As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2009
Registration No. 333-
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
LaSalle Hotel Properties
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Maryland | 6798 | 36-4219376 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. employer identification number) |
3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 1200
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
(301) 941-1500
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of the registrants principal executive offices)
LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES 2009 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(Full Title of the Plan)
Hans S. Weger
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
LaSalle Hotel Properties
3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 1200
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
(301) 941-1500
(Name, address, including zip code and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Jeffrey M. Sullivan, Esq.
DLA Piper LLP (US)
4141 Parklake Avenue, Suite 300
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
Phone: (919) 786-2000
Facsimile: (919) 786-2200
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer | x | Accelerated filer | ¨ | |||
Non-accelerated filer | ¨ (do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company | ¨ |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Shares To Be Registered |
Amount To Be Registered (1) |
Proposed Maximum
Share (2) |
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price (2) |
Amount of Registration Fee (2) |
||||
Common Shares of Beneficial Interest, par value $0.01 per share |
1,800,000 (3) | $10.59 | $19,062,000 | $1,064 | ||||
(1) | In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement shall also cover additional shares of common stock which may become issuable by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without consideration which results in an increase in the number of LaSalle Hotel Properties shares of outstanding common stock. |
(2) | Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) of the Securities Act of 1933. The proposed maximum offering price per share, proposed maximum aggregate offering price and the amount of the registration fee are based on the average of the high and low process of LaSalle Hotel Properties on the New York Stock Exchange on April 27, 2009. |
(3) | Represents the number of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share of LaSalle Hotel Properties issuable under the LaSalle Hotel Properties 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan). Shares of common stock issuable under the Plan include awards of restricted stock under the Plan and shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options, stock appreciation rights, performance shares, dividend equivalent rights and other equity-based awards made under the Plan. |
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
(a) The documents constituting Part I of this Registration Statement will be sent or given to participants in the Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act).
(b) Upon written or oral request, LaSalle Hotel Properties (the Company) will provide, without charge, the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement. The documents are incorporated by reference in the Section 10(a) prospectus. The Company will also provide, without charge, upon written or oral request, other documents required to be delivered to employees pursuant to Rule 428(b). Requests for the above-mentioned information should be directed to Hans S. Weger at the address and telephone number on the cover of this Registration Statement.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. | Incorporation of Documents by Reference |
The following documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act) are incorporated herein by reference and are deemed to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents:
(1) The Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008;
(2) The Company Current Reports on Form 8-K dated February 4, 2009, March 11, 2009 and April 16, 2009;
(3) The description of the Companys common shares contained in the Companys Registration Statement filed under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including all amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description; and
(4) All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or that deregisters all securities that remain unsold.
Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purpose of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated herein by reference modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
Item 4. | Description of Securities. Not applicable. |
Item 5. | Interests of Named Experts and Counsel. Not applicable. |
Item 6. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
The officers and trustees of the Company are and will be indemnified under Maryland and Delaware law, the declaration of trust and bylaws of the Company and the partnership agreement of the Operating Partnership against certain liabilities. The declaration of trust of the Company requires it to indemnify its trustees and officers to the fullest extent permitted from time to time under Maryland law. In addition, the Company has also entered into a separate indemnification agreement with each of its trustees, executive officers and chief accounting officer.
The declaration of trust of the Company authorizes it, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to obligate itself to indemnify and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any present or former trustee or officer or (b) any individual who, while a trustee of the Company and at the request of the Company, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his or her status as a present or former trustee or officer of the Company. The bylaws of the Company obligate it, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of
a proceeding to (a) any present or former trustee or officer who is made party to the proceeding by reason of his service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a trustee or officer of the Company and at the request of the Company, serves or has served another real estate investment trust, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise as a trustee, director, officer or partner of such real estate investment trust, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made a party to the proceeding by reason of his service in that capacity, against any claim or liability to which he may become subject by reason of such status.
The declaration of trust and bylaws also permit the Company to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served as a predecessor of the Company in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of the Company or a predecessor of the Company. The bylaws require the Company to indemnify a trustee or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he is made a party by reason of his service in that capacity.
Maryland law permits a Maryland real estate investment trust to indemnify and advance expenses to its trustees, officers, employees and agents to the same extent as permitted by Maryland law for directors and officers of Maryland corporations. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation. In accordance with Maryland law, the bylaws of the Company require it, as a condition to advance expenses, to obtain (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his good faith belief that he has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the Company as authorized by the bylaws and (b) a written statement by or on his behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the Company if it shall ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
The Company has entered into a separate indemnification agreement with each of its trustees, executive officers and chief accounting officer. The indemnification agreements require, among other things, that the Company indemnify its trustees and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law and advance to its trustees and executive officers all related expenses, subject to reimbursement if it is subsequently determined that indemnification is not permitted.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to trustees or officers pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Company has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 7. | Exemption from Registration Claimed. Not applicable. |
Item 8. | Exhibits. |
See Exhibit Index, which is incorporated here by reference.
Item 9. | Undertakings. |
(a) The undersigned Company hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high and of the estimated maximum offering range may be
reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the Calculation of Registration Fee table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change in such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(l)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(b) The undersigned issuer hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Companys annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to Item 6 of this Part II, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Bethesda, state of Maryland on April 28, 2009.
LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES | ||
By: |
/ S / H ANS S. W EGER |
|
Hans S. Weger | ||
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
We, the undersigned officers and trustees of LaSalle Hotel Properties, hereby severally constitute Jon E. Bortz, Michael D. Barnello and Hans S. Weger, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the registration statement filed herewith and any and all amendments to said registration statement, and generally to do all such things in our names and in our capacities as officers and trustees to enable LaSalle Hotel Properties to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act, and all requirements of the SEC, hereby ratifying and confirming our signature as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said registration statement and any and all amendments thereto.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature |
Title |
Date |
||||
/ S / J ON E. B ORTZ |
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Jon E. Bortz | ||||||
/ S / D ARRYL H ARTLEY -L EONARD |
Trustee | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Darryl Hartley-Leonard | ||||||
/ S / K ELLY L. K UHN |
Trustee | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Kelly L. Kuhn | ||||||
/ S /W ILLIAM S. M C C ALMONT |
Trustee | April 28, 2009 | ||||
William S. McCalmont | ||||||
/ S / D ONALD S. P ERKINS |
Trustee | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Donald S. Perkins | ||||||
/ S / S TUART L. S COTT |
Trustee | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Stuart L. Scott | ||||||
/ S / D ONALD A W ASHBURN |
Trustee | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Donald A. Washburn | ||||||
/ S / M ICHAEL D. B ARNELLO |
Trustee and President | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Michael D. Barnello | ||||||
/ S / H ANS S. W EGER |
Executive Vice President and Chief | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Hans S. Weger |
Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) |
|||||
/ S / J ULIO E. M ORALES |
Chief Accounting Officer | April 28, 2009 | ||||
Julio E. Morales |
(Principal Accounting Officer) |
EXHIBIT INDEX
TO
REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8
Exhibit No. |
Description |
|
3.1 | Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 1-14045) filed with the SEC on April 16, 2009) | |
3.2 | Second Amended and Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 1-14045) filed with the SEC on February 20, 2009) | |
5.1 | Opinion of DLA Piper LLP (US) | |
10.1 | LaSalle Hotel Properties 2009 Equity Incentive Plan | |
10.2 | Trustee Fee Deferral Program | |
23.1 | Consent of KPMG LLP (independent registered public accounting firm) | |
23.2 | Consent of DLA Piper LLP (US) (included in Exhibit 5.1) | |
24.1 | Power of Attorney (included on signature page) |
Exhibit 5.1
DLA Piper LLP ( US ) 4141 Parklake Avenue, Suite 300 Raleigh, North Carolina 27612-2350 www.dlapiper.com
T 919.786.2000 F 919.786.2200
|
||
April 28, 2009 |
||
LaSalle Hotel Properties 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 1200 Bethesda, Maryland 20814 |
Re: Form S-8 Registration Statement 2009 Equity Incentive Plan
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We, as counsel to LaSalle Hotel Properties, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the Company), hereby provide this opinion in connection with the preparation and filing on April 28, 2009, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) of a registration statement on Form S-8 (the Registration Statement) registering 1,800,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Shares), all of which are issuable pursuant to the exercise of options and other awards granted under the LaSalle Hotel Properties 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan). This opinion letter is rendered pursuant to Item 8 of Form S-8 and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K.
We have examined copies of the Registration Statement, the Companys Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust (the Declaration of Trust), the Companys Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, the Plan, the trust action taken by the Company that provides for the registration of the Shares and issuance or delivery of the Shares to be issued or delivered under the Plan, and such other materials and matters as we have deemed necessary for the issuance of this opinion. In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to original documents of all copies submitted to us and the legal capacity of all individuals executing such documents. As to various questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied on statements and certificates of, or communications with, officers and representatives of the Company and others.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing and the further limitations and qualifications hereinafter expressed, it is our opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized, and upon the issuance and delivery of the Shares in the manner contemplated by the Plan, and assuming the Company completes all actions and proceedings required on its part to be taken prior to the issuance and delivery of the Shares pursuant to the terms of the Plan, including, without limitation, collection of required payment for the Shares, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
Our opinion set forth above is subject to the following general qualifications and assumptions:
1. | The foregoing opinion is rendered as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update or supplement this opinion if any laws change after the date hereof or if any facts or circumstances come to our attention after the date hereof that might change this opinion. |
2. | We have made no investigation as to, and we express no opinion concerning, any laws other than the Maryland REIT Law, applicable provisions of the Constitution of the State of Maryland and reported judicial decisions interpreting such REIT Law and Constitution, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other laws. |
April 28, 2009
Page Two
3. | Without limiting the effect of the immediately preceding qualification, we note that we express no opinion as to compliance with the securities or blue sky laws or principles of conflicts of laws of the State of Maryland or any other jurisdiction. |
4. | We assume that the issuance of the Shares, together with any other outstanding common shares, will not cause the Company to issue common shares in excess of the number of such shares authorized by the Declaration of Trust. |
5. | We assume that the Shares will not be issued in violation of any restriction or limitation contained in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust. |
6. | This opinion is limited to the matters set forth herein, and no other opinion should be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name wherever appearing in the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ DLA Piper LLP (US)
Exhibit 10.1
LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES
2009 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1. | Establishment, Purpose and Types of Awards |
LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the Company ), hereby establishes the LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES 2009 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN (the Plan ). The purpose of the Plan is to promote the long-term growth and profitability of the Company by (i) providing key people with incentives to improve shareholder value and to contribute to the growth and financial success of the Company through their future services, and (ii) enabling the Company to attract, retain and reward the best-available persons.
The Plan permits the granting of share options (including incentive share options qualifying under Code section 422 and nonstatutory share options), share appreciation rights, restricted or unrestricted share awards, phantom shares, performance awards, other share-based awards, or any combination of the foregoing.
2. | Definitions |
Under this Plan, except where the context otherwise indicates, the following definitions apply:
(a) Administrator means the Board or the committee(s) or officer(s) appointed by the Board that have authority to administer the Plan as provided in Section 3 hereof.
(b) Affiliate means any entity, whether now or hereafter existing, which controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company (including, but not limited to, joint ventures, limited liability companies, and partnerships). For this purpose, control shall mean ownership of 50% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of shares or interests of the entity, or the power to direct the management and policies of the entity, by contract or otherwise.
(c) Award means any share option, share appreciation right, share award, phantom share award, performance award, or other share-based award (including interests in the Operating Partnership).
(d) Board means the Board of Trustees of the Company.
(e) Change in Control means: (i) the acquisition (other than from the Company) in one or more transactions by any Person, as defined in this Section 2(e), of the beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of 50% or more of (A) the then outstanding shares of the securities of the Company, or (B) the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees (the Company Voting Shares ); (ii) the closing of a sale or other conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; or (iii) the effective time of any merger, share exchange, consolidation, or other business combination involving the Company if immediately after such transaction persons who hold a majority of the outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving entity (or the entity owning 100% of such surviving entity) are not persons who, immediately prior to such transaction, held the Company Voting Shares; provided , however , that for purposes of any Award or subplan, the Administrator, in its discretion, may specify a different definition of Change in Control that complies with the provisions of Code section 409A. For purposes of this Section 2(e), a Person means any individual, entity or group within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, other than: employee benefit plans sponsored or maintained by the Company and by entities controlled by the Company or an underwriter of the Common Shares in a registered public offering.
(f) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.
(g) Common Shares means common shares of beneficial interest of the Company, par value of $0.01 per share.
(h) Fair Market Value means, with respect to a share of the Companys Common Shares for any purpose on a particular date, the value determined by the Administrator in good faith. However, if the Common Shares are registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and listed for trading on a national exchange or market, Fair Market Value means, as applicable, (i) the closing price quoted on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the Nasdaq Global Market; (ii) the last sale price on the relevant date quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market; (iii) the average of the high bid and low asked prices on the relevant date quoted on the Nasdaq OTC Bulletin Board Service or by the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. or a comparable service as determined in the Administrators discretion; or (iv) if the Common Shares have not been quoted by any of the above, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on the relevant date furnished by a professional market maker for the Common Shares, or by such other source, selected by the Administrator. If no public trading of the Common Shares occurs on the relevant date but the shares are so listed, then Fair Market Value shall be determined as of the next preceding date on which trading of the Common Shares does occur. For all purposes under this Plan, the term relevant date as used in this Section 2(h) means either the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined or the next preceding date on which public trading of the Common Shares occurs, as determined in the Administrators discretion.
(i) Grant Agreement means a written document memorializing the terms and conditions of an Award granted pursuant to the Plan and which shall incorporate the terms of the Plan.
(j) Operating Partnership means LaSalle Hotel Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, or its successor.
3. | Administration |
(a) Administration of the Plan. The Plan shall be administered by the Board or by such committee or committees as may be appointed by the Board from time to time. To the extent allowed by applicable state law, the Board by resolution may authorize an officer or officers to grant Awards (other than share Awards) to other officers and employees of the Company and its Affiliates, and, to the extent of such authorization, such officer or officers shall be the Administrator.
(b) Powers of the Administrator . The Administrator shall have all the powers vested in it by the terms of the Plan, such powers to include authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to grant Awards under the Plan, prescribe Grant Agreements evidencing such Awards and establish programs for granting Awards.
The Administrator shall have full power and authority to take all other actions necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of the Plan, including, but not limited to, the authority to: (i) determine the eligible persons to whom, and the time or times at which Awards shall be granted; (ii) determine the types of Awards to be granted; (iii) determine the number of shares to be covered by or used for reference purposes for each Award; (iv) impose such terms, limitations, restrictions and conditions upon any such Award as the Administrator shall deem appropriate; (v) modify, amend, extend or renew outstanding Awards, or accept the surrender of outstanding Awards and substitute new Awards (provided however, that, except as provided in Section 6 or 7(d) of the Plan, any modification that would materially adversely affect any outstanding Award shall not be made without the consent of the holder); (vi) accelerate or otherwise change the time in which an Award may be exercised or becomes payable and to waive or accelerate the lapse, in whole or in part, of any restriction or condition with respect to such Award, including, but not limited to, any restriction or condition with respect to the vesting or exercisability of an Award following termination of any grantees employment or other relationship with the Company; (vii) establish objectives and conditions, if any, for earning Awards and determining whether Awards will be paid with respect to a performance period; and (viii) for any purpose, including but not limited to, qualifying for preferred tax treatment under foreign tax laws or otherwise complying with the regulatory requirements of local or foreign jurisdictions, to establish, amend, modify, administer or terminate sub-plans, and prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to such sub-plans.
2
The Administrator shall have full power and authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to administer, construe and interpret the Plan, Grant Agreements and all other documents relevant to the Plan and Awards issued thereunder, to establish, amend, rescind and interpret such rules, regulations, agreements, guidelines and instruments for the administration of the Plan and for the conduct of its business as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable, and to correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award in the manner and to the extent the Administrator shall deem it desirable to carry it into effect.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, neither the Board nor the Administrator shall have the authority to take any of the following actions, unless the shareholders of the Company have approved such an action within twelve (12) months prior to such an event: (i) the reduction of the exercise price of any outstanding share option or Share Appreciation Right under the Plan; (ii) the cancellation of any outstanding share option or Share Appreciation Right under the Plan and the grant in substitution therefor of (1) a new share option or Share Appreciation Right under the Plan or another equity plan of the Company covering the same or a different number of Common Shares, (2) a restricted share Award (including a share bonus), (3) an other share-based Award, (4) a phantom share Award, (5) a performance award, (6) cash and/or (7) other valuable consideration (as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion); or (iii) any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles.
(c) Non-Uniform Determinations . The Administrators determinations under the Plan (including without limitation, determinations of the persons to receive Awards, the form, amount and timing of such Awards, the terms and provisions of such Awards and the Grant Agreements evidencing such Awards) need not be uniform and may be made by the Administrator selectively among persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards under the Plan, whether or not such persons are similarly situated.
(d) Limited Liability. To the maximum extent permitted by law, no member of the Administrator shall be liable for any action taken or decision made in good faith relating to the Plan or any Award thereunder.
(e) Indemnification . To the maximum extent permitted by law and by the Companys charter and by-laws, the members of the Administrator shall be indemnified by the Company in respect of all their activities under the Plan.
(f) Effect of Administrators Decision . All actions taken and decisions and determinations made by the Administrator on all matters relating to the Plan pursuant to the powers vested in it hereunder shall be in the Administrators sole and absolute discretion and shall be conclusive and binding on all parties concerned, including the Company, its shareholders, any participants in the Plan and any other employee, consultant, trustee, or director of the Company, and their respective successors in interest.
4. | Shares Available for the Plan; Maximum Awards |
Subject to adjustments as provided in Section 7(d) of the Plan, the Common Shares that may be issued with respect to Awards granted under the Plan shall not exceed an aggregate of One Million Eight Hundred Thousand (1,800,000) Common Shares. The Company shall reserve such number of shares for Awards under the Plan, subject to adjustments as provided in Section 7(d) of the Plan. If any Award, or portion of an Award, under the Plan expires or terminates unexercised, becomes unexercisable, is settled in cash without delivery of Common Shares, or is forfeited or otherwise terminated, surrendered or canceled as to any shares, or if any Common Shares are repurchased by or surrendered to the Company in connection with any Award (whether or not such surrendered shares were acquired pursuant to any Award), or if any shares are withheld by the Company, the shares subject to such Award and the repurchased, surrendered and withheld shares shall thereafter be available for further Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that any such shares that are surrendered to or repurchased or withheld by the Company in connection with any Award or that are otherwise forfeited after issuance shall not be available for purchase pursuant to incentive share options intended to qualify under Code section 422.
3
Subject to adjustments as provided in Section 7(d) of the Plan, the maximum number of Common Shares subject to Awards of any combination that may be granted during any one fiscal year of the Company to any one individual under this Plan shall be limited to 500,000 shares. Such per-individual limit shall not be adjusted to effect a restoration of Common Shares with respect to which the related Award is terminated, surrendered or canceled.
5. | Participation |
Participation in the Plan shall be open to all employees, officers, trustees and directors of, and other individuals providing bona fide services to or for, the Company, or of any Affiliate of the Company, as may be selected by the Administrator from time to time. The Administrator may also grant Awards to individuals in connection with hiring, retention or otherwise, prior to the date the individual first performs services for the Company or an Affiliate, provided that such Awards shall not become vested or exercisable, and no shares shall be issued to such individual, prior to the date the individual first commences performance of such services.
6. | Awards |
The Administrator, in its sole discretion, establishes the terms of all Awards granted under the Plan. Awards may be granted individually or in tandem with other types of Awards, concurrently with or with respect to outstanding Awards. All Awards are subject to the terms and conditions provided in the Grant Agreement.
(a) Share Options. The Administrator may from time to time grant to eligible participants Awards of incentive share options as that term is defined in Code section 422 or nonstatutory share options; provided , however , that Awards of incentive share options shall be limited to employees of the Company or of any current or hereafter existing parent corporation or subsidiary corporation , as defined in Code sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Company and any other individuals who are eligible to receive incentive share options under the provisions of Code section 422. Options intended to qualify as incentive share options under Code section 422 must have an exercise price at least equal to Fair Market Value as of the date of grant, but nonstatutory share options may be granted with an exercise price less than Fair Market Value. No share option shall be an incentive share option unless so designated by the Administrator at the time of grant or in the Grant Agreement evidencing such share option.
(b) Share Appreciation Rights. The Administrator may from time to time grant to eligible participants Awards of Share Appreciation Rights ( SAR ). A SAR entitles the grantee to receive, subject to the provisions of the Plan and the Grant Agreement, a payment having an aggregate value equal to the product of (i) the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value on the exercise date of one Common Share over (B) the base price per share specified in the Grant Agreement, times (ii) the number of shares specified by the SAR, or portion thereof, which is exercised. The base price per share specified in the Grant Agreement shall not be less than the lower of the Fair Market Value on the grant date or the exercise price of any tandem share option Award to which the SAR is related. Payment by the Company of the amount receivable upon any exercise of a SAR may be made by the delivery of Common Shares or cash, or any combination of Common Shares and cash, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. If upon settlement of the exercise of a SAR a grantee is to receive a portion of such payment in Common Shares, the number of shares shall be determined by dividing such portion by the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the exercise date. No fractional shares shall be used for such payment and the Administrator shall determine whether cash shall be given in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated.
(c) Share Awards. The Administrator may from time to time grant restricted or unrestricted share Awards to eligible participants in such amounts, on such terms and conditions, and for such consideration, including no consideration or such minimum consideration as may be required by law, as it shall determine. A share Award may be paid in Common Shares, in cash, or in a combination of Common Shares and cash, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator.
(d) Phantom Shares. The Administrator may from time to time grant Awards to eligible participants denominated in share-equivalent units ( phantom shares ) in such amounts and on such terms and conditions as it shall determine. Phantom share units granted to a participant shall be
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credited to a bookkeeping reserve account solely for accounting purposes and shall not require a segregation of any of the Companys assets. An Award of phantom shares may be settled in Common Shares, in cash, or in a combination of Common Shares and cash, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Grant Agreement, the grantee shall not have the rights of a shareholder with respect to any Common Shares represented by a phantom share unit solely as a result of the grant of a phantom share unit to the grantee.
(e) Performance Awards . The Administrator may, in its discretion, grant performance awards which become payable on account of attainment of one or more performance goals established by the Administrator. Performance awards may be paid by the delivery of Common Shares or cash, or any combination of Common Shares and cash, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. Performance goals established by the Administrator may be based on the Companys or an Affiliates operating income or one or more other business criteria selected by the Administrator that apply to an individual or group of individuals, a business unit, or the Company or an Affiliate as a whole, over such performance period as the Administrator may designate.
(f) Other Share-Based Awards. The Administrator may from time to time grant other share-based awards to eligible participants in such amounts, on such terms and conditions, and for such consideration, including no consideration or such minimum consideration as may be required by law, as it shall determine. Other share-based awards may be denominated in cash, in Common Shares or other securities, in share-equivalent units, in share appreciation units, in securities or debentures convertible into Common Shares, or in any combination of the foregoing and may be paid in Common Shares or other securities, in cash, or in a combination of Common Shares or other securities and cash, all as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator.
7. | Miscellaneous |
(a) Withholding of Taxes . Grantees and holders of Awards shall pay to the Company or its Affiliate, or make provision satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of, any taxes required to be withheld in respect of Awards under the Plan no later than the date of the event creating the tax liability. The Company or its Affiliate may, to the extent permitted by law, deduct any such tax obligations from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the grantee or holder of an Award. In the event that payment to the Company or its Affiliate of such tax obligations is made in Common Shares, such shares shall be valued at Fair Market Value on the applicable date for such purposes and shall not exceed in amount the minimum statutory tax withholding obligation.
(b) Loans . To the extent otherwise permitted by law, the Company or its Affiliate may make or guarantee loans to grantees to assist grantees in exercising Awards and satisfying any withholding tax obligations.
(c) Transferability . Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, and in any event in the case of an incentive share option or a share appreciation right granted with respect to an incentive share option, no Award granted under the Plan shall be transferable by a grantee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in accord with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, an Award may be exercised during the lifetime of the grantee, only by the grantee or, during the period the grantee is under a legal disability, by the grantees guardian or legal representative.
(d) Adjustments for Corporate Transactions and Other Events .
(i) |
Share Dividend, Share Split and Reverse Share Split. In the event of a share dividend of, or share split or reverse share split affecting, the Common Shares, (A) the maximum number of Common Shares as to which Awards may be granted under this Plan and the maximum number of shares with respect to which Awards may be granted during any one fiscal year of the Company to any individual, as provided in Section 4 of the Plan, and (B) the number of shares covered by and the exercise price and other terms of outstanding Awards, shall, without further action of the Board, be adjusted to reflect such event. The |
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Administrator may make adjustments, in its discretion, to address the treatment of fractional shares and fractional cents that arise with respect to outstanding Awards as a result of the share dividend, share split or reverse share split. |
(ii) | Non-Change in Control Transactions. Except with respect to the transactions set forth in Section 7(d)(i), in the event of any change affecting the Common Shares, the Company or its capitalization, by reason of a spin-off, split-up, dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or share exchange, other than any such change that is part of a transaction resulting in a Change in Control, the Administrator, in its discretion and without the consent of the holders of the Awards, may make (A) appropriate adjustments to the maximum number and kind of shares reserved for issuance or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan, in the aggregate and with respect to any individual during any one fiscal year of the Company, as provided in Section 4 of the Plan; and (B) any adjustments in outstanding Awards, including but not limited to modifying the number, kind and price of securities subject to Awards. |
(iii) | Change in Control Transactions. In the event of any transaction resulting in a Change in Control, outstanding share options and other Awards that are payable in or convertible into Common Shares under this Plan will terminate upon the effective time of such Change in Control unless provision is made in connection with the transaction for the continuation or assumption of such Awards by, or for the substitution of the equivalent awards, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator, of, the surviving or successor entity or a parent thereof. In the event of such termination, the holders of share options and other Awards under the Plan will be permitted, immediately before the Change in Control, to exercise or convert all portions of such share options or other Awards under the Plan that are then exercisable or convertible or which become exercisable or convertible upon or prior to the effective time of the Change in Control. |
(iv) | Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Administrator is authorized to make, in its discretion and without the consent of holders of Awards, adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Administrator determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan. |
(e) Substitution of Awards in Mergers and Acquisitions. Awards may be granted under the Plan from time to time in substitution for awards held by employees, officers, consultants or directors of entities who become or are about to become employees, officers, consultants or directors of the Company or an Affiliate as the result of a merger or consolidation of the employing entity with the Company or an Affiliate, or the acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of the assets or stock of the employing entity. The terms and conditions of any substitute Awards so granted may vary from the terms and conditions set forth herein to the extent that the Administrator deems appropriate at the time of grant to conform the substitute Awards to the provisions of the awards for which they are substituted.
(f) Termination, Amendment and Modification of the Plan . The Board may terminate, amend or modify the Plan or any portion thereof at any time. Except as otherwise determined by the Board, termination of the Plan shall not affect the Administrators ability to exercise the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Awards granted under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.
(g) Non-Guarantee of Employment or Service . Nothing in the Plan or in any Grant Agreement thereunder shall confer any right on an individual to continue in the service of the Company or shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company to terminate such service at any time with or
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without cause or notice and whether or not such termination results in (i) the failure of any Award to vest; (ii) the forfeiture of any unvested or vested portion of any Award; and/or (iii) any other adverse effect on the individuals interests under the Plan.
(h) No Trust or Fund Created . Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and a grantee or any other person. To the extent that any grantee or other person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company.
(i) Governing Law . The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, of Grant Agreements entered into pursuant to the Plan, and of any rules, regulations, determinations or decisions made by the Administrator relating to the Plan or such Grant Agreements, and the rights of any and all persons having or claiming to have any interest therein or thereunder, shall be determined exclusively in accordance with applicable federal laws and the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
(j) Effective Date; Termination Date . The Plan is effective as of the date on which the Plan is adopted by the Board, subject to approval of the shareholders within twelve (12) months before or after such date. No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the close of business on the day immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the Plan, or if earlier, the tenth anniversary of the date this Plan is approved by the shareholders. Subject to other applicable provisions of the Plan, all Awards made under the Plan prior to such termination of the Plan shall remain in effect until such Awards have been satisfied or terminated in accordance with the Plan and the terms of such Awards.
PLAN APPROVAL | ||||
Date Approved by the Board: |
January 28, 2009 |
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Date Approved by the Shareholders: |
April 23, 2009 |
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Exhibit 10.2
LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES
TRUSTEE FEE DEFERRAL PROGRAM
This Trustee Fee Deferral Program (the Program) relates to the common shares, par value $.01 per share (the Common Shares), of LaSalle Hotel Properties, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the Company). This Program document describes the ability of independent trustees of the Company to defer receipt of certain trustees fees. The Program, as amended and restated, is effective January 28, 2009. The Program is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the final Treasury Regulations thereunder, and other applicable Treasury guidance thereunder (together, Section 409A). The Program is a sub-plan of the LaSalle Hotel Properties 2009 Equity Incentive Plan.
DEFERRAL OF FEES PAID IN COMMON SHARES
Payment of Trustees Fees . Each trustee of the Company on the Board of Trustees (the Board) who is not also an employee of the Company\ or its affiliates (an Independent Trustee) currently receives one-half of his or her annual retainer fees for serving as a trustee in the form of cash and one-half of such fees in the form of Common Shares. The number of Common Shares into which such fees are converted is determined using the average closing price of the Common Shares during the month of December of the calendar year in which the fees are earned. The cash fees and the Common Shares are distributed to the Independent Trustee in January of the calendar year following the year in which the fees are earned. The Independent Trustee also may elect to have all or any part of the cash portion of such fees converted in the same manner and paid in the form of additional Common Shares.
Deferral Election . Each Independent Trustee may elect to have the entire portion of his or her annual retainer fees that will be paid in the form of Common Shares (including any cash fees that will be converted into additional shares) distributed:
(i) in a single payment, in January of the calendar year following the year in which such fees are earned,
(ii) in a single payment, on January 31 st of the calendar year following the year in which he or she ceases to serve on the Board (provided that such cessation is a separation from service as defined in Section 409A (Separation from Service)), or
(iii) in five equal annual installment payments, beginning on January 31 st of the calendar year following the year in which he or she ceases to serve on the Board (provided that such cessation is a Separation from Service).
If the Independent Trustees cessation of service as a Board member does not constitute a Separation from Service, then the payment provision elected pursuant to subparagraphs (ii) or (iii) above will be implemented by reference to the Independent Trustees later Separation from Service.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the death of an Independent Trustee (whether or not he or she is still serving on the Board) and upon a Change in Control of the Company (defined as a change in control event of the Company, as described in Section 409A), any unpaid Common Shares for years prior to the year in which such event occurs, and an amount of cash reflecting the portion of the Independent Trustees annual retainer earned during such year up to the date of such event, will be distributed to the Independent Trustee or his or her designated representative, within ninety (90) days after such event.
An Independent Trustee may not elect to defer the payment of the portion of his or her fees that will be distributed in cash.
Manner of Making Elections . Each person who is an Independent Trustee may elect to defer the payment of any annual retainer fees that will be earned by him or her during the following calendar year. The election must be made on a form provided by the Company and must specify (i) what portion, if any, of the Independent Trustees cash fees should be converted into additional Common Shares, and (ii) which of the three distribution options described above should be used for the payment of the Independent Trustees Common Shares. The completed election form must be returned to the Secretary of the Company by December 31 before the beginning of the calendar year to which it relates, and the election will become irrevocable as of that December 31. If an Independent Trustee does not timely return a completed election form with respect to a calendar year, all of his or her annual retainer fees for that year will be distributed in a single payment (one-half Common Shares and one-half cash) in January of the year following the year in which the fees are earned.
Dividend Equivalent Rights . If an Independent Trustee elects to defer the distribution of any fees payable in the form of Common Shares until after he or she ceases to serve on the Board, the number of Common Shares payable to the Independent Trustee on such payment dates (as described above) will be increased to reflect any dividends that are paid with respect to the Common Shares during the period beginning on January 1 st of the calendar year following the year in which the fees are earned and ending on the day before the Common Shares are distributed. Increases in connection with dividend equivalent rights will be for the number of Common Shares (rounded to the nearest whole number of Common Shares) determined by dividing (i) the product of the per share dollar value of each dividend with a record date during such period and the number of Common Shares (adjusted to reflect any prior increases) payable to the Independent Trustee as of such record date by (ii) the average closing price of the Common Shares during the 10 trading days, on which trading in the Common Shares occurs, preceding the first day on which the Common Shares begin trading without entitlement to the relevant dividend.
Rights of Independent Trustees . The claims of an Independent Trustee against the Company for undistributed or unpaid fees shall be no greater than the claims of a general, unsecured creditor, and no amounts or property shall be held in trust, earmarked or otherwise set aside by the Company to provide for the payment of such fees.
Amendment or Termination . The Board may amend or terminate this Program at any time. Any termination of the Program will be implemented in accordance with Section 409A.
Section 409A . This Program will be interpreted and construed in favor of it meeting the applicable requirements of Section 409A. The Company, in its reasonable discretion, may amend the Program (including retroactively) in any manner to conform with Section 409A. Despite the foregoing, the Company shall not guarantee any particular tax effect to the Independent Trustee of participation in the Program.
In addition, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if an Independent Trustee is a specified employee, as defined in Section 409A, as of the date of his or her Separation from Service, payment or commencement of payment under the Program to such Independent Trustee will not be made before the date that is six (6) months after the date of his or her Separation from Service (or, if earlier than the end of the six-month period, the date of death of the Independent Trustee). Payments to which a specified employee would otherwise be entitled during this period will be accumulated and paid, without interest, on the first business day of the seventh (7th) month following the date of his or her Separation from Service. If the Independent Trustee dies during the 6-month delay, payment will be made within ninety (90) days after his or her death. The determination of whether an Independent Trustee is a specified employee will be made by the Compensation Committee of the Board, and all Independent Trustees will be bound by that determination.
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LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES
Independent Trustee Retainer Election Form
For 2009 Retainer
Independent Trustees of LaSalle Hotel Properties (the Company) receive ½ of their annual retainers in the form of Common Shares and ½ of their annual retainers in the form of cash; provided, however, that each Independent Trustee may elect to receive any or all of the cash portion of the annual retainer in the form of Common Shares.
PLEASE COMPLETE BOTH PORTIONS OF THIS FORM AND
FAX IT TO HANS S. WEGER AT 202-941-1553
Cash/Common Share Election
The undersigned Independent Trustee hereby irrevocably elects to receive the cash portion of his 2009 annual retainer as indicated below:
_______ |
The undersigned elects to receive the ½ of the undersigneds annual retainer in the form of cash. | |
_______ |
In lieu of cash, the undersigned elects to receive % of the ½ of the undersigneds annual retainer otherwise payable in cash in the form of Common Shares. |
Deferral Election
The undersigned Independent Trustee hereby irrevocably elects to receive the Common Shares (including any Common Shares attributable to dividend equivalent rights) payable to him with respect to the portion of 2009 annual retainer as indicated below:
_______ | The undersigned elects to receive the Common Shares in January 2010. | |
_______ | The undersigned elects to receive the Common Shares in a single payment, on January 31 of the calendar year following the year in which the undersigned ceases to serve on the Board (provided that such cessation is a Separation from Service). | |
_______ | The undersigned elects to receive the Common Shares in five equal annual installment payments beginning on January 31 of the calendar year following the year in which the undersigned ceases to serve on the Board (provided that such cessation is a Separation from Service). |
If the Independent Trustees cessation of service as a Board member does not constitute a Separation from Service, then the payment provisions described above will be implemented by reference to the Independent Trustees later Separation from Service.
I certify that I have received, read, and understand the provisions of the Trustee Fee Deferral Program (the Program), and agree to the provisions therein. The Program is incorporated by reference into this election form.
Date: |
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Name: |
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Signature: |
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Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Trustees
LaSalle Hotel Properties:
We consent to the use of our reports dated February 19, 2009, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of LaSalle Hotel Properties as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2008, and the related financial statement schedule and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, incorporated herein by reference in the prospectus.
/s/ KPMG LLP
Chicago, IL
April 28, 2009