each case, as determined in accordance with the preceding sentence,
Section 2.09 and Section 13.06 of this Indenture. Any
such calculation made pursuant to this Section 2.14 shall be
made by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee pursuant to an
Officers’ Certificate.
SECTION 2.15. Mandatory
Disposition Pursuant to Gaming Laws . Each person that holds or
acquires beneficial ownership of any of the Notes shall be deemed
to have agreed, by accepting such Notes, that if any Gaming
Authority requires such person to be approved, licensed, qualified
or found suitable under applicable Gaming Laws, such holder or
beneficial owner, as the case may be, shall apply for a license,
qualification or finding of suitability within the required time
period.
If a person required to apply or
become licensed or qualified or be found suitable fails to do so (a
“ Disqualified Holder ”), the Issuer shall have
the right, at its election, (1) to require such person to
dispose of its Notes or beneficial interest therein within 30 days
of receipt of notice of such election or such earlier date as may
be required by such Gaming Authority or (2) to redeem such
Notes at a redemption price that, unless otherwise directed by such
Gaming Authority, shall be at a redemption price that is equal to
the lesser of:
(a) such person’s cost,
or
(b) 100% of the principal amount
thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the
earlier of (i) the redemption date or (ii) the date such
person became a Disqualified Holder.
The Issuer shall notify the Trustee
and applicable Gaming Authority in writing of any such redemption
as soon as practicable. The Issuer shall not be responsible for any
costs or expenses any such holder may Incur in connection with its
application for a license, qualification or finding of
suitability.
ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION
SECTION 3.01. Redemption
. The Notes may be redeemed, in whole, or from time to time in
part, subject to the conditions and at the redemption prices set
forth in Paragraph
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5 of the forms of Note set forth in Exhibit
A and B hereto, which are hereby incorporated by
reference and made a part of this Indenture, together with accrued
and unpaid interest to the redemption date.
SECTION 3.02. Applicability
of Article . Redemption of Notes at the election of the Issuer
or otherwise, as permitted or required by any provision of this
Indenture, shall be made in accordance with such provision and this
Article.
SECTION 3.03. Notices to
Trustee . If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the
optional redemption provisions of Paragraph 5 of the Note, it shall
notify the Trustee in writing of (i) the Section of this
Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur,
(ii) the redemption date, (iii) the principal amount of
Notes to be redeemed and (iv) the redemption price. The Issuer
shall give notice to the Trustee provided for in this paragraph at
least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date if
the redemption is pursuant to Paragraph 5 of the Note, unless a
shorter period is acceptable to the Trustee. Such notice shall be
accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of
Counsel from the Issuer to the effect that such redemption will
comply with the conditions herein, as well as such notice required
to be delivered under Section 3.05 below. If fewer than all
the Notes are to be redeemed, the record date relating to such
redemption shall be selected by the Issuer and given to the
Trustee, which record date shall be not fewer than 15 days after
the date of notice to the Trustee. Any such notice may be canceled
at any time prior to notice of such redemption being mailed to any
holder and shall thereby be void and of no effect.
SECTION 3.04. Selection of
Notes to Be Redeemed . In the case of any partial redemption,
selection of the Notes for redemption will be made by the Trustee
on a pro rata basis to the extent practicable; provided that
no Notes of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part. The Trustee
shall make the selection from outstanding Notes not previously
called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption
portions of the principal of Notes that have denominations larger
than $2,000. Notes and portions of them the Trustee selects shall
be in amounts of $2,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000.
Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for
redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption.
The Trustee shall notify the Issuer promptly of the Notes or
portions of Notes to be redeemed.
SECTION 3.05. Notice of
Optional Redemption .
(a) At least 30 days but not more
than 60 days before a redemption date pursuant to Paragraph 5 of
the Note, the Issuer shall mail or cause to be mailed by
first-class mail a notice of redemption to each holder whose Notes
are to be redeemed.
Any such notice shall identify the
Notes to be redeemed and shall state:
(i) the redemption date;
(ii) the redemption price and the
amount of accrued interest to the redemption date;
(iii) the name and address of the
Paying Agent;
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(iv) that Notes called for
redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the
redemption price, plus accrued interest;
(v) if fewer than all the
outstanding Notes are to be redeemed, the certificate numbers and
principal amounts of the particular Notes to be redeemed, the
aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and the
aggregate principal amount of Notes to be outstanding after such
partial redemption;
(vi) that, unless the Issuer
defaults in making such redemption payment or the Paying Agent is
prohibited from making such payment pursuant to the terms of this
Indenture, interest on Notes (or portion thereof) called for
redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption
date;
(vii) the CUSIP number, ISIN and/or
“ Common Code ” number, if any, printed on the
Notes being redeemed; and
(viii) that no representation is
made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number or ISIN
and/or “ Common Code ” number, if any, listed in
such notice or printed on the Notes.
(b) At the Issuer’s request,
the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the
Issuer’s name and at the Issuer’s expense. In such
event, the Issuer shall provide the Trustee with the information
required by this Section at least one Business Day prior to the
date such notice is to be provided to holders in the final form
such notice is to be delivered to holders and such notice may not
be canceled.
SECTION 3.06. Effect of
Notice of Redemption . Once notice of redemption is mailed in
accordance with Section 3.05, Notes called for redemption
become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption
price stated in the notice, except as provided in the final
sentence of paragraph 5 of the Notes. Upon surrender to the Paying
Agent, such Notes shall be paid at the redemption price stated in
the notice, plus accrued interest, to, but not including,
the redemption date; provided, however, that if the
redemption date is after a regular Record Date and on or prior to
the Interest Payment Date, the accrued interest shall be payable to
the holder of the redeemed Notes registered on the relevant Record
Date. Failure to give notice or any defect in the notice to any
holder shall not affect the validity of the notice to any other
holder.
SECTION 3.07. Deposit of
Redemption Price . With respect to any Notes, prior to 10:00
a.m., New York City time, on the redemption date, the Issuer shall
deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the Issuer or a Wholly Owned
Subsidiary is the Paying Agent, shall segregate and hold in trust)
money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued
interest on all Notes or portions thereof to be redeemed on that
date other than Notes or portions of Notes called for redemption
that have been delivered by the Issuer to the Trustee for
cancellation. On and after the redemption date, interest shall
cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption
so long as the Issuer has deposited with the Paying Agent funds
sufficient to pay the principal of, plus accrued and unpaid
interest on, the Notes to be redeemed, unless the Paying Agent is
prohibited from making such payment pursuant to the terms of this
Indenture.
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SECTION 3.08. Notes Redeemed
in Part . Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part,
the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate for the
holder (at the Issuer’s expense) a new Note equal in
principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note
surrendered.
ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS
SECTION 4.01. Payment of
Notes . The Issuer shall promptly pay the principal of and
interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in
the Notes and in this Indenture. An installment of principal of or
interest shall be considered paid on the date due if on such date
the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds as of 12:00 p.m. Eastern time
money sufficient to pay all principal and interest then due and the
Trustee or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, is not prohibited
from paying such money to the holders on that date pursuant to the
terms of this Indenture.
The Issuer shall pay interest on
overdue principal at the rate specified therefor in the Notes, and
it shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest at the
same rate borne by the Notes to the extent lawful.
SECTION 4.02. Reports and
Other Information .
(a) Notwithstanding that the Issuer
may not be subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or otherwise report on an annual and
quarterly basis on forms provided for such annual and quarterly
reporting pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC,
the Issuer shall file with the SEC (and provide the Trustee and
holders with copies thereof, without cost to each holder, within 15
days after it files them with the SEC),
(i) within the time period specified
in the SEC’s rules and regulations for non-accelerated
filers, annual reports on Form 10-K (or any successor or comparable
form) containing the information required to be contained therein
(or required in such successor or comparable form),
(ii) within the time period
specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations for
non-accelerated filers, reports on Form 10-Q (or any successor or
comparable form) containing the information required to be
contained therein (or required in such successor or comparable
form),
(iii) promptly from time to time
after the occurrence of an event required to be therein reported
(and in any event within the time period specified in the
SEC’s rules and regulations), such other reports on Form 8-K
(or any successor or comparable form), and
(iv) any other information,
documents and other reports which the Issuer would be required to
file with the SEC if it were subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Exchange Act;
56
provided, however, that the Issuer shall not be so obligated to
file such reports with the SEC if the SEC does not permit such
filing, in which event the Issuer will make available such
information to prospective purchasers of Notes in addition to
providing such information to the Trustee and the holders, in each
case within 15 days after the time the Issuer would be required to
file such information with the SEC if it were subject to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, subject, in the case
of any such information, certificates or reports provided prior to
the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or
Shelf Registration Statement, to exceptions consistent with the
presentation of financial information in the Offering
Memorandum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Issuer shall not be required to furnish any information,
certificates or reports required by Items 307 or 308 of Regulation
S-K prior to the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or Shelf Registration Statement.
(b) In the event that:
(i) the rules and regulations of the
SEC permit the Issuer and any direct or indirect parent of the
Issuer to report at such parent entity’s level on a
consolidated basis and such parent entity is not engaged in any
business in any material respect other than incidental to its
ownership, directly or indirectly, of the capital stock of the
Issuer, or
(ii) any direct or indirect parent
of the Issuer is or becomes a Guarantor of the Notes,
consolidating reporting at the
parent entity’s level in a manner consistent with that
described in this Section 4.02 and furnishing financial
information relating to such direct or indirect parent for the
Issuer will satisfy this Section 4.02; provided that
such financial information is accompanied by consolidating
information that explains in reasonable detail the differences
between the information relating to such direct or indirect parent
and any of its Subsidiaries other than the Issuer and its
Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the information relating to the
Issuer, the Subsidiary Pledgors and the other Subsidiaries of the
Issuer on a standalone basis, on the other hand.
(c) The Issuer will make such
information available to prospective investors upon request. In
addition, the Issuer has agreed that, for so long as any Notes
remain outstanding during any period when it is not subject to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or otherwise
permitted to furnish the SEC with certain information pursuant to
Rule 12g3-2(b) of the Exchange Act, it will furnish to the holders
of the Notes and to prospective investors, upon their request, the
information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4)
under the Securities Act.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Issuer will be deemed to have furnished such reports referred to
above to the Trustee and the holders if the Issuer has filed such
reports with the SEC via the EDGAR filing system and such reports
are publicly available. In addition, the requirements of this
Section 4.02 shall be deemed satisfied prior to the
commencement of the exchange offers contemplated by the
Registration Rights Agreement relating to the Notes or the
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement by (1) the
filing with the SEC of the Exchange
57
Offer Registration Statement and/or Shelf
Registration Statement in accordance with the provisions of such
Registration Rights Agreement, and any amendments thereto, if such
registration statement and/or amendments thereto are filed at times
that otherwise satisfy the time requirements set forth in
Section 4.02(a) and/or (2) the posting of reports that
would be required to be provided to the Trustee and the holders on
the Issuer’s website (or that of any of its parent
companies).
SECTION 4.03. Limitation on
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and
Preferred Stock .
(a) (i) The Issuer shall not, and
shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired
Indebtedness) or issue any shares of Disqualified Stock; and
(ii) the Issuer shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries (other than a Subsidiary Pledgor) to issue any shares
of Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the Issuer and
any Subsidiary Pledgor may Incur Indebtedness (including Acquired
Indebtedness) or issue shares of Disqualified Stock, and, subject
to Section 4.03(c), any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer
that is not a Subsidiary Pledgor may Incur Indebtedness (including
Acquired Indebtedness), issue shares of Disqualified Stock or issue
shares of Preferred Stock, in each case if the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio of the Issuer for the most recently ended four full
fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are
available immediately preceding the date on which such additional
Indebtedness is Incurred or such Disqualified Stock or Preferred
Stock is issued would have been at least 2.00 to 1.00 determined on
a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application
of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness
had been Incurred, or the Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock had
been issued, as the case may be, and the application of proceeds
therefrom had occurred at the beginning of such four-quarter
period.
(b) The limitations set forth in
Section 4.03(a) shall not apply to:
(i) the Incurrence by the Issuer or
its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness under the Credit
Agreement and the issuance and creation of letters of credit and
bankers’ acceptances thereunder up to an aggregate principal
amount of $11,000 million outstanding at any one time (including
any Indebtedness Incurred and represented by the Notes or any Other
First Priority Lien Obligations of the Issuer or its Restricted
Subsidiaries, the proceeds of which Notes or Other First Priority
Lien Obligations are used to repay Indebtedness under such Credit
Agreement);
(ii) Indebtedness existing on the
Issue Date (other than Indebtedness described in clause (i) of
this Section 4.03(b));
(iii) Indebtedness (including
Capitalized Lease Obligations) Incurred by the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries, Disqualified Stock issued by the Issuer or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and Preferred Stock issued by
any Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer to finance (whether prior
to or within 270 days after) the acquisition, lease, construction,
repair, replacement or improvement of property (real or personal)
or equipment (whether through the direct purchase of assets or the
Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets);
58
(iv) Indebtedness Incurred by the
Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries constituting
reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and
bank guarantees issued in the ordinary course of business,
including without limitation letters of credit in respect of
workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other
benefits to employees or former employees or their families or
property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance, and
letters of credit in connection with the maintenance of, or
pursuant to the requirements of, environmental or other permits or
licenses from governmental authorities, or other Indebtedness with
respect to reimbursement type obligations regarding workers’
compensation claims;
(v) Indebtedness arising from
agreements of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary providing for
indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar
obligations, in each case, Incurred in connection with the
Acquisition Transactions or any other acquisition or disposition of
any business, assets or a Subsidiary of the Issuer in accordance
with the terms of this Indenture, other than guarantees of
Indebtedness Incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of
such business, assets or Subsidiary for the purpose of financing
such acquisition;
(vi) Indebtedness of the Issuer to a
Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (except in respect of
intercompany current liabilities Incurred in the ordinary course of
business in connection with the cash management operations of the
Issuer and its Subsidiaries) any such Indebtedness owed to a
Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Pledgor is
subordinated in right of payment to the obligations of the Issuer
under the Notes; provided, further, that any subsequent
issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event which
results in any such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a
Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such
Indebtedness (except to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary
or any pledge of such Indebtedness constituting a Permitted Lien)
shall be deemed, in each case, to be an Incurrence of such
Indebtedness not permitted by this clause (vi);
(vii) shares of Preferred Stock of a
Restricted Subsidiary issued to the Issuer or another Restricted
Subsidiary; provided that any subsequent issuance or
transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event which results in
any Restricted Subsidiary that holds such shares of Preferred Stock
of another Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted
Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such shares of
Preferred Stock (except to the Issuer or another Restricted
Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to be an issuance of
shares of Preferred Stock not permitted by this clause
(vii);
(viii) Indebtedness of a Restricted
Subsidiary to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary;
provided that if a Subsidiary Pledgor Incurs such
Indebtedness to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary
Pledgor (except in respect of intercompany current liabilities
Incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the
cash management operations of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries),
such Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the
obligations of such Subsidiary Pledgor in respect of the Notes;
provided, further, that any subsequent issuance or transfer
of any Capital Stock or any other event which results in any
Restricted Subsidiary holding such Indebtedness ceasing to be a
Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer
of
59
any such Indebtedness (except to the
Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary or any pledge of such
Indebtedness constituting a Permitted Lien) shall be deemed, in
each case, to be an Incurrence of such Indebtedness not permitted
by this clause (viii);
(ix) (A) Hedging Obligations entered
into in connection with the Acquisition Transactions and
(B) Hedging Obligations that are not Incurred for speculative
purposes but (1) for the purpose of fixing or hedging interest
rate risk with respect to any Indebtedness that is permitted by the
terms of this Indenture to be outstanding; (2) for the purpose
of fixing or hedging currency exchange rate risk with respect to
any currency exchanges; or (3) for the purpose of fixing or
hedging commodity price risk with respect to any commodity
purchases or sales;
(x) obligations (including
reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and
bank guarantees) in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety
bonds and completion guarantees provided by the Issuer or any
Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business or
consistent with past practice or industry practice;
(xi) Indebtedness or Disqualified
Stock of the Issuer or, subject to Section 4.03(c),
Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of any
Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer not otherwise permitted
hereunder in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation
preference which, when aggregated with the principal amount or
liquidation preference of all other Indebtedness, Disqualified
Stock and Preferred Stock then outstanding and Incurred pursuant to
this clause (xi), does not exceed the greater of $1,100 million and
5.0% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence (it being understood
that any Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause
(xi) shall cease to be deemed Incurred or outstanding for
purposes of this clause (xi) but shall be deemed Incurred for
purposes of Section 4.03(a) from and after the first date on
which the Issuer, or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be,
could have Incurred such Indebtedness under Section 4.03(a)
without reliance upon this clause (xi));
(xii) Indebtedness or Disqualified
Stock of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer and
Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer not
otherwise permitted hereunder in an aggregate principal amount or
liquidation preference not greater than 200.0% of the net cash
proceeds received by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries
since immediately after the Issue Date from the issue or sale of
Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent
entity of the Issuer (which proceeds are contributed to the Issuer
or its Restricted Subsidiary) or cash contributed to the capital of
the Issuer (in each case other than proceeds of Disqualified Stock
or sales of Equity Interests to, or contributions received from,
the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries) as determined in accordance
with clauses (B) and (C) of the definition of
“Cumulative Credit” to the extent such net cash
proceeds or cash have not been applied pursuant to such clauses to
make Restricted Payments or to make other Investments, payments or
exchanges pursuant to Section 4.04(b) or to make Permitted
Investments (other than Permitted Investments specified in clauses
(1) and (3) of the definition thereof);
(xiii) any guarantee by the Issuer
or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of Indebtedness or other
obligations of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
so
60
long as the Incurrence of such
Indebtedness Incurred by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary
is permitted under the terms of this Indenture; provided
that (i) if such Indebtedness is by its express terms
subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the obligations of
such Restricted Subsidiary in respect of the Notes, as applicable,
any such guarantee of such Subsidiary Pledgor with respect to such
Indebtedness shall be subordinated in right of payment to such
Subsidiary Pledgor’s obligations with respect to the Notes
substantially to the same extent as such Indebtedness is
subordinated to the Notes or the obligations of such Subsidiary
Pledgor in respect of the Notes, as applicable and (ii) if
such guarantee is of Indebtedness of the Issuer, such guarantee is
Incurred in accordance with Section 4.11 solely to the extent
such Section is applicable;
(xiv) the Incurrence by the Issuer
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness or
Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary of
the Issuer which serves to refund, refinance or defease any
Indebtedness Incurred or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock
issued as permitted under Section 4.03(a) and clauses (ii),
(iii), (xi), (xii), (xiv), (xv), (xix) and (xxiii) of
this Section 4.03(b) or any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock
or Preferred Stock Incurred to so refund or refinance such
Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, including any
additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock
Incurred to pay premiums (including tender premiums), expenses,
defeasance costs and fees in connection therewith (subject to the
following proviso, “ Refinancing Indebtedness ”)
prior to its respective maturity; provided, however, that
such Refinancing Indebtedness:
(1) has a Weighted Average Life to
Maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred
which is not less than the shorter of (x) the remaining
Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Indebtedness, Disqualified
Stock or Preferred Stock being refunded, refinanced or defeased and
(y) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity that would result if
all payments of principal on the Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock
and Preferred Stock being refunded or refinanced that were due on
or after the date that is one year following the last maturity date
of any Notes then outstanding were instead due on such
date;
(2) to the extent such Refinancing
Indebtedness refinances (a) Indebtedness junior to the Notes
or the obligations of such Restricted Subsidiary in respect of the
Notes, as applicable, such Refinancing Indebtedness is junior to
the Notes or such obligations of such Restricted Subsidiary, as
applicable, or (b) Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, such
Refinancing Indebtedness is Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock;
and
(3) shall not include
(x) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that
is not a Subsidiary Pledgor that refinances Indebtedness of the
Issuer or a Subsidiary Pledgor, or (y) Indebtedness of the
Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of
an Unrestricted Subsidiary:
provided, further,
that subclause (1) of this
clause (xiv) will not apply to any refunding or refinancing of
any Secured Indebtedness constituting First Priority Lien
Obligations and subclauses (1) and (2) of this clause
(xiv) will not apply to any refunding or refinancing of any of
the Retained Notes;
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(xv) Indebtedness, Disqualified
Stock or Preferred Stock of (x) the Issuer or, subject to
Section 4.03(c), any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurred
to finance an acquisition or (y) Persons that are acquired by
the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or merged,
consolidated or amalgamated with or into the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with the terms of this
Indenture; provided that after giving effect to such
acquisition or merger, consolidation or amalgamation,
either:
(1) the Issuer would be permitted to
Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.03(a);
or
(2) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
of the Issuer would be greater than immediately prior to such
acquisition or merger, consolidation or amalgamation;
(xvi) Indebtedness Incurred by a
Receivables Subsidiary in a Qualified Receivables Financing that is
not recourse to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary other than
a Receivables Subsidiary (except for Standard Securitization
Undertakings);
(xvii) Indebtedness arising from the
honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft
or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the
ordinary course of business; provided that such Indebtedness
is extinguished within five Business Days of its
Incurrence;
(xviii) Indebtedness of the Issuer
or any Restricted Subsidiary supported by a letter of credit or
bank guarantee issued pursuant to the Credit Agreement, in a
principal amount not in excess of the stated amount of such letter
of credit;
(xix) Indebtedness of Foreign
Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the aggregate
principal amount of Indebtedness Incurred under this clause (xix),
when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness
then outstanding and Incurred pursuant to this clause (xix), does
not exceed the greater of $250.0 million and 7.5% of Total Assets
of the Foreign Subsidiaries at any one time outstanding (it being
understood that any Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause
(xix) shall cease to be deemed Incurred or outstanding for
purposes of this clause (xix) but shall be deemed Incurred for
the purposes of Section 4.03(a) from and after the first date
on which such Foreign Subsidiary could have Incurred such
Indebtedness under Section 4.03(a) without reliance upon this
clause (xix));
(xx) Indebtedness of the Issuer or
any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of (1) the financing of
insurance premiums or (2) take-or-pay obligations contained in
supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of
business;
(xxi) Indebtedness consisting of
Indebtedness issued by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the
Issuer to current or former officers, directors and
employees
62
thereof or any direct or indirect
parent thereof, their respective estates, spouses or former
spouses, in each case to finance the purchase or redemption of
Equity Interests of the Issuer or any of its direct or indirect
parent companies to the extent described in
Section 4.04(b)(iv);
(xxii) Indebtedness Incurred in
connection with any Project Financing; and
(xxiii) Indebtedness Incurred on
behalf of, or representing guarantees of Indebtedness of, joint
ventures of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary not in excess,
at any one time outstanding, of $300.0 million.
(c) Restricted Subsidiaries that are
not Subsidiary Pledgors may not Incur Indebtedness or issue
Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock under Section 4.03(a) or
clauses (xi) or (xv)(x) of Section 4.03(b) if, after
giving pro forma effect to such Incurrence or issuance
(including a pro forma application of the net proceeds
therefrom), the aggregate amount of Indebtedness and Disqualified
Stock and Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not
Subsidiary Pledgors Incurred or issued pursuant to
Section 4.03(a) and clauses (xi) or (xv)(x) of
Section 4.03(b), collectively, would exceed the greater of
$2,000 million and 5.0% of Total Assets.
(d) For purposes of determining
compliance with this Section 4.03:
(i) in the event that an item of
Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion
thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of
permitted Indebtedness described in clauses (i) through
(xxiii) of Section 4.03(b) or is entitled to be Incurred
pursuant to Section 4.03(a), the Issuer shall, in its sole
discretion, classify or reclassify, or later divide, classify or
reclassify, such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or
Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) in any manner that
complies with this Section 4.03; and
(ii) at the time of Incurrence, the
Issuer will be entitled to divide and classify an item of
Indebtedness in more than one of the types of Indebtedness
described in Section 4.03(a) and (b) without giving
pro forma effect to the Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to
Section 4.03(b) when calculating the amount of Indebtedness
that may be Incurred pursuant to Section 4.03(a).
Accrual of interest, the accretion
of accreted value, the payment of interest or dividends in the form
of additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock,
as applicable, amortization of original issue discount, the
accretion of liquidation preference and increases in the amount of
Indebtedness outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in the
exchange rate of currencies will not be deemed to be an Incurrence
of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock for purposes
of this Section 4.03. Guarantees of, or obligations in respect
of letters of credit relating to, Indebtedness which is otherwise
included in the determination of a particular amount of
Indebtedness shall not be included in the determination of such
amount of Indebtedness; provided that the Incurrence of the
Indebtedness represented by such guarantee or letter of credit, as
the case may be, was in compliance with this
Section 4.03.
63
For purposes of determining
compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the
Incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal
amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be
calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect
on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term
debt, or first committed or first Incurred (whichever yields the
lower U.S. dollar equivalent), in the case of revolving credit
debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to
refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and
such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated
restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency
exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S.
dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been
exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing
Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such
Indebtedness being refinanced.
(e) Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Section 4.03, the maximum amount of
Indebtedness that the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries may
Incur pursuant to this Section 4.03 shall not be deemed to be
exceeded, with respect to any outstanding Indebtedness, solely as a
result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies. The
principal amount of any Indebtedness Incurred to refinance other
Indebtedness, if Incurred in a different currency from the
Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the
currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such
respective Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the
date of such refinancing.
SECTION 4.04. Limitation on
Restricted Payments .
(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall
not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly:
(i) declare or pay any dividend or
make any distribution on account of the Issuer’s or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests, including any
payment made in connection with any merger, amalgamation or
consolidation involving the Issuer (other than (A) dividends
or distributions by the Issuer payable solely in Equity Interests
(other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer; or
(B) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary so
long as, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or
in respect of any class or series of securities issued by a
Restricted Subsidiary other than a Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least
its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution in accordance
with its Equity Interests in such class or series of
securities);
(ii) purchase or otherwise acquire
or retire for value any Equity Interests of the Issuer or any
direct