Exhibit 10.4
Execution Version
INTERCREDITOR
AGREEMENT
THIS INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT is
dated as of December 24, 2008, among BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as
Credit Agreement Agent, each Other First Priority Lien Obligations
Agent from time to time party hereto, each in its capacity as First
Lien Agent, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee and each
collateral agent for any Future Second Lien Indebtedness from time
to time party hereto, each in its capacity as Second Priority
Agent.
A. WHEREAS, Harrah’s Operating
Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company
”), (i) is party to the Credit Agreement dated as of
January 28, 2008 (as amended, amended and restated, replaced,
refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time,
the “ Credit Agreement ”) among Harrah’s
Entertainment, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“
Holdings ”), the Company, the lenders party thereto
from time to time, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent
and collateral agent, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as
syndication agent, and Citibank, N.A., Credit Suisse, Cayman
Islands Branch, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Goldman Sachs Credit Partners
L.P., Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. and Bear Stearns
Corporate Lending, Inc., as co-documentation agents, and the other
parties thereto, and (ii) may become a party to Other First
Priority Lien Obligations Credit Documents;
B. WHEREAS, the Company (i) is
party to the Indenture dated as of December 24, 2008 (as
amended, amended and restated, replaced, refinanced, supplemented
or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Second
Priority Senior Secured Notes Indenture ”), under which
the Second Lien Notes were issued, among the Company, as obligor,
Holdings, as guarantor, and U.S. Bank National Association, as
Trustee and (ii) may become a party to Second Priority
Documents governing Future Second Lien Indebtedness; and
Accordingly, in consideration of the
foregoing, the mutual covenants and obligations herein set forth
and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and
receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto,
intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1.
Definitions.
1.1. Defined Terms . As used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified
below:
“ Affiliate ”
shall mean, when used with respect to a specified person, another
person that directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common
Control with the person specified.
“ Agreement ”
shall mean this Agreement, as amended, renewed, extended,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance
with the terms hereof.
“ Bankruptcy Law
” shall mean Title 11 of the United States Code and any
similar Federal, state or foreign law for the relief of
debtors.
“ Closing Date ”
shall mean January 28, 2008.
“ Common Collateral
” shall mean all of the assets of any Grantor, whether real,
personal or mixed, constituting both Senior Lender Collateral and
Second Priority Collateral, including without limitation any assets
in which the First Lien Agents are automatically deemed to have a
Lien pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.3.
“ Company ” shall
have the meaning set forth in the recitals, and its successors in
such capacity.
“ Comparable Second
Priority Collateral Document ” shall mean, in relation to
any Common Collateral subject to any Lien created under any Senior
Collateral Document, those Second Priority Collateral Documents
that create a Lien on the same Common Collateral, granted by the
same Grantor.
“ Control ” shall
mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct
or cause the direction of the management or policies of a person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise, and “Controlling” and
“Controlled” shall have meanings correlative
thereto.
“ Credit Agreement
” shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals.
“ Credit Agreement
Agent ” shall mean Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity
as administrative agent and collateral agent for the Senior Lenders
under the Credit Agreement and the other Senior Lender Documents
entered into pursuant to the Credit Agreement, together with its
successors in such capacity.
“ Credit Agreement
Lender ” shall mean a “Lender” as defined in
the Credit Agreement.
“ DIP Financing ”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.
“ Discharge of Senior
Lender Claims ” shall mean, except to the extent
otherwise provided in Section 5.7 below, payment in full in
cash (except for contingent indemnities and cost and reimbursement
obligations to the extent no claim has been made) of (a) all
Obligations in respect of all outstanding Senior Lender Claims and,
with respect to letters of credit or letter of credit guaranties
outstanding thereunder, delivery of cash collateral or backstop
letters of credit in respect thereof in compliance with the Credit
Agreement, in each case after or concurrently with the termination
of all commitments to extend credit thereunder and (b) any
other Senior Lender Claims that are due and payable or otherwise
accrued and owing at or prior to the time such principal and
interest are paid; provided that the Discharge of Senior Lender
Claims shall not be deemed to have occurred if such payments are
made with the proceeds of other Senior Lender Claims that
constitute an exchange or replacement for or a refinancing of such
Obligations or Senior Lender Claims. In the event the Senior Lender
Claims are modified and the Obligations are paid over time or
otherwise modified pursuant to Section 1129 of the Bankruptcy
Code, the Senior Lender Claims shall be deemed to be discharged
when the final payment is made, in cash, in respect of such
indebtedness and any obligations pursuant to such new indebtedness
shall have been satisfied.
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“ First Lien Agent
” shall mean each of (a) the Credit Agreement Agent and
(b) any Other First Priority Lien Obligations
Agent.
“ First Priority Designated
Agent ” shall mean such agent or trustee as is designated
“First Priority Designated Agent” by Senior Lenders
holding a majority in principal amount of the Senior Lender Claims
then outstanding; it being understood that as of the date of this
Agreement and for so long as any Obligations under the Credit
Agreement remain outstanding, the Credit Agreement Agent shall be
so designated First Priority Designated Agent.
“ Future Second Lien
Indebtedness ” shall mean Indebtedness or Obligations
(other than Noteholder Claims) of Holdings, the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries that are to be equally and ratably secured with
the Noteholder Claims and are so designated as Future Second Lien
Indebtedness in accordance with Section 8.22 hereof;
provided , however , that such Future Second Lien
Indebtedness is permitted to be so incurred in accordance with any
Senior Lender Documents and any Second Priority Documents, as
applicable.
“ Grantors ”
shall mean the Company, Holdings and each of the Company’s
Subsidiaries, in each case, that has executed and delivered a
Second Priority Collateral Document or a Senior Collateral
Document.
“ Holdings ”
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ Indebtedness ”
shall mean and include all obligations that constitute
“Indebtedness” within the meaning of the Second
Priority Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the Credit Agreement, or
the Other First Priority Lien Obligations Credit
Documents.
“ Indenture Secured
Parties ” shall mean the Persons holding Noteholder
Claims, including the Trustee.
“ Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding ” shall mean (a) any voluntary or
involuntary case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law with
respect to any Grantor, (b) any other voluntary or involuntary
insolvency, reorganization or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any
receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or
proceeding with respect to any Grantor or with respect to any of
its assets, (c) any liquidation, dissolution, reorganization
or winding up of any Grantor whether voluntary or involuntary and
whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy or (d) any
assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of
assets and liabilities of any Grantor.
“ Lien ” shall
mean, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, preferred
mortgage, deed of trust, lien, notice of claim of lien,
hypothecation, pledge, charge, security interest or similar
encumbrance in or on such asset and (b) the interest of a
vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital
lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having
substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing)
relating to such asset.
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“ Loan Documents
” means the Credit Agreement and the other “Loan
Documents” as defined in the Credit Agreement.
“ Noteholder Claims
” shall mean all Obligations in respect of the Notes or
arising under the Noteholder Documents or any of them, including
all fees and expenses of the Trustee thereunder.
“ Noteholder Collateral
” shall mean all of the assets of the Grantors, whether real,
personal or mixed, with respect to which a Lien is granted as
security for any Noteholder Claim.
“ Noteholder Collateral
Agreement ” shall mean the Collateral Agreement dated as
of December 24, 2008, among the Company, certain other
Grantors and the Trustee in respect of the Second Priority Senior
Secured Notes Indenture, as the same may be amended, restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“ Noteholder Collateral
Documents ” shall mean the Noteholder Collateral
Agreement and any other document or instrument pursuant to which a
Lien is granted by any Grantor to secure any Noteholder Claims or
under which rights or remedies with respect to any such Lien are
governed.
“ Noteholder Documents
” shall mean (a) the Second Priority Senior Secured
Notes Indenture, the Notes, the Noteholder Collateral Documents and
(b) any other related document or instrument executed and
delivered pursuant to any Noteholder Document described in clause
(a) above evidencing or governing any Obligations
thereunder.
“ Notes ” shall
mean (a) the Second Lien Notes and (b) any additional
notes issued under the Second Priority Senior Secured Notes
Indenture by the Company, to the extent permitted by the Second
Priority Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the Credit Agreement, the
Other First Priority Lien Obligations Credit Documents, any other
Senior Lender Documents and any Second Priority Document, as
applicable.
“ Obligations ”
shall mean, with respect to any Person, any payment, performance or
other obligations of such Person of any kind, including, without
limitation, any liability of such Person on any claim, whether or
not the right of any creditor to payment in respect of such claim
is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated, fixed,
contingent, matured, disputed, undisputed, legal, equitable,
secured or unsecured, and whether or not such claim is discharged,
stayed or otherwise affected by any Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Obligations of any Grantor under any Senior Lender Document or
Second Priority Document include the obligations to pay principal,
interest (including interest accrued on or accruing after the
commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether
or not a claim for post-filing interest is allowed in such
proceeding) or premium on any Indebtedness, letter of credit
commissions (if applicable), charges, expenses, fees,
attorneys’ fees and disbursements, indemnities and other
amounts payable by such Grantor to reimburse any amount in respect
of any of the foregoing that any Senior Lender or Second Priority
Secured Party, in its sole discretion, many elect to pay or advance
on behalf of such Grantor.
“ Other First Priority Lien
Obligations ” means all Obligations owing under any Other
First Priority Lien Obligations Document; provided, however, for
the avoidance of doubt, none of the Obligations under the Credit
Agreement or any other Loan Document shall constitute Other First
Priority Lien Obligations.
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“ Other First Priority Lien
Obligations Agent ” shall mean, with respect to any Other
First Priority Lien Obligations Credit Document, the Person
elected, designated or appointed as the administrative agent,
trustee, collateral agent or similar representative with respect to
such Other First Priority Lien Obligations Credit Document by or on
behalf of the holders of such Other First Priority Lien
Obligations, and its respective successors in such
capacity.
“ Other First Priority Lien
Obligations Credit Document ” means any
(a) instruments, agreements or documents evidencing 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 and/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 in respect of which a First Lien Agent
has become a party hereto in accordance with Section 8.22
hereof.
“ Other First Priority Lien
Obligations Documents ” means each Other First Priority
Lien Obligations Credit Document and each Other First Priority Lien
Obligations Security Document related thereto.
“ Other First Priority Lien
Obligations Security Documents ” means any security
agreement or any other document now existing or entered into after
the date hereof that create Liens on any assets or properties of
any Grantor to secure any Other First Priority Lien
Obligations.
“ Person ” shall
mean any natural person, corporation, business trust, joint
venture, association, company, partnership, limited liability
company or government, individual or family trusts, or any agency
or political subdivision thereof.
“ Pledged Collateral
” shall mean the Common Collateral in the possession of any
First Lien Agent (or its agents or bailees), to the extent that
possession thereof perfects a Lien thereon under the Uniform
Commercial Code.
“ Recovery ”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.
“ Required Lenders
” shall mean, with respect to any Senior Lender Documents,
those Senior Lenders the approval of which is required to approve
an amendment or modification of, termination or waiver of any
provision of or consent to any departure from such Senior Lender
Documents (or would be required to effect such consent under this
Agreement if such consent were treated as an amendment of the
Senior Lender Documents).
“ Second Lien Notes
” shall mean the Company’s Second Priority Senior
Secured Notes due 2015 and 2018, issued pursuant to the Second
Priority Senior Secured Notes Indenture and any notes issued by the
Company in exchange for, and as contemplated by, the Second Lien
Notes and the related registration rights agreement with
substantially identical terms as the Second Lien Notes.
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“ Second Priority
Agents ” shall mean (a) the Trustee as agent for the
Indenture Secured Parties and (b) the collateral agent for any
Future Second Lien Indebtedness.
“ Second Priority
Claims ” shall mean the Noteholder Claims and all other
Obligations in respect of, or arising under, the Second Priority
Documents, including all fees and expenses of the collateral agent
for any Future Second Lien Indebtedness.
“ Second Priority
Collateral ” shall mean the Noteholder Collateral and all
of the assets of the Grantors, whether real, personal or mixed,
with respect to which a Lien is granted as security for any Second
Priority Claim.
“ Second Priority
Collateral Agreements ” shall mean the Noteholder
Collateral Agreement and any comparable agreement(s) with respect
to any Future Second Lien Indebtedness.
“ Second Priority
Collateral Documents ” shall mean the Noteholder
Collateral Documents and any other agreement, document or
instrument pursuant to which a Lien is now or hereafter granted
securing any Second Priority Claims or under which rights or
remedies with respect to such Liens are at any time
governed.
“ Second Priority
Designated Agent ” shall mean such agent or trustee as is
designated “Second Priority Designated Agent” by Second
Priority Secured Parties holding a majority in principal amount of
the Second Priority Claims then outstanding; it being understood
that as of the date of this Agreement and for so long as any
Obligations under the Second Priority Senior Secured Notes
Indenture remain outstanding, the Trustee shall be so designated
Second Priority Designated Agent.
“ Second Priority
Documents ” shall mean the Noteholder Documents and any
other document or instrument evidencing or governing any Future
Second Lien Indebtedness.
“ Second Priority Lien
” shall mean any Lien on any assets of the Company or any
other Grantor securing any Second Priority Claims.
“ Second Priority Secured
Parties ” shall mean the Indenture Secured Parties and
all other Persons holding any Second Priority Claims, including the
collateral agent for any Future Second Lien
Indebtedness.
“ Second Priority Senior
Secured Notes Indenture ” shall have the meaning set
forth in the recitals.
“ Secured Hedge
Agreements ” shall mean each Swap Agreement entered into
by a Grantor that (i) is in effect on or following the Closing
Date with a counterparty that is a Credit Agreement Lender or an
Affiliate of a Credit Agreement Lender as of the Closing Date or
(ii) is entered into after the Closing Date with any
counterparty that is a Credit Agreement Lender or an Affiliate of a
Credit Agreement Lender at the time such Swap Agreement is entered
into.
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“ Senior Collateral
Agreement ” shall mean the Collateral Agreement, dated as
of January 28, 2008, among the Company, certain other
Grantors, and Bank of America, N.A. as collateral agent for the
secured parties referred to therein, as the same may be amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“ Senior Collateral
Documents ” shall mean the Senior Collateral Agreement,
the Senior Guaranty and Pledge Agreement, the Other First Priority
Lien Obligations Security Documents and any security agreement,
mortgage or other agreement, document or instrument pursuant to
which a Lien is now or hereafter granted securing any Senior Lender
Claims or under which rights or remedies with respect to such Lien
are at any time governed.
“ Senior Guaranty and
Pledge Agreement ” shall mean the Guaranty and Pledge
Agreement, dated as of January 28, 2008, made by Holdings in
favor of Bank of America, N.A. as collateral agent for the secured
parties referred to therein, as the same may be amended, restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“ Senior Lender Cash
Management Obligations ” shall mean, with respect to any
Grantor, all Obligations of such Grantor in respect of any
Overdraft Line (as defined in the Credit Agreement) owed to a
Person that is a Credit Agreement Lender or any Affiliate of a
Credit Agreement Lender as of or following the Closing Date or at
the time the Overdraft Line is entered into (or any other Person
designated by the Company as a provider of the Overdraft Line
pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement and entitled to the
benefits of the Senior Lender Collateral).
“ Senior Lender Claims
” shall mean all Obligations arising under the Credit
Agreement, the Other First Priority Lien Obligations Credit
Documents and any other Senior Lender Documents, whether or not
such Obligations constitute Indebtedness, including, without
limitation, (a) Obligations arising under Secured Hedge
Agreements, (b) Senior Lender Cash Management Obligations and
(c) Obligations under any agreement that is an exchange or
replacement for or an extension, increase or refinancing of any
other Senior Lender Claims. Senior Lender Claims shall include all
interest and expenses accrued or accruing (or that would, absent
the commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding,
accrue) after the commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding in accordance with and at the rate specified in the
relevant Senior Lender Documents whether or not the claim for such
interest or expenses is allowed or allowable as a claim in such
Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.
“ Senior Lender
Collateral ” shall mean all of the assets of the
Grantors, whether real, personal or mixed, with respect to which a
Lien is granted as security for any Senior Lender Claim.
“ Senior Lender
Documents ” shall mean the Loan Documents, the Other
First Priority Lien Obligations Credit Documents, the Senior
Collateral Documents and each of the other agreements, documents
and instruments (including each agreement, document or instrument
providing for or evidencing a Senior Lender Hedging Obligation or
Senior Lender Cash Management Obligation) providing for, evidencing
or securing any Senior Lender Claim, including, without limitation,
any Obligation under the Credit Agreement and any other related
document or instrument executed or delivered pursuant to any such
document at any time or otherwise evidencing or securing any
Obligation arising under any such document.
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“ Senior Lender Hedging
Obligations ” shall mean any Obligations under Secured
Hedge Agreements.
“ Senior Lenders
” shall mean the Persons holding Senior Lender Claims,
including the First Lien Agents.
“ Subsidiary ”
shall mean any “Subsidiary” of the Company as defined
in the Credit Agreement.
“ Swap Agreement
” shall mean any agreement with respect to any swap, forward,
future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement
involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates,
currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities,
or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic,
financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or
any combination of these transactions; provided , that no
phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on
account of services provided by current or former directors,
officers, employees or consultants of Holdings, the Company or any
of the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.
“ Trustee ” shall
mean U.S. Bank National Association, in its capacity as trustee
under the Second Priority Senior Secured Notes Indenture and as
collateral agent under the Noteholder Collateral Documents, and its
successors in such capacity.
“ Uniform Commercial
Code ” or “ UCC ” shall mean the
Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State
of New York.
1.2. Terms Generally . The
definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and
plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may
require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine,
feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,”
“includes” and “including” shall be deemed
to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The
word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning
and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context
requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any
agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed
as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as
from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in
accordance with this Agreement, (b) any reference herein to
any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s
successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein,”
“hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of
similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in
its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof,
(d) all references herein to Sections shall be construed to
refer to Sections of this Agreement and (e) the words
“asset” and “property” shall be construed
to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all
tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash,
securities, accounts and contract rights.
SECTION 2. Lien
Priorities.
2.1. Subordination of Liens .
Notwithstanding (i) the date, time, method, manner or order of
filing or recordation of any document or instrument or grant,
attachment or perfection (including any defect or deficiency or
alleged defect or deficiency in any of the foregoing) of
any
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Liens granted to the Second Priority Secured
Parties on the Common Collateral or of any Liens granted to any
First Lien Agent or Senior Lenders on the Common Collateral,
(ii) any provision of the UCC, any Bankruptcy Law, or any
applicable law or the Second Priority Documents or the Senior
Lender Documents, (iii) whether any First Lien Agent, either
directly or through agents, holds possession of, or has control
over, all or any part of the Common Collateral, (iv) the fact
that any such Liens may be subordinated, voided, avoided,
invalidated or lapsed or (v) any other circumstance of any
kind or nature whatsoever, each Second Priority Agent, on behalf of
itself and each applicable Second Priority Secured Party, hereby
agrees that: (a) any Lien on the Common Collateral securing
any Senior Lender Claims now or hereafter held by or on behalf of
any First Lien Agent or any Senior Lenders or any agent or trustee
therefor regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute,
operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall have priority
over and be senior in all respects and prior to any Lien on the
Common Collateral securing any Second Priority Claims and
(b) any Lien on the Common Collateral securing any Second
Priority Claims now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the
Trustee or any Second Priority Secured Parties or any agent or
trustee therefor regardless of how acquired, whether by grant,
statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall be
junior and subordinate in all respects to all Liens on the Common
Collateral securing any Senior Lender Claims. All Liens on the
Common Collateral securing any Senior Lender Claims shall be and
remain senior in all respects and prior to all Liens on the Common
Collateral securing any Second Priority Claims for all purposes,
whether or not such Liens securing any Senior Lender Claims are
subordinated to any Lien securing any other obligation of the
Company, any other Grantor or any other Person.
2.2. Prohibition on Contesting
Liens . Each Second Priority Agent, for itself and on behalf of
each applicable Second Priority Secured Party, and each First Lien
Agent, for itself and on behalf of each Senior Lender in respect of
which it serves as First Lien Agent, agrees that it shall not (and
hereby waives any right to) take any action to challenge, contest
or support any other Person in contesting or challenging, directly
or indirectly, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, perfection, priority or
enforceability of (a) a Lien securing any Senior Lender Claims
held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of any First Lien
Agent or any of the Senior Lenders or any agent or trustee therefor
in any Senior Lender Collateral or (b) a Lien securing any
Second Priority Claims held (or purported to be held) by or on
behalf of any Second Priority Secured Party in the Common
Collateral, as the case may be; provided, however, that nothing in
this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights
of any First Lien Agent or any Senior Lender to enforce this
Agreement (including the priority of the Liens securing the Senior
Lender Claims as provided in Section 2.1) or any of the Senior
Lender Documents.
2.3. No New Liens . So long
as the Discharge of Senior Lender Claims has not occurred and
subject to Section 6, each Second Priority Agent agrees, for
itself and on behalf of each applicable Second Priority Secured
Party, whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has
been commenced by or against the Company or any other Grantor, that
it shall not acquire or hold any Lien on any assets of the Company
or any other Grantor securing any Second Priority Claims that are
not also subject to the first-priority Lien in respect of the
Senior Lender Claims under the Senior Lender Documents. If any
Second Priority Agent or any Second Priority Secured Party shall
(nonetheless and in breach hereof) acquire or hold any Lien on any
collateral that is not also subject to the first-priority Lien in
respect of the Senior Lender Claims
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under the Senior Lender Documents, then such
Second Priority Agent shall, without the need for any further
consent of any party and notwithstanding anything to the contrary
in any other document, be deemed to also hold and have held such
lien for the benefit of the First Lien Agents as security for the
Senior Lender Claims (subject to the lien priority and other terms
hereof) and shall promptly notify each First Lien Agent in writing
of the existence of such Lien and in any event take such actions as
may be requested by any First Lien Agent to assign or release such
Liens to the First Lien Agents (and/or each of its designee) as
security for the applicable Senior Lender Claims.
2.4. Perfection of Liens .
Neither the First Lien Agents nor the Senior Lenders shall be
responsible for perfecting and maintaining the perfection of Liens
with respect to the Common Collateral for the benefit of the Second
Priority Agents and the Second Priority Secured Parties. The
provisions of this Agreement are intended solely to govern the
respective Lien priorities as between the Senior Lenders and the
Second Priority Secured Parties and shall not impose on the First
Lien Agents, the Second Priority Agents, the Second Priority
Secured Parties or the Senior Lenders or any agent or trustee
therefor any obligations in respect of the disposition of proceeds
of any Common Collateral which would conflict with prior perfected
claims therein in favor of any other Person or any order or decree
of any court or governmental authority or any applicable
law.
2.5. Waiver of Marshalling .
Until the Discharge of Senior Lender Claims, each Second Priority
Agent, on behalf of itself and the applicable Second Priority
Secured Parties, agrees not to assert and hereby waives, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, any right to demand, request,
plead or otherwise assert or otherwise claim the benefit of, any
marshalling, appraisal, valuation or other similar right that may
otherwise be available under applicable law with respect to the
Common Collateral or any other similar rights a junior secured
creditor may have under applicable law.
SECTION 3.
Enforcement.
3.1. Exercise of Remedies
.
(a) So long as the Discharge of
Senior Lender Claims has not occurred, whether or not any
Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced by or
against the Company or any other Grantor, (i) no Second
Priority Agent or any Second Priority Secured Party will
(x) exercise or seek to exercise any rights or remedies
(including setoff or recoupment) with respect to any Common
Collateral or any other security in respect of any applicable
Second Priority Claims, or exercise any right under any lockbox
agreement, control agreement, landlord waiver or bailee’s
letter or similar agreement or arrangement, or institute any action
or proceeding with respect to such rights or remedies (including
any action of foreclosure), (y) contest, protest or object to
any foreclosure proceeding or action brought with respect to the
Common Collateral or any other collateral by any First Lien Agent
or any Senior Lender in respect of the Senior Lender Claims, the
exercise of any right by any First Lien Agent or any Senior Lender
(or any agent or sub-agent on their behalf) in respect of the
Senior Lender Claims under any lockbox agreement, control
agreement, landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or similar
agreement or arrangement to which any Second Priority Agent or any
Second Priority Secured Party either is a party or may have rights
as a third party beneficiary, or any other exercise by
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any such party, of any rights and remedies
relating to the Common Collateral or any other collateral under the
Senior Lender Documents or otherwise in respect of Senior Lender
Claims, or (z) object to the forbearance by the Senior Lenders
from bringing or pursuing any foreclosure proceeding or action or
any other exercise of any rights or remedies relating to the Common
Collateral or any other collateral in respect of Senior Lender
Claims and (ii) except as otherwise provided herein, each
First Lien Agent and the Senior Lenders shall have the exclusive
right to enforce rights, exercise remedies (including setoff and
the right to credit bid their debt) and make determinations
regarding the release, disposition or restrictions with respect to
the Common Collateral without any consultation with or the consent
of any Second Priority Agent or any Second Priority Secured Party;
provided, however, that (A) in any Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding commenced by or against the Company or any other
Grantor, each Second Priority Agent may file a proof of claim or
statement of interest with respect to the applicable Second
Priority Claims, (B) each Second Priority Agent may take any
action (not adverse to the prior Liens on the Common Collateral
securing the Senior Lender Claims, or the rights of either First
Lien Agent or the Senior Lenders to exercise remedies in respect
thereof) in order to create, prove, perfect, preserve or protect
(but not enforce) its rights in, and perfection and priority of its
Lien on, the Common Collateral, (C) in any Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding commenced by or against the Company or any
other Grantor, each Second Priority Agent may file any necessary or
responsive pleadings in opposition to any motion, adversary
proceeding or other pleading filed by any Person objecting to or
otherwise seeking disallowance of the claim or Lien of such Second
Priority Agent or Second Priority Secured Party, (D) each
Second Priority Agent may file any pleadings, objections, motions,
or agreements which assert rights available to unsecured creditors
of the Company or any other Grantor arising under any Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding or applicable non-bankruptcy law and
(E) each Second Priority Agent and each Second Priority
Secured Party may vote on any plan of reorganization in any
Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the Company or any other
Grantor, in each case (A) through (E) above to the extent
such action is not inconsistent with, or could not result in a
resolution inconsistent with, the terms of this Agreement. In
exercising rights and remedies with respect to the Senior Lender
Collateral, each First Lien Agent and the Senior Lenders may
enforce the provisions of the Senior Lender Documents and exercise
remedies thereunder, all in such order and in such manner as they
may determine in the exercise of their sole discretion. Such
exercise and enforcement shall include the rights of an agent
appointed by them to sell or otherwise dispose of Common Collateral
or other collateral upon foreclosure, to incur expenses in
connection with such sale or disposition, and to exercise all the
rights and remedies of a secured lender under the uniform
commercial code of any applicable jurisdiction and of a secured
creditor under Bankruptcy Laws of any applicable
jurisdiction.
(b) So long as the Discharge of
Senior Lender Claims has not occurred, each Second Priority Agent,
on behalf of itself and each applicable Second Priority Secured
Party, agrees that it will not take or receive any Common
Collateral or other collateral or any proceeds of Common Collateral
or other collateral in connection with the exercise of any right or
remedy (including setoff or recoupment) with respect to any Common
Collateral or other collateral in respect of the applicable Second
Priority Claims. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
unless and until the Discharge of Senior Lender Claims has
occurred, except as expressly provided in the proviso in clause
(ii) of Section 3.1(a), the sole right of the Second
Priority Agents and the Second Priority Secured Parties with
respect to the Common Collateral or any other collateral is to hold
a Lien on the Common Collateral or such other collateral in respect
of the applicable Second Priority Claims pursuant to the Second
Priority Documents, as applicable, for the period and to the extent
granted therein and to receive a share of the proceeds thereof, if
any, after the Discharge of Senior Lender Claims has
occurred.
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(c) Subject to the proviso in clause
(ii) of Section 3.1(a) above, (i) each Second
Priority Agent, for itself and on behalf of each applicable Second
Priority Secured Party, agrees that no Second Priority Agent or any
Second Priority Secured Party will take any action that would
hinder any exercise of remedies undertaken by any First Lien Agent
or Senior Lenders with respect to the Common Collateral or any
other collateral under the Senior Lender Documents, including any
sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of the Common
Collateral or such other collateral, whether by foreclosure or
otherwise, and (ii) each Second Priority Agent, for itself and
on behalf of each applicable Second Priority Secured Party, hereby
waives any and all rights it or any Second Priority Secured Party
may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to object to the
manner in which any First Lien Agent or Senior Lenders seek to
enforce or collect the Senior Lender Claims or the Liens granted in
any of the Senior Lender Collateral, regardless of whether any
action or failure to act by or on behalf of any First Lien Agent or
Senior Lenders is adverse to the interests of the Second Priority
Secured Parties.
(d) Each Second Priority Agent
hereby acknowledges and agrees that no covenant, agreement or
restriction contained in any applicable Second Priority Document
shall be deemed to restrict in any way the rights and remedies of
any First Lien Agent or Senior Lenders with respect to the Senior
Lender Collateral as set forth in this Agreement and the Senior
Lender Documents.
3.2. Cooperation . Subject to
the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.1(a), each Second
Priority Agent, on behalf of itself and each applicable Second
Priority Secured Party, agrees that, unless and until the Discharge
of Senior Lender Claims has occurred, it will not commence, or join
with any Person (other than the Senior Lenders and any First Lien
Agent upon the request thereof) in commencing, any enforcement,
collection, execution, levy or foreclosure action or proceeding
with respect to any Lien held by it in the Common Collateral or any
other collateral under any of the applicable Second Priority
Documents or otherwise in respect of the applicable Second Priority
Claims relating to the Common Collateral.
3.3. Actions Upon Breach . If
any Second Priority Secured Party, in contravention of the terms of
this Agreement, in any way takes, attempts to or threatens to take
any action with respect to the Common Collateral (including,
without limitation, any attempt to realize upon or enforce any
remedy with respect to this Agreement), this Agreement shall create
an irrebuttable presumption and admission by such Second Priority
Secured Party that relief against such Second Priority Secured
Party by injunction, specific performance and/or other appropriate
equitable relief is necessary to prevent irreparable harm to the
Senior Lenders, it being understood and agreed by each Second
Priority Agent on behalf of each applicable Second Priority Secured
Party that (i) the Senior Lenders’ damages from its
actions may at that time be difficult to ascertain and may be
irreparable, and (ii) each Second Priority Secured Party
waives any defense that the Grantors and/or the Senior Lenders
cannot demonstrate damage and/or can be made whole by the awarding
of damages.
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SECTION 4.
Payments.
4.1. Application of Proceeds
. So long as the Discharge of Senior Lender Claims has not
occurred, the Common Collateral and any other collateral in respect
of the Second Priority Claims or proceeds thereof received in
connection with the sale or other disposition of, or collection on,
such Common Collateral or other collateral upon the exercise of
remedies as a secured party, shall be applied by the First Lien
Agents to the Senior Lender Claims in such order as specified in
the relevant Senior Lender Documents until the Discharge of Senior
Lender Claims has occurred. Upon the Discharge of Senior Lender
Claims, subject to Section 5.7 hereof, each of the First Lien
Agents shall deliver promptly to the Second Priority Designated
Agent any Common Collateral or proceeds thereof held by it in the
same form as received, with any necessary endorsements or as a
court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct to be applied
by the Second Priority Designated Agent ratably to the Second
Priority Claims in such order as specified in the Second Priority
Documents.
4.2. Payments Over . Any
Common Collateral or other collateral in respect of the Second
Priority Claims or proceeds thereof received by any Second Priority
Agent or any Second Priority Secured Party in connection with the
exercise of any right or remedy (including setoff or recoupment)
relating to the Common Collateral or such other collateral prior to
the Discharge of Senior Lender Claims shall be segregated and held
for the benefit of and forthwith paid over to the First Priority
Designated Agent (and/or its designees) for the benefit of the
Senior Lenders in the same form as received, with any necessary
endorsements or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise
direct. The First Lien Agents are each hereby individually
authorized to make any such endorsements as agent for any Second
Priority Agent or any such Second Priority Secured Party. This
authorization is coupled with an interest and is
irrevocable.
SECTION 5. Other
Agreements.
5.1. Releases .
(a) If, at any time any Grantor or
the holder of any Senior Lender Claim delivers notice to each
Second Prior