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EXHIBIT 10.12
MASTER LEASE
THIS MASTER LEASE (this "Lease") is made as of October 1, 2002
(the
"Effective Date"), by and between SCS FINANCE II, L.P., a
Delaware limited
partnership ("Lessor"), and SOUTHWEST CONVENIENCE STORES, LP, a
Texas limited
partnership ("Lessee").
WITNESSETH:
THAT, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
herein
contained, Lessor and Lessee hereby covenant and agree as
follows:
1. CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS. The following terms shall have the
following
meanings for all purposes of this Lease:
"ADA" means the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as such
act may
be amended from time to time.
"Additional Rental" has the meaning set forth in Section
5.B.
"Affiliate" means any Person which directly or indirectly
controls, is
under common control with, or is controlled by any other Person.
For purposes of
this definition, "controls", "under common control with" and
"controlled by"
means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause
the direction of the management and policies of such Person,
whether through the
ownership of voting securities or otherwise.
"Affiliated Borrower" means SCS Finance I, L.P., a Delaware
limited
partnership.
"Applicable Regulations" means all applicable statutes,
regulations,
rules, ordinances, codes, licenses, permits, orders and
approvals of each
Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over any of the
Properties or the
Equipment, including, without limitation, all health, building,
fire, safety and
other codes, ordinances and requirements, all applicable
standards of the
National Board of Fire Underwriters and the ADA and all policies
or rules of
common law, in each case, and any judicial or administrative
interpretation
thereof, including any judicial order, consent, decree or
judgment applicable to
any of the Lessee Parties, each as in effect on the date of
determination.
"Applicable Rent Reduction Percentage" means, with respect to
any
Property, a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
original principal
balance of the Note relating to such Property and Fee Equipment
located thereon,
and the denominator of which shall be the sum of all of the
original principal
balances of the Notes relating to all of the Properties and Fee
Equipment then
subject to this Lease, including such Property and Fee
Equipment.
"Base Annual Rental" means the amount of $1,840,707.96, which
Base Annual
Rental may be subject to adjustment from time to time as set
forth in Section
21.
"Base Monthly Rental" means an amount equal to 1/12 of the Base
Annual
Rental.
"Business Day" means any day on which Lender is open for
business other
than a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, ending at 5:00 P.M.
Phoenix, Arizona
time.
"Change of Control" means a change in control of any of the
Lessee Parties
occurring as a result of: (i) any merger or consolidation by any
of the Lessee
Parties, as applicable, with or into any other entity other than
another entity
controlled by Alon Israel Oil Company Ltd. or any successor in
interest thereto;
or (ii) if any "Person" as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the
Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and as
used in Section
13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a "group" as defined in
Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act, who, subsequent to the Closing, becomes the
"beneficial owner" (as
defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), of securities of
any of the
Lessee Parties, as applicable, representing 50% or more of the
combined voting
power of that Lessee Party's then outstanding securities (other
than indirectly
as a result of the redemption by any of the Lessee
SCS Finance II, L.P.
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Parties, as applicable, of its securities) including, without
limitation, a
change in control resulting from direct or indirect transfers of
voting stock or
partnership, membership or other ownership interests, whether in
one or a series
of transactions; provided, however, that if no Event of Default,
or events or
circumstances which with the giving of notice or passage of time
will result in
an Event of Default, then exists (except for an environmental
default being
cured in accordance with Section 24.A.(vii)), then no Change in
Control of any
of the Lessee Parties shall be deemed to have occurred if
immediately following
the event that would otherwise cause that Change in Control: (i)
Lessee has an
aggregate amount of partners' capital equal to or greater than
the aggregate
amount of the partners' capital of Lessee, as determined in
accordance with GAAP
immediately prior to that event and the Corporate Fixed Charged
Coverage Ratio
of Lessee determined for the last twelve full months occurring
prior to that
event is at least 1.5:1; or (ii) the rating agency then rating
the debt of
Guarantor has confirmed that the credit rating of Guarantor is
no lower than its
credit rating immediately prior to that event; and provided,
further, no event
that would otherwise be deemed to be a Change in Control
hereunder as a result
of any merger or consolidation of, or the transfer of the voting
stock or other
voting ownership interests in, Alon Israel Oil Company Ltd.
shall be deemed to
be a Change in Control under this Agreement or any other Loan
Document. For
purposes of this definition, "control" means the possession,
directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and
policies of any of the Lessee Parties, as applicable.
"Code" means Title 11 of the United States Code, 11 U.S.C. Sec.
101 et
seq., as amended.
"Corporate Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" means with respect to
Guarantor or
Lessee, the "Corporate Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" as defined
in Section
24.A(xii) or Section 59, respectively.
"Default Rate" means the lesser of the highest rate for which
the
undersigned may legally contract or the rate of 14% per
annum.
"Distributor" means Alon USA, LP, or any other distributor of
petroleum
products to the Properties, in accordance with a Permitted
Concept.
"Distributor Agreement" means the agreement or agreements with
the
Distributor (including any successor Distributor) with respect
to the supply of
petroleum products to the Properties, together with all
amendments,
modifications, supplements, or replacements thereto.
"Effective Date" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
"Environmental Compliance Activities" means any action to comply
with any
Environmental Laws or with any permits issued pursuant thereto,
any inspection,
investigation, study, monitoring, assessment, audit, sampling
and testing,
laboratory or other analysis or any evaluation relating to
Hazardous Materials.
"Environmental Condition" means any condition with respect to
soil,
surface waters, groundwaters, land, stream sediments, surface or
subsurface
strata, ambient air and any environmental medium comprising or
surrounding any
of the Properties, which would reasonably be expected to or does
result in any
damage, loss, cost, expense, claim, demand, order or liability
to or against any
of the Lessee Parties, Lessor or Lender by any third party
(including, without
limitation, any Governmental Authority), including, without
limitation, any
condition resulting from the operation of business at any of the
Properties
and/or the operation of the business of any other property owner
or operator in
the vicinity of the Properties and/or any activity or operation
formerly
conducted by any person or entity on or off any of the
Properties.
"Environmental Insurer" means American International Specialty
Lines
Insurance Company, or such other environmental insurance company
as Lessor may
select, and its successors and assigns.
"Environmental Laws" means any applicable federal, state and
local laws,
statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders, injunctions
and decrees of
Governmental Authorities and common law, relating to Hazardous
Materials or USTs
and/or the protection of human health or the environment by
reason of a Release
or a Threatened Release of Hazardous Materials or USTs or
relating to liability
for or costs of Remediation, Environmental Compliance Activities
or prevention
of Releases. "Environmental Laws" includes, but is not limited
to, the
SCS Finance II, L.P.
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following statutes, as amended, any successor thereto, and any
regulations,
rulings, orders or decrees promulgated pursuant thereto, and any
state or local
statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders, injunctions
and decrees of
Governmental Authorities: the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation
and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. Sections 9601 et seq.; the
Emergency Planning and
Community Right-to-Know Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 11001 et seq.;
the Hazardous
Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. Section 5101 et seq.;
the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (including but not limited to
Subtitle I relating
to USTs), 42 U.S.C. Sections 6901 et seq.; the Clean Water Act,
33 U.S.C.
Sections 1251 et seq.; the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. Sections
7401 et seq.; the
Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 2601 et seq.;
the Safe Drinking
Water Act, 42 U.S.C. Sections 7401 et seq.; the Occupational
Safety and Health
Act, 29 U.S.C. Section 651 et seq.; the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide and
Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C. Sections 136 et seq.; the Endangered
Species Act, 16
U.S.C. Sections 1531 et seq. and the National Environmental
Policy Act, 42
U.S.C. Section 4321 et seq. "Environmental Laws" also includes,
but is not
limited to, any applicable federal, state and local laws,
statutes, ordinances,
rules, regulations, orders, injunctions and decrees of
Governmental Authorities
and common law: conditioning transfer of property upon a
negative declaration or
other approval of a Governmental Authority of the environmental
condition of the
property; requiring notification or disclosure of Releases or
other
environmental condition of any of the Properties to any
Governmental Authority
or other person or entity, whether or not in connection with
transfer of title
to or interest in property; imposing conditions or requirements
relating to
Hazardous Materials or USTs in connection with permits or other
authorizations
required by Governmental Authorities; relating to the handling
and disposal of
Hazardous Materials; relating to nuisance, trespass or other
causes of action
related to Hazardous Materials; and relating to wrongful death,
personal injury,
or property or other damage in connection with the physical
condition or use of
any of the Properties by reason of the presence of Hazardous
Materials or USTs
in, on, under or above any of the Properties.
"Environmental Liens" has the meaning set forth in Section
6.L(9).
"Environmental Policies" means the environmental insurance
policies issued
by Environmental Insurer to Lender with respect to the
Properties, which
Environmental Policies shall be in form and substance
satisfactory to Lender in
its sole discretion.
"Equipment" means the Fee Equipment and the Leasehold
Equipment.
"Equipment Loan Agreement" means the Equipment Loan and
Security
Agreement, dated as of the Effective Date, in effect between
Lessor and Lender,
as such agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented from
time to time and
any replacements or substitutions thereof.
"Equipment Loan Documents" means, collectively, the Equipment
Loan
Agreement, the Equipment Notes, and all other documents,
instruments and
agreements executed in connection therewith or contemplated
thereby, all as
amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and any and
all
replacements or substitutions thereof.
"Equipment Notes" means, collectively, the equipment promissory
notes
dated as of the Effective Date executed by Lessor and payable to
Lender and
secured by the Leasehold Equipment, as such notes may be
amended, modified,
restated and/or substituted from time to time.
"Equipment Premises" means collectively or individually, as the
context
may require a parcel or all of the parcels of real property
described by address
and unit number in Exhibit B attached hereto, and legally
described on Exhibit
B-2 attached hereto, which are leased to Lessee pursuant to the
Premises Leases
and all rights, privileges and appurtenances associated
therewith, including all
buildings, fixtures and other improvements.
"Equipment Premises Landlord" means the owner of the fee-simple
interest
in one or more Equipment Premises, which party leases such
Equipment Premises to
Lessee pursuant to a Premises Lease.
"Event of Default" has the meaning set forth in Section 24.
"Fee Equipment" means the furniture, machinery, equipment, trade
fixtures,
appliances, gas pumps and canopies, and all other tangible
personal property now
or hereafter located at the Properties owned by Lessor and
leased to Lessee
pursuant to this Lease.
SCS Finance II, L.P.
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"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied
and in effect in the United States of America from time to
time.
"Governmental Authority" means any governmental authority,
agency,
department, commission, bureau, board, instrumentality, court
or
quasi-governmental authority having jurisdiction or supervisory
or regulatory
authority over any of the Properties, Equipment or any of the
Lessee Parties.
"Guaranty" means the unconditional guaranty of payment and
performance
dated as of the date of this Agreement executed by Guarantor,
for the benefit of
Lessor with respect to this Lease.
"Guarantor" means Alon USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and
its
successors.
"Hazardous Materials" means (a) any toxic substance or hazardous
waste,
substance, solid waste or related material, or any pollutant or
contaminant; (b)
radon gas, asbestos in any form which is or could become
friable, urea
formaldehyde foam insulation, transformers or other equipment
containing
dielectric fluid having levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in
excess of
applicable standards established by any Governmental Authority,
or any petroleum
product or additive; (c) any substance, gas, material or
chemical which is now
or hereafter defined as or included in the definition of
"hazardous substances,"
"toxic substances," "hazardous materials," "hazardous wastes,"
"regulated
substances" or words of similar import under any Environmental
Laws, including,
without limitation, "petroleum" and "petroleum-based substances"
or any similar
terms described or defined in any Environmental Laws and any
applicable federal,
state, county or local laws applicable to or regulating USTs;
and (d) any other
chemical, material, gas or substance the exposure to or release
of which is
prohibited, limited or regulated by any Governmental Authority
that asserts or
may assert jurisdiction over any of the Properties or the
operations or activity
at any of the Properties, or any chemical, material, gas or
substance that does
or is reasonably likely to pose a hazard to the health and/or
safety of the
occupants of any of the Properties or the owners and/or
occupants of property
adjacent to or surrounding the any of Properties.
"Indemnified Parties" means Lessor, Environmental Insurer,
Lender, their
respective directors, officers, shareholders, trustees,
beneficial owners,
partners and members, any directors, officers, shareholders,
trustees,
beneficial owners, partners, members of any shareholders,
beneficial owners,
partners or members of Lessor, Environmental Insurer or Lender,
and all
employees, agents, servants, representatives, contractors,
subcontractors,
affiliates, subsidiaries, participants, successors and assigns
of any of the
foregoing, including, but not limited to, any successors by
merger,
consolidation or acquisition of all or a substantial portion of
the assets and
business of Lessor, Environmental Insurer or Lender, as
applicable.
"Lease Term" shall have the meaning described in Section 4.
"Leasehold Equipment" means the furniture, machinery, equipment,
trade
fixtures, appliances, gas pumps and canopies, and all other
tangible personal
property now or hereafter located at the Equipment Premises
owned by Lessor and
leased to Lessee pursuant to this Lease.
"Lender" means GE Capital Franchise Finance Corporation, a
Delaware
corporation, its successors and assigns, any successor lender in
connection with
any loan secured by Lessor's interest in any of the Properties
and/or Equipment,
and any servicer of any loan secured by Lessor's interest in any
of the
Properties and/or the Equipment.
"Lessee Parties" means, collectively, Lessee and any guarantors
of this
Lease (including, in each case, any
predecessors-in-interest).
"Lessor Entities" means, collectively, Lessor (including any
predecessor-in-interest to Lessor) and any Affiliate of Lessor
(including any
Affiliate of any predecessor-in-interest to Lessor).
"Loan Agreement" means the Loan Agreement dated as of the
Effective Date
in effect between Lessor and Lender, as such agreement may be
amended, modified
or supplemented from time to time and any and all replacements
or substitutions
thereof.
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"Loan Documents" means, collectively, the Loan Agreement, the
Notes, the
Mortgages and all other documents, instruments and agreements
executed in
connection therewith or contemplated thereby, all as amended,
modified and
supplemented and any and all replacements or substitutions
thereof.
"Loan Pool" means:
(i) in the context of a Securitization, any pool or group of
loans
that are a part of such Securitization;
(ii) in the context of a Transfer, all loans which are sold,
transferred or assigned to the same transferee; and
(iii) in the context of a Participation, all loans as to
which
participating interests are granted to the same participant.
"Losses" means any and all claims, suits, liabilities
(including, without
limitation, strict liabilities), actions, proceedings,
obligations, debts,
damages, losses, costs, expenses, diminutions in value, fines,
penalties,
charges, fees, expenses, judgments, awards, amounts paid in
settlement and
damages of whatever kind or nature (including, without
limitation, attorneys'
fees, court costs and other costs of defense).
"Material Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect on (i)
any of
the Properties and/or Equipment, including, without limitation,
the operation of
any of the Properties and/or Equipment as a Permitted Concept,
or (ii) Lessee's
ability to perform its obligations under this Lease or any
Premises Lease.
"Memorandum" means the memorandum of master lease dated as of
the
Effective Date between Lessor and Lessee with respect to the
Properties. A
duplicate original Memorandum will be executed and recorded in
the applicable
real property records for each Property. Each Memorandum will
contain exhibits
with the addresses and store identification numbers for all of
the Properties
and the legal description for the applicable Property.
"Mortgage" or "Mortgages" means, as the context may require, the
mortgage
or deed of trust dated as of the date of this Agreement executed
by Lessor for
the benefit of Lender with respect to a Property or the
mortgages, deeds of
trust or deeds to secure debt, assignments of rents and leases,
security
agreements and fixture filings dated as of the Effective Date
executed by Lessor
for the benefit of Lender with respect to all of the Properties,
as the same may
be amended, modified, restated and/or supplemented from time to
time and any and
all replacements or substitutions thereof. A Mortgage has been
executed for each
Property.
"Notes" means, collectively, the promissory notes dated as of
the
Effective Date executed by Lessor and payable to Lender with
respect to the
Properties, as such notes may be amended, modified, restated
and/or substituted
from time to time.
"Other Agreements" means, collectively, all agreements and
instruments now
or hereafter entered into between, among or by (1) any of the
Lessee Parties
and/or any Affiliate of any of the Lessee Parties (including any
Affiliate of
any predecessor-in-interest to any of the Lessee Parties), and,
or for the
benefit of, (2) any of the Lessor Entities; provided, however,
the term Other
Agreements shall not include this Lease or any Related
Lease.
"Participation" means one or more grants by Lender or any
Affiliate of
Lender to a third party of a participating interest in notes
evidencing
obligations to repay secured or unsecured loans owned by Lender
or any Affiliate
of Lender or any or all servicing rights with respect
thereto.
"Permitted Amounts" means, with respect to any given level of
Hazardous
Materials, that level or quantity of Hazardous Materials in any
form or
combination of forms the presence, use, storage, release or
handling of which
does not constitute a violation of any Environmental Laws and is
customarily
employed in the ordinary course of, or associated with, similar
businesses
located in the states in which the Properties are located.
SCS Finance II, L.P.
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"Permitted Concept" means the operation of each Property or
Equipment
Premises as a recognized, regionally or nationally branded
convenience store or
convenience store brand used by Lessee for substantially all of
its stores, with
facilities for the sale of gasoline, which sells gasoline under
the brand name
"Fina" (or any variant thereof or successor brand thereto) or
under any other
national or brand name for gasoline having a similar or greater
name recognition
in the market area in which the Property or Equipment Premises
are located or
any other brand to which Lessor consents, in Lessor's reasonable
discretion
(except with respect to the Property identified as Store No. 716
located at 1800
Lomas Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico for which "Permitted
Concept" shall
not include the sale of gasoline).
"Permitted Liens" means (i) those recorded easements,
restrictions, liens
and encumbrances set forth as exceptions in the title insurance
policies issued
by Title Company to Lender with respect to the Properties, (ii)
liens or
encumbrances created by, through or under the Lender or any
Person claiming by
or through Lender, (iii) liens or encumbrances for taxes,
assessments or other
governmental charges either not yet due or being contested by
Lessee in
accordance with this Lease or the Loan Documents, (iv) inchoate
materialman's,
mechanic's, workmen's, repairmen's or other like liens arising
in the ordinary
course of business and for amounts the payment of which either
is not yet due or
is being contested by Lessee as may be permitted by this Lease,
provided the
nonpayment of such amount does not involve any material danger
of sale, for
forfeiture or loss of any part of the Properties or Equipment,
title thereto or
any interest therein.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited
liability
company, trust, unincorporated organization, Governmental
Authority or any other
form of entity.
"Personal Property" means all machinery, appliances, furniture,
equipment,
trade fixtures, gas pumps and canopies and other tangible
personal property (but
excluding inventory, general intangibles, payment intangibles,
cash, instruments
(including promissory notes), documents, accounts, chattel paper
(whether
tangible or electronic), deposit accounts, letter of credit
rights, securities
and all other investment property, any other contract rights or
rights to the
payment of money, and all other intangible property), owned by
Lessee now or
hereafter located on or at any of the Properties or used solely
in connection
with any of the Properties.
"Premises Lease" or "Premises Leases" means, as the context may
require,
one or all of the leases for an Equipment Premises, each between
Lessee, as
lessee, and an Equipment Premises Landlord, as lessor, as the
same may be
amended or supplemented from time to time.
"Properties" means, collectively, the parcels of real estate
owned by
Lessor, which are described by address, Lessor Number and Unit
Number in Exhibit
A attached hereto and legally described in Exhibit A-1 attached
hereto, all
rights, privileges and appurtenances associated therewith, and
all buildings,
fixtures and other improvements now or hereafter located on such
real estate
(whether or not affixed to such real estate).
"Property" means any one of the Properties.
"Questionnaires" means the environmental questionnaires
completed on
behalf of Lessor with respect to the Properties and submitted to
Environmental
Insurer in connection with the issuance of the Environmental
Policies.
"Related Lease" means the master lease, dated as of the date of
this
Lease, between Lessee, as lessee, and the Affiliated Borrower,
as lessor, as
amended or supplemented from time to time.
"Release" means any presence, release, deposit, discharge,
emission,
leaking, spilling, seeping, migrating, injecting, pumping,
pouring, emptying,
escaping, dumping, disposing or other movement of Hazardous
Materials in
violation of Environmental Laws or which may result in a
Material Adverse
Effect.
"Remediation" means any response, remedial, removal, or
corrective action,
any activity to clean up, detoxify, decontaminate, contain or
otherwise
remediate any Hazardous Materials or USTs required by any
Environmental Law or
any Governmental Authority, any actions to cure or mitigate any
Release, any
action to comply with any Environmental Laws or with any permits
issued pursuant
thereto, and any inspection, investigation,
SCS Finance II, L.P.
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study, monitoring, assessment, audit, sampling and testing,
laboratory or other
analysis, or any evaluation relating to any Release of Hazardous
Materials or
Release from any USTs.
"Securitization" means one or more sales, dispositions,
transfers or
assignments by Lender or any Affiliate of Lender to a special
purpose
corporation, trust or other entity identified by Lender or any
Affiliate of
Lender of notes evidencing obligations to repay secured or
unsecured loans owned
by Lender or any Affiliate of Lender (and, to the extent
applicable, the
subsequent sale, transfer or assignment of such notes to another
special purpose
corporation, trust or other entity identified by Lender or any
Affiliate of
Lender), and the issuance of bonds, certificates, notes or other
instruments
evidencing interests in pools of such loans, whether in
connection with a
permanent asset securitization or a sale of loans in
anticipation of a permanent
asset securitization. Each Securitization shall be undertaken in
accordance with
all requirements which may be imposed by the investors or the
rating agencies
involved in each such sale, disposition, transfer or assignment
or which may be
imposed by applicable securities, tax or other laws or
regulations.
"Terrorism Laws" means Executive Order 13224 issued by the
President of
the United States of America, the Terrorism Sanctions
Regulations (Title 31 Part
595 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations), the Terrorism List
Governments
Sanctions Regulations (Title 31 Part 596 of the U.S. Code of
Federal
Regulations), and the Foreign Terrorist Organizations Sanctions
Regulations
(Title 31 Part 597 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations), and
all other
present and future federal, state and local laws, ordinances,
regulations,
policies and any other requirements of any Governmental
Authority (including,
without limitation, the United States Department of the Treasury
Office of
Foreign Assets Control) addressing, relating to, or attempting
to eliminate,
terrorist acts and acts of war, each as hereafter supplemented,
amended or
modified from time to time, and the present and future rules,
regulations and
guidance documents promulgated under any of the foregoing, or
under similar
laws, ordinances, regulations, policies or requirements of other
states or
localities.
"Threatened Release" means a substantial likelihood of a Release
which
requires action to prevent or mitigate damage to the soil,
surface waters,
groundwaters, land, stream sediments, surface or subsurface
strata, ambient air
or any other environmental medium comprising or surrounding any
of the
Properties which may result from such Release.
"Title Company" means Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation.
"Transfer" means one or more sales, transfers or assignments by
Lender or
any Affiliate of Lender to a third party of notes evidencing
obligations to
repay secured or unsecured loans owned by Lender or any
Affiliate of Lender or
any or all servicing rights with respect thereto.
"UCC" shall have the meaning described in Section 31.
"USTs" means any one or combination of below or above ground
tanks and
associated piping systems used in connection with the storage,
dispensing and
general use of petroleum and petroleum-based substances.
2. DEMISE OF PROPERTIES. In consideration of the rentals and
other sums to
be paid by Lessee and of the other terms, covenants and
conditions on Lessee's
part to be kept and performed, Lessor hereby leases to Lessee,
and Lessee hereby
takes and hires, all of the Properties and Equipment. The
Properties and
Equipment are leased to Lessee "AS IS" and "WHERE IS" without
representation or
warranty by Lessor and subject to the rights of parties in
possession, to the
existing state of title, any state of facts which an accurate
survey or physical
inspection might reveal, and all Applicable Regulations now or
hereafter in
effect. Lessee has examined each of the Properties and the
Equipment and title
to each of the Properties and the Equipment and has found all of
the same
satisfactory for all of Lessee's purposes.
3. MASTER LEASE CHARACTERIZATION. A. Lessor and Lessee intend
that:
(i) this Lease constitutes a single master lease of all, but
not
less than all, of the Properties and Equipment and that Lessor
and Lessee
have executed and delivered this Lease with the understanding
that this
Lease constitutes a unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining
to all, but
not less than all, of the
SCS Finance II, L.P.
7
<PAGE>
Properties, and that neither this Lease nor the duties,
obligations or
rights of Lessee may be allocated or otherwise divided among
the
Properties and Equipment by Lessee;
(ii) this Lease is a "true lease" and not a financing lease,
mortgage, equitable mortgage, deed of trust, trust agreement,
security
agreement or other financing or trust arrangement, and the
economic
realities of this Lease are those of a true lease; and
(iii) the business relationship created by this Lease and
any
related documents is solely that of a long-term commercial lease
between
landlord and tenant and has been entered into by both parties in
reliance
upon the economic and legal bargains contained herein.
B. Lessor and Lessee acknowledge and agree that the Lease Term,
including
any term extensions provided for in this Lease, is less than the
remaining
economic life of each of the Properties and of the
Equipment.
C. Lessee waives any claim or defense based upon the
characterization of
this Lease as anything other than a true lease and irrevocably
waives any claim
or defense which asserts that this Lease is anything other than
a true lease.
Lessee covenants and agrees that it will not assert that this
Lease is anything
but a true lease. Lessee stipulates and agrees not to challenge
the validity,
enforceability or characterization of the lease of the
Properties and Equipment
as a true lease and further stipulates and agrees that nothing
contained in this
Lease creates or is intended to create a joint venture,
partnership (either de
jure or de facto), equitable mortgage, trust, financing device
or arrangement,
security interest or the like. Lessee shall support the intent
of the parties
that the lease of the Properties and Equipment pursuant to this
Lease is a true
lease and does not create a joint venture, partnership (either
de jure or de
facto), equitable mortgage, trust, financing device or
arrangement, security
interest or the like, if, and to the extent that, any challenge
occurs.
D. Lessee waives any claim or defense based upon the
characterization of
this Lease as anything other than a master lease of all of the
Properties and
Equipment and irrevocably waives any claim or defense which
asserts that this
Lease is anything other than a master lease. Lessee covenants
and agrees that it
will not assert that this Lease is anything but a unitary,
unseverable
instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than
all, of the
Properties and Equipment. Lessee stipulates and agrees not to
challenge the
validity, enforceability or characterization of the lease of the
Properties and
Equipment as a unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the
lease of all,
but not less than all, of the Properties and Equipment. Lessee
shall support the
intent of the parties that this Lease is a unitary, unseverable
instrument
pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the
Properties and
Equipment, if, and to the extent that, any challenge occurs.
E. Lessee represents and warrants to Lessor that (i) the Base
Annual
Rental is the fair market value for the use of the Properties
and Equipment and
was agreed to by Lessor and Lessee on that basis, and (ii) the
execution,
delivery and performance by Lessee of this Lease does not
constitute a transfer
of all or any part of the Properties and Equipment.
F. The expressions of intent, the waivers, the representations
and
warranties, the covenants, the agreements and the stipulations
set forth in this
Section are a material inducement to Lessor entering into this
Lease.
4. LEASE TERM. The Lease Term for all of the Properties and
Equipment
shall commence as of the Effective Date and shall expire on
March 31, 2023,
unless terminated sooner as provided in this Lease. The time
period during which
this Lease shall actually be in effect is referred to herein as
the "Lease
Term."
5. RENTAL AND OTHER PAYMENTS. A. If the Effective Date is a date
other
than the first day of the month, Lessee shall pay Lessor on the
Effective Date
the Base Monthly Rental prorated on the basis of the ratio that
the number of
days from the Effective Date through the last day in the month
containing the
Effective Date bears to the number of days in such month.
Thereafter, on or
before the first day of each succeeding calendar month, Lessee
shall pay Lessor
in advance the Base Monthly Rental. The payments of the Base
Monthly Rental
shall be made to such account or accounts as Lessor shall
designate to Lessee
from time to time.
SCS Finance II, L.P.
8
<PAGE>
B. All sums of money required to be paid by Lessee under this
Lease which
are not specifically referred to as rent ("Additional Rental")
shall be
considered rent although not specifically designated as such.
Lessor shall have
the same remedies for nonpayment of Additional Rental as those
provided herein
for the nonpayment of Base Annual Rental.
6. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF LESSEE. The representations
and
warranties of Lessee contained in this Section are being made to
induce Lessor
to enter into this Lease and Lessor has relied, and will
continue to rely, upon
such representations and warranties. Lessee represents and
warrants to Lessor as
of the Effective Date as follows:
A. Organization, Authority and Status. (i) Each of the Lessee
Parties
(other than individuals), as applicable, is duly organized or
formed, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of
incorporation or
formation. Lessee is qualified as a foreign corporation,
partnership or limited
liability company, as applicable, to do business in each state
where the
Properties are located, and each of the Lessee Parties is
qualified as a foreign
corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as
applicable, to do
business in any other jurisdiction where the failure to be
qualified would
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
All necessary
action has been taken to authorize the execution, delivery and
performance by
Lessee of this Lease and of the other documents, instruments and
agreements
provided for herein. Lessee is not a "foreign corporation",
"foreign
partnership", "foreign trust", "foreign limited liability
company" or "foreign
estate", as those terms are defined in the Internal Revenue Code
and the
regulations promulgated thereunder. Lessee's U.S. Federal Tax
Identification
number, Organization Identification number and principal place
of business are
correctly set forth on the signature page of this Lease. The
person(s) who have
executed this Lease on behalf of Lessee are duly authorized to
do so. None of
the Lessee Parties, and no individual or entity owing directly
or indirectly any
interest in any of the Lessee Parties, is an individual or
entity whose property
or interests are subject to being "blocked" under any of the
Terrorism Laws or
who is otherwise in violation of any of the Terrorism Laws.
B. Enforceability. Upon execution by Lessee, this Lease shall
constitute
the legal, valid and binding obligation of Lessee, enforceable
against Lessee in
accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be
limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, fraudulent
conveyance,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization and other laws affecting the
rights of
creditors generally and general principles of equity.
C. Litigation. Except as set forth in Schedule I hereof, there
are no
suits, actions, proceedings or investigations pending, or, to
its actual
knowledge, threatened against or involving the Lessee Parties or
any of the
Properties or Equipment before any arbitrator or Governmental
Authority, except
for such suits, actions, proceedings or investigations which,
individually or in
the aggregate, have not had, and would not reasonably be
expected to result in,
a Material Adverse Effect.
D. Absence of Breaches or Defaults. The Lessee Parties are not,
and the
authorization, execution, delivery and performance of this Lease
and the
documents, instruments and agreements provided for herein will
not result in,
any breach or default under any Premises Lease or any other
document, instrument
or agreement to which any of the Lessee Parties is a party or by
which any of
the Lessee Parties, any of the Properties or any of the property
of any of the
Lessee Parties is subject or bound, except for such breaches or
defaults which,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had, and could not
reasonably be
expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect. The
authorization, execution,
delivery and performance of this Lease and the documents,
instruments and
agreements provided for herein will not violate any applicable
law, statute,
regulation, rule, ordinance, code or order. None of the
Properties are subject
to any right of first refusal, right of first offer or option to
purchase or
lease granted to a third party. Lessee has not assigned,
transferred, mortgaged,
hypothecated or otherwise encumbered this Lease or any rights
hereunder or
interest herein.
E. Liabilities of Lessor. Lessee is not liable for any
indebtedness for
money borrowed by Lessor and has not guaranteed any of the debts
or obligations
of Lessor.
F. Licenses and Permits; Access. All required licenses and
permits, both
governmental and private, to use and operate each of the
Properties and the
Equipment Premises as a Permitted Concept are in full force and
effect, except
for such licenses and permits the failure of which to obtain has
not had, and
could not reasonably be expected to result in, a Material
Adverse Effect.
Adequate rights of access to public roads and ways are available
to
SCS Finance II, L.P.
9
<PAGE>
each of the Properties for unrestricted ingress and egress and
otherwise to
permit utilization of each of the Properties for their intended
purposes, and
all such public roads and ways have been completed and dedicated
to public use.
G. Condition of Properties. Each of the Properties and
Equipment, is in
good condition and repair and well maintained, ordinary wear and
tear excepted.
The Properties are fully equipped and operational, free from
known structural
defects, safe and properly lighted.
H. Utilities. Adequate public utilities are available at each of
the
Properties to permit utilization of each of the Properties as a
Permitted
Concept and all utility connection fees and use charges will
have been paid in
full, prior to delinquency.
I. Area Development; Wetlands. No condemnation or eminent
domain
proceedings affecting any of the Properties have been commenced
or, to Lessee's
actual knowledge, are contemplated. None of the Properties and,
to Lessee's
actual knowledge, none of the real property bordering any of the
Properties are
designated by any Governmental Authority as a wetlands.
J. Financial Information. Lessee has delivered to Lessor and
Lender
certain financial statements and other information concerning
the Lessee Parties
in connection with this Lease (collectively, the "Financial
Information"). The
Financial Information is true, correct and complete in all
material respects;
there have been no amendments to the Financial Information since
the date such
Financial Information was prepared or delivered to Lessor.
Lessee understands
that Lessor is relying upon the Financial Information and Lessee
represents that
such reliance is reasonable. All financial statements included
in the Financial
Information were prepared in accordance with GAAP and fairly
present as of the
date of such financial statements the financial condition of
each individual or
entity to which they pertain. No change has occurred with
respect to the
financial condition of any of the Lessee Parties and/or the
Properties as
reflected in the Financial Information which has not been
disclosed in writing
to Lessor that has had, or could reasonably be expected to
result in, a Material
Adverse Effect.
K. Zoning; Compliance With Laws. Each of the Properties is in
compliance
with all applicable zoning requirements, and the use of each of
the Properties
as a Permitted Concept does not constitute a nonconforming use
under applicable
zoning requirements, except where such noncompliance would not
have a Material
Adverse Effect. The Lessee Parties, the Properties, the
Equipment Premises and
Equipment are in compliance with all Applicable Regulations
except for such
noncompliance which has not had, and would not reasonably be
expected to result
in, a Material Adverse Effect.
L. Environmental. Except as disclosed in the Questionnaires as
amended and
supplemented through the date of Closing:
(1) None of the Properties nor any of the Lessee Parties are in
violation
of, or subject to, any pending or, to Lessee's actual knowledge,
threatened
investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority or to any
remedial
obligations under any Environmental Laws which violation,
investigation or
inquiry would have a Material Adverse Effect, and this
representation and
warranty would continue to be true and correct following
disclosure to the
applicable Governmental Authorities of all relevant facts,
conditions and
circumstances, if any, pertaining to any of the Properties;
(2) All permits, licenses or similar authorizations required to
construct,
occupy, operate or use any buildings, improvements, fixtures and
Equipment
forming a part of or located at any of the Properties by reason
of any
Environmental Laws have been obtained, or are pending, and
Borrower has no
reason to believe that such permits, licenses or similar
authorizations that are
pending will not be issued in due course, except where such
failure to obtain
any permit, license or authorization would not have a Material
Adverse Effect;
(3) Since the initial acquisition by and during the ownership
and/or
occupancy of the Properties by Lessee, and to Lessee's knowledge
prior to such
acquisition and ownership, no Hazardous Materials have been
used, handled,
manufactured, generated, produced, stored, treated, processed,
transferred,
disposed of or otherwise Released in, on, under, from or about
any of the
Properties, except in Permitted Amounts;
SCS Finance II, L.P.
10
<PAGE>
(4) None of the Properties contain Hazardous Materials, except
in
Permitted Amounts, and all USTs located on or about the
Properties or which
constitute any portion of the Equipment, if any, are in full
compliance with all
Environmental Laws, except where such noncompliance would not
have a Material
Adverse Effect;
(5) To Borrower's knowledge, there is no threat of any Release
migrating
to any of the Properties in excess of Permitted Amounts;
(6) Since the initial acquisition by and during the ownership
and/or
occupancy of the Properties by Lessor, Lessee, and to Lessee's
knowledge prior
to such acquisition and ownership there is no past or present
non-compliance
with Environmental Laws, or with permits issued pursuant
thereto, in connection
with any of the Properties, except where such noncompliance
would not have a
Material Adverse Effect;
(7) None of the Lessee Parties has received any written notice
or other
communication from any person or entity (including but not
limited to a
Governmental Authority) relating to any Release of Hazardous
Materials in excess
of Permitted Amounts, or USTs or Remediation thereof, possible
liability of any
person or entity pursuant to any Environmental Law, other
Environmental
Conditions in connection with any of the Properties or
Equipment, or any actual
or potential administrative or judicial proceedings in
connection with any of
the foregoing;
(8) All information known to any of the Lessee Parties or
contained in the
files of any of the Lessee Parties relating to any existing
Environmental
Condition or Releases of Hazardous Materials in, on, under or
from any of the
Properties, other than in Permitted Amounts, has been provided
to Lessor,
including, without limitation, information relating to all prior
Remediation;
(9) All of the Properties are free and clear of all liens and
other
encumbrances imposed pursuant to any Environmental Law (the
"Environmental
Liens"); and none of the Lessee Parties has allowed any tenant
or other user of
any of the Properties or Equipment to do any act on the
Properties or Equipment
Premises that materially increased the dangers to human health
or the
environment, posed an unreasonable risk of harm to any person or
entity (whether
that person or entity on or off any of the Properties), impaired
the value of
any of the Properties or Equipment in any material respect, is
contrary to any
requirement of any insurer, constituted a public or private
nuisance, or
violated any covenant, condition, agreement or easement
applicable to any of the
Properties, except where such violation did not have a Material
Adverse Effect
on the Premises; and
(10) The information and disclosures in the Questionnaires, as
amended or
supplemented through the date of Closing, are true, correct and
complete in all
material respects, and the person or persons executing the
Questionnaires and
any amendments or supplements thereto were duly authorized to do
so; and
(11) Each of the Lessee Parties is in compliance with the
requirements of
40 C.F.R. Section 280 Subpart H - Financial Responsibility (or
equivalent state
law or regulation) with respect to all petroleum underground
storage tanks or
storage tank systems (as those terms are defined under 40 C.F.R.
Section 280.12
or equivalent state law or regulation) owned or operated by any
of the Lessee
Parties or located on any of the Properties, except where such
noncompliance
would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
M. No Mechanics' Liens. There are no delinquent accounts payable
or
mechanics' liens in favor of any materialman, laborer, or any
other person or
entity in connection with labor or materials furnished to or
performed on any
portion of the Properties; and no work has been performed or is
in progress nor
have materials been supplied to the Properties or agreements
entered into for
work to be performed or materials to be supplied to the
Properties prior to the
Effective Date, which will be delinquent on the Effective
Date.
N. Title to Personal Property. Lessee is the owner of all
Personal
Property, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, charges and
security
interests of any nature whatsoever, except the liens created by
the Lease, and
no Affiliate of Lessee owns any of the Personal Property. Upon
the execution and
delivery of this Lease, Lessor shall have a first priority lien
upon and
security interest in all Personal Property, which lien and
security interest
shall secure the payment by Lessee of the Rents that become due
and payable to
Lessor pursuant to this Lease and the performance by Lessee of
its other
agreements, covenants and obligations arising under this
Lease.
SCS Finance II, L.P.
11
<PAGE>
O. Distributor Provisions. Lessee has delivered to Lessor a
true, correct
and complete copy of the Distributor Agreement. The Distributor
Agreement is the
only agreement in effect with Distributor with respect to the
Properties. The
Distributor Agreement is in full force and effect and
constitutes the legal,
valid and binding obligations of the parties to the Distributor
Agreement,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such
enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation,
reorganization and
other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and
general principles of
equity. None of the Lessee Parties has assigned, transferred,
mortgaged,
hypothecated or otherwise encumbered the Distributor Agreement
or any rights
thereunder or any interest therein, and none of the Lessee
Parties has received
any notice that the Distributor has made any assignment, pledge
or hypothecation
of all or any part of its rights or interest in the Distributor
Agreement. No
notice of default from Distributor has been received under the
Distributor
Agreement which has not been cured and no notice of default to
Distributor has
been given under the Distributor Agreement which has not been
cured. No event
has occurred and no condition exists which, with the giving of
notice or the
lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under the
Distributor
Agreement. At the request of Lessor, Lessee shall deliver to
Lessor a
certificate from Distributor in a form and substance acceptable
to Lessor, which
provided that the Distributor Agreement is valid, binding and in
full force and
effect and no events have occurred which could constitute a
default thereunder.
P. Premises Leases. The Premises Leases are in full force and
effect and
represent the legal, valid and binding obligations of the
parties thereto, in
accordance with the respective terms of each Premises Lease. No
default exists
under any of the Premises Leases. Lessee's use of the Equipment
Premises and
Leasehold Equipment thereon is in compliance with the Premises
Leases.
Q. Guaranty. Lessee has delivered to Lessor the executed
Guaranty. The
Guaranty is in full force and effect and constitutes the legal,
valid and
binding obligation of Guarantor with respect to this Lease,
except as such may
be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation,
fraudulent
conveyance, fraudulent transfer, reorganization and other laws
affecting the
right of creditors generally or general principles of
equity.
7. NONCONSOLIDATION; TRANSFER, PARTICIPATION AND SECURITIZATION;
PREMISES
LEASES; COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES. Lessee covenants to Lessor for
so long as this
Lease is in effect as follows:
A. Nonconsolidation Covenants. (i) The annual financial
statements of
Lessee, including consolidated financial statements, if any,
shall contain notes
stating that (a) all of Lessor's assets are owned by Lessor and
(b) Lessor is a
separate entity with its own separate creditors which will be
entitled to be
satisfied out of Lessor's assets.
(ii) Lessee will not assume liability for any indebtedness for
money
borrowed by Lessor and does not, and will not, guarantee any of
the debts or
obligations of Lessor. Lessee will not hold itself out as being
liable for any
obligations or indebtedness of Lessor.
(iii) Lessee shall not and shall use its best efforts to cause
its
Affiliates not to hold Lessor out to the public or to any
individual creditors
as being a unified entity with assets and liabilities in common
with Lessee
except that Lessor may be included in Lessee's or its
Affiliates' reports under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and its and
their consolidated
financial statements, as appropriate, provided such statements
adequately
disclose the separate legal existence of Lessor, the separate
ownership by
Lessor of the Properties and Equipment and the separate
liabilities of Lessor.
(iv) Lessee shall conduct its business so as not to mislead
others as to
the separate identity of Lessor, and particularly will avoid the
appearance of
conducting business on behalf of Lessor. Without limiting the
generality of the
foregoing, no oral and written communications of Lessee,
including, without
limitation, letters, invoices, purchase orders, contracts,
statements and loan
applications, will be made in the name of Lessor which to the
extent that to do
otherwise would materially bear upon the maintenance of Lessor's
separate
identity.
(v) Lessee will not act in Lessor's name.
SCS Finance II, L.P.
12
<PAGE>
(vi) Where necessary and appropriate, Lessee shall disclose
the
independent business status of Lessor to creditors of Lessee, if
any.
(vii) The resolutions, agreements and other instruments of
Lessee, if any,
underlying the transactions described in this Lease will be
maintained by
Lessee.
(viii) All transactions between Lessee and Lessor will be no
less fair to
each party than they could obtain on an arm's-length basis.
(ix) The books, records and accounts of Lessee shall at all
times be
maintained in a manner permitting the assets and liabilities of
Lessor to be
easily separated and readily ascertained from those of
Lessee.
(x) Lessee will not direct, or otherwise control, the ongoing
business
decisions of Lessor.
(xi) Lessee will not file or cause to be filed a voluntary or
involuntary
petition in bankruptcy on behalf of or against Lessor, nor seek
substantive
consolidation of the assets and liabilities of Lessor and Lessee
in any
bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding during the Lease Term and
for a period of 91
days after the Lease Term.
B. Transfer, Participation and/or Securitization Covenants. (i)
Lessee
agrees to cooperate in good faith with Lessor and Lender in
connection with any
Transfer, Participation and/or Securitization of any of the
Notes, Equipment
Notes, Mortgages, Equipment Loan Documents and/or any of the
Loan Documents, or
any or all servicing rights with respect thereto, including,
without limitation,
(X) providing such documents, financial and other data, and
other information
and materials (the "Disclosures") which would typically be
required with respect
to the Lessee Parties by a purchaser, transferee, assignee,
servicer,
participant, investor or rating agency involved with respect to
such Transfer,
Participation and/or Securitization, as applicable; provided,
however, the
Lessee Parties shall not be required to make Disclosures of any
confidential
information or any information which has not previously been
made public unless
required by applicable federal or state securities laws; and (Y)
amending the
terms of this Lease to the extent necessary so as to satisfy the
requirements of
purchasers, transferees, assignees, servicers, participants,
investors or
selected rating agencies involved in any such Transfer,
Participation or
Securitization, so long as such amendments would not have a
material adverse
effect upon either of the Lessee Parties or the transactions
contemplated by
this Lease and no amendment would result in any additional
obligation of Lessee
or increase in the amount of any payment that Lessee is required
to make
pursuant to this Lease. Lessor shall be responsible for causing
Lender to
prepare at Lender's expense any documents evidencing the
amendments referred to
in the preceding subitem (Y).
(ii) Lessee consents to Lessor and Lender providing the
Disclosures, as
well as any other information which Lessor and Lender may now
have or hereafter
acquire with respect to the Properties or Equipment or the
financial condition
of the Lessee Parties to each purchaser, transferee, assignee,
servicer,
participant, investor or rating agency involved with respect to
such Transfer,
Participation and/or Securitization, as applicable. Lessee shall
pay its own
attorney fees and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in
connection with the
performance of its obligations under this Section 7.B but shall
not be required
to incur in any event any such fees and expenses that with
related fees and
expenses of Lessor would in the aggregate exceed $10,000 in
connection with any
and all such Transfers, Participations and/or Securitizations
unless Lender
shall agree to reimburse Lessee and Lessor for any amounts
expended by them in
excess of $10,000 in the aggregate.
C. Covenants Regarding Premises Leases. Lessee covenants and
agrees to
perform each and every covenant, obligation and duty of Lessee
arising under and
in connection with the Premises Leases during the term of this
Master Lease. No
Premises Lease shall be amended, modified, terminated or
otherwise altered
during the term of this Master Lease.
D. Compliance Certificate. Within 60 days after the end of each
fiscal
year of Lessee, Lessee shall deliver a compliance certificate to
Lessor, in a
form to be provided by Lessor, in order to establish that Lessee
is in
compliance in all material respects with all of its obligations,
duties and
covenants under this Lease.
SCS Finance II, L.P.
13
<PAGE>
8. RENTALS TO BE NET TO LESSOR. The Base Annual Rental payable
hereunder
shall be net to Lessor, so that this Lease shall yield to Lessor
the rentals
specified during the Lease Term, and that, except as may be
otherwise expressly
provided herein, all costs, expenses and obligations of every
kind and nature
whatsoever relating to the Properties and/or Equipment shall be
performed and
paid by Lessee.
9. TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS. Lessee shall pay, prior to the earlier
of
delinquency or the accrual of interest on the unpaid balance,
all taxes and
assessments of every type or nature assessed against, imposed
upon or arising
with respect to any of the Properties and Equipment, this Lease,
the rental or
other payments due under this Lease or Lessee during the Lease
Term which affect
in any manner the net return realized by Lessor under this
Lease, including,
without limitation, the following:
A. All taxes and assessments upon any of the Properties and
Equipment or
any part thereof and upon any Personal Property, whether
belonging to Lessor or
Lessee, or any tax or charge levied in lieu of such taxes and
assessments;
B. All taxes, charges, license fees and or similar fees imposed
by reason
of the use of any of the Properties or Equipment by Lessee;
and
C. All excise, transaction, privilege, license, sales, use and
other taxes
upon the rental or other payments due under this Lease, the
leasehold estate of
either party or the activities of either party pursuant to this
Lease.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, but without limiting the
preceding
obligation of Lessee to pay all taxes which are imposed on the
rental or other
payments due under this Lease, in no event will Lessee be
required to pay any
income taxes (i.e., taxes which are based on the income of
Lessor or determined
taking into account deductions for depreciation, interest, taxes
and ordinary
and necessary business expenses) or franchise taxes (unless
imposed in lieu of
other taxes that would otherwise be the obligation of Lessee
under this Lease)
including, without limitation, any "gross receipts tax" or any
similar tax based
upon gross income or receipts of Lessor which does not take into
account
deductions from depreciation, interest, taxes and/or ordinary or
necessary
business expenses, any transfer taxes of Lessor, or any tax
imposed with respect
to the sale, exchange or other disposition by Lessor, in whole
or in part, of
any of the Properties or Equipment or Lessor's interest in this
Lease (other
than transfer or recordation taxes imposed in connection with
the transfer of
any of the Properties or Equipment to Lessee or the termination
of this Lease
pursuant to the provisions of this Lease).
All taxing authorities shall be instructed to send all tax and
assessment
invoices relating to the Properties, the Personal Property and
the Equipment to
Lessee and, upon Lessor's or Lender's request, Lessee shall
promptly provide
Lessor and Lender with copies of all tax and assessment invoices
received by
Lessee. Upon request, Lessee shall also provide Lessor and
Lender with evidence
that such invoices were paid in a timely fashion. Lessee may, at
its own
expense, contest or cause to be contested, by appropriate legal
proceedings
conducted in good faith and with due diligence, the amount or
validity or
application, in whole or in part, of any item specified in this
Section or lien
therefor, provided that (i) Lessee shall provide written notice
to Lessor of any
contest involving more than $10,000.00, (ii) such proceeding
shall suspend the
collection thereof from the applicable Properties or Equipment
or any interest
therein, (iii) neither such Properties or Equipment nor any
interest therein
would be in any danger of being sold, forfeited or lost by
reason of such
proceedings, (iv) no Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, and (v)
Lessee shall have deposited with Lessor adequate reserves for
the payment of the
taxes, together with all interest and penalties thereon, unless
paid in full
under protest, or Lessee shall have furnished the security as
may be required in
the proceeding or as may be required by Lessor to insure payment
of any
contested taxes.
10. UTILITIES. Lessee shall contract, in its own name, for and
pay when
due all charges for the connection and use of water, gas,
electricity,
telephone, garbage collection, sewer use and other utility
services supplied to
the Properties during the Lease Term. Under no circumstances
shall Lessor be
responsible for any interruption of any utility service.
11. INSURANCE. Throughout the Lease Term, Lessee shall maintain
with
respect to each of the Properties and Equipment related thereto,
at its sole
expense, the following types and amounts of insurance (which may
be included
under a blanket insurance policy if all the other terms hereof
are satisfied):
SCS Finance II, L.P.
14
<PAGE>
A. Insurance against loss, damage or destruction by fire and
other
casualty, including theft, vandalism and malicious mischief,
flood (for each of
the Properties which is in a location designated by the Federal
Emergency
Management Administration as a Special Flood Hazard Area),
earthquake (for each
of the Properties which is in an area that has been subject to
destructive
earthquakes during the period in which records relating to the
occurrence of
earthquakes have been kept for the areas in which the Properties
are located),
boiler explosion (for each of the Properties with a boiler),
plate glass
breakage, sprinkler damage (for each of the Properties which has
a sprinkler
system), all matters covered by a standard extended coverage
endorsement,
special coverage endorsement commonly known as an "all-risk"
endorsement and
such other risks as Lessor may reasonably require, insuring each
of the
Properties and Equipment for not less than 100% of their full
insurable
replacement cost.
B. Commercial general liability and property damage insurance,
including a
products liability clause, covering Lessor and Lessee against
bodily injury
liability, property damage liability and automobile bodily
injury and property
damage liability, including without limitation any liability
arising out of the
ownership, maintenance, repair, condition or operation of the
Properties or
Equipment or adjoining ways, streets or sidewalks and, if
applicable, insurance
covering Lessor and Lessee against liability arising from the
sale of liquor,
beer or wine on the Properties. Such insurance policy or
policies shall contain
a broad form contractual liability endorsement under which the
insurer agrees to
insure Lessee's obligations under Section 19 hereof to the
extent insurable, and
a "severability of interest" clause or endorsement which
precludes the insurer
from denying the claim of Lessee or Lessor because of the
negligence or other
acts of the other, shall be in amounts of not less than
$1,000,000.00 per injury
and occurrence with respect to any insured liability, whether
for personal
injury or property damage, or such higher limits as Lessor may
reasonably
require from time to time consistent with insurance limits
required by Lender
for properties and borrowers similar to the Premises and Lessor,
at the time the
requirement is imposed, and shall be of form and substance
satisfactory to
Lessor.
C. Reserved.
D. State Worker's Compensation insurance in the statutorily
mandated
limits, employer's liability insurance with limits not less than
those limits as
may be necessary to comply with applicable laws.
E. Such other insurance as may from time to time be reasonably
required by
Lessor or Lender in order to protect their respective interests
with respect to
the Properties and Equipment consistent with insurance coverages
required by
Lender for properties and borrowers similar to the Premises and
Lessor at the
time the insurance is required.
All insurance policies shall:
(i) Provide for a waiver of subrogation by the insurer as to
claims
against Lessor, Lender and their respective employees and agents
and provide
that such insurance cannot be unreasonably cancelled,
invalidated or suspended
on account of the conduct of Lessee, its officers, directors,
employees or
agents;
(ii) Provide that any "no other insurance" clause in the
insurance policy
shall exclude any policies of insurance separately maintained by
Lessor or
Lender and that the insurance policy obtained by Lessee pursuant
to this Section
11 shall not be brought into contribution with insurance
maintained by Lessor or
Lender;
(iii) Contain a standard without contribution mortgagee clause
endorsement
in favor of Lender and its successors and assigns as their
interests may appear
and any other party designated by Lessor;
(iv) Provide that the policy of insurance shall not be
terminated,
cancelled or substantially modified without at least thirty (30)
days' prior
written notice to Lessor, Lender and to any other party covered
by any standard
mortgage clause endorsement;
(v) Provide that the insurer shall not have the option to
restore the
applicable Properties and Equipment if Lessor or Lessee elects
to terminate this
Lease in accordance with the terms hereof;
SCS Finance II, L.P.
15
<PAGE>
(vi) Be issued by the Kemper Group of insurance companies or
insurance
companies licensed to do business in the states in which the
Properties are
located and which are rated A:VI or better by Best's Insurance
Guide or are
otherwise approved by Lessor; and
(vii) Provide that the insurer shall not deny a claim because of
the
negligence of Lessee, anyone acting for Lessee or any tenant or
other occupant
of any of the Properties.
It is expressly understood and agreed that the foregoing minimum
limits of
insurance coverage shall not limit the liability of Lessee for
its acts or
omissions as provided in this Lease. All liability insurance
policies (with the
exception of worker's compensation insurance to the extent not
available under
statutory law), shall designate Lessor and Lender and their
respective
successors and assigns as additional insureds as their interests
may appear and
shall be payable as set forth in Section 21 hereof. All such
policies shall be
written as primary policies, with deductibles not to exceed 10%
of the amount of
coverage. Any other policies, including any policy now or
hereafter carried by
Lessor or Lender, shall serve as excess coverage. Lessee shall
procure policies
for all insurance for periods of not less than one year and
shall provide to
Lessor and Lender certificates of insurance or, upon the request
of Lessor or
Lender, duplicate originals of insurance policies evidencing
that insurance
satisfying the requirements of this Lease is in effect at all
times. In the
event of any transfer by Lessor of Lessor's interest in any of
the Properties or
Equipment or any financing or refinancing of Lessor's interest
in any of the
Properties or Equipment, Lessee shall, upon not less than ten
(10) days' prior
written notice, deliver to Lessor or any Lender providing such
financing or
refinancing, as the case may be, certificates of all insurance
required to be
maintained by Lessee hereunder naming such transferee or such
Lender, as the
case may be, as an additional named insured to the extent
required herein
effective as of the date of such transfer, financing or
refinancing.
As an alternative to maintaining all of the insurance required
under this
Section 11 with third party insurers, Lessee may elect to
self-insure for a
portion of the required coverages pursuant to a self-insurance
program, provided
that (i) the total amount of self-insurance provided by Lessee
with respect to
each policy of insurance required to be maintained by Lessee
hereunder shall not
exceed the lesser of (A) 10% of Lessee's Net Worth (as defined
hereafter) or (B)
$1,000,000.00, and (ii) Lessee maintains a Net Worth (as defined
hereafter)
equal to at least $10,000,000.00; provided, that Lessee shall at
all times
provide the remaining portion of the coverages set forth in this
Section 11 with
third party insurers complying with the provisions of this
Section 11. The
amount of all deductibles with respect to such third party
policies shall not,
however, exceed in the aggregate, when added to the amount of
self-insurance,
the per policy limitation on self-insurance provided in the
preceding sentence.
For purposes hereof, the term "Net Worth" means the total equity
in Lessee,
determined in accordance with GAAP as of the month end occurring
immediately
prior to the date of determination.
12. TAX AND INSURANCE IMPOUND. Upon the occurrence of an Event
of Default,
Lessor may require Lessee to pay to Lessor sums which will
provide an impound
account (which shall not be deemed a trust fund) for paying up
to the next one
year of taxes, assessments and/or insurance premiums for each of
the Properties
and Equipment. Upon such requirement, Lessor will estimate the
amounts needed
for such purposes and will notify Lessee to pay the same to
Lessor in equal
monthly installments, as nearly as practicable, in addition to
all other sums
due under this Lease. Should additional funds be required at any
time, Lessee
shall pay the same to Lessor on demand. Lessee shall advise
Lessor of all taxes
and insurance bills which are due and shall cooperate fully with
Lessor in
assuring that the same are paid. Lessor may deposit all
impounded funds in
accounts insured by any federal or state agency and may
commingle such funds
with other funds and accounts of Lessor. Interest or other gains
from such
funds, if any, shall be the sole property of Lessee. Upon
receipt from Lessee of
evidence of the amount of taxes, assessments and/or insurance
premiums owing
from time to time, Lessor shall apply the amounts so held to the
payment of such
taxes, assessments and/or insurance premiums for which such
amounts are held in
such impound account. If an Event of Default shall occur
subsequent to Lessor
requiring the establishment of an impound account pursuant to
this Section,
Lessor may apply all impounded funds against any sums due from
Lessee to Lessor.
Lessor shall give to Lessee an annual accounting showing all
credits and debits
to and from such impounded funds received from Lessee.
13. PAYMENT OF RENTAL AND OTHER SUMS. All rental and other sums
which
Lessee is required to pay hereunder shall be the unconditional
obligation of
Lessee and shall be payable in full when due without any setoff,
abatement,
deferment, deduction or counterclaim whatsoever. Upon execution
of this Lease,
Lessee shall authorize Lessor to establish arrangements whereby
payments of the
Base Monthly Rental and impound payments, if any, are
SCS Finance II, L.P.
16
<PAGE>
transferred by Automated Clearing House Debit initiated by
Lessor or its
designee directly from Lessee's bank account to such account as
Lessor may
designate or as Lessor may otherwise designate; provided,
however, upon notice
from Lender to Lessee and Lessor delivered in the manner set
forth in Section
29, Lessee shall deliver all payments of Base Monthly Rental as
specified in
such notice from Lender. Any delinquent payment (that is, any
payment not made
within five calendar days after the date when due) shall, in
addition to any
other remedy of Lessor, incur a late charge of 5% (which late
charge is intended
to compensate Lessor for the cost of handling and processing
such delinquent
payment and should not be considered interest) and bear interest
at the Default
Rate, such interest to be computed from and including the date
such payment was
due through and including the date of the payment; provided,
however, in no
event shall Lessee be obligated to pay a sum of late charge and
interest higher
than the maximum legal rate then in effect.
14. USE. A. Except as set forth below, each of the Properties,
the
Equipment Premises and Equipment shall be used solely for the
operation of a
Permitted Concept, and for no other purpose. Lessor and Lessee
agree that the
operation of the Properties and the Equipment Premises as
Permitted Concepts
shall permit Lessee to operate or cease to operate, or shall
permit Lessee to
grant to third parties the right to operate or cease to operate,
in the
convenience stores located on one or more of the Properties and
the Equipment
Premises, kiosks, stands, counters, or other facilities relating
to the sale of
food, drinks, confections and other goods and services, not
including the sale
of gasoline ("Additional Concepts") so long as the Additional
Concepts are
operated in a manner consistent with the requirements of this
Lease and the
rights of third parties to operate within the Properties or
Equipment Premises
are subordinate to this Lease. Lessee may locate, use and
operate and allow
third parties to locate, use and operate equipment, machinery,
furniture and
signage on one or more of the Properties and Equipment Premises
in connection
with the operation of the Additional Concepts, in a manner
consistent with the
requirements of this Lease.
B. Lessee shall occupy the Properties and Equipment Premises and
use the
Equipment related thereto commencing on the Effective Date and,
except as set
forth below and except during periods when any of the Properties
or Equipment
Premises is untenantable by reason of fire or other casualty or
condemnation
(provided, however, during all such periods while any of the
Properties is
untenantable, Lessee shall strictly comply with the terms and
conditions of
Section 21 of this Lease), Les
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