UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-K

 

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017

or

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from _______ to_________

 

Commission File Number 0-4057

 

PORTSMOUTH SQUARE, INC .

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

CALIFORNIA 94-1674111
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or organization) Identification No.)

 

1100 Glendon Avenue, PH1, Los Angeles, California 90024

(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

 

(310) 889-2500

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

 

Common Stock, No Par Value

(Title of class)

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

¨ Yes x No

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act.

¨ Yes x No

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

x Yes ¨ No

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

x Yes ¨ No

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (Section 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendments to this Form 10-K.

x

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large Accelerated Filer ¨   Accelerated Filer ¨
         
Non-Accelerated Filer ¨       (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company x
         
Emerging growth company ¨      

  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act):

¨ Yes x No

 

The aggregate market value of the Common Stock, no par value, held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the average bid and asked price on September 30, 2017 was $5,157,000.

 

The number of shares outstanding of registrant’s Common Stock, as of September 30, 2017, was 734,183.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: None

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  Page
     
  PART I  
     
Item 1. Business. 4
     
Item 1A. Risk Factors. 9
     
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments. 13
     
Item 2. Properties. 13
     
Item 3. Legal Proceedings. 15
     
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 16
     
  PART II  
     
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities 16
     
Item 6. Selected Financial Data. 17
     
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. 17
     
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk. 22
     
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. 22
     
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure. 42
     
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures. 42
     
  PART III  
     
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance. 45
     
Item 11. Executive Compensation. 48
     
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters. 49
     
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence. 51
     
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services 52
     
  PART IV  
     
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 53
     
Signatures   54

 

  2  

 

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They contain words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” “may,” “could,” “might” and other words or phrases of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. From time to time we also provide forward-looking statements in our Forms 10-Q and 8-K, Annual Reports to Shareholders, press releases and other materials we may release to the public. Forward looking statements reflect our current views about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in any forward looking statement. Consequently, no forward looking statement can be guaranteed and our actual future results may differ materially.

 

Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to:

 

· risks associated with the lodging industry, including competition, increases in wages, labor relations, energy and fuel costs, actual and threatened pandemics, actual and threatened terrorist attacks, and downturns in domestic and international economic and market conditions, particularly in the San Francisco Bay area;

 

· risks associated with the real estate industry, including changes in real estate and zoning laws or regulations, increases in real property taxes, rising insurance premiums, costs of compliance with environmental laws and other governmental regulations;

 

· the availability and terms of financing and capital and the general volatility of securities markets;

 

· changes in the competitive environment in the hotel industry;

 

· risks related to natural disasters;

 

· litigation; and

 

· other risk factors discussed below in this Report.

 

We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as to the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects on our Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

  3  

 

 

PART I

 

Item 1. Business.

 

GENERAL

 

Portsmouth Square, Inc. (referred to as “Portsmouth” or the “Company” and may also be referred to as “we” “us” or “our”) is a California corporation, incorporated on July 6, 1967, for the purpose of acquiring a hotel property in San Francisco, California through a California limited partnership, Justice Investors Limited Partnership (“Justice” or the “Partnership”). As of June 30, 2017, approximately 68.8% of the outstanding common stock of Portsmouth was owned by Santa Fe Financial Corporation (“Santa Fe”), a public company (OTCBB: SFEF). Santa Fe is an 81.9%-owned subsidiary of The InterGroup Corporation (“InterGroup”), a public company (NASDAQ: INTG). InterGroup also directly owns approximately 13.4% of the common stock of Portsmouth.

 

Portsmouth’s primary business is conducted through its general and limited partnership interest in Justice. Portsmouth controls approximately 93.1% of the voting interest in Justice and is the sole general partner of Justice. The financial statements of Justice are consolidated with those of the Company. See Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements.

 

Justice, through its subsidiaries Justice Holdings Company, LLC (“Holdings”), a Delaware Limited Liability Company, Justice Operating Company, LLC (“Operating”), Justice Mezzanine Company, LLC (“Mezzanine”) and Kearny Street Parking, LLC (“Parking”) owns a 543-room hotel property located at 750 Kearny Street, San Francisco California, known as the Hilton San Francisco Financial District (the “Hotel”) and related facilities including a five level underground parking garage. Holdings, Mezzanine, and Parking are all wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Partnership; Operating is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mezzanine. Mezzanine is the borrower under certain mezzanine indebtedness of Justice, and in December 2013, the Partnership conveyed ownership of the Hotel to Operating. The Hotel is operated by the partnership as a full service Hilton brand hotel pursuant to a Franchise License Agreement with HLT Franchise Holding LLC (Hilton). Justice had a management agreement with Prism Hospitality L.P. (“Prism”) to perform certain management functions for the Hotel. The management agreement with Prism had an original term of ten years, subject to the Partnership’s right to terminate at any time with or without cause. Effective January 2014, the management agreement with Prism was amended by the Partnership to change the nature of the services provided by Prism and the compensation payable to Prism, among other things. Prism’s management agreement was terminated upon its expiration date of February 3, 2017. Effective December 1, 2013, GMP Management, Inc. (“GMP”), a company owned by a Justice limited partner and a related party, also provided management services for the Partnership pursuant to a management services agreement, with a three year term, subject to the Partnership’s right to terminate earlier for cause. In June 2016, GMP resigned. After a lengthy review process of several national third party hotel management companies, on February 1, 2017, Justice entered into a Hotel management agreement (“HMA”) with Interstate Management Company, LLC (“Interstate”) to manage the Hotel with an effective takeover date of February 3, 2017. The term of the management agreement is for an initial period of ten years commencing on the takeover date and automatically renews for an additional year not to exceed five years in the aggregate subject to certain conditions.

 

The parking garage that is part of the Hotel property was managed by Ace Parking pursuant to a contract with the Partnership. The contract was terminated with an effective termination date of October 4, 2016. The Company began managing the parking garage in-house after the termination of Ace Parking. Effective February 3, 2017, Interstate took over the management of the parking garage along with the Hotel.

 

Portsmouth also receives management fees as a general partner of Justice for its services in overseeing and managing the Partnership’s assets. Those fees are eliminated in consolidation.

 

The Company also derives income from the investment of its cash and investment securities assets. The Company has invested in income-producing instruments, equity and debt securities and may consider other investments in the future. See Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for a discussion of the Company’s marketable securities and other investments.

 

  4  

 

 

HILTON HOTELS FRANCHISE LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

The Partnership entered into a Franchise License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with the HLT Existing Franchise Holding LLC (Hilton) on November 24, 2004. The term of the License Agreement was for an initial period of fifteen years commencing on the date the Hotel began operating as a Hilton hotel, with an option to extend the License Agreement for another five years, subject to certain conditions. On June 26, 2015, Operating and Hilton entered into an amended franchise agreement that, among other things, extended the License Agreement through 2030, and also provided the Partnership with certain key money cash incentives to be earned through 2030.

 

HOTEL MANAGEMENT COMPANY AGREEMENT

 

On February 2, 2007, the Partnership entered into a management agreement with Prism to manage and operate the Hotel as its agent. The original management agreement was effective for a term of ten years, but was amended in January 2014. Effective January 2014, the required base management fees were amended to a fixed rate of $20,000 per month. Under the amended management agreement, Prism could also earn an incentive fee of $11,000 for each month that the revenues per room of the Hotel exceeded the average revenues per room of a defined set of competing hotels. Base management fees and incentives paid to Prism during the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 were $120,000 and $251,000, respectively.

 

Effective December 1, 2013, GMP Management, Inc. (“GMP”), a company owned by a Justice limited partner and related party, began to provide management services for the Partnership pursuant to a management services agreement. The management agreement with GMP had a term of three years, subject to the Partnership’s right to terminate earlier, for cause. In June 2016, GMP resigned. Under the agreement, GMP was required to advise the Partnership on the management and operation of the hotel; administer the Partnership’s contracts, leases, agreements with hotel managers and franchisors and other contracts and agreements; provide administrative and asset management services, oversee financial reporting, and maintain offices at the Hotel in order to facilitate provision of services. GMP was paid an annual base management fee of $325,000 per year, increasing by 5% per year, payable in monthly installments, and was eligible for reimbursement for reasonable and necessary costs and expenses incurred by GMP in performing its obligations under the agreement.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2016, GMP was paid $1,637,000 for the salaries, benefits, and local payroll taxes for GMP employees and various other reimbursable expenses. Also included in the $1,637,000 is the $200,000 fee paid to GMP for the completion of the reorganization of the Partnership and the related financing transactions.

Total GMP base management fees and reimbursed GMP employee costs expensed during the year ended June 30, 2016 were $1,219,000 and are included in the consolidated statements of operations. GMP resigned in June 2016 and there were no fees paid to GMP during fiscal year ended June 30, 2017.

 

After a lengthy review process of several national third party hotel management companies, on February 1, 2017, Justice entered into a Hotel management agreement with Interstate Management Company, LLC to manage the Hotel with an effective takeover date of February 3, 2017. The term of the management agreement is for an initial period of ten years commencing on the takeover date and automatically renews for an additional year not to exceed five years in the aggregate subject to certain conditions.

 

GARAGE OPERATIONS

 

On October 31, 2010, the Partnership and Ace Parking entered into an amendment of their original parking agreement to extend the term for a period of sixty two (62) months, commencing on November 1, 2010 and terminating on December 31, 2015, subject to either party’s right to terminate the agreement without cause on ninety (90) days’ written notice. The monthly management fee of $2,000 and the accounting fee of $250 remained the same, but the amendment modified how the “Excess Profit Fee” (as described below) to be paid to Ace Parking would be calculated. The parking agreement with Ace Parking was terminated with an effective termination date of October 4, 2016. The Company began managing the parking garage in-house after the termination of Ace Parking. As part of the Hotel management agreement, Interstate, through the Partnership’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Kearny Street Parking LLC, began managing the parking garage in-house effective February 3, 2017.

 

  5  

 

 

The amendment noted above provided that, if net operating income (“NOI”) from the garage operations exceeded $1,800,000 but was less than $2,000,000, then Ace Parking would be entitled to a fee (the “Excess Profit Fee”) of one percent (1%) of the total annual NOI. If the annual NOI was $2,000,000 or higher, Ace Parking would be entitled to an Excess Profit Fee equal to two percent (2%) of the total annual NOI. The garage’s NOI did not exceed the annual NOI of $1,800,000 for the years ended June 30, 2017 or 2016. Base management and incentive fees to Ace Parking amounted to $39,000 and $24,000 for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

 

CHINESE CULTURE FOUNDATION LEASE

 

On March 15, 2005, the Partnership entered into an amended lease with the Chinese Culture Foundation of San Francisco (the “Foundation”) for the third floor space of the Hotel commonly known as the Chinese Culture Center, which the Foundation had right to occupy pursuant to a 50-year nominal rent lease that began in 1967.

 

The amended lease, among other things, requires the Partnership to pay to the Foundation a monthly event space fee in the amount of $5,000, adjusted annually based on the local Consumer Price Index. The term of the amended lease expires on October 17, 2023, with an automatic extension for another 10 year term if the property continues to be operated as a hotel.

 

MARKETABLE SECURITIES INVESTMENT POLICIES

 

In addition to its Hotel and real estate operations, the Company also invests from time to time in income producing instruments, corporate debt and equity securities, publicly traded investment funds, mortgage backed securities, securities issued by REIT’s and other companies which invest primarily in real estate.

 

The Company’s securities investments are made under the supervision of a Securities Investment Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”). The Committee currently has three members and is chaired by the Company’s Chairman of the Board and President, John V. Winfield. The Committee has delegated authority to manage the portfolio to the Company’s Chairman and President together with such assistants and management committees he may engage. The Committee generally follows certain established investment guidelines for the Company’s investments. These guidelines presently include: (i) corporate equity securities should be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), NYSE MKT, NYSE Arca or the Nasdaq Stock Market (NASDAQ); (ii) the issuer of the listed securities should be in compliance with the listing standards of the applicable national securities exchange; and (iii) investment in a particular issuer should not exceed 10% of the market value of the total portfolio. The investment guidelines do not require the Company to divest itself of investments, which initially meet these guidelines but subsequently fail to meet one or more of the investment criteria. The Committee has in the past approved non-conforming investments and may in the future approve non-conforming investments. The Committee may modify these guidelines from time to time.

 

The Company may also invest, with the approval of the Committee, in unlisted securities, such as convertible notes, through private placements including private equity investment funds. Those investments in non-marketable securities are carried at cost on the Company’s balance sheet as part of other investments and reviewed for impairment on a periodic basis. As of June 30, 2017, the Company had other investments of $389,000.

 

As part of its investment strategies, the Company may assume short positions in marketable securities. Short sales are used by the Company to potentially offset normal market risks undertaken in the course of its investing activities or to provide additional return opportunities. As of June 30, 2017, the Company had obligations for securities sold of $867,000 (equities short).

 

In addition, the Company may utilize margin for its marketable securities purchases through the use of standard margin agreements with national brokerage firms. The margin used by the Company may fluctuate depending on market conditions. The use of leverage could be viewed as risky and the market values of the portfolio may be subject to large fluctuations.

 

As Chairman of the Committee, the Company’s Chairman and President, John V. Winfield, directs the investment activity of the Company in public and private markets pursuant to authority granted by the Board of Directors. Mr. Winfield also serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Santa Fe and InterGroup and oversees the investment activity of those companies. Depending on certain market conditions and various risk factors, the Chief Executive Officer, Santa Fe and InterGroup may, at times, invest in the same companies in which the Company invests. Such investments align the interests of the Company with the interests of these related parties because it places the personal resources of the Chief Executive Officer and the resources of Santa Fe and InterGroup, at risk in substantially the same manner as the Company in connection with investment decisions made on behalf of the Company.

 

  6  

 

 

Further information with respect to investment in marketable securities and other investments of the Company is set forth in Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section and Notes 5 and 6 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Seasonality

 

Hotel’s operations historically have been seasonal. Like most hotels in the San Francisco area, the Hotel generally maintains higher occupancy and room rates during the first and second quarters of its fiscal year (July 1 through December 31) than it does in the third and fourth quarters (January 1 through June 30). These seasonal patterns can be expected to cause fluctuations in the quarterly revenues from the Hotel.

 

Competition

 

The hotel industry is highly competitive. Competition is based on a number of factors, most notably convenience of location, brand affiliation, price, range of services and guest amenities or accommodations offered and quality of customer service. Competition is often specific to the individual market in which properties are located. The San Francisco market is a very competitive market with a high supply of guest rooms and meeting space in the area. During fiscal 2017, we began the work with Hilton approved providers to overhaul all technical aspects of the Hotel whereby when completed, we expect to have an edge over our competitors by implementing advanced state of the art systems which we anticipate a complete implementation during fiscal 2018. Specifically the complete overhaul of the infrastructure of the Internet in both the guest rooms and meeting space will position the hotel above any of our competitors in this market or any other. This investment will allow the hotel to go to market with specific measurable statistics that will help win the much coveted technology company meetings. Our short-term plans also include the relocation of the restaurant and bar to the front of the Hotel which would provide visibility from Kearny and Washington Streets and therefore, attract additional traffic as well as put us in line with our two closest competitors that have street view outlets. In fiscal 2016, the Hotel replaced the carpet flooring in the lobby and the fourth floor with oak wood, creating an open and welcoming environment that completely transformed the sense of arrival for guests. The Hotel also modernized the furniture in the lobby, the porte cochere, and the second floor; and replaced the third floor carpets and doors. The fitness center was expanded to twice the size to eliminate one of our top guest complaints while upgrading the space with state of the art equipment.

 

The Hotel’s highest priority is guest satisfaction. Enhancing the guest experience differentiates the Hotel from its competition and is critical to the Hotel’s objective of building sustainable guest loyalty. In addition to the recent completion of “The Cloud” (a technology lounge), three new premium executive meeting rooms and the Karaoke lounge, the Hotel has enhanced the arrival experience of the guests by renovating and upgrading the entrance and the lobby. Meeting planner scores reflect the increased focus on taking care of guests increasing in our scores 6.2 points year over year in likelihood to return to property.

 

The Hotel is focusing on high-end clients with more banquets and meeting room requirements. Moving forward, the Hotel will continue to focus on cultivating international business, especially from China, and capturing a greater percentage of the higher rated business, leisure and group travel. We believe that our Hotel’s location in the San Francisco Financial District lends itself to greater opportunities than our competitors when it comes to developing relationships with the financial district entities and will focus on establishing a greater client base. The Hotel will also continue in our efforts to expand guest rooms and facilities and explore new and innovative ways to differentiate the Hotel from its competition, as well as focusing on enhancing the Hotel’s technology infrastructure. The hotel will capitalize on the increased hotel occupancy, rates and overall hotel property value upon completion of the Moscone Center expansion and improvement project which is scheduled to be completed in December of 2018. However, like all hotels, the Hotel will remain subject to the uncertain domestic and global economic environment and other risk factors beyond our control, such as the effect of natural disasters and economic uncertainties.

 

  7  

 

 

The Hotel is also subject to certain operating risks common to all of the hotel industry, which could adversely impact performance. These risks include:

 

· Competition for guests and meetings from other hotels including competition and pricing pressure from internet wholesalers and distributors;

 

· increases in operating costs, including wages, benefits, insurance, property taxes and energy, due to inflation and other factors, which may not be offset in the future by increased room rates;

 

· labor strikes, disruptions or lock outs;

 

· dependence on demand from business and leisure travelers, which may fluctuate and is seasonal;

 

· increases in energy costs, cost of fuel, airline fares and other expenses related to travel, which may negatively affect traveling;

 

· terrorism, terrorism alerts and warnings, wars and other military actions, pandemics or other medical events or warnings which may result in decreases in business and leisure travel;

 

· natural disasters; and

 

· adverse effects of downturns and recessionary conditions in international, national and/or local economies and market conditions.

 

Environmental Matters

 

In connection with the ownership of the Hotel, the Company is subject to various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations relating to environmental protection. Under these laws, a current or previous owner or operator of real estate may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in such property. Such laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of hazardous or toxic substances.

 

Environmental consultants retained by the Partnership or its lenders conducted updated Phase I environmental site assessments in fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 on the Hotel property. These Phase I assessments relied, in part, on Phase I environmental assessments prepared in connection with the Partnership’s first mortgage loan obtained in December 2013. Phase I assessments are designed to evaluate the potential for environmental contamination on properties based generally upon site inspections, facility personnel interviews, historical information and certain publicly-available databases; however, Phase I assessments will not necessarily reveal the existence or extent of all environmental conditions, liabilities or compliance concerns at the properties.

 

Although the Phase I assessments and other environmental reports we have reviewed disclose certain conditions on our properties and the use of hazardous substances in operation and maintenance activities that could pose a risk of environmental contamination or liability, we are not aware of any environmental liability that we believe would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

The Company believes that the Hotel is in compliance, in all material respects, with all federal, state and local environmental ordinances and regulations regarding hazardous or toxic substances and other environmental matters, the violation of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company. The Company has not received written notice from any governmental authority of any material noncompliance, liability or claim relating to hazardous or toxic substances or other environmental matters in connection with any of its present properties.

 

EMPLOYEES

 

As of June 30, 2017, Portsmouth had two full-time employees. The employees of the Company are not part of any collective bargaining agreement, and the Company believes that its employee relations are satisfactory.

 

  8  

 

 

Effective February 3, 2017, the Partnership had no employees. On February 3, 2017, Interstate assumed all labor union agreements and retained employees of their choice to continue providing services to the Hotel. As of June 30, 2017, approximately 83% of those employees were represented by one of three labor unions, and their terms of employment were determined under various collective bargaining agreements (“CBAs”) to which the Partnership was a party. During the year ended June 30, 2014, the Partnership renewed the CBAs for the Local 2 (Hotel and Restaurant Employees), Local 856 (International Brotherhood of Teamsters), and Local 39 (stationary engineers). The present CBAs expire in July 2018 and labor union negotiations are scheduled to commence during the 4th calendar quarter of 2017.

 

Negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, which includes not just terms and conditions of employment, but scope and coverage of employees, is a regular and expected course of business operations for the Partnership. The Partnership expects and anticipates that the terms of conditions of CBAs will have an impact on wage and benefit costs, operating expenses, and certain hotel operations during the life of the each CBA, and incorporates these principles into its operating and budgetary practices.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

The Company files annual and quarterly reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or the “Commission”). The public may read and copy any materials that we file with the Commission at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549, on official business days during the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. The Commission also maintains an Internet site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the Commission.

 

Other information about the Company can be found on our parent company’s website www.intgla.com. Reference in this document to that website address does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on the website.

 

Item 1A.  Risk Factors.

 

Adverse changes in the U.S. and global economies could negatively impact our financial performance.

 

Due to a number of factors affecting consumers, outlook for the lodging industry remain uncertain. These factors have resulted at times in the past and could continue to result in the future in fewer customers visiting, or customers spending less, in San Francisco, as compared to prior periods. Leisure traveling and other leisure activities represent discretionary expenditures and participation in such activities tends to decline during economic downturns, during which consumers generally have less disposable income. As a result, in those times customer demand for the luxury amenities and leisure activities that we offer may decline. Furthermore, during periods of economic contraction, revenues may decrease while some of our costs remain fixed or even increase, resulting in decreased earnings.

 

We operate a single property located in San Francisco and rely on the San Francisco market. Changes adversely impacting this market could have a material effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations .

 

Our business has a limited base of operations and substantially all of our revenues are currently generated by the Hotel. Accordingly, we are subject to greater risks than a more diversified hotel or resort operator and the profitability of our operations is linked to local economic conditions in San Francisco. The combination of a decline in the local economy of San Francisco, reliance on a single location and the significant investment associated with it may cause our operating results to fluctuate significantly and may adversely affect us and materially affect our total profitability.

 

We face intense local and increasingly national competition which could impact our operations and adversely affect our business and results of operations .

 

We operate in the highly-competitive San Francisco hotel industry. The Hotel competes with other high-quality Northern California hotels and resorts. Many of these competitors seek to attract customers to their properties by providing, food and beverage outlets, retail stores and other related amenities, in addition to hotel accommodations. To the extent that we seek to enhance our revenue base by offering our own various amenities, we compete with the service offerings provided by these competitors.

 

  9  

 

 

Many of the competing properties have themes and attractions which draw a significant number of visitors and directly compete with our operations. Some of these properties are operated by subsidiaries or divisions of large public companies that may have greater name recognition and financial and marketing resources than we do and market to the same target demographic group as we do. Various competitors are expanding and renovating their existing facilities. We believe that competition in the San Francisco hotel and resort industry is based on certain property-specific factors, including overall atmosphere, range of amenities, price, location, entertainment attractions, theme and size. Any market perception that we do not excel with respect to such property-specific factors could adversely affect our ability to compete effectively. If we are unable to compete effectively, we could lose market share, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

 

The San Francisco hotel and resort industry is capital intensive; financing our renovations and future capital improvements could reduce our cash flow and adversely affect our financial performance.

 

The Hotel has an ongoing need for renovations and other capital improvements to remain competitive, including replacement, from time to time, of furniture, fixtures and equipment. We will also need to make capital expenditures to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

 

Renovations and other capital improvements of hotels require significant capital expenditures. In addition, renovations and capital improvements of hotels usually generate little or no cash flow until the project’s completion. We may not be able to fund such projects solely from cash provided from our operating activities. Consequently, we will rely upon the availability of debt or equity capital and reserve funds to fund renovations and capital improvements and our ability to carry them out will be limited if we cannot obtain satisfactory debt or equity financing, which will depend on, among other things, market conditions. No assurances can be made that we will be able to obtain additional equity or debt financing or that we will be able to obtain such financing on favorable terms.

 

Renovations and other capital improvements may give rise to the following additional risks, among others: construction cost overruns and delays; temporary closures of all or a portion of the Hotel to customers; disruption in service and room availability causing reduced demand, occupancy and rates; and possible environmental issues.

 

As a result, renovations and any other future capital improvement projects may increase our expenses and reduce our cash flows and our revenues. If capital expenditures exceed our expectations, this excess would have an adverse effect on our available cash.

 

We have substantial debt, and we may incur additional indebtedness, which may negatively affect our business and financial results.

 

We have substantial debt service obligations. Our substantial debt may negatively affect our business and operations in several ways, including: requiring us to use a substantial portion of our funds from operations to make required payments on principal and interest, which will reduce funds available for operations and capital expenditures, future business opportunities and other purposes; making us more vulnerable to economic and industry downturns and reducing our flexibility in responding to changing business and economic conditions; limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in the business and the industry in which we operate; placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; limiting our ability to borrow more money for operations, capital or to finance acquisitions in the future; and requiring us to dispose of assets, if needed, in order to make required payments of interest and principal.

 

Our business model involves high fixed costs, including property taxes and insurance costs, which we may be unable to adjust in a timely manner in response to a reduction in our revenues.

 

The costs associated with owning and operating the Hotel are significant. Some of these costs (such as property taxes and insurance costs) are fixed, meaning that such costs may not be altered in a timely manner in response to changes in demand for services. Failure to adjust our expenses may adversely affect our business and results of operations. Our real property taxes may increase as property tax rates change and as the values of properties are assessed and reassessed by tax authorities. Our real estate taxes do not depend on our revenues, and generally we could not reduce them other than by disposing of our real estate assets.

 

  10  

 

 

Insurance premiums have increased significantly in recent years, and continued escalation may result in our inability to obtain adequate insurance at acceptable premium rates. A continuation of this trend would appreciably increase the operating expenses of the Hotel. If we do not obtain adequate insurance, to the extent that any of the events not covered by an insurance policy materialize, our financial condition may be materially adversely affected.

 

In the future, our property may be subject to increases in real estate and other tax rates, utility costs, operating expenses, insurance costs, repairs and maintenance and administrative expenses, which could reduce our cash flow and adversely affect our financial performance. If our revenues decline and we are unable to reduce our expenses in a timely manner, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

 

Risk of declining market values on marketable securities.

 

The Company invests from time to time in marketable securities. As a result, the Company is exposed to market volatility in connection with these investments. The Company's financial position and financial performance could be adversely affected by worsening market conditions or sluggish performance of such investments.

 

Litigation and legal proceedings could expose us to significant liabilities and thus negatively affect our financial results.

 

We are a party, from time to time, to various litigation claims and legal proceedings, government and regulatory inquiries and/or proceedings, including, but not limited to, intellectual property, premises liability and breach of contract claims. Material legal proceedings are described more fully in Note 17, Commitments and Contingencies, to our consolidated financial statements, included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Litigation is inherently unpredictable, and defending these proceedings can result in significant ongoing expenditures and the diversion of our management’s time and attention from the operation of our business, which could have a negative effect on our business operations. Our failure to successfully defend or settle any litigation or legal proceedings could result in liabilities that, to the extent not covered by our insurance, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, revenue and profitability.

 

The threat of terrorism could adversely affect the number of customer visits to the Hotel .

 

The threat of terrorism has caused, and may in the future cause, a significant decrease in customer visits to San Francisco due to disruptions in commercial and leisure travel patterns and concerns about travel safety. We cannot predict the extent to which disruptions in air or other forms of travel as a result of any further terrorist act, outbreak of hostilities or escalation of war would adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. The possibility of future attacks may hamper business and leisure travel patterns and, accordingly, the performance of our business and our operations.

 

We depend on third party management companies for the future success of our business and the loss of one or more of their key personnel could have an adverse effect on our ability to manage our business and operate successfully and competitively, or could be negatively perceived in the capital markets.

 

The hotel is managed by Interstate. Their ability to manage the Company’s business and operate successfully and competitively is dependent, in part, upon the efforts and continued service of their managers. The departure of key personnel of current or future management companies could have an adverse effect on our business and our ability to operate successfully and competitively, and it could be difficult to find replacements for these key personnel, as competition for such personnel is intense.

 

Seasonality and other related factors such as weather can be expected to cause quarterly fluctuations in revenue at the Hotel.

 

The hotel and resort industry is seasonal in nature. This seasonality can tend to cause quarterly fluctuations in revenues at the Hotel. Our quarterly earnings may also be adversely affected by other related factors outside our control, including weather conditions and poor economic conditions. As a result, we may have to enter into short-term borrowings in certain quarters in order to offset these quarterly fluctuations in our revenues.

 

  11  

 

 

The hotel industry is heavily regulated and failure to comply with extensive regulatory requirements may result in an adverse effect on our business.

 

The hotel industry is subject to extensive regulation and the Hotel must maintain its licenses and pay taxes and fees to continue operations. Our property is subject to numerous laws, including those relating to the preparation and sale of food and beverages, including alcohol. We are also subject to laws governing our relationship with our employees in such areas as minimum wage and maximum working hours, overtime, working conditions, hiring and firing employees and work permits. Also, our ability to remodel, refurbish or add to our property may be dependent upon our obtaining necessary building permits from local authorities. The failure to obtain any of these permits could adversely affect our ability to increase revenues and net income through capital improvements of our property. In addition, we are subject to the numerous rules and regulations relating to state and federal taxation. Compliance with these rules and regulations requires significant management attention. Furthermore, compliance costs associated with such laws, regulations and licenses are significant. Any change in the laws, regulations or licenses applicable to our business or a violation of any current or future laws or regulations applicable to our business or gaming license could require us to make substantial expenditures or could otherwise negatively affect our gaming operations. Any failure to comply with all such rules and regulations could subject us to fines or audits by the applicable taxation authority.

 

Violations of laws could result in, among other things, disciplinary action. If we fail to comply with regulatory requirements, this may result in an adverse effect on our business.

 

Uninsured and underinsured losses could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

 

There are certain types of losses, generally of a catastrophic nature, such as earthquakes and floods or terrorist acts, which may be uninsurable or not economically insurable, or may be subject to insurance coverage limitations, such as large deductibles or co-payments. We will use our discretion in determining amounts, coverage limits, deductibility provisions of insurance and the appropriateness of self-insuring, with a view to maintaining appropriate insurance coverage on our investments at a reasonable cost and on suitable terms. Uninsured and underinsured losses could harm our financial condition and results of operations. We could incur liabilities resulting from loss or injury to the Hotel or to persons at the Hotel. Claims, whether or not they have merit, could harm the reputation of the Hotel or cause us to incur expenses to the extent of insurance deductibles or losses in excess of policy limitations, which could harm our results of operations.

 

In the event of a catastrophic loss, our insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover the full current market value or replacement cost of our lost investment. Should an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits occur, we could lose all or a portion of the capital we have invested in the Hotel, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the property. In that event, we might nevertheless remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the Hotel. In the event of a significant loss, our deductible may be high and we may be required to pay for all such repairs and, as a consequence, it could materially adversely affect our financial condition. Inflation, changes in building codes and ordinances, environmental considerations and other factors might also keep us from using insurance proceeds to replace or renovate the Hotel after it has been damaged or destroyed. Under those circumstances, the insurance proceeds we receive might be inadequate to restore our economic position on the damaged or destroyed property.

 

It has generally become more difficult and expensive to obtain property and casualty insurance, including coverage for terrorism. When our current insurance policies expire, we may encounter difficulty in obtaining or renewing property or casualty insurance on our property at the same levels of coverage and under similar terms. Such insurance may be more limited and for some catastrophic risks (for example, earthquake, flood and terrorism) may not be generally available at current levels. Even if we are able to renew our policies or to obtain new policies at levels and with limitations consistent with our current policies, we cannot be sure that we will be able to obtain such insurance at premium rates that are commercially reasonable. If we were unable to obtain adequate insurance on the Hotel for certain risks, it could cause us to be in default under specific covenants on certain of our indebtedness or other contractual commitments that require us to maintain adequate insurance on the Hotel to protect against the risk of loss. If this were to occur, or if we were unable to obtain adequate insurance and the Hotel experienced damage which would otherwise have been covered by insurance, it could materially adversely affect our financial condition and the operations of the Hotel.

 

  12  

 

 

In addition, insurance coverage for the Hotel and for casualty losses does not customarily cover damages that are characterized as punitive or similar damages. As a result, any claims or legal proceedings, or settlement of any such claims or legal proceedings that result in damages that are characterized as punitive or similar damages may not be covered by our insurance. If these types of damages are substantial, our financial resources may be adversely affected.

 

You may lose all or part of your investment.

 

There is no assurance that the Company’s initiatives to improve its profitability or liquidity and financial position will be successful. Accordingly, there is substantial risk that an investment in the Company will decline in value.

 

The price of the Company’s common stock may fluctuate significantly, which could negatively affect the Company and holders of its common stock.

 

The market price of the Company’s common stock may fluctuate significantly from time to time as a result of many factors, including: investors’ perceptions of the Company and its prospects; investors’ perceptions of the Company’s and/or the industry’s risk and return characteristics relative to other investment alternatives; difficulties between actual financial and operating results and those expected by investors and analysts; changes in our capital structure; trading volume fluctuations; actual or anticipated fluctuations in quarterly financial and operational results; volatility in the equity securities market; and sales, or anticipated sales, of large blocks of the Company’s common stock.

 

The concentrated beneficial ownership of our common stock and the ability it affords to control our business may limit or eliminate other shareholders' ability to influence corporate affairs .

 

Santa Fe and InterGroup collectively own more than 80% of the Company’s outstanding common stock. Because of this concentrated stock ownership, the Company’s largest shareholders will be in a position to significantly influence the election of our board of directors and all other decisions on all matters requiring shareholder approval. As a result, the ability of other shareholders to determine the management and policies of the Company is significantly limited. The interests of these shareholders may differ from the interests of other shareholders with respect to the issuance of shares, business transactions with or sales to other companies, selection of officers and directors and other business decisions. This level of control may also have an adverse impact on the market value of our shares because our largest shareholders may institute or undertake transactions, policies or programs that may result in losses, may not take any steps to increase our visibility in the financial community and/or may sell sufficient numbers of shares to significantly decrease our price per share.

 

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments.

 

None.

 

Item 2. Properties.

 

SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL PROPERTY

 

The Hotel is owned indirectly by the Partnership through its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Operating. The Hotel is centrally located near the Financial District in San Francisco, one block from the Transamerica Pyramid. The Embarcadero Center is within walking distance and North Beach is two blocks away.  Chinatown is directly across the bridge that runs from the Hotel to Portsmouth Square Park. The Hotel is a 31-story (including parking garage), steel and concrete, A-frame building, built in 1970. The Hotel has 543 well-appointed guest rooms and luxury suites situated on 22 floors.  The third floor houses the Chinese Culture Center and grand ballroom.  The Hotel has approximately 22,000 square feet of meeting room space, including the grand ballroom. Other features of the Hotel include a 5-level underground parking garage and pedestrian bridge across Kearny Street connecting the Hotel and the Chinese Culture Center with Portsmouth Square Park in Chinatown.  The bridge, built and owned by the Partnership, is included in the lease to the Chinese Culture Center. 

 

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The Partnership expects to expend at least 4% of gross annual Hotel revenues each year for capital improvements.  In the opinion of management, the Hotel is adequately covered by insurance.

 

HOTEL FINANCINGS

 

On December 18, 2013: (i) Justice Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Operating”), entered into a loan agreement (“Mortgage Loan Agreement”) with Bank of America (“Mortgage Lender”); and (ii) Justice Mezzanine Company, a Delaware limited liability company (“Mezzanine”), entered into a mezzanine loan agreement (“Mezzanine Loan Agreement” and, together with the Mortgage Loan Agreement, the “Loan Agreements”) with ISBI San Francisco Mezz Lender LLC (“Mezzanine Lender” and, together with Mortgage Lender, the “Lenders”). The Partnership is the sole member of Mezzanine, and Mezzanine is the sole member of Operating.

 

The Loan Agreements provide for a $97,000,000 Mortgage Loan and a $20,000,000 Mezzanine Loan. The proceeds of the Loan Agreements were used to fund the redemption of limited partnership interests and the pay-off of the prior mortgage.

 

The Mortgage Loan is secured by the Partnership’s principal asset, the Hotel. The Mortgage Loan bears an interest rate of 5.275% per annum and matures in January 2024. The term of the loan is ten years with interest only due in the first three years and principal and interest payments to be made during the remaining seven years of the loan based on a thirty year amortization schedule. The Mortgage Loan also requires payments for impounds related to property tax, insurance and capital improvement reserves. As additional security for the Mortgage Loan, there is a limited guaranty (“Mortgage Guaranty”) executed by the Company in favor of Mortgage Lender.

 

The Mezzanine Loan is a secured by the Operating membership interest held by Mezzanine and is subordinated to the Mortgage Loan. The Mezzanine Loan bears interest at 9.75% per annum and matures on January 1, 2024. Interest only payments are due monthly. As additional security for the Mezzanine Loan, there is a limited guaranty executed by the Company in favor of Mezzanine Lender (the “Mezzanine Guaranty” and, together with the Mortgage Guaranty, the “Guaranties”).

 

The Guaranties are limited to what are commonly referred to as “bad boy” acts, including: (i) fraud or intentional misrepresentations; (ii) gross negligence or willful misconduct; (iii) misapplication or misappropriation of rents, security deposits, insurance or condemnation proceeds; and (iv) failure to pay taxes or insurance. The Guaranties are full recourse guaranties under identified circumstances, including failure to maintain “single purpose” status which is a factor in a consolidation of Operating or Mezzanine in a bankruptcy of another person, transfer or encumbrance of the Property in violation of the applicable loan documents, Operating or Mezzanine incurring debts that are not permitted, and the Property becoming subject to a bankruptcy proceeding. Pursuant to the Guaranties, the Partnership is required to maintain a certain minimum net worth and liquidity. Effective as of May 12, 2017, InterGroup agreed to become an additional guarantor under the limited guaranty and an additional indemnitor under the environmental indemnity for Justice Investors limited partnership’s $97,000,000 mortgage loan and the $20,000,000 mezzanine loan. Pursuant to the agreement, InterGroup is required to maintain a certain net worth and liquidity. As of June 30, 2017, InterGroup is in compliance with both requirements.

 

Each of the Loan Agreements contains customary representations and warranties, events of default, reporting requirements, affirmative covenants and negative covenants, which impose restrictions on, among other things, organizational changes of the respective borrower, operations of the Property, agreements with affiliates and third parties. Each of the Loan Agreements also provides for mandatory prepayments under certain circumstances (including casualty or condemnation events) and voluntary prepayments, subject to satisfaction of prescribed conditions set forth in the Loan Agreements.

 

On July 2, 2014, the Partnership obtained from Intergroup an unsecured loan in the principal amount of $4,250,000 at 12% per year fixed interest, with a term of two years, payable interest only each month. Intergroup received a 3% loan fee. The loan may be prepaid at any time without penalty. The proceeds of the loan were applied to the July 2014 payments to Holdings described in Note 2. The loan was extended to December 31, 2017.

 

In March 2017, Portsmouth obtained from InterGroup an unsecured loan in the principal amount of $2,700,000 at 5% per year fixed interest, with a term of one year, payable interest only each month. In April 2017, the balance of the loan was repaid along with all accrued interest.

 

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In April 2017, Portsmouth obtained from InterGroup an unsecured short-term loan in the principal amount of $1,000,000 at 5% per year fixed interest, with a term of five months and maturing September 6, 2017. Accrued interest and monthly principal installments in the amount of $200,000 are due and payable commencing on May 1, 2017 and continuing on the first day of each calendar month thereafter, until five months after the date of the loan at which time any unpaid balance of principal and interest on the note is due and payable. The loan was extended to September 15, 2017 and paid off on September 13, 2017.

 

LAND HELD FOR DEVELOPMENT

 

On August 29, 2007, the Board of Directors authorized an investment of $973,000 for Portsmouth to acquire a 50% equity interest in InterGroup Uluniu, Inc., a Hawaii corporation (“Uluniu”) in a related party transaction. Uluniu was a 100% owned subsidiary of The InterGroup Corporation (“InterGroup”). Uluniu owns an approximately two-acre parcel of unimproved land located in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii which is held for development. The Company’s investment in Uluniu represents an amount equal to the costs paid by InterGroup for the acquisition and carrying costs of the property through August 2007. The fairness of the financial terms of the transaction were reviewed and approved by the independent director of the Company.

 

Uluniu intends to obtain the entitlements and permits necessary for the joint development of the parcel with an adjoining landowner into residential units. After the completion of this predevelopment phase, the Uluniu will determine whether it is more advantageous to sell the entitled property or to commence with construction.

 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

 

In 2014, Evon Corporation ("Evon") filed a complaint in San Francisco Superior Court against the Partnership, Portsmouth, and a limited partner and related party asserting contract and tort claims based on Justice’s withholding of $4.7 million to pay the transfer tax described in Note 1. Evon’s complaint asserted various tort and contract claims against Justice and Portsmouth; and also a tort against a Justice limited partner and related party. In July 2014, Justice paid to Holdings $4.7 million, the amount Evon claims was incorrectly withheld.  In June 2014, the Partnership sued Evon and related defendants, seeking a judicial declaration as to certain issues arising out of the partnership redemption documents. Evon filed a cross-complaint in December 2014, alleging torts against the Partnership in connection with the redemption transaction.  On May 5, 2016, Justice Investors and Portsmouth (parent Company) settled these actions via a global agreement. The Partnership agreed to pay Evon $5,575,000. As of January 10, 2017, the Company has satisfied all conditions of the settlement agreement.

 

In 2013, the City and County of San Francisco ("CCSF") Office of the Assessor Recorder claimed that Justice owed $2.1 million for Transient Occupancy Tax and Tourist Improvement District Assessment. This amount exceeded Justice’s estimate of the taxes owed, and Justice disputed the claim. The Company paid the full amount in March 2014 as part of the appeals process and reflected the amount on the balance sheet in “Other assets, net” as it was under protest as of June 30, 2015.  On December 18, 2013, a Documentary Transfer Tax of approximately $4.7 million was paid under protest to CCSF. CCSF had required payment as a condition of recording the transfer of the Hotel, which was necessary to effect the Loan Agreements.  The Partnership then filed a lawsuit challenging the transfer tax in San Francisco County Superior Court. During the year ended June 30, 2016, the Partnership settled the two CCSF lawsuits, receiving $1.45 million, apportioned half and half to each matter, resulting in approximately $340,000 in excess of net assets recorded. This amount was recorded as a reduction of Hotel restructuring costs.

 

In March 2017, the Company settled its lawsuit against RSUI Indemnity Company ("RSUI"), the insurer for the Company's Directors and Officers Liability Policies. Justice received $900,000 from RSUI, resolving allegations that RSUI had improperly handled a claim.

 

On April 21, 2014, the Partnership commenced arbitration against Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro, LLP, Brett J. Cohen, Gary N. Jacobs, Janet S. McCloud, Paul B. Salvaty, and Joseph K. Fletcher III (“Respondents”) in connection with the redemption transaction. The arbitration alleges legal malpractice and also seeks declaratory relief regarding provisions of the redemption option agreement. The arbitration proceedings are active; discovery is proceeding. The hearing is set for April 2018 before JAMS in Los Angeles. No prediction can be given as to the outcome of this matter. 

 

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Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

 

Not applicable.

 

PART II

 

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

 

MARKET INFORMATION

 

Portsmouth’s common stock is traded on the OTC Bulletin Board (“OTCBB”) under the symbol: PRSI.OB. The following table sets forth the range of the high and low bid quotations as reported by the OTCBB for Portsmouth’s common stock for each full quarterly period for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016. The quotations reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, markdown or commissions and may not represent actual transactions.

 

Fiscal 2017   High     Low  
             
First Quarter (7/ 1 to 9/30)   $ 54.00     $ 51.00  
Second Quarter (10/1 to 12/31)   $ 52.50     $ 51.00  
Third Quarter (1/1 to 3/31)   $ 61.00     $ 52.50  
Fourth Quarter (4/1 to 6/30)   $ 70.00     $ 61.00  

 

Fiscal 2016   High     Low  
             
First Quarter (7/ 1 to 9/30)   $ 71.00     $ 50.00  
Second Quarter (10/1 to 12/31)   $ 70.00     $ 50.00  
Third Quarter (1/1 to 3/31)   $ 75.00     $ 48.83  
Fourth Quarter (4/1 to 6/30)   $ 75.00     $ 53.00  

 

As of June 30, 2017, the number of holders of record of the Company’s Common Stock was approximately 133. Such number of owners was determined from the Company's shareholders records and does not include beneficial owners of the Company's Common Stock whose shares are held in the names of various brokers, clearing agencies or other nominees.

 

DIVIDENDS

 

It is expected that the Company will not consider a return to a regular dividend policy until such time that Partnership cash flows, distributions and other economic factors warrant such consideration. The Company will continue to review and modify its dividend policy as needed to meet such strategic and investment objectives as may be determined by the Board of Directors.

 

SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS

 

Portsmouth has no securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans.

 

PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

 

Portsmouth did not repurchase any of its own securities during the fourth quarter of its fiscal year ending June 30, 2017 and does not have any publicly announced repurchase program.

 

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Item 6. Selected financial Data.

 

Not required for smaller reporting companies.

 

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

The Company's principal business is conducted through its general and limited partnership interest in the Justice Investors Limited Partnership (“Justice” or the “Partnership”). Justice owns a 543-room hotel property located at 750 Kearny Street, San Francisco, California 94108, known as the “Hilton San Francisco Financial District” (the “Hotel” or the “Property”) and related facilities, including a five-level underground parking garage. The financial statements of Justice have been consolidated with those of the Company.

 

The Hotel is operated by the Partnership as a full service Hilton brand hotel pursuant to a Franchise License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with HLT Franchise Holding LLC (“Hilton”). The Partnership entered into the License Agreement on December 10, 2004. The term of the License Agreement was for an initial period of 15 years commencing on the opening date, with an option to extend the License Agreement for another five years, subject to certain conditions. On June 26, 2015, the Partnership and Hilton entered into an amended franchise agreement which extended the License Agreement through 2030, modified the monthly royalty rate, extended geographic protection to the Partnership and also provided the Partnership certain key money cash incentives to be earned through 2030. The key money cash incentives were received on July 1, 2015.

 

Justice had a management agreement with Prism Hospitality L.P. (“Prism”) to perform certain management functions for the Hotel. The management agreement with Prism had an original term of ten years and can be terminated at any time with or without cause by the Partnership. Effective January 2014, the management agreement with Prism was amended by the Partnership to change the nature of the services provided by Prism and the compensation payable to Prism, among other things. Prism’s management agreement was terminated upon its expiration date of February 3, 2017.  Effective December 1, 2013, GMP Management, Inc. (“GMP”), a company owned by a Justice limited partner and a related party, began to provide management services for the Partnership pursuant to a management services agreement with a term of three years, subject to the Partnership’s right to terminate earlier, for cause.  In June 2016, GMP resigned.  After a lengthy review process of several national third-party hotel management companies, on February 1, 2017, Justice entered into a Hotel management agreement (“HMA”) with Interstate Management Company, LLC (“Interstate”) to manage the Hotel with an effective takeover date of February 3, 2017.   The term of management agreement is for an initial period of 10 years commencing on the takeover date and automatically renews for an additional year not to exceed five years in the aggregate subject to certain conditions.  The HMA also provides for Interstate to advance a key money incentive fee to the Hotel for capital improvements in the amount of $2,000,000 under certain terms and conditions described in a separate key money agreement. 

 

The parking garage that is part of the Hotel property was managed by Ace Parking pursuant to a contract with the Partnership. The contract was terminated with an effective termination date of October 4, 2016. The Company began managing the parking garage in-house after the termination of Ace Parking. Effective February 3, 2017, Interstate took over the management of the parking garage along with the Hotel.

 

Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2017 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2016

 

The Company had net income of $395,000 for the year ended June 30, 2017 compared to a net loss of $5,159,000 for the year ended June 30, 2016. The change to net income from a significant net loss was primarily attributable to the absence of legal settlement cost related to the Hotel during the year ended June 30, 2016.

 

The Company had net income from Hotel operations of $2,707,000 for the year ended June 30, 2017 compared to net loss of $4,751,000 for the year ended June 30, 2016. The change to net income from a net loss from Hotel operations as noted above was primarily attributable to the absence of legal settlement costs of $5,396,000 for the year ended June 30, 2017.

 

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The following table sets forth a more detailed presentation of Hotel operations for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016.

 

For the year ended June 30,   2017     2016  
Hotel revenues:                
Hotel rooms   $ 45,012,000     $ 47,208,000  
Food and beverage     5,934,000       7,533,000  
Garage     2,695,000       2,706,000  
Other operating departments     693,000       1,119,000  
Total hotel revenues     54,334,000       58,566,000  
Operating expenses, excluding non-recurring charges, depreciation and amortization     (41,031,000 )     (47,246,000 )
Operating income before non-recurring charges, interest and depreciation and amortization     13,303,000       11,320,000  
Legal settlement costs     -       (5,396,000 )
Income before loss on disposal of assets , interest and depreciation and amortization     13,303,000       5,924,000  
Loss on disposal of assets     -       (30,000 )
Interest expense - mortgage     (7,736,000 )     (7,790,000 )
Depreciation and amortization expense     (2,860,000 )     (2,855,000 )
                 
Net income (loss) from Hotel operations   $ 2,707,000     $ (4,751,000 )

 

For the year ended June 30, 2017, the Hotel generated operating income of $13,303,000 before non-recurring charges and interest and depreciation and amortization on total operating revenues of $54,334,000 compared to operating income of $11,320,000 before non-recurring charges and interest and depreciation and amortization on total operating revenues of $58,566,000 for the year ended June 30, 2016.  Room revenues decreased by $2,196,000 for the year ended June 30, 2017 compared to the year ended June 30, 2016 primarily as a result of decline in group revenue.  Food and beverage revenue decreased by $1,599,000 for the year ended June 30, 2017 compared to the year ended June 30, 2016 due to lack of revenue contribution from groups while garage revenue remained relatively consistent, year over year.

 

Operating expenses decreased by $6,215,000 for the year ended June 30, 2017 to $41,031,000 compared to the year ended June 30, 2016 of $47,246,000 primarily as a result of reduced legal expense, general and administrative expense and management fees.

 

The following table sets forth the average daily room rate, average occupancy percentage and room revenue per available room (“RevPAR”) of the Hotel for the year ended June 30, 2017 and 2016.

 

For the  Year 
Ended June 30,
    Average
Daily Rate
    Average 
Occupancy %
    RevPAR  
                     
  2017     $ 250       91 %   $ 227  
  2016     $ 257       92 %   $ 237  

 

Due to the expansion and improvement project at the Moscone Center, which is the largest convention and exhibition complex in San Francisco, the San Francisco market has seen a steep decline in group business for the year ended June 30, 2017. The expansion and improvement project is scheduled to be completed by December 2018. We expect to receive a special benefit of increased hotel occupancy, rates and overall hotel property value upon project completion. For the year ended June 30, 2017, the group business that the Hotel had captured was at a lower rate than last year due to larger hotels needing to fill rooms thus driving the group ADR down. The Hotel’s average daily rate decreased by $7, compared to the year ended June 30, 2016, while occupancy decreased by 1%. As a result, the Hotel’s RevPar was $10 lower than the prior year.

 

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Our highest priority is guest satisfaction. We believe that enhancing the guest experience differentiates the Hotel from our competition and is critical to the Hotel’s objective of building sustainable guest loyalty. In order to make a large impact on guest experience, the Hotel will continue training team members on Hilton brand standards and guest satisfaction, hiring and retaining talents in key operations, and enhancing the arrival experience.

 

As previously discussed, GMP Management resigned in June 2016 and the Hotel is being managed by Interstate since February 2017. We believe that enhancing the Hotel’s technology is critical and to that end, are currently working with all Hilton approved vendors to upgrade all technical aspects of the Hotel and the implementation of state-of-the-art systems that will set us apart from our competitors. We have made ten additional rooms available by eliminating the Justice’s offices from the Hotel and relocating the accounting department to administrative space and eliminated the unprofitable Wellness Center that was added by previous management. We anticipate that the additional ten rooms will be placed into service within the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018. We are also in the planning stages of reconfiguring our lobby, restaurant and bar space to bring the restaurant and bar to the front of the property where it will have street visibility and be more accessible. Additionally, the fitness center which is occupying the equivalent of five rooms and the executive lounge which is occupying the equivalent of four rooms, will be relocated to a different area within the hotel. The nine equivalent rooms will be placed back into service. Part of this renovation will be funded by the Hotel’s FF&E reserve account with our lender as well as the $2,000,000 key money incentive provided by Interstate.

 

The Company had a net loss on marketable securities of $1,295,000 for the year ended June 30, 2017 compared to a net loss on marketable securities of $2,095,000 for the year ended June 30, 2016. For the year ended June 30, 2017, the Company had an unrealized loss of $1,511,000 related to the Company’s investment in the common stock of Comstock Mining Inc. (“Comstock” - NYSE MKT: LODE). For the year ended June 30, 2016, the Company had an unrealized loss of $1,913,000 related to the Company’s investment in the common stock of Comstock. As of June 30, 2017 and 2016, investments in Comstock represent approximately 42% and 77%, respectively, of the Company’s investment portfolio. For the year ended June 30, 2017, the Company had a net realized gain of $26,000 and a net unrealized loss of $1,321,000. For the year ended June 30, 2016, the Company had a net realized gain of $35,000 and a net unrealized loss of $2,130,000. Gains and losses on marketable securities may fluctuate significantly from period to period in the future and could have a significant impact on the Company’s results of operations. However, the amount of gain or loss on marketable securities for any given period may have no predictive value and variations in amount from period to period may have no analytical value. For a more detailed description of the composition of the Company’s marketable securities see the Marketable Securities section below.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company performed an impairment analysis of its other investments and determined its investments had an other than temporary impairment and recorded impairment losses of $60,000 and $194,000, respectively.

 

The Company consolidates Justice (Hotel) for financial reporting purposes and is not taxed on its non-controlling interest in the Hotel.  The income tax expense (benefit) during the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 represents the income tax effect on the Company s pretax income (loss) which include its share in net income (loss) of the Hotel.

 

MARKETABLE SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS

 

As of June 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company had investments in marketable equity securities of $3,861,000 and $4,038,000, respectively. The following table shows the composition of the Company’s marketable securities portfolio by selected industry groups as:

 

  19  

 

 

        % of Total  
As of June 30, 2017         Investment  
Industry Group   Fair Value     Securities  
             
Basic materials   $ 1,816,000       47.0 %
Technology     918,000       23.9 %
Energy     411,000       10.6 %
REITs and real estate companies     274,000       7.1 %
Other     442,000       11.4 %
    $ 3,861,000       100.0 %

 

        % of Total  
As of June 30, 2016         Investment  
Industry Group   Fair Value     Securities  
             
Basic materials   $ 3,102,000       76.8 %
Energy     388,000       9.6 %
Financial services     198,000       4.9 %
Other     350,000       8.7 %
    $ 4,038,000       100.0 %

 

The Company’s investment portfolio is diversified with 33 different equity positions. The Company holds two equity securities that comprised more than 10% of the equity value of the portfolio. The largest security position represents 42% of the portfolio and consists of the common stock of Comstock which is included in the basic materials industry group. The significant increase in the Company’s investment in Comstock was due to the conversion of the $4,410,000 (4,410 preferred shares) held in Comstock Mining, Inc. (“Comstock” – OTCBB: LODE) 7 1/2% Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock (the “A-1 Preferred”) to common stock on August 27, 2015. The A-1 Preferred was previously included in other investments prior to its conversion.

 

LIQUIDITY AND SOURCES OF CAPITAL

 

The Company’s cash flows are primarily generated from its Hotel operations, and general partner management fees and limited partnership distributions from the Partnership. The Company also receives cash generated from the investment of its cash and marketable securities and other investments.

 

On December 18, 2013, the Partnership completed an Offer to Redeem any and all limited partnership interests not held by Portsmouth. As a result, Portsmouth, which prior to the Offer to Redeem owned 50% of the then outstanding limited partnership interests now controls approximately 93% of the voting interest in Justice and is now its sole General Partner.

 

To fund redemption of limited partnership interests and to repay the prior mortgage, Justice obtained a $97,000,000 mortgage loan and a $20,000,000 mezzanine loan. The mortgage loan is secured by the Partnership’s principal asset, the Hotel. The mortgage loan initially bears an interest rate of 5.275% per annum and matures in January 2024. As additional security for the mortgage loan, there is a limited guaranty executed by the Company in favor of mortgage lender. The mezzanine loan is a secured by the Operating membership interest held by Mezzanine and is subordinated to the Mortgage Loan. The mezzanine loan initially bears interest at 9.75% per annum and matures in January 2024. As additional security for the mezzanine loan, there is a limited guaranty executed by the Company in favor of mezzanine lender. Effective as of May 12, 2017, InterGroup agreed to become an additional guarantor under the limited guaranty and an additional indemnitor under the environmental indemnity for Justice Investors limited partnership’s $97,000,000 mortgage loan and the $20,000,000 mezzanine loan.

 

  20  

 

 

On July 2, 2014, the Partnership obtained from the Intergroup Corporation (a related party) an unsecured loan in the principal amount of $4,250,000 at 12% per year fixed interest, with a term of two years, payable interest only each month. Intergroup received a 3% loan fee. The loan may be prepaid at any time without penalty. The proceeds of the loan were applied to the July 2014 payments to Holdings described in Note 2. The loan was extended to December 31, 2017.

 

In March 2017, Portsmouth obtained from InterGroup an unsecured loan in the principal amount of $2,700,000 at 5% per year fixed interest, with a term of one year, payable interest only each month. In April 2017, the balance of the loan was repaid along with all accrued interest.

 

In April 2017, Portsmouth obtained from InterGroup an unsecured short-term loan in the principal amount of $1,000,000 at 5% per year fixed interest, with a term of five months and maturing September 6, 2017. Accrued interest and monthly principal installments in the amount of $200,000 are due and payable commencing on May 1, 2017 and continuing on the first day of each calendar month thereafter, until five months after the date of the loan at which time any unpaid balance of principal and interest on the note is due and payable. The loan was extended to September 15, 2017 and paid off on September 13, 2017.

 

Despite an uncertain economy, the Hotel has continued to generate strong revenue growth. While the debt service requirements related the new loans and the legal settlement may create some additional risk for the Company and its ability to generate cash flows in the future, management believes that cash flows from the operations of the Hotel and the garage will continue to be sufficient to meet all of the Partnership’s current and future obligations and financial requirements.

 

The Company has invested in short-term, income-producing instruments and in equity and debt securities when deemed appropriate. The Company's marketable securities are classified as trading with unrealized gains and losses recorded through the consolidated statements of operations.

 

Management believes that its cash, marketable securities, and the cash flows generated from those assets and from the partnership management fees, will be adequate to meet the Company’s current and future obligations. Additionally, management believes there is significant appreciated value in the Hotel property to support additional borrowings, if necessary.

 

MATERIAL CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

 

The following table provides a summary of the Company’s material financial obligations which also includes interest.

 

    Total     Year 1     Year 2     Year 3     Year 4     Year 5     Thereafter  
Mortgage notes payable   $ 116,342,000     $ 1,397,000     $ 1,473,000     $ 1,552,000     $ 1,636,000     $ 1,724,000     $ 108,560,000  
Related party and other notes payable     10,209,000       4,567,000       421,000       567,000       567,000       567,000       3,520,000  
Interest     44,296,000       7,254,000       6,923,000       6,844,000       6,760,000       6,671,000       9,844,000  
Total   $ 170,847,000     $ 13,218,000     $ 8,817,000     $ 8,963,000     $ 8,963,000     $ 8,962,000     $ 121,924,000  

 

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

 

The Company has no material off balance sheet arrangements.

 

IMPACT OF INFLATION

 

Hotel room rates are typically impacted by supply and demand factors, not inflation, since rental of a hotel room is usually for a limited number of nights. Room rates can be, and usually are, adjusted to account for inflationary cost increases. Since Prism has the power and ability under the terms of its management agreement to adjust Hotel room rates on an ongoing basis, there should be minimal impact on partnership revenues due to inflation. Partnership revenues are also subject to interest rate risks, which may be influenced by inflation. For the two most recent fiscal years, the impact of inflation on the Company's income is not viewed by management as material.

 

  21  

 

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Critical accounting policies are those that are most significant to the portrayal of our financial position and results of operations and require judgments by management in order to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts in our consolidated financial statements. We evaluate our estimates on an on-going basis, including those related to the consolidation of our subsidiaries, to our revenues, allowances for bad debts, accruals, asset impairments, other investments, income taxes and commitments and contingencies. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. The actual results may differ from these estimates or our estimates may be affected by different assumptions or conditions.

 

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.

 

Not required for smaller reporting companies.

 

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

 

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PAGE
   
Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms 23-24
   
Consolidated Balance Sheets - June 30, 2017 and 2016 25
   
Consolidated Statements of Operations –  For years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 26
 
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Deficit –  For years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 27
   
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows –  For years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 28
   
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 29

 

  22  

 

  

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of

Portsmouth Square, Inc.:

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Portsmouth Square, Inc. and its subsidiary (the Company) as of June 30, 2017, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ deficit and cash flows for the year then ended (collectively, the financial statements). These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audit.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Portsmouth Square, Inc., and its subsidiary as of June 30, 2017, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

  

/s/ Hein & Associates LLP

 

Irvine, California

October 13, 2017

 

  23  

 

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of

Portsmouth Square, Inc.:

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Portsmouth Square, Inc. and its subsidiary (the Company) as of June 30, 2016, and the related consolidated statement of operations, shareholders’ deficit and cash flows in the year ended June 30, 2016. This consolidated financial statement is the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on this consolidated financial statement based on our audit.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statement referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Portsmouth Square, Inc. and its subsidiary as of June 30, 2016, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the year period ended June 30, 2016 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

/s/ BPM LLP  
   
San Francisco, California  
September 28, 2016  

 

  24  

 

 

PORTSMOUTH SQUARE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

As of June 30,   2017     2016  
             
ASSETS                
Investment in Hotel, net   $ 35,213,000     $ 37,744,000  
Investment in real estate     973,000       973,000  
Investment in marketable securities     3,861,000       4,038,000  
Other investments, net     389,000       359,000  
Cash and cash equivalents     2,049,000       3,378,000  
Restricted cash - mortgage impounds     5,111,000       898,000  
Accounts receivable - Hotel, net     1,436,000       3,218,000  
Other assets, net     867,000       1,274,000  
Deferred tax asset     10,927,000       11,088,000  
                 
Total assets   $ 60,826,000     $ 62,970,000  
                 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT                
Liabilities:                
Accounts payable and other liabilities   $ 15,085,000     $ 17,181,000  
Due to securities broker     592,000       291,000  
Obligations for securities sold     867,000       29,000  
Related party and other notes payable     10,209,000       11,246,000  
Mortgage notes payable - Hotel     115,615,000       116,160,000  
                 
Total liabilities     142,368,000       144,907,000  
                 
Commitments and contingencies (Note 17)                
                 
Shareholders' deficit:                
Common stock, no par value: Authorized shares - 750,000;  734,183 shares issued and outstanding shares     2,092,000       2,092,000  
Accumulated deficit     (77,120,000 )     (77,365,000 )
Total Portsmouth shareholders' deficit     (75,028,000 )     (75,273,000 )
Noncontrolling interest     (6,514,000 )     (6,664,000 )
Total shareholders' deficit     (81,542,000 )     (81,937,000 )
                 
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit   $ 60,826,000     $ 62,970,000  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

  25  

 

 

PORTSMOUTH SQUARE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

 

For the years ended June 30,   2017     2016  
             
Revenue - Hotel   $ 54,334,000     $ 58,566,000  
                 
Costs and operating expenses                
Hotel operating expenses     (41,031,000 )     (47,246,000 )
Legal settlement costs     -       (5,396,000 )
Depreciation and amortization expense     (2,860,000 )     (2,855,000 )
General and administrative expense     (635,000 )     (712,000 )
                 
Total costs and operating expenses     (44,526,000 )     (56,209,000 )
                 
Income from operations     9,808,000       2,357,000  
                 
Other income (expense)                
Interest expense - mortgage     (7,736,000 )     (7,790,000 )
Loss on disposal of assets     -       (30,000 )
Loss on marketable securities     (1,295,000 )     (2,095,000 )
Net unrealized loss on other investments     -       (32,000 )
Impairment loss on other investments     (60,000 )     (194,000 )
Dividend and interest income     44,000       9,000  
Trading and margin interest expense     (170,000 )     (121,000 )
                 
Net other expense     (9,217,000 )     (10,253,000 )
                 
Income (loss) before income taxes     591,000       (7,896,000 )
Income tax (expense) benefit     (196,000 )     2,737,000  
                 
Net income (loss)     395,000       (5,159,000 )
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest     (150,000 )     367,000  
                 
Net income (loss) attributable to Portsmouth   $ 245,000     $ (4,792,000 )
                 
Basic and diluted income (loss) per share attributable to Portsmouth   $ 0.33     $ (6.53 )
                 
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding     734,183       734,183  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

  26  

 

 

PORTSMOUTH SQUARE, INC

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT

 

                Retained     Total              
        Earnings     Portsmouth           Total  
    Common Stock     (Accumulated     Shareholders'     Noncontrolling     Shareholders'  
    Shares     Amount     Deficit)     Deficit     Interest     Deficit  
                                     
Balance at July 1, 2015     734,183     $ 2,092,000     $ (72,523,000 )   $ (70,431,000 )   $ (6,297,000 )   $ (76,728,000 )
                                                 
Net loss                     (4,792,000 )     (4,792,000 )     (367,000 )     (5,159,000 )
                                                 
Redemption of limited partnership interests                     (50,000 )     (50,000 )     -       (50,000 )
                                                 
Balance at June 30, 2016     734,183       2,092,000       (77,365,000 )     (75,273,000 )     (6,664,000 )     (81,937,000 )
                                                 
Net income                     245,000       245,000       150,000       395,000  
                                                 
Balance at June 30, 2017     734,183     $ 2,092,000     $ (77,120,000 )   $ (75,028,000 )   $ (6,514,000 )   $ (81,542,000 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

  27  

 

 

PORTSMOUTH SQUARE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 

For the years ended June 30,   2017     2016  
Cash flows from operating activities:                
Net income (loss)   $ 395,000     $ (5,159,000 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:                
Net unrealized loss on marketable securities     1,321,000       2,130,000  
Legal settlement costs     -       5,575,000  
Unrealized loss on other investments     -       41,000  
Impairment loss on other investments     60,000       194,000  
Loss on disposal of assets     -       30,000  
Depreciation and amortization     2,944,000       2,855,000  
Changes in assets and liabilities:                
Investment in marketable securities     (1,144,000 )     (458,000 )
Accounts receivable - hotel, net     1,782,000       3,573,000  
Other assets, net     407,000       1,454,000  
Accounts payable and other liabilities     (2,096,000 )     2,559,000  
Due to securities broker     301,000       291,000  
Obligations for securities sold     838,000       29,000  
Deferred income taxes     161,000       (2,737,000 )
Net cash provided by operating activities     4,969,000       10,377,000  
                 
Cash flows from investing activities:                
Payments for hotel furniture, equipment and building improvements     (329,000 )     (4,231,000 )
Purchase of other investments     (90,000 )     -  
Net cash used in investing activities     (419,000 )     (4,231,000 )
                 
Cash flows from financing activities:                
Payments of mortgage and other notes payable     (1,666,000 )     (3,484,000 )
Restricted cash used in by redemption and mortgage impounds     (4,213,000 )     (311,000 )
Distributions and redemption to noncontrolling interest     -       (50,000 )
Net cash used in financing activities     (5,879,000 )     (3,845,000 )
                 
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents     (1,329,000 )     2,301,000  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year     3,378,000       1,077,000  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year   $ 2,049,000     $ 3,378,000  
                 
Supplemental information:                
Income tax paid   $ -     $ 1,000  
Interest paid   $ 7,799,000     $ 7,796,000  
                 
Non-cash transactions:                
Conversion of other investments to marketable securities   $ -     $ 4,410,000  
Legal settlement costs   $ -     $ 5,575,000  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

  28  

 

 

NOTE 1 - SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Description of Business

 

Portsmouth’s primary business is conducted through its general and limited partnership interest in Justice Investors Limited Partnership, a California limited partnership (“Justice” or the “Partnership”). Portsmouth has a 93.1% limited partnership interest in Justice and is the sole general partner. The financial statements of Justice are consolidated with those of the Company.

 

As of June 30, 2017, Santa Fe Financial Corporation (“Santa Fe”), a public company, owns approximately 68.8% of the outstanding common shares of Portsmouth Square, Inc. (“Portsmouth” or the “Company”). Santa Fe is an 81.9%-owned subsidiary of The InterGroup Corporation (“InterGroup”), a public company. InterGroup also directly owns approximately 13.4% of the common stock of Portsmouth.

 

Justice, through its subsidiaries Justice Holdings Company, LLC (“Holdings”), a Delaware Limited Liability Company, Justice Operating Company, LLC (“Operating”) and Justice Mezzanine Company, LLC (“Mezzanine”), owns a 543-room hotel property located at 750 Kearny Street, San Francisco California, known as the Hilton San Francisco Financial District (the “Hotel”) and related facilities including a five-level underground parking garage. Holdings and Mezzanine are both wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Partnership; Operating is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mezzanine. Mezzanine is the borrower under certain mezzanine indebtedness of Justice, and in December 2013, the Partnership conveyed ownership of the Hotel to Operating. The Hotel is operated by the partnership as a full-service Hilton brand hotel pursuant to a Franchise License Agreement with HLT Franchise Holding LLC (Hilton). Justice had a management agreement with Prism Hospitality L.P. (“Prism”) to perform certain management functions for the Hotel. The management agreement with Prism had an original term of ten years, subject to the Partnership’s right to terminate at any time with or without cause. Effective January 2014, the management agreement with Prism was amended by the Partnership to change the nature of the services provided by Prism and the compensation payable to Prism, among other things. Prism’s management agreement was terminated upon its expiration date of February 3, 2017. Effective December 1, 2013, GMP Management, Inc. (“GMP”), a company owned by a Justice limited partner and a related party, also provided management services for the Partnership pursuant to a management services agreement, with a three-year term, subject to the Partnership’s right to terminate earlier for cause. In June 2016, GMP resigned. After a lengthy review process of several national third-party hotel management companies, on February 1, 2017, Justice entered into a Hotel management agreement (“HMA”) with Interstate Management Company, LLC (“Interstate”) to manage the Hotel with an effective takeover date of February 3, 2017. The term of management agreement is for an initial period of 10 years commencing on the takeover date and automatically renews for an additional year not to exceed five years in the aggregate subject to certain conditions. The HMA also provides for Interstate to advance a key money incentive fee to the Hotel for capital improvements in the amount of $2,000,000 under certain terms and conditions described in a separate key money agreement. The $2,000,000 is included in the restricted cash and related party and other notes payable balances in the consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2017.

 

Principles of Consolidation

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and Justice. All significant inter-company transactions and balances have been eliminated.

 

Investment in Hotel, Net

 

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Building improvements are depreciated on a straight-line basis over their useful lives ranging from 3 to 39 years. Furniture, fixtures, and equipment are depreciated on a straight-line basis over their useful lives ranging from 3 to 7 years.

 

Repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. Costs of significant renewals and improvements are capitalized and depreciated over the shorter of its remaining estimated useful life or life of the asset. The cost of assets sold or retired and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts; any resulting gain or loss is included in other income (expenses).

 

  29  

 

 

The Company reviews property and equipment for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). If the carrying amount of the asset, including any intangible assets associated with that asset, exceeds its estimated undiscounted net cash flow, before interest, the Partnership will recognize an impairment loss equal to the difference between its carrying amount and its estimated fair value. If impairment is recognized, the reduced carrying amount of the asset will be accounted for as its new cost. For a depreciable asset, the new cost will be depreciated over the asset’s remaining useful life. Generally, fair values are estimated using discounted cash flow, replacement cost or market comparison analyses. The process of evaluating for impairment requires estimates as to future events and conditions, which are subject to varying market and economic factors. Therefore, it is reasonably possible that a change in estimate resulting from judgments as to future events could occur which would affect the recorded amounts of the property. No impairment losses were recorded for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016.

 

Investment in Marketable Securities

 

Marketable securities are stated at fair value as determined by the most recently traded price of each security at the balance sheet date. Marketable securities are classified as trading securities with all unrealized gains and losses on the Company's investment portfolio recorded through the consolidated statements of operations.

 

Other Investments, Net

 

Other investments include non-marketable securities (carried at cost, net of any impairments loss) and non –marketable warrants (carried at fair value). The Company has no significant influence or control over the entities that issue these investments. These investments are reviewed on a periodic basis for other-than-temporary impairment. The Company reviews several factors to determine whether a loss is other-than-temporary. These factors include but are not limited to: (i) the length of time an investment is in an unrealized loss position, (ii) the extent to which fair value is less than cost, (iii) the financial condition and near term prospects of the issuer and (iv) our ability to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value. For the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company recorded impairment losses related to other investments of $60,000 and $194,000, respectively. As of June 30, 2017, and 2016, the allowance for impairment losses was $2,159,000 and $2,099,000, respectively.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased and are carried at cost, which approximates fair value.

 

Restricted Cash

 

Restricted cash is comprised of amounts held by lenders for payment of real estate taxes, insurance, replacement and capital improvements for the Hotel.

 

Accounts Receivable - Hotel, Net

 

Accounts receivable from Hotel customers are carried at cost less an allowance for doubtful accounts that is based on management’s assessment of the collectability of accounts receivable. The Partnership extends unsecured credit to its customers but mitigates the associated credit risk by performing ongoing credit evaluations of its customers.

 

Other Assets, Net

 

Other assets include prepaid insurance, accounts receivable, franchise fees, license fees and other miscellaneous assets. Franchise fees are stated at cost and amortized over the life of the agreement (15 years). License fees are stated at cost and amortized over 10 years.

 

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Income Taxes

 

Deferred income taxes are calculated under the liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are based on differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities at the current enacted tax rates. Changes in deferred income tax assets and liabilities are included as a component of income tax expense. Changes in deferred income tax assets and liabilities attributable to changes in enacted tax rates are charged or credited to income tax expense in the period of enactment. Valuation allowances are established for certain deferred tax assets where realization is not likely.

 

Assets and liabilities are established for uncertain tax positions taken or positions expected to be taken in income tax returns when such positions are judged to not meet the “more-likely-than-not” threshold based on the technical merits of the positions.

 

Due to Securities Broker

 

Various securities brokers have advanced funds to the Company for the purchase of marketable securities under standard margin agreements. These advanced funds are recorded as a liability.

 

Obligations for Securities Sold

 

Obligation for securities sold represents the fair market value of shares sold with the promise to deliver that security at some future date and the fair market value of shares underlying the written call options with the obligation to deliver that security when and if the option is exercised. The obligation may be satisfied with current holdings of the same security or by subsequent purchases of that security. Unrealized gains and losses from changes in the obligation are included in the statement of operations.

 

Accounts Payable and Other Liabilities

 

Accounts payable and other liabilities include trade payables, advance customer deposits and other liabilities.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Accounting standards for fair value measurement establishes a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The hierarchy is broken down into three levels based on the observability of inputs as follows:

 

Level 1 –inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

 

Level 2 –inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the assets or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instruments.

 

Level 3 –inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

Room revenue is recognized on the date upon which a guest occupies a room and/or utilizes the Hotel’s services. Food and beverage revenues are recognized upon delivery. Garage revenue is recognized when a guest uses the garage space. The Company records a liability for payments collected in advance of revenue recognition. This liability is included in Accounts payable and other liabilities.

 

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Advertising Costs

 

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising costs were $294,000 and $522,000 for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

 

Basic and Diluted Income (Loss) per Share

 

Basic income per share is calculated based upon the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each fiscal year. As of June 30, 2017, and 2016, the Company did not have any potentially dilutive securities outstanding.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires the use of estimates and assumptions regarding certain types of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses. Such estimates primarily relate to unsettled transactions and events as of the date of the financial statements. Accordingly, upon settlement, actual results may differ from estimated amounts.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern that requires management to evaluate whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the financial statements are issued on both an interim and annual basis. Management is required to provide certain footnote disclosures if it concludes that substantial doubt exists or when its plans alleviate substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. ASU No. 2014-15 becomes effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and for interim reporting periods thereafter. The Company does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

 

On June 16, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “ Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments .” This ASU modifies the impairment model to utilize an expected loss methodology in place of the currently used incurred loss methodology, which will result in the more timely recognition of losses. ASU No. 2016-13 will be effective for us as of January 1, 2020. The Company is currently reviewing the effect of ASU No. 2016-13.

 

On August 26, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “ Statement of Cash Flows - Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (Topic230) .” This ASU is intended to reduce the diversity in practice around how certain transactions are classified within the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-15 in the first quarter of 2017 with no material impact to our financial statements.

 

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs , which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. ASU 2015-03 is effective for annual and interim periods within these annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and early application is permitted. The Company adopted this standard beginning with the quarter ended December 31, 2016 and reclassified the debt issuance costs of $840,000 from Other Assets to Mortgage notes payable – Hotel, net on the June 30, 2016 condensed consolidated balance sheet.

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (ASU 2014-09), which amends the existing accounting standards for revenue recognition. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date , which delays the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year. The FASB also agreed to allow entities to choose to adopt the standard as of the original effective date. In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net) (ASU 2016-08) which clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations. The guidance includes indicators to assist an entity in determining whether it controls a specified good or service before it is transferred to the customers. The new revenue recognition standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2019, with the option to adopt it in the first quarter of 2018. We currently anticipate adopting the new standard effective July 1, 2019. The new standard also permits two methods of adoption: retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented (full retrospective method), or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying the guidance recognized at the date of initial application (the modified retrospective method). The Company currently anticipates adopting the standard using the modified retrospective method. While the Company is still in the process of completing the analysis on the impact this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures, the Company does not expect the impact to be material.

 

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NOTE 2 - JUSTICE INVESTORS

 

Justice Investors Limited Partnership, a California limited partnership (“Justice” or the “Partnership”), was formed in 1967 to acquire real property in San Francisco, California, for the development and lease of the Hotel and related facilities. The Partnership has one general partner, Portsmouth Square, Inc., a California corporation (“Portsmouth”) and approximately 24 voting limited partners, including Portsmouth.

 

Management believes that the revenues and cash flows expected to be generated from the operations of the Hotel, garage and leases will be sufficient to meet all of the Partnership’s current and future obligations and financial requirements. Management also believes that there is significant appreciated value in the Hotel property in excess of the net book value to support additional borrowings, if necessary.

 

NOTE 3 – INVESTMENT IN HOTEL, NET

 

Investment in Hotel consisted of the following as of:

 

          Accumulated     Net Book  
June 30, 2017   Cost     Depreciation     Value  
                   
Land   $ 1,124,000     $ -     $ 1,124,000  
Furniture and equipment     27,681,000       (24,570,000 )     3,111,000  
Building and improvements     55,918,000       (24,940,000 )     30,978,000  
    $ 84,723,000     $ (49,510,000 )   $ 35,213,000  

 

          Accumulated     Net Book  
June 30, 2016   Cost     Depreciation     Value  
                   
Land   $ 1,124,000     $ -     $ 1,124,000  
Furniture and equipment     28,857,000       (23,097,000 )     5,760,000  
Building and improvements     54,517,000       (23,657,000 )     30,860,000  
    $ 84,498,000     $ (46,754,000 )   $ 37,744,000  

 

NOTE 4 – INVESTMENT IN REAL ESTATE

 

In August 2007, the Company agreed to acquire 50% interest in Intergroup Uluniu, Inc., a Hawaiian corporation and a 100% owned subsidiary of InterGroup, for $973,000, which represents an amount equal to the costs paid by InterGroup for the acquisition and carrying costs of approximately two acres of unimproved land held for development located in Maui, Hawaii. As a related party transaction, the fairness of the financial terms of the transaction were reviewed and approved by the independent director of the Company.

 

NOTE 5 - INVESTMENT IN MARKETABLE SECURITIES

 

The Company’s investment in marketable securities consists primarily of corporate equities. The Company has also invested in corporate bonds and income producing securities, which may include interests in real estate based companies and REITs, where financial benefit could insure to its shareholders through income and/or capital gain.

 

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As of June 30, 2017, and 2016, all of the Company’s marketable securities are classified as trading securities. The change in the unrealized gains and losses on these investments are included in earnings. Trading securities are summarized as follows:

 

          Gross     Gross     Net     Fair  
Investment   Cost     Unrealized Gain     Unrealized Loss     Unrealized Loss     Value  
                               
As of June 30, 2017                                        
Corporate Equities   $ 8,012,000     $ 381,000     $ (4,532,000 )   $ (4,151,000 )   $ 3,861,000  
                                         
As of June 30, 2016                                        
Corporate Equities   $ 6,877,000     $ 272,000     $ (3,111,000 )   $ (2,839,000 )   $ 4,038,000  

 

As of June 30, 2017, and 2016, approximately 42% and 77% of the investment marketable securities balance above is comprised of the common stock of Comstock Mining Inc.

 

As of June 30, 2017, and 2016, the Company had $4,494,000 and $1,138,000, respectively, of unrealized losses related to securities held for over one year.

 

Net loss on marketable securities on the statement of operations is comprised of realized and unrealized losses. Below is the composition of the two components for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

 

For the year ended June 30,   2017     2016  
Realized gain on marketable securities   $ 26,000     $ 35,000  
Unrealized loss on marketable securities     (1,321,000 )     (2,130,000 )
                 
Net loss on marketable securities   $ (1,295,000 )   $ (2,095,000 )

 

NOTE 6 – OTHER INVESTMENTS, NET

 

The Company may also invest, with the approval of the Securities Investment Committee and other Company guidelines, in private investment equity funds and other unlisted securities, such as convertible notes through private placements. Those investments in non-marketable securities are carried at cost on the Company’s balance sheet as part of other investments, net of other than temporary impairment losses.

 

Other investments, net consist of the following:

 

Type   June 30, 2017     June 30, 2016  
Private equity hedge fund, at cost   $ 284,000     $ 333,000  
Other investments     105,000       26,000  
    $ 389,000     $ 359,000  

 

NOTE 7 - FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

The carrying values of the Company’s financial instruments not required to be carried at fair value on a recurring basis approximate fair value due to their short maturities (i.e., accounts receivable, other assets, accounts payable and other liabilities, due to securities broker and obligations for securities sold) or the nature and terms of the obligation (i.e., other notes payable and mortgage notes payable).

 

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The assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are as follows:

 

As of June 30, 2017      
  Level 1  
Assets:      
Investment in marketable securities:        
Basic materials   $ 1,816,000  
Energy     411,000  
Technology     918,000  
Other     716,000  
    $ 3,861,000  

 

As of June 30, 2016      
  Level 1  
Assets:      
Investment in marketable securities:        
Basic materials   $ 3,102,000  
Energy     388,000  
Financial services     198,000  
Other     350,000  
    $ 4,038,000  

 

The fair values of investments in marketable securities are determined by the most recently traded price of each security at the balance sheet date.

 

Financial assets that are measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis and are not included in the tables above include “Other investments in non-marketable securities,” that were initially measured at cost and have been written down to fair value as a result of impairment or adjusted to record the fair value of new instruments received (i.e., preferred shares) in exchange for old instruments (i.e., debt instruments). The following table shows the fair value hierarchy for these assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis as follows:

 

                Net loss for the year  
Assets   Level 3     June 30, 2017     ended June 30, 2017  
                         
Other non-marketable investments   $ 389,000     $ 389,000     $ (60,000 )

 

                Net loss for the year  
Assets   Level 3     June 30, 2016     ended June 30, 2016  
                         
Other non-marketable investments   $ 359,000     $ 359,000     $ (194,000 )

 

Other investments in non-marketable securities are carried at cost net of any impairment loss. The Company has no significant influence or control over the entities that issue these investments. These investments are reviewed on a periodic basis for other-than-temporary impairment. When determining the fair value of these investments on a non-recurring basis, the Company uses valuation techniques such as the market approach and the unobservable inputs include factors such as conversion ratios and the stock price of the underlying convertible instruments. The Company reviews several factors to determine whether a loss is other-than-temporary. These factors include but are not limited to: (i) the length of time an investment is in an unrealized loss position, (ii) the extent to which fair value is less than cost, (iii) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer and (iv) our ability to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value.

 

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NOTE 8 – OTHER ASSETS, NET

 

Other assets consist of the following as of June 30:

 

    2017     2016  
Inventory - Hotel   $ 68,000     $ 248,000  
Prepaid expenses     499,000       690,000  
Miscellaneous assets, net     300,000       336,000  
                 
Total other assets   $ 867,000     $ 1,274,000  

 

NOTE 9 – RELATED PARTY AND OTHER NOTES PAYABLE

 

On July 2, 2014, the Partnership obtained from InterGroup (a related party) an unsecured loan in the principal amount of $4,250,000 at 12% per year fixed interest, with a term of 2 years, payable interest only each month. InterGroup received a 3% loan fee. The loan may be prepaid at any time without penalty. The loan was extended to December 31, 2017.

 

On May 5, 2016, Justice and Portsmouth entered into a settlement agreement relating to previously reported litigation with Evon Corporation and certain other parties.  Under the settlement agreement, Justice, a subsidiary of Portsmouth agreed to pay Evon Corporation $5,575,000. As of June 30, 2017, this balance has been fully paid. This amount was accrued and recorded as restructuring cost for the year end June 30, 2016.  

 

Also included in the balance of the related party note payable at June 30, 2017 is the obligation to Hilton (Franchisor) in the form of a self-exhausting, interest free development incentive note which will be reduced approximately $316,000 annually through 2030 by Hilton if the Partnership is still a Franchisee with Hilton. For the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, the note was reduced by approximately $316,000 for each respective year.

 

On February 1, 2017, Justice entered into a Hotel management agreement (“HMA”) with Interstate Management Company, LLC (“Interstate”) to manage the Hotel with an effective takeover date of February 3, 2017. The term of management agreement is for an initial period of 10 years commencing on the takeover date and automatically renews for an additional year not to exceed five years in the aggregate subject to certain conditions. The HMA also provides for Interstate to advance a key money incentive fee to the Hotel for capital improvements in the amount of $2,000,000 under certain terms and conditions described in a separate key money agreement. The key money contribution shall be amortized in equal monthly amounts over an eight (8) year period commencing on the second (2 nd ) anniversary of the takeover date. The $2,000,000 is included in restricted cash and related party note payable balances in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2017.

 

As of June 30, 2016, the Company has various non-mortgage notes payable and financing obligations outstanding totaling $212,000. The notes bear interest at market rates and were fully paid as of June 30, 2017.

 

Future minimum payments for all related party and other notes payable are as follows:

 

For the year ending June 30,      
2018   $ 4,567,000  
2019     421,000  
2020     567,000  
2021     567,000  
2022     567,000  
Thereafter     3,520,000  
    $ 10,209,000  

 

NOTE 10 – MORTGAGE NOTES PAYABLE

 

On December 18, 2013: (i) Justice Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Operating”), entered into a loan agreement (“Mortgage Loan Agreement”) with Bank of America (“Mortgage Lender”); and (ii) Justice Mezzanine Company, a Delaware limited liability company (“Mezzanine”), entered into a mezzanine loan agreement (“Mezzanine Loan Agreement” and, together with the Mortgage Loan Agreement, the “Loan Agreements”) with ISBI San Francisco Mezz Lender LLC (“Mezzanine Lender” and, together with Mortgage Lender, the “Lenders”). The Partnership is the sole member of Mezzanine, and Mezzanine is the sole member of Operating.

 

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The Loan Agreements provide for a $97,000,000 Mortgage Loan and a $20,000,000 Mezzanine Loan. The proceeds of the Loan Agreements were used to fund the redemption of limited partnership interests and the pay-off of the prior mortgage.

 

The Mortgage Loan is secured by the Partnership’s principal asset, the Hilton San Francisco-Financial District (the “Property”). The Mortgage Loan bears an interest rate of 5.275% per annum and matures in January 2024. The term of the loan is 10 years with interest only due in the first three years and principle and interest on the remaining seven years of the loan based on a thirty-year amortization schedule. The Mortgage Loan also requires payments for impounds related to property tax, insurance and capital improvement reserves. As additional security for the Mortgage Loan, there is a limited guaranty (“Mortgage Guaranty”) executed by the Company in favor of Mortgage Lender.

 

The Mezzanine Loan is a secured by the Operating membership interest held by Mezzanine and is subordinated to the Mortgage Loan. The Mezzanine Loan bears interest at 9.75% per annum and matures on January 1, 2024. Interest only, payments are due monthly. As additional security for the Mezzanine Loan, there is a limited guaranty executed by the Company in favor of Mezzanine Lender (the “Mezzanine Guaranty” and, together with the Mortgage Guaranty, the “Guaranties”).

 

The Guaranties are limited to what are commonly referred to as “bad boy” acts, including: (i) fraud or intentional misrepresentations; (ii) gross negligence or willful misconduct; (iii) misapplication or misappropriation of rents, security deposits, insurance or condemnation proceeds; and (iv) failure to pay taxes or insurance. The Guaranties are full recourse guaranties under identified circumstances, including failure to maintain “single purpose” status which is a factor in a consolidation of Operating or Mezzanine in a bankruptcy of another person, transfer or encumbrance of the Property in violation of the applicable loan documents, Operating or Mezzanine incurring debts that are not permitted, and the Property becoming subject to a bankruptcy proceeding. Pursuant to the Guaranties, the Partnership is required to maintain a certain minimum net worth and liquidity. Effective as of May 12, 2017, InterGroup agreed to become an additional guarantor under the limited guaranty and an additional indemnitor under the environmental indemnity for Justice Investors limited partnership’s $97,000,000 mortgage loan and the $20,000,000 mezzanine loan. Pursuant to the agreement, InterGroup is required to maintain a certain net worth and liquidity. As of June 30, 2017, InterGroup is in compliance with both requirements.

 

Each of the Loan Agreements contains customary representations and warranties, events of default, reporting requirements, affirmative covenants and negative covenants, which impose restrictions on, among other things, organizational changes of the respective borrower, operations of the Property, agreements with affiliates and third parties. Each of the Loan Agreements also provides for mandatory prepayments under certain circumstances (including casualty or condemnation events) and voluntary prepayments, subject to satisfaction of prescribed conditions set forth in the Loan Agreements.

 

As of June 30, 2017, and 2016, the Company had the following mortgages:

 

June 30, 2017     June 30, 2016     Interest Rate   Origination Date   Maturity Date
$ 96,343,000     $ 97,000,000     Fixed 5.28%   December 18, 2013   January 1, 2024
  20,000,000       20,000,000     Fixed 9.75%   December 18, 2013   January 1, 2024
  116,343,000       117,000,000     Mortgage notes payable - hotel        
  (728,000 )     (840,000 )   Net debt issuance costs        
$ 115,615,000     $ 116,160,000     Total mortgage notes payable - hotel        

 

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Future minimum payments for all notes payable are as follows:

 

For the year ending June 30,      
2018   $ 1,397,000  
2019     1,473,000  
2020     1,552,000  
2021     1,636,000  
2022     1,724,000  
Thereafter     108,561,000  
    $ 116,343,000  

 

NOTE 11 – GARAGE OPERATIONS

 

The parking garage that is part of the Hotel property was managed by Ace Parking pursuant to a contract with the Partnership. The contract was terminated with an effective termination date of October 4, 2016. The Company began managing the parking garage in-house after the termination of Ace Parking. Effective February 3, 2017, Interstate took over the management of the parking garage along with the Hotel.

 

NOTE 12 – MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS

 

Justice had a management agreement with Prism Hospitality L.P. (“Prism”) to perform certain management functions for the Hotel. The management agreement with Prism had an original term of ten years, subject to the Partnership’s right to terminate at any time with or without cause. Effective January 2014, the management agreement with Prism was amended by the Partnership to change the nature of the services provided by Prism and the compensation payable to Prism, among other things. Prism’s management agreement was terminated upon its expiration date of February 3, 2017. Effective December 1, 2013, GMP Management, Inc. (“GMP”), a company owned by a Justice limited partner and a related party, also provided management services for the Partnership pursuant to a management services agreement, with a three-year term, subject to the Partnership’s right to terminate earlier for cause. In June 2016, GMP resigned. After a lengthy review process of several national third-party hotel management companies, on February 1, 2017, Justice entered into a Hotel management agreement (“HMA”) with Interstate Management Company, LLC (“Interstate”) to manage the Hotel with an effective takeover date of February 3, 2017. The term of management agreement is for an initial period of 10 years commencing on the takeover date and automatically renews for an additional year not to exceed five years in the aggregate subject to certain conditions. The HMA also provides for Interstate to advance a key money incentive fee to the Hotel for capital improvements in the amount of $2,000,000 under certain terms and conditions described in a separate key money agreement. The key money contribution shall be amortized in equal monthly amounts over an eight (8) year period commencing on the second (2 nd ) anniversary of the takeover date. The $2,000,000 is included in restricted cash and related party note payable balances in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2017.

 

In February 2017, Interstate was hired to manage the Hotel. During the year ended June 30, 2017, Interstate management fees were $372,000. During the year ended June 30, 2016, GMP management fees were $1,219,000.

 

NOTE 13 – CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK

 

As of June 30, 2017, all accounts receivables are related to Hotel customers. As of June 30, 2016, approximately 45% of accounts receivable is related to legal settlement receivables. The Hotel had one customer that accounted for 27%, or $390,000 of accounts receivable at June 30, 2017, and four customers that accounted for 26%, or $811,000 of accounts receivable at June 30, 2016.

 

The Partnership maintains its cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash with various financial institutions that are monitored regularly for credit quality. At times, such cash and cash equivalents holdings may be in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or other federally insured limits.

 

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NOTE 14 - INCOME TAXES

 

The provision for income taxes benefit consists of the following:

 

For the years ended June 30,   2017     2016  
Federal                
Current tax expense   $ (34,000 )   $ -  
Deferred tax benefit     (81,000 )     2,362,000  
      (115,000 )     2,362,000  
State                
Current tax expense     (1,000 )     -  
Deferred tax benefit     (80,000 )     375,000  
      (81,000 )     375,000  
                 
Total income tax benefit   $ (196,000 )   $ 2,737,000  

 

A reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax rate to the effective tax rate is as follows:

 

For the years ended June 30,   2017     2016  
             
Statutory federal tax rate     34.0 %     34.0 %
State income taxes, net of federal tax benefit     2.6 %     3.1 %
Noncontrolling interest     0.0 %     -1.5 %
Other     7.8 %     -0.9 %
      44.4 %     34.7 %

 

The components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and (liabilities) as of June 30, 2017 and 2016, are as follows:

 

    2017     2016  
Deferred tax assets (liabilities)                
Net operating loss carryforward   $ 11,207,000     $ 8,070,000  
Investment reserve     1,033,000       1,157,000  
Basis difference in Justice     -       1,805,000  
Other     1,563,000       1,123,000  
      13,803,000       12,155,000  
Deferred tax liabilities                
Basis difference in Justice     (1,625,000 )     -  
Unrealized gains on marketable securities             (260,000 )
State taxes     (769,000 )     (807,000 )
Valuation allowance     (482,000 )     -  
      (2,876,000 )     (1,067,000 )
Net deferred tax assets   $ 10,927,000     $ 11,088,000  

 

As of June 30, 2017, the Company had net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $27,066,000 and $22,683,000 for federal and state purposes, respectively. These carryforwards expire in varying amount through 2031.

 

Assets and liabilities are established for uncertain tax positions taken or positions expected to be taken in income tax returns when such positions are judged to not meet the “more-likely-than-not” threshold based on the technical merits of the positions. As of June 30, 2017, it has been determined there are no uncertain tax positions likely to impact the Company.

 

The Partnership files tax returns as prescribed by the tax laws of the jurisdictions in which it operates and is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, were applicable.

 

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As of June 30, 2017, tax years beginning in fiscal 2011 remain open to examination by the major tax jurisdictions, and are subject to the statute of limitations.

 

NOTE 15 - SEGMENT INFORMATION

 

The Company operates in two reportable segments, the operation of the Hotel (“Hotel Operations”) and the investment of its cash in marketable securities and other investments (“Investment Transactions”). These two operating segments, as presented in the consolidated financial statements, reflect how management internally reviews each segment’s performance. Management also makes operational and strategic decisions based on this same information.

 

Information below represents reporting segments for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Segment income (loss) from Hotel operations consists of the operation of the Hotel and operation of the garage. Loss from investments consists of net investment gain (loss), dividend and interest income and investment related expenses.

 

As of and for the year   Hotel     Investment              
ended June 30, 2017   Operations     Transactions     Other     Total  
Revenues   $ 54,334,000     $ -     $ -     $ 54,334,000  
Segment operating expenses     (41,031,000 )     -       (635,000 )     (41,666,000 )
Segment income (loss)     13,303,000       -       (635,000 )     12,668,000  
Interest expense - mortgage     (7,736,000 )     -       -       (7,736,000 )
Depreciation and amortization expense     (2,860,000 )     -       -       (2,860,000 )
Loss from investments     -       (1,481,000 )     -       (1,481,000 )
Income tax expense     -       -       (196,000 )     (196,000 )
Net income (loss)   $ 2,707,000     $ (1,481,000 )   $ (831,000 )   $ 395,000  
Total assets   $ 44,389,000     $ 4,250,000     $ 12,187,000     $ 60,826,000  

 

As of and for the year   Hotel     Investment              
ended June 30, 2016   Operations     Transactions     Other     Total  
Revenues   $ 58,566,000     $ -     $ -     $ 58,566,000  
Segment operating expenses     (47,246,000 )     -       (712,000 )     (47,958,000 )
Segment income (loss)     11,320,000       -       (712,000 )     10,608,000  
Legal settlement costs     (5,396,000 )     -       -       (5,396,000 )
Interest expense - mortgage     (7,790,000 )     -       -       (7,790,000 )
Loss on disposal of assets     (30,000 )     -       -       (30,000 )
Depreciation and amortization expense     (2,855,000 )     -       -       (2,855,000 )
Loss from investments             (2,433,000 )             (2,433,000 )
Income tax benefit     -       -       2,737,000       2,737,000  
Net income (loss)   $ (4,751,000 )   $ (2,433,000 )   $ 2,025,000     $ (5,159,000 )
Total assets   $ 45,079,000     $ 4,397,000     $ 13,494,000     $ 62,970,000  

 

NOTE 16 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

As discussed in Note 9 – Other Notes Payable, on July 2, 2014, the Partnership obtained from the InterGroup Corporation an unsecured loan in the principal amount of $4,250,000.

 

In connection with the redemption of limited partnership interests of Justice described in Note 2 above, Justice Operating Company, LLC agreed to pay a total of $1,550,000 in fees to certain officers and directors of the Company for services rendered in connection with the redemption of partnership interests, refinancing of Justice’s properties and reorganization of Justice. This agreement was superseded by a letter dated December 11, 2013 from Justice, in which Justice assumed the payment obligations of Justice Operating Company, LLC. As of June 30, 2017, $400,000 of these fees remain payable.

 

Certain shared costs and expenses, primarily administrative expenses, rent and insurance are allocated among the Company, Santa Fe and InterGroup based on management's estimate of the pro rata utilization of resources. For the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, these expenses were approximately $72,000 for each respective year.

 

Four of the Company’s Directors serve as directors of InterGroup and three of the Company’s Directors serve on the Board of Santa Fe.

 

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As Chairman of the Securities Investment Committee, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John V. Winfield, directs the investment activity of the Company in public and private markets pursuant to authority granted by the Board of Directors. Mr. Winfield also serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Santa Fe and InterGroup and oversees the investment activity of those companies. Depending on certain market conditions and various risk factors, the Chief Executive Officer, Santa Fe and InterGroup may, at times, invest in the same companies in which the Company invests. Such investments align the interests of the Company with the interests of these related parties because it places the personal resources of the Chief Executive Officer and the resources of Santa Fe and InterGroup, at risk in substantially the same manner as the Company in connection with investment decisions made on behalf of the Company.

 

NOTE 17 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Franchise Agreements

 

The Partnership entered into a Franchise License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with the HLT Existing Franchise Holding LLC (“Hilton”) on November 24, 2004. The term of the License agreement was for an initial period of 15 years commencing on the date the Hotel began operating as a Hilton hotel, with an option to extend the License Agreement for another five years, subject to certain conditions. On June 26, 2015, Operating and Hilton entered into an amended franchise agreement which amongst other things extended the License Agreement through 2030, and also provided the Partnership certain key money cash incentives to be earned through 2030.

 

Since the opening of the Hotel in January 2006, the Partnership has incurred monthly royalties, program fees and information technology recapture charges equal to a percent of the Hotel’s gross room revenue. Fees for such services during fiscal year 2017 and 2016 totaled approximately $3.3 million and $3.1 million, respectively.

Employees

 

As of June 30, 2017, the Partnership, through Operating, had approximately 275 employees. Approximately 83% of those employees were represented by one of three labor unions, and their terms of employment were determined under a collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) to which the Partnership was a party. During the year ended June 30, 2014, the Partnership renewed the CBAs for the Local 2 (Hotel and Restaurant Employees), Local 856 (International Brotherhood of Teamsters), and Local 39 (stationary engineers). The present CBAs expire in July 2018.

 

Negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, which includes not just terms and conditions of employment, but scope and coverage of employees, is a regular and expected course of business operations for the Partnership. The Partnership expects and anticipates that the terms of conditions of CBAs will have an impact on wage and benefit costs, operating expenses, and certain hotel operations during the life of each CBA, and incorporates these principles into its operating and budgetary practices.

 

Legal Matters

 

In 2014, Evon Corporation ("Evon") filed a complaint in San Francisco Superior Court against the Partnership, Portsmouth, and a limited partner and related party asserting contract and tort claims based on Justice’s withholding of $4.7 million to pay the transfer tax described in Note 1. Evon’s complaint asserted various tort and contract claims against Justice and Portsmouth; and also a tort against a Justice limited partner and related party. In July 2014, Justice paid to Holdings $4.7 million, the amount Evon claims was incorrectly withheld.  In June 2014, the Partnership sued Evon and related defendants, seeking a judicial declaration as to certain issues arising out of the partnership redemption documents. Evon filed a cross-complaint in December 2014, alleging torts against the Partnership in connection with the redemption transaction. On May 5, 2016, Justice Investors and Portsmouth (parent Company) settled these actions via a global agreement. The Partnership agreed to pay Evon $5,575,000. As of January 10, 2017, the Company has satisfied all conditions of the settlement agreement.

 

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In 2013, the City and County of San Francisco ("CCSF") Office of the Assessor Recorder claimed that Justice owed $2.1 million for Transient Occupancy Tax and Tourist Improvement District Assessment. This amount exceeded Justice’s estimate of the taxes owed, and Justice disputed the claim. The Company paid the full amount in March 2014 as part of the appeals process and reflected the amount on the balance sheet in “Other assets, net” as it was under protest as of June 30, 2015.  On December 18, 2013, a Documentary Transfer Tax of approximately $4.7 million was paid under protest to CCSF. CCSF had required payment as a condition of recording the transfer of the Hotel, which was necessary to effect the Loan Agreements.  The Partnership then filed a lawsuit challenging the transfer tax in San Francisco County Superior Court. During the year ended June 30, 2016, the Partnership settled the two CCSF lawsuits, receiving $1.45 million, apportioned half and half to each matter, resulting in approximately $340,000 in excess of net assets recorded. This amount was recorded as a reduction of Hotel restructuring costs.

 

In March 2017, the Company settled its lawsuit against RSUI Indemnity Company ("RSUI"), the insurer for the Company's Directors and Officers Liability Policies. Justice received $900,000 from RSUI, resolving allegations that RSUI had improperly handled a claim.

 

On April 21, 2014, the Partnership commenced arbitration against Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro, LLP, Brett J. Cohen, Gary N. Jacobs, Janet S. McCloud, Paul B. Salvaty, and Joseph K. Fletcher III (“Respondents”) in connection with the redemption transaction. The arbitration alleges legal malpractice and also seeks declaratory relief regarding provisions of the redemption option agreement. The arbitration proceedings are active; discovery is proceeding. The hearing is set for April 2018 before JAMS in Los Angeles. No prediction can be given as to the outcome of this matter.

 

The Company is subject to legal proceedings, claims, and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company defends itself vigorously against any such claims. Management does not believe that the impact of such matters will have a material effect on the financial conditions or result of operations when resolved.

 

NOTE 18 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

The Company has evaluated all events occurring subsequent to June 30, 2017 and concluded that no additional subsequent events has occurred outside the normal course of business operations that require disclosure.

  

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure .

 

None.

 

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.

 

EVALUATION OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

The Company’s management, with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the fiscal period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based upon such evaluation, management has concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were not effective, because certain deficiencies involving internal control over financial reporting constituted a material weakness, as identified below. The material weakness identified did not result in the restatement of any previously reported financial statements or any other related financial disclosures, nor does management believe that it had any effect on the accuracy of our financial statements for the current reporting period.

 

MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

 

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. The internal control over financial reporting is a process, under the supervision of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

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The internal control over financial reporting include those policies and procedures that: 

 

• pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect our transactions and dispositions of our assets;

 

• provide reasonable assurance that our transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of our financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and our directors; and

 

• provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting using the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework. Based on its evaluation, management concluded that there was a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

 

The material weakness is related to the Company’s preparation of its tax provision. 

 

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During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, we identified a material weakness in internal controls over financial reporting related to their accounting for deferred income taxes and income tax expense. Specifically, we did not design and maintain effective controls to identify items within the deferred tax balances that could be materially incorrect. We did not provide appropriate oversight of our third-party tax CPA firm preparer. This material weakness did not have, but could have resulted in various material adjustments to deferred tax accounts for fiscal 2017 and 2016. We are undergoing ongoing evaluation and improvements in our internal control over financial reporting. Regarding our identified material weakness, we have performed the following remediation efforts:

 

In order to mitigate the material weakness to the fullest extent possible, management hired new tax CPA specialist to review and do a detail analysis which was completed for the year ended June 30, 2017.  The Company has also assigned its audit committee with oversight responsibilities.  The preparation of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities will be reviewed annually by tax experts as well as the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Executive Officer. 

  

As a result of the material weaknesses described above, management concluded that, as of June 30, 2017, we did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework, issued by COSO.  

 

This annual report does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by our independent registered public accounting firm, pursuant to provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that permit us to provide only management’s report in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

This report shall not be deemed to be filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, and is not incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

 

CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

 

There have not been any other changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the year ended June 30, 2017 to which this report relates that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

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PART III

 

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

 

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the Directors and Executive Officers of the Company as of June 30, 2017:

 

Name   Position with the Company   Age   Term to Expire
             
John V. Winfield   Chairman of the Board; President   71   Fiscal 2017 Annual Meeting
    and Chief Executive Officer (1)        
             
Jerold R. Babin   Director (2)   83   Fiscal 2017 Annual Meeting
             
John C. Love   Director (1)(2)(3)   77   Fiscal 2017 Annual Meeting
             
William J. Nance   Director (1)(2)(3)   73   Fiscal 2017 Annual Meeting
             
Executive Officer:            
             
David T. Nguyen   Treasurer and Controller (Principal Financial Officer)   44   N/A
             
Corporate Secretary:            
             
Clyde W. Tinnen   Secretary   44   N/A

 

 

(1) Member of Securities Investment Committee

(2) Member of Audit Committee

(3) Member of Special Hotel Committee

 

Business Experience:

 

The principal occupation and business experience during the last five years for each of the Directors and Executive Officers of the Company are as follows:

 

John V. Winfield — Mr. Winfield was first elected to the Board in May of 1996 and currently serves as the Company's Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Winfield is also Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Portsmouth's parent company Santa Fe Financial Corporation (“Santa Fe”), a public company, having held those positions since April 1996. Mr. Winfield is also Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Santa Fe’s parent company, The InterGroup Corporation (“InterGroup”), a public company, and has held those positions since 1987. Mr. Winfield also serves as Chairman of the Board of Comstock Mining, Inc. (NYSE MKT: LODE), a public company in which he was elected a Director on June 23, 2011. Mr. Winfield’s extensive experience as an entrepreneur and investor, as well as his managerial and leadership experience from serving as a chief executive officer and director of public companies, led to the Board’s conclusion that he should serve as a director of the Company.

 

Jerold R. Babin — Mr. Babin was first appointed as a Director of the Company on February 1996. Mr. Babin is also a director of Portsmouth’s parent company, The InterGroup Corporation (“InterGroup”), a public company. Mr. Babin is a retail securities broker. From 1974 to 1989, he worked at Drexel Burnham and from 1989 to June 30, 2010, he worked for Prudential Securities (later Wachovia Securities and now Wells Fargo Advisors) where he held the title of First Vice-President. Mr. Babin retired from his position at Wells Fargo advisors in June 2010. For the past 20 years, until present, Mr. Babin has also served as an arbitrator for FINRA (formerly NASD). Mr. Babin’s extensive experience in the securities and financial markets as well has his experience in the securities and public company regulatory industry led to the Board’s conclusion that he should serve as a director of the Company.

 

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John C. Love — Mr. Love was appointed a Director of the Company on March 5, 1998. Mr. Love is an international hospitality and tourism consultant. He is a retired partner in the national CPA and consulting firm of Pannell Kerr Forster and, for the last 30 years, a lecturer in hospitality industry management control systems and competition & strategy at Golden Gate University and San Francisco State University. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Golden Gate University and the Executive Secretary of the Hotel and Restaurant Foundation. Mr. Love is also a Director of Santa Fe, having been appointed in March 2, 1999 and a Director of InterGroup, having been appointed in January 1998. Mr. Love’s extensive experience as a CPA and in the hospitality industry, including teaching at the university level for the last 30 years in management control systems, and his knowledge and understanding of finance and financial reporting, led to the Board’s conclusion that he should serve as a director of the Company.

 

William J. Nance — Mr. Nance was first elected to the Board in May 1996. Mr. Nance is also a Director of Santa Fe having held that position since May 1996. He is the President and CEO of Century Plaza Printers, Inc., a company he founded in 1979. He has also served as a consultant in the acquisition and disposition of multi-family and commercial real estate. Mr. Nance is a Certified Public Accountant and, from 1970 to 1976, was employed by Kenneth Leventhal & Company where he was a Senior Accountant specializing in the area of REITS and restructuring of real estate companies, mergers and acquisitions, and all phases of real estate development and financing. Mr. Nance is a Director of InterGroup and has held such position since 1984. Mr. Nance also serves as a director of Comstock Mining, Inc. Mr. Nance’s extensive experience as a CPA and in numerous phases of the real estate industry, his business and management experience gained in running his own businesses, his service as a director and audit committee member for other public companies and his knowledge and understanding of finance and financial reporting, led to the Board’s conclusion that he should serve as a director of the Company.

 

David T. Nguyen – Mr. Nguyen was appointed as Treasurer of the Company on February 27, 2003. Mr. Nguyen also serves as Treasurer of InterGroup and Santa Fe, having been appointed to those positions on February 26, 2003 and February 27, 2003, respectively. Mr. Nguyen is a Certified Public Accountant and, from 1995 to 1999, was employed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he was a Senior Accountant specializing in real estate. Mr. Nguyen has also served as the Company's Controller from 1999 to December 2001 and from December 2002 to present.

 

Clyde W. Tinnen  – Mr. Tinnen was appointed as Secretary of the Company on December 14, 2014. Mr. Tinnen also serves as Secretary of InterGroup and Santa Fe, having been appointed to those positions on December 14, 2014. Mr. Tinnen is a corporate partner at the law firm of Withers Bergman LLP.  Prior to joining Withers Bergman LLP in April 2015, Mr. Tinnen was a  corporate partner at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, where he was employed from January 2010 to March 2015, after previously working as a corporate associate with the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP from September 2006 to December 2009.

 

Family Relationships: There are no family relationships among directors, executive officers, or persons nominated or chosen by the Company to become directors or executive officers.

 

Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings: No director or executive officer, or person nominated or chosen to become a director or executive officer, was involved in any legal proceeding requiring disclosure.

 

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Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company’s officers and directors, and each beneficial owner of more than ten percent of the Common Stock of the Company, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Officers, directors and greater than ten-percent shareholders are required by SEC regulations to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

 

Based solely on its review of the copies of Forms 3 and 4 and amendments thereto furnished to the Company during its most recent fiscal year, or written representations from certain reporting persons that no Forms 5 were required for those persons, the Company believes that during fiscal 2017 all filing requirements applicable to its officers, directors, and greater than ten-percent beneficial owners were complied with.

 

Code of Ethics.

 

The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to its executive officers, including its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions as well as its Board of Directors. A copy of the Code of Ethics is filed as Exhibit 14 to this Report. A copy is also posted on the Portsmouth page of its parent company’s website at www.intgla.com . The Company will provide to any person without charge, upon request, a copy of its Code of Ethics by sending such request to: Portsmouth Square, Inc., Attn: Treasurer, 1100 Glendon Avenue, PH 1, Los Angeles, CA 90024. The Company will promptly disclose any amendments or waivers to its Code of Ethics on Form 8-K.

 

BOARD AND COMMITTEE INFORMATION

 

Portsmouth is an unlisted company and a Smaller Reporting Company under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). With the exception of the Company’s President and CEO, John V. Winfield, all of Portsmouth’s Board of Directors consists of “independent” directors as independence is defined by the applicable rules of the SEC and NASDAQ.

 

Procedures for Recommendations of Nominees to Board of Directors

 

There have been no changes to the procedures previously disclosed by which security holders may recommend nominees to the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

Audit Committee and Audit Committee Financial Expert

 

Portsmouth is an unlisted company and a Smaller Reporting Company under SEC rules and regulations. The Company’s Audit Committee is currently comprised of Directors William J. Nance (Chairperson), John C. Love, and Jerold R. Babin, each of whom are independent directors as independence is defined by the applicable rules of the SEC and NASDAQ, and as may be modified or supplemented. William J. Nance and John C. Love also meets the audit committee financial expert requirement based on their qualifications and business experience discussed above in this Item 10.

 

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Item 11. Executive Compensation.

 

The following table provides certain summary information concerning compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to the Company’s principal executive officer and other named executive officers of the Company whose total compensation exceeded $100,000 for all services rendered to the Company for each of the Company’s last two completed fiscal years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016. No stock awards, long-term compensation, options or stock appreciation rights were granted to any of the named executive officers during the last two fiscal years.

 

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

 

Annual Compensation      
Name and   Fiscal                 All Other        
Principal Position   Year     Salary     Bonus     Compensation     Total  
                               
John V. Winfield     2017     $ 280,000 (1)   $ -     $ 17,000 (2)   $ 297,000  
Chairman; President     2016     $ 272,000 (1)   $ -     $ 417,000 (2)(4)   $ 689,000  
and Chief Executive Officer                                        
                                         
Geoffrey M. Palermo (3)     2016     $ 364,000     $ -     $ 200,000 (4)   $ 564,000  
Assistant Secretary                                        

 

(1) Amounts shown include $6,000 per year in regular Directors fees.

 

(2) During fiscal years 2017 and 2016, the Company also paid annual premiums of $17,000 for a split dollar whole life insurance policy, owned by, and the beneficiary of which is, a trust for the benefit of Mr. Winfield’s family. This policy was obtained in December 1998 and provides for a death benefit of $1,000,000. The Company has a secured right to receive, from any proceeds of the policy, reimbursement of all premiums paid prior to any payments to the beneficiary.

 

(3) Effective December 1, 2013, GMP Management, Inc. (“GMP”), a company owned by Geoffrey M. Palermo, a Justice limited partner and related party, also provided management services for the Partnership pursuant to a Management Services Agreement. The management agreement with GMP had a term of three years, but may be terminated earlier by the Partnership for cause. Under the agreement, GMP was required to advise the Partnership on the management and operation of the hotel; administer the Partnership’s contracts, leases, agreements with hotel managers and franchisors and other contracts and agreements; provide administrative and asset management services, oversee financial reporting, and maintain offices at the Hotel in order to facilitate provision of services. GMP was paid an annual base management fee of $325,000 per year, increasing by 5% per year, payable in monthly installments, and to reimbursement for reasonable and necessary costs and expenses incurred by GMP in performing its obligations under the agreement. In June 2016, GMP resigned. Mr. Palermo also resigned as assistant secretary of the Company in May 2016.

 

(4) In connection with the redemption of limited partnership interests of Justice in Note 2 of the consolidated financial statements, Justice agreed to pay a total of $1,550,000 in fees to certain officers and directors of the Company for services rendered in connection with the redemption of partnership interests, refinancing of Justice’s properties and reorganization of Justice. The first payment under this agreement was made concurrently with the closing of the loan agreements, with the remaining payments due upon Justice having adequate available cash. In fiscal 2016, Mr. Winfield was paid $400,000 and Mr. Palermo was paid $200,000.

 

As a Smaller Reporting Company, Portsmouth has no compensation committee. Executive Officer compensation is set by disinterested members of the Board of Directors. Portsmouth has no stock option plan or stock appreciation rights for its executive officers. The Company has no pension or long-term incentive plans. There are no employment contracts between Portsmouth and any executive officer, and there are no termination-of-employment or change-in-control arrangements.

 

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Internal Revenue Code Limitations

 

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), provides that, in the case of a publicly held corporation, the corporation is not generally allowed to deduct remuneration paid to its chief executive officer and certain other highly compensated officers to the extent that such remuneration exceeds $1,000,000 for the taxable year. Certain remuneration, however, is not subject to disallowance, including compensation paid on a commission basis and, if certain requirements prescribed by the Code are satisfied, other performance based compensation. Since InterGroup, Santa Fe and Portsmouth are each public companies, the $1,000,000 limitation applies separately to the compensation paid by each entity. Stock option expenses are also amortized over several years. For fiscal years 2017 and 2016, no compensation paid by the Company to its CEO or other executive officers was subject the deduction disallowance prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

 

The following table provides information concerning compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to the Company’s directors for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017.

 

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE

 

Name   Fees Earned 
or Paid in Cash
    All Other
Compensation
    Total  
                   
Jerold R. Babin   $ 6,000       -     $ 6,000  
                         
John C. Love   $ 8,000 (1)     -     $ 8,000  
                         
William J. Nance   $ 8,000 (1)     -     $ 8,000  
                         
John V. Winfield (2)     -       -       -  

 

 

 

(1) Amounts shown include regular Board fees and Audit Committee fees.

 

(2) As an executive officer, Mr. Winfield’s directors fees are reported in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

Each director of the Company is paid a Board retainer fee of $1,500 per quarter for a total annual compensation of $6,000. This policy has been in effect since July 1, 1985. Members of the Company’s Audit Committee also receive a fee of $500 per quarter. Directors and Committee members are also reimbursed for their out-of-pocket travel costs to attend meetings.

 

Change in Control or Other Arrangements

 

Except for the foregoing, there are no other arrangements for compensation of directors and there are no employment contracts between the Company and its directors or any change in control arrangements.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End.

 

The Company did not have any outstanding equity awards at the end of its fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 and has no equity compensation plans in effect.

 

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.

 

The following table sets forth, as of September 30, 2017, certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of Common Stock owned by (i) those persons or groups known by the Company to own more than five percent of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (ii) each Director and Executive Officer, and (iii) all Directors and Executive Officers as a group.

 

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Name and Address
of Beneficial Owner
  Amount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership (1)
   
Percent of Class (2)
 
             
John V. Winfield     0       -  
10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2150                
Los Angeles, CA 90024                
                 
Jerold R. Babin     48,345 (3)     6.6 %
243 28 th Street                
San Francisco, CA 94121                
                 
John C. Love     0       -  
10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2150                
Los Angeles, CA 90024                
                 
William J. Nance     0       -  
10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2150                
Los Angeles, CA 90024                
                 
Geoffrey M. Palermo     0       -  
10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2150                
Los Angeles, CA 90024                
                 
David T. Nguyen     0       -  
10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2150                
Los Angeles, CA 90024                
                 
Santa Fe Financial Corporation and     603,999 (4)     82.3 %
The InterGroup Corporation                
10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2150                
Los Angeles, CA 90024                
                 
All of the above as a group     652,344       88.9 %

 

(1) Unless otherwise indicated, and subject to applicable community property laws, each person has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned.

 

(2) Percentages are calculated based of 734,183 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2017.

 

(3) Jerold R. Babin claims sole voting power over the 48,345 shares identified herein, of which he has sole dispositive power over 9,667 held in his retirement account. He claims shared dispositive power with his wife over the 38,478 shares which they hold as trustees of a family trust.

 

(4) Santa Fe Financial Corporation is the record and beneficial owner of 505,437 shares of the Common Shares of Portsmouth and 98,562 shares are owned by Santa Fe’s parent company, The InterGroup Corporation. As directors of Santa Fe and InterGroup, Messrs. Winfield, Nance and Love have the power to direct the vote of the shares of Portsmouth owned by Santa Fe and InterGroup.

 

Security Ownership of Management in Parent Corporation.

 

As of September 30, 2017, John V. Winfield is the beneficial owner of 49,400 shares of the common stock of Portsmouth’s parent corporation, Santa Fe. The InterGroup Corporation is the beneficial owner of 1,016,670 shares of common stock of Santa Fe. Pursuant to a Voting Trust Agreement dated June 30, 1998, InterGroup also has the power to vote the 49,400 shares of common stock owned by Mr. Winfield giving it a total of 1,066,070 voting shares, which represents approximately 85.8% of the voting power of Santa Fe. As President, Chairman of the Board and a 63.3% beneficial shareholder of InterGroup, Mr. Winfield has voting and dispositive power over the shares owned of record and beneficially by InterGroup. No other director or executive officer of Portsmouth has a beneficial interest in Santa Fe’s shares.

 

  50  

 

  

Changes in Control Arrangements.

 

There are no arrangements that may result in a change in control of Portsmouth.

 

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans.

 

Portsmouth has no securities authorized for issuance under any equity compensation plans.

 

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.

 

As of September 30, 2017, Santa Fe and InterGroup owned 82.3% of the common stock of Portsmouth, and InterGroup and John V. Winfield, in the aggregate, owned approximately 85.9% of the voting stock of Santa Fe.

 

As discussed in Note 9 – Related Party and Other Notes Payable, on July 2, 2014, the Partnership obtained from the Intergroup Corporation (the parent company) an unsecured loan in the principal amount of $4,250,000.

 

As discussed in Note 12 – Management Agreements, effective December 1, 2013, the Partnership has a management agreement with GMP Management, Inc., a company owned by a Justice limited partner and a related party. In June 2016, GMP resigned.

 

In connection with the redemption of limited partnership interests of Justice described in Note 2 above, Justice Operating Company, LLC agreed to pay a total of $1,550,000 in fees to certain officers and directors of the Company for services rendered in connection with the redemption of partnership interests, refinancing of Justice’s properties and reorganization of Justice. This agreement was superseded by a letter dated December 11, 2013 from Justice, in which Justice assumed the payment obligations of Justice Operating Company, LLC. The first payment under this agreement was made concurrently with the closing of the loan agreements described in Note 2 above, with the remaining payments due upon Justice Investor’s having adequate available cash as described in the letter. As of June 30, 2017, $400,000 of these fees remain payable.

 

Under the terms of the Justice Partnership Agreement, its general partner, Portsmouth, receives compensation of one percent of hotel revenue. During each of the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, total compensation paid to Portsmouth under the agreement was $518,000 and $593,000, respectively. Amounts paid to Portsmouth are eliminated in consolidation.

 

Certain shared costs and expenses, primarily administrative expenses, rent and insurance are allocated among the Company and InterGroup based on management's estimate of the pro rata utilization of resources. For the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, these expenses were approximately $72,000 for each respective year.

 

Four of the Company’s Directors serve as directors of InterGroup and three of the Company’s Directors serve on the Board of Santa Fe.

 

As Chairman of the Securities Investment Committee, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John V. Winfield, directs the investment activity of the Company in public and private markets pursuant to authority granted by the Board of Directors. Mr. Winfield also serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Santa Fe and InterGroup and oversees the investment activity of those companies. Depending on certain market conditions and various risk factors, the Chief Executive Officer, Santa Fe and InterGroup may, at times, invest in the same companies in which the Company invests. Such investments align the interests of the Company with the interests of these related parties because it places the personal resources of the Chief Executive Officer and the resources of Santa Fe and InterGroup, at risk in substantially the same manner as the Company in connection with investment decisions made on behalf of the Company.

 

  51  

 

  

There are no other relationships or related transactions between the Company and any of its officers, directors, five-percent security holders or their families that require disclosure.

 

Director Independence

 

Portsmouth is an unlisted company and a Smaller Reporting Company under the rules and regulations of the SEC. With the exception of the Company’s President and CEO, John V. Winfield, all of Portsmouth’s Board of Directors consists of “independent” directors as independence is defined by the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and NASDAQ.

 

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services.

 

Audit Fees - The aggregate fees billed for each of the last two fiscal years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 for professional services rendered by Hein & Associates LLP and Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc., the independent registered public accounting firms for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements and review of financial statements included in the Company’s Form 10-Q reports or services normally provided by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years, were as follows:

 

    Fiscal Year  
    2017     2016  
             
Audit fees - Hein   $ 148,000     $ -  
Audit fees - BPM     17,000       110,000  
Tax fees - Hein     5,000       -  
                 
TOTAL:   $ 170,000     $ 110,000  

 

Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies

 

The Audit Committee shall pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services (including the fees and terms thereof) to be performed for the Company by its independent registered public accounting firm, subject to any de minimus exceptions that may be set for non-audit services described in Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act which are approved by the Committee prior to the completion of the audit. The Committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees consisting of one or more members when appropriate, including the authority to grant pre-approvals of audit and permitted non-audit services, provided that decisions of such subcommittee to grant pre-approvals shall be presented to the full Committee at its next scheduled meeting. All of the services described herein were approved by the Audit Committee pursuant to its pre-approval policies.

 

None of the hours expended on the independent registered public accounting firms’ engagement to audit the Company’s financial statements for the most recent fiscal year were attributed to work performed by persons other than the independent registered public accounting firm’s full-time permanent employees.

 

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PART IV

 

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.

 

(a)(1) Financial Statements

 

The following financial statements of the Company are included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report at

pages 23 through 41:

 

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets - June 30, 2017 and 2016

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations for years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016

 

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Deficit for years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016

 

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

 

(a)(2) Financial Statement Schedules

 

All other schedules for which provision is made in Regulation S-X have been omitted because they

are not required or are not applicable or the required information is shown in the consolidated

financial statements or notes to the consolidated financial statements.

 

(a)(3) Exhibits

 

Set forth below is an index of applicable exhibits filed with this report according to exhibit table number.

 

Exhibit Number   Description
     
3.(i)   Articles of Incorporation*
     
3.(ii)   Bylaws (amended February 16, 2000) incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form 10-KSB filed with the Commission on March 29, 2000.*
     
4.   Instruments defining the rights of security holders including indentures (See Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws)*
     
10.   Material Contracts:
     
10.1   Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Justice Investors Limited Partnership, effective November 30, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q Report for the quarterly period ended December 31, 2010, filed with the Commission on February 11, 2011).*
     
10.2   General Partner Compensation Agreement, dated December 1, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Company’s Form 10-Q Report for the quarterly period ended December 31, 2008, filed with the Commission on February 13, 2009).*
     
10.3   Franchise License Agreement, dated December 10, 2004, between Justice Investors Limited Partnership and Hilton Hotels (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of the Company’s amended report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, as filed with the Commission on August 24, 2012).*
     
10.4   Management Agreement, dated February 2, 2012, between Justice Investors Limited Partnership and Prism Hospitality, L.P. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 of the Company’s amended report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, as filed with the Commission on August 24, 2012).*
     
10.5   Management Agreement, dated February 1, 2017, between Justice Operating Company, LLC and Interstate Management Company, LLC.
     
14.   Code of Ethics (filed herewith).
     
31.1   Certification of Principal Executive Officer of Periodic Report Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule 15d-14(a).
     
31.2   Certification of Principal Financial Officer of Periodic Report Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule 15d-14(a).
     
32.1   Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350.
     
32.2   Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350.

 

* All exhibits marked by an asterisk have been previously filed with other documents, including Registrant's Form 10 filed on October 27, 1967, and subsequent filings on Forms 8-K, 10-K, 10-KSB, 10-Q and 10-QSB, which are incorporated herein by reference.

 

  53  

 

  

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

        PORTSMOUTH SQUARE, INC.
        (Registrant)
         
Date: October 13, 2017   by /s/ John V. Winfield
        John V. Winfield, President,
        Chairman of the Board and
        Chief Executive Officer
         
Date: October 13, 2017   by /s/ David Nguyen
        David Nguyen, Treasurer
        and Controller

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signatures   Title and Position   Date
         
/s/ John V Winfield   President, Chief Operating Officer and Chairman   October 13, 2017
John V. Winfield   of the Board (Principal Executive Officer)    
         
/s/ David T. Nguyen   Treasurer and Controller (Principal Financial Officer)   October 13, 2017
David T. Nguyen        
         
/s/ Jerold R. Babin   Director   October 13, 2017
Jerold R. Babin        
         
/s/ John C. Love        
John C. Love   Director   October 13, 2017
         
/s/ William J. Nance        
William J. Nance   Director   October 13, 2017

 

  54  

 

Exhibit 10.5

 

HOTEL MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

 

By and Between

 

JUSTICE OPERATING COMPANY LLC

and

 

INTERSTATE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC

 

HILTON SAN FRANCISCO FINANCIAL DISTRICT

 

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

 

 

 

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Article I The Hotel 1
Article II Operating Term 1
Article III Appointment and Engagement of Operator 2
Article IV Hotel Employees 8
Article V Agency; Provision of Funds 11
Article VI Centralized Services; Information Technology 11
Article VII Working Capital and Bank Accounts 13
Article VIII Books, Records and Statements; Annual Plan 14
Article IX Management Fees and Payments to Operator and Owner 20
Article X Intentionally reserved 21
Article XI FF&E Reserve 21
Article XII Insurance 22
Article XIII Property Taxes 25
Article XIV Repairs and Maintenance and Capital Expenditures 25
Article XV Owner Covenants and Representations 26
Article XVI Damage or Destruction; Condemnation 26
Article XVII Events of Default 27
Article XVIII Termination of Agreement 29
Article XIX Assignment 33
Article XX Notices 34
Article XXI Subordination; Estoppels; Recognition 35
Article XXII Indemnification 35
Article XXIII Miscellaneous 37
Definition Annex  

 

Exhibit A Centralized Services  
     
Exhibit B Pro Forma Approved Annual Plan  
     
Exhibit C Form of Daily Cash Management Excel Spreadsheet  
     
Exhibit D Centralized Accounting Services  

 

 

 

  

HOTEL MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS HOTEL MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into on this 1 st day of February, 2017 (the “Commencement Date”), between JUSTICE OPERATING COMPANY LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Owner”) and INTERSTATE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Operator”).

 

RECITALS

 

A.       Owner is the owner of the hotel known as the Hilton San Francisco Financial District located at 750 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94108 (the “Hotel”); and

 

B.        Owner and Operator desire to evidence their agreement with respect to the operation, direction, management, and supervision of the Hotel as more particularly set forth below.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises, and other good and valuable consideration, Owner and Operator agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

THE HOTEL

 

1.1.          Owner and Operator acknowledge that the Hotel consists of and contains the Building, together with the parcel of land on which the Building is located, the Installations, the FF&E, the Operating Equipment, the Operating Supplies and fitness facilities and any parking areas or other facilities located on such land, including, without limitation, the Chinese Cultural Center premises, and the spa premises. Operator and Owner agree that while the operation and management of any parking areas will be included in the definition of the Hotel and therefore shall be managed by Operator pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, Owner hereby reserves the right to have all or any portion of such parking areas managed by any person or entity other than Operator (the “Owner Parking Facility Rights”) and as result thereof such parking areas shall no longer be included as part of the Hotel for purposes of Operator’s management thereof. In addition, Operator agrees that Owner shall have the right to repurpose various portions of the Hotel at any time during the Operating Term.

 

ARTICLE II

 

OPERATING TERM

 

2.1.         This Agreement shall have an initial term commencing on the Takeover Date and expiring on the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Takeover Date (the “Initial Term”), unless sooner terminated in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or unless extended as provided by the terms of this Agreement or as otherwise provided by the written agreement of Owner and Operator. This Agreement shall automatically renew for the applicable Renewal Term unless either party gives the other party written notice of termination no less than ninety (90) days before the end of the Initial Term or the then applicable Renewal Term (such date, the “Renewal Termination Date”); provided that no such renewal shall be effective if an Operator Event of Default is ongoing on either the Renewal Termination Date or the commencement date of any such Renewal Term.

 

1
 

 

ARTICLE III

 

APPOINTMENT AND ENGAGEMENT OF OPERATOR

 

3.1.          Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Owner hereby engages Operator as its agent and exclusive operator of the Hotel during the Operating Term and Operator hereby accepts such engagement.

 

3.2.          Subject to (a) Operator being provided with sufficient funds in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (b) the terms of the then applicable Approved Annual Plan, Operator shall operate the Hotel and all of its facilities and activities (i) in such a manner to meet the Standard at all times throughout the Operating Term and (ii) in compliance in all material respects with the Legal Requirements. Operator shall also operate and manage the Hotel for Owner in a commercially reasonable, business-like, prudent and professional manner.

 

3.3.          Operator acknowledges and agrees that (a) Owner has an office in the Building and intends to oversee actively the operation of the Hotel, (b) if Owner exercises its Owner Parking Facility Rights, the success of the operation of such parking areas by a person or entity other than Operator will be partially dependent upon the operations and success of the Hotel and (c) Owner may engage an asset manager for the purpose of overseeing Operator’s management of the Hotel. Operator will consult regularly (at least monthly or as otherwise reasonably requested by Owner) with Owner to provide Owner with a status report of the Hotel operations and discuss any other matters concerning the operation or condition of the Hotel, including, without limitation, any policies or procedures affecting any aspect of the Hotel’s (i) physical components, (ii) operations, (iii) financial performance and/or (iv) relative performance in the marketplace. In furtherance of the foregoing, Operator shall, and shall instruct its executive staff, to provide Owner with access to real-time information concerning the Hotel, which shall be in addition to the periodic reports on the operation of the Hotel required elsewhere in this Agreement. Operator shall take into account Owner’s recommendations and the impact of decisions made by Operator on the anticipated operating and financial performance of the Hotel. Operator shall in all events consult with Owner before implementing any material changes in policies and procedures relating to the Hotel (and, if another provision of this Agreement requires approval for such changes, obtain Owner’s approval). Owner shall consult directly with the Vice President of Operations or such other corporate employee of Operator as Owner may reasonably request, and shall not contact any Hotel Employee, regarding the operations of the Hotel, other than the General Manager, the Director of Sales and Marketing and the Director of Finance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to Section 3.5, nothing in this Section 3.3 shall negate the authority granted to Operator under this Agreement and all Hotel Employees will be directed by Operator as employer.

 

3.4.          Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Operator shall have control and discretion in all aspects of the operation, direction, management and supervision of the Hotel. Specifically, during the Operating Term, Operator, as agent and for the account of Owner, shall in accordance with and subject to the then applicable Approved Annual Plan and the other applicable provisions of this Agreement (including Section 3.2), and only to the extent Owner has provided sufficient funds therefor, either through Hotel operations or directly from Owner:

 

2
 

 

A. Determine Hotel policies including but not limited to (i) credit policies (including entering into agreements with credit card organizations), (ii) terms of admittance, (iii) charges for rooms, (iv) food and beverage policies, (v) Employment Policies, and (vi) entertainment policies;

 

B. Recruit, train, direct, supervise, employ and dismiss the Hotel Employees for the operation of the Hotel, and in connection therewith establish and maintain an affirmative action plan for the Hotel to the extent required for Operator and/or the Hotel to maintain its status as a federal contractor;

 

C. Develop and implement advertising, marketing, promotion, publicity and similar programs for the Hotel;

 

D. (i) Negotiate and enter into Leases, collect the rent under such Leases and otherwise administer the Leases and (ii) negotiate and enter into contracts for the provision of services to the Hotel;

 

E. Upon receipt of all necessary information from Owner, apply for, process and take all necessary steps to procure and keep in effect in Owner’s name (or, if required by the licensing authority, in Operator’s name or both) all licenses and permits and the sales tax registration(s) required for the operation of the Hotel;

 

F. Provide purchasing services for routine replacements and renewals of FF&E, Operating Equipment and Operating Supplies necessary for the operation of the Hotel; non-routine purchases of such items may be provided pursuant to a separate written agreement on terms and conditions set forth therein (including a separate fee); provided, however, to the extent that Owner purchases any of the FF&E, Operating Equipment or Operating Supplies used in connection with the operation of the Hotel, Owner will provide to Operator sufficient information for Operator to maintain accurate books and records regarding sales tax accruals and pay such accruals out of Total Revenues from the Hotel, and Owner agrees to fully cooperate with Operator in the event of any related tax audit;

 

G. Provide routine accounting services as required in the ordinary course of business;

 

H. Comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, rulings and orders of governmental authorities affecting or issued in connection with the Hotel, as well as with orders and requirements of any board of fire underwriters or any other body which may exercise similar functions. Owner agrees to promptly deliver to Operator any notice of violation thereof received with respect thereto;

 

I. Cause all needed ordinary repairs and maintenance to the Hotel in accordance with the Standard, the Franchise Agreement any Mortgage and any applicable Legal Requirements, and supervise such repairs and maintenance;

 

3
 

 

J. Subject to Section 3.6 below, operate the Hotel in accordance with (i) the Major Agreements, (ii) any agreement related to the operation of the Hotel which was entered into prior to the date hereof provided a copy of such agreement has been delivered to Operator or is then in the actual or construction possession or control of Operator, and (iii) any agreement related to the operation of the Hotel which (y) Operator enters into on behalf of Owner or (z) Owner has entered into at Operator’s request; and

 

K. Provide such other services as are required under the terms of this Agreement or as are customarily performed without additional fee by management companies of similar properties in the area of the Hotel.

 

3.5.          Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement and other than as expressly provided in the then applicable Approved Annual Plan, Operator shall not, without Owner’s approval:

 

A. enter into any service or other arrangement (or series of related contracts or arrangements) if (i) the contract or other arrangement would or are reasonably anticipated to, exceed $10,000 in the aggregate, (ii) the term of such contract or arrangement is in excess of one (1) year (and in no event beyond the Initial Term), or (iii) the contract or other arrangement is not terminable by Owner or Operator without payment or penalty upon not less than thirty (30) days notice. Operator shall nevertheless promptly report to Owner the execution of each such contract having a liability to the Hotel in excess of $5,000;

 

B. enter into any agreement creating a voluntary lien or encumbrance affecting any portion of the Hotel;

 

C. enter into any Lease or enter into any lease for the use of any item of FF&E or other property;

 

D. borrow any money, guaranty the debts of any third person or execute any credit documents or incur any obligation in the name of, or on behalf of Owner or the “Hotel”, except in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the Approved Annual Plan;

 

E. incur any liabilities or obligations to third parties which are unrelated to the operation, maintenance and security of the Hotel which create any contractual obligation upon the Owner or the Hotel;

 

F. settle any (i) condemnation awards with respect any portion of the Hotel regardless of amount or (ii) casualty insurance claims with respect to the Hotel or Owner which involve, or which may be reasonably estimated to involve (x) amounts in excess of $10,000, or (y) any admission of liability on the part of the Hotel or Owner;

 

G. employ any professional firm out of the ordinary course of business;

 

4
 

 

H. prosecute or settle any tax claims or appeals;

 

I. except as approved in advance and in writing by Owner (in the Approved Annual Plan or otherwise), or as expressly permitted in this Agreement (including Article VI), purchase any goods, supplies and services from itself or any Affiliate of Operator, or enter into any other transaction with an Affiliate of Operator;

 

J. provide complimentary rooms or services to (i) any guests other than in connection with (A) settling guest satisfaction issues provided that in Operator’s reasonable and prudent judgment, it is in the best interest of Owner and the Hotel and (B) group sales agreements, provided that (y) in Operator’s reasonable and prudent judgment, it is in the best interest of Owner and (z) such complimentary rooms or services are normal and customary practices with respect to group sales agreements in the San Francisco market, taking into account the size of the group, the value of the group sales agreement and the length of stay, and (ii) any other person as expressly provided in, and subject to, the terms of Section 4.3;

 

K. acquire on behalf of Owner any land or any interest therein;

 

L. acquire any personal property or capital assets (either by purchase or lease) of or from the Hotel or any interest therein;

 

M. participate in any condemnation proceeding relating to the Hotel or any portion thereof, provided that Operator may assert a claim and file such necessary documents with respect to the assertion of such claim in any such proceeding, subject to consultation with Owner and further provided that Operator shall not assert any claims or take any substantive or procedural positions adverse to Owner’s interests in such proceeding;

 

N. sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any portion of the Hotel except for dispositions of FF&E to the extent expressly permitted herein or expressly provided for in the then applicable Approved Annual Plan;

 

O. perform any alterations to the Hotel or any portion thereof except to the extent Operator’s performance of any such alternation shall be expressly provided for in the then applicable Approved Annual Plan;

 

P. institute or defend any legal proceedings with respect to the Hotel; provided that, Operator may, without Owner’s consent (i) institute claims for collection of bad debts after reasonably determining that it is in the best interest of Owner and/or the Hotel, (ii) defend employment-related claims (provided that Owner’s approval shall be required for settlement of any employment claim requiring payment of Owner’s funds or admission of liability on the part of the Hotel or Owner), (iii) defend and/or settle claims involving amounts less than $10,000 and (iv) defend insured claims (provided that Owner’s consent shall be required for settlement of any insured claim requiring payment by Owner of more than $5,000 or admission of liability of the Hotel or Owner);

 

5
 

 

Q. lease or rent any one or more of the Hotel’s ballroom, conference room, and banquet room for periods in excess of twenty-one (21) days or the Hotel’s bar or restaurant for periods in excess of five (5) consecutive days;

 

R. take any other action which, under the terms of this Agreement, is prohibited or requires the approval of Owner.

 

For the purposes of Section 3.5(Q), Operator shall request Owner’s approval in writing, which request shall be accompanied by such information as is reasonably necessary to enable Owner to make an informed decision. In the event Owner fails to notify Operator in writing of its approval or disapproval within a twenty-four (24) hour period, such failure shall be conclusively deemed to be Owner’s approval of same. For all other purposes of this Section 3.5 , Operator shall request Owner’s approval in writing, which request shall be accompanied by such information as is reasonably necessary to enable Owner to make an informed decision. In the event Owner fails to notify Operator in writing of its approval or disapproval within five (5) business days, Operator shall deliver to Owner of a second notice following such original five (5) business day period, indicating in ALL CAPITAL TYPE that Owner’s failure to deliver its objection as provided in this Section 3.5 in the next five (5) business days shall result in Owner’s deemed approval of the item set forth in the request and Owner’s failure to respond within said five (5) business day period shall be conclusively deemed to be Owner’s approval of same.

 

3.6.          Operator’s obligations with respect to any Major Agreement shall be limited to the extent (a) complete and accurate copies thereof, or summaries of the relevant provisions thereof, have been delivered to Operator, or are then in the actual or constructive possession or control of Operator or the Hotel’s general manager, and (b) the provisions thereof and/or compliance with such provisions by Operator (i) are applicable to the day to day operation, maintenance and non-capital repair and replacement of the Hotel or any portion thereof (including cash management), (ii) do not require contribution of capital from the Operator, (iii) do not materially increase Operator’s obligations hereunder or materially decrease Operator’s other rights hereunder, (iv) do not limit or purport to limit any corporate activity or transaction with respect to Operator or its affiliates or any other activity, transfer, transaction, property or other matter involving Operator or its affiliates other than at the site of the Hotel except to the extent set forth in Article XIX of this Agreement or otherwise agreed to by Operator in a subordination agreement and (iv) are otherwise contemplated to be within the scope of Operator’s duties under this Agreement. Owner acknowledges and agrees that any failure of Operator or the Hotel to comply with the provisions of any Major Agreement that is a direct result of (A) the condition of the Hotel and/or the failure of the Hotel to comply with the provisions of such Major Agreement, prior to the Takeover Date, (B) construction activities at the Hotel, (C) latent defects in the design and/or construction of the Hotel, (D) written instructions from Owner to operate the Hotel in breach of its obligations under such Major Agreement and/or (E) Owner’s failure to approve any matter requested by Operator that is necessary to comply with the applicable Major Agreement, shall not be deemed a breach by Operator of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

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3.7.          Operator agrees to pay to Owner a contribution (the “Key Money Contribution”) in the form of a loan in the amount of two million dollars ($2,000,000) within seven (7) days after the Takeover Date. The Key Money Contribution shall be amortized in equal monthly amounts over an eight (8) year period commencing on the second (2nd) anniversary of the Takeover Date. If this Agreement is terminated for any reason prior to the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Takeover Date, then Owner shall pay to Operator, concurrent with the effective date of termination of this Agreement the unamortized portion of the Key Money Contribution (the “Unamortized Key Money”). Repayment of the Unamortized Key Money shall not be considered a waiver by Owner of any right to seek any and all damages against Operator if Owner terminates this Agreement due to an Event of Default by Operator.

 

3.8.          Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, in connection with the Franchise Agreement, Operator (a) shall work closely with Owner and Franchisor to cause Owner and the Hotel to comply with the Franchise Agreement, (b) is authorized to communicate with Franchisor (provided Operator provides Owner with 24 hours’ notice prior to any communication other than day-to-day operational matters) in order that Owner may participate in such communications), purchase supplies and services as may be required by the Franchise Agreement, (c) promptly provide Owner with the results of any reports, inspections, or other matters provided to Operator by Franchisor with regard to the Hotel, and (d) promptly advise Owner of notice of default by Owner or the Hotel received from Franchisor.

 

3.9.          Operator agrees to perform the following obligations in all material respects in connection with the transition of operation of the Hotel that will occur on the Takeover Date:

 

A. Operator shall honor any reservations for Hotel guest rooms and other Hotel facilities on or after the Takeover Date which have been made by guests or customers before the Takeover Date with the current operator of the Hotel or Owner. Owner shall cause to be transferred to Operator any guest and customer deposits held by the current operator of the Hotel with respect to those reservations;

 

B. Operator shall assume responsibility for guest tray ledger transferred by the current operator of the Hotel and the care and protection of the contents of safe deposit boxes and any luggage, parcels, packages, faxes, messenger and overnight courier packages and mail of guests held by the current Hotel operator or Owner on the Takeover Date;

 

C. Operator shall accept as agent for Owner and perform the obligations being assumed by Owner from and after the Takeover Date under space leases, concession and license agreements, equipment leases and service contracts of the current Hotel operator or lessee;

 

D. Operator shall assist Owner with the transfer of existing permits, to the extent transferable, and in applying for and obtaining all other necessary permits for the lawful operation of the Hotel from and after the Takeover Date;

 

E. If requested by Owner, Operator shall acquire from the existing hotel operator, Owner or their Affiliates and lawfully transfer into its name or one of its Affiliates acceptable to Owner the liquor license for the sale of alcoholic beverages at the Hotel and the liquor inventory of the Hotel; and

 

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F. Operator shall otherwise assist and cooperate with Owner in the orderly and smooth transition of operation of the Hotel from the current operator to Operator on the Takeover Date.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

HOTEL EMPLOYEES

 

4.1.

 

A. All Hotel Employees shall be employees of Operator. Operator shall comply with all applicable Legal Requirements, Union Agreements, including, without limitation, worker’s compensation, social security, unemployment insurance, hours or labor, wages, working conditions, and other employer-employee related subjects respecting the Hotel Employees. To the extent possible, Operator shall use local labor in the operation of the Hotel. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, upon commencement of management of the Hotel, Operator agrees to offer employment to a sufficient number of former employees of the Hotel who desire employment by Operator on sufficient terms and conditions to avoid the notification requirements of the WARN Act and similar state law requirements. The Operator may not knowingly hire any individuals for employment at the Hotel who are related to the officers, directors or shareholders of Operator without Owner’s prior approval. Operator shall use its reasonable efforts to design, promote and implement employment practices which emphasize the continuity of management (including but not limited to the executive staff), minimize training and moving costs and reduce personnel turnover and shall consider the objective of minimizing Operating Expenses when making staffing, employee transfer and staff reduction decisions.

 

B. Owner shall have the right to consult with Operator with respect to the hiring, initially and with respect to any replacement of, the Hotel’s General Manager, Director of Sales and Marketing, Director of Finance, Director of Human Resources, Director of Food and Beverage, Director of Catering, Chief Engineer and Executive Chef (the “Core Executive Staff”). Owner shall have the right to approve, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned, the hiring or replacement of the Core Executive Staff within five (5) business days after written request from Operator, which request shall be accompanied by such information as is reasonably necessary to enable Owner to make an informed decision. In the event Owner fails to notify Operator in writing of its approval or disapproval within such five (5) business day period, Operator shall deliver to Owner of a second notice following such original five (5) business day period, indicating in ALL CAPITAL TYPE that Owner’s failure to deliver its objection as provided in this Section 4.1 in the next five (5) business days shall result in Owner’s deemed approval of the item set forth in the request and Owner’s failure to respond within said five (5) business day period shall be conclusively deemed to be Owner’s approval of same. All compensation (including, without limitation, all wages, costs of payroll and similar taxes, employee benefits, relocation expenses, fringe benefits, bonuses and severance payments) of the Hotel Employees (“Employee Expenses”) shall be an Operating Expense and shall be borne by Owner and paid or reimbursed to Operator out of the Agency Account or if the amounts therein are insufficient by Owner upon demand therefor by Operator. Owner acknowledges and agrees that Operator shall have the right to institute compensation, employee benefit, severance payment and bonus policies and programs for the Hotel Employees so long as such policies are reasonable and customary in the industry for similar positions in comparable hotels, provided, Owner shall have the right to approve such policies and programs in the aggregate within each Approved Annual Plan. The aggregate amount of Employee Expenses, including, without limitation, Employee Expenses for Core Executive Staff and department heads, shall be subject to Owner’s approval as part of the Proposed Annual Plan review and approval process, or otherwise approved by Owner. If this Agreement is terminated in the middle of any Fiscal Year, Owner shall pay a pro-rata portion of any Hotel Employee’s bonus that accrued during the Operating Term. Notwithstanding anything here in the contrary, the parties hereby agree that Owner’s liability to pay for (or reimburse Operator for) any severance obligations relating to any member of the Core Executive Staff shall be limited to an amount equal to the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of (a) such person’s tenure as a member of the Core Executive Staff at the Hotel to (b) such person tenure as an employee of Operator and its Affiliates.

 

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4.2.         Operator shall comply with all applicable laws with respect to pension, medical, health, life insurance, retirement, welfare and similar employee benefits in the name of Operator, and may, enroll the Hotel Employees in additional retirement, health and welfare employee benefit plans substantially similar to corresponding plans implemented in other hotels with similar service levels managed by Operator and in accordance with industry standards. Such plans may be, at Operator’s option, joint plans for the benefit of employees at more than one hospitality property owned, leased or managed by Operator or its Affiliates, subject to the provisions of applicable laws. Employer contributions to such plans (including any withdrawal liability incurred upon termination of this Agreement) and reasonable administrative fees which Operator may expend in connection therewith shall be the responsibility of Owner and shall be an Operating Expense; provided that, other than withdrawal liability, such employer contributions shall be subject to the then-applicable Annual Plan. Operator agrees to request an annual estimate of withdrawal liability from any applicable Union. The administrative expenses of any joint plans will be equitably apportioned by Operator among properties covered by such plan, based on the Hotel’s payroll expense as it relates to the total expense of such joint plan. Operator shall not recognize any labor union for purposes of representing Hotel Employees, except (i) any currently recognized by the employer prior to the Takeover Date and (ii) pursuant to a lawful final order of the National Labor Relations Board. Operator shall negotiate for the mutual best interests of Owner and Operator with any labor unions representing Hotel Employees, but any collective bargaining agreement or labor contract resulting therefrom will be executed by Operator as the employer with the prior approval of Owner, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. It is understood that, with respect to any labor negotiations applicable to the Hotel, Operator shall consult with Owner in advance of, and during the course of, negotiations with any labor union. Operator shall receive input from Owner in connection with the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements and Operator shall reflect such input in such negotiations. Operator agrees that, with respect to any collective bargaining agreement negotiations, Operator will review with Owner all economic terms of any collective bargaining agreement proposal before making or agreeing to such proposed economic terms. Operator shall not enter into any multiemployer bargaining arrangement applicable to the Hotel and other hotel properties not owned or managed by Operator without Owner’s prior written approval, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. If a collective bargaining agreement is in place for the Hotel Employees immediately prior to the termination of this Agreement, Operator may request that Owner, in connection with such termination, seek an assessment regarding the amount of withdrawal liability incurred under any related benefit plan, if any. At Operator’s option, Owner shall post a bond or establish an escrow account to cover the costs of such withdrawal liability relating to the termination of this Agreement. Owner hereby acknowledges and agrees that (a) any employee benefit plan withdrawal liability and (b) compliance with the provisions of the WARN Act upon any disposition of the Hotel, upon any termination of this Agreement or upon the occurrence of any other event giving rise to the application of the WARN Act are the responsibility and obligation of Owner, and Owner shall use commercially reasonably efforts to (i) cause the succeeding employer to hire a sufficient number of employees at the Hotel to avoid the occurrence of a “closing” under the WARN Act or (ii) provide Operator with sufficient notice of termination to allow Operator to comply with the WARN Act and avoid any liability thereunder, and Owner hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Operator harmless in connection with any employee benefit plan withdrawal liability or any breach or claimed breach of the WARN Act in connection with any such disposition, termination or other occurrence, to the extent set forth in Section 22.2 .

 

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4.3.          Operator, in its reasonable discretion, but always in accordance with the system-wide policies and procedures of Operator (which shall limit accommodations to space projected to be available and not reserved or occupied by members of the public), may, as an Operating Expense of the Hotel, (a) provide lodging for Operator’s executive employees visiting the Hotel in connection with the performance of Operator’s services and allow them the use of Hotel facilities and (b) provide the General Manager of the Hotel and other Core Executive Staff temporary living quarters within the Hotel and the use of all Hotel facilities for up to thirty (30) days, in either case without charge, as the case may be, subject to the Approved Annual Plan.

 

4.4.          Operator shall not be liable for any failure of the Hotel to comply prior to the Commencement Date with any Employment Laws.

 

4.5.          Operator shall make available from time to time, and for the period of time reasonably required, its Senior Vice President of Operations for the purpose of providing services in connection with the operation or control of the Hotel, including, without limitation, for the purpose of improving the operations of the Hotel or supervising the operation of the Hotel to ensure that the Standard is achieved and maintained.

 

4.6.          Operator may, in its discretion, transfer one or more employees of Operator (or any of its Affiliates) to perform operational services at the Hotel on a temporary basis whenever it determines that circumstances have made it impractical for Operator to hire a qualified permanent employee, in which event such employee of Operator (or its Affiliate) shall be provided with room and food at the Hotel free or charge for a reasonable temporary period.

 

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ARTICLE V

 

AGENCY; PROVISION OF FUNDS

 

5.1.          In the performance of its duties as Operator of the Hotel, Operator shall act solely as agent of, and for the account of, Owner. Nothing in this Agreement shall constitute or be construed to be or create a partnership or joint venture between Owner and Operator. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, (a) all debts and liabilities to third persons incurred by Operator in the course of its operation and management of the Hotel in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be the debts and liabilities of Owner only and (b) Operator shall not be liable for any such obligations by reason of its management, supervision, direction and operation of the Hotel as agent for Owner. Operator may so inform third parties with whom it deals on behalf of Owner and may take any other reasonable steps to carry out the intent of this paragraph.

 

5.2.          Operator shall in no event be required (a) to advance any of its funds (whether by waiver or deferral of its management fees or otherwise) for the operation of the Hotel or (b) to incur any liability unless Owner shall have furnished Operator with funds necessary for the discharge thereof prior to incurring such liability. Operator shall not be deemed to be in default of its obligations under this Agreement to the extent it is unable to perform any obligation due to the lack of available funds from the operation of the Hotel or as otherwise provided by Owner.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

CENTRALIZED SERVICES; INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

 

6.1.          Operator may, subject to the then applicable Approved Annual Plan, provide or cause its Affiliated companies to provide for the Hotel and its guests the Centralized Services. The current list of Centralized Services offered by Operator is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A (other than the Centralized Accounting Services, which are as separately defined in this Agreement), and will be modified on an annual basis in connection with the review and approval of the Approved Annual Plan. Subject to the provisions of the applicable Approved Annual Plan, Operator or such of Operator’s Affiliated companies as provide Centralized Services shall be entitled to be reimbursed for the Hotel’s share of the total costs that are reasonably incurred in providing such Centralized Services on a system-wide basis to hotels and motels managed by Operator or its Affiliates which costs may include, without limitation, salaries (including payroll taxes and employee benefits) of employees of Operator and its Affiliates, costs of all equipment employed in the provision of such services and a reasonable charge for overhead. The Hotel’s share of such costs shall be determined in an equitable manner by Operator (which shall be reasonably satisfactory to Owner) and substantiated to Owner after each Fiscal Year, shall be an Operating Expense of the Hotel and shall be paid or reimbursed to Operator out of the Agency Account, or if the amounts therein are insufficient such costs shall be borne and paid by Owner in accordance with Section 7.1. Operator shall maintain and make available to Owner invoices or other evidence supporting all of the charges for Centralized Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Operator’s fee for providing Centralized Accounting Services shall be the Centralized Accounting Services Fee. Owner acknowledges and agrees that (a) Operator has disclosed to Owner the types of Centralized Services Operator currently makes available to properties which it operates, including those that require mandatory participation by the Hotel, (b) the Hotel is likely to receive substantial benefit from its participation in such Centralized Services, (c) Operator is not obligated to provide such Centralized Services under Article III of this Agreement, but will offer such Centralized Services to the Hotel so long as Operator continues to offer them to other similar hotels operated by Operator or its Affiliates, and (d) the receipt by Operator of the Centralized Accounting Services Fee does not breach any fiduciary or other duty which Operator may have to Owner.

 

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6.2.          Operator shall arrange for the procurement, as an Operating Expense, of all operating supplies, inventory, and/or services necessary for the normal and ordinary course of operation of the Hotel. Owner acknowledges and agrees that Operator, subject to the Major Agreements and the Approved Annual Plan, may enter into certain Multi-Property Programs pursuant to which Operator or affiliates of Operator may receive rebates or other volume- based incentive compensation from participating vendors or suppliers of goods or services under such Multi-Property Programs (“Operator Rebates”). Owner acknowledges and agrees that (i) Operator has disclosed to Owner the types of Multi-Property Programs Operator currently makes available to properties which it operates and (ii) the Hotel is likely to receive a benefit from its participation in such Multi-Property Programs, which the Hotel could not obtain on its own. The receipt by Operator of any Operator Rebates does not breach any fiduciary or other duty which Operator may have to Owner. Owner may opt-in or-out of the Multi-Property Programs during the Annual Plan approval process each year.

 

6.3.          Operator may, subject to the then applicable Approved Annual Plan, provide certain information technology services, including, but not limited to: (a) de-centralized accounting support services, (b) Operator’s IT Central Support Services (support desk and e-mail services), (c) Operator’s IT Delphi System Support (centralized sales and catering software application), (d) use of certain Microsoft software applications at the Hotel, and (e) Virtual Private Network Connectivity and Support (connection to Operator’s software applications via secure internet connection) (the “IT Services”). For purposes of the Virtual Private Network, Operator may install hardware at the Hotel, which hardware shall be Owner’s property (installation in connection with Operator’s initial takeover of management of the Hotel shall be at no cost to Owner pursuant to Section 9.8; installations after 2017 shall be as provided in the Approved Annual Plan). In addition, Operator shall make all necessary business process changes from time to time, including, without limitation, necessary changes to information technology equipment and software to (i) comply with the operating standards required by the Major Agreements, (ii) make reasonable adaptations to changing technology, (iii) be otherwise consistent with the Standard, and (iv) achieve and sustain compliance on an on-going basis with the then current Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards and other applicable information security and operating rules and regulations of the credit card associations, and applicable data protection and privacy laws and regulations. A list of the IT Services (and the current estimated costs therefor) is included in Exhibit A, subject to change in connection with the then applicable Approved Annual Plan review and approval process for each Fiscal Year.

 

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6.4.          To the extent requested by Owner, Operator may provide project management services in connection with the procurement and installation of information technology for the Hotel during the Operating Term on terms and conditions (including separate fees for such services) mutually agreed upon by Owner and Operator.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

WORKING CAPITAL AND BANK ACCOUNTS

 

7.1.          Commencing immediately prior to the Takeover Date, Owner will provide Operator with the Minimum Working Capital for the Hotel. Owner shall at all times provide, either from Total Revenues or from other funds of Owner, sufficient funds as reasonably determined by Operator to constitute normal working capital for the uninterrupted and efficient operation of the Hotel (but which, in no event, shall be an amount less than the Minimum Working Capital), in accordance with this Agreement, and to maintain the Standard as required herein (but without negating Operator’s obligation to obtain Owner’s consent to exceed budget amounts if required under Section 8.6). Operator agrees that in determining the required working capital, Operator shall take into account the anticipated Operating Expenses and anticipated Total Revenues of the Hotel for the applicable rolling thirty (30) day period. In furtherance thereof, Operator shall provide to Owner monthly cash flow forecasts covering the next ninety (90) days of the Hotel’s financial needs as part of Operator’s Monthly Cash Flow Forecast. Operator shall manage accounts receivable and inventories as would a prudent operator of a hotel similar to the Hotel and consistent with its operation of its other hotels.

 

Within fourteen (14) days following Operator’s notice to Owner that additional funds are required to pay payroll expenses and other necessary Operating Expenses, Owner shall provide such funds necessary to pay such Operating Expenses. Any such failure to provide such funding within the required time period shall constitute a breach under Section 17.1(A) of this Agreement. Operator may, but shall not be required to, fund such expenses, and in such event, Operator may, in addition to all other rights, repay itself as soon as any funds are available.

 

7.2.          All funds received by Operator in the operation of the Hotel, including working capital furnished by Owner, shall be deposited in an Agency Account in such federally insured financial institution as may be selected by Operator and reasonably approved by Owner and approved by any Mortgagee. Such funds shall not be commingled with Operator’s other funds. To the extent funds are currently available in the Agency Account, Operator shall pay all Operating Expenses and Fixed Charges on behalf of Owner from the Agency Account. Upon Owner’s written request and direction, Operator shall pay on behalf of Owner from the Agency Account (but only to the extent that such funds are available in the Agency Account following the payment of all Operating Expenses and Fixed Charges), such other Owner Expenses as may be requested by Owner; provided, however, Operator will not be required to pay such Owner Expenses until Operator receives Owner’s Expense Notice. Owner agrees to provide Owner’s Expense Notice at least thirty (30) days prior to the date on which the first payment by Operator is due, and such Owner’s Expense Notice shall only be revocable upon thirty (30) days prior written notice from Owner.

 

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7.3.          In addition to the Agency Account established pursuant to Section 7.2 , the FF&E Reserve Account shall be established at the same institution for a reserve for replacements, substitutions and additions to the FF&E. Such funds shall not be commingled with Operator’s other funds.

 

7.4.          The Agency Account and the FF&E Reserve Account, shall be opened and maintained at all times in the name of Operator as agent for Owner doing business as the “Hilton San Francisco Financial District” and shall be under the control of Operator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, checks or other documents of withdrawal may be signed only by authorized representatives of Operator, provided that such representatives shall be bonded or otherwise insured in a manner reasonably satisfactory to Owner. Owner shall have read-only access to the Agency Account and FF&E Reserve Account. The premiums for bonding or other insurance shall be an Operating Expense except for premiums for bonding off-site executive employees of Operator. Operator shall prepare all bank reconciliations and do all necessary accounting with respect to the Agency Account and the FF&E Reserve Account. Owner may review such bank reconciliations in detail at any time.

 

7.5.          The provisions of this Article VII and any other provisions of this Agreement regarding cash management or the handling of Hotel funds (including any reserves) are subject to, and Operator shall comply with, any requirements regarding cash management and handling of all or any portion of Total Revenues and other Hotel funds including with respect to any reserves and any lock box or similar arrangements, of any Mortgagee, and within ten (10) days after being requested in writing to do so, Operator will join in any commercially reasonable agreement, acknowledgement or consent with respect thereto required by any Mortgagee. Nothing in this Section 7.5 shall negate or reduce Owner’s obligations to provide sufficient funds for operation in accordance with the other provisions of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

BOOKS, RECORDS AND STATEMENTS; ANNUAL PLAN

 

8.1.          Operator shall keep full and accurate books of account and other records reflecting all transactions of the Hotel and the results of the operation of the Hotel in accordance with GAAP and the Uniform System with such exceptions as may be required by the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that Operator may, with prior written notice to Owner, make such modifications to the methodology in the Uniform System as are consistent with Operator’s standard practice in accounting for its operations under management contracts generally, so long as such modifications (a) do not affect the determination of the Basic Fee, the Incentive Fee, Total Revenues, Operating Expenses or Fixed Charges, (b) are consistent with good hotel accounting practices and the requirements of this Agreement, and (c) do not impair Owner’s ability to comply with any requirement of any laws applicable to Owner and/or the Hotel. All financial books and records for the Hotel, including, without limitation, all books of account, invoices, financial reports and analyses, financial statements and bank account statements, shall be uploaded to an appropriate remote electronic storage system utilized by Operator’s accounting department (the “Electronic Storage System”). Operator shall provide Owner with the necessary information for Owner to create and establish its own user name and password for the Electronic Storage System in order to allow Owner to have remote read-only access to all data on the Electronic Storage System without interruption on a 24-hour basis throughout the Operating Term. In addition, Operator shall prepare and provide to Owner a daily cash management excel spreadsheet in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C , subject to updates to the form as reasonably requested by Owner from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all physical books and records (including those which may be kept in Operator’s home office or other suitable location pursuant to the adoption of a central billing system or other centralized service, but excluding employment records other than employee census information), shall be available to Owner and its representatives during normal business hours and at all other reasonable times, upon reasonable prior notice by Owner and its agents, for examination, audit, inspection and transcription. Promptly upon Owner’s written request, Operator shall deliver a copy of such books and records to Owner. All books and records including, without limitation, books of account, guest records and front office records (but excluding any employment records other than employee census information), shall be the property of Owner and shall not be removed from the Hotel without Owner’s prior written approval, except that (i) such books and records shall be uploaded to the Electronic Storage System and (ii) Operator shall have the right to make copies of such records and have access to the records after termination of this Agreement. Operator shall be prohibited from using any of the guest records for the Hotel in the management, operation, advertising, marketing or promotion of any other hotel, condominium, condo-hotel, timeshare, resort property or other transient hospitality product, provided that Operator may use guest records in connection with its national group sales program and in accordance with the programs available pursuant to the Franchise Agreement.

 

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8.2.

 

A. Operator shall deliver to Owner in electronic format weekly “flash” reports.

 

B. Operator shall deliver to Owner in electronic format within fifteen (15) days after the end of each month, the Monthly Reports covering operations for the prior month and the year-to-date through the prior month. On or before two (2) business days after the delivery of any internal financial and operation reports concerning the Hotel, including, without limitation, month end “flash” reports, Operator shall deliver to Owner a copy of the report.

 

C. Within twenty (20) days after the end of each calendar quarter, Operator shall deliver to Owner unaudited financial statements and reports for such quarter (the “Quarterly Operating Statements”), providing the same information as contained in the Monthly Reports, but adjusted to reflect the applicable portion of the Fiscal Year.

 

D. Within fifteen (15) days after the end of each Fiscal Year, Operator shall deliver to Owner an unaudited annual accounting (the “Annual Operating Statement”). The Annual Operating Statement shall provide the same information as contained in the Monthly Reports, but adjusted to reflect the entire Fiscal Year and shall show the results of operations of the Hotel during the Fiscal Year and a computation of Total Revenues, Operating Expenses, and Distributable Cash, if any, and any other information necessary to make the computations required hereby or which may be reasonably requested by Owner, all for such Fiscal Year. Subject to the reconciliation set forth in Section 8.3 below, the Annual Operating Statement for any Fiscal Year shall be controlling over the interim accountings for such year.

 

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E. The Monthly Reports, the Quarterly Operating Statements and the Annual Operating Statement shall each be prepared in accordance with the Uniform System and/or GAAP unless otherwise set forth in this Agreement. Any financial statements included in the Monthly Reports, the Quarterly Operating Statements or the Annual Operating Statement must be accompanied by a certificate of Operator’s designated accounting officer certifying that such statements were prepared under such officer’s supervision and that such statements were true and correct as of the date prepared.

 

8.3.          Operator shall provide reasonable assistance to an accounting firm selected by Owner in order to permit such accounting firm to deliver to Owner annual audited financial statements of Owner for the immediately preceding Fiscal Year. At Owner’s request and for an additional fee, Operator shall provide the SAS-70 (SSAE- SOC 16) audit to Owner. The fee to Owner shall be determined by allocating pro-rata the total fee incurred by Operator for such audit among the owners of all hotels operated by Operator or its Affiliates that request such audit. If any audit discloses any discrepancies from the Annual Operating Statement, Owner shall notify Operator thereon within sixty (60) days after delivery of the audited Annual Operating Statement. Except for any such discrepancies of which Owner notifies Operator based upon the audit on or before expiration of the sixty (60) day period after delivery of the audited Annual Operating Statement, at the end of such sixty (60) day period, the Annual Operating Statement shall be deemed to be final and binding upon the parties absent any intentional misrepresentation or concealment of information with respect to the operation of the Hotel by Operator. Any adjustments to the Basic Fee or Incentive Fee or any other amounts paid under this Agreement required because of the results of such audit shall be made by the parties within ten (10) business days of Operator’s receipt of written notice from Owner regarding any discrepancies disclosed by the audit. The cost of any audit of the Annual Operating Statement shall be an Operating Expense. For the avoidance of doubt, when determining whether there has been an overpayment of the Basic Fee and/or the Incentive Fee and/or any other amounts paid under this Agreement for any Fiscal Year, such determination shall be based on such fees that have been paid for such Fiscal Year and the calculation by Operator of those fees to be paid by Owner pursuant to the Annual Operating Statement for such Fiscal Year.

 

8.4.          With respect to the first (1 st ) Fiscal Year, the Approved Annual Plan shall be the pro forma Approved Annual Plan attached hereto as Exhibit B . With respect to each other Fiscal Year, on or before each November 15 during the Operating Term, Operator shall submit to Owner for Owner’s approval, a proposed Annual Plan for the Hotel (the “Proposed Annual Plan”), which shall include for the ensuing Fiscal Year, the following proposed budgets and programs:

 

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A. A proposed operating budget (the “Proposed Operating Budget”) on a monthly and yearly basis with detailed departmental schedules for each line item and the assumptions underlying the same, including, without limitation: (a) projected occupancy and average room rates by month broken down by room segment; (b) projected Total Revenues; (c) proposed Hotel room rates and charges for other services; (d) projected Operating Expenses of the Hotel; (e) proposed staff scheduling and compensation (including, without limitation, any bonuses or other incentive compensation for Hotel Employees); (f) a narrative comparison of budgeted revenue and expense levels to the previous Fiscal Year’s estimated and accrual results, highlighting material changes for the upcoming Fiscal Year, (g) anticipated depreciation and amortization of fixed assets at the Hotel; (h) annual debt service with respect to the Hotel; (i) projected contributions by, and distributions to, Owner as a result of Hotel operations; (j) an estimate of working capital balance required to be maintained, as of the end of each month; (k) projected amount of reductions for accounts receivable; and (l) all other items reasonably requested by Owner in order to provide the projected cash flow for the Hotel during such upcoming calendar year;

 

B. A proposed capital budget (“Proposed Capital Budget”) setting forth Operator’s estimate of the capital expenditures to be made respecting the Hotel for both of the following:

 

(I)       major repairs, alternations, improvements, renewals and replacements (which repairs, alterations, improvements and renewals are not routine maintenance, repairs and alterations referred to in Section 8.4(C) ) to the structural, mechanical, electrical, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, plumbing and vertical transportation elements of the Hotel building (“Major Capital Expenditures”); and

 

(II)       non-routine repairs and maintenance to the Building which are normally capitalized under GAAP, such as exterior and interior repainting, resurfacing building walls, floors, roofs and parking areas, and replacing folding walls and the like, but which are not Major Capital Expenditures.

 

C. A proposed budget (the “Proposed FF&E Budget”) setting forth Operator’s estimate of the FF&E expenditures to be made and the sources of funds for the replacements and renewals to the Hotel’s FF&E.

 

D. A market overview of local competitive properties of the Hotel including narrative descriptions of (i) local competitive properties of the Hotel (including the Competitive Set) including narrative descriptions and allocable costs of (x) such hotel’s national or regional or business segment marketing plans, (y) local marketing, and (z) sales initiatives, (ii) the Hotel’s target market and the Hotel’s relative position in such market, and (iii) the proposed room rate structures and occupancy for the target market.

 

E. A marketing plan for the Hotel including narrative descriptions and allocable costs of (i) Operator’s national or regional or business segment marketing plans, (ii) local Hotel marketing, and (iii) intended sales initiatives.

 

F. A staffing plan describing the general staffing needs for the operation and management of the Hotel.

 

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The budget components of the Proposed Annual Plan shall be prepared in accordance with the Uniform System to the extent applicable and shall otherwise be prepared in accordance with Operator’s standard financial reporting and budgeting practices. Owner shall make the final determination respecting the approval of the Proposed Annual Plan. Owner shall notify Operator in writing of its approval or disapproval of the Proposed Annual Plan not later than thirty (30) days after Owner’s receipt of the Proposed Annual Plan and, if Owner disapproves of the Proposed Annual Plan, Owner shall state in such notice the reasons therefor with reasonable particularity. In the event Owner fails to notify Operator in writing of its approval or disapproval of the Proposed Annual Budget within five (5) days of Operator’s delivery to Owner of a second notice following such thirty (30) day period, indicating in ALL CAPITAL TYPE that Owner’s failure to deliver its objection(s) to the Proposed Annual Plan as provided in this Section 8.4 in the next five (5) days shall result in the Proposed Annual Plan becoming the Approved Annual Plan for the Fiscal Year to which it relates, then such Proposed Annual Plan shall be deemed approved by Owner and shall be deemed the Approved Annual Plan for the Fiscal Year to which it relates.

 

If any item or items contained in the Proposed Annual Plan are disapproved by Owner in writing, Operator shall submit to Owner a new Proposed Annual Plan or appropriate portion thereof within fifteen (15) days following Operator’s receipt of Owner’s written notice of disapproval. If any item contained in the revised Proposed Annual Plan is then disapproved by Owner in writing within fifteen (15) days thereafter, Operator shall submit to Owner a further revised Proposed Annual Plan or appropriate portion thereof within fifteen (15) days following Operator’s receipt of Owner’s written notice of disapproval of the revised Proposed Annual Plan.

 

8.5.          In the event Operator and Owner are unable to agree on the Proposed Annual Plan (including all revised versions thereof) prior to January 31st of the Fiscal Year to which such Proposed Annual Plan relates, the dispute shall be resolved by an independent internationally recognized hotel consultant, selected and retained jointly by Owner and Operator, which consultant (a) shall have not fewer than ten (10) years of experience in the hotel business; (b) shall not be an Affiliate or a person who has any past, present, or currently contemplated future business or personal relationship with either Owner or Operator; and (c) whose compensation is not fixed based upon the results of the issue at dispute (the “Industry Expert”). Until the Proposed Annual Plan is approved in writing by Owner, Operator shall (i) operate the Hotel in accordance with those items of the Proposed Annual Plan which are not in dispute, and (ii) with regard to such items that are in dispute, Operator shall operate the Hotel consistent with the most recent Approved Annual Plan until such dispute is resolved, except for, or as modified by, (x) an adjustment to the disputed items so as to increase (but not decrease) disputed expense items by the same percentage as any percentage increase in the CPI, from the CPI in effect on the first day of the first month of the Fiscal Year applicable to such last Approved Annual Plan to the CPI in effect on the first day of the first month of the Fiscal Year applicable to the disputed Proposed Annual Plan, (y) Necessary Expenses which shall be paid as required, and (z) Emergency Expenses which shall be paid as required. Upon the Owner’s approval of the Proposed Annual Plan or the resolution of any dispute in connection therewith, the Proposed Annual Plan shall be deemed to be the “Approved Annual Plan”, the Proposed Operating Budget shall be deemed to be the “Operating Budget”, the Proposed Capital Budget shall be deemed to be the “Capital Budget”, and the Proposed FF&E Budget shall be deemed to be the “FF&E Budget”.

 

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8.6.          Upon approval of the Proposed Annual Plan by Owner, Operator shall use diligent and commercially reasonable efforts to operate the Hotel substantially in accordance with the Approved Annual Plan. Operator shall not, without Owner’s prior written approval, which approval may be withheld in Owner’s sole and absolute discretion, materially deviate from the then applicable Approved Annual Plan or:

 

A. Incur any expense for any line-item in the Operating Budget which causes (i) the aggregate expenditures for such line item to exceed the budgeted amount by the greater of (x) 10% or (y) $10,000 or (ii) the Operating Budget to be exceeded by more than 10% in the aggregate, in each case for the applicable fiscal period set forth in the Operating Budget, provided that Operator may at Owner’s cost and expense, without Owner’s approval pay any (1) Necessary Expenses, and/or (2) Emergency Expenses.

 

B. Incur any expense for any line-item in the Capital Budget which causes (i) the aggregate expenditures for such departmental category to exceed the budgeted amount by the greater of (x) 10% or (y) $10,000 or (ii) the Capital Budget to be exceeded by more than 5% in the aggregate, in each case for the applicable fiscal period set forth in the Capital Budget, provided that Operator may, without Owner’s approval, pay any Emergency Expenses which are capital in nature up to a cap of $50,000 in any Fiscal Year.

 

8.7.          Subject to Operator’s obligation to operate the Hotel in Owner’s best interest, if Operating Expenses increase as a result of (a) occupancy (based on guests paying the then market room rates), or (b) the volume of the overall business of the Hotel (“Business Opportunities”) that were not contemplated in the Approved Annual Plan, permitted Operating Expenses shall be equitably adjusted upward to reflect the increased Operating Expenses for the period of time that the Business Opportunities exist (“Opportunity Costs”). Any dispute with respect to the Business Opportunities or Opportunity Costs shall be resolved by an Industry Expert.

 

8.8.          In entering into this Agreement, each of Operator and Owner acknowledges that neither Operator nor Owner has made any representation to the other regarding projected earnings, the possibility of future success or any other similar matter respecting the Hotel, and that Operator and Owner understand that no guarantee is made to the other as to any specific amount of income to be received by Operator or Owner or as to the future financial success of the Hotel. Operator is not warranting or guaranteeing in any respect that the actual operating results of the Hotel during the period covered by the then applicable Approved Annual Plan will not materially vary from the then applicable Approved Annual Plan.

 

8.8.         Any reference to compliance with the Approved Annual Plan or subject to the Approved Annual Plan or similar phrases in this Agreement shall include all variances to the Annual Plan expressly permitted pursuant to the terms of Section 8.6.

 

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ARTICLE IX

 

MANAGEMENT FEES

AND PAYMENTS TO OPERATOR AND OWNER

 

9.1.          Owner shall pay to Operator, on a monthly basis, a Basic Fee equal to one and seven-tenths percent (1.70%) of Total Revenues for services rendered under this Agreement commencing on the Takeover Date and continuing through the remainder of the Operating Term.

 

9.2.          In addition to the Basic Fee, Owner shall pay to Operator, on a monthly basis, a fee equal to two thousand five hundred ($2,500) per month (the “Centralized Accounting Services Fee”), or a pro-rata percentage for any partial month, commencing on the Takeover Date and continuing through the remainder of the Operating Term and for three (3) months after the termination of this Agreement. The Centralized Accounting Services Fee shall be increased (but not decreased) annually on the first day of each succeeding Fiscal Year by the same percentage as any percentage increase in the CPI from the first day of the prior Fiscal Year through the first day of such succeeding Fiscal Year.

 

9.3.          Beginning on the first (1st) anniversary of the Takeover Date (i.e., beginning on the commencement of the second Fiscal Year) and in addition to the Basic Fee and the Centralized Accounting Services Fee, Operator shall be entitled to an Incentive Fee for each Fiscal Year (or any partial Fiscal Year at the beginning or at the end of the Operating Term) equal to ten percent (10%) of the amount by which Gross Operating Profit in the current Fiscal Year (or the pro-rated portion thereof) exceeds the previous Fiscal Year’s Gross Operating Profit or the pro-rated portion thereof). The Incentive Fee will be due and payable to Operator on an annual basis within thirty (30) days following Owner’s receipt, review and approval of the Annual Operating Statement for the applicable Fiscal Year in accordance with Sections 8.2 and 8.3 .

 

9.4.          In each month during the Operating Term, Operator shall be paid out of the Agency Account the following payments for the preceding month: (a) the Basic Fee, (b) the Centralized Accounting Services Fee, (c) any expenses for Centralized Services, and (d) any expense reimbursements due to Operator, as determined from the monthly income and expense statement, which expense reimbursement for avoidance of doubt shall not include Operator’s Expenses. Such payment shall, be due and made upon delivery of the income and expense statement for such month and shall be deducted by Operator out of the Agency Account.

 

9.5.          On or before the twentieth (20th) day following the last day of each calendar quarter (or such other fiscal period as Owner and Operator may determine) of each Fiscal Year during the Operating Term, after (a) payment of Operating Expenses, Fixed Charges and, to the extent the same are to be paid by Operator under this Agreement, Owner Expenses, (b) deposits to the FF&E Reserve Account in accordance with the FF&E Budget, (c) any required payment to Operator pursuant to Section 9.6 below and (d) retention of working capital sufficient in the reasonable opinion of Operator to assure the uninterrupted and efficient operation of the Hotel as required under Section 7.1 above, all remaining funds in the Agency Account shall be paid to Owner (such funds, “Distributable Cash”).

 

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9.6.          At the end of each Fiscal Year and following receipt and approval by Owner of the Annual Operating Statement, an adjustment to the Basic Fee and Incentive Fee will be made, if necessary in accordance with Section 8.3 above.

 

9.7.          Owner shall be liable for and shall pay Operator for any applicable sales, use, excise consumption or similar taxes that are payable to any taxing jurisdiction with respect to any fees, reimbursements or other amounts due to Operator under this Agreement to ensure that the net amount of such fees, reimbursements or other amounts received by Operator shall be equal to the full amount that Operator would have otherwise received if no such taxes applied to such amounts. This Section 9.7 does not apply to federal or state income taxes payable by Operator as a result of its gross or net income relating to any fees collected under this Agreement.

 

9.8.          Operator shall not charge a fee to or require reimbursement of any expense from Owner relating to standard Operator transition or start-up expenses (including costs for Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance) incurred by Operator strictly related to Operator’s commencement of management of the Hotel on the Takeover Date, until the total of such fees and expenses exceeds one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), at which point Owner shall be fully liable for such fees and costs. For the avoidance of doubt, Owner is liable for any transition costs relating to the liquor license or other licenses held for the Hotel.

 

ARTICLE X

 

INTENTIONALLY RESERVED

 

ARTICLE XI

 

FF&E RESERVE

 

11.1.        During each Fiscal Year there shall be allocated and paid on a monthly basis to the FF&E Reserve Account from Total Revenues an amount equal to four percent (4%) of Total Revenues for such Fiscal Year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Operator agrees that to the extent a Mortgagee requires Owner to cause a portion of Total Revenues to be maintained in a separate FF&E reserve account or equivalent thereof (“Lender Reserve Account”), the sums held in the Lender Reserve Account will be included in determining the amount of Total Revenues necessary to be deposited in the FF&E Reserve Account in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

11.2.        All funds in the FF&E Reserve Account, together with any interest earned thereon shall be used solely for purposes of replacing, substituting, adding to or refurbishing the FF&E in accordance with the applicable portion of the Approved Annual Plan. Any funds remaining in the FF&E Reserve Account at the end of a Fiscal Year shall be carried forward to the next Fiscal Year.

 

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ARTICLE XII

 

INSURANCE

 

12.1.        The following insurance with respect to the Hotel, to the extent such insurance is commercially available, shall be obtained by Operator and maintained throughout the Operating Term at Owner’s sole cost and expense provided, however, Owner may elect, at the beginning of the Operating Term or no more than once per year during the Operating Term, so long as such election is at least sixty (60) days prior to any then-current policy renewal, to provide such insurance upon written notice to Operator and delivery of certificates of insurance acceptable to Operator:

 

A. insurance covering the Building, the Installations and the FF&E on an special peril broad form basis, against such risks as are customarily covered by such insurance (including, without limitation, boiler and machinery insurance, but excluding damage resulting from earthquake, war, and nuclear energy), in aggregate amounts which shall be not less than the full replacement cost of the Building, the Installations and the FF&E (exclusive of foundations, footings and land);

 

B. commercial general liability insurance with a combined single limit of not less than $1,000,000 for each occurrence and $2,000,000 per location aggregate including the following coverages: (i) bodily injury including sickness and disease, (ii) death, (iii) property damage, (iv) assault and battery, (v) mental anguish as a result of bodily injury, (vi) sexual assault, (vii) personal and advertising injury including false arrest, false imprisonment, unlawful detention, malicious prosecution, libel, slander or violation of the right of privacy, (viii) wrongful entry or eviction, (ix) liquor liability (if the Hotel sells, serves or furnishes alcoholic beverages) and host liquor liability if the sale or service of alcohol is provided by a third party, (x) innkeeper’s liability, (xi) contractual liability, (xii) independent contractors, (xiii) premises and operation, (xiv) products and completed operations, and (xv) pollution coverage for liability arising out of heat, smoke or fumes from a hostile fire vapor or soot produced by or originating from equipment that it utilized by HVAC equipment and bacteria, fungi, carbon monoxide or pool chemicals.;

 

C. umbrella excess liability insurance with a $50,000,000 per occurrence and per location limit applying on an excess and follow form basis over the commercial general liability and auto liability insurance coverages;

 

D. business interruption insurance covering loss of income for a minimum period of eighteen (18) months resulting from interruption of business resulting from physical damage caused by the occurrence of any of the risks affecting the Hotel insured against under “special perils” policy referred to in Sections 12.1 (A), (E) and (F) ;

 

E. if the Hotel is located within an area designated “high hazard flood zone” pursuant to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as the same may be amended from time to time, flood insurance in such amount as Owner may reasonably require;

 

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F. business automobile liability insurance with limits of $1,000,000 insuring against damage due to bodily injury, death of any person or property damage arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of any motor vehicles, whether owned, non-owned, hired or leased, in connection with Hotel operations and garage-keeper’s liability if the Operator provides parking services for guest vehicles;

 

G. earthquake insurance if the Hotel is located in an “earthquake zone” as determined by the U.S. Geological Survey in reasonable amount for a hotel of this type in the geographic area; and

 

H. Such other or additional insurance as may be (i) required under the provisions of any applicable Major Agreement (provided Operator has been given detailed written notice of such requirements) or (ii) requested by Owner in writing and customarily carried by prudent operators of similar service level hotels in the geographic area of the Hotel.

 

12.2.        Operator shall obtain the following insurance with respect to the Hotel employees and shall maintain such insurance during the Operating Term of this Agreement at Owner’s sole cost and expense:

 

A. worker’s compensation insurance not less than amounts prescribed by applicable state law and employers liability coverage having a minimum per occurrence limit of $1,000,000 per accident/disease;

 

B. crime insurance, in such amounts and with such deductibles that are commercially available and economically feasible, covering Operator’s employees at the Hotel (other than executive employees of Operator) or in job classifications normally insured in other hotels it manages in the United States or otherwise required by law; and

 

C. Employment Insurance with reasonable limits and commercially available and economically feasible deductibles.

 

12.3.        All insurance policies shall name Operator as the insured party and shall name as additional insureds Owner and such other parties as may be required by the terms of the Major Agreements as appropriate. Owner understands that coverage afforded the Owner as an additional insured is solely for liability arising out of Operator’s activities performed by Operator by or on behalf of Owner and that it may be necessary for Owner to purchase separate policies to cover Owner activities not performed by or on behalf of Operator. In the event that Owner shall obtain any insurance as required under Section 12.1 of this Agreement, other than through the program established by Operator, such insurance policy shall name Operator, Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc., its subsidiaries and employees as an additional insured by endorsement and Owner’s coverage will be primary and noncontributory to coverage carried by the Operator.

 

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12.4.         All insurance policies shall be in such form and with such companies having an A.M. Best’s Rating of A- XV or better and provided Owner has given Operator detailed written notice of such requirements, shall comply with the requirements of any Major Agreement. Insurance may be provided under blanket or master policies covering one or more other hotels operated by Operator or owned by Owner. The portion of the premium for any blanket or master policy which is allocated to the Hotel as an Operating Expense or Fixed Charge shall be determined in an equitable manner by Operator and reasonably approved by Owner and paid out of the Agency Account or, if the funds therein are insufficient, by Owner upon demand therefor by Operator. Such amount shall be determined by a suitable and customary formula applying the specific hotel exposures against appropriate rates to determine the premium allocation for the Hotel.

 

12.5.       All insurance policies shall specify that they cannot be canceled or materially modified on less than twenty (20) days prior written notice to both Owner and Operator and any additional insureds (or such longer period as may be required under a Major Agreement, provided that Operator has been advised in writing of such period) and shall provide that claims shall be paid notwithstanding any act or negligence of Owner, or Operator unilaterally or on behalf of Owner, including without limitation their respective agents or employees.

 

12.6.       All insurance policies shall provide, to the extent customarily obtainable from the insurance company providing such insurance, that the insurance company will have no right of subrogation against Owner, Operator any party to a Major Agreement or any of their respective agents, employees, partners, members, officers, directors or beneficial owners.

 

12.7.       Owner and Operator hereby release one another from any and all liability, to the extent of the waivers of subrogation obtained under Section 12.6 , associated with any damage, loss or liability with respect to which property insurance coverage is provided pursuant to this Article or otherwise.

 

12.8.       The proceeds of any insurance claim (other than proceeds payable to third parties under the terms of the applicable policy) shall be paid into the Agency Account to the extent of Owner’s interest therein unless otherwise required by the terms of a Major Agreement.

 

12.9.       Operator shall have the right to pay for, or reimburse itself for, insurance required under this Article XII out of the Agency Account. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, Operator shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain any insurance set forth in this Article if funds from Total Revenues or funds otherwise provided by Owner are not made available to Operator to purchase the same.

 

12.10.       Subject to the provisions of the Approved Annual Plan, Operator may act, directly or indirectly, in a brokerage capacity with respect to the insurance required under this Article or as a direct insurer or reinsurer with respect to the same.

 

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ARTICLE XIII


PROPERTY TAXES

 

13.1.       If requested by Owner and provided that funds from Total Revenues or funds otherwise provided by Owner are available, Operator shall (a) pay or shall cause to be paid all Property Taxes on behalf of Owner not less than ten (10) days prior to the applicable due dates and (b) furnish to Owner, before the respective dates on which Property Taxes will become delinquent, proof of payment thereof, in accordance with applicable laws and in form satisfactory to Owner, Operator shall promptly furnish Owner with proof of payment of Property Taxes.

 

13.2.       Owner may initiate a Tax Contest, and if requested by Owner, Operator agrees to cooperate with Owner in a Tax Contest and execute any documents or pleadings required for such purpose, provided that the facts set forth in such documents or pleadings are accurate and that such cooperation or execution does not impose any liability on Operator. All costs and expenses incurred by Owner and Operator in connection with a Tax Contest shall be Fixed Charges.

 

ARTICLE XIV

 

REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

 

14.1.       Subject to the then applicable Approved Annual Plan and Owner’s provision of the required working capital pursuant to Section 7.1 , Operator shall from time to time make such repairs and maintenance (other than Major Capital Expenditures) as are required to maintain the Hotel in a manner to allow the Hotel to meet the physical elements of the Standard.

 

14.2.       Owner shall maintain the Hotel in accordance with the Standard and shall approve, in the Proposed Annual Plan or an amendment to any Approved Annual Plan, any Major Capital Expenditures proposed by Operator which are required to maintain the Hotel in accordance with the Standard. Operator shall not make any Major Capital Expenditure without Owner’s prior written approval even if such Major Capital Expenditure is contemplated in the then applicable Approved Annual Plan and Operator shall provide details and documentation requested by Owner in connection therewith in order for Owner to make such approval determination. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Owner may, at its option, make any Major Capital Expenditure without the consent of Operator.

 

14.3.       If Owner directly performs or contracts for repair, maintenance, refurbishing, construction or renovations at the Hotel, Owner must coordinate, and require its contractors and subcontractors to coordinate, with Operator including, but not limited to, causing any Owner employees, contractors or subcontractors to comply with safety and security rules of the Hotel and communicate on a regular basis the activities being performed at the Hotel to assure the health, safety and efficient operation of the Hotel and its guests and employees. Owner shall use commercially reasonably efforts to comply with all laws, obtain all necessary permits and shall provide Operator copies of any permits prior to commencement of any such activities.

 

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ARTICLE XV

 

OWNER COVENANTS AND REPRESENTATIONS

 

15.1.         Owner represents, warrants and covenants that it holds good and marketable fee title to the Hotel and that it will maintain good and marketable fee title to the Hotel free of any and all liens, encumbrances or other charges except for easements or encumbrances that do not adversely affect the operation of the Hotel, mortgages or liens for taxes, assessment levies or other public charges not yet due or payable.

 

15.2.         Owner represents, warrants and covenants that neither it, nor any of its Affiliates (or any of their respective principals, partners or funding sources), is, nor will become (a) a person designated by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control as a “specially designated national or blocked person” or similar status, (b) a person described in Section 1 of U.S. Executive Order 13224 issued on September 23, 2001; (c) a person otherwise identified by a government or legal authority as a person with whom Owner or Operator is prohibited from transacting business; (d) directly or indirectly owned or controlled by the government of any country that is subject to an embargo by the United States government; or (e) a person acting on behalf of a government of any country that is subject to an embargo by the United States government. Owner agrees that it will notify Operator in writing immediately upon the occurrence of any event which would render the foregoing representations and warranties contained in this Section 15.2 incorrect.

 

15.3.         Owner represents, warrants and covenants: (a) that it is familiar with the FCPA, and the purposes of the FCPA, and in particular, the FCPA’s prohibition of the payment or the gift of any item of value, either directly or indirectly, by a company organized under the laws of the United States of America, or any of its states, to an official of a foreign government for the purpose of influencing an act or decision in such person’s official capacity, or inducing such person to use influence with the foreign government to assist a company in obtaining or retaining business for, with, or in that foreign country or directing business to any person or company or obtaining an improper advantage, and (b) that it has not taken, and during the Operating Term of this Agreement it will not take, any action that would constitute a violation of the FCPA or any similar law.

 

15.4.         Owner represents, warrants and covenants that to its knowledge it is in compliance in all material respects with all Major Agreements, that Owner has not received any written notice of breach of any of currently effective Major Agreements and that Owner will continue to comply in all material respects with all Major Agreements during the Operating Term of this Agreement. Owner agrees to promptly provide to Operator copies of any written notice of default or breach received under any Major Agreement.

 

ARTICLE XVI

 

DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION; CONDEMNATION

 

16.1.        If the Hotel is damaged by fire or other casualty, Operator shall promptly notify Owner. This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect subsequent to such casualty provided that either party may terminate this Agreement upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the other party if (a) Owner shall elect to close the Hotel as a result of such casualty (except on a temporary basis for repairs or restoration) or (b) Owner shall determine in good faith not to proceed with the restoration of the Hotel; provided further, Operator may terminate this Agreement upon thirty days’ prior written notice to Owner if forty percent (40%) or more of the rooms in the Hotel are unavailable for rental for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days or more as a result of such casualty.

 

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16.2.       If all or any portion of the Hotel becomes the subject of a condemnation proceeding or if Operator learns that any such proceeding may be commenced, Operator shall promptly notify Owner upon Operator’s receipt of written notice thereof. Either party may terminate this Agreement on thirty (30) days’ notice to the other party if (a) all or substantially all of the Hotel is taken through condemnation or (b) less than all or substantially all of the Hotel is taken, but, in the reasonable judgment of the party giving the termination notice, the Hotel cannot, after giving effect to any restoration as might be reasonably accomplished through available funds from the condemnation award, be profitably operated in accordance with the Standard.

 

16.3.       Any condemnation award or similar compensation shall be the property of Owner, provided that Operator shall have the right to bring a separate proceeding against the condemning authority for any damages and expenses specifically incurred by Operator as a result of such condemnation.

 

ARTICLE XVII

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

17.1.       Each of the following shall constitute an event of default (“Event of Default”):

 

A. If Owner shall fail to provide funding in accordance with Section 7.1 , and such default continues for a period of five (5) business days after written notice from the Operator;

 

B. In addition to the Event of Default described in Section 17.(a) above, if either party shall be in default in the payment of any amount required to be paid under the terms of this Agreement, and such default continues for a period of ten (10) days after written notice from the other party;

 

C. If either party is in Material Default hereunder (with the exception of any such failure constituting an Event of Default under any other subsection of this Section 17.1) , and such Material Default continues for a period of fifteen (15) days after written notice from the other party; provided that in case of a Material Default that poses an imminent threat to the health and safety of the Hotel Employees or guests, the non-defaulting party may terminate this Agreement upon written notice if such default is not cured within three (3) business days following receipt of written notice thereof from the non-defaulting party;

  

D. If either party shall (i) make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, (ii) institute any proceeding seeking relief under any federal or state bankruptcy or insolvency laws, (iii) institute any proceeding seeking the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or similar official for its business or assets or (iv) consent to the institution against it of any Involuntary Proceeding;

 

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E. If an Involuntary Proceeding shall be commenced against either party and shall remain undismissed for a period of sixty (60) days;

 

F. If Owner violates Sections 15.2 or 15.3 3 hereof, in which case Operator may terminate this Agreement immediately;

 

G. An assignment by Operator in violation of the provisions of Article XIX ;

 

H. The failure of Operator to deliver to Owner on or before three (3) business days after the date when due any financial report or statement required to be delivered to Owner under this Agreement, and such failure continues for a period of three (3) business days after written notice thereof from Owner;

 

I. The failure of Operator to execute and deliver any commercially reasonable instrument requested by Owner to effectuate or evidence the subordination of Operator’s rights hereunder or any estoppels certificate under Article XXI of this Agreement; provided that Operator shall have five (5) business days after the receipt of written notice of such default to cure; or

 

J. If any act is committed by corporate executive personnel of Operator which constitutes fraud, theft, embezzlement or any gross misdemeanor or greater crime or any similar criminal act involving dishonesty (which, for the avoidance of doubt, would include any acts committed which constitute fraud, theft, embezzlement or any gross misdemeanor or greater crime or any similar criminal act involving dishonesty of Operator’s corporate executive personnel in the supervision and training of all Hotel Employees) in the course of performing his or her duties on behalf of Operator with respect to the Hotel; provided, however, that if, and only if, any of the foregoing acts or events are committed (a) by corporate executive personnel of Operator who are not corporate executives of Operator with the responsibilities of an executive vice president or higher and (b) without the actual prior knowledge of any person who controls Operator, such act or event committed by such corporate executive may be cured by Operator if, within ten (10) Business Days after being notified in writing of the occurrence of such act or event, Operator makes full restitution to Owner of any and all damages caused by, or resulting from, such act or event (less any portion of such damages which has been recovered) and promptly takes all appropriate actions necessary to remediate the situation and protect the interests of Owner and the Hotel.

 

K. If, because of any wrongful act or omission on the part of Operator, (A) a written notice of default shall be issued under the Franchise Agreement which may, if uncured, permit the Franchise Agreement to be terminated (a “Franchise Agreement Default”) and (B) Operator fails to take corrective action to cure such default within any applicable notice or grace period or otherwise within sufficient time to avoid such termination (for the avoidance of doubt, a wrongful act or omission on the part of Operator shall not include an act or omission which was due to Owner’s failure to provide sufficient funds in accordance with the terms of this Agreement).

 

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17.2.       Unless otherwise stated in Section 17.1 hereof, if any event of default shall occur, the non-defaulting party may terminate this Agreement on five (5) days prior written notice to the defaulting party.

 

17.3.       The right of termination set forth in Section 17.2 shall not be in substitution for, but shall be in addition to, any and all rights and remedies for breach of contract available in law or at equity.

 

17.4.       Neither party shall be deemed to be in default of its obligations under this Agreement if, and to the extent that, such party is unable to perform such obligation as a direct result of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, or other casualties, strike or other labor unrest not involving Hotel Employees, takings, war, terrorist acts, riot or other civil commotion (which shall not include the inability of such party to meet its financial obligations or an adverse change in general economic or market conditions, unless such adverse change is the result of one of the foregoing events). The foregoing list of events and circumstances is exclusive and not merely a list of examples.

 

17.5.       Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any right such party may have against the other party hereto at law, in equity or otherwise to any consequential damages, punitive damages or exemplary damages.

 

ARTICLE XVIII

 

TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT

 

18.1.       Provided Owner gives Operator forty-five (45) days’ prior written notice, Owner may terminate this Agreement effective as of and conditioned upon the closing of the sale of the Hotel to a bona fide third-party purchaser who is not an Affiliate of Owner without any termination fee or penalty being due to Operator (other than amounts accrued prior to the effective date of termination as set forth in Section 18.9 ).

 

18.2.       Beginning on the second (2nd) anniversary of the Takeover Date and upon at least sixty (60) days’ written notice to Operator, Owner may terminate this Agreement, without cause and without any termination fee or penalty being due to Operator (other than amounts accrued prior to the effective date of termination as set forth in Section 18.9 ).

 

18.3.

 

A. Beginning on the second (2nd) anniversary of the Takeover Date (such that the first “testing year” commencing on the first day of the third year after the Takeover Date) and upon at least sixty (60) days’ written notice to Operator, Owner may terminate this Agreement without any termination fee or penalty being due to Operator (other than amounts accrued prior to the effective date of termination as set forth in Section 18.9) , in the event that the operations of the Hotel fail both of the following performance tests in any Fiscal Year, which shall be deemed a “Performance Failure”:

 

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(I) the Gross Operating Profit for any Fiscal Year is less than ninety percent (90%) of the Gross Operating Profit set forth in the Approved Annual Plan for such Fiscal Year (without regard to any amendments or changes to such Approved Annual Plan, whether Owner’s approval thereof is either required or obtained), and

 

(II) the RevPAR Index is less than 90% (the “RevPAR Test”).

 

In the event of a Performance Failure, Owner only shall be permitted to exercise its termination right under this Section 18.3 during the ninety (90) day period following Owner’s receipt of the Monthly Reports (as described in Section 8.2 ) for the last month of the Fiscal Year in which such Performance Failure occurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if within thirty (30) days after receipt of the notice to terminate due to a Performance Failure, Operator pays Owner an amount equal to the difference between (x) actual Gross Operating Profit and (y) budgeted Gross Operating Profit set forth in the Approved Annual Plan for the Fiscal Year that gave rise to the Performance Failure under this Section 18.3 , then such Performance Failure shall be deemed fully cured by Operator, such that the notice to terminate due to a Performance Failure is automatically deemed rescinded and no basis for a Performance Failure shall be deemed to exist; provided that Operator may only cure a Performance Failure twice during the Operating Term.

 

B. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if at any time after the Takeover Date: (i) a hotel in the then existing Competitive Set is no longer operating at a level substantially equivalent to the higher of (x) the Standard; or (y) as of the date hereof, (ii) information with respect to a hotel in the then existing Competitive Set is no longer available through the Smith Travel Research; and/or (iii) a material change to a hotel in the then existing Competitive Set occurs, including the cessation of operation of a hotel or a change to the standards of operation of a hotel, then either party may request that the other party consent to the removal and replacement of such hotel in the Competitive Set.

 

C. In the event that the removal of a hotel from the Competitive Set is requested by either party and the other party consents to such removal, Owner and Operator, each acting reasonably, shall endeavor to agree upon one or more replacement hotels to be included in the Competitive Set that consist of hotels in the Hotel’s immediate market area that are most comparable to the Hotel in quality, price and market position (with due consideration given to location, age, quality, size, amenities, amount of meeting space and business mix); provided that: (i) any replacement hotel must have been in operation for at least five full years; (ii) the Competitive Set includes at least four hotels and no more than six hotels, and (iii) a single hotel in the Competitive Set does not account for more than 30% of the total guest rooms of all hotels included in the Competitive Set (the “Replacement Hotel Requirements”). If the parties are unable to reach agreement as to: (x) whether a hotel should be removed from the Competitive Set, and/or (y) which hotels are to be included in the Competitive Set, either party may submit the matter to the Industry Expert for resolution.

 

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D. In connection with the removal of a hotel from the Competitive Set or the selection of a replacement hotel or hotels for the Competitive Set, either party may also request that the RevPAR Test be modified to account for the changes to the Competitive Set. If the parties are unable to reach agreement as to a modification of the RevPAR Test, either party may request that the Industry Expert resolve such dispute, concurrently with the resolution of whether a hotel should be removed from the Competitive Set and/or which hotels are to be included in the Competitive Set.

 

E. In the event a hotel or hotels are removed from the Competitive Set pursuant to the procedure set forth in this Section 18.3 , and the parties determine that the immediate market area does not include a replacement hotel which meets the Replacement Hotel Requirements, either party may propose: (i) a replacement hotel which does not meet the Replacement Hotel Requirements for the other party’s consideration; and (ii) in connection with such proposal, a modification to the RevPAR Test to account for the changes to the Competitive Set that result from the addition of a hotel which does not meet the Replacement Hotel Requirements. If the parties are unable to reach agreement as to: (x) the inclusion of a hotel which does not meet the Replacement Hotel Requirements, and/or (y) a modification to the RevPAR Test in connection therewith, either party may submit the matter to the Industry Expert for resolution.

 

F. The Competitive Set shall be reviewed and amended as requested under this Section 18.3 and as part of the approval of the then applicable Proposed Annual Plan.

 

18.4.       Operator and Owner agree that upon termination, there may be certain adjustments to the final accounting for which information may not be available at the time of the final accounting and the parties agree to readjust such amounts and make the required cash adjustments when such information becomes available; provided, however, but subject to the provisions of Article XXII hereof, all accounts shall be deemed final one (1) year after termination of the Agreement.

 

18.5.       No later than ninety (90) days following the termination of this Agreement Operator shall transfer to Owner all remaining amounts in the Agency Account and the FF&E Reserve Account.

 

18.6.       Following termination of this Agreement, Operator shall transfer to Owner all books and records (excluding employment records other than (i) employee census information and (ii) union employee records that must remain at the Hotel) with respect to the Hotel following termination of this Agreement.

 

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18.7.        To the extent permitted by applicable laws, upon termination of this Agreement for any reason Operator shall use reasonable efforts to assist Owner in assigning any contracts, permits or licenses (including restaurant and liquor licenses) to Owner or the subsequent manager or owner and. shall use reasonable efforts to obtain all consents necessary therefor; provided that (a) Owner shall give Operator sufficient time to effect such transfers; (b) Owner shall cooperate and require that the new manager and/or owner to cooperate, with Operator with respect to such transfers; (c) Owner shall pay or reimburse any costs or expenses, including reasonable attorney fees, incurred by Operator in connection with these efforts.

 

18.8.

 

A. All intellectual technology or intellectual property, including any software or systems, used on a system wide basis at Operator’s properties shall remain the exclusive property of Operator (“Operator IP”). Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason Operator shall have the right to remove such Operator IP, and remove Owner’s access to any proprietary systems related to such Operator IP without compensation to Owner. Owner assumes all liability if Owner uses illegally licensed software that constitutes Operator IP. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, Operator shall provide to Owner a copy of all data and information relating to the operation of the Hotel during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the termination date and the right to copy such data and information, but not the Operator IP itself.

 

B. Operator shall cause any intellectual technology or intellectual property, including any software or systems, specific to the Hotel itself, (“Owner IP”) to be in the name of Owner in order that such Owner IP shall be owned, licensed and proprietary to Owner. The Owner IP shall remain the exclusive property of Owner and upon termination, Operator shall have no right to remove such Owner IP or remove Owner’s access to any system related to such Owner IP. Operator assumes all liability if Operator uses illegally licensed software that constitutes Owner IP.

 

C. All hardware or other software equipment installed at the Hotel (excluding leased equipment) shall remain the exclusive property of Owner and upon termination, Operator shall have no right to remove such non-leased hardware or equipment.

 

18.9.        If this Agreement is terminated for any reason, a Termination Reserve shall be established to (i) reimburse Operator for all costs and expenses incurred by Operator in terminating its employees at the Hotel (such as severance pay, unemployment compensation, employment relocation, earned and accrued vacation pay, bonus accruals, estimated tax payments and any other employee liability costs arising out of termination of employment of Operator’s employees at the Hotel), but specifically excluding withdrawal liability from any applicable Union (which is addressed in Section 4.2 of this Agreement); (ii) pay outstanding accounts payable for liabilities and obligations incurred during the Operating Term; and (iii) make any required adjustments as described in Section 18.4 hereof. On or before the effective date of termination, Operator shall provide Owner an estimate of such costs and expenses, based on known liabilities with reasonable evidence to substantiate this estimate for review and mutual reasonable approval by the parties.

 

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18.10.       Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason during, or at the end of, the Operating Term of this Agreement, (a) Operator and Owner agree to sign any documents reasonably necessary to effect such termination or change in management for the Hotel, (b) Owner shall pay to Operator all Basic Fees, Centralized Services Fees, Incentive Fees, reimbursable expenses and other amounts due under this Agreement through the effective date of termination, including, if applicable, the Unamortized Key Money in accordance with Section 3.7 , and (c) Operator shall pay to Owner any amounts due and owing to Owner under this Agreement. For avoidance of doubt, the Unamortized Key Money shall not be payable if this Agreement is terminated as a result of an Operator Event of Default.

 

18.11.       Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, subject to Owner performing its obligations with respect to the termination, Operator shall peaceably and quietly surrender and deliver up to Owner possession of the Hotel in accordance with its obligations contained herein, with the specific intent to effectuate a smooth transition of management of the Hotel to Owner or a third party so as to minimize any potential disturbance of guests.

 

ARTICLE XIX

 

ASSIGNMENT

 

19.1.       Operator shall not assign or pledge this Agreement without the prior written consent of Owner; provided that, Operator may, without the consent of Owner, assign this Agreement to (a) any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with Operator (control being deemed to mean the ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the stock or other beneficial interest in such entity and/or the irrevocable power to direct the day-to-day and long-term operations and policies of such entity); (b) any entity which is the successor by merger, consolidation or reorganization of Operator or Operator’s general partner, managing member or parent corporation or (c) the purchaser of all or substantially all of the hotel management business of Operator or Operator’s general partner, managing member or parent corporation. Should Operator assign this Agreement under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, Owner agrees to attorn to the assignee. Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or be deemed to prohibit any pledge by Operator of the Basic Fee, Incentive Fee or any other amounts received by Operator under this Agreement to any institutional lender as collateral security for debt of Operator and/or Operator’s Affiliates.

 

19.2.       Owner shall not assign this Agreement without the prior written consent of Operator; provided that, Owner may assign this Agreement without Operator’s consent to any person or entity acquiring Owner’s fee interest in the Hotel as of the effective date of such acquisition if (a) Owner provides Operator with thirty (30) days prior written notice of such assignment, and (b) such assignee agrees in writing to be bound by this Agreement and assumes in writing all of Owner’s obligations under this Agreement from and after the effective date of such assignment. Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or be deemed to prohibit any mortgage, charge, pledge or other encumbrance of all or any part of Owner’s right, title and interest in the Hotel to any institutional lender as collateral security for debt of Owner and/or Owner’s Affiliates, subject to the terms of Article XXI.

 

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19.3.       Upon any permitted assignment of this Agreement and the assumption of this Agreement by the assignee, the assignor shall not be relieved of any obligation or liability under this Agreement arising after the effective date of the assignment unless (a) such assignee assumes liabilities that arose prior to the effective date of the assignment (which, in the case of Owner, shall include any obligation to repay the Unamortized Key Money) or (b) the non-assigning party receives other written assurance with respect to such liabilities reasonably acceptable to such non-assigning party, in which case of either (a) or (b) the assigning party shall be automatically released from any and all liability arising from, or relating to, this Agreement and the ownership and operation of the Hotel (including without limitation, in the case of Owner, any obligations with respect to the Unamortized Key Money).

 

ARTICLE XX

 

NOTICES

 

20.1.       Any notice, statement or demand required to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing, sent by certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or by facsimile transmission, receipt electronically or verbally confirmed, or by nationally-recognized overnight courier, receipt confirmed, addressed if to:

 

  Owner: Justice Operating Company LLC
    10940 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2150
    Los Angeles, CA 90024
    Attention: David Gonzalez
    Facsimile No.: (310) 496-1605
    Email: dgonzalez@intgla.com
     
  with a copy to: Justice Operating Company LLC
    10940 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2150
    Los Angeles, CA 90024
    Attention: John Winfield
    Facsimile No.: (310) 889-2525
    Email: jwinfield@intgla.com
     
  and Operator: Interstate Management Company, LLC
    c/o Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
    4501 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 500
    Arlington, VA 22203
    Attention: Executive Vice President and General Counsel
    Facsimile No.: (703) 387-3389

 

or to such other addresses as Operator and Owner shall designate in the manner provided in this Section 20.1 . Any notice or other communication shall be deemed given (a) on the date three (3) business days after it shall have been mailed, if sent by certified mail, (b) on the business day it shall have been sent by facsimile transmission (unless sent on a non-business day or after business hours in which event it shall be deemed given on the following business day), or (c) on the date received if it shall have been given to a nationally-recognized overnight courier service.

 

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ARTICLE XXI

 

SUBORDINATION; ESTOPPELS; RECOGNITION

 

21.1.       Operator agrees that its rights under this Agreement are subject and subordinate to any Mortgage now, or hereafter in effect, as well as with respect to any security agreements, pledge agreements or other secured financing documents encumbering any direct or indirect interests in the Hotel or the Owner itself (collectively, the “Lenders’ Liens”); provided that such Lenders’ Liens are held by Institutional Lenders, and further provided that, such subordination shall not be deemed a waiver or forbearance from (a) receiving from Owner, on a current basis and as and when due, any and all fees and expenses due to it under this Agreement prior to an event of default under any such mortgage or deed of trust or (b) exercising any right Operator may have to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Article 17 above, subject to granting reasonable cure rights to such Institutional Lender. Operator further agrees to execute and deliver within ten (10) days after written request therefor any document or certificate containing customary and reasonable terms confirming subordination and attornment, as Owner or any holder of any such Lenders’ Liens may reasonably request.

 

21.2.       Owner and Operator agree that from time to time upon the request of the other party or a party to a Major Agreement, it shall execute and deliver within ten (10) days after the request a certificate confirming that this Agreement is in full force and effect, stating whether this Agreement has been modified and supplying such other information as the requesting party may reasonably require.

 

ARTICLE XXII

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

22.1.       To the fullest extent permitted by law, Operator hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Owner and its Affiliates (and each of their respective agents, principals, contractors, shareholders, partners, members, officers, directors and employees, and each of their respective successors and assigns (individually, an “Owner Indemnitee” and collectively, “Owner Indemnitees”)) harmless from and against any and all liabilities, losses, claims, damages, costs and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) that may be incurred by or asserted against any Owner Indemnitee and that arise from or relates to (a) the fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence of the off-site employees of Operator, General Manager or Director of Finance, (b) the breach by Operator of any provision of this Agreement caused by the fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence of the off-site employees of Operator, General Manager or Director of Finance, or (c) any action taken by Operator, General Manager or Director of Finance which is beyond the scope of Operator’s authority under this Agreement (the “Operator Indemnity Obligations”); provided that, Operator shall not be obligated with regard to the foregoing for the Hotel’s Director of Finance if the Director of Finance (i) was the Hotel’s Director of Finance (or equivalent position) immediately prior to the Takeover Date and (ii) less than six (6) months have elapsed since the Takeover Date. Owner shall promptly provide Operator with written notice of any claim or suit brought against any Owner’s Indemnitee by a third party which might result in such indemnification. Owner shall cooperate with the Operator or its counsel in the preparation and conduct of any defense to any such claim or suit.

 

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22.2.       To the fullest extent permitted by law, Owner hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Operator and its affiliates (and each of their respective agents, principals, contractors, shareholders, partners, members, officers, directors and employees, and each of their respective successors and assigns (individually, an “Operator Indmenitee” and collectively, “Operator Indemnitees”)) harmless from and against all liabilities, losses, claims (including, but not limited to Employment Claims) damages, costs and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses; and any additional tax as set forth in Section 9.7 and interest and penalties thereon) that may be incurred by or asserted against any Operator Indemnitee and that arise from or relates to (a) the performance of Operator’s services in accordance with this Agreement, (b) any act or omission (whether or not willful, tortious, or negligent) of Owner or any third party, (c) any liabilities arising from a tax audit with respect to the Hotel whether conducted during or after the Operating Term, (d) Owner’s failure to promptly remove any Hazardous Materials on any portion of the Hotel or its surrounding site or otherwise remedy the problem in accordance with all laws, rules and regulations of any governmental authority or (e) or any other occurrence related to the Hotel and/or Operator’s duties under this Agreement whether arising before, during or after the Operating Term (the “Owner Indemnity Obligations”). Operator shall promptly provide Owner with written notice of any claim or suit brought against it by a third party which might result in such indemnification. Operator shall cooperate with the Owner or its counsel in the preparation and conduct of any defense to any such claim or suit. IT IS EXPRESSLY AGREED AND UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDES INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS WHICH, IN CIRCUMSTANCES OTHER THAN AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 22.1, COULD INCLUDE AN INDEMNIFICATION BY OWNER OF OPERATOR FROM CLAIMS OR LOSSES ARISING AS A RESULT OF OPERATOR’S OWN NEGLIGENCE OR THE NEGLIGENCE OF OPERATOR’S EMPLOYEES WHETHER OR NOT SUCH NEGLIGENCE IS PASSIVE OR ACTIVE. It is agreed that none of the Operator Indemnitees shall have any right to indemnity with respect to any Owner Indemnity Obligations if such Owner Indemnity Obligations result from, were caused by or otherwise constitute an Operator Indemnity Obligation for which Operator is required to indemnify the Owner Indemnitees in accordance with Section 22.1 .

 

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22.3.       If any action, lawsuit or other proceeding shall be brought against any Indemnified Party hereunder arising out of or based upon any of the matters for which such party is indemnified under this Agreement, such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Obligor in writing (which may be in the form of email) thereof and, except in the case of an Employment Claim (which shall be defended by Operator subject to the indemnity set forth in Section 22.2 ). Obligor shall promptly assume the defense thereof (including without limitation the employment of counsel selected by Obligor) unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the parties as provided herein, such defense to be subject to the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld (provided, however, by way of illustration and not limitation, it shall be reasonable for the Indemnified Party to deny consent to any settlement that requires the Indemnified Party to admit guilt or liability). The Indemnified Party shall cooperate with the Obligor in the defense of any such action, lawsuit or proceeding, on the condition that the Obligor shall reimburse the Indemnified Party for any out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Obligor shall have the right to negotiate settlement or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to the matters indemnified hereunder; provided, however, that if any such settlement or consent judgment contemplates any action or restraint on the part of the Indemnified Party, then such settlement or consent judgment shall require the written consent of the Indemnified Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. In addition to the foregoing, the Indemnified Party shall have the right (at its own expense) to employ separate counsel in any such action and to participate in the defense thereof. An Indemnified Party may settle any action on its own behalf (i.e., with respect to its own liability and with no requirement of Obligor to admit guilt or liability) only with the prior written consent of Obligor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld (provided, however, by way of illustration and not limitation, it shall be reasonable for Obligor to deny consent to any settlement that requires Obligor to expend funds in an amount Obligor reasonably determines is inappropriate so long as the Indemnified Party remains adequately protected at all times). In the event that Obligor fails to use reasonable efforts to defend or compromise any action, lawsuit or other proceeding for which an Indemnified Party is indemnified hereunder or as the parties may agree, the Indemnified Party may, at Obligor’s expense and without limiting Obligor’s liability under the applicable indemnity, assume the defense of such action and the Obligor shall pay the charges and expenses of such attorneys and other persons on a current basis within thirty (30) days of submission of invoices or bills therefor. In the event the Obligor is Owner and Owner neglects or refuses to pay such charges, Operator may pay such charges out of the Agency Account and deduct such charges from any amounts due Owner, or add such charges to any amounts due Operator from Owner under this Agreement. If Operator is the Obligor and Operator neglects or refuses to pay such charges, the amount of such charges shall be deducted from any amounts due Operator under this Agreement.

 

22.4.        The provisions of this Article shall survive the termination of this Agreement with respect to acts, omissions and occurrences arising during the Operating Term.

 

ARTICLE XXIII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

23.1.       Owner and Operator shall execute and deliver all other appropriate supplemental agreements and other instruments, and take any other action necessary to make this Agreement fully and legally effective, binding, and enforceable as between them and as against third parties; provided, however, that neither party shall be required to execute any other document or instrument or perform any other action that would materially increase its liability or decrease its rights under this Agreement.

 

23.2.       This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, superseding all prior agreements or undertakings, oral or written. Owner acknowledges that in entering into this Agreement, Owner has not relied on any projection of earnings, statements as to the possibility of future success, or other similar matter which may have been prepared by Operator.

 

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23.3       The. headings of the titles to the articles of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and are not intended to affect the meaning of any of the provisions hereof.

 

23.4.       A waiver of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement may be made only in writing and shall not be deemed a waiver of such terms and conditions on any future occasion.

 

23.5.       This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Owner and Operator and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

23.6.       This Agreement shall be construed, both as to its validity and as to the performance of the parties, in accordance with the laws of the state of California without reference to its conflict of laws provisions.

 

23.7.       This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall, when executed, be deemed to be an original and all of which shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument. Signatures on this Agreement delivered by facsimile shall be deemed to be original signatures for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

23.8.

 

(a)       The parties shall first attempt in good faith to resolve disputes informally prior to pursuing formal dispute resolution under Section 23.8(b). Upon receiving notice of any claim or dispute, the parties shall first meet in good faith at a mutually agreeable time and location to discuss the dispute and attempt to settle the matter without resort to formal dispute resolution. This meeting shall proceed in advance of further arbitration or other legal proceedings, provided that either party may initiate arbitration or other legal proceedings as necessary in order to avoid the expiration of any statutes of limitation, statutes of repose, or similar time limitations. In such event, the arbitration or legal proceeding shall be stayed pending completion of the informal meeting.

 

(b)       Except as provided in Section 8.5, all disputes and claims related to or arising out of the Agreement shall be resolved by arbitration conducted through any nationally recognized arbitration provider, in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association then currently in effect. The arbitrator shall be independent and impartial, and shall be a judge or lawyer with at least ten (10) years of experience handling claims related to the hospitality industry, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. All arbitration proceedings shall be held in San Francisco, California unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. Any arbitration arising out of or relating to this Agreement may include, by consolidation or joinder or in any other manner, other persons substantially involved in a common question of fact or law whose presence is required if complete relief is to be accorded in arbitration. Consent to arbitration involving an additional person or entity shall not constitute consent to arbitration of a claim not described therein or with a person or entity not named or described therein. This agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable under applicable law in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The award of the arbitrators may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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(c)       The parties shall equally share all costs and expenses related to payment of arbitrators or filing fees or other similar expenses assessed by arbitration institutions.

 

(d)       WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHTS IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY DISPUTE BASED HEREON, OR ARISING OUT OF, UNDER, OR IN CONNECTION WITH, THIS AGREEMENT, OR ANY COURSE OR CONDUCT, COURSE OF DEALING, STATEMENTS (WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN), OR ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES.

 

23.9.       If any provision of this Agreement or its application to any party or circumstances is determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid and unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement or the application of such provision to such person or circumstances, other than those as to which it is so determined invalid or unenforceable, will not be affected thereby, and each provision hereof will be valid and will be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

23.10.       Owner or Owner’s agent shall have the continuing right during the term of this Agreement upon reasonable prior notice and at reasonable times to inspect the Hotel.

 

23.11.       Time shall be of the essence in the performance of the obligations of the parties under this Agreement.

 

23.12.       This Agreement may not be modified, amended, surrendered or changed, except by a written document signed by Owner and Operator agreeing to be bound thereby.

 

23.13.       Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if Owner’s approval or consent is required under this Agreement, Operator shall request such approval or consent in writing and Owner shall deliver its response to such request in writing. For the avoidance of doubt, as used in this Section 23.13 “in writing” shall include email communications.

 

[SIGNATURES APPEAR ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Operator and Owner have duly executed this Agreement the day and year first above written.

 

  JUSTICE OPERATING COMPANY, LLC,
  a Delaware limited liability company
     
  By: Justice Mezzanine Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, its sole Member

 

  By: Justice Investors, LP, a California Limited partnership, its sole Member

 

  By: Portsmouth Square, Inc.,
    its sole General Partner

 

  By: /s/ John V. Winfield
  Name: John V. Winfield
  Its: President

 

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  INTERSTATE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC

 

  By: Interstate Operating Company, L.P., member

 

  By: Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc., general partner

 

  By: /s/ Monica L. Bernstein
  Name: Monica L. Bernstein
  Title: Vice president of LegaI

 

 

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DEFINITION ANNEX

 

“Affiliate” or “Affiliated” - shall mean any person which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, such person. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, or the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by contract or otherwise, including, without limitation, control exists when a person is a managing member, managing partner, trustee, president and/or chief executive officer of a person and/or of an Affiliate of such person. A “person” shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership and/or trust. A natural person is an Affiliate to another natural person if he or she is a spouse, parent or lineal descendent of the other person.

 

“Agency Account” - shall mean, collectively, one or more accounts bearing the name of the Hotel where all funds received by Operator in the operation of the Hotel are deposited.

 

“Agreement” - shall mean the Hotel Management Agreement.

 

“Annual Operating Statement” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(D) .

 

“Approved Annual Plan” - shall mean the then applicable Proposed Annual Plan approved in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.5 .

 

“Basic Fee” - shall mean the base management fee paid by Owner to pursuant to Section 9.1 .

 

“Building” - shall mean a building with 543 guest rooms (with the potential of 19 additional rooms), restaurant(s), lounge(s), conference and meeting rooms and a 5-level underground parking garage.

 

“Capital Budget” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.5 .

 

“Centralized Accounting Services” - shall mean services provided to create, maintain and verify financial statements by the general ledger group in Operator’s shared services center along with providing sales and use tax services and filing, as set forth in Exhibit D .

 

“Centralized Accounting Services Fee” - has the meaning set forth in Section 9.2 .

 

“Centralized Services” - shall mean the Centralized Accounting Services and any and each of the purchasing services, other group benefits and services, revenue management services, on-site sales training, associate satisfaction surveys, Operator’s national training program and other training, as are made available generally to similar properties managed by Operator.

 

“Competitive Set” - shall mean the hotels within the Hotel’s market area that are most closely comparable to the Hotel in quality, price and market (with due consideration given to age, quality, size, location, amenities, amount of meeting space and business mix). The initial Competitive Set shall be determined by the parties within thirty (30) days after the Commencement Date, provided that if the parties disagree as to whether any hotel should be included and/or excluded from the Competitive Set and the parties cannot reach a resolution within such thirty (30) day period, then such dispute shall be resolved by the Industry Expert.

 

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“Commencement Date” - shall mean the date of this Agreement as set forth in the introductory paragraph hereto.

 

“Comparable Aggregate Cost Test” - has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2 .

 

“Core Executive Staff” - has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(B) .

 

“CPI” - shall mean the Consumer Price Index - All Urban Consumers (U.S. City Average) (1982-1984 =100), or any successor index thereto appropriately adjusted.

 

“Distributable Cash” - has the meaning set forth in Section 9.5 .

 

“Electronic Storage System” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1 .

 

“Emergency Expenses” - shall mean expenses, regardless of amount, which in Operator’s good faith judgment are immediately necessary to protect the physical integrity or lawful operation of the Hotel or the health or safety of its occupants.

 

“Employee Expenses” - has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1( B).

 

“Employment Claim” - shall mean any claim based upon a violation or alleged violation of the Employment Laws.

 

“Employment Insurance” - shall mean Employment Practices Liability Insurance.

 

“Employment Laws” - shall mean any federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, ordinances, regulations, rules, permits, judgments, orders and decrees affecting labor union activities, civil rights or employment in the United States, including, without limitation, the Civil Rights Act of 1870, 42 U.S.C. §1981, the Civil Rights Acts of 1871, 42 U.S.C. §1983 the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. §201, et seq. , the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §2000e, et seq. , as amended, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, 29 U.S.C. §621, et seq. , the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §701, et seq ., the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 29 U.S.C. §706,42 U.S.C. §12101, et seq. , the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,29 U.S.C. § 301, et seq. , the Equal Pay Act, 29 U.S.C. §201, et seq., the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. §151, et seq. , and any regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes (as amended from time to time, and together with any similar laws now or hereafter enacted).

 

“Employment Policies” - shall mean the policies, procedures and programs for the Hotel relating to the employment of Hotel Employees, including wage, benefits and severance policies. The Employment Policies shall be reasonably designed to effect compliance with the Employment Laws and shall be consistent with industry standards from time to time for reputable hotel management companies.

 

“Event of Default” - has the meaning set forth in Section 17.1 .

 

2
 

 

“FCPA” - shall mean the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 778dd-2.

 

“FF&E” - shall mean the furniture, furnishings, wall coverings, floor coverings, window treatments, fixtures and hotel equipment and vehicles.

 

“FF&E Budget” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.5 .

 

“FF&E Reserve Account” - shall mean an account established for a reserve for replacements, substitutions and additions to the FF&E.

 

“Fiscal Year” - shall mean each twelve (12) consecutive calendar month period or partial twelve (12) consecutive calendar month period within the Term commencing on January 1st (or, with respect to the first year of the Term, the Commencement Date) and ending on December 31st (or, with respect to the last year of the Term, the expiration or earlier termination of the Term) unless Owner and Operator otherwise agree.

 

“Fixed Charges” - shall mean the cost of the following items relating to the Hotel or its facilities which are properly attributable under the Uniform System to the period in question:

 

(i) Property Taxes;

 

(ii) Insurance premiums (or the allocable portion thereof in the case of blanket policies) for all insurance maintained under Section 12.1 ; and

 

(iii) The Basic Fee.

 

“Franchise Agreement” - shall mean the franchise or license agreement from time to time issued to owner with respect to the operation of the Hotel, if any. Presently, “Franchise Agreement” means the Franchise License Agreement having an effective date of November 24, 2004 between Hilton Inns, Inc., as Franchisor, and Owner, as franchisee, as the same has been and may be modified and amended.

 

“Franchisor” - shall mean any issuer of a franchise or license agreement with respect to the operation of the Hotel from time to time. Presently, the Franchisor is Hilton Inns, Inc.

 

“GAAP” - shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

“Gross Operating Profit” - shall mean the amount, if any, by which Total Revenues exceed Operating Expenses.

 

“Hotel” - shall mean the hotel known as Hilton San Francisco Financial District located at 750 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

 

“Hotel Employees” - shall mean the on-site staff of the Hotel.

 

“Hotel Purchases” - has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2 .

 

“Incentive Fee” - shall mean the incentive management fee paid by Owner to Operator pursuant to Section 9.3 .

 

3
 

 

“Indemnified Party” - shall mean any Owner Indemnitee or Operator Indemnitee, as the context requires.

 

“Industry Expert” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.5 .

 

“Initial Term” - has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1 .

 

“Installations” - shall mean the mechanical systems and built-in installations of the Building including, but not limited to, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing systems, elevators and escalators, and built-in laundry, refrigeration and kitchen equipment.

 

“Institutional Lender” - shall mean a foreign or domestic commercial bank, trust company, savings bank, savings and loan association, life insurance company, real estate investment trust, pension trust, pension plan or pension fund, a public or privately-held fund engaged in real estate and/or corporate lending, or any other financial institution commonly known as an institutional lender (or any Affiliate thereof); provided further that such entity shall not be an Affiliate of Owner.

 

“Involuntary Proceeding” - shall mean any of the following instituted against a party by any other person or entity: (i) assignment for the benefit of creditors, (ii) proceeding seeking relief under any federal or state bankruptcy or insolvency laws, or (iii) proceeding seeking the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or similar official for such party’s business or assets.

 

“IT Services” - has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3 .

 

“Key Money Contribution” - has the meaning set forth in Section 3.8 .

 

“Leases” - shall mean the leases, licenses and concession agreements for or any other arrangement granting any rights to occupy or use any portion of the Hotel for any purpose, including, without limitation, for retail space, office space, kiosk space and lobby space at the Hotel (including without limitation, car rental counters and gift shops) and commercial space, if any, that is adjacent to or otherwise part of the Hotel (including without limitation, rooftop antennas), provided, however, “Leases” shall not include any guest room rentals or banquet or conference space rentals consistent with the then applicable Approved Annual Plan or in the ordinary course of business.

 

“Legal Requirements” - shall mean (a) all federal, state, county, city and local laws, ordinances, statutes, regulations and orders relating to the Hotel now or hereafter in effect, including, but not limited to, environmental laws and (b) all terms, conditions, requirements and provisions of all permits.

 

“Lender Reserve Account” - has the meaning set forth in Section 11.1 .

 

“Lenders’ Liens” - has the meaning set forth in Section 21.1 .

 

“Major Agreements” - shall mean any Mortgage, any Franchise Agreement and the Union Agreements.

 

4
 

 

“Major Capital Expenditures” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(B) .

 

“Material Default” - shall mean any breach or failure by either Owner or Operator to comply with any of its covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement, other than any such breach or failure that in the context hereof is minor, immaterial or insubstantial and not reasonably likely to prejudice any other party or any part of the Hotel in any material way.

 

“Minimum Working Capital” - shall mean an amount equal to (i) from the Takeover Date to July 31, 2017, four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000), and (ii) from August 1, 2017 through the remainder of the Operating Term, eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000).

 

“Monthly Cash Flow Forecast” - shall mean a monthly cash flow forecast for the Hotel with projections for the next 90-day period.

 

“Monthly Reports” - shall mean, collectively, with respect to each month during the Operating Term (a) a balance sheet as of the last day of such month; (b) a source and use of funds statement for such month; (c) an income and expense statement for such month, including departmental details; (d) Monthly Cash Flow Forecast; (e) a comparison of the monthly, quarterly and year-to-date actual revenues and expenses with the then applicable Approved Annual Plan as well as a periodic and year-to-date comparison of such actual revenues and expenses with those of the prior Fiscal Year; (f) a calculation and computation of Operator’s Basic Fee and Incentive Fee and any expense reimbursement to Operator or its Affiliates; (g) a calculation and computation of the distribution of Distributable Cash; (d) a reserve reconciliation showing an acquisition and disposal report of all FF&E, the Capital Budget and the FF&E Budget and any expenditures year-to-date; (h) the applicable STAR Report for the Hotel; (i) any QA Scoring Guide reports issued by the Franchisor and (j) such other reports or information as reasonably required by Owner. The Monthly Reports for the last month of a Fiscal Year shall include year-end unaudited financial statements.

 

“Mortgage” - shall mean (a) any existing and future mortgage or deed of trust or similar security instrument that, from time to time, encumbers the Hotel or any portion thereof to secure any indebtedness of Owner or any holder of a direct or indirect equity interest in Owner or any other obligations secured by the Hotel or any portion thereof or (b) any existing and future pledge agreement, security agreement or similar instrument that, from time to time, encumbers the direct or indirect equity interests of any person or entity that directly or indirectly owns all, or any portion of, the Owner, provided that in the case of both (a) and (b), such security instruments relate to the financing of the Hotel.

 

“Mortgagee” - shall mean the mortgagee or beneficiary under any Mortgage.

 

“Necessary Expenses” - shall mean expenses, regardless of amount, that are necessary for the continued operation of the Hotel in accordance with the requirements of any Major Agreement and the operational standards set forth in this Agreement and which are not within the reasonable control of Operator (including, but not limited to, those for insurance, taxes, utility charges and debt service).

 

“Obligor” - shall mean the party required to provide indemnification under this Agreement.

 

5
 

 

“Operating Budget” -has the meaning set forth in Section 8.5.

 

“Operating Equipment” - shall mean the chinaware, glassware, silverware, linens, and other items of a similar nature.

 

“Operating Expenses” - shall mean all costs and expenses of maintaining, conducting and supervising the operation of the Hotel and all of its facilities which are properly attributable under the Uniform System to the period in question.

 

A. Operating Expenses shall include, without limitation:

 

(i) The cost of all Operating Equipment and Operating Supplies;

 

(ii) Salaries and wages of Hotel Employees, including costs of payroll taxes, employee benefits and severance payments. The salaries or wages of off-site employees of Operator or its Affiliates shall not be Operating Expenses, provided that if it becomes necessary for an off-site employee of Operator or an Affiliate to temporarily perform services at the Hotel of a nature normally performed by Hotel Employees, his or her salary (including payroll taxes and employee benefits) for such period only as well as his or her traveling expenses shall be Operating Expenses and reimbursed to Operator;

 

(iii) The cost of all other goods and services obtained in connection with the operation of the Hotel including, without limitation, heat and utilities, laundry, landscaping and exterminating services and office supplies;

 

(iv) The cost of all non-capital repairs to and maintenance of the Hotel;

 

(v) Insurance premiums (or the allocable portion thereof in the case of blanket policies) for all insurance maintained under Section 12.2 and losses incurred on any self-insured risks (including deductibles);

 

(vi) All taxes, assessments, permit fees, inspection fees, and water and sewer charges and other charges (other than income or franchise taxes) payable by or assessed against Owner with respect to the operation of the Hotel, excluding Property Taxes;

 

(vii) Legal fees and fees of any independent certified public accountant for services directly related to the operation of the Hotel and its facilities;

 

(viii) All expenses for advertising the Hotel and all expenses of sales promotion and public relations activities;

 

6
 

 

(ix) All out-of-pocket expenses and disbursements reasonably incurred by Operator, pursuant to, in the course of, and directly related to, the management and operation of the Hotel under this Agreement, which fees, expenses and disbursements shall be paid out of the Agency Account or paid or reimbursed by Owner to Operator upon demand. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such charges may include all reasonable travel, telephone, telegram, facsimile, air express and other incidental expenses and any fees or expenditures required for Operator to operate the Hotel in the given jurisdiction, but, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall not include any of the regular expenses of the central offices maintained by Operator, other than offices maintained at the Hotel exclusively for the management of the Hotel. Operator shall maintain and make available to Owner invoices or other evidence supporting such charges;

 

(x) The Centralized Accounting Services Fee and any fees or tax levied on those charges by the local jurisdiction;

 

(xi) Periodic payments made in the ordinary course of business under any applicable franchise agreement;

 

(xii) Any other item specified as an Operating Expense in this Agreement and

 

(xiii) Any other cost or charge classified as an Operating Expense or an Administrative and General Expense under the Uniform System unless specifically excluded under the provisions of this Agreement.

 

B. Operating Expenses shall not include:

 

(i) Amortization and depreciation;

 

(ii) The making of or the repayment of any loans or any interest thereon;

 

(iii) The costs of any alterations, additions or improvements which for Federal income tax purposes or under the Uniform System or GAAP must be capitalized and amortized over the life of such alteration addition or improvement;

 

(iv) Payments on account of any equipment lease that is to be capitalized under GAAP;

 

(v) Payments under any ground lease, space lease or easement agreement;

 

(vi) Payments into or out of the FF&E Reserve Account;

 

(vii) Operator’s Expenses; or

 

(viii) Any item defined as a Fixed Charge.

 

“Operating Supplies” - shall mean the stock and inventories of paper supplies, cleaning materials and similar consumable items and food and beverage.

 

7
 

 

“Operating Term” - shall mean the Initial Term and any Renewal Term(s).

 

“Operator” - shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Operator’s Expenses” - shall mean:

 

A. Except to the extent set forth in Section 6.1, all costs, expenses, salaries, wages or other compensation of any corporate, regional or other headquarters/corporate level employees of Operator, except to the extent such employees are regularly employed full time at the Hotel by Operator;

 

B. Any expenses of Operator’s principal or branch offices;

 

C. Any part of Operator’s capital expenses;

 

D. Except to the extent set forth in Section 6.1, Operator’s overhead or general expenses, including but not limited to telex, duplicating, stationery and postage expenses incurred at Operator’s principal or branch offices, except as may be expressly assumed by Owner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;

 

E. Except to the extent set forth in Section 6.1, all costs and expenses of providing centralized data processing and accounting services to the Hotel;

 

F. Any expenses for advertising or promotional materials that feature Operator’s name or activities but which do not promote the Hotel, unless and to the extent approved in advance by Owner to be an Operating Expense;

 

G. Any travel expenses of Operator’s corporate, regional or headquarters office employees for a period that are (i) in excess of the amount shown on the Approved Annual Plan for Operator’s travel expenses for such period (or otherwise approved by Owner) (ii) are not reasonable and necessary travel expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of this Agreement, (iii) in the case of air travel, exceed the coach or economy fare reasonably available under the circumstances for the flight in question; provided, however, that for purposes of including travel expenses in Operating Expenses, all expenses incurred on any trip which includes visits to more than one property managed by Operator or its Affiliates or is otherwise for purposes related to the Hotel and other properties managed by Operator or its Affiliates shall be equitably allocated among all the properties visited or benefited; and

 

H. Any cost for which Operator is liable under Article XXII or any other provision of this Agreement.

 

“Operator Indemnitee” - shall have the meaning set forth in Section 22.1 .

 

“Operator IP” - shall have the meaning set forth in Section 18.8.A).

 

“Owner” - shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

8
 

 

“Owner Expenses” - shall mean fixed expenses (e.g., debt service, ground lease payments, capital costs, etc.) that Owner requests Operator to pay on behalf of Owner from the Agency Account.

 

“Owner Indemnitee” - shall have the meaning set forth in Section 22.1 .

 

“Owner IP” - shall have the meaning set forth in Section 18.8.B) .

 

“Owner Parking Facility Rights” - has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 .

 

“Owner’s Expense Notice” - shall mean Owner’s written request and direction (including copies of any material agreements) for Operator to pay Owner Expenses.

 

“Performance Failure” - has the meaning set forth in Section 18.3(A) .

 

“Procuring Party” - has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2 .

 

“Property Taxes” - shall mean real estate taxes, assessments, personal property taxes and any other ad valorem taxes imposed on or levied in connection with the Hotel, the Installations and the FF&E.

 

“Proposed Annual Plan” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4 .

 

“Proposed Capital Budget” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(B) .

 

“Proposed FF&E Budget” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(C) .

 

“Proposed Operating Budget” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(A) .

 

“QA Scoring Guide” - shall mean the Hilton Worldwide Quality Assurance Evaluation and the equivalent of the same for any successor of Hilton as the Franchisor.

 

“Quarterly Operating Statements” - has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(C) .

 

“Renewal Term” - shall mean additional successive terms of one (1) year each, not to exceed five (5) years in the aggregate.

 

“Renewal Termination Date” - has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1 .

 

“Replacement Hotel Requirements” - has the meaning set forth in Section 18.3(C) .

 

“RevPAR” - shall have the meaning set forth in the Uniform System.

 

“RevPAR Index” - shall mean the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of (a) the RevPAR of the Hotel to (b) the average RevPAR of the Competitive Set.

 

“RevPAR Test” - shall have that meaning set forth in Section 18.3(A)(1) .

 

9
 

 

“Standard” - shall mean the physical and operational standard of operation that (a) is equal to or greater than the standard of operation of those hotels comprising the Competitive Set, (b) provides for operation of the Hotel on a seven-day-a-week, twenty-four-hour-a-day basis, with, adequate, staffing to. provide first-class staffing and food, beverage, housekeeping, banquet, security personnel, bellmen and porter services at a level that is equal to, or higher, than those applied at the hotels comprising the Competitive Set, (c) consistently meets the then applicable requirements set forth in the Franchise Agreement, and (d) is intended to maximize the present value of the Hotel.

 

“Takeover Date” - shall mean the date Operator commences management of the Hotel, which date shall be confirmed by the parties and memorialized by a separate writing executed by both Owner and Operator within five (5) business days following the Takeover Date.

 

“Tax Contest” - shall mean contesting the validity or amount of any Property Tax.

 

“Total Revenues” - shall mean:

 

A. All income, revenue, receipts and proceeds resulting directly or indirectly from the operation of the Hotel and all of its facilities (net of refunds and credits to guests and other items deemed “Allowances” under the Uniform System) which are properly attributable under the Uniform System to the period in question. Subject to subsection (B) below, Total Revenues shall include, without limitation, all amounts derived from:

 

(i) The rentals of rooms, banquet facilities and conference facilities;

 

(ii) The sale of food and beverage whether sold in a bar, lounge or restaurant, delivered to a guest room, sold through an in-room facility or vending machines, provided in meeting or banquet rooms or sold through catering operations, including for any events held off-site of Hotel premises;

 

(iii) Charges for admittance to or the use of any parking facilities, recreational facilities or any entertainment events at the Hotel;

 

(iv) Rentals paid under Leases, including, without limitation, any Leases for the Chinese Cultural Center, the spa premises, any parking areas, any telecommunications, rooftop antennas or billboards;

 

(v) Charges for other Hotel services or amenities, including, without limitation, telephone service, in-room movies, laundry services and spa services; and

 

(vi) The gross revenue amount on which the proceeds of business interruption or similar insurance are determined, with respect to any period for which such proceeds are received.

 

B. Total Revenues shall not include:

 

10
 

 

(i) Sales or use taxes or similar governmental impositions collected by Owner or Operator;

 

(ii) Proceeds of insurance except as set forth in subsection (A) above;

 

(iii) Proceeds of the sale or condemnation of the Hotel, any interest therein or any other asset of Owner not sold in the ordinary course of business, or the proceeds of any loans or financings;

 

(iv) Capital contributed by Owner to the Hotel; and

 

(v) The receipts of. any tenant, licensee or concessionaire under a Lease.

 

“Unamortized Key Money” - has the meaning set forth in Section 3.8 .

 

“Uniform System” - shall mean the “Uniform System of Accounts” (Eleventh Revised Edition 2014, as further revised from time to time) as adopted by the American Hotel and Motel Association of the United States and Canada.

 

“Union” - shall mean the Bartenders and Service employees Culinary Local 2; Stationary Engineers Local 39; Front Desk, Accounting, Reservations Teamsters Local 856 and any other labor unions at any time representing Hotel Employees.

 

“Union Agreement” - shall mean any collective bargaining agreement or other agreement entered into by Operator or Owner with any Union with respect to employees of the Hotel, which has been approved by Owner.

 

“WARN Act” - shall mean the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and/or any similar state or local laws (together with all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and including, without limitation, any such state or local laws).

 

11
 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Centralized Services

 

1
 

 

INTERSTATE HOTELS & RESORTS

Breakdown of Reimbursable Costs by Category per month

 

Changeback/Reimbursement Category

 

TOTAL CHARGEBACKS/ REIMBURSEMENTS   $ 13,226  

 

Sales & Marketing   $ 2,701  

 

Revenue Management Services, Top Performers Annual Sales Stars of Excellence, Group Sales - Meetings Made Simple (MMS), Smith Travel Research Reports, E-Commerce, Intersate Summer Sales Training

 

Information Technology   $ 6,528  

 

IT Central Support Services, IHR1 Business Intelligence Portal, E-Mail/lway, Lync, Lawson, PCI Compliance, Help Desk Managed Services, Network Management Services, Firewall Management, Penetration and Phishing Testing, BlackLine

 

Human Resources   $ 3,997  

 

Workday (HRIS), I-9 Management, Job Marketing, Sourcing and Placement Service, Pre-Hire Assessments, Management Training and College internships, Associate Engagement Survey, Employee Assistance Program, Affirmative Action Plan, Employee Communication, Service Anniversary Program, Core Compliance Training, Preventing Workplace Harassment, Leadership and Skills Development, Wage & Hour / FLSA Training, Foreign Corrupt Practices (FCPA), ECPAT Human Trafficking Awareness, California Legal and Litigation Training, Crisis Communications

 

2
 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

Pro Forma Approved Annual Plan

 

1
 

 

 

2
 

 

  3  

 

 

 

 

4
 

 

 

5
 

 

 

6
 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

Form of Daily Cash Management Excel Spreadsheet

 

1
 

 

 

2
 

 

 

3
 

 

 

4
 

 

 

5
 

 

 

6
 

 

 

7
 

 

 

8
 

 

 

9
 

 

 

10
 

 

 

11
 

 

 

12
 

 

Subgroup: [53.010] Accounts Receivable - Trade      
    GUEST LEDGER     449,400.28  
    CITY LEDGER 1-30 DAYS     296,972.36  
    CITY LEDGER 31-60 DAYS     14,551.76  
    CITY LEDGER 61-90 DAYS        
    CITY LEDGER 91-120 DAYS        
    CITY LEDGER OVER 120 DAYS     12,000.00  
    A/R MISCELLANEOUS     14,110.33  
Subtotal [53.010] Accounts Receivable - Trade     787,034.73  
             
Subgroup: [53.020] Allowance for Doubtful Accounts        
    ALLOW FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS     (60,862.64 )
Subtotal [53.020] Allowance for Doubtful Accounts     (60,862.64 )
Subgroup: [53.030] Other Receivables        
    EMPLOYEE ADVANCES     14,307.00  
Subtotal [53.030] Other Receivables     14,307.00  
         
Total [53] Accounts Receivable     740,479.09  

 

13
 

 

EXHIBIT D

 

Centralized Accounting Services

 

Centralized Accounting Services include the following:

 

Property Accounting Services

· Accounts Receivable
o Billing and Collection
· Accounts Payable
o Market Basket purchase orders
· Treasury
o General Cashier
· House banks
· Daily Deposits
· Over/Short reconciliation
o Daily Cash report
· Payroll
o Time clock edits and processing
o Processing of vacation, sick time
· General Ledger
o Journal Entry support
· Forecasting
· Budgeting
· Reporting

 

Shared Accounting Services

· Accounts Payable
o Set up of vendors
o Invoice auditing
o Printing and Processing
· Treasury
o Credit Card Processor review
o Bank Reconciliations
· Payroll
o Processing of weekly payroll
o Quarterly tax filings
o Annual tax filings
o W -2s and year-end reporting
· General Ledger
o Journal Entries
o Reconciliation of E-Daily to PMS, Income Journal
o City Ledger Review
o Guest Ledger Review
o Advance Deposit Review
o Inventory validation and reconciliation
o Franchise Fees payment and reconciliation
o Management Fee payment and reconciliation
o Accruals
o Financial Statements preparation
· Sales & Use Tax
o Preparation of Returns
o Filing of Returns including payment
o Coordination for audits.

 

1

 

 

EXHIBIT 14

 

PORTSMOUTH SQUARE, INC.

CODE OF ETHICS

FOR

SENIOR FINANCIAL OFFICERS

 

This Code of Ethics applies to Portsmouth Square, Inc. ("Portsmouth" or the "Company") Senior Financial Officers. "Senior Financial Officers" shall include the principal executive officer, the principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, including Portsmouth's President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Controller, Vice President, and such other individuals as determined from time to time by the Audit Committee of the Company for purposes of this Code of Ethics. The Company expects all employees, in carrying out their job responsibilities, to act in accordance with the highest standards of personal and professional integrity, to comply with all applicable laws, and to abide by Portsmouth's other corporate policies and procedures adopted from time to time by the Company. This Code of Ethics supplements the foregoing with respect to all Senior Financial Officers.

 

Portsmouth's Senior Financial Officers will:

 

1. Engage in and promote honest and ethical conduct, acting with integrity and exercising at all times their best independent judgment;

 

2. Avoid actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships and disclose to the Company's Audit Committee and counsel any material transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to such a conflict;

 

3. Produce full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that Portsmouth files with, or submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission and in other public communications made by Portsmouth;

 

4. Comply with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations, as well as the rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations of which Portsmouth is a member;

 

5. Maintain the confidentiality of Company information, except when authorized or otherwise required to make any disclosure, and avoid the use of any Company information for personal advantage;

 

6. Promote ethical and honest behavior among employees under your supervision; and

 

7. Promptly report any possible violation of this Code of Ethics to the Audit Committee and the Company's counsel.

 

All Senior Financial Officers are prohibited from directly or indirectly taking any action to coerce, manipulate, mislead or fraudulently influence Portsmouth's independent public accountant engaged in the performance of an audit or review of the financial statements of the Company for the purpose of rendering the financial statements of Portsmouth misleading.

 

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors shall approve any waiver or amendment of this Code of Ethics, and any such waiver or amendment shall be disclosed promptly as required by law and SEC regulations.

 

All Senior Financial Officers will be held accountable for their adherence to this Code of Ethics. Failure to observe the terms of this Code of Ethics may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Violations of this Code of Ethics may also constitute violations of law, and may result in civil and criminal penalties for the individual, his or her supervisor and/or Portsmouth.

 

 

 

 

If a Senior Financial Officer has any questions regarding the best course of action in a particular situation, he or she should promptly contact the Chairman of the Audit Committee or the Company's counsel. An individual may choose to remain anonymous in reporting any possible violation of this Code of Ethics.

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 31.1

CERTIFICATION

 

I, John V. Winfield, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Portsmouth Square, Inc.;

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15(d)-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing equivalent functions):

 

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weakness in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: October 13, 2017

 

/s/ John V. Winfield  
John V. Winfield  
President and Chief Executive Officer  
(Principal Executive Officer)  

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 31.2

CERTIFICATION

 

I, David Nguyen, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Portsmouth Square, Inc.;

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15(d)-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing equivalent functions):

 

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weakness in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: October 13, 2017

 

/s/ David Nguyen  
David Nguyen  
Treasurer and Controller  
(Principal Financial Officer)  

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 32.1

 

Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to

18 U.S.C. Section 1350,

As Adopted Pursuant to

Section 906 of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Of 2002

 

In connection with the Annual Report of Portsmouth Square, Inc. (the "Company") on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, John V. Winfield, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, to the best of my knowledge, that:

 

· The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 5(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

 

· The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

/s/ John V. Winfield  
John V. Winfield  
President and Chief Executive Officer  
(Principal Executive Officer)  

 

Date: October 13, 2017

 

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to Portsmouth Square, Inc. and will be retained by Portsmouth Square, Inc. and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 32.2

 

Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to

18 U.S.C. Section 1350,

As Adopted Pursuant to

Section 906 of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Of 2002

 

In connection with the Annual Report of Portsmouth Square, Inc. (the "Company") on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, David Nguyen, Treasurer and Controller of the Company, serving as its Principal Financial Officer, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, to the best of my knowledge, that:

 

· The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 5(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

 

· The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

/s/ David Nguyen  
David Nguyen  
Treasurer and Controller  
(Principal Financial Officer)  

 

Date: October 13, 2017

 

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to Portsmouth Square, Inc. and will be retained by Portsmouth Square, Inc. and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.