As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 16, 2020

Registration No. 333-249133

 

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Amendment No. 1 to

FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

Delaware   7990   84-3235695
(State or Other Jurisdiction of   (Primary Standard Industrial   (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)   Classification Code Number)   Identification No.)

 

2626 Fulton Drive NW
Canton, OH 44718
(330) 458-9176

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,

Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

Michael Crawford
Chief Executive Officer
2626 Fulton Drive NW

Canton, OH 44718
(330) 458-9176

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,

Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 

Copies to:

J. Steven Patterson, Esq.

Scott D. McKinney, Esq.

Mayme Beth F. Donohue, Esq.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20037

Tel: (202) 955-1500

Mitchell S. Nussbaum, Esq.

Angela M. Dowd, Esq.

Loeb & Loeb LLP

345 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10154

Tel: (212) 407-4000

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. ☒

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a 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 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

 

  Large accelerated filer ☐   Accelerated filer ☒
  Non-accelerated filer ☐   Smaller reporting company ☒
      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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

 

 

 

  

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

  

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered

  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price(1)
    Amount of
Registration Fee
 
Units consisting of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and Warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share   $ 25,000,000     $ 2,986.50
Common Stock included in Units     Included  with Units above       -  
Warrants included in Units(2)     Included with Units above       -  
Common Stock issuable upon exercise of Warrants(3)   $ 25,000,000     $ 2,986.50  
Total   $ 50,000,000     $ 5,973 (4)

 

 

(1) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

(2) Pursuant to Rule 457(g) of the Act, no separate registration fee is required for the Warrants because the Warrants are being registered in the same registration statement as the Common Stock of the Registrant issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

 

(3) In addition to the shares of Common Stock set forth in this table, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Act, this registration statement also registers such indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock as may become issuable upon exercise of these securities as the same may be adjusted as a result of stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations or other similar transactions.

 

(4) $3,245 of the total registration fee was previously paid on September 29, 2020 with the initial filing of this Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-249133), pursuant to the filing fee rate then in effect.

  

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION—DATED OCTOBER 16, 2020

 

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

Up to 10,548,523 Units

Consisting of an Aggregate of up to 10,548,523 Shares of Common Stock and

Warrants to Purchase up to 10,548,523 Shares of Common Stock

at a Price of $2.37 per Unit and

Up to 10,548,523 Shares of Common Stock Issuable upon the Exercise of the

Warrants Included in the Units

 

This prospectus relates to our offer and sale of up to 10,548,523 units (the “Units”), each consisting of one share of our common stock, par value 0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) and one warrant (the “Warrants”). Each Warrant will be exercisable for one share of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $           (not less than 100% of the public Offering Price of each unit sold in this Offering) per share from the date of issuance through its expiration           years from the date of issuance. We refer to the offering that is the subject of this prospectus as the Offering. The Common Stock and the Warrants comprising the Units will separate upon the closing of the Offering and will be issued separately but may only be purchased as a Unit, and the Units will not be certificated and will not trade as a separate security.

 

See the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 17 of this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before investing in our securities.

 

Our Common Stock is traded on The Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “HOFV” and our outstanding series of warrants (the “Existing Warrants”) are traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “HOFVW”. On October 15, 2020, the closing price of our Common Stock was $2.37 and the closing price of our Existing Warrants was $0.26. There is no public trading market for the Warrants to be issued in connection with this Offering and we do not intend to list the Warrants for trading on Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or market. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the Warrants will be limited.

 

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.

   

    Per Unit     Total  
Public offering price   $       $    
Underwriting discounts and commissions (1)   $       $    
Proceeds to us, before expenses   $       $    

 

 

(1) See the section entitled “Underwriting” in this prospectus for additional disclosure regarding underwriter compensation and offering expenses

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The Offering is being underwritten on a firm commitment basis. We have granted the underwriters an option exercisable within 45 days from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to an additional 1,582,276 shares of Common Stock at a price of $                    per share and/or up to an additional 1,582,276 Warrants at a price of $                     price per Warrant, less the underwriting discount, cover over-allotments, if any.

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the securities to purchasers on    , 2020.

 

Book Running Manager

 

Maxim Group LLC

 

The date of this prospectus is         , 2020.

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

  Page
   
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS ii
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ii
SUMMARY OF THE PROSPECTUS 1
SUMMARY FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF HOF VILLAGE 7
SUMMARY FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF GPAQ 8
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION 9
RISK FACTORS 17
DILUTION 39
USE OF PROCEEDS 40
BUSINESS 41
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF HOF VILLAGE 47
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF GPAQ 56
MANAGEMENT 60
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 68
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES 79
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES 86
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES 90
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS 92
UNDERWRITING 101
LEGAL MATTERS 103
EXPERTS 103
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION 103
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS F-1

 

You should rely only on the information provided in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date of the applicable document. Since the respective dates of this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed.

 

i

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). The exhibits to the registration statement contain the full text of certain contracts and other important documents we have summarized in this prospectus. Since these summaries may not contain all the information that you may find important in deciding whether to purchase our securities, you should review the full text of these documents. The registration statement and the exhibits can be obtained from the Commission as indicated under the sections entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information from that contained in this prospectus. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any exercise of the rights. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read carefully the entirety of this prospectus before making an investment decision.

 

The distribution of this prospectus and the Offering and the sale of our securities in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. This prospectus does not constitute an offer of, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of our securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not permitted. No action is being taken in any jurisdiction outside the United States to permit an offering of our securities or possession or distribution of this prospectus in that jurisdiction. Persons who come into possession of this prospectus in jurisdictions outside the United States are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions as to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus applicable to those jurisdictions.

 

Unless the context indicates otherwise, references in this prospectus to the “Company,” “HOFRE,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company.

 

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are generally identified by use of words such as “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimated,” “believe,” “intend,” “plan,” “projection,” “outlook,” “target,” “seek,” or words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future opportunities for the Company and the Company’s estimated future results. Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements.

 

In addition to factors identified elsewhere in this prospectus, the following risks, among others, could cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: the benefits of the Business Combination; the future financial performance of the Company and its subsidiaries, including Newco (as defined below); changes in the market in which the Company competes; expansion and other plans and opportunities; the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business; the Company’s ability to raise financing in the future; the Company’s ability to maintain the listing of its Common Stock on Nasdaq; other factors detailed under the section titled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus.

 

Actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially, and potentially adversely, from any projections and forward-looking statements and the assumptions on which those forward-looking statements are based. There can be no assurance that the data contained herein is reflective of future performance to any degree. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a predictor of future performance. All information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, in the case of information about the Company, or as of the date of such information, in the case of information from persons other than the Company, and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this prospectus. Forecasts and estimates regarding the Company’s industry and end markets are based on sources we believe to be reliable, however there can be no assurance these forecasts and estimates will prove accurate in whole or in part. Annualized, pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for illustrative purpose only, are not forecasts and may not reflect actual results.

 

ii

 

 

SUMMARY OF THE PROSPECTUS

 

This summary highlights selected information from this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that is important to you in making an investment decision. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed information included in this prospectus. Before making your investment decision with respect to our securities, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including the information under “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of HOF Village,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of GPAQ,” “Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements” and the financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

The Company

 

We are a resort and entertainment company leveraging the power and popularity of professional football and its legendary players in partnership with the National Football Museum, Inc., doing business as the Pro Football Hall of Fame (“PFHOF”). Headquartered in Canton, Ohio, we own the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, a multi-use sports, entertainment and media destination centered around the PFHOF’s campus. We expect to create a diversified set of revenue streams through developing themed attractions, premier entertainment programming, sponsorships and media. The strategic plan has been developed in three phases of growth.

 

The first phase of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls is operational, consisting of the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the National Youth Football & Sports Complex, and HOF Village Media Group, LLC (“Hall of Fame Village Media”). In 2016, HOF Village completed the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, a sports and entertainment venue with a seating capacity of approximately 23,000. The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium hosts multiple sports and entertainment events, including the NFL Hall of Fame Game, Enshrinement and Concert for Legends during the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week. In 2016, HOF Village opened the National Youth Football & Sports Complex, which will consist of eight full-sized, multi-use regulation football fields, five of which have been completed in Phase I. The facility hosts camps and tournaments for football players, as well as athletes from across the country in other sports such as lacrosse, rugby and soccer. In 2017, HOF Village formed a sports and entertainment media company, Hall of Fame Village Media, leveraging the sport of professional football to produce exclusive programming by licensing the extensive content controlled by the PFHOF as well as new programming assets developed from live events such as youth tournaments, camps and sporting events held at the National Youth Football & Sports Complex and the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

 

We are developing new hospitality, attraction and corporate assets surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum as part of a Phase II development plan. Plans for future components of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls include two hotels (one on campus and one in downtown Canton about five minutes from campus), the Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, the Constellation Center for Excellence (an office building including retail and dining establishments), the Center for Performance (a convention center/field house), and the Hall of Fame Retail Promenade. We are pursuing a differentiation strategy across three pillars, including Destination-Based Assets, the Media Company, and Gaming (including the Fantasy Football League we acquired a majority stake in). Phase III expansion plans include the addition of the Hall of Fame Experience (an immersive VR/AR attraction), a hotel with retail space, a performance center/arena, and multi-family housing.

 

Background

 

On July 1, 2020, we (formerly known as GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.) consummated the previously announced business combination with HOF Village, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“HOF Village”), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated September 16, 2019 (as amended on November 6, 2019, March 10, 2020 and May 22, 2020, the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (“GPAQ”), GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Acquiror Merger Sub”), GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Company Merger Sub”), HOF Village and HOF Village Newco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Newco”). The transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are referred to in this prospectus as the “Business Combination.”

 

1

 

 

Upon the consummation of the Business Combination: (i) Acquiror Merger Sub merged with and into GPAQ, with GPAQ continuing as the surviving entity (the “Acquiror Merger”) and (ii) Company Merger Sub merged with and into Newco, with Newco continuing as the surviving entity (the “Company Merger”). In advance of the Company Merger, HOF Village transferred all of its assets, liabilities and obligations to Newco pursuant to a contribution agreement. In connection with the closing of the Business Combination, the Company changed its name from “GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.” to “Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company.” As a result of the Business Combination, GPAQ and Newco continue as our wholly owned subsidiaries.

 

In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination and pursuant to the Merger Agreement, (a) each issued and outstanding unit of GPAQ, if not already detached, was detached and each holder of such a unit was deemed to hold one share of GPAQ Class A common stock and one GPAQ warrant (“GPAQ Warrant”), (b) each issued and outstanding share of GPAQ Class A common stock (excluding any shares held by a GPAQ stockholder that elected to have its shares redeemed pursuant to GPAQ’s organizational documents) was converted automatically into the right to receive 1.421333 shares of our Common Stock, following which all shares of GPAQ Class A common stock ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and cease to exist; (c) each issued and outstanding share of GPAQ Class F common stock was converted automatically into the right to receive one share of Common Stock, following which all shares of GPAQ Class F common stock ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and cease to exist; (d) each issued and outstanding GPAQ Warrant (including GPAQ private placement warrants) was automatically converted into one Warrant to purchase 1.421333 shares of Common Stock per warrant, following which all GPAQ Warrants ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and retired and cease to exist; and (e) each issued and outstanding membership interest in Newco converted automatically into the right to receive a pro rata portion of the Company Merger Consideration (as defined in the Merger Agreement), which was payable in shares of Common Stock.

 

The rights of holders of our Common Stock and Existing Warrants are governed by our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), our amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws’) and the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), and in the case of our Existing Warrants, the Warrant Agreement, dated January 24, 2018, between GPAQ and the Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Existing Warrant Agreement”), each of which is described below under “Description of Securities.” Subject to stockholder approval, our board has approved an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of our Common Stock from 100,000,000 to 300,000,000. We intend to hold a special meeting of stockholders to vote on this amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Going Concern

 

Our auditor has included a “going concern” explanatory paragraph in its report on the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 of our predecessor HOF Village, LLC, expressing substantial doubt about its ability to continue as an ongoing business for the next twelve months. The consolidated financial statements of HOF Village, LLC for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of this uncertainty. We believe that, as a result of the recent developments (discussed below), we currently have sufficient cash and financing commitments to fund our operations over the next year. We expect that we will need to raise additional financing to accomplish our development plan over the next several years. If we cannot secure the financing needed to continue our development plans, our shareholders may lose some or all of their investment in us.

 

Recent Developments

 

In addition to completing the Business Combination on July 1, 2020 as discussed above, the following recent developments have occurred.

 

Amendment of Bridge Loan under Term Loan Agreement.

 

On June 30, 2020, we entered into an amendment to the $65 million bridge loan (the “Bridge Loan”) dated March 20, 2018 among us, various lenders party thereto (“Lenders”) and GACP Finance Co., LLC (“GACP”), as administrative agent (the “Term Loan Agreement”), which further extended the maturity date to November 30, 2020, updated certain defined terms to align with the final transaction structure resulting from the Business Combination, specified the amount of proceeds from the Business Combination and Private Placement (defined below) that were required to be paid towards amounts outstanding under the Term Loan Agreement (the “Gordon Pointe Transaction Prepayment Amount”), added a fee payable to certain Lenders relative to the amounts owed after giving effect to the Gordon Pointe Transaction Prepayment Amount, amended various provisions related to mandatory prepayments of outstanding amounts owed under the Term Loan Agreement (including, but not limited to, prepayments due in connection with future equity and debt raises, which includes this offering), and other minor amendments regarding HOF Village Hotel II, LLC and Mountaineer GM LLC to facilitate their planned operations. 

 

On July 1, 2020, we used proceeds from the Business Combination to pay $15.5 million on the Bridge Loan, while an additional $15.0 million of the Bridge Loan converted into equity in the Company. The remaining balance of the Bridge Loan following the Business Combination was approximately $34.5 million. While we expect to secure sufficient capital to repay our indebtedness under our Bridge Loan, currently, we do not have the capital to repay the Bridge Loan in full upon maturity and we cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to source such capital by the Bridge Loan maturity date. Our inability to repay the obligations under the Bridge Loan when due would result in a default under the Bridge Loan, which, if enforced, would (a) cause all obligations under the Bridge Loan to become immediately due and payable and (b) grant GACP, as administrative agent, the right to take any or all actions and exercise any remedies available to a secured party under the relevant documents or applicable law or in equity, including commencing foreclosure proceedings on our properties. However, to the extent we do not have sufficient funds to pay the outstanding balance under the Bridge Loan at maturity, an affiliate of Industrial Realty Group, LLC (“Industrial Realty Group”) has agreed to advance funds to the Company to pay off the Bridge Loan, under the terms of the guarantee. As a result, Industrial Realty Group would become a lender to the Company with a maturity date of August 2021. 

2

 

 

A subordinated promissory note entered into on February 7, 2020, effective as of November 27, 2019, as amended, between HOF Village, as borrower, and Industrial Realty Group, as lender, in an amount up to $30.0 million (the “IRG November Note”) is intended to provide us with available funding that can help prevent a default under the Bridge Loan and, if approved by Industrial Realty Group and HOF Village and not otherwise depleted, to provide additional working capital to the Company and/or to pay all or some portion of the remaining balance of the Bridge Loan. Any other future advances under the IRG November Note require the approval of both HOF Village and Industrial Realty Group (each in their sole discretion), except for advances required to prevent a default under the Bridge Loan (which advances Industrial Realty Group may make without HOF Village’s consent).

 

IRG Side Letter

 

On June 25, 2020, we reached an agreement with Industrial Realty Group that in the event that Industrial Realty Group or any of its affiliates or related entities advance funds to pay off the Bridge Loan under the guaranty or otherwise and assume the role of Lender, (i) certain mandatory prepayment provisions will be deleted and no longer be applicable, (ii) the maturity date of the Term Loan Agreement will be extended to August 31, 2021 and (iii) we will not be required to pay to Industrial Realty Group or any of its affiliates or related entities (each an “IRG Entity”) any principal, interest, or other obligations due under the Term Loan Agreement if payment of such amounts would cause the borrowers to violate applicable Nasdaq or securities-law requirements.

 

Note Purchase Agreement

 

On July 1, 2020, concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination, we entered into a Note Purchase Agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the other purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (together, the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which we agreed to issue and sell to the Purchasers in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of our 8.00% Convertible Notes due 2025 (the “PIPE Notes”). Pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement, the PIPE Notes are convertible into shares of Common Stock at the option of PIPE Note holders, and we may, at our option, redeem the PIPE Notes in exchange for cash (or, at the option of PIPE Note holders, shares of our Common Stock) and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock.

 

Industrial Realty Group exchanged $9.0 million of the amount outstanding under the IRG November Note for PIPE Notes in the principal amount of $9.0 million and, at present, the outstanding balance of the IRG November Notes is $13.3 million. Gordon Pointe Management, LLC exchanged $500,000 of the principal component of the indebtedness owed to such Purchaser by GPAQ under loan agreements and related promissory notes for PIPE Notes in the principal amount of $500,000. Seven other Purchasers exchanged a total of $4,221,293 in GPAQ founder notes held by such Purchasers for PIPE Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $4,221,293. Consequently, we received cash proceeds from the issuance and sale of the PIPE Notes of approximately $7 million. We used proceeds of the Private Placement to fund the Company’s obligations related to the Merger Agreement and to pay transaction fees and expenses and intend to use remaining proceeds of the Private Placement to satisfy our working capital obligations. 

 

The Private Placement was conducted in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof as a transaction by an issuer not involving any public offering. The offer and sale of the PIPE Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and consequently, the PIPE Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.

 

Issuance of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

On October 13, 2020, we issued to American Capital Center, LLC (the “Preferred Investor”) 900 shares of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) at $1,000 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $900,000. We paid the Preferred Investor an origination fee of 2%. The issuance and sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to the Preferred Investor was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. HOFRE used half of the proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to pay down outstanding amounts under its Bridge Loan.

 

TAAS Agreement

 

On October 9, 2020, Newco, entered into a Technology as a Service Agreement (the “TAAS Agreement”) with Johnson Controls, Inc. (“Johnson Controls”). Pursuant to the TAAS Agreement, Johnson Controls will provide certain services related to the construction and development of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls (the “Project”), including, but not limited to, (i) design assist consulting, equipment sales and turn-key installation services in respect of specified systems to be constructed as part of Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Project and (ii) maintenance and lifecycle services in respect of certain systems constructed as part of Phase 1, and to be constructed as part of Phase 2 and Phase 3, of the Project. Under the terms of the TAAS Agreement, Newco has agreed to pay Johnson Controls up to an aggregate $217,934,637 for services rendered by Johnson Controls over the term of the TAAS Agreement.

 

3

 

 

Refinancing Loan

 

On October 6, 2020, our subsidiary, Newco, signed a nonbinding term sheet with a new lender (the “New Lender”) pursuant to which the New Lender has proposed to provide Newco and its subsidiaries a loan (the “Refinancing Loan”) of up to $45 million with a term of 12 months (the “Initial Term”) plus a potential 12-month optional extension (the “Extension”) and an interest rate of 10.0% per annum during the Initial Term and no less than 12.5% during the Extension, in each case payable monthly in advance. The Refinancing Loan would be secured by a first lien on all of our property. The closing of the Refinancing Loan is conditioned upon, among other things, HOFRE receiving funds through the sale of our equity securities in an amount equal to the greater of (i) $30 million and (ii) an amount sufficient to receive a construction loan. The New Lender would have the right of first offer to provide construction loan financing. We intend to use the proceeds of the Refinancing Loan to prepay the outstanding balance of our Bridge Loan. The current outstanding balance of the Bridge Loan is approximately $34 million, which matures and is payable in full on November 30, 2020.

 

Emerging Growth Company

 

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

 

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a registration statement under the Securities Act declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies, but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company, which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period, difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

 

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of: (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering, (b) in which we have total annual revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common equity that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of the prior fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter; and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.

 

The COVID-19 Pandemic

 

We are closely monitoring the outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19. The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a “pandemic” and the federal, state and local governments have implemented mandatory closures and other restrictive measures in response to the outbreak, certain of which have been subsequently loosened. Many large-scale events in the United States have been cancelled, including in the sports industry, however the NFL regular season is underway with appropriate restrictions to mitigate the health risks to the teams and their fans. These closures, restrictions on travel, stay-at-home orders and other mitigation measures, in addition to the greater public’s concern regarding the spread of coronavirus, have significantly impacted all facets of the economy, and may have an adverse impact on our business operations and financial results. The continued spread of coronavirus, or fear thereof, may also delay the implementation of our business strategy. The impact of COVID-19 on the capital markets may impact our future ability to access debt or equity financing. 

 

Risk Factors

 

Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted in the section titled “Risk Factors”, that represent challenges that we face in connection with the successful implementation of our strategy and growth of our business.

 

Additional Information

 

Upon consummation of the Business Combination and, in connection therewith, we became a successor issuer to GPAQ by operation of Rule 12g-3(a) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 2626 Fulton Drive NW, Canton, Ohio 44718. Our telephone number is (330) 458-9176. Our website address is www.HOFREco.com. Information contained on our website or connected thereto does not constitute part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part.

 

4

 

 

OFFERING SUMMARY

 

The following summary describes the principal terms of the Offering, but is not intended to be complete. See the information under the heading “The Offering” in this prospectus for a more detailed description of the terms and conditions of the Offering.

 

Securities Offered

 

We are offering Units consisting of one share of our Common Stock and one Warrant. The Units will separate upon the closing of the Offering and the Common Stock and Warrants will be issued separately.

 

Size of Offering  

10,548,523 Units.

 

Offering Price  

$2.37 per Unit (the “Offering Price”), the closing price of our Common Stock on October 15, 2020.

 

Warrants Offered  

Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $            (not less than 100% of the public Offering Price of each unit sold in this Offering) per share, subject to adjustment, from the date of issuance through its expiration five years from the date of issuance. The Warrants will be exercisable for cash, or, solely during any period beginning            days after issuance of the Warranty when a registration statement for the exercise of the Warrants is not in effect, on a cashless basis, at any time and from time to time after the date of issuance. We do not intend to apply for listing of the Warrants on any securities exchange or trading system. This prospectus also relates to the offering of the common shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

 

Shares of Common Stock outstanding before this Offering   31,849,336 shares (1)
     
Shares of Common Stock to be outstanding after this Offering  

42,397,859 shares (1), excluding the possible sale of over-allotment shares, and assuming none of the warrants issued in this offering are exercised.

     
Underwriter’s Overallotment Option   The Underwriting Agreement provides that we will grant to the underwriters an option, exercisable within 45 days after the closing of this Offering, to acquire up to an additional 1,582,278 shares of Common Stock and/or up to an additional 1,582,278 Warrants, solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments but such purchases cannot exceed an aggregate of 15% of the number of shares of Common Stock and 15% of the Warrants sold in the primary offering.
     
Use of Proceeds  

We expect the aggregate net proceeds from the Offering will be approximately $22.85 million (or $26.34 million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Under the terms of the Bridge Loan with GACP, we must use at least one-half the net proceeds from the Offering to prepay outstanding amounts under the Bridge Loan. We plan to use the net proceeds from the Offering and, if necessary, other available funds to prepay outstanding amounts under the Bridge Loan. We intend to use any remaining net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes. The precise amount and timing of the application of such proceeds will depend upon our funding requirements and the availability and cost of other funds. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

5

 

 

Risk Factors  

Investing in our securities involves substantial risks. You should carefully review and consider the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus beginning on page 17 and the other information in this prospectus for a discussion of the factors you should consider before you decide to invest in this offering.

 

Special Meeting Condition to Completing Offering  

We are holding a Special Meeting of Stockholders on November 3, 2020, to approve an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance from 100,000,000 to 300,000,000. Completion of the Offering is subject to our stockholders’ approval of the amendment to our Certification of Incorporation, to the extent an increase in authorized shares of Common Stock is necessary to complete the Offering based on the number of Units sold.

 

Market for Securities  

Our Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “HOFV.” We do not intend to list the Warrants on Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or market.

 

Transfer Agent, Registrar and Warrant Agent   The transfer agent and registrar of our Common Stock and the Warrant Agent for the Warrants  is Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company. Its address is

 

(1) The number of shares of our Common Stock outstanding before and after the completion of this Offering is based on 31,849,336 shares of our Common Stock outstanding as of October 16, 2020, and excludes the following:
     
24,731,195 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Existing Warrants with an exercise price of $11.50 per share;
     
1,812,727 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance of awards under our 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan;
     
(i) approximately 10,645,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance upon redemption by us of the PIPE Notes, including approximately 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of warrants that would be issued in connection with such redemption or (ii) approximately 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance upon conversion by holders of the PIPE Notes (excluding the adjustment to the Conversion Rate (defined below) occurring in connection with closing this Offering. See “Risk Factors – The Conversion Rate of the PIPE Notes will be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement in connection with the 7% underwriting discount, increasing dilution upon conversion of the PIPE Notes.”);
     
283,181 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance upon vesting of inducement restricted stock unit grants;
     
75,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance as payment to Brand X (as defined herein) under the Services Agreement (as defined herein);
     
  900 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding, which is not convertible into any other capital stock of HOFRE; and
     
10,548,523 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants.

 

Except as otherwise noted, all information in this prospectus reflects and assumes (i) no exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, and (ii) no exercise of any Warrants sold in this Offering. 

 

6

 

 

SUMMARY FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF HOF VILLAGE

 

The following table sets forth selected historical financial information derived from HOF Village’s unaudited financial statements as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 and HOF Village’s audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2019 and as of December 31, 2018, each of which is included elsewhere in this prospectus. Such financial information should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

The historical results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. You should carefully read the following selected financial information in conjunction with the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of HOF Village” and HOF Village’s financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

   

Six Months
Ended

June 30,

2020

   

Six Months
Ended

June 30,

2019

    Year Ended
December  31,
2019
    Year Ended
December 31,
2018
 
Statement of Operations Data:                        
Total revenues   $ 3,667,126     $ 3,995,541     $ 7,861,331     $ 6,889,148  
Total operating expenses     15,615,672       24,207,469       40,821,385       23,933,042  
Loss from operations     (11,948,546 )     (20,211,928 )     (32,960,054 )     (17,043,894 )
Total other expense     (10,887,541 )     (11,453,845 )     22,943,826       16,581,730  
Net loss   $ (22,836,087 )   $ (31,665,773 )   $ (55,903,880 )   $ (33,625,624 )

 

    As of June 30,     As of December 31,  
    2020     2019     2019     2018  
Balance Sheet Data:                        
Assets                        
Cash and restricted cash   $ 13,610,179     $ 5,849,190     $ 8,614,592     $ 8,417,950  
Property and equipment, net     129,621,854       140,397,858       134,910,887       145,810,591  
Project development costs     105,461,050       75,999,998       88,587,699       80,744,934  
Other assets     7,545,133       1,991,062       3,648,228       4,307,805  
Total assets   $ 256,238,216     $ 224,238,108     $ 235,761,406     $ 239,281,280  
Liabilities and Members’ Equity                                
Notes payable, net   $ 204,202,428     $ 139,114,740     $ 164,922,714     $ 130,558,352  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     17,082,645       8,145,428       12,871,487       5,271,070  
Due to affiliates     12,015,489       13,009,220       19,333,590       9,874,297  
Other liabilities     7,125,402       4,781,274       3,684,276       2,724,342  
Total liabilities   $ 240,425,964     $ 165,050,662     $ 200,812,067     $ 148,428,061  
Members’ equity     15,812,252       59,187,446       34,949,339       90,853,219  
Total liabilities and members’ equity   $ 256,238,216     $ 224,238,108     $ 235,761,406     $ 239,281,280  

 

7

 

 

SUMMARY FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF GPAQ

 

The following table sets forth selected historical financial information derived from GPAQ’s unaudited financial statements as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 and GPAQ’s audited financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, each of which is included elsewhere in this prospectus. Such financial information should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

The historical results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. You should carefully read the following selected financial information in conjunction with the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of GPAQ” and GPAQ’s financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

    Six Months Ended
June 30,
2020
   

Six Months

Ended
June 30,
2019

    Year Ended
December 31, 2019
    Year Ended
December 31,
2018
 
Statement of Operations Data:                        
Operating costs   $ 1,893,499     $ 323,167     $ 1,415,881     $ 780,534  
Loss from operations     (1,893,499 )     (323,167 )     (1,415,881 )     (780,534 )
Other income                                
Interest income on marketable securities     310,441       1,504,270       2,651,036       2,132,976  
Unrealized gain on marketable securities           3,217       9,588       13,795  
Provision for income taxes     (4,439 )     (251,097 )     (424,383 )     (284,958 )
Net(loss)income   $ (1,587,497 )   $ 933,223     $ 820,360     $ 1,081,279  
                                 
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per common share   $ (0.39 )   $ (0.04 )   $ (0.25 )   $ (0.12 )
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted     4,393,098       4,057,156       4,098,986       3,953,561  
                                 
Balance Sheet Data:                                
Cash   $ 55,896     $ 53,359     $ 2,122     $ 89,557  
Marketable securities held in Trust Account   $     $ 129,140,984     $ 117,285,210     $ 128,396,771  
Total assets   $ 31,167,908     $ 129,240,593     $ 117,308,755     $ 128,492,855  
Common stock subject to possible redemption   $ 15,367,151     $ 119,384,346     $ 104,308,846     $ 118,451,128  
Total stockholders’ equity   $ 5,000,011     $ 5,000,009     $ 5,000,001     $ 5,000,004  

 

8

 

 

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Introduction

 

The following unaudited pro forma combined financial information is provided to aid you in your analysis of the financial aspects of the Business Combination.

 

The unaudited pro forma combined balance sheet as of June 30, 2020 gives pro forma effect to the Business Combination as if it had been consummated as of that date. The unaudited pro forma combined statements of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and for the year ended December 31, 2019 give pro forma effect to the Business Combination as if it had occurred as of January 1, 2019. This information should be read together with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of HOF Village,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of GPAQ” and HOF Village’s and GPAQ’s respective audited and unaudited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

The unaudited pro forma combined balance sheet as of June 30, 2020 has been prepared using the following:

 

HOF Village’s unaudited historical condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2020, as included elsewhere in this prospectus; and

 

GPAQ’s unaudited historical consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2020, as included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2020 has been prepared using the following:

 

HOF Village’s unaudited historical consolidated statement of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2020, as included elsewhere in this prospectus; and

 

GPAQ’s unaudited historical statement of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2020, as included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019 has been prepared using the following:

 

HOF Village’s audited historical consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019, as included elsewhere in this prospectus; and

 

GPAQ’s audited historical consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019, as included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

Description of the Business Combination

 

GPAQ acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding securities of Newco (the “Newco Units”), in exchange for 18,120,907 shares of Common Stock of Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (formerly GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.). For more information about the Business Combination, please see the section entitled “Summary of Prospectus -- Background” above. Copies of the Merger Agreement, Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger and Amendment No. 3 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger are included as exhibits to the registration statement in which this prospectus is included.

 

9

 

 

Accounting for the Business Combination

 

The Business Combination will be accounted for as a reverse merger in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Under this method of accounting, GPAQ will be treated as the “acquired” company for financial reporting purposes. This determination was primarily based on the holders of Newco Units expecting to have a majority of the voting power of HOFRE, Newco’s senior management comprising substantially all of the senior management of HOFRE, the relative size of Newco compared to GPAQ, and Newco’s operations comprising the ongoing operations of HOFRE. Accordingly, for accounting purposes, the Business Combination will be treated as the equivalent of a capital transaction in which Newco is issuing stock for the net assets of GPAQ. The net assets of GPAQ will be stated at historical cost, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recorded. Operations prior to the Business Combination will be those of HOF Village.

 

Basis of Pro Forma Presentation

 

The historical financial information has been adjusted to give pro forma effect to events that are related and/or directly attributable to the Business Combination, are factually supportable, and as it relates to the unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations, are expected to have a continuing impact on the results of HOFRE. The adjustments presented on the unaudited pro forma combined financial statements have been identified and presented to provide relevant information necessary for an accurate understanding of HOFRE upon consummation of the Business Combination.

 

The unaudited pro forma combined financial information is for illustrative purposes only. The financial results may have been different had the companies always been combined. You should not rely on the unaudited pro forma combined financial information as being indicative of the historical financial position and results that would have been achieved had the companies always been combined or the future financial position and results that HOFRE will experience. HOF Village and GPAQ have not had any historical relationship prior to the Business Combination. Accordingly, no pro forma adjustments were required to eliminate activities between the companies.

 

There is no historical activity with respect to Acquiror Merger Sub, GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc., or Company Merger Sub, and accordingly, no adjustments were required with respect to these entities in the pro forma combined financial statements.

 

Included in the shares outstanding and weighted average shares outstanding as presented in the pro forma combined financial statements are 18,120,907 shares of Common Stock issued to HOF Village stockholders.

 

10

 

 

PRO FORMA COMBINED BALANCE SHEET
AS OF JUNE 30, 2020
(UNAUDITED)

 

    (A)
HOF Village
    (B)
GPAQ
    Pro Forma
Adjustments
    Pro Forma
Balance Sheet
 
Assets                        
Current assets:                        
Cash   $ 2,149,500     $ 55,896     $ 31,043,986 (1)        
                      (6,233,473 )(3)        
                      (278,938 )(5)        
                      7,000,000 (6)        
                      (15,500,000 )(7)        
                      (9,205 )(8)   $ 18,227,766  
Restricted cash     11,460,679       -       -       11,460,679  
Accounts receivable, net     1,701,554       -       -       1,701,554  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     5,843,579       68,026       -       5,911,605  
Cash held in Trust Account     -       31,043,986       (31,043,986 )(1)     -  
Property and equipment, net     129,621,854       -       -       129,621,854  
Project development costs     105,461,050       -       -       105,461,050  
Total Assets   $ 256,238,216     $ 31,167,908     $ (15,021,616 )   $ 272,384,508  
                                 
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity                                
Current liabilities:                                
Notes payable, net   $ 204,202,428     $ -     $ (31,992,266 )(5)        
                      (13,721,293 )(6)        
                      (15,500,000 )(7)        
                      (52,068,245 )(9)        
                      (3,500,000 )(9)        
                      (2,300,000 )(5)   $ 85,120,624  
Convertible notes payable   $ -     $ -       20,721,293 (6)     20,721,293  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     17,082,645       1,604,508       (1,674,872 )(3)        
                      (100,000 )(4)        
                      (3,580,471 )(5)     13,331,810  
Due to affiliate     12,015,489       -       (11,566,557 )(4)     448,932  
Promissory note - related party     -       4,744,958       (4,744,958 )(2)     -  
Other liabilities     7,125,402       3,780       (2,916,477 )(9)     4,212,705  
Deferred underwriting fees     -       4,375,000       (4,375,000 )(3)     -  
Deferred legal fee payable     -       72,500       (72,500 )(3)     -  
Total Liabilities     240,425,964       10,800,746       (127,391,346 )     123,835,364  
Commitments and Contingencies                                
Common stock subject to redemption     -       15,367,151       (15,367,151 )(8)     -  
Shareholders’ Equity                                
Members’ equity     15,812,252       -       (15,812,252 )(9)     -  
Class A common stock     -       145       51 (2)        
                      229 (4)        
                      487 (5)        
                      144 (8)        
                      1,812 (9)        
                      313 (10)        
                      716 (11)     3,897  
Class F common stock     -       313       (313 )(10)     -  
Additional paid in capital     -       4,687,827       4,744,907 (2)        
                      22,053,168 (4)        
                      40,505,076 (5)        
                      15,357,802 (8)        
                      (716 )(11)        
                      122,142,490 (9)     209,490,554  
Retained earnings (Accumulated deficit)     -       311,726       (111,101 )(3)        
                      (10,386,840 )(4)        
                      (2,911,764 )(5)        
                      (47,847,328 )(9)     (60,945,307 )
Total Shareholders’ Equity     15,812,252       5,000,011       127,736,881       148,549,144  
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity   $ 256,238,216     $ 31,167,908     $ (15,021,616 )   $ 272,384,508  

 

Pro Forma Adjustments to the Unaudited Combined Balance Sheet

 

 

(A) Derived from the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet of HOF Village as of June 30, 2020. See HOF Village’s financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

11

 

 

(B) Derived from the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of GPAQ as of June 30, 2020. See GPAQ’s financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

(1) Reflects the release of cash from marketable securities held in the trust account.

 

(2) Reflects the conversion of promissory notes in the aggregate amount of $4,744,958 due to Gordon Pointe Management, LLC into 510,772 shares of Common Stock of HOFRE.

 

(3) Reflects the payment of fees and expenses related to the Business Combination, including the deferred underwriting fee of $4,375,000, the deferred legal fee of $72,500, and legal, financial advisory, accounting and other professional fees. Transaction related expenses of $1,604,508 are classified in accounts payable for GPAQ and $70,364 for HOF Village as of June 30, 2020. The direct, incremental costs of the Business Combination related to the legal, financial advisory, accounting and other professional fees of $111,101 is reflected as an adjustment to retained earnings and is not shown as an adjustment to the statement of operations since it is a nonrecurring charge resulting directly from the Business Combination.

 

(4) Reflects (a) the issuance of 1,078,984 shares of Common Stock at $10.00 per share to The Klein Group, LLC in satisfaction of outstanding fees and expenses in the aggregate amount of $10,789,840, of which $10,289,840 is reflected as an adjustment to retained earnings and $500,000 is reflected as an adjustment to due to affiliates, (b) the issuance of 610,000 shares of Common Stock at $10.00 per share to IRG, LLC in satisfaction of outstanding fees and expenses in the aggregate amount of $6,100,000, which is reflected as an adjustment to due to affiliates, (c) the issuance of 580,000 shares of Common Stock at $10.00 per share, or $5,800,000, to the PFHOF in satisfaction of outstanding fees and expenses, of which $4,966,557 is reflected as an adjustment to due to affiliates and $833,443 is reflected as an adjustment to additional paid in capital and (d) the issuance of 23,640 shares of Common Stock at $10.00 per share to a vendor in satisfaction of outstanding fees and expenses in the aggregate amount of $197,000, of which $100,000 is reflected as an adjustment to accounts payable and $97,000 is reflected as an adjustment to retained earnings. Direct, incremental costs of $10,386,840 is reflected as an adjustment to retained earnings and is not shown as an adjustment to the statement of operations since it is a nonrecurring charge resulting directly from the Business Combination.

 

(5) Reflects the issuance of an aggregate of 4,872,604 shares of Common Stock in satisfaction of prior existing debt in the amount of $35,454,742 and related accrued interest in the amount of $3,364,228 and the corresponding amortization of the related remaining deferred financing costs in connection with the Business Combination. Of such amount, 2,172,186 shares were issued at $10.00 per share in satisfaction of $15,000,000 of bridge loans and $3,101,550 of accrued interest after giving effect to the Exchange Ratio (as defined in the Merger Agreement), 1,493,286 shares were issued at $10.00 per share in satisfaction of $12,181,272 of “Company Convertible Notes” and $262,678 of accrued interest after giving effect to the Exchange Ratio, 130,000 shares were issued at $10.00 per share in satisfaction of $1,300,000 of “New Company Convertible Notes” and an aggregate of 849,308 shares were issued at $10.00 per share in satisfaction of $7,073,470 of syndicated unsecured term loan, of which $100,000 is reflected as an adjustment to due to affiliates, after giving effect to the Exchange Ratio and an aggregate of 227,824 shares were issued at $10.00 per share in satisfaction of $2,278,233 of “New ACC Debt” which is classified in notes payable. The amortization of the deferred financing costs in the aggregate amount of $2,911,764 is reflected as an adjustment to retained earnings and is not shown as an adjustment to the statement of operations since it is a nonrecurring charge resulting directly from the Business Combination. In addition, holders of $278,938 of Company Convertible Notes of HOF Village elected to receive cash at the time of the closing of the Business Combination.

 

(6) Reflects the issuance of convertible debt in connection with the PIPE Notes for $7,000,000 in cash and the conversion of prior existing notes payable. Of the prior existing notes payable, $9,000,000 of the IRG November Note, $3,471,293 of Company Convertible Notes, $750,000 of New Company Convertible Notes and $500,000 of sponsor loans were converted into an aggregate of $13,721,293 of convertible loans in connection with the PIPE Notes.

 

(7) Reflects the repayment of $15,500,000 of the Bridge Loan at the consummation of the Business Combination.

 

(8) Reflects the cancellation of 852 shares of Common Stock for stockholders who elected cash conversion for payment of $9,205 and the reclassification of 1,421,721 shares of Common Stock subject to redemption to permanent equity for those stockholders who did not exercise their redemption rights.

 

(9) Reflects the recapitalization of HOF Village through (a) the contribution of all the share capital in HOF Village to GPAQ in the amount of $15,812,252, (b) the conversion of the redemption value of the preferred members’ equity in the amount of $99,603,847, of which $3,500,000 is reflected as an adjustment to notes payable, net of the amortization of the related remaining deferred financing costs in the amount of $47,535,602, and related preferred equity dividends in the amount of $2,916,477, (c) the issuance of 18,120,907 shares of Common Stock and (d) the elimination of the historical retained earnings of GPAQ, the accounting acquire in the amount of $311,726.

 

(10) Reflects the conversion of 3,125,000 shares of Class F common stock into Class A common stock, on a one-for-one basis, at the consummation of the Business Combination.

 

(11) Reflects entries for stock issued as a part of Michael Crawford’s stock based compensation.

 

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PRO FORMA COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2020
(UNAUDITED)

 

    (A)
HOF Village
    (B)
GPAQ
    Pro Forma
Adjustments
    Pro Forma
Income
Statement
 
                         
Total revenues   $ 3,667,126     $ -     $ -     $ 3,667,126  
Property operating expenses     9,112,269       -       1,510,610 (6)     -  
                      (2,244,800 )(1)     8,378,079  
Commission expense     1,057,980       -       -       1,057,980  
Depreciation expense     5,445,423       -       -       5,445,423  
Operating expenses     -       1,893,499       (1,604,193 )(1)     289,306  
Loss from operations     (11,948,546 )     (1,893,499 )     2,338,383       (11,503,662 )
                                 
Other income (expense):                                
Interest income     -       310,441       (310,441 )(2)     -  
Interest expense     (4,209,795 )     -       2,623,421 (3)     (1,586,374 )
Amortization of discount on note payable     (6,677,746 )     -       5,923,305 (3)     (754,441 )
Loss before income taxes     (22,836,087 )     (1,583,058 )     10,574,668       (13,844,477 )
Provision for income taxes     -       (4,439 )     4,439 (4)     -  
Net loss   $ (22,836,087 )   $ (1,587,497 )   $ 10,579,107     $ (13,844,477 )
                                 
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted     18,120,907       4,398,098       28,136,907 (5)     32,535,005  
Basic and diluted net loss per share   $ (1.26 )   $ (0.39 )           $ (0.43 )
                                 
Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted     18,120,907       4,398,098       28,136,907 (5)     32,535,005  
Diluted net income (loss) per share   $ (1.26 )   $ (0.39 )           $ (0.43 )

 

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PRO FORMA COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019
(UNAUDITED)

 

    (C)
HOF Village
    (D)
GPAQ
    Pro Forma
Adjustments
    Pro Forma
Income
Statement
 
                         
Total revenues   $ 7,861,331     $ -     $ -     $ 7,861,331  
Property operating expenses     16,707,537       -       3,021,220 (7)        
                      (320,681 )(1)     19,408,076  
Commission expense     1,003,226       -       -       1,003,226  
Depreciation expense     10,915,839       -       -       10,915,839  
Loss on abandonment of project development costs     12,194,783       -       -       12,194,783  
Operating expenses     -       1,415,881       (769,247 )(1)     646,634  
Loss from operations     (32,960,054 )     (1,415,881 )     (1,931,292 )     (36,307,227 )
                                 
Other income (expense):                                
Interest income     -       2,651,036       (2,651,036 )(2)     -  
Unrealized gain on marketable securities     -       9,588       (9,588 )(2)     -  
Interest expense     (9,416,099 )     -       5,252,496 (3)     (4,163,603 )
Amortization of discount on note payable     (13,274,793 )     -       10,274,086 (3)     (3,000,707 )
Other loss     (252,934 )     -       -       (252,934 )
(Loss) income before income taxes     (55,903,880 )     1,244,743       10,934,666       (43,724,471 )
Provision for income taxes     -       (424,383 )     424,383 (4)     -  
Net (loss) income   $ (55,903,880 )   $ 820,360     $ 11,359,049     $ (43,724,471 )
                                 
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted     18,120,907       4,098,986       28,436,019 (5)     32,535,005  
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share   $ (3.09 )   $ (0.25 )           $ (1.34 )
                                 
Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted     18,120,907       4,098,986       28,436,019 (5)     32,535,005  
Diluted net income (loss) per share   $ (3.09 )   $ (0.25 )           $ (1.34 )

 

Pro Forma Adjustments to the Unaudited Combined Statements of Operations

 

 

(A) Derived from the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations of HOF Village for the six months ended June 30, 2020. See HOF Village’s financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

(B) Derived from the unaudited consolidated statement of operations of GPAQ for the six months ended June 30, 2020. See GPAQ’s financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

(C) Derived from the audited consolidated statement of operations of HOF Village for the year ended December 31, 2019. See HOF Village’s financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

(D) Derived from the audited statement of operations of GPAQ for the year ended December 31, 2019. See GPAQ’s financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

(1) Represents an adjustment to eliminate direct, incremental costs of the Business Combination which are reflected in the historical financial statements of HOF Village and GPAQ in the amount of $2,244,800 and $1,604,193, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and $320,681 and $769,247, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

(2) Represents an adjustment to eliminate interest income and unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the trust account as of the beginning of the period.

 

(3) Represents an adjustment to eliminate interest expense on certain of HOF Village’s notes payable as of the beginning of the period, as these were repaid upon consummation of the Business Combination.

 

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(4) To record normalized blended statutory income tax benefit rate of 21% for pro forma financial presentation purposes resulting in the recognition of an income tax benefit, which however, has been offset by a full valuation allowance as HOFRE expects to incur continuing losses.

 

(5) The calculation of weighted average shares outstanding for basic and diluted net loss per share assumes that GPAQ’s initial public offering occurred as of January 1, 2019. In addition, as the Business Combination is being reflected as if it had occurred on this date, the calculation of weighted average shares outstanding for basic and diluted net loss per share assumes that the shares have been outstanding for the entire period presented. This calculation is retroactively adjusted to eliminate the number of shares redeemed in the Business Combination for the entire period.

 

(6) Reflects a stock based compensation expense of $1,510,610 for shares to Michael Crawford.

 

(7) Reflects a stock based compensation expense of $3,021,220 for shares issued to Michael Crawford.

 

The following presents the calculation of basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. The computation of diluted loss per share excludes the effect of 17,400,000 Existing Warrants to purchase 24,731,196 shares of Common Stock because the inclusion of these securities would be anti-dilutive.

 

    Combined  
Weighted average shares calculation, basic and diluted      
GPAQ public shares     4,082,910  
GPAQ Sponsor shares, net of cancelled shares     2,035,772  
GPAQ Sponsor shares transferred to HOF Village     414,259  
GPAQ shares issued in satisfaction of outstanding fees and expenses     2,292,624  
GPAQ shares issued in satisfaction of prior existing debt     4,872,604  
Stock based compensation shares     715,929  
GPAQ shares issued in the Business Combination     18,120,907  
Weighted average shares outstanding     32,535,005  
Percent of shares owned by Newco     81.2 %
Percent of shares owned by GPAQ     18.8 %

 

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COMPARATIVE SHARE INFORMATION

 

The following table sets forth the historical comparative share information for HOF Village and GPAQ on a stand-alone basis and the unaudited pro forma combined share information for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019, after giving effect to the Business Combination.

 

You should read the information in the following table in conjunction with the selected historical financial information summary and the historical financial statements of HOF Village and GPAQ and related notes that are included elsewhere in this prospectus. The unaudited pro forma combined share information is derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, the unaudited pro forma combined financial statements and related notes included above.

 

The unaudited pro forma combined share information below does not purport to represent what the actual results of operations or the earnings per share would have been had the companies been combined during the periods presented, nor to project the Company’s results of operations or earnings per share for any future date or period. The unaudited pro forma combined stockholders’ equity per share information below does not purport to represent what the value of HOF Village and GPAQ would have been had the companies been combined during the periods presented.

 

    HOF Village     GPAQ     Combined  
Six Months Ended June 30, 2020                  
Net loss   $ (22,836,087 )   $ (1,587,497 )   $ (13,844,477 )
Total stockholders’ equity(1)   $ 15,812,252     $ 5,000,011     $ 148,549,144  
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic and diluted     18,120,907       4,398,098       32,535,005  
Basic and diluted net loss per share   $ (1.26 )   $ (0.39 )   $ (0.43 )
Stockholders’ equity(1)per share – basic and diluted   $ 0.87     $ 1.14     $ 4.57  

 

 

(1) Stockholders’ equity is used as a proxy for book value in the above table.

  

    HOF Village     GPAQ     Combined  
Year Ended December 31, 2019                  
Net (loss) income   $ (55,903,880 )   $ 820,360     $ (43,724,471 )
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic and diluted     18,120,907       4,098,986       32,535,005  
Basic and diluted net loss per share   $ (3.09 )   $ (0.25 )(2) $ (1.34 )

 

(2) GPAQ Basic and diluted net loss per share excludes “Income attributable to common stock subject to possible redemption”.

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before you make a decision to buy our securities, you should carefully consider the risks described in this prospectus. If any of these risks actually occur, it may materially harm our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. As a result, the market price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Additionally, the risks and uncertainties described in this prospectus are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may become material and adversely affect our business.

 

Unless the context otherwise indicates or requires, as used in this section, the term “HOF Village” shall refer to HOF Village, LLC prior to the Business Combination and Newco following the consummation of the Business Combination.

 

Risk Related to Our Business

 

We may not be able to continue as a going concern.

 

We have sustained recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations through June 30, 2020. In addition, our Bridge Loan matures on November 30, 2020. Since inception, our operations have been funded principally through the issuance of debt. Our cash losses from operations, in addition to our Bridge Loan, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue operations as a going concern. As of June 30, 2020, we had approximately $2.2 million of unrestricted cash. On July 1, 2020, HOF Village consummated its Business Combination with GPAQ, whereby HOF Village’s then outstanding convertible notes were converted into equity, $15.0 million of the Bridge Loan was converted into equity and $15.5 million of the Bridge Loan was repaid. The balance of approximately $34.5 million of the Bridge Loan is guaranteed by an affiliate of Industrial Realty Group. In the event that Industrial Realty Group or one or more of its affiliates advances funds to the Company to pay off the Bridge Loan, under the terms of the guaranty, Industrial Realty Group will become a lender to the Company with a maturity date of August 2021. On July 1, 2020, concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination, the Company entered into the Note Purchase Agreement with the Purchasers, pursuant to which the Company sold to the Purchasers in a private placement $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s PIPE Notes. The Company believes that, as a result of such recent events, it currently has sufficient cash and financing commitments to meet its funding requirements over the next year. The Company expects that it will need to raise additional financing to accomplish its development plan over the next several years. There can be no assurance as to the availability or terms upon which such financing and capital might be available. Due to these and other factors, in management’s opinion, there is substantial doubt of our ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date of the June 30, 2020 consolidated financial statements. Furthermore, HOF Village’s independent auditor included an explanatory paragraph in their audit opinion as of December 31, 2019 concluding that there was substantial doubt about HOF Village’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to liquidate our assets, or be foreclosed upon, and may receive less than the value at which those assets are carried on our consolidated financial statements, and it is likely that investors in our Common Stock will lose all or a part of their investment.

 

We are an early stage company with a minimal track record and limited historical financial information available, and an investment in the offering is highly speculative.

 

HOF Village was formed as a limited liability company on December 16, 2015 by certain affiliates of Industrial Realty Group and a subsidiary of PFHOF, to own and operate the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio, as a premiere destination resort and entertainment company leveraging the expansive popularity of professional football and the PFHOF. As a result of the Business Combination, HOF Village became a wholly owned subsidiary of HOFRE. As of the date hereof, we anticipate that the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls will have the following major components:

 

Phase I:

 

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium

 

National Youth Football & Sports Complex

 

Hall of Fame Village Media

 

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Phase II:

 

Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark (“Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark”)

 

Two hotels

 

Constellation Center for Excellence (Office Building, Auditorium and Dining)

 

Center for Performance (Field House and Convention Center)

 

Hall of Fame retail promenade

 

Phase III:

 

Hall of Fame Experience (an immersive VR/AR experience)

 

Hotel including retail space

 

Multi-family housing

 

While the components in Phase I are substantially complete, to date most components of Phase II and Phase III are still in the planning stage, and have not commenced operations or generated any revenues. The components of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls that have been developed in Phase I have limited operating history and business track record. In addition, our business strategy is broad and may be subject to significant modifications in the future. Our current strategy may not be successful, and if not successful, we may be unable to modify it in a timely and successful manner. A company with this extent of operations still in the planning stage, and thus your investment in the offering, is highly speculative and subject to an unusually high degree of risk. Prior to investing in the offering, you should understand that there is a significant possibility of the loss of your entire investment.

 

Because we are in the early stages of executing our business strategy, we cannot assure you that, or when, we will be profitable. We will need to make significant investments to develop and operate the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls and expect to incur significant expenses in connection with operating components of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, including costs for entertainment, talent fees, marketing, salaries and maintenance of properties and equipment. We expect to incur significant capital, operational and marketing expenses for a number of years in connection with our planned activities. Any failure to achieve or sustain profitability may have a material adverse impact on the value of the shares of our Common Stock.

 

Our ability to implement our proposed business strategy may be materially and adversely affected by many known and unknown factors.

 

Our business strategy relies upon our future ability to successfully develop and operate the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. Our strategy assumes that we will be able to, among other things: secure sufficient capital to repay our indebtedness; continue to lease or to acquire additional property in Canton, Ohio at attractive prices and develop such property into efficient and profitable operations; and maintain our relationships with key partners, including PFHOF, the general contractors for the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, and various other design firms, technology consultants, managers and operators and vendors that we are relying on for the successful development and operation of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, as well as to develop new relationships and partnerships with third parties that will be necessary for the success of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. These assumptions, which are critical to our prospects for success, are subject to significant economic, competitive, regulatory and operational uncertainties, contingencies and risks, many of which are beyond our control. These uncertainties are particularly heightened by the fact that we have significantly limited historical financial results or data on which financial projections might be based.

 

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Our future ability to execute our business strategy and develop the various components of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls is uncertain, and it can be expected that one or more of our assumptions will prove to be incorrect and that we will face unanticipated events and circumstances that may adversely affect our proposed business. Any one or more of the following factors, or other factors which may be beyond our control, may have a material adverse effect on our ability to implement our proposed strategy:

 

the impact of the pandemic involving the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, governmental reactions thereto, and economic conditions resulting from such governmental reactions to the pandemic on our business strategy, operations, financial results, as well as on our future ability to access debt or equity financing;

 

inability to secure short-term liquidity in order to meet operating capital requirements and to secure capital to make principal payments on our Bridge Loan, together with any interest due thereunder, which would result in a default under the Bridge Loan and a likely suspension of development and construction for the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. We previously received notices of default under the Bridge Loan, which is secured by substantially all of our assets. Although the loan documents were amended to extend the time within which we must make principal payments and bring the loan back into performing status and an affiliate of Industrial Realty Group has guaranteed certain payment obligations under the Bridge Loan, there can be no assurance that we will be able to repay the obligation upon maturity or otherwise avoid a future default;

 

failure to continue to lease or acquire additional property in Canton, Ohio at the level of prices estimated;

 

inability to complete development and construction on schedule, on budget or otherwise in a timely and cost-effective manner;

 

issues impacting the brand of the PFHOF;

 

inability to secure and maintain relationships and sponsorships with key partners, or a failure by key partners to fulfill their obligations;

 

failure to manage rapidly expanding operations in the projected time frame;

 

our or our partners’ ability to provide innovative entertainment that competes favorably against other entertainment parks and similar enterprises on the basis of price, quality, design, appeal, reliability and performance;

 

failure of investments in technology and machinery, including our investments in virtual reality in connection with the proposed Hall of Fame Experience, to perform as expected;

 

increases in operating costs, including capital improvements, insurance premiums, general taxes, real estate taxes and utilities, affecting our profit margins;

 

general economic, political and business conditions in the United States and, in particular, in the Midwest and the geographic area around Canton, Ohio;

 

inflation, appreciation of the real estate and fluctuations in interest rates; or

 

existing and future governmental laws and regulations, including changes in our ability to use or receive Tourism Development District (“TDD”) funds, tax-increment financing (“TIF”) funds or other grants and tax credits (including Ohio Film Tax Credits).

 

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We are relying on various forms of public financing to finance the Company.

 

We currently expect to obtain a portion of the capital required for the development and operations of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls from various forms of public financing, including TDD funds, TIF funds, grants and tax credits (including Ohio Film Tax Credits), which depend, in part, on factors outside of our control. The concept of a TDD was created under state law specifically for Canton, Ohio and the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. Canton City Council was permitted to designate up to 200 acres as a TDD and to prove the collection of additional taxes within that acreage to be used to foster tourism development. Canton City Council passed legislation allowing the collection of a 5% admissions tax and an additional 2% gross receipts tax and agreed to give the revenue from its 3% municipal lodging tax collected at any hotels built in the TDD to the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls for 30 years. Our ability to obtain funds from TDD depends on, among other things, ticket sales (including parking lots, garages, stadiums, auditoriums, museums, athletic parks, swimming pools and theaters), wholesale, retail and some food sales within the TDD and revenues from our hotels within the TDD. For TIF funds, the amount of property tax that a specific district generates is set at a base amount and as property values increase, property tax growth above that base amount, net of property taxes retained by the school districts, can be used to fund redevelopment projects within the district. Our ability to obtain TIF funds is dependent on the value of developed property in the specific district, the collection of general property taxes from property owners in the specific district, the time it takes the tax assessor to update the tax rolls and market interest rates at the time the tax increment bonds are issued.

 

If we are unable to realize the expected benefits from these various forms of public financing, we may need to obtain alternative financing through other means, including private transactions. If we are required to obtain alternative financing, such alternative financing may not be available at all or may not be available in a timely manner or on terms substantially similar or as favorable to public financing, which could significantly affect our ability to develop the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, increase our cost of capital and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial position.

 

If we were to obtain financing through private investment in public equity investments or other alternative financing, it could subject us to risks that, if realized, would adversely affect us, including the following:

 

our cash flows from operations could be insufficient to make required payments of principal of and interest on any debt financing, and a failure to pay would likely result in acceleration of such debt and could result in cross accelerations or cross defaults on other debt;

 

such debt may increase our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

to the extent that we generate and use any cash flow from operations to make payments on such debt, it will reduce our funds available for operations, development, capital expenditures and future investment opportunities or other purposes;

 

debt covenants may limit our ability to borrow additional amounts, including for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements, executing our development plan and other purposes;

 

restrictive debt covenants may limit our flexibility in operating our business, including limitations on our ability to make certain investments; incur additional indebtedness; create certain liens; incur obligations that restrict the ability of our subsidiaries to make payments to us; consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; or enter into transactions with affiliates; and

 

to the extent that such debt bears interest at a variable rate, we would be exposed to the risk of increased interest rates.

 

20

 

 

We are still assembling our management team and our leadership may change significantly.

 

The success of our business depends on our ability to hire and retain key employees and members of management who have extensive experience in project development and relationships with key partners. In late 2018, we hired CEO, Michael Crawford, to lead HOF Village and in September 2019, we hired a new Chief Financial Officer, Jason Krom. In December 2019, we hired an Executive Vice President for Public Affairs, Anne Graffice, to oversee community, investor, media and government relations, and manage all corporate social responsibility initiatives for the Company. In June 2020, we hired a President of Operations, Mike Levy, to be responsible for day-to-day operations of all on- and off-site assets owned by the Company. Moving forward, Mr. Levy will provide key operational input for all new construction development as the Company continues to execute Phase II of its project. In August 2020, we hired a Vice President, Human Resources, Lisa Gould and at the end of August 2020, we hired a General Counsel, Tara Charnes. In September 2020, we hired an Executive Vice President of New Business Development/Marketing and Sales, Erica Muhleman.

 

The ability of new members of our management team to quickly expand their knowledge of the Company, our business plans, operations, strategies and challenges will be critical to their ability to make informed decisions about our strategy and operations. If our management team is not sufficiently informed to make such decisions, our ability to compete effectively and profitably could be adversely affected. In addition, changes in our management team may be disruptive to, or cause uncertainty in, our business and the vision of the Company, and could have a negative impact on our ability to complete the construction and development components of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls in a timely and cost-effective manner and to manage and grow our business effectively. Any such disruption or uncertainty or difficulty in efficiently and effectively filling key management roles could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

 

Our business depends on the brand of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 

The success of our business is substantially dependent upon the continued success of the brand of the PFHOF, and our ability to continue to secure favorable contracts with and maintain a good working relationship with PFHOF. We have entered into several agreements with PFHOF, including: (i) a First Amended and Restated License Agreement, dated September 16, 2019 (the “License Agreement”), (ii) an Amended and Restated Media License Agreement, dated July 1, 2020 (the “Media License Agreement”), and (iii) a Shared Services Agreement, dated June 30, 2020 (the “Shared Services Agreement”). If we were to lose or have to renegotiate the License Agreement, the Media License Agreement or the Shared Services Agreement, our business may be adversely affected.

 

Changes in consumer tastes and preferences for sports and entertainment products could reduce demand for our offerings and products and adversely affect the profitability of our business.

 

The success of our business depends on our ability to consistently provide, maintain and expand attractions and events as well as create and distribute media programming, online material and consumer products that meet changing consumer preferences. Consumers who are fans of professional football will likely constitute a substantial majority of the attendance to Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, and our success depends in part on the continued popularity of professional football and on our ability to successfully predict and adapt to tastes and preferences of this consumer group. If our sports and entertainment offerings and products do not achieve sufficient consumer acceptance or if consumer preferences change or consumers are drawn to other spectator sports and entertainment options, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In the past, we have hosted major professional football events, as well as other musical and live entertainment events, and we can provide no assurance that we will be able to continue to host such events.

 

Incidents or adverse publicity concerning Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls could harm our reputation as well as negatively impact our revenues and profitability.

 

Our reputation is an important factor in the success of our business. Our ability to attract and retain guests depends, in part, upon the external perceptions of our Company, the brands we are associated with, the quality of Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls and its services and our corporate and management integrity. If market recognition or the perception of Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls diminishes, there may be a material adverse effect on our revenues, profits and cash flow. In addition, the operations of Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, particularly the Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, involve the risk of accidents, illnesses, environmental incidents and other incidents which may negatively affect the perception of guest and employee safety, health, security and guest satisfaction and which could negatively impact our reputation, reduce attendance at our facilities and negatively impact our business and results of operations.

 

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We rely on sponsorship contracts to generate revenues.

 

We will receive a portion of our annual revenues from sponsorship agreements, including the amended and restated sponsorship and naming rights agreement, dated as of July 2, 2020 (the “Naming Rights Agreement”), by and among HOF Village, PFHOF and Johnson Controls, the sponsorship and services agreement, dated as of December 19, 2018, as amended (the “Constellation Sponsorship Agreement”), by and among HOF Village, PFHOF and Constellation NewEnergy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Constellation”), and other sponsorship agreements for various content, media and live events produced at Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls such as title, official product and promotional partner sponsorships, billboards, signs and other media. We are continuously in negotiations with existing sponsors and actively seeking new sponsors as there is significant competition for sponsorships. Some of our live events may not secure a title sponsor, may not secure a sufficient number of sponsorships on favorable terms, or may not secure sponsorships sufficiently enough in advance of an event, which may lead to event cancellations or otherwise adversely affect the revenue generated from such events.

 

The Naming Rights Agreement is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2034, but provides termination rights both to (a) HOF Village and PFHOF and (b) Johnson Controls, which may be exercised in the event the other party breaches any of its covenants and agreements under the Naming Rights Agreement beyond certain notice and cure periods, applies for or consents to the appointment of a custodian of any kind with respect to all or substantially all of its assets, becomes insolvent or is unable to pay its debts generally as they become due, makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, files a voluntary petition seeking relief under any bankruptcy law, or an involuntary petition is filed by a creditor under any bankruptcy law and is approved by a court of competent jurisdiction. Additionally, Johnson Controls has a right to terminate the Naming Rights Agreement if Phase II is not open for business by January 2, 2024 and if HOF Village is in default beyond applicable notice and cure periods under certain agreements, such as the Technology as a Service Agreement, any loan document evidencing or securing any construction loan with respect to the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls and any agreement with its general contractor with respect to the construction of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, among others.

 

The Constellation Sponsorship Agreement is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2029, but provides termination rights both to (a) HOF Village and PFHOF and (b) Constellation, which may be exercised if a party would suffer material damage to its reputation by association with the other party or if there is an event of default. An event of default under the Constellation Sponsorship Agreement includes a party’s failure to perform its material obligations for 60 days after receiving written notice from the other party and failure to cure such default; a party’s becoming insolvent or filing a voluntary petition in bankruptcy; a party’s being adjudged bankrupt; an involuntary petition under any bankruptcy or insolvency law being filed against a party; a party’s sale, assignment or transfer of all or substantially all of its assets (other than to an affiliate in the case of HOF Village or PFHOF). Additionally, Constellation has a right to terminate the Constellation Sponsorship Agreement effective as of December 31, 2023 for failure to recover its investment in the form of new business, if it provides written notice on or prior to December 1, 2022.

 

Loss of our existing title sponsors or other major sponsorship agreements, including the Naming Rights Agreement and Constellation Sponsorship Agreement, or failure to secure sponsorship agreements in the future on favorable terms, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

We could be adversely affected by declines in discretionary consumer spending, consumer confidence and general and regional economic conditions.

 

Our success depends to a significant extent on discretionary consumer spending, which is heavily influenced by general economic conditions and the availability of discretionary income. The current economic downturn as a result of COVID-19, coupled with high volatility and uncertainty as to the future global economic landscape, has had an adverse effect on consumers’ discretionary income and consumer confidence. Future volatile, negative or uncertain economic conditions and recessionary periods or periods of significant inflation may adversely impact attendance and guest spending levels at Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, which would materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls will be located in Canton, Ohio. The concentration of our operations in this market exposes us to greater risks than if our operations were more geographically diverse. As a result, negative developments in the local economic conditions in the Midwest region, particularly those impacting travel, hotel or other real estate operations, could reduce guest attendance, negatively impact consumer spending, increase tenant defaults and otherwise have a material adverse effect on our profitability.

 

Other factors that can affect consumer spending and confidence include severe weather, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes and other natural disasters, elevated terrorism alerts, terrorist attacks, military actions, air travel concerns, outbreaks of disease, and geopolitical events, as well as various industry and other business conditions, including an ever increasing number of sporting and entertainment options that compete for discretionary spending. Such factors or incidents, even if not directly impacting us, can disrupt or otherwise adversely impact the spending sentiment and interest of our present or potential customers and sponsors.

 

Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls will operate in highly competitive industries and our revenues, profits or market share could be harmed if we are unable to compete effectively.

 

We will face substantial competition in each of our businesses. For example:

 

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the National Youth Football & Sports Complex and the Center for Performance will compete with other facilities and venues across the region and country for hosting concerts, athletic events (including professional sports events, sports camps and tournaments) and other major conventions;

 

Hall of Fame Village Media will compete (i) with other media and content producers to obtain creative and performing talent, sports and other programming content, story properties, advertiser support, distribution channels and market share and (ii) for viewers with other broadcast, cable and satellite services as well as with home entertainment products, new sources of broadband and mobile delivered content and internet usage;

 

The Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, the Hall of Fame hotels, and the Hall of Fame retail promenade, if and when completed, will compete for guests with other theme parks and resorts, such as Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, Ohio, and other theme parks, retail and tourist destinations in Ohio and around the country, and with other forms of entertainment, lodging, tourism and recreation activities; and

 

The planned Constellation Center for Excellence will compete for tenants with other suppliers of commercial and/or retail space.

 

Competition in each of these areas may increase as a result of technological developments, changes in consumer preferences, economic conditions, changes in market structure and other factors that affect the recreation, entertainment, vacation, retail, tourism and leisure industries generally. Increased competition may divert consumers from Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls to other forms of entertainment, which could reduce our revenue or increase our marketing costs. Our competitors may have substantially greater financial resources than we do, and they may be able to adapt more quickly to changes in consumer preferences or devote greater resources to promotion of their offerings and services or to development or acquisition of offerings and services that are perceived to be of a higher quality or value than our offerings and services. As a result, we may not be able to compete successfully against such competitors.

 

We may not be able to fund capital expenditures and investment in future attractions and projects.

 

A principal competitive factor for Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls is the originality and perceived quality of its events, attractions and offerings. Even after completion of the various components of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, we will need to make continued capital investments through maintenance and the regular addition of new events, attractions and offerings. Our ability to fund capital expenditures will depend on our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations and to raise capital from third parties. We cannot assure you that our operations will be able to generate sufficient cash flow to fund such costs, or that we will be able to obtain sufficient financing on adequate terms, or at all, which could cause us to delay or abandon certain projects or plans.

 

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The high fixed cost structure of the Company’s operations may result in significantly lower margins if revenues decline.

 

We expect a large portion of our operating expenses to be relatively fixed because the costs for full-time employees, maintenance, utilities, advertising and insurance will not vary significantly with attendance. These fixed costs may increase at a greater rate than our revenues and may not be able to be reduced at the same rate as declining revenues. If cost-cutting efforts are insufficient to offset declines in revenues or are impracticable, we could experience a material decline in margins, revenues, profitability and reduced or negative cash flows. Such effects can be especially pronounced during periods of economic contraction or slow economic growth.

 

Increased labor costs, labor shortages or labor disruptions could reduce our profitability.

 

Because labor costs are and will continue to be a major component of our operating expenses, higher labor costs could reduce our profitability. Higher labor costs could result from, among other things, labor shortages that require us to raise labor rates in order to attract employees, and increases in minimum wage rates. Higher employee health insurance costs could also adversely affect our profitability. Additionally, increased labor costs, labor shortages or labor disruptions by employees of our third-party contractors and subcontractors could disrupt our operations, increase our costs and affect our profitability.

 

Cyber security risks and the failure to maintain the integrity of internal or guest data could result in damages to our reputation, the disruption of operations and/or subject us to costs, fines or lawsuits.

 

We anticipate that we will collect and retain large volumes of internal and guest data, including credit card numbers and other personally identifiable information, for business purposes, including for transactional or target marketing and promotional purposes, and our various information technology systems enter, process, summarize and report such data. We also expect to maintain personally identifiable information about our employees. The integrity and protection of our guest, employee and company data will be critical to our business and our guests and employees are likely to have a high expectation that we will adequately protect their personal information. The regulatory environment, as well as the requirements imposed on us by the credit card industry, governing information, security and privacy laws is increasingly demanding and continues to evolve. Maintaining compliance with applicable security and privacy regulations may increase our operating costs and/or adversely impact our ability to market our theme parks, products and services to our guests.

 

We also expect to rely on accounting, financial and operational management information technology systems to conduct our operations. If these information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption or shutdown and our business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

 

We may face various security threats, including cyber security attacks on our data (including our vendors’ and guests’ data) and/or information technology infrastructure. Although we will utilize various procedures and controls to monitor and mitigate these threats, there can be no assurance that these procedures and controls will be sufficient to prevent penetrations or disruptions to our systems. Furthermore, a penetrated or compromised data system or the intentional, inadvertent or negligent release or disclosure of data could result in theft, loss, fraudulent or unlawful use of guest, employee or company data which could harm our reputation or result in remedial and other costs, fines or lawsuits and require significant management attention and resources to be spent. In addition, our insurance coverage and indemnification arrangements that we enter into, if any, may not be adequate to cover all the costs related to cyber security attacks or disruptions resulting from such events. To date, cyber security attacks directed at us have not had a material impact on our financial results. Due to the evolving nature of security threats, however, the impact of any future incident cannot be predicted.

 

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Investors are subject to litigation risk and their respective investments in the shares of our Common Stock may be lost as a result of our legal liabilities or the legal liabilities of our affiliates.

 

We or our affiliates may from time to time be subject to claims by third parties and may be plaintiffs or defendants in civil proceedings, including in connection with the development and operations of Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. In January 2018, several subcontractors who helped construct the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium filed mechanics’ liens against the stadium. Although we have settled these particular claims, there can be no assurance that similar claims will not be brought in the future if we cannot generate the revenue that we forecast or raise sufficient capital to pay contractors in connection with constructing other components of the project. The expense of prosecuting claims, for which there is no guarantee of success, and/or the expense of defending against claims by third parties and paying any amounts pursuant to settlements or judgments, would generally be borne by the Company and could result in the reduction or complete loss of all of the assets of the Company, which could result in the loss of your entire investment.

 

Our business may be adversely affected by tenant defaults or bankruptcy.

 

Our business may be adversely affected if any future tenants at the Constellation Center for Excellence or Hall of Fame retail promenade default on their obligations to us. A default by a tenant may result in the inability of such tenant to re-lease space from us on economically favorable terms, or at all. In the event of a default by a tenant, we may experience delays in payments and incur substantial costs in recovering our losses. In addition, our tenants may file for bankruptcy or be involved in insolvency proceedings and we may be required to expense costs associated with leases of bankrupt tenants and may not be able to replace future rents for tenant space rejected in bankruptcy proceedings, which could adversely affect our properties. Any bankruptcies of our tenants could make it difficult for us to enforce our rights as lessor and protect our investment.

 

Fluctuations in real estate values may require us to write down the carrying value of our real estate assets or investments.

 

Real estate valuations are subject to significant variability and fluctuation. The valuation of our real estate assets or real estate investments is inherently subjective and based on the individual characteristics of each asset. Factors such as competitive market supply and demand for inventory, changes in laws and regulations, political and economic conditions and interest and inflation rate fluctuations subject our valuations to uncertainty. Our valuations are or will be made on the basis of assumptions that may not prove to reflect economic or demographic reality. If the real estate market deteriorates, we may reevaluate the assumptions used in our analyses. As a result, adverse market conditions may require us to write down the book value of certain real estate assets or real estate investments and some of those write-downs could be material. Any material write-downs of assets could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our property taxes could increase due to rate increases or reassessments or the imposition of new taxes or assessments or loss of tax credits, which may adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.

 

We are required to pay state and local real property taxes and assessments on our properties. The real property taxes and assessments on our properties may increase as property or special tax rates increase or if our properties are assessed or reassessed at a higher value by taxing authorities. In addition, if we are obligated to pay new taxes or if there are increases in the property taxes and assessments that we currently pay, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. We are relying on various forms of public financing to finance the development and operations of the Company.

 

Our insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover all possible losses that we could suffer and our insurance costs may increase.

 

We seek to maintain comprehensive insurance coverage at commercially reasonable rates. Although we maintain various safety and loss prevention programs and carry property and casualty insurance to cover certain risks, our insurance policies do not cover all types of losses and liabilities. There can be no assurance that our insurance will be sufficient to cover the full extent of all losses or liabilities for which we are insured, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to renew our current insurance policies on favorable terms, or at all. In addition, if we or other theme park operators sustain significant losses or make significant insurance claims, then our ability to obtain future insurance coverage at commercially reasonable rates could be materially adversely affected.

 

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Our operations and our ownership of property subject us to environmental requirements, and to environmental expenditures and liabilities.

 

We incur costs to comply with environmental requirements, such as those relating to water use, wastewater and storm water management and disposal, air emissions control, hazardous materials management, solid and hazardous waste disposal, and the clean-up of properties affected by regulated materials.

 

We may be required to investigate and clean-up hazardous or toxic substances or chemical releases, and other releases, from current or formerly owned or operated facilities. In addition, in the ordinary course of our business, we generate, use and dispose of large volumes of water, which requires us to comply with a number of federal, state and local regulations and to incur significant expenses. Failure to comply with such regulations could subject us to fines and penalties and/or require us to incur additional expenses.

 

We cannot assure you that we will not incur substantial costs to comply with new or expanded environmental requirements in the future or to investigate or clean-up new or newly identified environmental conditions, which could also impair our ability to use or transfer the affected properties and to obtain financing.

 

Our planned sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports operations are subject to a variety of U.S. and foreign laws, many of which are unsettled and still developing and which could subject us to claims or otherwise harm our business. Any change in existing regulations or their interpretation, or the regulatory climate applicable to our products and services, or changes in tax rules and regulations or interpretation thereof related to our products and services, could adversely impact our ability to operate our business as currently conducted or as we seek to operate in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our planned sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports operations are generally subject to laws and regulations relating to sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports in the jurisdictions in which we are planning to conduct such operations or in some circumstances, in those jurisdictions in which we offer our services or they are available, as well as the general laws and regulations that apply to all e-commerce businesses, such as those related to privacy and personal information, tax and consumer protection. These laws and regulations vary from one jurisdiction to another and future legislative and regulatory action, court decisions or other governmental action, which may be affected by, among other things, political pressures, attitudes and climates, as well as personal biases, may have a material impact on our operations and financial results. In particular, some jurisdictions have introduced regulations attempting to restrict or prohibit online gaming, while others have taken the position that online gaming should be licensed and regulated and have adopted or are in the process of considering legislation and regulations to enable that to happen. Additionally some jurisdictions in which we may operate could presently be unregulated or partially regulated and therefore more susceptible to the enactment or change of laws and regulations.

 

In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (“PASPA”). This decision has the effect of lifting federal restrictions on sports betting and thus allows states to determine by themselves the legality of sports betting. Since the repeal of PASPA, several states (including Washington D.C.) have legalized online sports betting. To the extent new real money gaming or sports betting jurisdictions are established or expanded, we cannot guarantee that we will be successful in penetrating such new jurisdictions. If we are unable to effectively develop and operate directly or indirectly within existing or new jurisdictions or if our competitors are able to successfully penetrate geographic jurisdictions that we cannot access or where we face other restrictions, there could be a material adverse effect on our sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports operations. Our failure to obtain or maintain the necessary regulatory approvals in jurisdictions, whether individually or collectively, would have a material adverse effect on our business. To operate in any jurisdiction, we may need to be licensed and obtain approvals of our product offerings. This is a time-consuming process that can be extremely costly. Any delays in obtaining or difficulty in maintaining regulatory approvals needed for expansion within existing jurisdictions or into new jurisdictions can negatively affect our opportunities for growth, including the growth of our customer base, or delay our ability to recognize revenue from our offerings in any such jurisdictions.

 

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Future legislative and regulatory action, and court decisions or other governmental action, may have a material impact on our planned sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports operations. Governmental authorities could view us as having violated local laws, despite our efforts to obtain all applicable licenses or approvals. There is also a risk that civil and criminal proceedings, including class actions brought by or on behalf of prosecutors or public entities or incumbent monopoly providers, or private individuals, could be initiated against us, Internet service providers, credit card and other payment processors, advertisers and others involved in the sports betting industry. Such potential proceedings could involve substantial litigation expense, penalties, fines, seizure of assets, injunctions or other restrictions being imposed upon us or our licensees or other business partners, while diverting the attention of key executives. Such proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as impact our reputation.

 

The growth prospects of our planned sports betting operations depend on the legal status of real-money gaming in various jurisdictions, predominantly within the United States, which is an initial area of focus, and legalization may not occur in as many states as we expect, or may occur at a slower pace than we anticipate. Additionally, even if jurisdictions legalize real money gaming, this may be accompanied by legislative or regulatory restrictions and/or taxes that make it impracticable or less attractive to operate in those jurisdictions, or the process of implementing regulations or securing the necessary licenses to operate in a particular jurisdiction may take longer than we anticipate, which could adversely affect our future results of sports betting operations and make it more difficult to meet our expectations for financial performance.

 

A number of states have legalized, or are currently considering legalizing, real money gaming, and the growth prospects of our planned sports betting operations are significantly dependent upon such legalization. The legalization of real money gaming may not occur as we have anticipated. Additionally, if a large number of additional states or the federal government enact real money gaming legislation and we are unable to obtain, or are otherwise delayed in obtaining the necessary licenses to operate online sports betting websites in U.S. jurisdictions where such games are legalized, our future growth in online sports betting could be materially impaired.

 

As we enter into new jurisdictions, states or the federal government may legalize real money gaming in a manner that is unfavorable to us. As a result, we may encounter legal, regulatory and political challenges that are difficult or impossible to foresee and which could result in an unforeseen adverse impact on planned revenues or costs associated with the new opportunity. For example, certain states require a relationship with a land-based, licensed casino for online Sportsbook access. States that have established state-run monopolies may limit opportunities for private sector participants like us. States also impose substantial tax rates on online sports betting revenue, in addition to sales taxes in certain jurisdictions and a federal excise tax of 25 basis points on the amount of each wager.

 

Therefore, even in cases in which a jurisdiction purports to license and regulate sports betting, the licensing and regulatory regimes can vary considerably in terms of their business-friendliness and at times may be intended to provide incumbent operators with advantages over new licensees. Therefore, some “liberalized” regulatory regimes are considerably more commercially attractive than others.

 

Failure to comply with regulatory requirements in a particular jurisdiction, or the failure to successfully obtain a license or permit applied for in a particular jurisdiction, could impact our ability to comply with licensing and regulatory requirements in other jurisdictions, or could cause the rejection of license applications or cancelation of existing licenses in other jurisdictions, or could cause financial institutions, online and mobile platforms, advertisers and distributors to stop providing services to us which we rely upon to receive payments from, or distribute amounts to, our users, or otherwise to deliver and promote our services. 

 

Compliance with the various regulations applicable to fantasy sports and real money gaming is costly and time-consuming. Regulatory authorities at the non-U.S., U.S. federal, state and local levels have broad powers with respect to the regulation and licensing of fantasy sports and real money gaming operations and may revoke, suspend, condition or limit our fantasy sports or real money gaming licenses, impose substantial fines on us and take other actions, any one of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. These laws and regulations are dynamic and subject to potentially differing interpretations, and various legislative and regulatory bodies may expand current laws or regulations or enact new laws and regulations regarding these matters. We will strive to comply with all applicable laws and regulations relating to our business. It is possible, however, that these requirements may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules. Non-compliance with any such law or regulations could expose us to claims, proceedings, litigation and investigations by private parties and regulatory authorities, as well as substantial fines and negative publicity, each of which may materially and adversely affect our business.

 

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Any fantasy sports or real money gaming license obtained could be revoked, suspended or conditioned at any time. The loss of a license in one jurisdiction could trigger the loss of a license or affect our eligibility for such a license in another jurisdiction, and any of such losses, or potential for such loss, could cause us to cease offering some or all of our offerings in the impacted jurisdictions. We may be unable to obtain or maintain all necessary registrations, licenses, permits or approvals, and could incur fines or experience delays related to the licensing process, which could adversely affect our operations. Our delay or failure to obtain or maintain licenses in any jurisdiction may prevent us from distributing our offerings, increasing our customer base and/or generating revenues. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain and maintain the licenses and related approvals necessary to conduct our planned sports betting operations. Any failure to maintain or renew our licenses, registrations, permits or approvals could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

Our growth prospects and market potential for our proposed sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports operations will depend on our ability to obtain licenses to operate in a number of jurisdictions and if we fail to obtain such licenses our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be impaired.

 

Our ability to grow our proposed sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports operations will depend on our ability to obtain and maintain licenses to offer our product offerings in a large number of jurisdictions or in heavily populated jurisdictions. If we fail to obtain and maintain licenses in large jurisdictions or in a greater number of mid-market jurisdictions, this may prevent us from expanding the footprint of our product offerings, increasing our user base and/or generating revenues. We cannot be certain that we will be able to obtain and maintain licenses and related approvals necessary to conduct our proposed sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports operations. Any failure to obtain and maintain licenses, registrations, permits or approvals could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

Negative events or negative media coverage relating to, or a declining popularity of, fantasy sports, sports betting, the underlying sports or athletes, or online sports betting in particular, or other negative coverage may adversely impact our ability to retain or attract users, which could have an adverse impact on our proposed sports betting, fantasy sports and eSports operations.

 

Public opinion can significantly influence our business. Unfavorable publicity regarding us, for example, our product changes, product quality, litigation, or regulatory activity, or regarding the actions of third parties with whom we have relationships or the underlying sports (including declining popularity of the sports or athletes) could seriously harm our reputation. In addition, a negative shift in the perception of sports betting by the public or by politicians, lobbyists or others could affect future legislation of sports betting, which could cause jurisdictions to abandon proposals to legalize sports betting, thereby limiting the number of jurisdictions in which we can operate such operations. Furthermore, illegal betting activity by athletes could result in negative publicity for our industry and could harm our brand reputation. Negative public perception could also lead to new restrictions on or to the prohibition of sports betting in jurisdictions in which such operations are currently legal. Such negative publicity could also adversely affect the size, demographics, engagement, and loyalty of our customer base and result in decreased revenue or slower user growth rates, which could seriously harm our business.

 

The suspension or termination of, or the failure to obtain, any business or other licenses may have a negative impact on our business.

 

We maintain a variety of business licenses issued by federal, state and local authorities that are renewable on a periodic basis. We cannot guarantee that we will be successful in renewing all of our licenses on a periodic basis. The suspension, termination or expiration of one or more of these licenses could materially adversely affect our revenues and profits. Any changes to the licensing requirements for any of our licenses could affect our ability to maintain the licenses. In addition, we do not yet have all of the appropriate licenses required for our operations, including liquor licenses. The failure to obtain liquor or other licenses may negatively impact our business.

 

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Delays or restrictions in obtaining permits for capital investments could impair our business.

 

Our capital investments require regulatory permits from one or more governmental agencies in order to build new theme parks, attractions and shows. Such permits are typically issued by state agencies, but federal and local governmental permits may also be required. The requirements for such permits vary depending on the location of such capital investments. As with all governmental permitting processes, there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a permit will be granted, the time it will take for a permit to be issued, and the conditions that may be imposed in connection with the granting of the permit. Therefore, our capital investments in certain areas may be delayed, interrupted or suspended for varying lengths of time, causing a loss of revenue to us and adversely affecting our results of operations.

 

We received a subpoena request from the Auditor of the State of Ohio requesting documents related to the funding of the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, and we could in the future receive other subpoenas or requests related to this or other matters.

 

On March 26, 2019, we received an administrative subpoena (the “Subpoena”) from the Auditor of the State of Ohio (the “Ohio Auditor”). The Subpoena required us to furnish a broad range of documents related to the funding sources and disbursements relating to the construction of the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and related youth fields to the Ohio Auditor by April 30, 2019. We believe we have provided copies of all of the requested documents in our files on the compliance date in a timely manner, and we intend to continue to cooperate with the Ohio Auditor in its investigation of this matter. We believe the investigation is in its preliminary stages, however, we cannot predict the ultimate scope, duration or outcome or any findings the Ohio Auditor may make as part of its investigation. We could in the future receive other regulatory or governmental information requests or subpoenas, or be subject to other actions, investigations or proceedings, the outcome of which could materially adversely affect our business or prospects.

 

The maturity date of the Bridge Loan, which is secured by substantially all of our assets, was extended to November 30, 2020; however, we have previously received notices of default under this agreement (which previous defaults were waived). While this agreement was amended to extend the time within which we must repay the debt in full to November 30, 2020, there can be no assurance that we will be able to repay the obligation upon maturity to avoid a future default.

 

HOF Village entered into the $65 million Bridge Loan on March 20, 2018 with the Lenders and GACP, as administrative agent (the “Term Loan Agreement”). On August 17, 2018, we received a notice of default from GACP (which default was waived) due to our failure to receive cash proceeds from the issuance to us of a permitted loan, or the issuance by us of equity, in an aggregate net amount of not less than $75 million by August 15, 2018 (the “Fundraising Obligation”). Pursuant to an amendment entered into on September 14, 2018, the deadline for the Fundraising Obligation was extended to December 31, 2018 and the interest rate paid to the Lenders was increased to 11% per annum above the prime rate from August 1, 2018 onwards. Pursuant to an amendment entered into on February 19, 2019, the terms of the Fundraising Obligations were further revised, the deadline for the fulfilment of the Fundraising Obligations was extended to March 1, 2019 (or the maturity date, if certain requirements have been met), and the Fundraising Obligation covenant was fully and permanently waived in connection with the deadline extension. We entered into another amendment to the Bridge Loan on August 15, 2019, which extended the maturity date of the Bridge Loan to September 13, 2019. On September 17, 2019, we received a notice of default from GACP due to our failure to pay the principal balance of the Bridge Loan together with interest, fees and other costs in full. We entered into another amendment to the Bridge Loan on November 16, 2019, which further extended the maturity date of the Bridge Loan to October 31, 2020, and required a $25 million principal payment on April 30, 2020, and the applicable interest rate paid to the Lenders was increased to 12% per annum. We did not make the required $25 million principal payment on April 30, 2020. On June 30, 2020, we entered into another amendment to the Bridge Loan, which further extended the maturity date to November 30, 2020, updated certain defined terms to align with the final transaction structure resulting from the Business Combination, specified the Gordon Pointe Transaction Prepayment Amount, added a fee payable to certain Lenders relative to the amounts owed after giving effect to the Gordon Pointe Transaction Prepayment Amount, amended various provisions related to mandatory prepayments of outstanding amounts owed under the Term Loan Agreement (including, but not limited to, prepayments cue in connection with future equity and debt raises) and other minor amendment regarding HOF Village Hotel II, LLC and Mountaineer GM LLC to facilitate their planned operations.

 

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On July 1, 2020, we used proceeds from the Business Combination to pay $15.5 million on the Bridge Loan, while an additional $15.0 million converted into equity in HOFRE. The remaining balance of the Bridge Loan following the Business Combination was approximately $34.5 million. While we expect to secure sufficient capital to repay our indebtedness under our Bridge Loan, currently, we do not have the capital to repay the Bridge Loan in full upon maturity and we cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to source such capital by the Bridge Loan maturity date. Our inability to repay the obligations under the Bridge Loan when due would result in another default under the Bridge Loan, which, if enforced, would (a) cause all obligations under the Bridge Loan to become immediately due and payable and (b) grant GACP, as administrative agent, the right to take any or all actions and exercise any remedies available to a secured party under the relevant documents or applicable law or in equity, including commencing foreclosure proceedings on our properties. To the extent we do not have sufficient funds to pay the outstanding balance at maturity, an affiliate of Industrial Realty Group has agreed to advance funds to the Company to pay off the Bridge Loan, under the terms of the guarantee. As a result, Industrial Realty Group would become a lender to the Company with a maturity date of August 2021. As of June 30, 2020, Industrial Realty Group had advanced $22.3 million to HOF Village under IRG November Note. Any other future advances under the IRG November Note require the approval of both HOF Village and Industrial Realty Group (each in their sole discretion), except for advances required to prevent a default under the Bridge Loan (which advances Industrial Realty Group may make without HOF Village’s consent). Additionally, we have reached an agreement with Industrial Realty Group that in the event that Industrial Realty Group or any of its affiliates or related entities advance funds to pay off the Bridge Loan under the guaranty or otherwise and assume the role of Lender, (i) certain mandatory prepayment provisions will be deleted and no longer be applicable, (ii) the maturity date of the Term Loan Agreement will be extended to August 31, 2021 and (iii) we will not be required to pay to any IRG Entity any principal, interest, or other obligations due under the Term Loan Agreement if payment of such amounts would cause the borrowers to violate applicable Nasdaq or securities-law requirements. The IRG November Note is intended to provide us with available funding that can help prevent a default under the Bridge Loan and, if approved by Industrial Realty Group and HOF Village and not otherwise depleted, to provide additional working capital to the Company and/or to pay all or some portion of the remaining balance of the Bridge Loan. Industrial Realty Group exchanged $9.0 million of the amount outstanding under the IRG November Note for the PIPE Notes issued by HOFRE at the time of the closing of the Business Combination and, at present, the outstanding balance of the IRG November Note is $13.3 million.

 

In addition to amounts advanced under the IRG November Note, various affiliates of Industrial Realty Group have advanced other funds to us and our subsidiaries, of which approximately $2.2 million is classified as “New ACC Funded Debt”, approximately $3.5 million is classified as IRG “preferred equity”, and approximately $0.1 million is classified as “ACC Funded Debt”. These figures include four advances totaling $1.1 million made under the IRG November Note since March 31, 2020, but do not include the PIK interest which has accrued on all advances from date of funding.

 

There can be no assurance that we will be able to meet certain construction deadlines under a Letter of Representations, which could cause a cross-default under the Bridge Loan.

 

If construction is delayed for any reason and we do not meet certain construction deadlines, we could be in breach of a letter of representations agreement with the Canton City School District and Stark County Port Authority (the “Letter of Representations”). A breach of the Letter of Representations would cause a cross-default under the Bridge Loan. If we default on our obligations under the Bridge Loan, GACP could accelerate the entire amount of the Bridge Loan, declare the unpaid balance (plus interest, fees and expenses) immediately due and payable and take other action to enforce the Bridge Loan, including foreclosure of substantially all of our assets that secure the Bridge Loan. An affiliate of Industrial Realty Group has guaranteed certain payment obligations under the Bridge Loan in the event of a default. Additionally, we have reached an agreement with Industrial Realty Group that in the event that Industrial Realty Group or any of its affiliates or related entities advance funds to pay off the Bridge Loan under the guaranty or otherwise and assume the role of Lender (as defined in the Term Loan Agreement), (i) certain mandatory prepayment provisions will be deleted and no longer be applicable, (ii) the maturity date of the Term Loan Agreement will be extended to August 31, 2021 and (iii) we will not be required to pay to any IRG Entity any principal, interest, or other obligations due under the Term Loan Agreement if payment of such amounts would cause Borrowers to violate applicable Nasdaq or securities-law requirements.

 

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In connection with the Bridge Loan, HOF Village entered into a mortgage granting a security interest in its rights to certain premises that HOF Village leases from the Canton City School District and Stark County Port Authority. The Letter of Representations provides that any lien created by the mortgage or any other security interest granted in such premises in connection with the Bridge Loan will attach only to HOF Village’s and the other Borrowers’ interest in such premises and would remain subordinate to and not disturb the rights and interests of the City of Canton, Ohio, the Canton City School District, Stark County Port Authority, PFHOF, the State of Ohio, Plain Local School District, the Canton Symphony Orchestra, and persons identified as benefitted parties under any TIF revenue bond declaration. Additionally, the Letter of Representations provides that HOF Village and its relevant affiliates will remain bound to fulfill their respective obligations under the existing ground leases, project leases and certain other agreements with the Canton City School District and Stark County Port Authority and that HOF Village will cause certain payments to be made to Canton City School District and Stark County Port Authority.

 

If we do not receive sufficient capital to substantially repay our indebtedness, our indebtedness may have a material adverse effect on our business, our financial condition and results of operations and our ability to secure additional financing in the future, and we may not be able to raise sufficient funds to repay our indebtedness.

 

Following the July 1, 2020 closing of the Business Combination, the Company’s capital structure includes debt and debt-like obligations consisting of the following principal amounts:

 

approximately $34.5 million of secured indebtedness outstanding under the Bridge Loan (approximately $15.0 million of which is the principal portion of what is referred to in the Merger Agreement as the IRG, LLC Funded Debt Commitments);

 

approximately $9.7 million of indebtedness to Development Finance Authority of Summit County, Ohio, representing tax-increment financing proceeds;

 

approximately $5.6 million of indebtedness outstanding pursuant to a loan and security agreement by and among JCIHOFV Financing, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company), HOF Village, PFHOF, other lenders and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as agent, collateralized by the Naming Rights Agreement;

 

approximately $20.7 million of 10.0% unsecured subordinated convertible notes, of which approximately $7 million are classified as “Company Convertible Notes” and $13.7 million are classified as “New Company Convertible Notes” under the Merger Agreement;

 

approximately $1.3 million of indebtedness outstanding pursuant to a promissory note, dated July 10, 2017, by HOF Village in favor of PFHOF;

 

approximately $1.9 million of indebtedness to Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Niles;

 

approximately $13.4 million of indebtedness outstanding pursuant to the IRG November Note;

 

approximately $2.2 million drawn on a loan facility of up to $3.0 million with New Market Project, Inc., the proceeds of which are to be used for the development of the McKinley Grand Hotel;

 

approximately $2.6 million drawn on a loan facility of up to $3.5 million with the City of Canton, Ohio;

 

approximately $9.9 million in financing from Constellation through its Efficiency Made Easy (“EME”) program;

 

$390,400 of indebtedness outstanding representing a federal paycheck protection program loan to HOF Village;

 

approximately $4.5 million of indebtedness outstanding pursuant to a promissory note, by HOF Village in favor of JKP Financial, LLC; and

 

$1.0 million drawn on a loan facility with Stark Community Foundation.

 

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If we do not have sufficient funds to repay our debt at maturity, our indebtedness could subject us to many risks that, if realized, would adversely affect us, including the following:

 

our cash flows from operations are currently insufficient to make required payments of principal of and interest on the debt, and a failure to pay would likely result in acceleration of such debt and could result in cross accelerations or cross defaults on other debt;

 

our debt may increase our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

to the extent that we generate and use any cash flow from operations to make payments on our debt, it will reduce our funds available for operations, development, capital expenditures and future investment opportunities or other purposes;

 

debt covenants limit our ability to borrow additional amounts, including for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements, executing our development plan and other purposes;

 

restrictive debt covenants may limit our flexibility in operating our business, including limitations on our ability to make certain investments; incur additional indebtedness; create certain liens; incur obligations that restrict the ability of our subsidiaries to make payments to us; consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; or enter into transactions with affiliates;

 

to the extent that our indebtedness bears interest at a variable rate, we are exposed to the risk of increased interest rates;

 

debt covenants may limit our subsidiaries’ ability to make distributions to us;

 

causing an event of default under the Bridge Loan if it is not repaid in full at maturity; and

 

if any debt is refinanced, the terms of any refinancing may not be as favorable as the terms of the debt being refinanced.

 

If we do not have sufficient funds to repay our debt at maturity, it may be necessary to refinance the debt through additional debt or equity financings. If, at the time of any refinancing, prevailing interest rates or other factors result in a higher interest rate on such refinancing, increases in interest expense could adversely affect our cash flows and results of operations. If we are unable to refinance our debt on acceptable terms or at all, we may be forced to dispose of uncollateralized assets on disadvantageous terms, postpone investments in the development of our properties or the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls or default on our debt. In addition, to the extent we cannot meet any future debt service obligations, we will risk losing some or all of our assets that are pledged to secure such obligations.

 

Our business plan requires additional liquidity and capital resources that might not be available on terms that are favorable to us, or at all.

 

While our strategy assumes that we will receive sufficient capital to have sufficient working capital, we currently do not have available cash and cash flows from operations to provide us with adequate liquidity for the near-term or foreseeable future. Our current projected liabilities exceed our current cash projections and we have very limited cash flow from current operations. We therefore will require additional capital and/or cash flow from future operations to fund the Company, our debt service obligations and our ongoing business. There is no assurance that we will be able to raise sufficient additional capital or generate sufficient future cash flow from our future operations to fund the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, our debt service obligations or our ongoing business. If the amount of capital we are able to raise, together with any income from future operations, is not sufficient to satisfy our liquidity and capital needs, including funding our current debt obligations, we may be required to abandon or alter our plans for the Company. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to liquidate our assets, or be foreclosed upon, and may receive less than the value at which those assets are carried on our consolidated financial statements, and it is likely that investors in our Common Stock will lose all or a part of their investment. As discussed in greater detail above, we have previously received notices of default under our Bridge Loan, which is secured by substantially all of our assets (which previous defaults were waived). While we have entered into an amendment to the Term Loan Agreement to extend the maturity date of the Bridge Loan by one month to November 30, 2020 and an affiliate of Industrial Realty Group has guaranteed certain payment obligations of the Company under the Bridge Loan, there can be no assurance that we will be able to repay the obligation upon maturity or otherwise avoid a future default.

 

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Our ability to obtain necessary financing may be impaired by factors such as the health of and access to capital markets, our limited track record and the limited historical financial information available, or the substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Any additional capital raised through the sale of additional shares of our capital stock, convertible debt or other equity may dilute the ownership percentage of our stockholders.

 

We will have to increase leverage to develop the Company, which could further exacerbate the risks associated with our substantial indebtedness.

 

While we used proceeds from the Business Combination to pay down certain outstanding debt, we will have to take on substantially more debt to complete the construction of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. We may incur additional indebtedness from time to time in the future to finance working capital, capital expenditures, investments or acquisitions, or for other purposes. If and when we incur additional indebtedness, the risks related to our indebtedness could intensify.

 

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to service all of our indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful.

 

Our ability to make scheduled payments on or refinance our debt obligations depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. We may be unable to generate a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness. Until such time as we can service our indebtedness with cash flow from operations, we intend to service our indebtedness from other sources.

 

If our cash flows, cash on hand and other capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we could face continued and future liquidity concerns and could be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures or to dispose of material assets or operations, seek additional indebtedness or equity capital, or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. We may not be able to effect any such alternative measures, if necessary, on commercially reasonable terms or at all and, even if successful, those alternative actions may not allow us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. The Bridge Loan restricts our ability to dispose of assets and use the proceeds from those dispositions and may also restrict our ability to raise indebtedness or equity capital to be used to repay other indebtedness when it becomes due. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or to obtain proceeds in an amount sufficient to meet any debt service obligations then due.

 

Our inability to generate sufficient cash flows to satisfy our debt obligations, or to refinance our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all, would materially and adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.

 

An affiliate of Industrial Realty Group has guaranteed certain payment obligations of HOF Village under the Bridge Loan in the event of a default by HOF Village. Additionally, we have reached an agreement with Industrial Realty Group that in the event that Industrial Realty Group or any of its affiliates or related entities advance funds to pay off the Bridge Loan under the guaranty or otherwise and assume the role of Lender, (i) certain mandatory prepayment provisions will be deleted and no longer be applicable, (ii) the maturity date of the Term Loan Agreement will be extended to August 31, 2021 and (iii) we will not be required to pay to any IRG Entity any principal, interest, or other obligations due under the Term Loan Agreement if payment of such amounts would cause borrowers to violate applicable Nasdaq or securities-law requirements. If we cannot make scheduled payments on our indebtedness, we will be in default and holders of such indebtedness could declare all outstanding principal and interest to be due and payable, the lenders under the Bridge Loan could terminate their commitments to loan money, other indebtedness could be accelerated and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation.

 

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If we fail to comply with the reporting obligations of the Exchange Act and Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or if we fail to maintain adequate internal control over financial reporting, our business, financial condition, and results of operations, and investors’ confidence in us, could be materially and adversely affected.

 

As a public company, we are required to comply with the periodic reporting obligations of the Exchange Act, including preparing annual reports, quarterly reports, and current reports. Our failure to prepare and disclose this information in a timely manner and meet our reporting obligations in their entirety could subject us to penalties under federal securities laws and regulations of the Nasdaq, expose us to lawsuits, and restrict our ability to access financing on favorable terms, or at all.

 

In addition, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we are required to develop. evaluate and provide a management report of our systems of internal control over financial reporting. During the course of the evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting, we could identify areas requiring improvement and could be required to design enhanced processes and controls to address issues identified through this review. This could result in significant delays and costs to us and require us to divert substantial resources, including management time, from other activities.

 

If we fail to comply with the requirements of Section 404 on a timely basis this could result in the loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which in turn could, negatively impact the trading price of our stock, and adversely affect investors’ confidence in the Company and our ability to access capital markets for financing.

 

The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources and distract management

 

We expect to incur significant costs associated with our public company reporting requirements and costs associated with applicable corporate governance requirements. These applicable rules and regulations are expected to significantly increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time consuming and costly than those for privately owned companies that are not registrants with the Commission. Compliance with these rules and regulations may divert management’s attention from other business concerns.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic could have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

We are closely monitoring the outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19. The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a “pandemic” and the federal, state and local governments have implemented mandatory closures and other restrictive measures in response to the outbreak. Most large-scale events in the United States have been cancelled, including in the sports industry. These closures, restrictions on travel, stay-at-home orders and other mitigation measures, in addition to the greater public’s concern regarding the spread of coronavirus, have significantly impacted all facets of the economy, and will likely have an adverse impact on our business operations and financial results. The continued spread of coronavirus, or fear thereof, may also delay the implementation of our business strategy. The impact of COVID-19 on the capital markets may impact our future ability to access debt or equity financing.

 

Disruptions to the supply chain and limitations on large gatherings due to COVID-19 may delay the completion of the construction of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. Any long term fear of the spread of COVID-19, as well as government shut-down orders, could also affect future attendance at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. Our Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium is used for sports and entertainment events. Attendance at events that we schedule in the stadium could decrease or be restricted, which would further disrupt business operations and likely have an adverse impact on our business and financial results. For example, if the National Football League delayed, suspended or limited attendance for the 2020 football season or future seasons due to the continued spread of COVID-19, consumer interest in football, the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls or events at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium may decline.

 

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Even after restrictions loosen, the demand for sports and entertainment events may decrease as fears over travel or attending large-scale events linger due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. If unemployment levels persist and economic disruption continues, the demand for entertainment activities, travel and other discretionary consumer spending may also decline as consumers have less money to spend. We may be unable to recruit and train employees in sufficient numbers to fully staff our facilities. We may be required to enforce social distancing measures within our facilities by, among other things, limiting the number of people admitted or standing in lines at any time, or adding social distancing signage and markers. We may incur additional costs associated with maintaining the health and safety of our guests and employees, including facility improvements such as additional sanitization stations or requiring the broad use of personal protective equipment. If it is alleged or determined that illness associated with COVID-19 was contracted at one of our facilities, we may suffer reputational damage that could adversely affect attendance and future ticket sales.

 

Even after we are able to open our facilities, we may elect or be required to close them in the future in response to the continued impact of COVID-19 or outbreaks involving other epidemics. Any decrease in demand for the sports and entertainment industry would likely affect our business and financial results. The extent and duration of the long-term impact of COVID-19 remains uncertain and the full impact on our business operations cannot be predicted.

 

Risk Related to Our Common Stock

 

Our only significant asset is the ownership of 100% of Newco, and we currently do not intend to pay dividends on our Common Stock. Consequently, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our Common Stock.

 

We have no direct operations and no significant assets other than the ownership of 100% of Newco, which owns 100% of the interests of HOF Village. We depend on Newco for distributions, loans and other payments to generate the funds necessary to meet our financial obligations, including our expenses as a publicly traded company, and to pay any dividends with respect to our Common Stock. Legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from Newco. Thus, we do not expect to pay cash dividends on our Common Stock. Any future dividend payments are within the absolute discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, working capital requirements, capital expenditure requirements, financial condition, level of indebtedness, contractual restrictions with respect to payment of dividends, business opportunities, anticipated cash needs, provisions of applicable law and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

 

We may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our stock price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.

 

We may be forced to write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject. Accordingly, a stockholder could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares of Common Stock.

 

An active market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.

 

The price of our securities may fluctuate significantly due to the market’s continued reaction to the Business Combination and general market and economic conditions. An active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established or sustained.

 

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In addition, the price of our securities could be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond our control, including but not limited to our general business condition, the release of our financial reports and general economic conditions and forecasts. Broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of our securities irrespective of our operating performance. The stock market in general, and Nasdaq, have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of the particular companies affected. The trading prices and valuations of these stocks, and of our securities, may not be predictable. A loss of investor confidence in the market for the stocks of other companies which investors perceive to be similar to us could depress our stock price regardless of our business, prospects, financial conditions or results of operations. A decline in the market price of our securities also could adversely affect our ability to issue additional securities and our ability to obtain additional financing in the future. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on your investment in our securities, and our securities may trade at prices significantly below the price you paid for them. In such circumstances, the trading price of our securities may not recover and may experience a further decline.

 

Anti-takeover provisions contained in our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, could impair a takeover attempt.

 

Our Certificate of Incorporation contains provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. We are also subject to anti-takeover provisions under Delaware law, which could delay or prevent a change of control. Together, these provisions may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities. These provisions include:

 

no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates;

 

a classified board of directors with three-year staggered terms, which could delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority of our board of directors;

 

the right of our board of directors to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of our board of directors or the resignation, death or removal of a director in certain circumstances, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our board of directors;

 

a prohibition on stockholder action by written consent, which forces stockholder action to be taken at an annual or special meeting of our stockholders; and

 

the requirement that a meeting of stockholders may only be called by members of our board of directors or the stockholders holding a majority of our shares, which may delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action, including the removal of directors.

 

Our Certificate of Incorporation provides, subject to limited exceptions, that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for certain stockholder litigation matters, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or stockholders.

 

Our Certificate of Incorporation requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in HOFRE’s name, actions against directors, officers, stockholders and employees for breach of fiduciary duty, actions under the Delaware general corporation law or under our Certificate of Incorporation, or actions asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel. This choice of forum provision does not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for any actions brought under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. Accordingly, such exclusive forum provision will not relieve us of our duties to comply with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived its compliance with these laws, rules and regulations.

 

Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation. This choice of forum provision does not exclude stockholders from suing in federal court for claims under the federal securities laws but may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring such claims in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with HOFRE or any of its directors, officers, other employees or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims.

 

Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our Certificate of Incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

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If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline

 

The trading market for our securities will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. Securities and industry analysts do not currently, and may never, publish research on our company. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our Company, the trading price for our securities would likely be negatively impacted. In the event securities or industry analysts initiate coverage, if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our stock or publishes unfavorable research about our business, our stock price may decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our Company or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our securities could decrease, which might cause our stock price and trading volume to decline.

 

Our executive officers and directors, and their affiliated entities, along with our six other largest stockholders, own a significant percentage of our stock and will be able to exert significant control over matters subject to stockholder approval.

  

Our executive officers and directors, together with entities affiliated with such individuals, along with our six other largest stockholders, will beneficially own approximately 89% of our Common Stock. Accordingly, these stockholders are able to control the election of a majority of our directors and the determination of all corporate actions. This concentration of ownership could delay or prevent a change in control of the Company.

 

Risks Related to the Offering

 

Our management will have broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from this Offering, you may not agree with how we use the proceeds and the proceeds may not be invested successfully.

 

Our management will have broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this Offering and could use them for purposes other than those contemplated at the time of commencement of this offering. Accordingly, you will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the use of these net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. Under the terms of the Bridge Loan with GACP, we must use at least one-half the net proceeds from the Offering to prepay outstanding amounts under the Bridge Loan. It is possible that, pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds in a way that does not yield a favorable, or any, return for us. The failure of our management to use such funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

 

If you are a stockholder of the Company, your interest in our Company may be diluted as a result of this Offering.

 

Our stockholders who do not invest in the Offering should expect that they will, at the completion of this offering, own, or have the right to own, a smaller proportional interest in our Company on a fully-diluted basis than would otherwise be the case had they invested in the Offering. Further, the shares of our Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants to be issued pursuant to the Offering will dilute the ownership interest of our stockholders not participating in this offering or holders of Warrants who have not exercised them.

  

Completion of the Offering is not subject to us raising a minimum offering amount.

 

Completion of the Offering is not subject to us raising a minimum offering amount and, therefore, proceeds may be insufficient to meet our objectives, thereby increasing the risk to investors in this offering, including investing in a company that continues to require capital. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

This Offering may cause the trading price of our Common Stock to decrease.

 

The Offering Price, together with the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants we propose to issue and ultimately will issue if this Offering is completed, may result in an immediate decrease in the market price of our Common Stock. This decrease may continue after the completion of this Offering. If that occurs, you may have committed to buy shares of our Common Stock at a price greater than the prevailing market price. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that the availability of shares for future sale represented by the Warrants issued in connection with the Offering will have on the market price of our Common Stock from time to time. Further, if a substantial number of Units are sold and the holders of the shares received upon the purchase of those Units or the related Warrants choose to sell some or all of the shares underlying the Units or the related Warrants, the resulting sales could depress the market price of our Common Stock.

 

Holders of Warrants issued in this Offering will have no rights as a holder of our Common Stock until such holders exercise their Warrants and acquire our Common Stock.

 

Until holders of Warrants issued in this Offering acquire shares of our Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrants, holders of such securities will have no rights with respect to the shares of our Common Stock underlying such Warrants. Upon exercise of the Warrants the holders thereof will be entitled to exercise the rights of a holder of our Common Stock only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise date.

 

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The Offering Price determined for this offering is not an indication of the fair value of our Common Stock.

 

In determining the Offering Price, our board of directors considered a number of factors, including, but not limited to, our need to raise capital in the near term to continue our operations, the current and historical trading prices of our Common Stock, a price that would increase the likelihood of participation in the Offering, the cost of capital from other sources, the value of the Common Stock and Warrants being issued as components of the Unit, and comparable precedent transactions. The Offering Price does not necessarily bear any relationship to any established criteria for value. No valuation consultant or investment banker has opined upon the fairness or adequacy of the Offering Price. You should not consider the Offering Price as an indication of the value of our company or our Common Stock.

 

The market price of our Common Stock may never exceed the exercise price of the Warrants issued in connection with this offering.

 

The Warrants being issued in connection with this offering become exercisable upon issuance and will expire five years from the date of issuance. The market price of our Common Stock may never exceed the exercise price of the Warrants prior to their date of expiration. Any Warrants not exercised by their date of expiration will expire worthless and we will be under no further obligation to the Warrant holder.

 

The Warrants contain features that may reduce your economic benefit from owning them.

 

The Warrants contain features that prohibit you from engaging in certain investment strategies. For so long as you continue to hold Warrants, you will not be permitted to enter into any short sale or similar transaction with respect to our Common Stock. This could prevent you from pursuing investment strategies that could provide you greater financial benefits from owning the Warrants.

 

Since the Warrants are executory contracts, they may have no value in a bankruptcy or reorganization proceeding.

 

In the event a bankruptcy or reorganization proceeding is commenced by or against us, a bankruptcy court may hold that any unexercised Warrants are executory contracts that are subject to rejection by us with the approval of the bankruptcy court. As a result, holders of the Warrants may, even if we have sufficient funds, not be entitled to receive any consideration for their Warrants or may receive an amount less than they would be entitled to if they had exercised their Warrants prior to the commencement of any such bankruptcy or reorganization proceeding.

 

Our stockholders may experience substantial dilution in the value of their investment if we issue additional shares of our capital stock.

 

Our charter allows us to issue up to 100,000,000 shares of our Common Stock and to issue and designate the rights of, without stockholder approval, up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock. We are seeking stockholder approval to increase our authorized shares of Common Stock to 300,000,000. To raise additional capital, we may in the future sell additional shares of our Common Stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our Common Stock at prices that are lower than the prices paid by existing stockholders, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders, which could result in substantial dilution to the interests of existing stockholders.

 

The Conversion Rate of the PIPE Notes will be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement in connection with the 7% underwriting discount, increasing dilution upon conversion of the PIPE Notes.

 

Each holder of PIPE Notes has the right, at such holder’s option, to convert the principal amount of any such PIPE Notes, or any portion of such principal amount equal to $1,000 or a multiple of $1,000 thereof, at the Conversion Rate in effect on the conversion date for such PIPE Notes. The aggregate outstanding principal amount of the PIPE Notes is $20,721,293. The “Conversion Rate” under the Note Purchase Agreement is currently 144.9304 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of PIPE Notes, subject to further adjustment as set forth in the Note Purchase Agreement.

 

Because we are offering Units, each consisting of one share of Common Stock and one Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock, to the underwriters at a 7% discount to the public Offering Price set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, under the Note Purchase Agreement, the Conversion Rate shall be adjusted in accordance with the formula below. The Common Stock and the Warrants comprising the Units will separate upon the closing of the Offering and will be issued separately, but may only be purchased together as a Unit.

 

 

 

where:

 

CR1 = the adjusted Conversion Rate.
CR0 = the Conversion Rate immediately prior to any such issuance.
OS0 = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the issuance of such additional shares of Common Stock.
AC = the aggregate consideration received by us for the sale of Units.
SV1 = the public offering price per Unit set forth on the cover page of the prospectus.
OS1 = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the issuance of such additional shares of Common Stock.

 

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DILUTION

 

Our existing stockholders will experience an immediate dilution of the net tangible book value per share of our Common Stock. Our pro forma net tangible book value as of June 30, 2020 was approximately $148,549,144, or $4.67 per share of our Common Stock (based upon 31,819,076 shares of our Common Stock outstanding as of that date). Net tangible book value per share is equal to our total tangible assets less our total liabilities, divided by the number of shares of our outstanding Common Stock. Pro forma calculations reflect the impact of the Business Combination.

 

Dilution per share of Common Stock equals the difference between the amount paid by purchasers of Units in the Offering (ascribing no value to the Warrants contained in the Units) and the net tangible book value per share of our Common Stock immediately after the Offering.

 

Based on the sale by us in this Offering of 10,548,523 Units at the Offering Price of $2.37 per Unit (assuming no exercise of the Warrants), and after deducting estimated offering expenses and underwriting fees and expenses payable by us, our adjusted (giving effect to the Offering) pro forma net tangible book value as of June 30, 2020 would have been approximately $171,399,144 million, or $4.05 per share. This represents an immediate decrease in pro forma net tangible book value to existing stockholders of $0.62 per share and an immediate increase to purchasers in the Offering of $1.68 per share. The following table illustrates this per-share dilution: 

  

Offering Price   $ 2.37  
Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2020   $ 4.67  
Decrease in pro forma net tangible book value per share attributable to Offering   $ 0.62  
Adjusted pro forma net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2020, after giving effect to Offering   $ 4.05  
Increase in adjusted pro forma net tangible book value per share to purchasers in the Offering   $ 1.68  

 

The information above is as of June 30, 2020 and excludes:

 

  24,731,195 shares of our Common Stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of our Existing Warrants, with a weighted-average exercise price of $11.50 per share;
     
  1,812,727 shares of our Common Stock reserved for issuance as awards under 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan;
     
  (i) approximately 10,645,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance upon redemption by us of the PIPE Notes, including approximately 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of warrants that would be issued in connection with such redemption or (ii) approximately 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance upon conversion by holders of the PIPE Notes (excluding the adjustment to the Conversion Rate occurring in connection with closing this Offering. See “Risk Factors – The Conversion Rate of the PIPE Notes will be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement in connection with the 7% underwriting discount, increasing dilution upon conversion of the PIPE Notes.”);
     
  75,000 shares of our Common Stock reserved for future issuance as payments to Brand X (as defined herein) under the Services Agreement (as defined herein);
     
  283,181 shares of our Common Stock reserved for issuance upon vesting of inducement restricted stock unit grants;
     
  900 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding, which is not convertible into any other capital stock of HOFRE; and
     
  10,548,523 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Assuming that all Units are purchase in the Offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, we estimate that the net proceeds from the Offering will be approximately $ 22.85 million (or approximately $26.34 million assuming the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), after deducting expenses relating to this Offering payable by us estimated at approximately $2.15 million, including underwriting fees and expenses, and excluding any proceeds received upon exercise of any Warrants.

 

Under the terms of the Bridge Loan with GACP, we must use at least one-half of the net proceeds from the Offering to prepay outstanding amounts under the Bridge Loan. We plan to use one-half of the net proceeds from the Offering to prepay outstanding amounts under the Bridge Loan. We intend to use any remaining net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes. The Bridge Loan matures on November 30, 2020 and bears interest at a rate of 12% per annum. For additional information regarding the Bridge Loan, see the disclosure above under “Risk Factors – The maturity date of the Bridge Loan, which is secured by substantially all of our assets, was extended to November 30, 2020; however, we have previously received notices of default under this agreement (which previous defaults were waived). While this agreement was amended to extend the time within which we must repay the debt in full to November 30, 2020, there can be no assurance that we will be able to repay the obligation upon maturity to avoid a future default.

 

The precise amount and timing of the application of such net proceeds will depend upon our funding requirements and the availability and cost of other funds. Our board and management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds from the Offering, and it is possible that we may allocate the proceeds differently than investors in the Offering may desire or that we may fail to maximize the return on these proceeds. You will be relying on the judgment of our management with regard to the use of proceeds from the Offering, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately.

 

DIVIDEND POLICY

 

We have not paid any cash dividends on our Common Stock to date. Any future dividend payments are within the absolute discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, working capital requirements, capital expenditure requirements, financial condition, level of indebtedness, contractual restrictions with respect to payment of dividends, business opportunities, anticipated cash needs, provisions of applicable law and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. It is our present intention to retain any earnings for use in our business operations and, accordingly, we do not anticipate our board of directors declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future.

 

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BUSINESS

 

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, a Delaware corporation (“HOFRE”), is a resort and entertainment company located in Canton, Ohio, leveraging the power and popularity of professional football in partnership with the PFHOF. HOF Village, a Delaware limited liability company (“HOF Village”) is HOFRE’s wholly-owned subsidiary and was formed in 2015 by initial equity members IRG Canton Village Member, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Hall of Fame Village, Inc., an Ohio corporation (which transferred its membership interest to its parent, the PFHOF, in 2019). In 2016, HOF Village was rebranded as Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls based on a strategic long-term naming rights agreement completed with Johnson Controls, a global Fortune 500 company listed on the NYSE. HOFRE expects to create a diversified set of revenue streams through developing themed attractions, premier entertainment programming, sponsorships and media. The strategic plan has been developed in three phases of growth.

 

The first phase of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls is operational, consisting of the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the National Youth Football & Sports Complex, and HOF Village Media Group, LLC (“Hall of Fame Village Media”). In 2016, HOF Village completed the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, a sports and entertainment venue with a seating capacity of approximately 23,000. The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium hosts multiple sports and entertainment events, including the NFL Hall of Fame Game, Enshrinement and Concert for Legends during the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week. In 2016, HOF Village opened the National Youth Football & Sports Complex, which will consist of eight full-sized, multi-use regulation football fields, five of which have been completed in Phase I. The facility hosts camps and tournaments for football players, as well as athletes from across the country in other sports such as lacrosse, rugby and soccer. In 2017, HOF Village formed a sports and entertainment media company, Hall of Fame Village Media, leveraging the sport of professional football to produce exclusive programming by licensing the extensive content controlled by the PFHOF as well as new programming assets developed from live events such as youth tournaments, camps and sporting events held at the National Youth Football & Sports Complex and the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

 

HOFRE is developing new hospitality, attraction and corporate assets surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum as part of a Phase II development plan. Plans for future components of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls include two hotels (one on campus and one in downtown Canton about five minutes from campus), the Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, the Constellation Center for Excellence (an office building including retail and dining establishments), the Center for Performance (a convention center/field house), and the Hall of Fame Retail Promenade. We are pursuing a differentiation strategy across three pillars, including Destination-Based Assets, the Media Company, and Gaming (including the Fantasy Football League we acquired a majority stake in). Phase III expansion plans include the addition of the Hall of Fame Experience (an immersive VR/AR attraction), a hotel with retail space, a performance center/arena, and multi-family housing.

 

Leadership

 

For information regarding HOFRE’s management and leadership team, see below under “Management” in this prospectus.

 

Business Strategy

 

Overview

 

HOFRE’s unique position and multimedia approach makes us the only company of our kind fully poised to capitalize on the popularity of professional football, one of the most popular brands in sports (as measured by total league revenue and number of fans). HOFRE’s principal business objectives are to successfully develop and operate Destination Based Assets such as the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls as a premiere destination resort and entertainment company leveraging the expansive popularity of professional football and the Pro Football Hall of Fame; Hall of Fame Village Media taking advantage of direct access to exclusive content; and an gaming vertical including fantasy sports, and potential growth across eGaming and sports betting. The resort and entertainment platform will significantly extend the presence of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the singular institution focused on promoting and preserving the legends and values of professional football. HOFRE is located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of American professional football. It is in a market area with limited themed attractions and within an 8-hour driving distance to nearly half of the NFL franchises. Together with the PFHOF, HOFRE intends to become an elite entertainment venue and premier attraction for the region. The current operational assets of the PFHOF and HOFRE currently attract approximately one million visitors annually.

 

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HOFRE is building a year-round, multi-use destination complex with a master development plan that calls for three Phases. Phase I, already complete, includes The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the National Youth Football & Sports Complex, Hall of Fame Village Media, and complementary, long-term Sponsorship agreements. Phase II, already begun, will add the Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, hotels as well as additional attractions, retail and commercial assets. Plans for Phase III include an immersive VR/AR attraction, a hotel with retail space, multi-family housing and certain other components under consideration.

 

PFHOF is a distinct entity from HOFRE but serves as a material shareholder and aligned partner. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational institution that focuses on the education, promotion, preservation and honoring of the individuals and moments that shaped professional football’s history. Since opening in 1963, the Museum has grown in both size and stature. The building was expanded in 1971, 1978 and 1995, and completed major exhibit gallery renovations in 2003, 2008, and 2009. Together, these improvements have transformed the original 19,000 square-foot Hall of Fame museum into an exciting internationally recognized institution and travel destination. The “Future 50” Expansion & Renovation Project has expanded the museum to 118,000 square feet. The two-year, $27 million project was completed in the summer of 2013 after a major renovation to 38,000 square feet of museum space was finished. Today, the Hall of Fame stands as a shining tribute to the over 300 men who have earned their Gold Jackets and made professional football America’s most popular sport. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum and the Gold Jacket inductees serve as unique and valuable partners that contribute to the development of the Hall of Fame Village.

 

About Phase I

 

HOFRE has invested approximately $250 million of capital to build Phase I of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls and prepare for Phase II and Phase III. Phase I, already complete, includes the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the National Youth Football & Sports Complex, Hall of Fame Village Media, complementary, long-term sponsorship agreements, as well as land and infrastructure to support Phase II and Phase III. HOFRE is executing strategies to significantly increase programming of the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and National Youth Football & Sports Complex and developing unique media content through Hall of Fame Village Media.

 

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium

 

The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium holds up to 23,000 spectators and hosts the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week powered by Johnson Controls as well as other premier sporting events such as the Historic Black College Hall of Fame Game, the Ohio State High School Football Championships and the World Youth Football Championships. During the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week, the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium hosts the Hall of Fame Game, the first nationally televised NFL game of the season, and the Hall of Fame Enshrinement for NFL players. The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium is also equipped with cut-away seats, allowing it to serve as an elite concert venue. The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium has hosted performances by national recording artists such as Aerosmith, Tim McGraw, Pitbull, Toby Keith and Maroon 5.

 

National Youth Football & Sports Complex

 

The National Youth Football & Sports Complex will consist of eight full sized fields, five of which are completed (four turf fields and one grass field) and three of which are planned for Phase II construction. The facility hosts camps and tournaments for football players as well as athletes from other sports such as lacrosse, rugby and soccer from across the country. Since 2017, the National Youth Football & Sports Complex has hosted the Pro Football Hall of Fame World Youth Championships. The World Youth Championships are a national competition, with a watch list of youth football teams developed by former NFL executives that compete in regional playoffs all over the country. The World Youth Championships allow the best teams in a variety of different weight, age and regional groups to compete at the National Youth Football & Sports Complex and the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The 2017 and 2018 World Youth Championships featured special guests like PFHOF inductees Ray Lewis and Randy Moss and were broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

 

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Hall of Fame Village Media

 

In 2017, HOF Village formed a sports and entertainment media company, Hall of Fame Village Media, leveraging the sport of professional football to produce exclusive content, including content developed from live events such as tournaments, camps and sporting events held at the National Youth Football & Sports Complex and the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Hall of Fame Village Media has the ability to serve multiple media formats including full length feature films, live and taped television specials, studio shows, live sports events, books and artwork. Through HOFRE’s partnership with the PFHOF, Hall of Fame Village Media has access to over 50 million pieces of photo, video and document archives. To date, Hall of Fame Village Media has produced broadcasts for the World Youth Football Championships aired on CBS, National Signing Day, during which top high school athletes announce their college commitments and is in the initial stages of producing six different sports related shows. Future live content is also expected to include programming with the NFL Alumni Association, including the NFL Alumni Academy taking part on the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls campus in Canton, Ohio.

 

Sponsorship Agreements

 

HOFRE is bringing together world-class sponsors and partners. To date, HOFRE has struck formal agreements related to sponsorship alliances for development support from best-in-class companies, including Johnson Controls, the founding partner and official naming rights partner, Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. (an Exelon Company), the official energy partner, First Data Merchant Services, LLC (now Fiserv), the official processing and payment solutions partner, PepsiCo, Inc., the official soft drink, water, and sports hydration partner, Turf Nation, Inc., the official artificial turf partner, and Xenith, LLC, the World Bowl official partner.

 

Generally, under the terms of our sponsorship agreements, we will receive a fixed amount of revenue each year in exchange for granting certain rights to the relevant sponsor. The revenue may consist of a combination of cash, in-kind and/or activation funds. However, in some cases, the sponsorship fee may consist of a fixed initial payment with variable annual payments thereafter, based on our completion of certain projects or fulfillment of certain requirements.

 

Under the terms of the Naming Rights Agreement, we will receive a fixed amount of revenue each year in return for granting to Johnson Controls exclusive rights to designate the name of the destination complex as well as granting to Johnson Controls certain branding, signage, advertising and similar rights. The Naming Rights Agreement is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2034. HOFRE is obligated to spend $18 million as activation expenses for the benefit of promoting the Johnson Controls and HOFRE brands.

 

Under the terms of the Constellation Sponsorship Agreement, we will receive a fixed amount of revenue each year in return for granting Constellation exclusive rights to designate the name of the Constellation Center for Excellence as well as granting Constellation certain branding, signage, advertising and similar rights. The Constellation Sponsorship Agreement is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2029. The annual revenue consists of sponsorship fees and annual activation fund proceeds. Activation fund proceeds may be used for a media plan, hospitality packages, business development and other expenses for the benefit of promoting the Constellation and HOFRE brands. Annual activation fund proceeds must be used in a particular calendar year, and any unused funds are not rolled into future contract years.

 

See the section entitled “Risk Factors — We rely on sponsorship contracts to generate revenue” for additional terms and conditions relating to the Naming Rights Agreement and the Constellation Sponsorship Agreement.

 

About Phase II

 

Phase II is expected to add additional strategic attractions, hospitality, and corporate assets in a well-planned and synergistic manner intended to increase consumer appeal and drive revenue and profitability growth. The Company has made material progress toward the full execution of Phase II.

 

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To date, the Company has acquired all land and received zoning approval from the City of Canton for the development of Phase II. In 2016 and 2017, the Company received significant support from the City of Canton through a pair of ordinances. In June 2016, the Planning Commission of the City of Canton amended the Planning and Zoning Code of Codified Ordinances of the City of Canton to include the Hall of Fame Village District, providing HOFRE with a zoning mechanism required to implement HOFRE’s mixed-use development plan. In February 2017, the Planning Commission of the City of Canton and City Council granted approval of the Hall of Fame Village Development plan, including plans for Phase II. Through 2019, the Company has gained control of, either through ground leases, purchase agreements or through acquisition of title, all land required to develop all components of Phase II. The Company has gained control of over 200 parcels of land surrounding the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Youth Fields, and Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum for the future development of the Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, on-campus hotel attached to the Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, and a retail promenade offering a variety of food and beverage options, as well as other specialized entertainment alternatives. The Company has commissioned and completed three separate Phase I Environmental Site Assessments on land underlying the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, National Youth Football & Sports Complex and residential land acquired for Phase II of the development plan. To date, no recognized environmental conditions have been revealed.

 

In addition, the Company has made significant progress in the design and development planning for Phase II. Phase II is projected to cost approximately $300 million in capital spending with construction beginning in 2020 and the expectation is that all components will be complete and operational by 2023. In 2018 the Company added significantly to its construction and planning resources with the goal of developing and delivering Company assets on time and on budget. The Company hired a leading project management firm and two top commercial construction groups, who formed a partnership to use national and local resources as the master general contractors of Phase II. Detailed estimates and a timeline were prepared by HOFRE’s management in conjunction with such master general contractors based upon schematic and design documents of Phase II, familiarity with the Ohio market and development expertise.

 

The design and development planning for Phase II accelerated in 2019 and is expected to be complete in 2020 for all components of Phase II. The Company’s master general contractors delivered schematic and design documents in March 2020. Required permits have been identified and are in the process of being secured. The Company expects to receive a Guaranteed Maximum Price (“GMP”) commitment from its project management consultants and general contractors by the third quarter of 2020. The GMP, along with the design and development work completed, will serve as critical elements in arranging a construction loan to meet the proposed schedule. The strategic plan reflects the $300million in capital spending, a construction loan/equity/public financing to support this spending and any other costs associated with completion and the attractive financial return characteristics of these assets. With construction scheduled to begin in 2020, pending, among others, the timely granting of all required land use and other required permits, availability of adequate financing, and timely completion of construction, it is expected that all material components of Phase II will be complete and operational by 2023.

 

In Phase II, the critical business strategies are to drive further asset development, increased event programming, new alliance sponsorships, media development and explore additional growth verticals:

 

Further Asset Development: HOFRE is planning to develop additional assets in Phase II to attract and entertain guests. HOFRE has acquired or entered into agreements to acquire all land needed for Phase II development and is expected to have the design and development planning completed for each component in 2020.3 In October 2019, HOF Village, after conducting diligence, acquired the McKinley Grand Hotel in downtown Canton, Ohio to serve as its off-site hotel, which will be rebranded a Double Tree by Hilton. Renovation plans and permitting were completed in November 2019, demolition began in November 2019, and renovations began in January 2020. Additional assets will include the Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, on-campus hotel attached to the waterpark, and a retail promenade offering a variety of food and beverage options, as well as other specialized entertainment alternatives. There also will be an office complex targeting medically based tenants expanding the corporate appeal of HOF Village, a Center for Performance to provide a variety of year-round programming options, including the NFL Alumni Academy. A green space area which will be called Play-Action Plaza is expected to provide 3.5 acres for fun, football-themed recreation, events, and formal gatherings. Future destination-themed assets can include live entertainment, gaming, dining, and more all over the country alongside major NFL franchise cities. Construction is expected to begin in full in 2020 and all assets are projected to be operational by 2023.

 

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Increased Event Programming: HOF Village plans to utilize the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium for an expanded offering of live entertainment and events, including top performers, sporting events and festival programming. Also, given the appeal and popularity of youth sports, additional year-round programming is expected to be available across multiple sports utilizing the national appeal of the Hall of Fame brand. HOF Village has made key strategic hires who will help drive increased Event Programming and Alliance Sponsorships. There are also plans for multiple concerts, multi-day festivals, and on-going business event productions through 2020 and beyond. In partnership with the NFL Alumni Association and regional tourism bureaus, HOFRE is targeting the development of ‘Hall of Fame Huddle Programs’ and other youth programs in NFL cities.

 

New Alliance Sponsorships: HOF Village has been successful attracting a strong sponsorship base and will continue to form significant partnerships with leading companies and brands across a range of untapped categories. These partnerships are expected to be in the form of naming rights agreements or additional category-specific sponsorships. HOF Village plans to target a number of industry verticals for additional sponsorship revenue, such as autos, telecom and beverages.

 

Media Development: HOF Village is developing original content from both its event programming and its direct access to millions of pieces of historic Pro Football artifacts located within the PFHOF archive through Hall of Fame Village Media. HOF Village is planning on producing full-length films, shows and other digital content marketing through multiple channels of distribution. Already advanced discussions with media leaders, creative, development and distribution partners have occurred. HOF Village entered into a consulting agreement with a media executive in June 2019. Under the terms of the consulting agreement, the media executive receives a monthly fee and provides assistance with assessing and identifying market opportunities for content development, developing a business plan for HOF Village’s media company, identifying sources of new creative content, and engaging in discussions with distributor channels to identify the types of content they are seeking. The initial term of the consulting agreement was four months, but the consulting agreement is currently being extended on a month-to-month basis and will automatically terminate at the end of any given month unless both parties agree to an extension.

 

Hall of Fame Village Gaming: eGaming is expected to be the connective tissue that integrates the rest of the business units across HOFRE. This encompasses Youth Sports as a way to increase engagement, as well as gaming as a part of offsite asset building and programming, purpose-driven physical destination resort locations, and broadcast/streaming gaming content within media. HOFRE entered the high-growth vertical of fantasy sports with the acquisition of a majority stake in The Crown League, the first professional fantasy football league. The league is expected to launch in Fall 2021 with geo-based franchises professionally managed with ownership and influence from the public. There is potential for industry expertise to be provided by experienced fantasy analysts, NFL Hall of Famers, and NFL Alumni.

 

Exploring Additional Growth Verticals: HOF Village has begun exploring additional growth verticals as part of Phase II. There also are expected to be opportunities to consider expanding certain destination-based assets in other geographic markets leveraging the popularity of professional football. Sports betting is not legalized in Ohio. HOFRE is poised to utilize existing brand partnerships and its Fantasy League and eGaming, both of which can be designed to accept sports wagering. HOFRE is exploring online partnerships to take advantage of sports betting opportunities that can create a revenue stream immediately while awaiting legalization in Ohio. HOFRE has hired several additional full-time employees to actively research these and other growth verticals. These Additional Growth Verticals are not included in the current set of financial projections.

 

About Phase III

 

With Phase I and Phase II assets providing a solid foundation, growth is expected to continue with the development of Phase III, including a potential mix of residential space, and additional attractions, entertainment, dining, merchandise and more. This next phase of development would potentially be initiated upon substantial completion of Phase II. The financial performance of Phase III is not currently fully reflected in the financial projections contained in this prospectus.

 

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Competition

 

HOFRE currently faces and will face competition in each of its businesses, as follows:

 

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the National Youth Football & Sports Complex and the planned Center for Performance will compete with other facilities and venues across the region and country for hosting concerts, athletic events (including professional sports events, sports camps and tournaments) and other major conventions.

 

Hall of Fame Village Media will compete (i) with other media and content producers to obtain creative and performing talent, sports and other programming content, story properties, advertiser support, distribution channels and market share and (ii) for viewers with other broadcast, cable and satellite services as well as with home entertainment products, new sources of broadband and mobile delivered content and internet usage.

 

The Hall of Fame Indoor Waterpark, the Hall of Fame hotels and the retail promenade, if and when completed, will compete with other theme parks and resorts, such as Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, Ohio, and other theme parks, retail and tourist destinations in Ohio and around the country, and with other forms of entertainment, lodging, tourism and recreation activities.

 

The planned Constellation Center for Excellence will compete for tenants with other suppliers of commercial and/or retail space.

 

Employees

 

As of June 30, 2020, HOFRE had 19 employees that perform various administrative, finance and accounting, event planning, youth sports programming and corporate management functions for HOFRE and its subsidiaries. Currently, six of HOFRE’s 19 employees are furloughed, and since March 2020, five employees have been terminated as part of workforce reductions.

 

Properties

 

HOFRE owns real property in Canton, Ohio, at the site of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls development, including the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and HOFRE’s main offices. Certain parcels of real property on which the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls is located are owned by the City of Canton and the Canton City School District (Board of Education), and are subject to long-term ground leases and agreements with HOFRE for the use and development of such property. Other parcels of real property on which the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls is located are owned by Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the parties have entered into an agreement for HOFRE to purchase such property.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

During the normal course of its business, HOFRE is subject to occasional legal proceedings and claims. In the opinion of management, any current proceedings and claims against HOFRE are not significant to its financial condition or operations.

 

The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary HOF Village Stadium LLC is a defendant in a lawsuit “National Football Museum, Inc. dba Pro Football Hall of Fame v. Welty Building Company Ltd., et al;” filed in the Stark County Court of Common Pleas. The Pro Football Hall of Fame, an affiliate, filed this suit for monetary damages as a result of the cancellation of the 2016 Hall of Fame Game. Plaintiff alleges that the game was cancelled as a result of negligent acts of subcontractors who were hired to perform field painting services. Plaintiff alleges that HOF Village Stadium, LLC is contractually liable for $1.2 million in damages Plaintiff sustained because it guaranteed the performance of Defendant Welty Building Company Ltd. for the Hall of Fame Stadium renovation. Potential damages claimed by Plaintiff include the refunds of ticket sales, lost commissions on food and beverage sales, and lost profits on merchandise sales. The Company’s management believes that this suit is without merit and intends to vigorously defend its position. The ultimate outcome of this litigation cannot presently be determined. Accordingly, adjustments, if any, that might result from the resolution of this matter have not been reflected in the consolidated financial statements.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF HOF VILLAGE

 

References to the “Company,” “HOF Village,” “our,” “us” or “we” in this section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Of HOF Village” refer to HOF Village, LLC prior to consummation of the Business Combination. Defined terms in this section apply only to the discussion included in this section. The following discussion and analysis of HOF Village’s financial condition and results of operations should be read together with HOF Village’s financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to HOF Village’s plans and strategy for HOF Village’s business and related financing, includes forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties and should be read together with the “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forwarding- Looking Statements” sections of this prospectus. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.

 

Business Overview

 

The Company, is a resort and entertainment company located in Canton, Ohio, leveraging the power and popularity of professional football in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Company was formed in 2015 by initial equity members IRG Canton Village Member, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Hall of Fame Village, Inc., an Ohio corporation (which transferred its membership interest to its parent, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in 2019). In 2016, the Company was rebranded as Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls based on a strategic long-term naming rights agreement completed with Johnson Controls, a global Fortune 500 company listed on the NYSE. The Company expects to create a diversified set of revenue streams through developing themed attractions, premier entertainment programming, sponsorships and media. The strategic plan has been developed in three phases of growth.

 

The first phase of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls is operational, consisting of the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the National Youth Football & Sports Complex, and a media company. In August 2017, the Company completed the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, a sports and entertainment venue with a seating capacity of approximately 23,000. The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium hosts multiple sports and entertainment events, including the NFL Hall of Fame Game, Enshrinement and Concert for Legends during the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week. In 2016, the Company opened the National Youth Football & Sports Complex, which consists of eight full-sized, multi-use regulation football fields, five of which have been completed in Phase I. The facility hosts camps and tournaments for football players, as well as athletes from across the country in other sports such as lacrosse and soccer. In 2017, the Company formed a sports and entertainment media company, Hall of Fame Village Media, leveraging the sport of professional football to produce exclusive programming using the extensive content controlled by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well as new programming assets developed from live events such as tournaments, camps and sporting events held at the National Youth Football & Sports Complex and the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

 

The Company is developing new hospitality, entertainment and corporate assets surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum as part of a Phase II development plan. Plans for future components of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls include two premium hotels, an indoor waterpark, the Constellation Center for Excellence (an office building including retail and dining establishments), the Center for Performance (a convention center/field house), and the Hall of Fame Retail Promenade.

 

Merger Agreement

 

On September 16, 2019, the Company entered into a definitive business combination agreement (as amended, the “BCA” or the “Business Combination Agreement” and the transactions contemplated thereby, the “Business Combination”) with Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp (“GPAQ”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), GPAQ Acquirer Merger Sub, Inc., GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, and HOF Village Newco, LLC (“Newco”), to create a sports, entertainment and media enterprise surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On July 1, 2020, the parties to the Business Combination Agreement consummated the transactions contemplated thereby, which included the Company transferring all of its assets and liabilities to Newco, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Holdings, subsequently renamed Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (“HOFRE”).

 

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The terms of the Business Combination Agreement provided for HOV Village Newco, LLC, a subsidiary of the Company to which all of the Company’s operations are transferred as part of the Business Combination, to merge with and into a wholly-owned subsidiary of GPAQ. The Company’s management and equity holders have rolled 100% of their equity into the combined entity. Proceeds from GPAQ’s trust account are being used by the Company to repay certain debt and expenses and to fund continued growth of the Company’s operations. Immediately following the closing, the combined company changed its name to “Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company” and the Company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of HOFRE, and received approval to trade on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol “HOFV”.

 

Key Components of the Company’s Results of Operations

 

Revenue

 

The Company’s sponsorship revenue is derived from its agreements with third parties such as Johnson Controls and Constellation NewEnergy. These sponsorship agreements are generally multi-year agreements to provide cash or some other type of benefit to the Company. Some agreements require the Company to use a portion of the sponsorship revenue to incur marketing and other activation costs associated with the agreement, and this revenue is shown net of those associated costs. Additionally, the Company’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium is used to host premier entertainment and sports events to generate event revenues. In addition to top entertainers, the stadium is used to host a variety of sporting events, including high school, college and professional football games throughout the year. The Company plans to continue to expand programming where applicable for its live event business. The Company’s other revenue is derived primarily from rents and cost reimbursement.

 

Operating Expenses

 

The Company’s operating expenses include property operating expenses, depreciation expense and other operating expenses. These expenses have increased in connection with putting the Company’s first phase into operation and the Company expects these expenses to continue to increase with the Company’s growth.

 

The Company’s property operating expenses include the costs associated with running its operational entertainment and destination assets such as the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and the Youth Sports Complex. As more of the Company’s Phase II assets become operational and additional events for top performers and sporting events are held, the Company expects these expenses to continue to increase with the Company’s development.

 

Other operating expenses include items such as management fees, commission expense and professional fees. The Company expects these expenses to continue to increase with the Company’s growth.

 

The Company’s depreciation expense includes the related costs to owning and operating significant property and entertainment assets. These expenses have grown as the Company completed Phase I development and the assets associated with Phase I became operational. The Company expects these expenses to continue to grow as Phase II and III assets are developed and become operational.

 

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Results of Operations

 

The following table sets forth information comparing the components of net loss for the periods ended June 30, 2020 and the comparable period in 2019:

 

    For the Three Months Ended
June 30,
    For the Six Months Ended
June 30,
 
    2020     2019     2020     2019  
Revenue                        
Sponsorships, net of activation costs   $ 1,660,928     $ 1,738,566     $ 3,321,856     $ 3,637,492  
Rents and cost recoveries     42,657       138,167       317,437       308,206  
Event revenues     -       36,519       27,833       49,843  
Total revenues     1,703,585       1,913,252       3,667,126       3,995,541  
                                 
Operating expenses                                
Property operating expenses     2,428,283       3,126,150       9,112,269       6,030,126  
Commission expense     607,126       401,837       1,057,980       569,827  
Depreciation expense     2,723,303       2,721,317       5,445,423       5,412,733  
Loss on abandonment     -       -       -       12,194,783  
Total operating expenses     5,758,712       6,249,304       15,615,672       24,207,469  
                                 
Loss from Operations     (4,055,127 )     (4,336,052 )     (11,948,546 )     (20,211,928 )
                                 
Other Expense                                
Interest expense     (2,199,785 )     (2,343,881 )     (4,209,795 )     (4,574,525 )
Amortization of discount on notes payable     (3,443,333 )     (3,538,040 )     (6,677,746 )     (6,902,308 )
Total interest expense     (5,643,118 )     (5,881,921 )     (10,887,541 )     (11,476,833 )
                                 
Other income     -       219,709       -       22,988  
Total other expense     (5,643,118 )     (5,662,212 )     (10,887,541 )     (11,453,845 )
                                 
Net loss   $ (9,698,245 )   $ (9,998,264 )   $ (22,836,087 )   $ (31,665,773 )

 

Three Months Ended June 30, 2020 as Compared to the Three Months Ended June 30, 2019

 

Sponsorship Revenues

 

The Company’s sponsorship revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2020 decreased by $77,638, or 4.5%, to $1,660,928 as compared to $1,738,566 for the three months ended June 30, 2019. This change was primarily driven by the recognition of deferred revenue for the sponsorship agreements in place at June 30, 2019.

 

Rents and cost recoveries

 

The Company’s revenue from rents and cost recoveries for the three months ended June 30, 2020 decreased to $42,657 from $138,167 for the three months ended June 30, 2019, for a decrease of $95,510, or 69.1%. This change was primarily driven by rebates received in 2019 related to utilities and credit card spend.

 

Event Revenues

 

The Company’s event revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2020 was $0 compared to $36,519 from the three months ended June 30, 2019, for a decrease of $36,519. This was primarily driven by the cancellation of most youth sports events and stadium events during the COVID-19 pandemic in the second quarter of 2020.

 

Property Operating Expenses

 

The Company’s property operating expenses were $2,428,283 for the three months ended June 30, 2020, as compared to $3,126,150 for the three months ended June 30, 2019, a decrease of $697,867, or 22.3%. This decrease was driven by reduced property maintenance costs and lower event expenses due to the pause of the Company operations overall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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Commission Expense

 

The Company’s commission expense was $607,126 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 as compared to $401,837 for the three months ended June 30, 2019, for an increase of $205,289, or 51.1%. The increase in commission expense is primarily the result of the Company’s final commission fees paid related per the agreements in place.

 

Depreciation Expense

 

The Company’s depreciation expense of $2,723,303 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 was essentially flat as compared to $2,721,317 for the three months ended June 30, 2019.

 

Interest Expense

 

The Company’s total interest expense was $2,199,785 for the three months ended June 30, 2020, as compared to $2,343,881 for the three months ended June 30, 2019, for a decrease of $144,096, or 6.1%. The decrease in total interest expense is primarily due to a decrease in the interest rate paid on one of the Company’s debt instruments.

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 as Compared to the Six Months Ended June 30, 2019

 

Sponsorship Revenues

 

The Company’s sponsorship revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2020 decreased by $315,636, or 8.7%, to $3,321,856 as compared to $3,637,492 for the six months ended June 30, 2019. This change was primarily driven by the recognition of deferred revenue for the sponsorship agreements in place at June 30, 2019.

 

Rents and cost recoveries

 

The Company’s revenue from rents and cost recoveries for the six months ended June 30, 2020 increased to $317,437 from $308,206 for the six months ended June 30, 2019, for an increase of $9,231, or 3.0%. This change was primarily driven by normal fluctuations in cost recoveries.

 

Event Revenues

 

The Company’s event revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was $27,833 compared to $49,843 from the six months ended June 30, 2019, for a decrease of $22,010 or 44.2%. This was primarily driven by the cancellation of several youth sports field events and private events that were to be held in the stadium during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Property Operating Expenses

 

The Company’s property operating expense was $9,112,269 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 as compared to $6,030,126 for the six months ended June 30, 2019, for an increase of $3,082,143 or 51.1%. The increase in property operating expense is primarily the result of staffing increases year over year (primarily impacting the three months ended March 31, 2020), direct charge of youth sports events that were formerly captured via the joint venture and higher accounting and audit fees related to SEC filings required for the Business Combination with GPAQ.

 

Commission Expense

 

The Company’s commission expense was $1,057,980 for the six months ended June 30, 2020, as compared to $569,827 for the six months ended June 30, 2019, for an increase of $488,153 or 85.7%. The increase in commission expense is primarily the result of final commissions fees paid per the agreements in place.

 

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Depreciation Expense

 

The Company’s depreciation expense was $5,445,423 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 as compared to $5,412,733 for the six months ended June 30, 2019, for an increase of $32,690 or .6%. The increase in depreciation expense is primarily the result of additional depreciation expense incurred in the first half of 2020 on assets whose costs basis was adjusted in the third quarter of 2019.

 

Interest Expense

 

The Company’s total interest expense was $4,209,795 for the six months ended June 30, 2020, as compared to $4,574,525 for the six months ended June 30, 2019, for a decrease of $364,730 or 8.0%. The decrease in total interest expense is primarily due to the pay-down of principal amounts and changes in interest rates as well as certain interest expense due to affiliate that was waived at June 30, 2020.

 

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

 

The following table sets forth information comparing the components of net loss for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018:

 

    For the Years Ended
December 31,
 
    2019     2018  
Revenues            
Sponsorships, net of activation costs   $ 6,720,298     $ 5,528,887  
Rents and cost recoveries     1,064,569       677,863  
Event revenues     76,464       682,398  
Total revenues     7,861,331       6,889,148  
                 
Operating expenses                
Property operating expenses     16,707,537       12,161,073  
Commission expense     1,003,226       886,912  
Depreciation expense     10,915,839       10,885,057  
Loss on abandonment of project development costs     12,194,783        
Total operating expenses     40,821,385       23,933,042  
                 
Loss from Operations     (32,960,054 )     (17,043,894 )
                 
Other Expense                
Interest expense     (9,416,099 )     (14,167,521 )
Amortization of discount on notes payable     (13,274,793 )     (2,095,182 )
Total interest expense     (22,690,892 )     (16,262,703 )
                 
Other loss     (252,934 )     (319,027 )
Total other expense     (22,943,826 )     (16,581,730 )
Net loss   $ (55,903,880 )   $ (33,625,624 )

 

Sponsorship Revenue

 

HOF Village’s sponsorship revenue increased to $6,720,298, for the year ended December 31, 2019 from $5,528,887 for the year ended December 31, 2018, for an increase of $1,191,411, or 21.5%. This change was primarily driven by new 2019 revenue from sponsorship agreements signed in December 2018 to January 2019 with First Data Merchant Services LLC and Constellation NewEnergy, Inc.

 

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Rents and cost recoveries

 

HOF Village’s revenue from rents and cost recoveries increased to $1,064,569 for the year ended December 31, 2019 from $677,863 for the year ended December 31, 2018, for an increase of $386,706, or 57.0%. This change was primarily driven by normal fluctuations in cost recoveries.

 

Event Revenue

 

HOF Village’s event revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $76,464 compared to $682,398 for the year ended December 31, 2018, for a decrease of $605,934. This was primarily driven by additional live entertainment events HOF Village hosted during 2018.

 

Property Operating Expenses

 

HOF Village’s property operating expenses were $16,707,537 for the year ended December 31, 2019 as compared to $12,161,073 for the year ended December 31, 2018, for an increase of $4,546,464. The increase in property operating expenses was the result of several factors, including significant staffing increases at HOF Village (including the hiring of HOF Village’s new CEO in the fourth quarter of 2018) and increased maintenance and utilities at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and the youth fields.

 

Commission Expense

 

HOF Village’s commission expense was $1,003,226 for the year ended December 31, 2019 as compared to $886,912 for the year ended December 31, 2018, for an increase of $116,314. The increase in commission expense is primarily the result of HOF Village’s new sponsorship agreements with First Data Merchant Services LLC and Constellation NewEnergy, Inc.

 

Interest Expense

 

HOF Village’s total interest expense was $22,690,892 for the year ended December 31, 2019, as compared to $16,262,703 for the year ended December 31, 2018, for an increase of $6,428,189 or 39.5%. The increase in total interest expense is primarily due to an increase in amortization of the discount on notes payable that more than offset the decrease in interest expense.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

The Company is an early stage development company that has invested approximately $250 million to date to fund its Phase I development, which includes the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, National Youth Football & Sports Complex and infrastructure to support the Phase II and III expansion plans. The Company expects to need continued capital investment to fund the construction of its Phase II and III assets and anticipates the need for future funding requirements to supplement its own cash and cash equivalents generated from the Company’s operations.

 

The Company has incurred continuing losses from its operations through June 30, 2020. Since inception, the Company has met its liquidity requirements principally through the issuance of debt. The Company had a cash balance of $2,149,500 and $9,908,437 as of June 30, 2020 and August 10, 2020, respectively. The Company has required principal payments on notes payable outstanding, as of June 30, 2020 of $257,009,316.

 

On July 1, 2020, the Company consummated its Business Combination Agreement with GPAQ. As part of this Business Combination and subsequent public market launch, the Company is pursuing convertible debt financing via Private Investment in Public Equity (“PIPE”) Investments. These events will provide the necessary working capital to fund operations and prepare the Company for other funding in the form of a construction loan and public financing through Tourism Development District financing and Tax Increment Financing.

 

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Subsequent to the Business Combination, the entire balance of the Company’s convertible notes converted into equity. Additionally, the Company used proceeds from the Business Combination to pay $15,500,000 on its Bridge Loan, while an additional $15,000,000 of the Bridge Loan converted into equity in the newly formed Hall of Fame Entertainment & Resort entity. The maturity date on the remaining balance has been extended one month to November 30, 2020. Should the Company be unable to pay off the principal balance at maturity, IRG has agreed that they will assume the note and extend the maturity date to November 2021. Therefore, although the Bridge Loan matures in less than 12 months from the date the Company’s financial statements are available to be issued, it is management’s assessment that IRG’s guarantee and agreed-upon extension provides sufficient liquidity for the Company to operate for 12 months following the date these financial statements are issued.

 

Cash Flows

 

Since inception, the Company has primarily used its available cash to fund its project development expenditures. The following table sets forth a summary of cash flows for the periods presented:

 

    For the Six Months Ended
June 30
    For the Years Ended
December 31,
 
    2020     2019     2019     2018  
Cash provided by (used in):                        
Operating Activities   $ (10,466,230 )   $ 3,195,468     $ 933,018     $ (13,976,859 )
Investing Activities     (14,845,023 )     (7,418,308 )     (16,723,883 )     (40,761,071 )
Financing Activities     30,306,840       1,654,080       15,987,507       61,095,957  
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   $ 4,995,587     $ (2,568,760 )   $ 196,642     $ 6,358,027  

 

Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019

 

Operating Activities

 

Net cash used in operating activities was $10,466,230 during the six months ended June 30, 2020, which consisted primarily of a net loss of $22,836,087, offset by non-cash depreciation expense of $5,445,423, amortization of note discounts of $6,677,746, a decrease in prepaid rent expense of $2,974,224, payment-in-kind interest rolled into debt of $2,199,714, a decrease in trade account receivable of $346,185, a decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets of $576,496, an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $2,121,854, a decrease in due to affiliates of $3,619,101, and an increase in other liabilities of $3,441,126.

 

Net cash provided by operating activities was $3,195,468 during the six months ended June 30, 2019, which consisted primarily of a net loss of $31,665,773, offset by non-cash depreciation expense of $5,412,733, amortization of note discounts of $6,902,308, an increase in bad debt expense of $135,666, an increase on loss on abandonment of project development costs of $12,194,783, an increase in accounts receivable of $1,115,535, an increase in prepaid expenses and other assets of $1,042,544, an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $2,842,819, an increase in due to affiliates of $3,134,923, and an increase in other liabilities of $2,064,165.

 

Investing Activities

 

Net cash used in investing activities was $14,845,023 during the six months ended June 30, 2020, and consisted of $14,688,633 of cash used for project development costs and $156,390 of leaseholds improvements placed into service. During the six months ended June 30, 2019, net cash used in investing activities was $7,418,308, which consisted solely of cash used for project development costs.

 

Financing Activities

 

Net cash provided by financing activities was $30,306,840 during the six months ended June 30, 2020, which consisted primarily of $36,014,210 in borrowings on loans payable, partially offset by $5,572,102 of repayments on loans payable and $135,268 of deferred financing costs.

 

Net cash provided by financing activities was $1,654,080 during the six months ended June 30, 2019, which consisted primarily of $5,470,000 in proceeds from notes payable, offset by $3,304,312 in repayments of notes payable and $511,608 in payment of financing costs.

 

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Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

 

Operating Activities

 

Net cash provided by operating activities was $933,018 during the year ended December 31, 2019, which consisted primarily of a net loss of $55,903,880, offset by non-cash loss on abandonment of $12,194,783, amortization of notes discounts of $13,274,793, non-cash depreciation expense of $10,915,839, and increases in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $3,650,041, due to affiliates of $9,459,293, and other liabilities of $1,849,398.

 

Net cash used in operating activities was $13,976,859 during the year ended December 31, 2018, and was primarily a result of the net loss of $33,625,624, offset by non-cash depreciation expense of $10,885,057, an increase in due to affiliates of $1,582,362, and an increase in other liabilities of $6,389,506.

 

Investing Activities

 

Net cash used in investing activities was $16,723,883 and $40,761,071 during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and primarily relate to additions to project development costs.

 

Financing Activities

 

Net cash provided by financing activities was $15,987,507 during the year ended December 31, 2019 and consisted of proceeds from notes payable of $23,588,122, offset by repayment of notes payable of $7,023,874 and payment of financing costs of $576,741.

 

Net cash provided by financing activities was $61,095,957 during the year ended December 31, 2018 and consisted of proceeds from notes payable of $84,475,917, offset by repayment of notes payable of $19,539,610 and payment of financing costs of $3,840,350.

 

Subsequent Financing Activity since June 30, 2020

 

On July 1, 2020, concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination, the Company entered into a Note Purchase Agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (together, the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to the Purchasers in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8.00% Convertible Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”). The Private Placement was conducted in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof, as a transaction by an issuer not involving any public offering. The offer and sale of the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and consequently, the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.

 

Closing of the Private Placement and delivery of the Notes pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement occurred on July 1, 2020. The Company received cash proceeds from the issuance and sale of the Notes of approximately $7 million. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement to fund the Company’s obligations related to the Business Combination Agreement, to satisfy the Company’s working capital obligations and to pay transaction fees and expenses.

 

This summary of the Note Purchase Agreement and the Notes is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Note Purchase Agreement, which is included as an exhibit to this registration statement and incorporated by reference herein.

 

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Contractual Obligations and Commitments

 

The following is a summary of the contractual obligations as of June 30, 2020 and the effect of such obligations are expected to have on the liquidity and cash flows in future periods:

 

    Total     Less than
1 Year
    1-3 Years     3-5 Years     More than
5 Years
 
Notes payable commitments   $ 257,009,315     $ 92,514,014     $ 132,665,371     $ 23,528,930     $ 8,301,000  
Total   $ 257,009,315     $ 92,514,014     $ 132,665,371     $ 23,528,930     $ 8,301,000  

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

The Company did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as of June 30, 2020.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates

 

This discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations is based on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, or U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reported periods. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company base its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

 

For information on the Company’s significant accounting policies please refer to Note 2 to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF GPAQ

 

References to the “Company,” “GPAQ,” “our,” “us” or “we” in this section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of GPAQ” refer to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp. prior to consummation of the Business Combination. Defined terms in this section apply only to the discussion included in this section. The following discussion and analysis of GPAQ’s financial condition and results of operations should be read together with GPAQ’s financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to GPAQ’s plans and strategy for GPAQ’s business and related financing, includes forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties and should be read together with the “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forwarding-Looking Statements” sections of this prospectus. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.

 

Overview

 

We are a former blank check company incorporated on April 12, 2017 under the name Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp. as a Delaware corporation and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We completed our Initial Public Offering on January 30, 2018 and completed the Business Combination (as defined below) on July 1, 2020.

 

Recent Developments

 

Business Combination

 

On July 1, 2020, subsequent to the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2020, Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation that is our predecessor (“GPAQ”), consummated the previously announced business combination with HOF Village, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“HOF Village”), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated September 16, 2019 (as amended on November 6, 2019, March 10, 2020 and May 22, 2020, the “Merger Agreement”), by and among Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, formerly known as GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (“HOFRE”), the Company, GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Acquiror Merger Sub”), GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Company Merger Sub”), HOF Village and HOF Village Newco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Newco”). The transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are referred to herein as the “Business Combination.”

 

Upon the consummation of the Business Combination: (i) Acquiror Merger Sub merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity (the “Acquiror Merger”) and (ii) Company Merger Sub merged with and into Newco, with Newco continuing as the surviving entity (the “Company Merger”). In advance of the Company Merger, HOF Village transferred all of its assets, liabilities and obligations to Newco pursuant to a contribution agreement. In connection with the closing of the Business Combination, the Company changed its name from “GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.” to “Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company.” As a result of the Business Combination, the Company and Newco are wholly owned subsidiaries of HOFRE.

 

In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination and pursuant to the Merger Agreement, (a) each issued and outstanding unit of the Company, if not already detached, was detached and each holder of such a unit was deemed to hold one share of the Company’s Class A common stock and one Company warrant (“GPAQ Warrant”), (b) each issued and outstanding share of the Company’s Class A common stock (excluding any shares held by a Company stockholder that elected to have its shares redeemed pursuant to the Company’s organizational documents) was converted automatically into the right to receive 1.421333 shares of HOFRE common stock, par value $0.0001 (the “HOFRE Common Stock”), following which all shares of the Company’s Class A common stock ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and cease to exist; (c) each issued and outstanding share of the Company’s Class F common stock was converted automatically into the right to receive one share of HOFRE Common Stock, following which all shares of the Company’s Class F common stock ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and cease to exist; (d) each issued and outstanding GPAQ Warrant (including GPAQ private placement warrants) was automatically converted into one HOFRE Warrant to purchase 1.421333 shares of HOFRE Common Stock per warrant, following which all GPAQ Warrants ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and retired and cease to exist; and (e) each issued and outstanding membership interest in Newco converted automatically into the right to receive a pro rata portion of the Company Merger Consideration (as defined in the Merger Agreement), which was payable in shares of HOFRE Common Stock.

 

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Private Placement

 

Concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination, HOFRE entered into a Note Purchase Agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (together, the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which HOFRE agreed to issue and sell to the Purchasers in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8.00% Convertible Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”). Pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement, the Notes may be converted into shares of HOFRE Common Stock at the option of the holders of the Notes, and HOFRE may, at its option, redeem the Notes in exchange for cash and warrants to purchase shares of HOFRE Common Stock.

 

The Private Placement was conducted in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof, as a transaction by an issuer not involving any public offering. The offer and sale of the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and consequently, the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.

 

The Note Purchase Agreement contains representations and warranties by HOFRE and the Purchasers, and each of HOFRE and the Purchasers have agreed to indemnify the other for losses resulting from a breach of any of their respective representations or warranties.

 

Closing of the Private Placement and delivery of the Notes pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement occurred on July 1, 2020. HOFRE received net cash proceeds from the issuance and sale of the Notes of approximately $7 million and approximately $13.7 million were for the conversion of prior existing notes payable. HOFRE intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement to fund HOFRE’s obligations related to the Merger Agreement, to satisfy HOFRE’s working capital obligations and to pay transaction fees and expenses.

 

Results of Operations

 

Our entire activity from inception up to January 30, 2018 was in preparation for our Initial Public Offering. From the consummation of our Initial Public Offering through June 30, 2020, our activity was been limited to the evaluation of business combination candidates and the proposed Business Combination. We did not generate any operating revenues until the closing and completion of the Business Combination. We incurred expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.

 

For the three months ended June 30, 2020, we had a net loss of $1,127,782, which consisted of operating costs of $1,172,861, offset by interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $17,359 and an income tax benefit of $27,720.

 

For the six months ended June 30, 2020, we had a net loss of $1,587,497, which consisted of operating costs of $1,893,499 and a provision for income taxes of $4,439, offset by interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $310,441.

 

For the three months ended June 30, 2019, we had net income of $488,526, which consists of interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $770,755, offset by unrealized loss on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $4,268, operating costs of $148,100 and a provision for income taxes of $129,861.

 

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For the six months ended June 30, 2019, we had net income of $933,223, which consists of interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $1,504,270 and an unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $3,217, offset by operating costs of $323,167 and a provision for income taxes of $251,097.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2019, we had net income of $820,360, which consists of interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of 2,651,036 and an unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $9,588, offset by operating costs of $1,415,881 and a provision for income taxes of $424,383.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2018, we had net income of $1,081,279, which consists of interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $2,132,976 and an unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $13,795, offset by operating costs of $780,534 and a provision for income taxes of $284,958.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

As of June 30, 2020, we had cash held in the Trust Account of $31,043,986 (including approximately $858,000 of interest income). Interest income on the balance in the Trust Account may be used by us to pay taxes and up to $100,000 of dissolution expenses. Through June 30, 2020, we withdrew $1,179,244 of funds from the interest earned on the Trust Account to pay our franchise and income tax obligations, of which $170,050 was withdrawn during the six months ended June 30, 2020.

 

For the six months ended June 30, 2020, cash used in operating activities was $871,011. Net loss of $1,587,497 was affected by interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $310,441 and a deferred tax benefit of $2,014. Changes in operating assets and liabilities provided $1,028,941 of cash from operating activities.

 

For the six months ended June 30, 2019, we had net income of $933,223, which consists of interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $1,504,270 and an unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $3,217, offset by operating costs of $323,167 and a provision for income taxes of $251,097, respectively.

 

As of December 31, 2019, we had marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $117,285,210 (including approximately $3,445,000 of interest income) consisting of U.S. treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less. Interest income on the balance in the Trust Account may be used by us to pay taxes and up to $100,000 of dissolution expenses. Through December 31, 2019, we withdrew $1,009,194 of funds from the interest earned on the Trust Account to pay our franchise and income tax obligations.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2019, cash used in operating activities was $1,914,625. Net income of $820,360 was offset by interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $2,651,036, an unrealized gain on marketable securities held in our Trust Account of $9,588 and a deferred tax provision of $2,014. Changes in operating assets and liabilities used $76,375 of cash from operating activities.

 

As of December 31, 2018, we had marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $128,396,771 (including approximately $2,147,000 of interest income and unrealized gains) consisting of U.S. treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less. Interest income on the balance in the Trust Account may be used by us to pay taxes and up to $100,000 of dissolution expenses. Through December 31, 2018, we did not withdraw any funds from the interest earned on the Trust Account.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2018, cash used in operating activities was $480,090. Net income of $1,081,279 was offset by interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $2,132,976 and an unrealized gain on marketable securities held in our Trust Account of $13,795. Changes in operating assets and liabilities provided $585,402 of cash from operating activities.

 

We used substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the Trust Account (less deferred underwriting fees) to complete the Business Combination. We may withdraw interest from the Trust Account to pay franchise and income taxes. To the extent that our capital stock or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial Business Combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.

 

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We agreed to pay each of our independent directors an annual retainer of $20,000 (pro-rated for interim periods of service) for their service as members of our Board, for which, in addition to general matters of corporate governance and oversight, we expected our Board members to assist us in the identification and evaluation of industries and particular businesses that are, in the reasonable judgment of the Board, suitable acquisition targets for us, as well as assisting us in the review and analysis of alternative business combinations. In addition, we agreed to pay each independent director a telephonic meeting fee of $1,000 or in-person meeting fee of $1,500 for each meeting attended by such independent director. We also agreed to pay the Chairperson of the Audit Committee an annual retainer of $7,500 and the Chairperson of the Compensation Committee an annual retainer of $5,000. All such fees were deferred and became payable on the consummation of the Business Combination.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Financing Arrangements

 

We had no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of June 30, 2020. We did not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We did not enter into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets.

 

Contractual Obligations

 

We did not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities other than an agreement to pay an affiliate of our Sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for office space, utilities and administrative support provided to the Company. We began incurring these fees on January 30, 2018 and continued to incur these fees monthly until the completion of the Business Combination.

 

In addition, we agreed to pay the underwriters a deferred fee of three and one-half percent (3.5%) of the gross proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, or $4,375,000.

 

In January 2020, the underwriters agreed that in the event the Business Combination was consummated, the deferred discount due to them was reduced to $2,500,000. The deferred fee was paid in cash upon the closing of the Business Combination from the amounts held in the Trust Account, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have identified the following critical accounting policies:

 

Common Stock subject to possible redemption

 

We account for our common stock subject to possible conversion in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Common stock subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stocks that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within our control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stocks are classified as stockholders’ equity. Our common stocks feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, common stock subject to possible redemption is presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ equity section of our condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

Net loss per common share

 

We apply the two-class method in calculating earnings per share. Common stock subject to possible redemption which is not currently redeemable and is not redeemable at fair value, has been excluded from the calculation of basic net loss per common share since such shares, if redeemed, only participate in their pro rata share of the Trust Account earnings. Our net income is adjusted for the portion of income that is attributable to common stock subject to possible redemption, as these shares only participate in the earnings of the Trust Account and not our income or losses.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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MANAGEMENT

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

HOFRE’s directors since the Business Combination are as follows:

 

Name   Age   Position
Michael Crawford   53   President and Chief Executive Officer, Chairman
Anthony J. Buzzelli   71   Director
David Dennis   63   Director
James J. Dolan   66   Director
Karl L. Holz   69   Director
Stuart Lichter   71   Director
Curtis Martin   46   Director
Mary Owen   42   Director
Edward J. Roth III   64   Director
Kimberly K. Schaefer   54   Director

 

Michael Crawford. Mr. Crawford currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of HOFRE and previously served as HOF Village’s Chief Executive Officer from December 2018 until June 2020. Before joining HOF Village, Mr. Crawford was an executive at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where he served as Global President of Portfolio Management (2016–2018) and President of Asia Pacific (2014–2016). Previously, Mr. Crawford worked at The Walt Disney Company/Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in various positions from 1990 to 2014, where his last role was Senior Vice President and General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort and President of Walt Disney Holdings Company in Shanghai (2010–2014). Mr. Crawford holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University and an MBA (magna cum laude) from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.

 

Anthony J. Buzzelli. Mr. Buzzelli is a Certified Public Accountant and spent 40 years with Deloitte, where he served management and Boards of Directors as the Audit and Advisory Partner for a wide range of public and private companies with U.S. and global operations from 1980 to 2011. He was Audit Partner in Charge of the Pittsburgh office from 1989 to 1995, Regional Managing Partner of the Central Atlantic Region from 1995 to 2001, National Managing Partner of U.S. Regions, the Marketing and Business Development and Community Relations leader from 2003 to 2007 and Regional Managing Partner of the Pacific Southwest Region and Office Managing Partner of the Los Angeles office from 2003 to 2011. Mr. Buzzelli served as a Member of the U.S. Board of Directors of Deloitte from 2001 to 2004 and as Chairman of its Succession Committee from 2010 to 2011. He retired from Deloitte as a vice chairman in 2011. He is a past Chairman of the Southern California Leadership Network from 2003 to 2009. Mr. Buzzelli received a BS in Accounting from The Pennsylvania State University, and also completed the Executive Program in Organizational Change at Stanford University and the Executive Program for Leading Professional Services Firms at Harvard Business School. He currently serves as a member of the boards of directors of both public and private organizations.

 

David Dennis. Mr. Dennis served as an independent director of GPAQ January 2018 through June 2020, and served as the chairman of GPAQ’s audit committee. Mr. Dennis is a Certified Public Accountant and spent 36 years of his career at KPMG LLP, where he served as a Partner from 1993 until his retirement in December 2015. During his time at KPMG, Mr. Dennis served in its advisory practice and served as the Advisory Sector Leader for its State and Local Government Advisory Practice. In addition, from 1979 to 2002, Mr. Dennis was a member of the Audit Practice at KPMG and audited publicly traded companies, privately owned companies and public sector clients (governments and not for profits). He is a Past Member of Council for the American Institute of CPAs and a current member of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Mr. Dennis previously served as acting Chief Financial Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives and as President for the Florida Institute of CPAs. He was appointed by Florida Governor Rick Scott to the Florida Board of Accountancy, where he served as Chair until December 31, 2018. Mr. Dennis received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Indiana University — Kelley School of Business.

 

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James J. Dolan. Mr. Dolan served as GPAQ’s Chairman from March 2017 until June 2020. Mr. Dolan is the Chairman and CEO of Voyager Holdings II, LLC (“Voyager”), a family office and holding company that owns and operates a diversified group of companies in the technology, real estate, financial services, aviation, timber and natural resource industries. Mr. Dolan serves as CEO or Managing Director of a number of Voyager’s portfolio companies. He was the founder of Access Data, a software-as-service company providing data management and sales information to the mutual fund industry. The company was sold to Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR). He founded Ascent Data, a provider of cloud computing services to financial and legal firms, where he serves as Chairman. He previously led the creation of Yellowstone Jet Center in Bozeman, Montana and its sale to Signature Flight Support (LON: BBA) and was Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Aviation Flight Services, which he sold to Sentient Jet. Mr. Dolan currently serves on the board of directors of Plan Member Financial Corporation, an asset manager and provider of retirement planning services based in Santa Barbara, California, TriState Capital Holdings (NASDAQ: TSC), a commercial bank in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Chartwell Investment Partners, an asset management firm based in Radnor, Pennsylvania a subsidiary of TriState.

 

Karl L. Holz. Mr. Holz is a 22-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company with senior-level expertise in operations, strategic planning, product and customer experience development, international business, and large-scale expansions. As president of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations, he was responsible for driving the growth of Disney’s vacation portfolio beyond theme parks. In his most recent role, Mr. Holz was responsible for Disney Cruise Line; Disney Vacation Club; Adventures by Disney; Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, in Hawaii; and Golden Oak at the Walt Disney World Resort. He guided the massive expansion of Disney Cruise Line in 2011 and 2012 and championed its further expansion by committing to three new ships, the first arriving in 2021. Mr. Holz also led the strategic re-orientation of the Disney Institute, a professional development and training business serving the needs of many major companies. Additionally, he assumed responsibility for Disneyland Resort Paris in 2014 (after previously serving as President and CEO of Disneyland Resort Paris from 2004 to 2008), guiding the resort through a challenging security environment, developed and implemented strategic expansion plans and ultimately took this French, publicly held resort, private in late 2017. Since “retiring” in 2018, he has worked with McKinsey & Company, the Saudi Public Investment Fund and others in providing advisory and consulting services. Mr. Holz earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1973. He is a member of the Fredonia Foundation Board and an active supporter of the “Keeper of the Dream Scholarship” benefiting disadvantaged and minority student athletes.

 

Stuart Lichter. Mr. Lichter has served as the President and Chairman of the Board of Industrial Realty Group, LLC since 1999. Industrial Realty Group, along with its affiliated companies, has acquired and developed over 100 industrial and commercial properties throughout the country, representing virtually every area of real estate, such as office buildings, industrial and warehouse buildings, shopping centers, business parks, hotels, mini-storage facilities, marinas, apartments, mobile home parks and mixed-use developments, with a primary emphasis on industrial and commercial properties. Mr. Lichter began his real estate career with the General Services Administration (GSA) of the US Government where he focused on solving challenges facing governmental-owned real estate. Mr. Lichter subsequently performed loan workouts, completed unfinished construction projects and leased and sold foreclosed projects for Midland Bank and New York Life Insurance Company. Mr. Lichter has over 40 years of experience as a leader in the adaptive reuse of commercial and industrial real estate. Mr. Lichter holds a B.S. degree from Hunter College, a part of the City University of New York. He completed all course work for an MBA from Pace University with a major in finance. Mr. Lichter also attended New York University School of Law.

 

Curtis Martin. Mr. Martin began his NFL career with the New England Patriots, earning the honor of Rookie of the Year in 1995. He then joined the New York Jets in 1998 where he played for 8 years and was a 5 time pro bowler. He finished his career as the 4th leading rusher of all-time and in 2012 was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Driven to give his best while helping others, he founded the Curtis Martin Job Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that continuously provides financial support to single mothers, children charities, individuals with disabilities, low income housing providers and financial support to Surgicorps International. In addition, Mr. Martin is the foundation’s sole financial supporter and is committed to funding the foundation’s endeavors. In May 2019, Mr. Martin received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, accredited for his work and support of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s efforts to develop a safe, non-addictive, non-opioid pain medication, in addition to the philanthropic work that he is committed to through his foundation.

 

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Mary Owen. Ms. Owen is Founder and President of MMO Capital LLC since 2017. In addition, she has served as a Life Trustee with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation since 2015. She invests, advises and consults a variety of enterprises including Los Angeles–based startup Rival Inc., Ascend FS, a fundraising solutions company predominately serving pro sports teams and leagues, and The Accessory Junkie, a new and transformative fashion brand. She is also an investor and advisory board member to Chicago based KB Partners, a venture capital firm focused on investments at the intersection of sports and technology. In addition, Ms. Owen provides strategic consulting services for family businesses, closely held companies, and sports franchises around executive strategy, succession planning and philanthropy.

 

Ms. Owen previously worked for her uncle, Ralph C. Wilson Jr., and his management company, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Enterprises. She was a key member of his executive leadership team and played a strategic and operational role with all of his business and philanthropic interests, including the Buffalo Bills. With the Bills, Ms. Owen began as an intern in 1997 and worked in a variety of roles eventually becoming the Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning from 2010-2014. In addition to her team-level responsibilities, she was charged with representing Mr. Wilson at the league ownership level from 2003-2014, where she was appointed to and served on the Super Bowl Advisory Committee and the International Committee, and served on the board of the NFL Foundation.

 

When Mr. Wilson passed in 2014, Ms. Owen served as a Trustee of his estate, where she and three others were responsible for the team’s sale to the Pegula family, and ultimately funding and starting a $1.2 billion foundation, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, with a portion of the estate proceeds. Ms. Owen managed the foundation on behalf of her co-trustees in its initial year and oversaw a $60 Million legacy grant program.

 

Ms. Owen is a graduate of the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, and is a McIntire Trustee Leader, an active Trustee for the Jefferson Trust and longstanding Regional Selection Chair for the Jefferson Scholars Foundation. In addition, she holds a M.B.A. from Walsh College and is a long standing member of the National Advisory Board for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 

Edward J. Roth III. Since 2001, Mr. Roth has served as President and CEO of Aultman Health Foundation, a not-for-profit health care organization serving Stark and surrounding counties in Ohio. For more than 40 years, Mr. Roth has been part of a team dedicated to providing the Stark County, Ohio area with excellence and affordability in health care. He began his career with Aultman in 1981 and served in several executive leadership positions. Mr. Roth is responsible for more than 7,500 employees and all corporate entities within Aultman Health Foundation. Mr. Roth is a graduate of Canton Central Catholic and the University of Akron, and is an active member of the community and a board member of the following agencies and organizations: Ohio Business Roundtable, Pro Football Hall of Fame and Stark County Catholic Schools. Mr. Roth currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Ohio Hospital Association. He has also taken a leadership role in the community, serving on boards and chairing many organizations and events over the years including: American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board, Akron Regional Hospital Association, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Stark Development Board, Walsh University, Akron Canton Regional Food Bank Harvest for Hunger Campaign, Wilderness Center Earthly Delights Campaign, Arts In Stark Campaign, Central Catholic High School Capital Campaign and United Way Campaign.

 

Kimberly K. Schaefer. Ms. Schaefer has served as President of Two Bit Circus, Inc., a startup concept focusing on social interactions using the latest in technology and gaming, since 2017. Two Bit Circus’s first “micro amusement park” location opened in Los Angeles in 2018. It features unique arcade and midway games, an interactive theatre, story rooms and virtual reality concepts. The company is currently in discussions for locations across the US for a rollout starting in 2020. Prior to Two Bit Circus, Ms. Schaefer worked with Great Wolf Resorts, Inc., which is the largest owner, operator and developer in North America of drive-to family resorts featuring indoor waterparks and other family-oriented entertainment activities, for more than 18 years, including as their Chief Operating Officer/Chief Brand Officer from 2005 to 2015 and as their Chief Executive Officer from 2009 to September 2015. She was part of the team that took the company public in 2005. As public company CEO, her primary responsibility was overseeing the daily aspects of the strategy of the brand, development and operations as well as investor and analyst presentations and communication. Ms. Schaefer was an independent board member for public company, EdR, an owner operator and developer of collegiate housing, and of her former employer, Great Wolf Resorts, which is currently owned by Centerbridge Capital Partners. Ms. Schaefer is a graduate of Edgewood College in Madison, where she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and where she previously served on the school’s Board of Trustees.

 

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HOFRE’s executive officers are as follows:

 

Name   Age   Position
Michael Crawford   53   President and Chief Executive Officer, Director
Tara Charnes   43   General Counsel
Lisa Gould   45   Vice President of Human Resources
Anne Graffice   48   Executive Vice President, Public Affairs
Jason Krom   40   Chief Financial Officer
Michael Levy   59   President of Operations
Erica Muhleman   46   Executive Vice President of New Business Development/Marketing and Sales

 

Tara Charnes. Ms. Charnes has served as General Counsel of HOFRE since August 2020. From 2015 until joining HOFRE, Ms. Charnes worked for Big Lots!, where she most recently served as Vice President, Litigation and led the company’s strategic approach to securities, consumer and wage and hour class action litigation, as well as intellectual property disputes, employment litigation and other aspects of litigation and claims. While at Big Lots!, she also served on the company’s Enterprise Risk Management Steering Committee. From 2008 until 2015, Ms. Charnes worked for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, where she most recently served as Director, North America Legal, Securities and Corporate Governance and worked closely with the executive management team and board of directors on Commission and corporate governance matters, and managed multiple other legal department functions, including litigation, compliance, advertising and commercial law. From 2003 until 2007, she was a member of the Securities, Competition and Complex Litigation Group at international law firm, Sidley & Austin LLP. She also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Kenneth F. Ripple of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Ms. Charnes earned her Juris Doctor summa cum laude from the Valparaiso University School of Law, where she was executive editor of student writing for the Valparaiso Law Review. She earned her Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude from Denison University.

 

Lisa Gould. Ms. Gould has served as Vice President of Human Resources of HOFRE since August 2020. From November 2011 until joining HOFRE, Ms. Gould served as Vice President of Human Resources at CommQuest Services, where she developed a strategic plan following the company’s merger, oversaw recruitment, onboarding and retention of company employees and managed various other human resources functions, including drafting and enforcement of company policies and procedures and managing benefits administration and enrollment. From August 2007 until November 2011, Ms. Gould worked for the Creative Financial Staffing, an affiliate of Bruner Cox LLP in various roles, including as Recruiter/Staffing Manager and Business Development/Account Manager. Ms. Gould earned her MBA from University of Northwestern Ohio and her BS from Kent State University.

 

Anne Graffice. Ms. Graffice currently serves as Executive Vice President, Public Affairs of HOFRE and previously served as Executive Vice President of Public Affairs of HOF Village from December 2019 through June 2020. Prior to joining HOF Village, Ms. Graffice served as Vice President of Development and Strategic Adventures at the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2016–2019). Previously, Ms. Graffice worked at University of Mount Union, where she served as Executive Director of Alumni Relations and the Mount Union Fund (2012–2016) and Director of Alumni Relations and University Activities (2003–2012). Ms. Graffice holds a B.A. in Business Administration and Finance from Mount Union College and an MBA from Tiffin University.

 

Jason Krom. Mr. Krom currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of HOFRE and previously served as Chief Financial Officer of HOF Village from September 2019 through June 2020. Mr. Krom joined HOF Village from Stanley Black & Decker, where he served as Chief Financial Officer of the Outdoor Products Group (2018–2019) and as Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis and Licensing for Global Tools & Storage (2017–2018). Previously, Mr. Krom worked at Abercrombie & Fitch as Chief Financial Officer of the Hollister Brand (2016–2017) and Vice President of Corporate Finance (2015–2016). He has previously served in various financial roles at The Hershey Company (2011–2015), Philips Healthcare (2010–2011), Novartis Consumer Health (2007–2010) and Johnson & Johnson (2002–2007). Mr. Krom holds a B.S. in Finance from The College of New Jersey and an MBA (with distinction) from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

 

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Michael Levy. Mr. Levy has served as President of Operations of HOFRE since June 2020. From August 2014 until joining the Company, he served as President of the Canton Charge, the NBA G League franchise of the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he set numerous attendance records and revenue marks and was named the league’s Team Executive of the Year in 2016. Mr. Levy brings over 30 years of sports and entertainment management expertise to the Company, developed through extensive experience working with 11 professional franchises, 11 facilities and 10 sports leagues, including the NBA, MLB, WNBA, NFL, AFL and NHL. Mr. Levy has built a proven track record of driving excellent operational execution and successful start-ups with sports franchises over his extensive sports management career. Mr. Levy is a graduate of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

 

Erica Muhleman. Ms. Muhleman has served as Executive Vice President of New Business Development/Marketing and Sales of HOFRE since September 2020. From March 2020 until joining HOFRE, Ms. Muhleman worked in Sponsorship Activation for BDA, LLC. Prior to joining BDA, LLC, Ms. Muhleman worked for Pegula Sports and Entertainment from January 2016 until February 2019, where she most recently served as Executive Vice President of Business Development and led sales and business initiatives to develop integrated sponsorships and other revenue-generating activities, including non-game events, premium seating, suites and merchandise at New Era Field, KeyBank Center and Blue Cross Arena. From July 2009 until December 2015, Ms. Muhleman worked for the Buffalo Bills where she served as Vice President of Corporate Sponsorships and directed the service and activation of corporate partners, provided leadership to account service groups to ensure contractual obligations were met, and personally managed top, multi-million-dollar sponsorships. From August 2004 until July 2009, she worked at IMG, where she served as an Account Director and oversaw the company’s annual multi-million-dollar budget and negotiated partnerships to support its marketing platform. From June 1999 until August 2004, she worked as Manager of Marketing Services for the Cleveland Browns. Ms. Muhleman earned her Master of Arts in Marketing from Cleveland State University and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Ohio University.

 

Director and Executive Officer Qualifications

 

HOFRE has not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met by each of its officers or directors or specific qualities or skills that are necessary for one or more of its officers or members of the board of directors to possess. However, HOFRE expects to generally evaluate the following qualities: educational background, diversity of professional experience, including whether the person is a current or was a former CEO or CFO of a public company or the head of a division of a prominent organization, knowledge of HOFRE’s business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and ability to represent the best interests of HOFRE’s stockholders.

 

HOFRE’ officers and board of directors will be composed of a diverse group of leaders in their respective fields. Many of these officers or directors have senior leadership experience at various companies. In these positions, they have also gained experience in core management skills, such as strategic and financial planning, public company financial reporting, compliance, risk management, and leadership development. Many of HOFRE’ officers and directors also have experience serving on boards of directors and/or board committees of other public companies and private companies, and have an understanding of corporate governance practices and trends, which provides an understanding of different business processes, challenges, and strategies. Further, these officers and directors also have other experience that makes them valuable, such as managing and investing assets or facilitating the consummation of business investments and combinations.

 

HOFRE, along with its officers and directors, believe that the above-mentioned attributes, along with the leadership skills and other experiences of HOFRE’s directors and executive officers described above, provide HOFRE with a diverse range of perspectives and judgment necessary to facilitate HOFRE’s goals of shareholder value appreciation through organic and acquisition growth.

 

Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors

 

HOFRE’ board of directors is divided into three classes: Class A, Class B and Class C. The number of directors in each class shall be as nearly equal as possible. The board of directors may assign members of the board of directors already in office to such classes upon consummation of the Business Combination. The directors in Class A shall be elected for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of stockholders after the Business Combination, the directors in Class B shall be elected for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of stockholders after the Business Combination, and the directors in Class C shall be elected for a term expiring at the third annual meeting of stockholders after the Business Combination. The term of office of Class A directors, consisting of Edward J. Roth III and Mary Owen, will expire at the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of Class B directors, consisting of Stuart Lichter, Karl Holz, Curtis Martin and David Dennis, will expire at the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of Class C directors, consisting of James Dolan, Michael Crawford, Kimberly Schaefer and Anthony Buzzelli will expire at the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders.

 

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HOFRE’s officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. HOFRE’s board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in HOFRE’s Bylaws as it deems appropriate.

 

Director Nominating Agreement

 

Upon the closing of the Business Combination, GPAQ, HOFRE, HOF Village, the Sponsor and PFHOF entered into a Director Nominating Agreement (the “Director Nominating Agreement”), which provides that HOFRE shall take all necessary action to set the size of its board of directors at 11 members, a majority of whom shall be independent directors in accordance with Nasdaq requirements. Pursuant to the Director Nominating Agreement, the HOFRE Board must be made up of three classes: Class A Directors who shall serve for an initial one-year term, Class B Directors who shall serve for an initial two-year term, and Class C Directors who shall serve for an initial three-year term. The Director Nominating Agreement set forth the directors who were to serve as of the Business Combination and specified the respective classes of each director.

 

The Director Nominating Agreement further provides that (i) so long as the Sponsor beneficially owns 85% of the total number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock held by it as of the effective time of the Business Combination (the “Effective Time”), the Sponsor will have the right to designate one individual to be appointed or nominated for election to the HOFRE Board, (ii) so long as HOF Village beneficially owns at least 85% of the total number of shares of Holdings Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time, HOF Village will have the right to designate up to four individuals to be appointed or nominated for election to the HOFRE Board, one of whom must qualify as an independent director under the Nasdaq rules (or up to (a) three individuals, if it owns less than 85% but at least 65%, (b) two individuals, if it owns less than 65% but at least 45%, or (c) one individual, if it owns less than 45% but at least 15%), and (iii) so long as PFHOF beneficially owns at least 85% of the total number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time, PFHOF will have the right to designate up to one individual to be appointed or nominated for election to the HOFRE Board.

 

HOF Village and PFHOF may each designate one individual to serve as a HOFRE Board non-voting observer (in the case of HOF Village, so long as HOF Village beneficially owns at least 15% of the total number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time and, in the case of PFHOF, so long as PFHOF beneficially owns at least 85% of the total number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time). The parties to the Director Nominating Agreement agreed to take certain actions to support those nominees for election and include the nominees in the proxy statements for the stockholders meetings at which directors are to be elected.

 

Director Independence

 

Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of the Company’s Board be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the Company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship that, in the opinion of the Company’s Board, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. The board of directors of the Company has affirmatively determined that Kimberly Schaefer, Karl Holz, Anthony Buzzelli, Mary Owen, Curtis Martin and David Dennis qualify as independent directors in accordance with the Nadsaq listing rules.

 

Committees of the Board of Directors

 

Upon the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company established three board committees and adopted charters for such committees: audit committee, compensation committee, and nominating and corporate governance committee. Messrs. Buzzelli and Dennis and Ms. Schaefer were appointed to serve on the Company’s audit committee, with Mr. Buzzelli serving as the chair and qualifying as an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K. Ms. Schaefer and Mr. Holz were appointed to serve on the Company’s compensation committee, with Ms. Schaefer serving as the chair. Mr. Holz and Ms. Owen were appointed to serve on the Company’s nominating and corporate governance committee, with Mr. Holz serving as the chair. Each of the committee charters are available on the Company’s website at www.hofreco.com.

 

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Audit Committee

 

The Audit Committee’s duties, which are specified in its charter, include, but are not limited to:

 

reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditor the annual audited financial statements, and recommending to the board whether the audited financial statements should be included in our annual reports;

 

discussing with management and the independent auditor significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of our financial statements;

 

discussing with management major risk assessment and risk management policies;

 

monitoring the independence of the independent auditor;

 

verifying the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by law;

 

reviewing and approving all related-party transactions;

 

inquiring and discussing with management our compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

 

pre-approving all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent auditor, including the fees and terms of the services to be performed;

 

appointing or replacing the independent auditor;

 

determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work;

 

establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies; and

 

approving reimbursement of expenses incurred by our management team in identifying potential target businesses.

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s duties, which are specified in its charter, include, but are not limited to:

 

identifying, evaluating and selecting, or recommending that board of directors approve, nominees for election to board of directors;

 

evaluating the performance of board of directors and of individual directors;

 

reviewing developments in corporate governance practices;

 

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evaluating the adequacy of corporate governance practices and reporting;

 

reviewing management succession plans; and

 

developing and making recommendations to board of directors regarding corporate governance guidelines and matters.

 

Compensation Committee

 

The Compensation Committee has overall responsibility for determining and approving the compensation of HOFRE’s Chief Executive Officer and reviewing and approving the annual base salaries and annual incentive opportunities of HOFRE’s executive officers. HOFRE may utilize the services of independent consultants to perform analyses and to make recommendations relative to executive compensation matters. These analyses and recommendations are to be conveyed to the Compensation Committee, and the Compensation Committee takes such information into consideration in making its compensation decisions.

 

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

 

No member of the Compensation Committee has ever been an officer or employee of HOFRE. None of HOFRE’s executive officers serve, or have served during the last fiscal year, as a member of the board of directors, compensation committee, or other board committee performing equivalent functions of any other entity that has one or more executive officers serving as one of HOFRE’s directors or on the Compensation Committee.

 

Code of Conduct and Ethics

 

Upon consummation of the Business Combination, HOFRE adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all HOFRE’s directors, officers and employees. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics covers areas such as conflicts of interest, insider trading and compliance with laws and regulations. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on HOFRE’s website at www.hofreco.com.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

To the knowledge of HOFRE’s management, there is no litigation currently pending or contemplated against HOFRE, any of its officers or directors in their capacity as such or against any of its properties other than the matter discussed under “Business — Legal Proceedings.”

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

This section provides an overview of HOFRE’s executive compensation programs in effect following the Business Combination. Pursuant to Item 402(m)(2) of Regulation S-K, the Company’s named executive officers are determined as of December 31, 2019, prior to the Business Combination. As a result, the Company’s named executive officers include the principle executive officer, Michael Crawford, and the two next highest paid officers based on the total compensation paid by HOF Village during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, Brian Parisi and Jason Krom. In the discussion that follows, reference is made to HOF Village as required to discuss compensation paid during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, and reference is made to HOFRE when discussing the current compensation arrangements of the Company.

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

The following table presents summary information regarding the total compensation for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 for the named executive officers of HOF Village.

 

 

Name and Principal Position

  Year     Salary
($)
    Bonus
($)
    All Other Compensation
($)
    Total
($)
 
Michael Crawford(1)
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
    2019
2018
      614,231
37,500
      457,781
      23,185
      1,095,196
37,500
 
Brian Parisi(2)
Former Chief Financial Officer
    2019
2018
      222,014
234,519
     
      2,142
      224,156
234,519
 
Jason Krom(3)
Chief Financial Officer
    2019
2018
      75,000
      130,000
      28,986
      233,986
 

 

 

(1) Mr. Crawford became Chief Executive Officer of HOF Village on December 3, 2018 and became Chairman on May 1, 2020. Mr. Crawford received a profits interest of 2.5% of the future profits of HOF Village, issued as of March 7, 2019, which vests over a three-year period. The profits interest had no value at the time of issuance and were cancelled upon the closing of the Business Combination.

 

(2) Mr. Parisi served as Chief Financial Officer of HOF Village from November 20, 2017 until his resignation, effective as of July 16, 2019, and he is no longer employed by HOF Village. However, after his resignation, Mr. Parisi acted as a consultant to the Company until October 20, 2019, for which he has received compensation. For the year ended December 31, 2019, Mr. Parisi’s salary payments of $222,014 consisted of $157,014 of salary received while Mr. Parisi was employed by HOF Village and $65,000 of consulting fees received after Mr. Parisi’s resignation from HOF Village.

 

(3) Mr. Krom joined HOF Village as Chief Financial Officer on September 16, 2019.

 

Overview

 

HOFRE provides total compensation packages that are competitive, tailored to the unique characteristics and needs of HOFRE within its industry, and that adequately reward its executives for their roles in creating value for HOFRE’s stockholders. HOFRE is competitive in its executive compensation with other similarly situated companies in its industry. The compensation decisions regarding HOFRE’s executives are based on its need to attract individuals with the skills necessary to achieve its business plan, to reward those individuals fairly over time and to retain those individuals who continue to perform at or above HOFRE’s expectations.

 

HOFRE’s executive compensation program consist of three primary components: salary, incentive bonus and stock-based awards issued under an equity incentive plan. HOFRE determines the appropriate level for each compensation component based in part, but not exclusively, on its view of internal equity and consistency, individual performance, HOFRE’s performance and other information deemed relevant and timely.

 

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Employment Agreements

 

Michael Crawford

 

HOF Village entered into a services agreement with Mr. Crawford in December 2018, when he was hired as Chief Executive Officer (the “Crawford Services Agreement”). Effective July 1, 2020, the Crawford Services Agreement was replaced by the Crawford Employment Agreement discussed in the next paragraph. The Crawford Services Agreement provides for an annual base salary of $650,000 for the first year of the engagement period, $700,000 during the second year, and $750,000 during the third year and for any subsequent years. The Crawford Services Agreement also provides for a target annual bonus of 70% of base salary, with 50% of the annual bonus based on HOF Village’s achievement of commercially reasonable key performance indicators as agreed upon by Mr. Crawford and HOF Village’s Board of Directors and the remaining 50% of the annual bonus at the discretion of HOF Village’s Board based on the Board’s assessment of Mr. Crawford’s performance and HOF Village’s performance. The Crawford Services Agreement also grants Mr. Crawford a profits interest of 2.25% of the future profits of HOF Village, which vests over a three-year period, with 15% of the profits interests vesting after one year, an additional 20% vesting after two years, and the remaining 65% vesting after three years. Additionally, the Crawford Services Agreement provides Mr. Crawford with a vehicle allowance to reimburse Mr. Crawford for the purchase of one vehicle of up to $70,000. For the year ended December 31, 2019, Mr. Crawford received salary payments of $614,321, a bonus of $457,781, and other compensation of $23,185, which consisted of $13,835 in 401(k) contributions and $9,350 for a vehicle allowance. The Crawford Services Agreement was terminated in connection with the closing of the Business Combination. In addition, Mr. Crawford has agreed, upon the closing of the Business Combination, to cancel his vested portion of the profits interest grant and to waive his right to the unvested portion of the profits interest grant.

 

In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, Mr. Crawford, HOFRE and Newco entered into an employment agreement, effective July 1, 2020 (the “Crawford Employment Agreement”), which replaced the Crawford Services Agreement. Under the terms of the Crawford Employment Agreement, Mr. Crawford serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of HOFRE. The employment agreement terminates on December 31, 2022 unless earlier terminated; however, the term will automatically renew for successive 12-month periods unless either party provides 90 days’ written notice of non-renewal. Under the terms of the Crawford Employment Agreement, Mr. Crawford will receive an annual base salary of $800,000 through December 31, 2020, and $850,000 for calendar year 2021, with a minimum annual salary of $850,000 for any subsequent years, as determined by the Compensation Committee. Mr. Crawford is entitled to receive a closing bonus of $400,000, payable in three installments in calendar year 2020. Additionally, Mr. Crawford is eligible to receive an annual bonus. Mr. Crawford’s annual bonus for calendar year 2020 will be at least $400,000; however, his total annual salary and bonus for 2020 will not exceed $1,500,000 unless otherwise approved by HOFRE’s board of directors. In accordance with the Crawford Employment Agreement and the terms of HOFRE’s 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, Mr. Crawford is entitled to receive 715,929 restricted shares of Company Common Stock upon the effectiveness of a registration statement covering those shares. Additionally, the Crawford Employment Agreement provides Mr. Crawford with a vehicle allowance to reimburse Mr. Crawford for the lease expense of a vehicle with a retail value of up to $70,000.

 

Jason Krom

 

HOFV entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Krom in September 2019 when he was hired as Chief Financial Officer. The employment agreement provides an initial base salary of $300,000, a signing bonus of $10,000, and a target annual bonus equal to 40% of base salary for each calendar year. The annual bonus is based on HOFV’s achievement of commercially reasonable Key Performance Indicators determined by HOFV. The employment agreement also includes a grant of profits interests representing 1.0% of the future profits that vests over a three-year period, with one-third of the profits interests vesting each year. For the year ended December 31, 2019, Mr. Krom received salary payments of $75,000, bonus payments of $130,000, and other compensation of $28,986, which consisted of $3,600 in 401(k) contributions and $25,386 in moving expenses and other compensation. In connection with the Business Combination, Mr. Krom’s profit interest were cancelled.

 

The foregoing description of the services and employment agreements with each of Messrs. Crawford and Krom does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the terms and conditions of the employment agreements, which are attached to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

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Severance Benefits

 

The employment agreements of Messrs. Crawford and Krom provide for payment of severance benefits in the event that the employee is terminated by the company without cause or by the employee with good reason.

 

In the event that an employee is terminated for any reason, the employee will receive a lump-sum payment equal to the amount of earned and unpaid base salary through the termination date and any unreimbursed business and entertainment expenses that are reimbursable through the termination date.

 

In addition:

 

Mr. Crawford. In the event of (i) termination by HOFRE without cause or (i) by the executive for good reason (other than as described in the next sentence), HOFRE shall: (i) pay Mr. Crawford a severance payment in the amount of $850,000.00, less applicable deductions and withholdings, and (ii) subject to Mr. Crawford’s timely election of continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”) and Mr. Crawford’s copayment of premiums associated with such coverage, reimburse Mr. Crawford, on a monthly basis, for the excess of the premium for himself and his covered dependents over the amount paid by active employees for the same coverage during the period from the termination date through the 12-month anniversary of such date, or such earlier date on which COBRA coverage for Mr. Crawford and his covered dependents terminates in accordance with COBRA. In the event of termination by the executive for good reason because of substantial interference with the day to day operations of the Company by a director of the Company (or such director’s employer or affiliate) that is inconsistent with formal actions taken by the Board or that impairs the executive’s ability to deliver agreed upon results for HOFRE, HOFRE shall pay the executive a severance payment in the amount of $2,000,000.00, less applicable deductions and withholdings, payable in a single lump-sum payment within 10 days after the date that the release signed by the executive becomes effective and irrevocable.

 

Mr. Krom. In the event of termination by the Company without cause or by the employee for good reason, contingent upon such employee’s signing a release, Mr. Krom is entitled to receive salary continuation payments of his then-current annual base salary for 12 months after the termination date.

 

Former Director Compensation Program

 

The persons who served as members of the Board of Directors of HOF Village, LLC for the year end December 31, 2019 did not receive compensation for such service.

 

Director Compensation Following Business Combination

 

Following the consummation of the Business Combination, non-employee directors of the Company will receive varying levels of compensation for their services as directors based on their service as members of the Company’s audit, compensation and nominating committees. The Company anticipates determining director compensation in accordance with industry practice and standards.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End

 

In connection with the hiring of Messrs. Crawford and Krom, HOF Village granted profit interests to each officer that vested over time. In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, the profits interests and vesting schedules of Mr. Crawford’s profit interests were terminated. In connection with the Business Combination, Mr. Krom’s profit interest were also cancelled. HOFRE has not yet granted any equity awards to its executive officers, however Mr. Crawford is entitled to receive 715,929 restricted shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock upon the effectiveness of a registration statement covering those shares.

 

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Retirement Benefits

 

HOFRE maintains a tax-qualified defined contribution plan that meets the requirements of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, commonly called a 401(k) plan, for substantially all of its employees. The 401(k) plan is available on the same basis to all employees, including the named executive officers. Each participant in the 401(k) plan can elect to defer from 0% to 100% of compensation, subject to limitations under the Internal Revenue Code and Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

 

2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

On July 1, 2020, in connection with the closing of the Business Combination, the Company’s omnibus incentive plan (the “2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan”) became effective immediately upon the closing of the Business Combination. The 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan was previously approved by the Company’s stockholders and board of directors. Subject to adjustment, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock to be authorized for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan is 3% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock on a fully-diluted basis on July 1, 2020.

 

In accordance with the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the employment agreement of HOFRE’s Chief Executive Officer, HOFRE’s Chief Executive Officer is entitled to receive 715,929 restricted shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock upon the effectiveness of a registration statement covering those shares. One-third of the restricted shares vest immediately after the effectiveness of the registration statement, one-third upon the first anniversary of the closing of the Business Combination and the last third upon the second anniversary of such closing.

 

Material Terms of 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

The following is a summary of the principal features of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, which is filed as an exhibit to this registration statement.

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan is to advance the interests of HOFRE and its stockholders by enabling HOFRE and its subsidiaries to attract and retain qualified individuals to perform services, to provide incentive compensation for such individuals in a form that is linked to the growth and profitability of HOFRE and increases in stockholder value, and to provide opportunities for equity participation that align the interests of recipients with those of its stockholders.

 

Administration

 

The board of directors of HOFRE will administer the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The board has the authority under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan to delegate plan administration to a committee of the board or a subcommittee thereof. The board of directors of HOFRE or the committee of the board to which administration of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan has been delegated is referred to as the Committee. Subject to certain limitations, the Committee will have broad authority under the terms of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan to take certain actions under the plan.

 

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Committee may delegate to one or more of its members or to one or more officers of HOFRE such administrative duties or powers, as it may deem advisable. The Committee may authorize one or more directors or officers of HOFRE to designate employees, other than officers, non-employee directors, or 10% stockholders of HOFRE, to receive awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and determine the size of any such awards, subject to certain limitations.

 

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No Re-pricing

 

The Committee may not, without prior approval of the HOFRE stockholders, effect any re-pricing of any previously granted “underwater” option or SAR by: (i) amending or modifying the terms of the option or SAR to lower the exercise price or grant price; (ii) canceling the underwater option or SAR in exchange for (A) cash; (B) replacement options or SARs having a lower exercise price or grant price; or (C) other awards; or (iii) repurchasing the underwater options or SARs and granting new awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. An option or SAR will be deemed to be “underwater” at any time when the fair market value of HOFRE Common Stock is less than the exercise price of the option or the grant price of the SAR.

 

Stock Subject to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

Subject to adjustment (as described below), the maximum number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock authorized for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan is 3% of the outstanding shares of HOFRE Common Stock on a fully-diluted basis immediately upon consummation of the Merger. This limit is also the limit on the number of incentive stock options that may be granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

 

Shares that are issued under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan or that are subject to outstanding awards will be applied to reduce the maximum number of shares remaining available for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan only to the extent they are used; provided, however, that the full number of shares subject to a stock-settled SAR or other stock-based award will be counted against the shares authorized for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, regardless of the number of shares actually issued upon settlement of such SAR or other stock-based award. Any shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations on awards issued under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, any shares withheld to pay the exercise price or grant price of awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and any shares not issued or delivered as a result of the “net exercise” of an outstanding option or settlement of a SAR in shares will not be counted against the shares authorized for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and will be available again for grant under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. Shares subject to awards settled in cash will again be available for issuance pursuant to awards granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. Any shares related to awards granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan that terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise without the issuance of the shares will be available again for grant under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. Any shares repurchased by HOFRE on the open market using the proceeds from the exercise of an award will not increase the number of shares available for future grant of awards. To the extent permitted by applicable law, shares issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity acquired in any form of combination by HOFRE or a subsidiary or otherwise will not be counted against shares available for issuance pursuant to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The shares available for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan may be authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares.

 

Adjustments

 

In the event of any reorganization, merger, consolidation, recapitalization, liquidation, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, Offering, divestiture or extraordinary dividend (including a spin off) or other similar change in the corporate structure or shares of HOFRE Common Stock, the Committee will make the appropriate adjustment or substitution. These adjustments or substitutions may be to the number and kind of securities and property that may be available for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. In order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of participants, the Committee may also adjust the number, kind, and exercise price or grant price of securities or other property subject to outstanding awards.

 

Eligible Participants

 

Awards may be granted to employees, non-employee directors and consultants of HOFRE or any of its subsidiaries. A “consultant” for purposes of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan is one who renders services to HOFRE or its subsidiaries that are not in connection with the offer and sale of its securities in a capital raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for its securities.

 

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Types of Awards

 

The 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will permit HOFRE to grant non-statutory and incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, deferred stock units, performance awards, non-employee director awards and other stock based awards. Awards may be granted either alone or in addition to or in tandem with any other type of award.

 

Stock Options. Stock options entitle the holder to purchase a specified number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock at a specified price, which is called the exercise price, subject to the terms and conditions of the stock option grant. The 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan permits the grant of both non-statutory and incentive stock options. Incentive stock options may be granted solely to eligible employees of HOFRE or its subsidiary. Each stock option granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan must be evidenced by an award agreement that specifies the exercise price, the term, the number of shares underlying the stock option, the vesting and any other conditions. The exercise price of each stock option granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan must be at least 100% of the fair market value of a share of HOFRE Common Stock as of the date the award is granted to a participant. Fair market value under the plan means, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the closing sale price of HOFRE Common Stock, as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market, on the grant date. The Committee will fix the terms and conditions of each stock option, subject to certain restrictions, such as a ten-year maximum term.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights. A stock appreciation right, or SAR, is a right granted to receive payment of cash, stock or a combination of both, equal to the excess of the fair market value of shares of HOFRE Common Stock on the exercise date over the grant price of such shares. Each SAR granted must be evidenced by an award agreement that specifies the grant price, the term, and such other provisions as the Committee may determine. The grant price of a SAR must be at least 100% of the fair market value of HOFRE Common Stock on the date of grant. The Committee will fix the term of each SAR, but SARs granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will not be exercisable more than 10 years after the date the SAR is granted.

 

Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units. Restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, or RSUs, and/or deferred stock units may be granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. A restricted stock award is an award of HOFRE Common Stock that is subject to restrictions on transfer and risk of forfeiture upon certain events, typically including termination of service. RSUs or deferred stock units are similar to restricted stock awards except that no shares are actually awarded to the participant on the grant date. Deferred stock units permit the holder to receive shares of HOFRE Common Stock or the equivalent value in cash or other property at a future time as determined by the Committee. The Committee will determine, and set forth in an award agreement, the period of restriction, the number of shares of restricted stock awards or the number of RSUs or deferred stock units granted, the time of payment for deferred stock units and other such conditions or restrictions.

 

Performance Awards. Performance awards, in the form of cash, shares of HOFRE Common Stock, other awards or a combination of both, may be granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee may determine. The Committee shall determine, and set forth in an award agreement, the amount of cash and/or number of shares or other awards, the performance goals, the performance periods and other terms and conditions. The extent to which the participant achieves his or her performance goals during the applicable performance period will determine the amount of cash and/or number of shares or other awards earned by the participant.

 

Non-Employee Director Awards. The Committee at any time and from time to time may approve resolutions providing for the automatic grant to non-employee directors of non-statutory stock options or SARs. The Committee may also at any time and from time to time grant on a discretionary basis to non-employee directors non-statutory stock options or SARs. In either case, any such awards may be granted singly, in combination, or in tandem, and may be granted pursuant to such terms, conditions and limitations as the Committee may establish in its sole discretion consistent with the provisions of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The Committee may permit non-employee directors to elect to receive all or any portion of their annual retainers, meeting fees or other fees in restricted stock, RSUs, deferred stock units or other stock-based awards in lieu of cash. Under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan the sum of any cash compensation, or other compensation, and the value (determined as of the grant date in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of awards granted to a non-employee director as compensation for services as a non-employee director during any fiscal year of the Company may not exceed $250,000 (increased to $350,000 with respect to any director serving as Chairman of the Board or Lead Independent Director or in the fiscal year of a director’s initial service as a director).

 

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Other Stock-Based Awards. Consistent with the terms of the plan, other stock-based awards may be granted to participants in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee may determine.

 

Dividend Equivalents. With the exception of stock options, SARs and unvested performance awards, awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan may, in the Committee’s discretion, earn dividend equivalents with respect to the cash or stock dividends or other distributions that would have been paid on the shares of HOFRE Common Stock covered by such award had such shares been issued and outstanding on the dividend payment date. However, no dividends or dividend equivalents may be paid on unvested awards. Such dividend equivalents will be converted to cash or additional shares of HOFRE Common Stock by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as determined by the Committee.

 

Termination of Employment or Other Service

 

The 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan provides for certain default rules in the event of a termination of a participant’s employment or other service. These default rules may be modified in an award agreement or an individual agreement between HOFRE and a participant. If a participant’s employment or other service with HOFRE is terminated for cause, then all outstanding awards held by such participant will be terminated and forfeited. In the event a participant’s employment or other service with HOFRE is terminated by reason of death, disability or retirement, then:

 

All outstanding stock options (excluding non-employee director options in the case of retirement) and SARs held by the participant will, to the extent exercisable, remain exercisable for a period of one year after such termination, but not later than the date the stock options or SARs expire;

 

All outstanding stock options and SARs that are not exercisable and all outstanding restricted stock will be terminated and forfeited; and

 

All outstanding unvested RSUs, performance awards and other stock-based awards held by the participant will terminate and be forfeited. However, with respect to any awards that vest based on the achievement of performance goals, if a participant’s employment or other service with HOFRE or any subsidiary is terminated prior to the end of the performance period of such award, but after the conclusion of a portion of the performance period (but in no event less than one year), the Committee may, in its sole discretion, cause shares to be delivered or payment made with respect to the participant’s award, but only if otherwise earned for the entire performance period and only with respect to the portion of the applicable performance period completed at the date of such event, with proration based on the number of months or years that the participant was employed or performed services during the performance period.

 

In the event a participant’s employment or other service with HOFRE is terminated by reason other than for cause, death, disability or retirement, then:

 

All outstanding stock options (including non-employee director options) and SARs held by the participant that then are exercisable will remain exercisable for three months after the date of such termination, but will not be exercisable later than the date the stock options or SARs expire;

 

All outstanding restricted stock will be terminated and forfeited; and

 

All outstanding unvested RSUs, performance awards and other stock-based awards will be terminated and forfeited. However, with respect to any awards that vest based on the achievement of performance goals, if a participant’s employment or other service with HOFRE or any subsidiary is terminated prior to the end of the performance period of such award, but after the conclusion of a portion of the performance period (but in no event less than one year), the Committee may, in its sole discretion, cause shares to be delivered or payment made with respect to the participant’s award, but only if otherwise earned for the entire performance period and only with respect to the portion of the applicable performance period completed at the date of such event, with proration based on the number of months or years that the participant was employed or performed services during the performance period.

 

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Modification of Rights upon Termination

 

Upon a participant’s termination of employment or other service with HOFRE or any subsidiary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion (which may be exercised at any time on or after the grant date, including following such termination) cause stock options or SARs (or any part thereof) held by such participant as of the effective date of such termination to terminate, become or continue to become exercisable or remain exercisable following such termination of employment or service, and restricted stock, RSUs, deferred stock units, performance awards, non-employee director awards and other stock-based awards held by such participant as of the effective date of such termination to terminate, vest or become free of restrictions and conditions to payment, as the case may be, following such termination of employment or service, in each case in the manner determined by the Committee; provided, however, that no stock option or SAR may remain exercisable beyond its expiration date any such action by the Committee adversely affecting any outstanding award will not be effective without the consent of the affected participant, except to the extent the Committee is authorized by the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan to take such action.

 

Forfeiture and Recoupment

 

If a participant is determined by the Committee to have taken any action while providing services to HOFRE or within one year after termination of such services, that would constitute “cause” or an “adverse action,” as such terms are defined in the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, all rights of the participant under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and any agreements evidencing an award then held by the participant will terminate and be forfeited. The Committee has the authority to rescind the exercise, vesting, issuance or payment in respect of any awards of the participant that were exercised, vested, issued or paid, and require the participant to pay to HOFRE, within 10 days of receipt of notice, any amount received or the amount gained as a result of any such rescinded exercise, vesting, issuance or payment. HOFRE may defer the exercise of any stock option or SAR for up to six months after receipt of notice of exercise in order for the Board to determine whether “cause” or “adverse action” exists. HOFRE is entitled to withhold and deduct future wages or make other arrangements to collect any amount due.

 

In addition, if HOFRE is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, then any participant who is one of the individuals subject to automatic forfeiture under Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 will reimburse HOFRE for the amount of any award received by such individual under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan during the 12 month period following the first public issuance or filing with the SEC, as the case may be, of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement. HOFRE also may seek to recover any award made as required by the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or any other clawback, forfeiture or recoupment provision required by applicable law or under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which HOFRE Common Stock is then listed or traded or any policy adopted by HOFRE.

 

Effect of Change in Control

 

Generally, a change in control will mean:

 

The acquisition, other than from HOFRE, by any individual, entity or group of beneficial ownership of 50% or more of the then outstanding shares of HOFRE Common Stock;

 

The consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of HOFRE with respect to which all or substantially all of the individuals or entities who were the beneficial owners of HOFRE Common Stock immediately prior to the transaction do not, following the transaction, beneficially own more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock and voting securities of the corporation resulting from the transaction; or

 

A complete liquidation or dissolution of HOFRE or the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of HOFRE.

 

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Subject to the terms of the applicable award agreement or an individual agreement between HOFRE and a participant, upon a change in control, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine whether some or all outstanding options and SARs shall become exercisable in full or in part, whether the restriction period and performance period applicable to some or all outstanding restricted stock awards and RSUs shall lapse in full or in part and whether the performance measures applicable to some or all outstanding awards shall be deemed to be satisfied. The Committee may further require that shares of stock of the corporation resulting from such a change in control, or a parent corporation thereof, be substituted for some or all of the shares of HOFRE Common Stock subject to an outstanding award and that any outstanding awards, in whole or in part, be surrendered to HOFRE by the holder, to be immediately cancelled by HOFRE, in exchange for a cash payment, shares of capital stock of the corporation resulting from or succeeding HOFRE or a combination of both cash and such shares of stock.

 

Term, Termination and Amendment

 

Unless sooner terminated by the Board, the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will terminate at midnight on the day before the ten year anniversary of its effective date. No award will be granted after termination of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, but awards outstanding upon termination of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will remain outstanding in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions and the terms and conditions of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

 

Subject to certain exceptions, the Board has the authority to suspend or terminate the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan or terminate any outstanding award agreement and the Board has the authority to amend the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan or amend or modify the terms of any outstanding award at any time and from time to time. No amendments to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will be effective without approval of HOFRE’ stockholders if: (a) stockholder approval of the amendment is then required pursuant to Section 422 of the Code, the rules of the primary stock exchange on which HOFRE Common Stock is then traded, applicable U.S. state and federal laws or regulations and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where awards are, or will be, granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; or (b) such amendment would: (i) materially increase benefits accruing to participants; (ii) modify the re-pricing provisions of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; (iii) increase the aggregate number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock issued or issuable under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; (iv) increase any limitation set forth in the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan on the number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock which may be issued or the aggregate value of awards which may be made, in respect of any type of award to any single participant during any specified period; (v) modify the eligibility requirements for participants in the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; or (vi) reduce the minimum exercise price or grant price as set forth in the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. No termination, suspension or amendment of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan or an award agreement shall adversely affect any award previously granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan without the written consent of the participant holding such award.

 

Federal Income Tax Information

 

The following is a general summary, as of the date of this prospectus, of the federal income tax consequences to participants and HOFRE of transactions under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. This summary is intended for the information of potential investors in the Offering and not as tax guidance to participants in the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as the consequences may vary with the types of grants made, the identity of the participant and the method of payment or settlement. The summary does not address the effects of other federal taxes or taxes imposed under state, local or foreign tax laws. Participants are encouraged to seek the advice of a qualified tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of participation in the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

 

Tax Consequences of Awards

 

Incentive Stock Options. With respect to incentive stock options, generally, the participant is not taxed, and HOFRE is not entitled to a deduction, on either the grant or the exercise of an incentive stock option so long as the requirements of Section 422 of the Code continue to be met. If the participant meets the employment requirements and does not dispose of the shares of HOFRE Common Stock acquired upon exercise of an incentive stock option until at least one year after date of the exercise of the stock option and at least two years after the date the stock option was granted, gain or loss realized on sale of the shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss. If the shares of HOFRE Common Stock are disposed of before those periods expire, which is called a disqualifying disposition, the participant will be required to recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the excess, if any, of the fair market value of HOFRE Common Stock on the date of exercise over the exercise price, or (ii) if the disposition is a taxable sale or exchange, the amount of gain realized. Upon a disqualifying disposition, HOFRE will generally be entitled, in the same tax year, to a deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant, assuming that a deduction is allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

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Non-Statutory Stock Options. The grant of a stock option that does not qualify for treatment as an incentive stock option, which is generally referred to as a non-statutory stock option, is generally not a taxable event for the participant. Upon exercise of the stock option, the participant will generally be required to recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of HOFRE Common Stock acquired upon exercise (determined as of the date of exercise) over the exercise price of the stock option, and HOFRE will be entitled to a deduction in an equal amount in the same tax year, assuming that a deduction is allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code. At the time of a subsequent sale or disposition of shares obtained upon exercise of a non-statutory stock option, any gain or loss will be a capital gain or loss, which will be either a long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending on how long the shares have been held.

 

SARs. The grant of an SAR will not cause the participant to recognize ordinary income or entitle HOFRE to a deduction for federal income tax purposes. Upon the exercise of an SAR, the participant will recognize ordinary income in the amount of the cash or the value of shares payable to the participant (before reduction for any withholding taxes), and HOFRE will receive a corresponding deduction in an amount equal to the ordinary income recognized by the participant, assuming that a deduction is allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

Restricted Stock, RSUs, Deferred Stock Units and Other Stock-Based Awards. The federal income tax consequences with respect to restricted stock, RSUs, deferred stock units, performance shares and performance stock units, and other stock unit and stock-based awards depend on the facts and circumstances of each award, including, in particular, the nature of any restrictions imposed with respect to the awards. In general, if an award of stock granted to the participant is subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” (e.g., the award is conditioned upon the future performance of substantial services by the participant) and is nontransferable, a taxable event occurs when the risk of forfeiture ceases or the awards become transferable, whichever first occurs. At such time, the participant will recognize ordinary income to the extent of the excess of the fair market value of the stock on such date over the participant’s cost for such stock (if any), and the same amount is deductible by HOFRE, assuming that a deduction is allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code. Under certain circumstances, the participant, by making an election under Section 83(b) of the Code, can accelerate federal income tax recognition with respect to an award of stock that is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture and transferability restrictions, in which event the ordinary income amount and HOFRE’ deduction, assuming that a deduction is allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code, will be measured and timed as of the grant date of the award. If the stock award granted to the participant is not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture or transferability restrictions, the participant will recognize ordinary income with respect to the award to the extent of the excess of the fair market value of the stock at the time of grant over the participant’s cost, if any, and the same amount is deductible by us, assuming that a deduction is allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code. If a stock unit award or other stock-based award is granted but no stock is actually issued to the participant at the time the award is granted, the participant will recognize ordinary income at the time the participant receives the stock free of any substantial risk of forfeiture (or receives cash in lieu of such stock) and the amount of such income will be equal to the fair market value of the stock at such time over the participant’s cost, if any, and the same amount is then deductible by HOFRE, assuming that a deduction is allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

Withholding Obligations

 

HOFRE is entitled to withhold and deduct from future wages of the participant, to make other arrangements for the collection of, or to require the participant to pay to HOFRE, an amount necessary for it to satisfy the participant’s federal, state or local tax withholding obligations with respect to awards granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. Withholding for taxes may be calculated based on the maximum applicable tax rate for the participant’s jurisdiction or such other rate that will not trigger a negative accounting impact on HOFRE. The Committee may permit a participant to satisfy a tax withholding obligation by withholding shares of HOFRE Common Stock underlying an award, tendering previously acquired shares, delivery of a broker exercise notice or a combination of these methods.

 

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Code Section 409A

 

A participant may be subject to a 20% penalty tax, in addition to ordinary income tax, at the time a grant becomes vested, plus an interest penalty tax, if the grant constitutes deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code and the requirements of Section 409A of the Code are not satisfied.

 

Code Section 162(m)

 

Pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Code, the annual compensation paid to an individual who is a “covered employee” is not deductible by HOFRE to the extent it exceeds $1 million. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act, signed into law on December 22, 2017, amended Section 162(m), effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, (i) to expand the definition of a “covered employee” to include any person who was the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer at any time during the year and the three most highly compensated officers (other than the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer) who were employed at any time during the year whether or not the compensation is reported in the Summary Compensation Table included in the proxy statement for HOFRE’ Annual Meeting; (ii) to treat any individual who is considered a covered employee at any time during a tax year beginning after December 31, 2106 as remaining a covered employee permanently; and (iii) to eliminate the performance-based compensation exception to the $1 million deduction limit.

 

Excise Tax on Parachute Payments

 

Unless otherwise provided in a separate agreement between a participant and HOFRE, if, with respect to a participant, the acceleration of the vesting of an award or the payment of cash in exchange for all or part of an award, together with any other payments that such participant has the right to receive from HOFRE, would constitute a “parachute payment” then the payments to such participant will be reduced to the largest amount as will result in no portion of such payments being subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code. Such reduction, however, will only be made if the aggregate amount of the payments after such reduction exceeds the difference between the amount of such payments absent such reduction minus the aggregate amount of the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code attributable to any such excess parachute payments. If such provisions are applicable and if an employee will be subject to a 20% excise tax on any “excess parachute payment” pursuant to Section 4999 of the Code, HOFRE will be denied a deduction with respect to such excess parachute payment pursuant to Section 280G of the Code.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

 

The following summary of the material terms of our securities is not intended to be a complete summary of the rights and preferences of such securities, and is qualified by reference to our Certificate of Incorporation, our Bylaws and the warrant-related documents described herein, which are exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We urge to you read each of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws and the warrant-related documents described herein in their entirety for a complete description of the rights and preferences of our securities.

 

General

 

Pursuant to our Certificate of Incorporation, our authorized capital stock consists of (i) 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock, and (ii) 5,000,000 are shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value (“Preferred Stock”). As of the date of this prospectus, there were 31,849,336 shares of our Common Stock and 900 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding.

 

In addition to the foregoing, as of the date of this prospectus, there were (i) 24,731,195 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Existing Warrants with an exercise price of $11.50 per share, (ii) 1,812,727 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance of awards under our 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, (iii) (a) approximately 10,645,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance upon redemption by us of the PIPE Notes, including approximately 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of warrants that would be issued in connection with such redemption, or (b) approximately 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance upon conversion by holders of the PIPE Notes (excluding the adjustment to the Conversion Rate occurring in connection with closing this Offering. See “Risk Factors – The Conversion Rate of the PIPE Notes will be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement in connection with the 7% underwriting discount, increasing dilution upon conversion of the PIPE Notes.”), (iv) 283,181 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance upon vesting of inducement restricted stock unit grants, (v) 900 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding, which is not convertible into any other capital stock of HOFRE and (v) 75,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future issuance as payment to Brand X under the Services Agreement.

 

We intend to hold a Special Meeting of Stockholders on November 3, 2020, to seek stockholder approval of an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to increase authorized shares of Common Stock to 300,000,000. Completion of the Offering is subject to our stockholders’ approval of the amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation, to the extent an increase in authorized shares of Common Stock is necessary to complete the Offering based on the number of Units sold.

 

Following the Special Meeting of Stockholders, assuming our stockholders approve the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation, the Company will have the authority to issue 305,000,000 shares of capital stock, consisting of (i) 300,000,000 shares of Common Stock, and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock.

 

Units

We are offering for sale Units, each consisting of share of our Common Stock and Warrants. The Common Stock and the Warrants comprising the Units will separate upon the closing of the Offering and will be issued separately but may only be purchased as a Unit, and the Units will not be certificated and will not trade as a separate security.

 

Common Stock

 

Voting Rights. Holders of Common Stock will exclusively possess all voting power and each share of Common Stock will have one vote on all matters submitted to our stockholders for a vote. Holders of Common Stock do not have any cumulative voting rights.

 

Dividend Rights. Holders of Common Stock will be entitled to receive dividends or other distributions, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors in its discretion out of funds legally available therefor and share equally on a per share basis in all such dividends and other distributions.

 

Liquidation Rights. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, either voluntary or involuntary, holders of Common Stock will be entitled to receive their ratable and proportionate share of our remaining assets.

 

Other Rights. Holders of Common Stock will have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights and there are no sinking fund or redemption provisions applicable to our Common Stock.

 

Preferred Stock

 

Our board of directors is expressly granted authority to issue shares of Preferred Stock, in one or more series, and to fix for each such series such voting powers, full or limited, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof as shall be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by our board of directors providing for the issue of such series (a “Preferred Stock Designation”) and as may be permitted by the DGCL. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, without a separate vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to any Preferred Stock Designation.

 

Series A Preferred Stock

 

We currently have 900 shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding.

 

On October 8, 2020, the Company filed a Certificate of Designations (the “Certificate of Designations”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to establish the preferences, limitations and relative rights of the Series A Preferred Stock. The Certificate of Designations became effective upon filing. The number of authorized shares of Series A Preferred Stock is 52,800. The price per share at issue is $1,000, as appropriately adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, combinations, and subdivisions of Series A Preferred Stock. 

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Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to a cumulative dividend at the rate of 7.0% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears, as set forth in the Certificate of Designations. The Series A Preferred Stock ranks senior to the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), with respect to dividend rights and rights on the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company (a “Liquidation Event”). The Series A Preferred Stock has a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends to the date of payment (the “Liquidation Preference”). Under the Certificate of Designations, the Company may not enter into or permit to exist any contract, agreement, or arrangement that prohibits or restricts the Company from paying dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock, unless such contract, agreement, or arrangement has been approved in writing, in advance, by the holders of a majority of the then-outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock have no voting rights, except as required by law, and have no rights of preemption or rights to convert such Series A Preferred Stock into shares of any other class of capital stock of the Company.

 

The Company must redeem for cash each share of Series A Preferred Stock 60 months after it is issued (the “Mandatory Redemption Date”), at a price per share equal to the Liquidation Preference (the “Redemption Price”); provided, however, that (i) holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock may extend the Mandatory Redemption Date for any share of Series A Preferred Stock 12 months (i.e., to a date that is 72 months after the issue date for such share) (the “First Extension”), and (ii) if the First Extension is exercised, then holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock may extend the Mandatory Redemption Date for any share of Series A Preferred Stock by an additional twelve (12) months (i.e., to a date that is 84 months after the issue date for such share).

 

The Company has the option to redeem for cash, in whole or in part, the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, at a price per share equal to the Redemption Price.

 

The sale, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company shall be deemed a Liquidation Event, unless the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock agree in writing, prior to the closing of any such transaction, that such transaction will not be considered a Liquidation Event. A merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of the Company into or with any other corporation or person, or the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of any other corporation or person into or with the Company (any of the foregoing, a “Business Combination Transaction”) shall not be deemed a Liquidation Event, so long as either (A) the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock agree in writing, prior to the closing of any such Business Combination Transaction, that such Business Combination Transaction will not be considered a Liquidation Event, or (B) such Business Combination Transaction would not adversely affect the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock or the powers, designations, preferences and other rights of the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Existing Warrants

 

Upon completion of the Business Combination, all of the warrants to purchase GPAQ Common Stock were cancelled and exchanged for Existing Warrants to purchase 1.421333 shares of our Common Stock per Existing Warrant on the same terms and conditions as the original warrants.

 

Each Existing Warrant entitles the registered holder to purchase 1.421333 shares of our Common Stock at a price of $11.50 per share of Common Stock, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time beginning 30 days after the consummation of the Business Combination. The Existing Warrants will expire five years after the consummation of the Business Combination at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

 

We are not obligated to deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of an Existing Warrant and have no obligation to settle such Existing Warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares Common Stock underlying the Existing Warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to our satisfying our obligations described below with respect to registration. No Existing Warrant will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue shares of our Common Stock upon exercise of an Existing Warrant unless Common Stock issuable upon such Existing Warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the Existing Warrants. In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to an Existing Warrant, the holder of such Existing Warrant will not be entitled to exercise such Existing Warrant and such Existing Warrant may have no value and expire and be worthless. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised Existing Warrants, the purchaser of a unit of GPAQ that was detached into one share of GPAQ common stock and one GPAQ warrant that were exchanged for our Common Stock and Existing Warrant, will have paid the full purchase price for the unit solely for the share of GPAQ common stock underlying such unit.

 

We have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days, after the closing of the Business Combination, we will use our best efforts to file with the Commission a registration statement for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the shares of our Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Existing Warrants. We will use our best efforts to cause the same to become effective and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration of the Existing Warrants in accordance with the provisions of the Warrant Agreement. Notwithstanding the above, if our Common Stock is at the time of any exercise of an Existing Warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that it satisfies the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of Existing Warrants who exercise their Existing Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but we will be required to use our best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.

 

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Once the Existing Warrants become exercisable, we may call the Existing Warrants for redemption:

 

in whole and not in part;

 

at a price of $0.01 per Existing Warrant;

 

upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption (the “30-day redemption period”) to each Existing Warrant holder; and

 

if, and only if, the reported last sale price of our Common Stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending three business days before we send the notice of redemption to the Existing Warrant holders.

 

If and when the Existing Warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.

 

We have established the list of the redemption criterion discussed above to prevent a redemption call unless there is at the time of the call a significant premium to the Existing Warrant exercise price. If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption of the Existing Warrants, each Existing Warrant holder will be entitled to exercise its Existing Warrant prior to the scheduled redemption date. However, the price of our Common Stock may fall below the $18.00 redemption trigger price as well as the $11.50 (for whole shares) Existing Warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued.

 

If we call the Existing Warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise its Existing Warrant to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their Existing Warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of Existing Warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our stockholders of issuing the maximum number of shares of our Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of our Existing Warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, all holders of Existing Warrants would pay the exercise price by surrendering their Existing Warrants for that number of shares of our Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares our Common Stock underlying the Existing Warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the Existing Warrants and the “fair market value” (defined below) by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of our Common Stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of Existing Warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, the notice of redemption will contain the information necessary to calculate the number of shares of our Common Stock to be received upon exercise of the Existing Warrants, including the “fair market value” in such case. Requiring a cashless exercise in this manner will reduce the number of shares to be issued and thereby lessen the dilutive effect of an Existing Warrant redemption. We believe this feature is an attractive option to us if we do not need the cash from the exercise of the Existing Warrants.

 

A holder of an Existing Warrant may notify us in writing in the event it elects to be subject to a requirement that such holder will not have the right to exercise such Existing Warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates), to the warrant agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 9.8% (or such other amount as a holder may specify) of the shares of our Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise.

 

If the number of outstanding shares of our Common Stock is increased by a stock dividend payable in shares of our Common Stock, or by a split-up of shares of our Common Stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such stock dividend, split-up or similar event, the number of shares of our Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Existing Warrant will be increased in proportion to such increase in the outstanding shares of our Common Stock. A Offering to holders of our Common Stock entitling holders to purchase shares of our Common Stock at a price less than the fair market value will be deemed a stock dividend of a number of shares of our Common Stock equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of our Common Stock actually sold in such Offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such Offering that are convertible into or exercisable for our Common Stock) multiplied by (ii) one (1) minus the quotient of (x) the price per share of our Common Stock paid in such Offering divided by (y) the fair market value. For these purposes (i) if the Offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for our Common Stock, in determining the price payable for our Common Stock, there will be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) fair market value means the volume weighted average price of our Common Stock as reported during the 10 trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on which the shares of our Common Stock trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.

 

In addition, if we, at any time while the Existing Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to the holders of our Common Stock on account of such shares of our Common Stock (or other shares of our capital stock into which the Existing Warrants are convertible), other than (a) as described above, or (b) certain ordinary cash dividends, then the Existing Warrant exercise price will be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such event, by the amount of cash and/or the fair market value of any securities or other assets paid on each share of our Common Stock in respect of such event.

 

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If the number of outstanding shares of our Common Stock is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse stock split or reclassification of shares of our Common Stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar event, the number of shares of our Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Existing Warrant will be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares of our Common Stock.

 

Whenever the number of shares of our Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Existing Warrants is adjusted, as described above, the Existing Warrant exercise price will be adjusted by multiplying the Existing Warrant exercise price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which will be the number of shares of our Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Existing Warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which will be the number of shares of our Common Stock so purchasable immediately thereafter.

 

In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock (other than those described above or that solely affects the par value of such shares of our Common Stock), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of us with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which we are the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of our outstanding shares of our Common Stock), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of us as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which we are dissolved, the holders of the Existing Warrants will thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the Existing Warrants and in lieu of the shares of our Common Stock immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the holder of the Existing Warrants would have received if such holder had exercised their Existing Warrants immediately prior to such event. If less than 70% of the consideration receivable by the holders of our Common Stock in such a transaction is payable in the form of common stock in the successor entity that is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or is quoted in an established over-the-counter market, or is to be so listed for trading or quoted immediately following such event, and if the registered holder of the Existing Warrant properly exercises the Existing Warrant within thirty days following public disclosure of such transaction, the Existing Warrant exercise price will be reduced as specified in the Warrant Agreement based on the Black-Scholes value (as defined in the Warrant Agreement) of the Existing Warrant.

 

The Existing Warrants are issued in registered form under the Warrant Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The Warrant Agreement provides that the terms of the Existing Warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding Existing Warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of the Existing Warrants.

 

The Existing Warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the Existing Warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the Existing Warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price (or on a cashless basis, if applicable), by certified or official bank check payable to us, for the number of Existing Warrants being exercised. The Existing Warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our Common Stock and any voting rights until they exercise their Existing Warrants and receive shares of our Common Stock. After the issuance of shares of our Common Stock upon exercise of the Existing Warrants, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by stockholders.

 

No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Existing Warrants. If, upon the exercise of the Existing Warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of shares of our Common Stock to be issued to the Existing Warrant holder.

 

Warrants Included in Units Issuable in the Offering

 

The Warrants to be issued as a part of this Offering will be designated as our “[●]” warrants. These Warrants will be separately transferable following their issuance and through their expiration five years from the date of issuance. Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one share of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $ per share from the date of issuance through its expiration. There is no public trading market for the Warrants and we do not intend that they will be listed for trading on Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or market. The Common Stock underlying the Warrants, upon issuance, will also be traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “HOFV.”

 

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Exercisability

 

Each Warrant will be exercisable at any time and will expire five years from the date of issuance. The Warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice and payment in full for the number of shares of our Common Stock purchased upon such exercise, except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below. The number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants is subject to adjustment in certain circumstances, including a stock split of, stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or recapitalization of the Common Stock. If we effect a merger, consolidation, sale of substantially all of our assets, or other similar transaction, then, upon any subsequent exercise of a Warrants, the Warrant holder will have the right to receive any shares of the acquiring corporation or other consideration it would have been entitled to receive if it had been a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock then issuable upon exercise in full of the Warrant.

 

Cashless Exercise

 

If at any time there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for issuance of, the shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrant, the holder may exercise the warrant on a cashless basis. When exercised on a cashless basis, a portion of the Warrant is cancelled in payment of the purchase price payable in respect of the number of shares of our Common Stock purchasable upon such exercise.

 

Exercise Price

 

Each Warrant represents the right to purchase one share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $ per share. In addition, the exercise price per share is subject to adjustment for stock dividends, distributions, subdivisions, combinations, or reclassifications, and for certain dilutive issuances. Subject to limited exceptions, a holder of Warrants will not have the right to exercise any portion of the Warrant to the extent that, after giving effect to the exercise, the holder, together with its affiliates, and any other person acting as a group together with the holder or any of its affiliates, would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of our Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to its exercise. The holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the beneficial ownership limitation provisions of the Warrant, provided that in no event shall the limitation exceed 9.99% of the number of shares of our Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise of the Warrant.

 

Transferability

 

Subject to applicable laws and restrictions, a holder may transfer a Warrant upon surrender of the Warrant to us with a completed and signed assignment in the form attached to the Warrant. The transferring holder will be responsible for any tax that liability that may arise as a result of the transfer.

 

No Market

 

There is no public trading market for the Warrants and we do not intend that they will be listed for trading on Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or market.

 

Rights as Stockholder

 

Except as set forth in the Warrant, the holder of a Warrant, solely in such holder’s capacity as a holder of a Warrant, will not be entitled to vote, to receive dividends, or to any of the other rights of our stockholders.

 

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Amendments and Waivers

 

The provisions of each Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions thereof waived with the written consent of us and the holder.

 

The Warrants will be issued pursuant to a warrant agent agreement by and between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the warrant agent.

 

Market Price and Ticker Symbol

 

Our Common Stock and Existing Warrants are currently listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “HOFV,” and “HOFVW,” respectively. We do not intend to list the Warrants on Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or market.

 

The closing price of the Common Stock and Existing Warrants on October 15, 2020, was $2.37 and $0.26, respectively.

 

Holders

 

As of September 25, 2020, there were 40 holders of record of our Common Stock and 4 holders of record of our Existing Warrants. Such numbers do not include beneficial owners holding our securities through nominee names.

 

Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation

 

Staggered Board of Directors

 

Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our Board of Directors is divided into three classes of directors, with the classes of approximately equal size, and with the directors serving three-year terms. As a result, approximately one-third of our Board of Directors are elected each year. The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our Board of Directors. Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that the number of directors will be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by our Board of Directors.

 

Special Meeting of Stockholders

 

Our Bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority vote of our board of directors or by stockholders holding at least a majority of all the shares of Common Stock entitled to vote at the special meeting.

 

Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations

 

Our Bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before a special meeting of stockholders must provide timely notice of their intent in writing. Pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, proposals seeking inclusion in our annual proxy statement must comply with the notice periods contained therein. Our Bylaws also specify certain requirements as to the form and content of a stockholders’ meeting. These provisions may preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders.

 

Authorized but Unissued Shares

 

Our authorized but unissued Common Stock and Preferred Stock are available for future issuances without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved Common Stock and Preferred Stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

 

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Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

 

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. This statute prevents certain Delaware corporations, under certain circumstances, from engaging in a “business combination” with:

 

a stockholder who owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock (otherwise known as an “interested stockholder”);

 

an affiliate of an interested stockholder; or

 

an associate of an interested stockholder, for three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder.

 

A “business combination” includes a merger or sale of more than 10% of our assets. However, the above provisions of Section 203 do not apply if:

 

our board approves the transaction that made the stockholder an “interested stockholder,” prior to the date of the transaction;

 

after the completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, that stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, other than statutorily excluded shares of Common Stock; or

 

on or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by our board and authorized at a meeting of our stockholders, and not by written consent, by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder.

 

Exclusive Forum Selection

 

Subject to limited exceptions, the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) of the Company to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of us, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Company to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, another state court located within the State of Delaware, or if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. This forum provision does not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for any actions brought under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. Accordingly, our exclusive forum provision will not relieve us of our duties to comply with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with these laws, rules and regulations.

 

Transfer Agent, Warrant Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent, warrant agent and registrar for our Common Stock, Existing Warrants and the Warrants issued in this Offering is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

 

Listing of Securities

 

Our Common Stock and Existing Warrants are listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “HOFV” and “HOFVW,” respectively. The Warrants issued in this Offering will not be listed on Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or market.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

The following is a general discussion of material U.S. federal income considerations relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Common Stock or Warrants. This discussion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, existing and proposed U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated or proposed thereunder and current administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, all as in effect as of the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to change or to differing interpretation, possibly with retroactive effect. We have not sought and will not seek any rulings from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position.

 

This discussion is limited to U.S. holders and non-U.S. holders who hold our Common Stock or Warrants as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code (generally, as property held for investment). This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation, such as the U.S. alternative minimum income tax and the additional tax on net investment income, nor does it address any aspect of state, local or non-U.S. taxes, or U.S. federal taxes other than income taxes, such as federal estate taxes. This discussion does not consider any specific facts or circumstances that may apply to a holder and does not address the special tax considerations that may be applicable to particular holders, such as:

 

  insurance companies;

 

  tax-exempt organizations;

 

  financial institutions;

 

  brokers or dealers in securities;

 

  regulated investment companies;

 

  pension plans;

 

  persons required for U.S. federal income tax purposes to conform the timing of income accruals to their financial statements under Section 451(b) of the Code;

 

  controlled foreign corporations;

 

  passive foreign investment companies;

 

  corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;

 

  certain U.S. expatriates;

 

  U.S. persons that have a “functional currency” other than the U.S. dollar;

 

  persons that acquire our Common Stock or Warrants as compensation for services;

 

  owners that hold our Common Stock or Warrants as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction, synthetic security or other integrated investment;

 

  entities that are treated as disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes (regardless of their places of organization or formation) and their investors; and

 

  partnerships or other entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and their investors.

 

If any entity taxable as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our Common Stock or Warrants, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. An investor in a partnership or entity treated as disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes should consult his, her or its own tax advisor regarding the applicable tax consequences relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Common Stock or Warrants.

 

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For purposes of this discussion, the term “U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of our Common Stock or Warrants that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

  an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

  a corporation created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any political subdivision of the United States;

 

  an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

  a trust, if (i) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) the trust has a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations.

 

A “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of our Common Stock or Warrants that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, an individual, corporation, estate or trust that is not a U.S. holder.

 

Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and other tax considerations of purchasing, holding and disposing of our Common Stock or Warrants.

 

U.S. Holders

 

Purchase of Units

 

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the purchase of a Unit will be treated as the purchase of two components: a component consisting of one share of our Common Stock and a component consisting of one warrant to purchase one share of our Common Stock. The purchase price for each Unit will be allocated between its components in proportion to the relative fair market value of each at the time the Unit is purchased by the holder. This allocation of the purchase price for each Unit will establish a holder’s initial tax basis for U.S. federal income tax purposes in the shares and warrants that compose each Unit.

 

Exercise of Warrants

 

A U.S. holder generally will not recognize gain or loss on the exercise of a warrant and related receipt of shares of our Common Stock (unless cash is received in lieu of the issuance of a fractional share of our Common Stock). A U.S. holder’s initial tax basis in the shares of our Common Stock received upon the exercise of a warrant will be equal to the sum of (a) such U.S. holder’s tax basis in such warrant plus (b) the exercise price paid by such U.S. holder on the exercise of such warrant. A U.S. holder’s holding period for the shares of our Common Stock received upon the exercise of a warrant will begin on the day after the date that the warrant is exercised.

 

In certain limited circumstances, a U.S. holder may be permitted to undertake a cashless exercise of warrants into shares of our Common Stock. The U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise of warrants into shares of Common Stock is unclear, and the tax consequences of a cashless exercise could differ from the consequences upon the exercise of a warrant described in the preceding paragraph. U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a cashless exercise of warrants.

 

Certain Adjustments to the Warrants

 

An adjustment to the number of shares of our Common Stock that will be issued upon the exercise of a warrant, or an adjustment to the exercise price of a warrant, may be treated as a constructive distribution to a U.S. holder of the warrant or share depending on the circumstances of such adjustment (for example, if such adjustment is to compensate for a distribution of cash or other property to our shareholders). Adjustments to the exercise price of warrants made pursuant to a bona fide reasonable adjustment formula that has the effect of preventing dilution of the interest of the holders thereof generally should not be considered to result in a constructive distribution. Any such constructive distribution would be taxable whether or not there is an actual distribution of cash or other property. See the more detailed discussion of the rules applicable to distributions made by us under the heading “Distributions on Common Stock” below.

 

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Expiration of the Warrants without Exercise

 

Upon the lapse or expiration of a warrant, a U.S. holder will recognize a loss in an amount equal to such U.S. holder’s tax basis in the warrant. Any such loss generally will be a capital loss and will be long-term capital loss if the warrant is held for more than one year. Deductions for capital losses are subject to certain limitations.

 

Distributions on Common Stock

 

If we pay distributions of cash or property with respect to our Common Stock (including constructive distributions as described above under the heading “Certain Adjustments to the Warrants”), those distributions generally will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. If a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a tax-free return of the U.S. holder’s investment, up to such holder’s tax basis in its shares of our Common Stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as capital gain, subject to the tax treatment described below under the heading “—Gain on Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition.”

 

Gain on Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition

 

Upon the sale or other taxable disposition of common shares or Warrants, a U.S. holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between (a) the amount of cash plus the fair market value of any property received and (b) such U.S. holder’s tax basis in such common shares or Warrants sold or otherwise disposed of. Such gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if, at the time of the sale or other disposition, the common shares or Warrants have been held by the U.S. holder for more than one year. Preferential tax rates may apply to long-term capital gain of a U.S. holder that is an individual, estate, or trust. Deductions for capital losses are subject to certain limitations.

 

Non-U.S. Holders

 

Distributions on Common Stock

 

If we pay distributions of cash or property with respect to our Common Stock (including constructive distributions as described above under the heading “Certain Adjustments to the Warrants”), those distributions generally will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. If a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a tax-free return of the non-U.S. holder’s investment, up to such holder’s tax basis in its shares of our Common Stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as capital gain, subject to the tax treatment described below under the heading “—Gain on Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition.” Dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and such holder’s country of residence. In the case of any constructive distribution, it is possible that this tax would be withheld from any amount owed to the non-U.S. holder, including, but not limited to, distributions of cash, Common Stock or sales proceeds subsequently paid or credited to that holder. If we are unable to determine, at the time of payment of a distribution, whether the distribution will constitute a dividend, we may nonetheless choose to withhold any U.S. federal income tax on the distribution as permitted by U.S. Treasury Regulations.

 

Distributions that are treated as effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by a non-U.S. holder within the United States are generally not subject to the 30% withholding tax if the non-U.S. holder provides a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI stating that the distributions are not subject to withholding because they are effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States. If a non-U.S. holder is engaged in a trade or business in the United States and the distribution is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business, the distribution will generally have the consequences described above for a U.S. holder (subject to any modification provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Any U.S. effectively connected income received by a non-U.S. holder that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty).

 

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A non-U.S. holder who claims the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and such holder’s country of residence generally will be required to provide a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, and satisfy applicable certification and other requirements. A non-U.S. holder that is eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax under an income tax treaty generally may obtain a refund or credit of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim with the IRS. Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under a relevant income tax treaty.

 

Gain on Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition

 

Subject to the discussion below in “—Information Reporting and Backup Withholding” and “—Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain recognized on a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our Common Stock or Warrants unless:

 

  the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States and, if an applicable income tax treaty so provides, the gain is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States; in these cases, the non-U.S. holder will be taxed on a net income basis at the regular graduated rates and in the manner applicable to a U.S. holder, and, if the non-U.S. holder is a corporation, an additional branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, or a lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, may also apply;

 

  the non-U.S. holder is an individual present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the disposition and certain other conditions are met, in which case the non-U.S. holder will be subject to a 30% tax (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on the amount by which such non-U.S. holder’s capital gains allocable to U.S. sources exceed capital losses allocable to U.S. sources during the taxable year of the disposition; or

 

  we are or were a “U.S. real property holding corporation” during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition or the period that the non-U.S. holder held our Common Stock. Generally, a corporation is a “U.S. real property holding corporation” if the fair market value of its “U.S. real property interests” (within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code) equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests plus its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business.

 

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

 

Distributions on, and the payment of the proceeds of a disposition of, our Common Stock or Warrants generally will be subject to information reporting if made within the United States or through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries. Information returns are required to be filed with the IRS and copies of information returns may be made available to the tax authorities of the country in which a holder resides or is incorporated under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement.

 

Backup withholding may also apply if the holder fails to provide certification of exempt status or a correct U.S. taxpayer identification number and otherwise comply with the applicable backup withholding requirements. Generally, a holder will not be subject to backup withholding if it provides a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-9 or appropriate IRS Form W-8, as applicable. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be refunded or credited against the holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided certain information is timely filed with the IRS.

 

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act

 

Legislation commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, generally imposes a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on dividends paid to certain non-U.S. entities (including certain intermediaries) unless such persons comply with FATCA’s information reporting and withholding regime. We will not pay any additional amounts to stockholders in respect of any amounts withheld. This regime and its requirements are different from, and in addition to, the certification requirements described elsewhere in this discussion. If a payment is both subject to withholding under FATCA and subject to withholding tax discussed above, the withholding under FATCA may be credited against, and therefore reduce, such other withholding tax.

 

The United States has entered into, and continues to negotiate, intergovernmental agreements (each, an “IGA”) with a number of other jurisdictions to facilitate the implementation of FATCA. An IGA may significantly alter the application of FATCA and its information reporting and withholding requirements with respect to any particular investor. FATCA is particularly complex and its application remains uncertain. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding how these rules may apply in their particular circumstances.

 

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BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

 

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of the Common Stock as of August 31, 2020:

 

each person known by the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Common Stock of the Company;

 

each of the Company’s officers and directors; and

 

all executive officers and directors of the Company as a group.

 

Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the Commission, which generally provide that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he, she or it possesses sole or shared voting or investment power over that security, including options and warrants that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. The information below is based upon the Schedule 13D’s, Form 3’s and Form 4’s filed by certain of the parties below

 

The beneficial ownership percentages set forth in the table below are based on approximately 31,849,336 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding as of August 31, 2020.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, the Company believes that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by them.

 

    Beneficial Ownership  
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner1     Number of Shares     Percentage  
Directors and Officers            
Michael Crawford      38,500 2       *  
Jason Krom     4,761         *  
Mike Levy     15,000         *  
Anne Graffice             *  
Tara Charnes             *  
Lisa Gould             *  
Erica Muhleman             *  
James J. Dolan      5,136,643 3     14.5 %
David Dennis     10,000         *  
Edward J. Roth III             *  
Stuart Lichter      23,989,923 4     66.5 %
Kimberly K. Schaefer             *  
Karl L. Holz             *  
Anthony J. Buzzelli     22,000         *  
Mary Owen             *  
Curtis Martin             *  
All Directors and Officers as a Group (16 individuals)     29,216,827       81.4 %
                 
Greater than 5% Stockholders                
Michael Klein      2,425,822 5        
HOF Village, LLC      18,485,230 6, 7     52.4 %
CH Capital Lending, LLC      5,097,214 8     14.1 %
IRG Canton Village Member, LLC      18,485,230 9     51.2 %
IRG Canton Village Manager, LLC      18,485,230 9     51.2 %
National Football Museum, Inc. d/b/a Pro Football Hall of Fame      6,309,721 7, 10     19.8 %
Gordon Pointe Management, LLC      5,136,643 7, 11     14.5 %

 

 

* Less than 1%.

 

1 Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of those listed in the table is 2626 Fulton Drive NW, Canton, OH 44718.

 

2 In accordance with his employment agreement and the terms of the Company’s 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, Mr. Crawford is entitled to receive 715,929 restricted shares of Company Common Stock upon the effectiveness of a registration statement covering those shares. One-third of those restricted shares vest immediately after the effectiveness of that registration statement, upon the first anniversary of the closing of the Business Combination and upon the second anniversary of such closing.

 

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3 Mr. Dolan may be deemed to beneficially own 1,635,772 shares of Common Stock through his ownership of membership interests in Gordon Pointe Management, LLC and as the managing member of Gordon Pointe Management, LLC. Mr. Dolan may also be deemed to beneficially own (a) 3,457,393 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of 2,432,500 private placement warrants held by Gordon Pointe Management, LLC with an exercise price of $11.50 per share and (b) 43,478 shares of Common Stock issuable to Gordon Point Management, LLC upon the conversion of a $500,000 convertible note of the Company with a conversion price of $11.50 per share. These instruments are exercisable or convertible within 60 days. Does not include 325,000 shares of Common Stock granted by Mr. Dolan and Gordon Point Management, LLC to various trusts or estate planning vehicles for certain Dolan grandchildren and other Dolan family members that are managed by Mr. Dolan’s adult children, over which Mr. Dolan disclaims beneficial ownership. For purposes of calculating his percentage ownership, the shares outstanding of the Company include the shares issuable to Gordon Pointe Management, LLC upon the exercise of the warrants and the conversion of convertible notes.

 

4 Mr. Lichter may be deemed to beneficially own (a) 4,314,605 shares of Common Stock through his indirect ownership of membership interests in CH Capital Lending, LLC, (b) 782,609 shares of Common Stock issuable to CH Capital Lending, LLC upon the conversion of a $9,000,000 convertible note of the Company with a conversion price of $11.50 per share, and (c) 407,479 shares of Common Stock through his indirect control over American Capital Center, LLC. The convertible notes are convertible within 60 days. Mr. Lichter may also be deemed to beneficially own 15,027,837 shares of Common Stock through his indirect ownership interest in IRG Canton Village Member, LLC, which in turn owns approximately a 76.8% interest in HOF Village, LLC. HOF Village, LLC owns 15,027,837 shares of Common Stock. He may also be deemed to beneficially own 3,457,393 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of 2,432,500 private placement warrants held by HOF Village, LLC with an exercise price of $11.50 per share. The warrants are exercisable within 60 days. Mr. Lichter disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares held by IRG Canton Village Member, LLC, CH Capital Lending, LLC, American Capital Center, LLC, and IRG Canton Village Manager, LLC, except to the extent of any actual pecuniary interest. For purposes of calculating his percentage ownership, the shares outstanding of the Company include the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the warrants to HOF Village, LLC and upon the convertible notes to CH Capital Lending, LLC.

 

5 Mr. Klein may be deemed to beneficially own 1,078,984 shares of Common Stock through his ownership of membership interests in The Klein Group, LLC. Mr. Klein may also be deemed to beneficially own (a) 928,455 shares of Common Stock as a result of his ownership of M. Klein & Associates, Inc., which owns membership interests in HOF Village, LLC, and (b) 419,382 shares of Common Stock as a result of his minority ownership interests in M. Klein and Company, LLC, which beneficially owns 419,382 shares. Mr. Klein disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock owned by HOF Village, LLC and M. Klein and Company, LLC except to the extent of any actual pecuniary interest.

 

6 HOF Village, LLC beneficially owns 15,027,837 shares of Common Stock. It also beneficially owns 3,457,393 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of 2,432,500 private placement warrants held by HOF Village, LLC with an exercise price of $11.50 per share. The warrants are exercisable within 60 days. For purposes of calculating its percentage ownership, the shares outstanding of the Company include the shares of Common Stock issuable to HOF Village, LLC upon the exercise of the warrants.

 

7 HOF Village, LLC, National Football Museum, Inc. and Gordon Pointe Management, LLC are parties to a director nominating agreement. See the discussion under “Management – Director Nominating Agreement” in this prospectus. As a result of these relationships, these persons may be deemed to be a group for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and therefore may be deemed to beneficially own 25,065,543 shares of Common Stock (exclusive of warrants and convertible notes), or approximately 78.8% of the Common Stock outstanding. Taking into account the warrants and convertible notes, they may be deemed to collectively beneficially own 32,806,416 shares of Common Stock, or 82.9% of the Common Stock outstanding after the exercise of the warrants and the conversion of the convertible notes.

 

8 CH Capital Lending, LLC beneficially owns (a) 4,314,605 shares of Common Stock, and (b) 782,609 shares of Common Stock issuable to it upon the conversion of a $9,000,000 convertible note of the Company with a conversion price of $11.50 per share,. The convertible note is convertible within 60 days. For purposes of calculating its percentage ownership, the shares outstanding of the Company include the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the warrants described in note 5 above and the conversion of the convertible notes. The business address of CH Capital Lending, LLC is 11111 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

 

9 Each of IRG Canton Village Member, LLC and IRG Canton Village Manager, LLC may be deemed to beneficially own 15,027,837 shares of Common Stock through the former’s indirect (approximately 74.9%) ownership interest therein and the latter’s role as manager of it. For similar reasons, each may also be deemed to beneficially own 3,457,393 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of 2,432,500 private placement warrants held by HOF Village, LLC with an exercise price of $11.50 per share. The warrants are exercisable within 60 days. Each of IRG Canton Village Member, LLC and IRG Canton Village Manager, LLC disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares held by HOF Village, LLC, except to the extent of any actual pecuniary interest. For purposes of calculating their percentage ownership, the shares outstanding of the Company include the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the warrants and the conversion of the convertible notes described in note 5 above. The business address of IRG Canton Village Member, LLC and IRG Canton Village Manager, LLS is 11111 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

 

10 National Football Museum, Inc. beneficially owns 3,679,850 shares of Common Stock. National Football Museum, Inc. may also be deemed to beneficially own 2,629,871 shares of Common Stock as a result of its ownership of membership interests in HOF Village, LLC. National Football Museum, Inc. disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares held by HOF Village, LLC, except to the extent of any actual pecuniary interest. The business address of National Football Museum, Inc. is 2121 George Halas Dr. NW, Canton, OH 44708.

 

11 Gordon Pointe Management, LLC beneficially owns 1,635,772 shares of Common Stock. It also beneficially owns (a) 3,457,393 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of 2,432,500 private placement warrants held by it with an exercise price of $11.50 per share, and (b) 43,478 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of a $500,000 convertible note of the Company payable to it with a conversion price of $11.50 per share. These instruments are exercisable or convertible within 60 days. For purposes of calculating its percentage ownership, the shares outstanding of the Company include the shares issuable to it upon the exercise of the warrants and the conversion of the convertible notes. The business address of Gordon Pointe Management, LLC is 780 Fifth Avenue, South Naples, FL 34102.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp. Pre-Business Combination Related Persons Transactions

 

Founder Shares

 

On April 12, 2017, Gordon Pointe Management, LLC (the “Sponsor”) purchased 3,593,750 shares of the Class F common stock of Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corporation (“GPAQ”) that were issued prior to GPAQ’s initial public offering (the “GPAQ IPO”), which we refer to as “founder shares,” for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.007 per share. Subsequently, the Sponsor transferred 325,000 founder shares to various trusts or estate planning vehicles for certain Dolan grandchildren and other Dolan family members that are managed by Mr. Dolan’s adult children; and an additional aggregate of 75,000 founder shares to GPAQ’s independent directors and GPAQ’s Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer. On March 12, 2018, following the expiration of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, the Sponsor forfeited 468,750 founder shares, so that, at such time, the remaining founder shares held by the initial stockholders would represent 20% of the outstanding shares of capital stock following the completion of the GPAQ IPO.

 

Voting

 

The Sponsor, together with GPAQ’s officers and directors and other stockholders holding founder shares own approximately 28% of GPAQ’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock, including all of the founder shares. The Sponsor, directors, officers and other stockholders holding founder shares agreed to vote any shares of GPAQ’s common stock owned by them in favor of the Business Combination.

 

Private Placement Warrants

 

Simultaneously with the consummation of the GPAQ IPO, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 4,900,000 private placement warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, each exercisable to purchase one share of GPAQ’s Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, in a private placement generating gross proceeds of $4,900,000. The private placement warrants are identical to the public warrants sold as part of the units in the GPAQ IPO except that, so long as they are held by their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, (i) they will not be redeemable by GPAQ, (ii) they (including the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of these private placement warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold until 30 days after the completion of GPAQ’s initial business combination, (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis; and (iv) they (including the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of these private placement warrants) have certain registration rights.

 

Advances from Related Party

 

In March 2019, the Sponsor advanced an aggregate of $164,850 to GPAQ for working capital purposes, which amount was repaid during the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

 

Promissory Note — Related Party

 

Through June 30, 2020, GPAQ issued promissory notes to the Sponsor, pursuant to which GPAQ could borrow up to an aggregate amount of $1,500,000, of which $600,000 of the promissory notes were issued during the six months ended June 30, 2020, to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination. During the six months ended June 30, 2020, GPAQ borrowed $572,735 under the notes and an aggregate of $1,390,730 was outstanding under these notes.

 

In addition, through June 30, 2020, GPAQ issued unsecured promissory notes to the Sponsor, pursuant to which GPAQ borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $3,354,228, of which $972,573 was borrowed during the six months ended June 30, 2020, in order to fund the extension loans into the trust account in which the net proceeds of the GPAQ IPO were placed (the “Trust Account”).

 

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These notes were non-interest bearing, unsecured and were paid upon the completion of the Business Combination. Up to $1,500,000 of the loans were convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period.  

 

As of June 30, 2020, there was an aggregate of $4,744,958 outstanding under the promissory notes. Upon completion of the Business Combination, the notes were converted into HOFRE Common Stock.

 

Administrative Services Agreement

 

GPAQ entered into an agreement whereby, commencing on January 30, 2018 through the earlier of the consummation of a business combination or GPAQ liquidation, GPAQ will pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for office space, utilities and administrative support. For each of the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, GPAQ incurred $60,000 in fees for these services. At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, an aggregate of $90,000 and $30,000, respectively, in administrative fees were included in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

Related Party Loans

 

In order to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination, the Sponsor and GPAQ’s officers and directors were permitted to loan GPAQ funds from time to time or at any time, as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). Each Working Capital Loan was evidenced by a promissory note. The Working Capital Loans would either be paid upon consummation of the Business Combination, without interest, or, at the holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the Working Capital Loans were convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant.

 

The Sponsor committed to provide an aggregate of $900,000 in loans to the Company to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination. To the extent advanced, the loans were evidenced by a promissory note, were non-interest bearing, unsecured and were repaid upon the completion of the Business Combination. The loans were convertible into common stock purchase warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. As of June 30, 2020, there were no amounts currently outstanding under the loans.

 

Contributions

 

In connection with GPAQ’s special meeting of stockholders held on July 26, 2019, the Sponsor agreed to contribute to GPAQ as a loan (each loan being referred to herein as a “Contribution”) $0.10 for each of GPAQ’s public shares that did not redeem in connection with the stockholder vote to approve the amendment to GPAQ’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to extend the deadline in which to complete its initial business combination, plus, if GPAQ elects to further extend the deadline to complete a business combination beyond October 31, 2019, $0.033 for each public share that was not redeemed for each 30-day period, or portion thereof, up to three additional 30-day periods. The Contribution was conditional upon the approval of the amendment to GPAQ’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which did occur on July 26, 2019. Accordingly, on July 26, 2019, the Sponsor contributed an aggregate of $1,105,354 to GPAQ. GPAQ exercised all three of the additional 30-day periods, and in connection with such extensions, the Sponsor contributed $364,767 on October 29, 2019, $364,767 on November 26, 2019 and $364,767 on December 26, 2019, which amounts were placed into the Trust Account. Such Contributions were to be converted into shares of Common Stock upon the closing of the Business Combination. The loans were to be forgiven if GPAQ were unable to consummate an initial business combination except to the extent of any funds held outside of the Trust Account.

 

On January 24, 2020, GPAQ held a special meeting of the stockholders of GPAQ at which the stockholders approved, among other things, a proposal to amend GPAQ’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to further extend the deadline to complete a business combination from January 29, 2020 to February 29, 2020, plus an option for GPAQ to further extend such date for an additional 30 days. In connection with the extension from January 29, 2020 to February 29, 2020, the Sponsor contributed to GPAQ $0.033 for each of GPAQ’s public shares outstanding, for an aggregate Contribution of $265,404, which amount was deposited into the Trust Account. Further, the Sponsor agreed that it or its affiliates would contribute to GPAQ as a loan an additional $0.033 for each public share that was not redeemed if GPAQ elected to further extend the deadline to complete a business combination beyond February 29, 2020 for an additional 30 days.

 

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HOF Village, LLC Pre-Business Combination Related Persons Transactions

 

Engagement Letter Agreement

 

HOF Village is party to an engagement letter with The Klein Group, LLC, which is an affiliate of HOF Village member M. Klein Associates, Inc. and directors Michael Klein and Mark Klein. Pursuant to the engagement letter, The Klein Group has provided financial advisory services to HOF Village since December 2017, in exchange for an equity interest in HOF Village and a $10 million transaction fee payable in Holdings stock. After HOF Village’s Board of Directors was constituted in December 2018, amendments to the engagement letter were approved by unanimous consent of HOF Village’s Board of Directors.

 

2018 Shared Services Agreement

 

HOF Village was party to a Shared Services Agreement (the “2018 Shared Services Agreement”) with PFHOF, a member of HOF Village and an affiliate of director and officer David Baker, from December 2018 until September 2019, when the agreement was terminated. Under the 2018 Shared Services Agreement, the PFHOF provided certain business services to HOF Village for a monthly services fee of $75,000. The agreement provided for HOF Village to prepay $1,000,000 of the services fee in two $500,000 payments, with $500,000 payable once permitted under HOF Village’s Term Loan and the remaining $500,000 payable no later than December 31, 2019. The 2018 Shared Services Agreement was approved by unanimous consent of HOF Village’s Board of Directors.

 

License Agreement

 

HOF Village is party to the License Agreement with the PFHOF that was entered into in September 2019 and modified the terms of a prior License Agreement that was entered into in December 2018 (the “2018 License Agreement”) (which replaced an earlier License Agreement that was entered into in March 2016). PFHOF is a member of HOF Village and an affiliate of director and officer David Baker. Pursuant to this agreement, HOF Village licenses certain marks from PFHOF, and the parties agreed upon terms for sponsorships and HOF Village’s ability to sublicense PFHOF’s marks to sponsors. The agreement provides for HOF Village to pay license fees to PFHOF based on a percentage of sponsorship revenue. Both the License Agreement and the 2018 License Agreement were approved by unanimous consent of HOF Village’s Board of Directors.

 

Retail Merchandise Agreement

 

HOF Village and PFHOF (a HOF Village member and affiliate of director and officer David Baker) are parties to a Retail Merchandise Agreement that was entered into in December 2018. Under the Retail Merchandise Agreement, PFHOF agrees to operate onsite retail services at certain locations within the Hall of Fame Village complex, subject to certain performance targets and product requirements. In exchange for these services, HOF Village will pay PFHOF recurring royalty payments on a monthly basis representing a certain percentage of gross sales. The Retail Merchandise Agreement was approved by unanimous consent of HOF Village’s Board of Directors. The Retail Merchandise Agreement was amended and restated on June 30, 2020 prior to the closing of the Business Combination.

 

Master Transaction Agreement

 

HOF Village, Industrial Realty Group, LLC (an affiliate of HOF Village member IRG Canton Village Member, LLC and directors Stuart Lichter and John Mase), PFHOF (a HOF Village member and affiliate of director and officer David Baker), M. Klein Associates, Inc. (a HOF Village member) and certain wholly-owned subsidiaries of HOF Village are parties to a Master Transaction Agreement that was entered into in December 2018. The Master Transaction Agreement provides for various arrangements between the parties, including but not limited to:

 

the sale of real estate from PFHOF to HOF Village;

 

repayment terms of certain outstanding amounts owed by HOF Village to PFHOF and from PFHOF to HOF Village;

 

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conversion of part of an outstanding loan from HOF Village preferred member American Capital Center, LLC to preferred equity;

 

repayment of outstanding amounts owed by HOF Village to Industrial Realty Group;

 

modification of loan terms; and

 

modification of the terms of stadium and HOF Village property usage.

 

The Master Transaction Agreement was approved by unanimous consent of HOF Village’s Board of Directors.

 

Branding License Agreement

 

HOF Village’s subsidiary, Youth Sports Management, LLC (“YSM”), and PFHOF are parties to a Branding License Agreement from December 2015. Under the Branding License Agreement, PFHOF licenses certain of its marks to YSM for use in connection with youth sporting events held at the Hall of Fame Village. The agreement provides for YSM to pay a fee of $1,000,000 to PFHOF over a five-year term. HOF Village previously owned 50% of the equity interests of YSM along with a joint venture partner who owned the remaining 50% of YSM; however, HOF Village bought out its joint venture partner’s entire interest in YSM in May 2020 and became sole owner of YSM.

 

Agreement to Provide Insurance

 

HOF Village and its wholly-owned subsidiary HOF Village Stadium, LLC are parties to an Agreement to Provide Insurance with PFHOF (a HOF Village member) dated March 2016. Under the agreement, HOF Village Stadium is required to carry and maintain certain insurance coverage in connection with various agreements related to the development of the Hall of Fame Village project, and HOF Village has guaranteed the performance of HOF Village Stadium under the agreement. Such insurance coverage must name PFHOF as an additional insured or loss payee on each policy.

 

Master Developer Services and Project Management Services

 

Pursuant to HOF Village’s operating agreement, IRG Canton Village Manager, LLC (“IRG Manager”), an affiliate of HOF Village member IRG Canton Village Member, LLC and directors Stuart Lichter and John Mase, is serving as the initial master developer for the Hall of Fame Village project and IRG Canton Village Member, LLC (“IRG Member”), a member of HOF Village and an affiliate of directors Stuart Lichter and John Mase, is serving as the initial project manager for the Hall of Fame Village project. IRG Manager will receive a master developer fee of four percent of the total development costs of the project, subject to review by HOF Village’s Executive Committee. IRG Member will receive a project management fee, which will not exceed five percent of the gross receipts from the project, subject to review by HOF Village’s Executive Committee. This arrangement provided for in HOF Village’s operating agreement was unanimously approved by the members of HOF Village.

 

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Other Transactions Involving HOF Village Members and their Affiliates

 

Certain members of HOF Village and/or their affiliates have loaned money or made payments on behalf of HOF Village.

 

Certain affiliates of IRG Member and of directors Stuart Lichter and John Mase have made certain loans to HOF Village. CH Capital Lending, LLC has loaned money to HOF Village in the form of convertible notes with outstanding principal amounts totaling $3,695,000, American Capital Center, LLC has made debt commitments to HOF Village with an original principal amount of $8,550,000, and IRG, LLC has made debt commitments to HOF Village with an original principal amount of $15,000,000. Under the Merger Agreement, such outstanding debt owed to American Capital Center, LLC and IRG, LLC will be converted into equity of Holdings, and such outstanding debt owed to CH Capital Lending, LLC may or may not be converted, at CH Capital Lending LLC’s election. An affiliate of Industrial Realty Group has made a guaranty in favor of GACP, under which it has guaranteed to pay all or a portion of amounts due under the Term Loan at the closing of the Business Combination on HOF Village’s behalf, to the extent that HOF Village does not have sufficient funds to pay such amounts. Industrial Realty Group and HOF Village are parties to the IRG November Note, under which Industrial Realty Group may loan HOF Village an amount up to $30,000,000.

 

PFHOF has made loans to HOF Village and advanced payments on behalf of HOF Village for its business. Outstanding amounts owed to PFHOF under such arrangements previously totaled approximately $10.2 million. Under the Merger Agreement, $4.2 million of the outstanding amounts owed to PFHOF were converted into equity of Holdings in satisfaction of such amount. Under the Shared Services Agreement (discussed in greater detail below) entered into by HOF Village and PFHOF on June 30, 2020, PFHOF forgave $5.15 million of outstanding amounts owed by HOF Village, and HOF Village forgave $1.2 million of outstanding amounts owed by PFHOF.

 

M. Klein and Company, LLC, an affiliate of member M. Klein Associates, Inc. and of directors Mark Klein and Michael Klein, has loaned money to HOF Village in the form of HOF Village Convertible Notes with original principal amounts totaling $3,935,000 (of which, convertible notes with a principal amount of $260,000 were transferred to a third party) and outstanding principal amounts totaling $3,675,000. In connection with the Business Combination, M. Klein and Company, LLC converted such outstanding debt into HOFRE Common Stock.

 

On January 13, 2020, HOF Village announced that it had secured $9.9 million in financing from Constellation through its Efficiency Made Easy (“EME”) program to implement energy efficient measures and to finance the construction of the Constellation Center for Excellence and other enhancements, as part of Phase II development. The Hanover Insurance Company provided a guarantee bond to guarantee HOF Village’s payment obligations under the financing, and Stuart Lichter and two trusts affiliated with Mr. Lichter have agreed to indemnify The Hanover Insurance Company for payments made under the guarantee bond.

 

Related Person Transactions Occurring In Connection With or After the Business Combination

 

IRG Side Letter

 

On June 25, 2020, HOF Village entered into a Letter Agreement re Payment Terms (the “IRG Side Letter”) amending and restating a Letter Agreement re Payment Terms entered into on January 21, 2020 (the “January Letter”). The IRG Side Letter was entered into with respect to (i) the $65 million secured term loan agreement (as amended, the “Term Loan Agreement”) entered into on March 20, 2018 by HOF Village, the other borrowers party thereto (together with HOF Village, the “Borrowers”), the various lenders party thereto (the “Lenders”) and GACP Finance Co., LLC, as administrative agent (“GACP Finance”) (ii) the subordinated promissory note entered into on February 7, 2020, effective as of November 27, 2019, (as amended, the “IRG November Note”) between HOF Village, as borrower, and payable to the order of Industrial Realty Group, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (“IRG”), in an amount up to $30,000,000, (iii) the Guaranty dated November 16, 2019 by IRG Master Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“IRGMH” and together with IRG and their respective affiliates, the “IRG Entities”) in favor of GACP Finance (the “IRGMH Guaranty”) and (iv) the Loan Purchase and Assumption Agreement (which may be entered into at a future date, but which has not, at this time, been agreed upon or executed by any party) by and among the Lenders, GACP Finance, the Borrowers and the purchasing lender party thereto (the “LPAA”, and together with the IRG November Note and the IRGMH Guaranty, the “Advancement Documents”).

 

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Pursuant to the IRG Side Letter, if any IRG Entity advances funds pursuant to the Advancement Documents, the Term Loan Agreement, or any other instrument in order to pay certain specified lenders under the Term Loan Agreement, as a result of such advancement of funds, any IRG Entity becomes a Lender or has the rights of a Lender under the Term Loan Agreement, then (i) certain mandatory prepayment provisions will be deleted and no longer be applicable, (ii) the maturity date of the Term Loan Agreement will be extended to August 31, 2021 and (iii) HOF Village will not be required to pay to any IRG Entity any principal, interest, or other obligations due under the Term Loan Agreement if payment of such amounts would cause Borrowers to violate applicable Nasdaq or securities-law requirements. HOF Village contributed the IRG Side Letter and the Term Loan Agreement to Newco in connection with the Business Combination.

 

Crown League Investment

 

On June 11, 2020, HOF Village acquired 60% of the equity interests in Mountaineer GM, LLC (“Mountaineer”) from Michael Klein & Associates, Inc., an affiliate of Michael Klein (“MKA”) for a purchase price of $100.00 pursuant to membership interest purchase agreement (the “Membership Purchase Agreement”). Mountaineer is party to an asset purchase agreement, dated June 5, 2020 (the “Crown APA”), with CrownThrown, Inc. (“Crown”), pursuant to which Mountaineer agreed to acquire the assets of, and assume certain liabilities of, Crown, which consist of The Crown League, a professionalized fantasy sports league (the “Crown Business”). HOF Village entered into a services agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020 (the “Services Agreement”), with Mountaineer and BXPG LLC (“Brand X”), whereby Mountaineer and HOF Village retain Brand X to provide services with regard to the Crown Business. Pursuant to an amended and restated limited liability company agreement of Mountaineer that HOF Village and MKA entered into in connection with HOF Village’s purchase of the 60% interest in Mountaineer under the Membership Purchase Agreement, MKA agreed to provide the consideration for Mountaineer to complete the acquisition of Crown as a capital contribution to Mountaineer, consisting of 90,287 shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock, and HOF Village agreed to provide the consideration owed to Brand X under the Services Agreement as a capital contribution to Mountaineer, consisting of $30,000 per month for 18 months plus 100,000 shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock, 25,000 shares of which were issued on August 6, 2020, and 25,000 shares of which are issuable on each of July 1, 2021, January 1, 2022 and July 1, 2022, until such capital contributions of HOF Village equal 60% of the total capital contributions to Mountaineer. The Services Agreement may be extended for an additional six months. Compensation during the extension period would be $30,000 per month and 25,000 shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock. Mountaineer completed the acquisition of Crown assets under the Crown APA on July 22, 2020.

 

Lock-Up Agreement

 

In connection with the Business Combination, each of the holders of Newco’s membership interests as of immediately prior to the Closing, Gordon Pointe Management, LLC (the “Sponsor”), Douglas L. Hein, Robert B. Cross, David Dennis, Joseph F. Mendel and Neeraj Vohra entered into a Lock-Up Agreement with HOFRE (the “Lock-Up Agreement”). Under the Lock-Up Agreement, each holder agrees not to sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, sell any option or contract to purchase, grant any option, right or warrant, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of or lend its portion of any shares of Common Stock (or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, shares of Common Stock) for a period after Closing ending on the date that is the later of (i) 180 days after the Closing and (ii) the expiration of the “Founder Shares Lock-up Period” under the Letter Agreement, dated January 24, 2018 among GPAQ, its officers and directors and initial shareholders and the Sponsor. 

 

Director Nominating Agreement

 

Upon the closing of the Business Combination, GPAQ, HOFRE, HOF Village, the Sponsor and PFHOF entered into a Director Nominating Agreement (the “Director Nominating Agreement”), which provides that HOFRE shall take all necessary action to set the size of its board of directors at 11 members, a majority of whom shall be independent directors in accordance with Nasdaq requirements. Pursuant to the Director Nominating Agreement, the HOFRE board of directors must be made up of three classes: Class A Directors who shall serve for an initial one-year term, Class B Directors who shall serve for an initial two-year term, and Class C Directors who shall serve for an initial three-year term. The Director Nominating Agreement set forth the directors who were to serve as of the Business Combination and specified the respective classes of each director. The Director Nominating Agreement also stated the intent for the size of the HOFRE board of directors to be increased to 13 members no sooner than 60 days and no later than 90 days after the closing of the Business Combination.

 

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The Director Nominating Agreement further provides that (i) so long as the Sponsor beneficially owns 85% of the total number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time, the Sponsor will have the right to designate one individual to be appointed or nominated for election to the HOFRE board of directors, (ii) so long as HOF Village beneficially owns at least 85% of the total number of shares of Holdings Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time, HOF Village will have the right to designate up to four individuals to be appointed or nominated for election to the HOFRE board of directors, one of whom must qualify as an independent director under the Nasdaq rules (or up to (a) three individuals, if it owns less than 85% but at least 65%, (b) two individuals, if it owns less than 65% but at least 45%, or (c) one individual, if it owns less than 45% but at least 15%), and (iii) so long as PFHOF beneficially owns at least 85% of the total number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time, PFHOF will have the right to designate up to one individual to be appointed or nominated for election to the HOFRE board of directors.

 

HOF Village and PFHOF may each designate one individual to serve as a HOFRE board of directors non-voting observer (in the case of HOF Village, so long as HOF Village beneficially owns at least 15% of the total number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time and, in the case of PFHOF, so long as PFHOF beneficially owns at least 85% of the total number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock held by it as of the Effective Time). The parties to the Director Nominating Agreement agreed to take certain actions to support those nominees for election and include the nominees in the proxy statements for the stockholders meetings at which directors are to be elected.

 

Release Agreement

 

At the Closing, each of the members of HOF Village and PFHOF (each, a “Holder”) entered into a Release Agreement with the Company, GPAQ and Newco pursuant to which (i) each Holder generally releases all claims against the Company, GPAQ, the Merger Subs, Newco and their affiliates that such Holder may have prior to the Effective Time, except for certain Retained Claims, and (ii) each Holder consents to the termination of certain contracts to which it is a party with HOF Village and its affiliates effective immediately prior to the Effective Time without any cost or other liability to Newco, Holdings or its subsidiaries.

 

Shared Services Agreement

  

On June 30, 2020, HOF Village entered into a Shared Services Agreement with PFHOF. Under the agreement, PFHOF and HOF Village mutually reduced certain outstanding amounts owed between the parties, with PFHOF forgiving $5.15 million owed by HOF Village and HOF Village forgiving $1.2 million owed by PFHOF, which effectively resulted in no outstanding amounts owed between the parties as of March 31, 2020. Additionally, the parties agreed to coordinate with each other on certain business services and expenses. The Shared Services Agreement was approved by unanimous consent of HOF Village’s Board of Directors. The Shared Services Agreement has an initial term of one year, subject to automatic renewal for successive one-year terms; however, it may be terminated by either party upon 90 days’ written notice, by mutual agreement, or by either party for failure by the other party to timely pay expenses. HOF Village contributed the Shared Services Agreement to Newco in connection with the Business Combination.

 

Master Development and Project Management Agreement

 

On June 30, 2020, HOF Village, IRG Member and IRG Manager entered into a Master Development and Project Management Agreement. The Master Development and Project Management Agreement was entered into as a standalone agreement to govern the master developer and project management services arrangement that was previously provided for in the operating agreement of HOF Village. Pursuant to the Master Development and Project Management Agreement, IRG Manager serves as the master developer for the Hall of Fame Village project and IRG Member serves as the project manager for the Hall of Fame Village project. Under the agreement, IRG Manager will receive a master developer fee of four percent of the total development costs of the project, and IRG Member will receive a project management fee, which will not exceed five percent of the gross receipts from the project. The terms of the Master Development and Project Management Agreement remained materially similar to the prior arrangement documented in the operating agreement of HOF Village, which previously had been unanimously approved by the members of HOF Village. HOF Village contributed the Master Development and Project Management Agreement to Newco in connection with the Business Combination.

 

Media License Agreement

 

On July 1, 2020, in connection with the closing of the Business Combination, PFHOF (a HOF Village member), HOF Village, and HOF Village Media Group, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of HOF Village) amended and restated the Media License Agreement (which amended and restated entirely the original media license agreement between the parties, dated November 12, 2019). This agreement provides for the sharing of media-related opportunities between Hall of Fame Media Group and HOF Village Media Group and sets forth the terms under which PFHOF licenses certain marks to HOF Village Media Group to exploit existing PFHOF works and to create new works. The Media License Agreement acknowledges the existence of agreements in effect between PFHOF and certain third parties that provide for certain restrictions on the rights of PFHOF, which affects the rights that can be granted to HOF Village Media Group under the Media License Agreement. These restrictions include, but are not limited to, such third parties having co-exclusive rights to exploit content based on the PFHOF Enshrinement ceremonies and other Enshrinement events. The agreement provides for HOF Village Media Group or HOF Village to pay annual license fees to PFHOF of at least $1,250,000, subject to adjustment, and fees may vary based on the particular PFHOF works licensed. The Media License Agreement has an initial term of 15 years (subject to earlier termination for material breach), subject to automatic renewal for successive five-year terms, unless timely notice of non-renewal is provided by either party.

 

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Note Purchase Agreement; Registration Rights Agreement and Note Redemption Warrant Agreement

 

Note Purchase Agreement. On July 1, 2020, concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination, the Company entered into the Note Purchase Agreement the Purchasers pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to the Purchasers in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s PIPE Notes. Each of CH Capital Lending, LLC and Gordon Pointe Management, LLC are related persons because they are security holders covered by Item 403(a). Pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement, the Notes may be converted into shares of Common Stock at the option of the holders of the Notes, and the Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes in exchange for cash and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock (the “Note Redemption Warrants”).

 

The Private Placement was conducted in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof, as a transaction by an issuer not involving any public offering. The offer and sale of the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and consequently, the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.

 

The Note Purchase Agreement contains representations and warranties by the Company and the Purchasers, and each of the Company and the Purchasers have agreed to indemnify the other for losses resulting from a breach of any of their respective representations or warranties.

 

Closing of the Private Placement and delivery of the PIPE Notes pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement occurred on July 1, 2020. The Company received cash proceeds from the issuance and sale of the PIPE Notes of approximately $7 million. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement to fund the Company’s obligations related to the Merger Agreement, to satisfy the Company’s working capital obligations and to pay transaction fees and expenses.

 

Registration Rights Agreement. On July 1, 2020, in connection with the Note Purchase Agreement and the closing of the Private Placement, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), by and among the Company and the Purchasers.

 

Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company is required to prepare and file a registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) to permit the public resale of (i) the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of the Note Redemption Warrants and (ii) the shares of Common Stock that are issuable pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement upon conversion of the PIPE Notes. The Company is required to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective no later than 365 days after the Closing Date (the “Registration Statement Deadline”).

 

The Registration Rights Agreement provides that if the Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to the Registration Statement Deadline, the Company will be liable to the Purchasers for liquidated damages in accordance with a formula, subject to the limitations set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement. Such liquidated damages would be payable in cash. In addition, the Registration Rights Agreement grants the Purchasers piggyback registration rights. These registration rights are transferable to affiliates of the Purchasers and, in certain circumstances, to third parties.

 

 Note Redemption Warrant Agreement. On July 1, 2020, pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a Note Redemption Warrant Agreement by and among the Company and the Purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (the “Note Redemption Warrant Agreement”). The terms of the Note Redemption Warrant Agreement set forth the terms of the Note Redemption Warrants that may be issued pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement upon redemption of PIPE Notes.

 

Issuance of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

On October 13, 2020, HOFRE issued to the Preferred Investor 900 shares of Series A Preferred Stock at $1,000 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $900,000. HOFRE paid the Preferred Investor an origination fee of 2%. The issuance and sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to the Preferred Investor was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. HOFRE used half of the proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to pay down outstanding amounts under its Bridge Loan.

 

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Related Person Transaction Policy

 

HOFRE’s Board has adopted a written related person transaction policy that sets forth the following policies and procedures for the review and approval or ratification of related person transactions.

 

A “Related Person Transaction” is a transaction, arrangement or relationship in which HOFRE or any of its subsidiaries was, is or will be a participant, the amount of which involved exceeds $120,000, and in which any related person had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. A “Related Person” means:

 

any person who is, or at any time during the applicable period was, one of HOFRE’s executive officers or a member of the Board;

 

any person who is known by HOFRE to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent (5%) of our voting stock;

 

any immediate family member of any of the foregoing persons, which means any child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law of a director, officer or a beneficial owner of more than five percent (5%) of our voting stock, and any person (other than a tenant or employee) sharing the household of such director, executive officer or beneficial owner of more than five percent (5%) of our voting stock; and

 

any firm, corporation or other entity in which any of the foregoing persons is a partner or principal or in a similar position or in which such person has a 10 percent (10%) or greater beneficial ownership interest.

 

 In addition, we have in place policies and procedures designed to minimize potential conflicts of interest arising from any dealings it may have with its affiliates and to provide appropriate procedures for the disclosure of any real or potential conflicts of interest that may exist from time to time. Specifically, pursuant to the audit committee charter, the audit committee has the responsibility to review related person transactions.

 

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UNDERWRITING

 

We have entered into an underwriting agreement, dated    , 2020, with Maxim Group LLC, who we refer to as the underwriter, with respect to the Units subject to this offering. Subject to certain conditions, we have agreed to sell to the underwriter, and the underwriter have agreed to purchase, the number of Units provided below.

 

Underwriter   Number of Units  
Maxim Group LLC      
Total        

 

The underwriter is offering the Units subject to its acceptance of the Units from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligation of the underwriter to pay for and accept delivery of the Units offered by this prospectus is subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriter is obligated to take and pay for all of the Units if any such shares are taken. There is no market through which the Warrants may be sold and purchasers may not be able to resell the Warrants purchased in this Offering.

 

Over-Allotment Option

 

We have granted the underwriter an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,582,276 additional shares of Common Stock and/or up to additional Warrants to purchase up to 1,582,276 shares of Common Stock, in any combination thereof, to cover over-allotments, if any, at the public Offering Price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, less the underwriting discount. The underwriter may exercise this option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, made in connection with the offering of the Units offered by this prospectus. If the underwriter exercises its option, the underwriter will be obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase the number of additional shares of Common Stock and/or Warrants for which the option has been exercised.

 

Discount, Commissions and Expenses

 

The underwriter has advised us that it proposes to offer the Units to the public at the public Offering Price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $        per Unit. The underwriter may allow, and certain dealers may reallow, a discount from the concession not in excess of $      per Unit to certain brokers and dealers. After this Offering, the public Offering Price, concession and reallowance to dealers may be changed by the underwriter. No such change will change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The Units are offered by the underwriter as stated herein, subject to receipt and acceptance by it and subject to its right to reject any order in whole or in part. The underwriter has informed us that it does not intend to confirm sales to any accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

 

The following table shows the underwriting discounts payable to the underwriter by us in connection with this offering. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriter’ over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of Common Stock and/or Warrants.

 

    Per Unit   Total Without Exercise of Over-Allotment Option   Total With Exercise of Over-Allotment Option
Public offering price   $              $               $            
Underwriting discount (7%)   $       $       $    

 

We have agreed to reimburse the representative of the underwriter for certain out-of-pocket expenses. We estimate that the total expenses payable by us in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts referred to above, will be approximately $     .

  

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Indemnification

 

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriter against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and liabilities arising from breaches of representations and warranties contained in the underwriting agreement, or to contribute to payments that the underwriter may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

 

Lock-Up Agreements

 

We, our officers, directors and certain of our stockholders have agreed to, subject to limited exceptions, for a period of three months after the Offering is completed, not to offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for our Common Stock either owned as of the date of the underwriting agreement or thereafter acquired without the prior written consent of the representative of the underwriter. The representative of the underwriter may, in its sole discretion and at any time or from time to time before the termination of the lock-up period, without notice, release all or any portion of the securities subject to lock-up agreements.

 

Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

 

In connection with the offering the underwriter may engage in stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act:

 

  Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

 

  Over-allotment involves sales by the underwriter of shares of Common Stock and/or Warrants in excess of the number of shares of Common Stock and/or Warrants the underwriter is obligated to purchase, which creates a short position. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares and/or warrants over-allotted by the underwriter is not greater than the number of shares of Common Stock and/or Warrants that it may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of shares of Common Stock and/or Warrants involved is greater than the number of shares of Common Stock and/or Warrants in the over-allotment option. The underwriter may close out any covered short position by either exercising its over-allotment option and/or purchasing shares in the open market.

 

  Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of shares of the Common Stock in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriter will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which it may purchase shares through the over-allotment option. If the underwriter sells more shares than could be covered by the over-allotment option, a naked short position, the position can only be closed out by buying shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriter is concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

 

  Penalty bids permit a syndicate representative to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the Common Stock originally sold by the syndicate member is purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.

 

These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids, to the extent applicable, may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our Common Stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the Common Stock. As a result, the price of our securities may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. Neither we nor the underwriter make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. In addition, neither we nor the underwriter make any representations that the underwriter will engage in these stabilizing transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

 

Nasdaq Listing

 

Our shares of Common Stock are listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “HOFV.” We do not intend to list the Warrants on Nasdaq, any other national securities exchange or any other nationally recognized trading system.

 

Right of First Refusal

 

We have granted the underwriter a right of first refusal to act as a lead managing underwriter and book runner or minimally as a co-sole manager and book runner and/or lead placement agent for any and all future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt offerings of the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company for a period of twelve (12) months from the closing of this Offering.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus has been passed upon for us by Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. The underwriter is being represented by Loeb & Loeb LLP, New York, New York.

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements of GPAQ as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019 included in this prospectus have been audited by Marcum LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report included herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The financial statements of HOF Village as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019 included in this prospectus have been audited by Marcum LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report included herein, which includes an explanatory paragraph as to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission. You may read and copy any documents filed by us at the Commission’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. Our filings with the Commission are also available to the public through the Commission’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Our website address is www.HOFREco.com. Through our website, we make available, free of charge, the following documents as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Commission, including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K; our proxy statements for our annual and special stockholder meetings; our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q; our Current Reports on Form 8-K; Forms 3, 4 and 5 and Schedules 13D with respect to our securities filed on behalf of our directors and our executive officers; and amendments to those documents. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our website is not part of, and is not incorporated into, this prospectus.

 

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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.    
Unaudited Financial Statements    
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019   F-2
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019   F-3
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019   F-4
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019   F-5
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements   F-6
     
Audited Financial Statements    
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm   F-17
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018   F-18
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018   F-19
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018   F-20
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018   F-21
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements   F-22

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC    
Unaudited Financial Statements    
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019   F-37
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019   F-38
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Members’ Equity for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 ad 2019   F-39
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019   F-40
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements   F-42
     
Audited Financial Statements    
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm   F-73
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018   F-74
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018   F-75
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018   F-76
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018   F-77
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements   F-78

 

F-1

 

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

(successor to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.)

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

    June 30,     December 31,  
    2020     2019  
    (unaudited)        
ASSETS            
Current assets            
Cash   $ 55,896     $ 2,122  
Prepaid expenses     68,026       18,750  
Prepaid income taxes    
      2,673  
Total Current Assets     123,922       23,545  
                 
Cash held in Trust Account     31,043,986      
 
Marketable securities held in Trust Account    
      117,285,210  
TOTAL ASSETS   $ 31,167,908     $ 117,308,755  
                 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                
Current liabilities                
Accounts payable and accrued expenses   $ 1,604,508     $ 532,744  
Income taxes payable     3,780      
 
Total Current Liabilities     1,608,288       532,744  
                 
Convertible promissory notes – related party     4,744,958       3,017,650  
Deferred tax liability    
      2,014  
Deferred underwriting fees     4,375,000       4,375,000  
Deferred legal fee payable     72,500       72,500  
Total Liabilities     10,800,746       7,999,908  
                 
Commitments (Note 6)    
 
     
 
 
                 
Common stock subject to possible redemption, 1,422,573 and 9,831,911 shares at redemption value as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively     15,367,151       104,308,846  
                 
Stockholders’ Equity                
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding    
     
 
Class A Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 40,000,000 shares authorized; 1,450,891 and 1,221,628 shares issued and outstanding (excluding 1,422,573 and 9,831,911 shares subject to possible redemption) as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively     145       122  
Class F Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; 3,125,000 shares issued and outstanding     313       313  
Additional paid-in capital     4,687,827       3,100,343  
Retained earnings     311,726       1,899,223  
Total Stockholders’ Equity     5,000,011       5,000,001  
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 31,167,908     $ 117,308,755  

 

F-2

 

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

(successor to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.)

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

 

    Three Months Ended
June 30,
    Six Months Ended
June 30,
 
    2020     2019     2020     2019  
                         
Operating costs   $ 1,172,861     $ 148,100     $ 1,893,499     $ 323,167  
Loss from operations     (1,172,861 )     (148,100 )     (1,893,499 )     (323,167 )
                                 
Other income:                                
Interest income     17,359       770,755       310,441       1,504,270  
Unrealized (loss) gain on marketable securities held in Trust Account           (4,268 )           3,217  
Total other income, net     17,359       766,487       310,441       1,507,487  
                                 
(Loss) income before income taxes     (1,155,502 )     618,387       (1,583,058 )     1,184,320  
Benefit (provision) for income taxes     27,720       (129,861 )     (4,439 )     (251,097 )
Net (loss) income   $ (1,127,782 )   $ 488,526     $ (1,587,497 )   $ 933,223  
                                 
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted (1)
    4,449,567       4,061,551       4,398,098       4,057,156  
                                 
Basic and diluted net loss (income) per common share (2)
  $ (0.26 )   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.39 )   $ (0.04 )

 

(1) Excludes an aggregate of up to 1,422,573 and 11,557,525 shares subject to possible redemption at June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

(2) Excludes income of $8,594 and $550,253 attributable to shares subject to possible redemption for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Excludes income of $121,548 and $1,085,101 attributable to shares subject to possible redemption for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively (see Note 2).

 

F-3

 

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

(successor to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.)

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(Unaudited)

 

THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2020

 

    Class A
Common Stock
    Class F
Common Stock
    Additional
Paid-in
    Retained     Total
Stockholders’
 
    Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Capital     Earnings     Equity  
Balance – January 1, 2020     1,221,628     $ 122     $ 3,125,000     $ 313     $ 3,100,343     $ 1,899,223     $ 5,000,001  
                                                         
Change in value of common stock subject to possible redemption     102,939       10                   459,708             459,718  
                                                         
Net loss                                   (459,715 )     (459,715 )
                                                         
Balance – March 31, 2020 (unaudited)     1,324,567       132       3,125,000       313       3,560,051       1,439,508       5,000,004  
                                                         
Change in value of common stock subject to possible redemption     126,324       13                   1,127,776             1,127,789  
                                                         
Net loss                                   (1,127,782 )     (1,127,782 )
                                                         
Balance – June 30, 2020 (unaudited)     1,450,891     $ 145     $ 3,125,000     $ 313     $ 4,687,827     $ 311,726     $ 5,000,011  

 

THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2019

  

    Class A
Common Stock
    Class F
Common Stock
    Additional
Paid-in
    Retained     Total
Stockholders’
 
    Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Capital     Earnings     Equity  
Balance – January 1, 2019     927,712     $ 93       3,125,000     $ 313     $ 3,920,735     $ 1,078,863     $ 5,000,004  
                                                         
Change in value of common stock subject to possible redemption     8,839       1                   (444,701 )           (444,700 )
                                                         
Net income                                   444,697       444,697  
                                                         
Balance – March 31, 2019 (unaudited)     936,551       94       3,125,000       313       3,476,034       1,523,560       5,000,001  
                                                         
Change in value of common stock subject to possible redemption     5,924                         (488,518 )           (488,518 )
                                                         
Net income                                   488,526       488,526  
                                                         
Balance – June 30, 2019 (unaudited)     942,475     $ 94       3,125,000     $ 313     $ 2,987,516     $ 2,012,086     $ 5,000,009  

  

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

 

F-4

 

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

(successor to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.)

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

 

    Six Months Ended
June 30,
 
    2020     2019  
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:            
Net (loss) income   $ (1,587,497 )   $ 933,223  
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities:                
Interest earned on marketable securities held in Trust Account     (310,441 )     (1,504,270 )
Unrealized gain on marketable securities held in Trust Account           (3,217 )
Deferred tax (benefit) provision     (2,014 )     676  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
Prepaid expenses     (49,276 )     (39,723 )
Prepaid income taxes     2,673        
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     1,071,764       (6,582 )
Income taxes payable     3,780       (279,579 )
Net cash used in operating activities     (871,011 )     (899,472 )
                 
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:                
Investment of cash in Trust Account     (972,573 )      
Cash withdrawn from Trust Account to pay franchise and income taxes     170,050       763,274  
Cash withdrawn from Trust Account for redemptions     87,354,187        
Net cash provided by investing activities     86,551,664       763,274  
                 
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:                
Advances from related party           164,850  
Repayment of advances from related party           (164,850 )
Proceeds from promissory notes – related party           100,000  
Proceeds from convertible promissory notes – related party     1,727,308        
Redemption of common shares     (87,354,187 )      
Net cash used in financing activities     (85,626,879 )     100,000  
                 
Net Change in Cash     53,774       (36,198 )
Cash – Beginning     2,122       89,557  
Cash – Ending   $ 55,896     $ 53,359  
                 
Supplementary cash flow information:                
Cash paid for income taxes   $     $ 530,000  
                 
Non-Cash investing and financing activities:                
Change in value of common stock subject to possible redemption   $ (1,587,507 )   $ 933,218  

 

F-5

 

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

(successor to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.)

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

JUNE 30, 2020

(Unaudited)

 

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

 

Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp., our predecessor (the “Company”), was a blank check company incorporated in Delaware on April 12, 2017. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or assets.

 

Business Combination

 

On July 1, 2020, Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, formerly known as GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (“HOFRE”), consummated the previously announced business combination with HOF Village, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“HOF Village”), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated September 16, 2019 (as amended on November 6, 2019, March 10, 2020 and May 22, 2020, the “Merger Agreement”), by and among HOFRE, the Company, GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Acquiror Merger Sub”), GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Company Merger Sub”), HOF Village and HOF Village Newco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Newco”). The transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are referred to herein as the “Business Combination.”

 

Upon the consummation of the Business Combination: (i) Acquiror Merger Sub merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity (the “Acquiror Merger”) and (ii) Company Merger Sub merged with and into Newco, with Newco continuing as the surviving entity (the “Company Merger”). In advance of the Company Merger, HOF Village transferred all of its assets, liabilities and obligations to Newco pursuant to a contribution agreement. In connection with the closing of the Business Combination, the Company changed its name from “GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.” to “Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company.” As a result of the Business Combination, the Company and Newco are wholly owned subsidiaries of HOFRE.

 

In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination and pursuant to the Merger Agreement, (a) each issued and outstanding unit of the Company, if not already detached, was detached and each holder of such a unit was deemed to hold one share of the Company’s Class A common stock and one Company warrant (“GPAQ Warrant”), (b) each issued and outstanding share of the Company’s Class A common stock (excluding any shares held by a Company stockholder that elected to have its shares redeemed pursuant to the Company’s organizational documents) was converted automatically into the right to receive 1.421333 shares of HOFRE common stock, par value $0.0001 (the “HOFRE Common Stock”), following which all shares of the Company’s Class A common stock ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and cease to exist; (c) each issued and outstanding share of the Company’s Class F common stock was converted automatically into the right to receive one share of HOFRE Common Stock, following which all shares of the Company’s Class F common stock ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and cease to exist; (d) each issued and outstanding GPAQ Warrant (including GPAQ private placement warrants) was automatically converted into one HOFRE Warrant to purchase 1.421333 shares of HOFRE Common Stock per warrant, following which all GPAQ Warrants ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and retired and cease to exist; and (e) each issued and outstanding membership interest in Newco converted automatically into the right to receive a pro rata portion of the Company Merger Consideration (as defined in the Merger Agreement), which was payable in shares of HOFRE Common Stock.

 

Private Placement

 

Concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination, HOFRE entered into a Note Purchase Agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (together, the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which HOFRE agreed to issue and sell to the Purchasers in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8.00% Convertible Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”). Pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement, the Notes may be converted into shares of HOFRE Common Stock at the option of the holders of the Notes, and HOFRE may, at its option, redeem the Notes in exchange for cash and warrants to purchase shares of HOFRE Common Stock (the “Note Redemption Warrants”).

 

F-6

 

 

The Private Placement was conducted pursuant to under section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as a transaction by an issuer not involving any public offering. The offer and sale of the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and consequently, the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.

 

The Note Purchase Agreement contains representations and warranties by HOFRE and the Purchasers, and each of HOFRE and the Purchasers have agreed to indemnify the other for losses resulting from a breach of any of their respective representations or warranties.

 

Closing of the Private Placement and delivery of the Notes pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement occurred on July 1, 2020. HOFRE received net cash proceeds from the issuance and sale of the Notes of approximately $7 million and approximately $13.7 million were for the conversion of prior existing notes payable. HOFRE intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement to fund HOFRE’s obligations related to the Merger Agreement, to satisfy HOFRE’s working capital obligations and to pay transaction fees and expenses.

 

Business Prior to the Business Combination

 

Prior to the Business Combination, the Company’s subsidiaries were comprised of GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (now HOFRE), Acquiror Merger Sub and Company Merger Sub.

 

All business activity through June 30, 2020 related to the Company’s formation, the Company’s initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”), which is described below, identifying a target company for a business combination and consummating the acquisition of HOF Village pursuant to the Business Combination (see Note 6).

 

The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on January 24, 2018. On January 30, 2018, the Company consummated the Initial Public Offering of 12,500,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units offered, the “Public Shares”), generating gross proceeds of $125,000,000, which is described in Note 3.

 

Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the sale of 4,900,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to Gordon Pointe Management, LLC (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $4,900,000, which is described in Note 4.

 

Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering on January 30, 2018, an amount of $126,250,000 ($10.10 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”), which may be invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 180 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the consummation of the Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account.

 

Transaction costs amounted to $7,552,731, consisting of $2,500,000 of underwriting fees, $4,375,000 of deferred underwriting fees (see Note 6) and $677,731 of other costs. Approximately $1,100,000 was deposited into the cash held outside of the Trust Account after the Initial Public Offering.

 

F-7

 

 

Liquidity

 

As of June 30, 2020, the Company had $55,896 in its operating bank accounts, $31,043,986 in marketable securities held in the Trust Account to be used for the Business Combination or to repurchase or redeem stock in connection therewith and a working capital deficit of $1,480,586, which excludes income taxes payable of $3,780, of which such amount will be paid from interest earned on the Trust Account. As of June 30, 2020, approximately $858,000 of the amount on deposit in the Trust Account represented interest income, which is available to pay the Company’s tax obligations. Through June 30, 2020, the Company withdrew $1,179,244 of interest from the Trust Account in order to pay its franchise and income tax obligations, of which $170,050 was withdrawn during the six months ended June 30, 2020.

 

Through June 30, 2020, the Company issued to the Sponsor convertible promissory notes, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate amount of $1,390,730, of which $572,735 was borrowed during the six months ended June 30, 2020, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination. In addition, through June 30, 2020, the Company issued unsecured convertible promissory notes to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $3,354,228, of which $972,573 was borrowed during the six months ended June 30, 2020, in order to fund the extension loans into the Trust Account and $182,000 was borrowed during the six months ended June 30, 2020 in order to fund working capital requirements. The loans were non-interest bearing, unsecured and were repaid upon the completion of the Business Combination. Up to $1,500,000 of the loans were convertible into warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. Upon completion of the Business Combination the outstanding balance under the convertible promissory notes were converted into shares of the Company’s common stock (see Note 5).

 

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Certain information or footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC for interim financial reporting. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes necessary for a comprehensive presentation of financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of a normal recurring nature, which are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, operating results and cash flows for the periods presented.

 

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 as filed with the SEC on March 10, 2020, which contains the audited financial statements and notes thereto. The financial information as of December 31, 2019 is derived from the audited financial statements presented in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. The interim results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020 or for any future interim periods.

 

Principles of Consolidation

 

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

Emerging Growth Company

 

The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

 

F-8

 

 

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.

 

Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the consolidated financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

 

Marketable Securities Held in Trust Account

 

At June 30, 2020, the assets held in the Trust Account were held in cash. At December 31, 2019, the assets held in the Trust Account were substantially held in U.S. Treasury Bills. Through June 30, 2020, the Company withdrew $1,179,244 of interest from the Trust Account in order to pay its franchise and income tax obligations, of which $170,050 was withdrawn during the six months ended June 30, 2020.

 

Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption

 

The Company accounts for its common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Common stock subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stock that features redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stock is classified as stockholders’ equity. The Company’s common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, common stock subject to possible redemption is presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ equity section of the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

F-9

 

 

Income Taxes

 

The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes,” which require an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

 

ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The effective tax rate differs from the statutory tax rate of 2.4% and 21.0% for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 and 0.3% and 21.2% for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 due to the non-deductibility of transactional expenses incurred in connection with the search for potential targets for the Business Combination.

 

The Company may be subject to potential examination by federal, state and city taxing authorities in the areas of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal, state and city tax laws. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.

 

Net Loss Per Common Share

 

Net loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. The Company applies the two-class method in calculating earnings per share. An aggregate of up to 1,422,573 and 11,557,525 shares of common stock subject to possible redemption at June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, which are not currently redeemable and are not redeemable at fair value, have been excluded from the calculation of basic net loss per share since such shares, if redeemed, only participate in their pro rata share of the Trust Account earnings. The Company has not considered the effect of warrants sold in the Initial Public Offering and Private Placement to purchase 17,400,000 shares of Class A common stock in the calculation of diluted net loss per common share, since the exercise of the warrants is contingent upon the occurrence of future events. As a result, diluted net loss per common share is the same as basic net loss per common share for the periods presented.

 

Reconciliation of Net Loss per Common Share

 

The Company’s net (loss) income is adjusted for the portion of income that is attributable to common stock subject to possible redemption, as these shares only participate in the earnings of the Trust Account and not the income or losses of the Company. Accordingly, basic and diluted net loss per common share is calculated as follows:

 

    Three Months Ended
June 30,
    Six Month Ended
June 30,
 
    2020     2019     2020     2019  
Net (loss) income   $ (1,127,782 )   $ 488,526     $ (1,587,497 )   $ 933,223  
Less: Income attributable to common stock subject to possible redemption     (8,594 )     (550,253 )     (121,548 )     (1,085,101 )
Adjusted net loss   $ (1,136,376 )   $ (61,727 )   $ (1,709,045 )   $ (151,878 )
                                 
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted     4,449,567       4,061,551       4,398,098       4,057,156  
                                 
Basic and diluted net loss per common share   $ (0.26 )   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.39 )   $ (0.04 )

 

F-10

 

 

Concentration of Credit Risk

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution which, at times may exceed the Federal depository insurance coverage of $250,000. At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements, primarily due to their short-term nature.

 

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

 

Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

NOTE 3. INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

 

On January 30, 2018, pursuant to the Initial Public Offering, the Company sold 12,500,000 Units at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50.

 

NOTE 4. PRIVATE PLACEMENT

 

Simultaneously with the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 4,900,000 Private Placement Warrants at $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $4,900,000. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50. The proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants were added to the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering held in the Trust Account. If the Company did not complete the Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Warrants would have been used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the Private Placement Warrants would have expired worthless. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Private Placement Warrants.

 

The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants are not transferable, assignable or saleable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants will be non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. The Private Placement Warrants may also be exercised by the initial purchasers and their permitted transferees for cash or on a cashless basis. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.

 

Upon completion of the Business Combination, all of the warrants to purchase the Company’s common stock were cancelled and exchanged for HOFRE Warrants (see Note 6).

 

F-11

 

 

NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

Founder Shares

 

On April 12, 2017, the Company issued an aggregate of 3,593,750 shares of Class F common stock to the Sponsor (the “Founder Shares”) for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000. The Founder Shares automatically converted into Class A common stock upon the consummation of the Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustments. The 3,593,750 Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 468,750 shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor to the extent that the underwriter’s over-allotment was not exercised in full or in part, so that the Initial Stockholders would own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Initial Public Offering. The underwriters’ election to exercise their over-allotment option expired unexercised on March 12, 2018 and, as a result, 468,750 Founder Shares were forfeited, resulting in 3,125,000 Founder Shares outstanding.

 

Upon completion of the Business Combination, the Founder Shares were converted, one a one-for-one basis, into HOFRE Common Stock (see Note 6).

 

The Initial Stockholders agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier of (i) one year after the date of the consummation of the Business Combination, or (ii) the date on which the last sales price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing 150 days after the Business Combination, or earlier, in each case, if subsequent to the Business Combination, the Company consummates a subsequent liquidation, merger, stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their common stock for cash, securities or other property.

 

Advances from Related Party

 

In March 2019, the Sponsor advanced an aggregate of $164,850 for working capital purposes, of which such amount was repaid during the year ended December 31, 2019. As of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were no outstanding advances.

 

Convertible Promissory Notes – Related Party

 

Through June 30, 2020, the Company issued promissory notes to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company could borrow up to an aggregate amount of $1,500,000, of which $600,000 of the promissory notes were issued during the six months ended June 30, 2020, to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination. During the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company borrowed $572,735 under the notes and an aggregate of $1,390,730 was outstanding under these notes.

 

In addition, through June 30, 2020, the Company issued unsecured promissory notes to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $3,354,228, of which $972,573 was borrowed during the six months ended June 30, 2020, in order to fund the extension loans into the Trust Account.

 

These notes were non-interest bearing, unsecured and were paid upon the completion of the Business Combination. Up to $1,500,000 of the loans were convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period.

 

As of June 30, 2020, there was an aggregate of $4,744,958 outstanding under the promissory notes. Upon completion of the Business Combination, the notes were converted into HOFRE Common Stock.

 

Administrative Services Agreement

 

The Company entered into an agreement whereby, commencing on January 30, 2018 through the earlier of the consummation of the Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company paid an affiliate of the Sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for office space, utilities and administrative support. For each of the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company incurred $30,000 in fees for these services. For each of the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company incurred $60,000 in fees for these services. At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, an aggregate of $90,000 and $30,000, respectively, in administrative fees are included in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

F-12

 

 

Related Party Loans

 

In order to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination, the Sponsor, the Company’s officers and directors were permitted to (other than the Sponsor’s commitment to provide the Company an aggregate of $900,000 in loans in order to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination (see Note 5)), loan the Company funds from time to time or at any time, as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). Each Working Capital Loan was evidenced by a promissory note. The Working Capital Loans would either be paid upon consummation of the Business Combination, without interest, or, at the holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the Working Capital Loans were convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants.

 

The Sponsor committed to provide an aggregate of $490,000 in loans to the Company to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination. To the extent advanced, the loans were evidenced by a promissory note, were non-interest bearing, unsecured and were repaid upon the completion of the Business Combination. The loans were convertible into common stock purchase warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. As of June 30, 2020, there were no amounts currently outstanding under the loans.

 

NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS

 

Director Compensation

 

The Company paid each of its independent directors an annual retainer of $20,000 (pro-rated for interim periods of service) for their service as members of the Company’s Board, for which, in addition to general matters of corporate governance and oversight, the Company expected its Board members to assist the Company in the identification and evaluation of industries and particular businesses that are, in the reasonable judgment of the Board, suitable acquisition targets for the Company, as well as assisting the Company in the review and analysis of alternative business combinations. In addition, the Company agreed to pay each independent director a telephonic meeting fee of $1,000 or in-person meeting fee of $1,500 for each meeting attended by such independent director. The Company also agreed to pay the Chairperson of the Audit Committee an annual retainer of $7,500 and the Chairperson of the Compensation Committee an annual retainer of $5,000. The fees were deferred and were paid upon completion of the Business Combination.

 

Registration Rights

 

Pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into on January 24, 2018, the holders of the Company’s Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants (and their underlying securities) and the warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans (and their underlying securities) are entitled to registration rights. The holders of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of the Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration rights agreement provides that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

 

Underwriters Agreement

 

The underwriters were entitled to a deferred fee of three and one-half percent (3.5%) of the gross proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, or $4,375,000. The deferred fee was paid in cash upon the closing of the Business Combination from the amounts held in the Trust Account, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. The deferred fee was to be forfeited by the underwriters solely in the event that the Company fails to complete a business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

 

In January 2020, the underwriters agreed that in the event the Business Combination was consummated, the deferred discount due to them was reduced to $2,500,000. The deferred fee was paid in cash upon the closing of the Business Combination from the amounts held in the Trust Account, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

 

F-13

 

 

Deferred Legal Fee

 

In connection with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company became obligated to pay its attorneys a deferred legal fee of $72,500 upon consummation of the Business Combination. Accordingly, the Company recorded $72,500 as deferred legal payable in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. The deferred fee was to be forfeited by the attorneys in the event that the Company failed to complete the Business Combination.

 

Merger Agreement

 

The value of the aggregate merger consideration (the “Company Merger Consideration”) paid pursuant to the Merger Agreement to the holders of Newco Units as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Newco Holders”) was an amount equal to: (i) the aggregate capital contributions of the members of HOF Village as set forth in a certificate of HOF Village delivered at least five days prior to the Closing Date (the “Closing Date Company Contributed Capital Amount”), multiplied by (ii) the Exchange Ratio of 1.2, divided by (iii) the Per Share Price of $10.00. The Company Merger Consideration was paid in shares of HOFRE Common Stock

 

On February 21, 2020, the Company filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for a special meeting of its stockholders scheduled for March 25, 2020 to vote on, among other things, the Business Combination. On March 20, 2020, the Company postponed the stockholders meeting to approve the Business Combination to early May 2020. On April 29, 2020, the Company further postponed the stockholders meeting to a date to be announced at a later time. On June 25, 2020 the Company held a special meeting of its stockholders at which the Company’s stockholders approved the Business Combination, among other things.

 

Upon completion of the Business Combination, current Company stockholders who did not exercise their redemption rights received 1.421333 shares of HOFRE Common Stock to replace each one of their existing shares of the Company’s Class A common stock and current holders of Class F common stock received one share of HOFRE Common Stock to replace each one of their existing shares of the Company’s Class F common stock, as applicable. Upon completion of the Business Combination, all of the warrants to purchase the Company’s common stock were cancelled and exchanged for HOFRE Warrants to purchase 1.421333 shares of HOFRE Common Stock per warrant on the same terms and conditions as the original warrants.

 

Further, in order to support the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and any possible private financing transactions that may be entered into in connection with the Merger Agreement, the Sponsor agreed that up to 1,185,741 of its Class F common shares were to be cancelled prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) pursuant to a Side Letter entered into by HOF Village and the Sponsor dated March 10, 2020, which number shall be calculated based on the number of redemptions by the Company’s public stockholders. The Sponsor also agreed that it would transfer up to one-half of the shares of HOFRE Common Stock that it received upon conversion of its Class F common shares (after any such cancellation); provided that the number of shares of HOFRE Common Stock that the Sponsor shall transfer to HOF Village were capped so that the Sponsor retained no less than 1.125 million shares of HOFRE Common Stock. The Sponsor also agreed to transfer one-half of the HOFRE Warrants that it received upon conversion of its warrants to purchase shares of Class A common stock at the Effective Time.

 

NOTE 7. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

Preferred Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors. At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.

 

Class A Common Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 40,000,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Company’s Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were 1,450,891 and 1,221,628 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, excluding an aggregate of up to 1,422,573 and 9,831,911 shares of common stock subject to possible redemption, respectively.

 

F-14

 

 

Class F Common Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 5,000,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Company’s Class F common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were 3,125,000 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

 

The shares of Class F common stock automatically converted into shares of Class A common stock at the time of the Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as follows. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the Initial Public Offering in connection with the closing of the Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class F common stock converted into shares of Class A common stock was adjusted so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class F common stock would equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon completion of the Initial Public Offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with the Business Combination, excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the Business Combination.

 

Holders of Class A common stock and Class F common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders except as required by law.

 

Warrants — No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination or (b) 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering; provided in each case that the Company has an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available. The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of a Business Combination, the Company will use its best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the securities issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants. Such a registration statement was filed on July 23, 2020. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the same to become effective and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration of the Public Warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

 

The Company may redeem the Public Warrants (except with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):

 

  in whole and not in part;
     
  at a price of $0.01 per warrant;
     
  at any time during the exercise period;
     
  upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption; and
     
  if, and only if, the last sale price of the Company’s Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders.
     
  If, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of Class A common stock underlying such warrants.

 

If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement.

 

F-15

 

 

The exercise price and number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of Class A common stock at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company was unable to complete the Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidated the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants would not have received any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor would they have received any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants would expire worthless.

 

NOTE 8. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820 for its financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at each reporting period, and non-financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at least annually.

 

The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that the Company would have received in connection with the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities). The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:

 

  Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for an asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.
     
  Level 2: Observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs. Examples of Level 2 inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
     
  Level 3: Unobservable inputs based on our assessment of the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

 

The following table presents information about the Company’s assets that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value:

 

Description   Level     June 30,
2020
    December 31,
2019
 
Assets:                  
Marketable securities held in Trust Account     1     $
    $ 117,285,210  

 

NOTE 9. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

As described in Note 1, the Company completed the Business Combination and Private Placement on July 1, 2020.

 

On July 23, 2020, HOFRE filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 registering the shares underlying the HOFRE Warrants.

 

F-16

 

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors of

Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting 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.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ Marcum LLP

 

Marcum LLP

 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2017.

 

New York, NY

March 10, 2020

 

F-17

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

    December 31,  
    2019     2018  
ASSETS            
Current assets            
Cash   $ 2,122     $ 89,557  
Prepaid expenses     18,750       6,527  
Prepaid income taxes     2,673      
 
Total Current Assets     23,545       96,084  
                 
Marketable securities held in Trust Account     117,285,210       128,396,771  
Total Assets   $ 117,308,755     $ 128,492,855  
                 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                
Current Liabilities                
Accounts payable and accrued expenses   $ 532,744     $ 309,265  
Income taxes payable    
      284,958  
Total Current Liabilities     532,744       594,223  
                 
Convertible promissory notes – related party     3,017,650      
 
Deferred tax liability     2,014      
 
Deferred underwriting fees     4,375,000       4,375,000  
Deferred legal fee payable     72,500       72,500  
Total Liabilities     7,999,908       5,041,723  
                 
Commitments (see Note 5)    
 
     
 
 
Common stock subject to possible redemption, 9,831,911 and 11,572,288 shares at redemption value as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively     104,308,846       118,451,128  
                 
Stockholders’ Equity                
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 authorized; none issued and outstanding    
     
 
Class A Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 40,000,000 shares authorized; 1,221,628 and 927,712 issued and outstanding (excluding 9,831,911 and 11,572,288 shares subject to possible redemption) as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively     122       93  
Class F Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; 3,125,000 and 3,125,000 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively     313       313  
Additional paid-in capital     3,100,343       3,920,735  
Retained earnings     1,899,223       1,078,863  
Total Stockholders’ Equity     5,000,001       5,000,004  
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 117,308,755     $ 128,492,855  

 

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

 

F-18

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.

CONSOLIDATED Statements Of Operations

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2019     2018  
Operating costs   $ 1,415,881     $ 780,534  
Loss from operations     (1,415,881 )     (780,534 )
                 
Other income:                
Interest income     2,651,036       2,132,976  
Unrealized gain on marketable securities held in Trust Account     9,588       13,795  
Other income     2,660,624       2,146,771  
Income before provision for income taxes     1,244,743       1,366,237  
Provision for income taxes     (424,383 )     (284,958 )
Net income   $ 820,360     $ 1,081,279  
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted(1)     4,098,986       3,953,561  
Basic and diluted net loss per common share(2)     (0.25 )   $ (0.12 )
____________

(1) Excludes an aggregate of up to 9,831,911 and 11,572,288 shares subject to possible redemption at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

(2) Excludes income of $1,854,509 and $1,571,048 attributable to shares subject to possible redemption for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

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

 

F-19

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.

CONSOLIDATED Statements Of Changes In Stockholders’ Equity

 

    Class A
Common Stock
    Class F
Common Stock
    Additional
Paid-in
Capital
    Retained
Earnings/
(Accumulated
Deficit)
    Total
Stockholders’
Equity
 
    Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount                    
Balance – January 1, 2018         $       3,593,750     $ 359     $ 24,641     $ (2,416 )   $ 22,584  
Sale of 12,500,000 Units, net of underwriting discounts and offering expenses     12,500,000       1,250                   117,446,019             117,447,269  
Sale of 4,900,000 Private Placement Warrants                             4,900,000             4,900,000  
Forfeiture of Founder Shares                 (468,750 )     (46 )     46              
Common stock subject to possible redemption     (11,572,288 )     (1,157 )                 (118,449,971 )           (118,451,128 )
Net income                                   1,081,279       1,081,279  
                                                         
Balance – December 31, 2018     927,712       93       3,125,000       313       3,920,735       1,078,863       5,000,004  
Change in value of common stock subject to possible redemption     293,916       29                   (820,392 )           (820,363 )
Net income                                   820,360       820,360  
                                                         
Balance – December 31, 2019     1,221,628     $ 122     $ 3,125,000     $ 313     $ 3,100,343     $ 1,899,223     $ 5,000,001  

 

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

 

F-20

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
CONSOLIDATED Statements Of Cash Flows

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2019     2018  
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:            
Net income   $ 820,360     $ 1,081,279  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:                
Interest earned on marketable securities held in Trust Account     (2,651,036 )     (2,132,976 )
Unrealized gain on marketable securities held in Trust Account     (9,588 )     (13,795 )
Deferred tax provision     2,014        
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
Prepaid expenses     (12,223 )     (6,527 )
Prepaid income taxes     (2,673 )      
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     223,479       306,971  
Income taxes payable     (284,958 )     284,958  
Net cash used in operating activities     (1,914,625 )     (480,090 )
                 
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:                
Investment of cash in Trust Account     (2,199,654 )     (126,250,000 )
Cash withdrawn from Trust Account to pay franchise and income taxes     1,009,194        
Cash withdrawn from Trust Account for redemptions     14,962,645        
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities     13,772,185       (126,250,000 )
                 
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:                
Proceeds from sale of Units, net of underwriting discounts paid           122,500,000  
Proceeds from sale of Private Placement Warrants           4,900,000  
Advances from related party     164,850       88,095  
Repayment of advances from related party     (164,850 )     (143,302 )
Proceeds from convertible promissory notes – related party     3,347,709        
Repayment of convertible promissory notes – related party     (330,059 )      
Payment of offering costs           (528,339 )
Redemption of commons shares     (14,962,645 )      
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities     (11,944,995 )     126,816,454  
                 
Net Change in Cash     (87,435 )     86,364  
Cash – Beginning     89,557       3,193  
Cash – Ending   $ 2,122     $ 89,557  
                 
Supplementary cash flow information:                
Cash paid for income taxes   $ 710,000     $  
                 
Non-Cash investing and financing activities:                
Initial classification of common stock subject to possible redemption   $     $ 117,371,161  
Change in value of common stock subject to possible redemption   $ 820,363     $ 1,079,967  
Deferred underwriting fees   $     $ 4,375,000  
Deferred legal fee payable   $       72,500  

 

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

 

F-21

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

 

Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”), is a blank check company incorporated in Delaware on April 12, 2017. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or assets (a “Business Combination”). Although the Company is not limited to a particular industry or geographic region for purposes of consummating a Business Combination, the Company is focusing on businesses in the financial services technology sector or related financial services or technology sectors.

 

The Company’ subsidiaries are comprised of GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Holdings”), GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Holdings (“Acquiror Merger Sub”) and GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Holdings (“Company Merger Sub”).

 

All activity through December 31, 2019 relates to the Company’s formation, the Company’s initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) which is described below, identifying a target company for a Business Combination and the proposed acquisition of HOF Village, LLC (“HOFV”) (see Note 6).

 

The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on January 24, 2018. On January 30, 2018, the Company consummated the Initial Public Offering of 12,500,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units offered, the “Public Shares”), generating gross proceeds of $125,000,000, which is described in Note 4.

 

Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the sale of 4,900,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to Gordon Pointe Management, LLC (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $4,900,000, which is described in Note 5.

 

Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering on January 30, 2018, an amount of $126,250,000 ($10.10 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) which may be invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 180 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the consummation of a Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account.

 

Transaction costs amounted to $7,552,731, consisting of $2,500,000 of underwriting fees, $4,375,000 of deferred underwriting fees (see Note 7) and $677,731 of other costs. Approximately $1,100,000 was deposited into the cash held outside of the Trust Account after the Initial Public Offering.

 

The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. The Company’s initial Business Combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the Trust Account (excluding any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the signing an agreement to enter into a Business Combination. However, the Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-Business Combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination.

  

F-22

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.)

 

The Company will provide its stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The stockholders will be entitled to redeem their shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then on deposit in the Trust Account ($10.10 per share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations). The per share amount to be distributed to stockholders who redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriter (see Note 6).

 

The Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a stockholder vote is not required by law and the Company does not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, a stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or the Company decides to obtain stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks stockholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, officers and directors (the “Initial Stockholders”) have agreed to vote their Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5), and any Public Shares held by them in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each public stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to an aggregate of 20% or more of the Class A common stock sold in the Initial Public Offering.

 

Pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Stated Certificate of Incorporation, the Company had until July 30, 2019 (the “Initial Date”) to complete a Business Combination. On July 26, 2019, the Company held a special meeting of the stockholders of the Company at which the stockholders approved, among other things, a proposal to amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Extension Amendment”) to extend the deadline to complete a Business Combination from July 30, 2019 to October 31, 2019 (the “Extension”), plus an option for the Company to further extend such date up to three times, each by an additional 30 days.

 

The Company’s Sponsor agreed to contribute to the Company as a loan (each loan being referred to herein as a “Contribution”) $0.10 for each share of the Company’s common stock issued in its Initial Public Offering (each, a “Public Share”) that did not redeem in connection with the stockholder vote to approve the Extension Amendment, plus, if the Company elected to further extend the deadline to complete a Business Combination beyond October 31, 2019, $0.033 for each 30-day period, or portion thereof, up to three additional 30-day periods. On July 26, 2019, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note (the “Promissory Note”) to the Sponsor in the aggregate amount of $1,105,354 in order to fund the extension payment. The Promissory Note is non-interest bearing and repayable by the Company to the Sponsor upon consummation of the Company’s Business Combination. The loans will be forgiven if the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination except to the extent of any funds held outside of the Trust Account.

 

In connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment, stockholders elected to redeem an aggregate of 1,446,461 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock. As a result, an aggregate of approximately $14,962,645 (or approximately $10.34 per share) was removed from the Company’s Trust Account to pay such stockholders.

  

F-23

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.)

 

On each of October 29, 2019, November 27, 2019 and December 26, 2019, the Company elected to extend the deadline to complete a Business Combination from October 31, 2019 to January 29, 2020. In connection with such extensions, the Company contributed $0.033 for each of the Company’s public shares outstanding, for an aggregate contribution of $1,094,300, into the Trust Account. The Company issued unsecured promissory notes to the Sponsor in the aggregate amount of $1,094,300 in order to fund the extension payments. The promissory notes are non-interest bearing and repayable by the Company to the Sponsor upon consummation of the Company’s Business Combination. The loans will be forgiven if the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination except to the extent of any funds held outside of the Trust Account.

 

On January 24, 2020, the Company held a special meeting of the stockholders of the Company at which the stockholders approved, among other things, a proposal to amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second Extension Amendment”) to extend the deadline to complete a Business Combination from January 29, 2020 to February 29, 2020, plus an option by the Company to further extend such date for an additional 30 days. In connection with the approval of the extension, stockholders elected to redeem an aggregate of 3,011,003 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock. As a result, an aggregate of approximately $31,975,073 (or approximately $10.61 per share) was removed from the Company’s Trust Account to pay such stockholders and 8,042,536 shares of Class A common stock are now issued and outstanding. In connection with such extension, the Sponsor contributed $0.033 for each of the Company’s public shares outstanding, for an aggregate contribution of $265,404, into the Trust Account. In addition, on February 27, 2020, the Company exercised the additional 30-day option, and in connection with such extension, the Sponsor contributed an additional $265,404, which amount was placed into the Trust Account.

 

If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination by the Extended Date, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned (less amounts previously released to pay taxes and less interest to pay dissolution expenses of up to $100,000), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the Company, subject in each case to its obligations to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of applicable law.

 

The Initial Stockholders have agreed to (i) waive their conversion rights with respect to their Founder Shares and Public Shares in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, (ii) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to their Founder Shares if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination by the Extended Date and (iii) not to propose an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination, unless the Company provides the public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares in conjunction with any such amendment. However, the Initial Stockholders will be entitled to liquidating distributions with respect to any Public Shares acquired if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination or liquidates by the Extended Date. The underwriter and legal counsel have agreed to waive their rights to deferred underwriting commissions held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not consummate a Business Combination by the Extended Date and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the residual assets remaining available for distribution (including Trust Account assets) will be less than the $10.10 per Unit in the Initial Public Offering. In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriter of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (other than the Company’s independent auditors), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.

 

F-24

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.)

 

Nasdaq Notification

 

On November 4, 2019, the Company received a written notice (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) indicating that the Company was not in compliance with Listing Rule 5550(a)(3) (the “Minimum Public Holders Rule”), which requires the Company to have at least 300 public holders for continued listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market.  The Notice is only a notification of deficiency, not of imminent delisting, and has no current effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Notice states that the Company has 45 calendar days to submit a plan to regain compliance with the Minimum Public Holders Rule.  The Company submitted a plan to regain compliance with the Minimum Public Holders Rule within the required timeframe.  If NASDAQ accepts the Company’s plan, NASDAQ may grant the Company an extension of up to 180 calendar days from the date of the Notice to evidence compliance with the Minimum Public Holders Rule.  If Nasdaq does not accept the Company’s plan, the Company will have the opportunity to appeal the decision in front of a Nasdaq Hearings Panel.

 

On January 8, 2020, the Company received a written notice (the “Notice II”) from Nasdaq indicating that the Company was not in compliance with Listing Rules 5620(a) and 5810(c)(2)(G) (the “Annual Shareholders Meeting Rule”), which requires the Company to hold an annual meeting of shareholders within twelve months of the end of the Company’s fiscal year end for continued listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market. The Notice is only a notification of deficiency, not of imminent delisting, and has no current effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Company submitted a plan to regain compliance with the Annual Shareholders Meeting Rule. Nasdaq accepted the Company’s plan to regain compliance by March 30, 2020.

 

Liquidity

 

As of December 31, 2019, the Company had $2,122 in its operating bank accounts, $117,285,210 in marketable securities held in the Trust Account to be used for a Business Combination or to repurchase or redeem stock in connection therewith and a working capital deficit of $493,348, which excludes prepaid income taxes and franchise taxes payable of $2,673 and franchise taxes payable of $18,524, respectively, of which such amounts will be paid from interest earned on the Trust Account. As of December 31, 2019, approximately $3,445,000 of the amount on deposit in the Trust Account represented interest income, which is available to pay the Company’s tax obligations. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company withdrew $1,009,194 of interest from the Trust Account in order to pay its franchise and income tax obligations.

 

On June 18, 2019 and September 27, 2019, the Company issued to the Sponsor convertible promissory notes, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate amount of $817,996 in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination. In addition, during the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company issued unsecured convertible promissory notes to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $2,199,654 in order to fund the extension loans into the Trust Account. The loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and will only be repaid upon the completion of a Business Combination. Up to $1,500,000 of the loans are convertible into warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. As of December 31, 2019, there was $3,017,650 outstanding under the convertible promissory notes.

 

On February 20, 2020, our Sponsor committed to provide the Company an aggregate of $490,000 in loans in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination.

 

F-25

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.)

 

The Company may raise additional capital through loans or additional investments from the Sponsor or its stockholders, officers, directors, or third parties. The Company’s officers and directors and the Sponsor may, but are not obligated to (except as described above), loan the Company funds, from time to time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion, to meet the Company’s working capital needs.

 

The Company does not believe it will need to raise additional funds in order to meet expenditures required for operating its business. Neither the Sponsor, nor any of the stockholders, officers or directors, or third parties are under any obligation to advance funds to, or invest in, the Company, except for the convertible promissory notes discussed above. Accordingly, the Company may not be able to obtain additional financing. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital, it may be required to take additional measures to conserve liquidity, which could include, but not necessarily be limited to curtailing operations, suspending the pursuit of a potential transaction and reducing overhead expenses. The Company cannot provide any assurance that new financing will be available to it on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. Even if the Company can obtain sufficient financing or raise additional capital, it only has until the Extended Date to consummate a Business Combination. There is no assurance that they will be able to do so prior to the Extended Date.

 

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Basis of presentation

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements are presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.

 

Principles of Consolidation

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

Emerging growth company

 

The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

 

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

 

F-26

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

Use of estimates

 

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.

 

Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the consolidated financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

 

Marketable securities held in Trust Account

 

At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the assets held in the Trust Account were substantially held in U.S. Treasury Bills. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company withdrew $1,009,194 of interest income to pay its franchise and income tax obligations.

 

Common stock subject to possible redemption

 

The Company accounts for its common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Common stock subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stock that features redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stock is classified as stockholders’ equity. The Company’s common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, common stock subject to possible redemption is presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ equity section of the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

 

Income taxes

 

The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes,” which require an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

 

ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.

 

F-27

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

The Company may be subject to potential examination by federal, state and city taxing authorities in the areas of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal, state and city tax laws. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.

 

Net loss per common share

 

Net loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. The Company applies the two-class method in calculating earnings per share. An aggregate of up to 9,831,911 and 11,572,288 shares of common stock subject to possible redemption at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, which are not currently redeemable and are not redeemable at fair value, have been excluded from the calculation of basic net loss per share since such shares, if redeemed, only participate in their pro rata share of the Trust Account earnings. The Company has not considered the effect of warrants sold in the Initial Public Offering and Private Placement to purchase 17,400,000 shares of Class A common stock in the calculation of diluted net loss per common share, since the exercise of the warrants is contingent upon the occurrence of future events. As a result, diluted net loss per common share is the same as basic net loss per common share for the periods presented.

 

Reconciliation of net loss per common share

 

The Company’s net income is adjusted for the portion of income that is attributable to common stock subject to possible redemption, as these shares only participate in the earnings of the Trust Account and not the income or losses of the Company. Accordingly, basic and diluted net loss per common share is calculated as follows:

 

    Year Ended
December 31,
2019
    Year Ended
December 31,
2018
 
Net income   $ 820,360     $ 1,081,279  
Less: Income attributable to common stock subject to redemption     (1,854,509 )     (1,571,048 )
Adjusted net loss   $ (1,034,149 )   $ (489,769 )
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted     4,098,986       3,953,561  
Basic and diluted net loss per common share   $ (0.25 )   $ (0.12 )

 

Concentration of Credit Risk

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution which, at times may exceed the Federal depository insurance coverage of $250,000. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company had not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.

 

Fair value of financial instruments

 

The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, primarily due to their short-term nature.

 

Recently issued accounting standards

 

Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

F-28

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 3. INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

 

On January 30, 2018, pursuant to the Initial Public Offering, the Company sold 12,500,000 Units at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50.

 

NOTE 4. PRIVATE PLACEMENT

 

Simultaneously with the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 4,900,000 Private Placement Warrants at $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $4,900,000. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50. The proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants were added to the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Private Placement Warrants.

 

The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants are not transferable, assignable or saleable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants will be non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. The Private Placement Warrants may also be exercised by the initial purchasers and their permitted transferees for cash or on a cashless basis. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.

 

NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

Founder Shares

 

On April 12, 2017, the Company issued an aggregate of 3,593,750 shares of Class F common stock to the Sponsor (the “Founder Shares”) for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000. The Founder Shares will automatically convert into Class A common stock upon the consummation of a Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustments. The 3,593,750 Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 468,750 shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor to the extent that the underwriter’s over-allotment was not exercised in full or in part, so that the Initial Stockholders would own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Initial Public Offering. The underwriters’ election to exercise their over-allotment option expired unexercised on March 12, 2018 and, as a result, 468,750 Founder Shares were forfeited, resulting in 3,125,000 Founder Shares outstanding.

 

The Initial Stockholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier of (i) one year after the date of the consummation of a Business Combination, or (ii) the date on which the last sales price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing 150 days after a Business Combination, or earlier, in each case, if subsequent to a Business Combination, the Company consummates a subsequent liquidation, merger, stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their common stock for cash, securities or other property.

 

Advances from Related Party

 

Through December 31, 2018, the Sponsor advanced an aggregate of $143,302 for costs associated with the Initial Public Offering, of which such amount was repaid during the year ended December 31, 2018. In March 2019, the Sponsor advanced an aggregate of $164,850 for working capital purposes, of which such amount was repaid during the year ended December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were no outstanding advances.

 

F-29

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (cont.)

 

Convertible Promissory Notes – Related Party

 

On June 18, 2019, the Company entered into a promissory note with the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company can borrow up to an aggregate amount of $410,000 to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination. On September 27, 2019, the Company entered into a second promissory note with the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company can borrow up to an aggregate amount of $490,000 to finance transaction costs in connection with the Business Combination.

 

In addition, on July 26, 2019, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $1,105,354 in order to fund the extension loan into the Trust Account.

 

On each of October 29, 2019, November 27, 2019 and December 26, 2019, the Company issued unsecured promissory notes to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $1,094,300 in order to fund the extension payments to the Trust Account.

 

These notes are non-interest bearing, unsecured and due to be paid upon the completion of a Business Combination. Up to $1,500,000 of the loans may be converted into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period.

 

As of December 31, 2019, there was an aggregate of $3,017,650 outstanding under the promissory notes.

 

On each of January 24, 2020 and February 27, 2020, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $530,808 in order to fund the extension payment to the Trust Account (see Note 8).

 

Administrative Services Agreement

 

The Company entered into an agreement whereby, commencing on January 30, 2018 through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for office space, utilities and administrative support. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company incurred $120,000 and $110,000, respectively, in fees for these services. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, an aggregate of $30,000 and $60,000, respectively, in administrative fees are included in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

 

Related Party Loans

 

In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to (other than the Sponsor’s commitment to provide the Company an aggregate of $900,000 in loans in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination (see Note 5)), loan the Company funds from time to time or at any time, as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). Each Working Capital Loan would be evidenced by a promissory note.

 

The Working Capital Loans would either be paid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the Working Capital Loans may be converted into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants.

 

The Sponsor has committed to provide an aggregate of $490,000 in loans to the Company to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination. To the extent advanced, the loans will be evidenced by a promissory note, will be non-interest bearing, unsecured and will only be repaid upon the completion of a Business Combination. The loans may also be convertible into common stock purchase warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. There are no amounts currently outstanding under the loans.

 

F-30

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS

 

Director Compensation

 

The Company has agreed to pay each of its independent directors an annual retainer of $20,000 (pro-rated for interim periods of service) for their service as members of the Company’s Board, for which, in addition to general matters of corporate governance and oversight, the Company expects its Board members to assist the Company in the identification and evaluation of industries and particular businesses that are, in the reasonable judgment of the Board, suitable acquisition targets for the Company, as well as assisting the Company in the review and analysis of alternative Business Combinations. In addition, the Company has agreed to pay each independent director a telephonic meeting fee of $1,000 or in-person meeting fee of $1,500 for each meeting attended by such independent director. The Company has also agreed to pay the Chairperson of the Audit Committee an annual retainer of $7,500 and the Chairperson of the Compensation Committee an annual retainer of $5,000. The fees will be deferred and become payable only if the Company consummates a Business Combination. If a Business Combination does not occur, the Company will not be required to pay these contingent fees, therefore, these amounts are not accrued in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

 

Registration Rights

 

Pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into on January 24, 2018, the holders of the Company’s Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants (and their underlying securities) and the warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans (and their underlying securities) are entitled to registration rights. The holders of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration rights agreement provides that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

 

Underwriters Agreement

 

The underwriters are entitled to a deferred fee of three and one-half percent (3.5%) of the gross proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, or $4,375,000 (see Note 11). The deferred fee will be paid in cash upon the closing of a Business Combination from the amounts held in the Trust Account, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. The deferred fee will be forfeited by the underwriters solely in the event that the Company fails to complete a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

 

Deferred Legal Fee

 

In connection with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company became obligated to pay its attorneys a deferred legal fee of $72,500 upon consummation of a Business Combination. Accordingly, the Company recorded $72,500 as deferred legal payable in the accompanying balance sheets. The deferred fee will be forfeited in the event that the Company fails to complete a Business Combination.

 

Merger Agreement

 

On September 16, 2019, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) by and among the Company, Holdings, Acquiror Merger Sub, Company Merger Sub (together with Acquiror Merger Sub, the “Merger Subs”), HOF Village, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“HOFV”) and HOF Village Newco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of HOFV (“Newco”).

  

F-31

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS (cont.)

 

The Merger Agreement provides for a business combination transaction pursuant to which: (i) Acquiror Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Holdings and with stockholders of the Company receiving substantially equivalent securities of Holdings (the “Acquiror Merger”), and (ii) Company Merger Sub will be merged with and into Newco, with Newco continuing as the surviving entity and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Holdings and with the members of Newco receiving shares of common stock of Holdings (the “Company Merger”, and together with the Acquiror Merger, the “Mergers”).

 

The value of the aggregate merger consideration (the “Company Merger Consideration”) to be paid pursuant to the Merger Agreement to the holders of Newco Units as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Newco Holders”) will be an amount equal to: (i) the aggregate capital contributions of the members of HOFV as set forth in a certificate of HOFV delivered at least five (5) days prior to the Closing Date (the “Closing Date Company Contributed Capital Amount”), multiplied by (ii) the Exchange Ratio of 1.2, divided by (iii) the Per Share Price of $10.00. The Company Merger Consideration will be paid in shares of Holdings common stock (the “Holdings Common Stock”).

 

The Mergers will be consummated subject to the deliverables and provisions as further described in the Merger Agreement, as amended (See Note 11).

 

NOTE 7. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

Preferred Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.

 

Class A Common Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 40,000,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Company’s Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were 1,221,628 and 927,712 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, excluding an aggregate of up to 9,831,911 and 11,572,288 shares of common stock subject to possible redemption, respectively.

 

Class F Common Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 5,000,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Company’s Class F common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were 3,125,000 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

 

The shares of Class F common stock will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of a Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as follows. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the Initial Public Offering in connection with the closing of a Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class F common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class F common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon completion of the Initial Public Offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with a Business Combination, excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in a Business Combination.

 

Holders of Class A common stock and Class F common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders except as required by law.

 

F-32

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 7. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (cont.)

 

Warrants — No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination or (b) 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering; provided in each case that the Company has an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available. The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of a Business Combination, the Company will use its best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the same to become effective and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration of the Public Warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

 

The Company may redeem the Public Warrants (except with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):

 

in whole and not in part;

 

at a price of $0.01 per warrant;

 

at any time during the exercise period;

 

upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption; and

 

if, and only if, the last sale price of the Company’s Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders.

 

If, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of Class A common stock underlying such warrants.

 

If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement.

 

The exercise price and number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of Class A common stock at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.

 

NOTE 8. INCOME TAX

 

The Company’s net deferred tax liability at December 31, 2019 is as follows:

 

Deferred tax liability      
Unrealized gain on marketable securities   $ (2,014 )
Deferred tax liability   $ (2,014 )

 

The Company does not have any significant deferred tax assets or liabilities at December 31, 2018.

 

F-33

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 8. INCOME TAX (cont.)

 

The income tax provision consists of the following:

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2019     2018  
Federal            
Current   $ 422,369     $ 284,958  
Deferred     569       1,952  
                 
State                
Current   $
    $
 
Deferred    
     
 
Change in valuation allowance     1,445       (1,952 )
Income tax provision   $ 424,383     $ 284,958  

 

In assessing the realization of the deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion of all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences representing net future deductible amounts become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment.

 

A reconciliation of the federal income tax rate to the Company’s effective tax rate is as follows:

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2019     2018  
Statutory federal income tax rate     21.0 %     21.0 %
State taxes, net of federal tax benefit     0.0 %     0.0 %
Deferred tax liability rate change     0.0 %     0.0 %
Business combination expenses     13.0 %     0.0 %
Change in valuation allowance     0.1 %     (0.1 )%
Income tax provision     34.1 %     20.9 %

 

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction in various state and local jurisdictions and is subject to examination by the various taxing authorities.

 

NOTE 9. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820 for its financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at each reporting period, and non-financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at least annually.

 

The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that the Company would have received in connection with the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities). The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:

 

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for an asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

 

F-34

 

  

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 9. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (cont.)

 

Level 2: Observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs. Examples of Level 2 inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.

 

Level 3: Unobservable inputs based on our assessment of the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

 

The following table presents information about the Company’s assets that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2019 and 2018, and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value:

 

Description   Level     December 31,
2019
    December 31,
2018
 
Assets:                  
Marketable securities held in Trust Account     1     $ 117,285,210     $ 128,396,771  

 

NOTE 10. SELECTED QUARTERLY INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)

 

The following table presents summarized unaudited quarterly financial data for each of the four quarters for the year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. The data has been derived from the Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements that, in management’s opinion, include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of such information when read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto. The results of operations for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for any future period.

 

    First
Quarter
    Second
Quarter
    Third
Quarter
    Fourth
Quarter
 
Year ended December 31, 2019                        
Operating costs   $ 175,067     $ 148,100     $ 578,996     $ 513,718  
Interest income   $ 733,515     $ 770,755     $ 635,824     $ 510,942  
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities   $ 7,485     $ (4,268 )   $ 17,938     $ (11,567 )
Net income (loss)   $ 444,697     $ 488,526     $ (30,315 )   $ (82,548 )
Basic and diluted loss per share   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.15 )   $ (0.10 )

 

    First
Quarter
    Second
Quarter
    Third
Quarter
    Fourth
Quarter
 
Year ended December 31, 2018                                
Operating costs   $ 229,889     $ 186,300     $ 170,280     $ 194,065  
Interest income   $ 292,038     $ 513,904     $ 628,346     $ 698,688  
Unrealized (loss) gain on marketable securities   $ (16,762 )   $ 36,642     $ (19,592 )   $ 13,507  
Net income   $ 35,856     $ 287,754     $ 346,395     $ 411,274  
Basic and diluted loss per share   $ (0.05 )   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.02 )

 

F-35

 

 

GORDON POINTE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 11. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up to the date that the financial statements were issued. Other than as described below, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements.

 

In January 2020, the underwriters agreed that in the event the Mergers with HOFV are consummated, the deferred discount due to them of $4,375,000 will be reduced to $2,500,000.

 

On January 24, 2020, the Company held a special meeting of its stockholders at which the stockholders approved, among other things, a proposal to further amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second Extension Amendment”) to extend the deadline to complete a Business Combination from January 29, 2020 to February 29, 2020, plus an option for the Company to further extend such date for an additional 30 days. The Company elected to extend such date for an additional 30 days, to March 30, 2020. The number of shares of Class A common stock presented for redemption in connection with the Second Extension Amendment was 3,011,003 and the Company paid cash in the aggregate amount of $31,975,073 (or approximately $10.61 per share) to redeeming stockholders.

 

On February 21, 2020, the Company filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for a special meeting of its shareholders to vote on, among other things, the proposed business combination with HOFV.

 

On March 11, 2020, the Company filed a definitive proxy statement for a special meeting of its shareholders scheduled for March 30, 2020 to vote on, among other things, a further extension of the deadline to consummate a business combination for 45 days to May 14, 2020 to provide for additional time to complete the proposed business combination with HOFV, if needed.

 

Upon completion of the Mergers, current stockholders who do not exercise their redemption rights will receive 1.421333 shares of Holdings Common Stock to replace each one of their existing shares of the Company’s Class A common stock and current holders of Class F common stock will receive one share of Holdings Common Stock to replace each one of their existing shares of the Company’s Class F common stock, as applicable. Upon completion of the Mergers, all of the warrants to purchase the Company’s common stock will be cancelled and exchanged for warrants (“Holdings Warrants”) to purchase 1.421333 shares of Holdings Common Stock per warrant on the same terms and conditions as the original warrants.

 

Further, in order to support the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and any possible private financing transactions that may be entered into in connection with the Merger Agreement, the Sponsor has agreed that up to 1,185,741 of its Class F common shares will be cancelled prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) pursuant to a Side Letter entered into by HOFV and the Sponsor dated March 10, 2020, which number shall be calculated based on the number of redemptions by the Company’s public stockholders. The Sponsor has also agreed that it will transfer up to one-half of the shares of Holdings Common Stock that it will receive upon conversion of its Class F common shares (after any such cancellation); provided that the number of shares of Holdings Common Stock that the Sponsor shall transfer to HOFV shall be capped so that the Sponsor retains no less than 1.125 million shares of Holdings Common Stock. The Sponsor has also agreed to transfer one-half of the Holdings Warrants that it will receive upon conversion of its warrants to purchase shares of Class A common stock at the Effective Time.

 

F-36

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

    As of :  
    June 30,     December 31,  
    2020     2019  
    (Unaudited)        
Assets            
Cash   $ 2,149,500     $ 2,818,194  
Restricted cash     11,460,679       5,796,398  
Accounts receivable, net     1,701,554       1,355,369  
Prepaid expenses and other assets     5,843,579       2,292,859  
Property and equipment, net     129,621,854       134,910,887  
Project development costs     105,461,050       88,587,699  
Total assets   $ 256,238,216     $ 235,761,406  
                 
Liabilities and Members’ Equity                
Liabilities                
Notes payable, net   $ 204,202,428     $ 164,922,714  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     17,082,645       12,871,487  
Due to affiliate     12,015,489       19,333,590  
Other liabilities     7,125,402       3,684,276  
Total liabilities     240,425,964       200,812,067  
                 
Commitments and contingencies (Notes 7 and 8)                
                 
Members’ equity     15,812,252       34,949,339  
                 
Total liabilities and members’ equity   $ 256,238,216     $ 235,761,406  

  

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

 

F-37

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

 

    For the Three Months Ended
June 30,
    For the Six Months Ended
June 30,
 
    2020     2019     2020     2019  
                         
Revenues                        
Sponsorships, net of activation costs   $ 1,660,928     $ 1,738,566     $ 3,321,856     $ 3,637,492  
Rents and cost recoveries     42,657       138,167       317,437       308,206  
Event revenues     -       36,519       27,833       49,843  
Total revenues     1,703,585       1,913,252       3,667,126       3,995,541  
                                 
Operating expenses                                
Property operating expenses     2,428,283       3,126,150       9,112,269       6,030,126  
Commission expense     607,126       401,837       1,057,980       569,827  
Depreciation expense     2,723,303       2,721,317       5,445,423       5,412,733  
Loss on abandonment of project development costs     -       -       -       12,194,783  
Total operating expenses     5,758,712       6,249,304       15,615,672       24,207,469  
                                 
Loss from operations     (4,055,127 )     (4,336,052 )     (11,948,546 )     (20,211,928 )
                                 
Other (expense) income                                
Interest expense     (2,199,785 )     (2,343,881 )     (4,209,795 )     (4,574,525 )
Amortization of discount on note payable     (3,443,333 )     (3,538,040 )     (6,677,746 )     (6,902,308 )
Total interest expense     (5,643,118 )     (5,881,921 )     (10,887,541 )     (11,476,833 )
                                 
Other income     -       219,709       -       22,988  
Total other (expense) income     (5,643,118 )     (5,662,212 )     (10,887,541 )     (11,453,845 )
                                 
Net loss   $ (9,698,245 )   $ (9,998,264 )   $ (22,836,087 )   $ (31,665,773 )

  

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

 

F-38

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN MEMBERS’ EQUITY

(Unaudited)

 

    Members’
Equity
 
Balance at January 1, 2020   $ 34,949,339  
Contribution from members     3,699,000  
Net loss     (22,836,087 )
Balance,  June 30, 2020   $ 15,812,252  
         
Balance at January 1, 2019   $ 90,853,219  
Net loss     (31,665,773 )
Balance,  June 30, 2019   $ 59,187,446  
         
Balance at April 1, 2020   $ 21,811,497  
Contribution from members   $ 3,699,000  
Net loss     (9,698,245 )
Balance at June 30, 2020   $ 15,812,252  
         
Balance at April 1, 2019   $ 69,185,710  
Net loss     (9,998,264 )
Balance at June 30, 2019   $ 59,187,446  

  

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

 

F-39

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

 

    For the Six Months Ended
June 30,
 
    2020     2019  
Cash Flows From Operating Activities            
Net loss   $ (22,836,087 )   $ (31,665,773 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to cash flows (used in) provided by operating activities                
Depreciation expense     5,445,423       5,412,733  
Amortization of note discounts     6,677,746       6,902,308  
Bad debt expense     -       135,666  
Prepaid rent     (2,974,224 )     -  
Loss on abandonment of project development costs     -       12,194,783  
Income from equity method investment     -       22,998  
Deferred rent expense     -       (7,233 )
Interest paid in kind     2,199,714       -  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
Accounts receivable     (346,185 )     1,115,535  
Prepaid expenses and other assets     (576,496 )     1,042,544  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     2,121,854       2,842,819  
Due to affiliates     (3,619,101 )     3,134,923  
Other liabilities     3,441,126       2,064,165  
   Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities     (10,466,230 )     3,195,468  
                 
Cash Flows From Investing Activities                
Additions to project development costs     (14,688,633 )     (7,418,308 )
Purchase of leasehold improvements     (156,390 )     -  
Net cash used in investing activities     (14,845,023 )     (7,418,308 )
                 
Cash Flows From Financing Activities                
Proceeds from notes payable     36,014,210       5,470,000  
Repayments of notes payable     (5,572,102 )     (3,304,312 )
Payment of financing costs     (135,268 )     (511,608 )
Net cash provided by financing activities     30,306,840       1,654,080  
                 
Net increase (decrease) in cash and restricted cash     4,995,587       (2,568,760 )
                 
Cash and restricted cash, beginning of period     8,614,592       8,417,950  
                 
Cash and restricted cash, end of period   $ 13,610,179     $ 5,849,190  
                 
Cash   $ 2,149,500     $ 190,447  
Restricted Cash     11,460,679       5,658,743  
Total cash and restricted cash   $ 13,610,179     $ 5,849,190  

 

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

 

F-40

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

 

    For the Six Months Ended
June 30,
 
    2020     2019  
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information            
Cash paid during the period for interest   $ 1,463,074     $ 978,905  
                 
Non-cash investing and financing activities                
Project development cost acquired through accounts payable and accrued expenses, net   $ 2,184,718     $ 31,539  
                 
Non-cash contribution from PFHOF in shared services agreement   $ 3,699,000     $ -  

   

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

 

F-41

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 1: Organization and Nature of Business

 

Organization and Nature of Business

 

HOF Village, LLC (“HOFV” or the “Company”) was established as a Delaware Limited Liability Company on August 5, 2015, and operates under an agreement dated December 11, 2018 that was amended by the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement dated July 31, 2019 (the “LLC Agreement”). Pursuant to the LLC Agreement, the Company was established by initial equity members IRG Canton Village Member, LLC (“IRG Member”), a Delaware Limited Liability Company, and National Football Museum, Inc., doing business as the Pro Football Hall of Fame (“PFHOF”), an Ohio corporation, collectively (the “Members”). The Company was formed for the purpose of developing a mixed-use real estate and entertainment destination in Canton, Ohio, which is presently comprised of approximately 100 acres of land surrounding the historic Pro Football Hall of Fame (the “Hall of Fame Village Property”) through its subsidiaries. In 2016, HOF Village was rebranded as Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village (“JCIHOFV”) as part of an 18-year, $135 million naming rights agreement with Johnson Controls (see Note 6). As of June 30, 2020, IRG owned 59% of HOF Village and PFHOF owned 35% of HOF Village.

 

The term of the Company shall continue in perpetuity in full force and effect until the dissolution and termination of the Company in accordance with the terms of the Amended LLC agreement or by operation of law.

 

The JCIHOFV consists of dynamic, multi-use venues which management believes will generate significant attendance from the region through strong synergies between project components. Phase I was completed on August 1, 2017, having constructed the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (“Stadium”) in Canton, Ohio, youth fields, land acquisition, parking infrastructure and general site infrastructure and formed a media company. Plans for future components of the JCIHOFV include two premium hotels, an indoor waterpark, the Center for Excellence (with an office building including retail and dining establishments), the Center for Performance (a convention center/field house) and the Hall of Fame Retail Promenade. Long-term expansion plans include the addition of the Hall of Fame Experience (an immersive VR/AR attraction), a luxury hotel with retail space, a performance center/arena, multi-family housing, and other complementary components.

 

The Company has entered into several agreements with Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is an affiliate of JCIHOFV, and government entities which outline the rights and obligations of each of the parties with regard to the property on which the JCIHOFV sits, portions of which are owned by the Company and portions of which are net leased to the Company by the government entities (see Note 7). Under these agreements, Pro Football Hall of Fame and the government entities are entitled to use portions of the JCIHOFV on a direct-cost basis.

 

On December 11, 2018, the Company entered into the Master Transaction Agreement, whereby, among other things, it amended its LLC Agreement (see Note 4).

  

F-42

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 1: Organization and Nature of Business (continued)

 

Organization and Nature of Business (continued)

 

On September 16, 2019, the Company entered into a definitive business combination agreement (as amended, the “BCA” or the “Business Combination Agreement”, and the transactions contemplated thereby, the “Business Combination”) with Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp (“GPAQ”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, and HOF Village Newco, LLC (“Newco”), to create a sports, entertainment and media enterprise surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On July 1, 2020, the parties to the BCA consummated the transactions contemplated thereby, which included the Company transferring all of its assets and liabilities to Newco, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Holdings, subsequently renamed Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (“HOFRE”). The Business Combination is further described in Note 13.

 

Liquidity and Going Concern

 

The Company has sustained recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations through June 30, 2020. In addition, its Bridge Loan matures within twelve months from the issuance of these condensed consolidated financial statements, in November 2020. Since inception, the Company’s operations have been funded principally through the issuance of debt. As of June 30, 2020, the Company had approximately $2.2 million of unrestricted cash. On July 1, 2020, the Company consummated its merger agreement with GPAQ, whereby the Company’s convertible notes were converted into equity, $15.0 million of the Company’s Bridge Loan was converted into equity and $15.5 million of its Bridge Loan was repaid. The balance of approximately $34.5 million has been guaranteed by IRG. In the event that IRG advances funds to the Company to pay off the Bridge Loan, under the terms of the guarantee, IRG will become a lender to the Company with a maturity date of August 2021. The Company believes that, as a result, it currently has sufficient cash and financing commitments to meet its funding requirements over the next year. The Company expects that it will need to raise additional financing to accomplish its development plan over the next several years. The Company expects to seek to obtain additional funding through convertible debt financing via Private Investment in Public Equity (“PIPE”) Investments. There can be no assurance as to the availability or terms upon which such financing and capital might be available.

 

F-43

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 1: Organization and Nature of Business (continued)

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and Rule 10 of SEC Regulation S–X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for audited financial statements. However, in the opinion of management of the Company, all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for the fair presentation of the financial position and operating results have been included in these statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed March 10, 2020.

 

Operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any subsequent quarters or for the year ending December 31, 2020.

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Consolidation

 

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts and activity of the Company, and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Investments in a variable interest entity in which the Company is not the primary beneficiary; or where the Company does not own a majority interest but has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for using the equity method. All intercompany profits, transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates and assumptions for the Company relate to bad debt, depreciation, costs capitalized to project development costs, useful lives of assets, fair value of financial instruments, and estimates and assumptions used to measure impairment. Management adjusts such estimates when facts and circumstances dictate. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

F-44

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Property and Equipment and Project Development Costs

 

Property and equipment are recorded at historical cost and are depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. During the construction period, the Company capitalizes all costs related to the development of the Hall of Fame Village. Project development costs include predevelopment costs, amortization of finance costs, real estate taxes, insurance, and other project costs incurred during the period of development. The capitalization of costs began during the preconstruction period, which the Company defines as activities that are necessary to the development of the project. The Company ceases cost capitalization when a portion of the project is held available for occupancy and placed into service. This usually occurs upon substantial completion of all costs necessary to bring a portion of the project to the condition needed for its intended use, but no later than one year from the completion of major construction activity. The Company will continue to capitalize only those costs associated with the portion still under construction. Capitalization will also cease if activities necessary for the development of the project have been suspended. As of June 30, 2020, the second two phases of the project remained subject to such capitalization.

 

The Company reviews its property and equipment and projects under development for impairment whenever events or changes indicate that the carrying value of the long-lived assets may not be fully recoverable. In cases where the Company does not expect to recover its carrying costs, an impairment charge is recorded.

 

The Company measures and records impairment losses on its long-lived assets when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than their carrying amount. Considerable judgment by management is necessary to estimate undiscounted future operating cash flows and fair values and, accordingly, actual results could vary significantly from such estimates. On January 18, 2019, management determined that previously capitalized costs for the development of a hotel should be written off because plans for this particular hotel and site location have been abandoned and will not benefit the current plans for another hotel elsewhere on the site. Management reviewed its capitalized costs and identified the costs that had no future benefit. The Company recorded a $12,194,783 charge as a loss on abandonment of project development costs within the accompanying statement of operations.

 

Cash and Restricted Cash

 

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased, to be cash equivalents. There were no cash equivalents at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The Company maintains its cash and escrow accounts at national financial institutions. The balances, at times, may exceed federally insured limits.

 

Restricted cash includes escrow reserve accounts for capital improvements and debt service as required under certain of the Company’s debt agreements. The balances at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 were $11,460,679 and $5,796,398, respectively.

 

F-45

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Accounts Receivable

 

Accounts receivable are generally amounts due under sponsorship and other agreements. Accounts receivable are reviewed for delinquencies on a case by case basis and are considered delinquent when the sponsor or debtor has missed a scheduled payment. Interest is not charged on delinquencies.

 

The carrying amount of accounts receivable is reduced by an allowance that reflects management’s best estimate of the amounts that will not be collected. Management individually reviews all delinquent accounts receivable balances and based on an assessment of current creditworthiness, estimates the portion, if any, of the balance that will not be collected. At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had an allowance for doubtful accounts of $0 and $1,306,047, respectively, which relates to the Company’s receivable from Youth Sports Management, LLC (“Youth Sports”). See Note 7 for additional information on Youth Sports.

 

Deferred Financing Costs

 

Costs incurred in obtaining financing are capitalized and amortized to additions in project development costs during the construction period over the term of the related loans, without regard for any extension options until the project or portion thereof is considered substantially complete. Upon substantial completion of the project or portion thereof, such costs are amortized as interest expense over the term of the related loan. Any unamortized costs are shown as an offset to Notes Payable on the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet.

 

Investment in Joint Venture

 

The Company previously used the equity method to record the activities of its 50% owned joint venture in Youth Sports. The equity method of accounting required that the Company recognize its initial capital investment at cost and subsequently, its share of the earnings or losses in the joint venture. The joint venture agreement was structured whereby the Company was not at risk for losses above its original capital investment. Therefore, the Company did not record a deficit that would have resulted in the equity being negative from the investment in joint venture.

 

The maximum exposure to loss represented the potential loss of assets which may have been recognized by the Company relating to its investment in the joint venture. On May 29, 2020, the Company acquired the remaining 50% in Youth Sports for the accounts receivable amounts due from them, which was fully reserved as of the date of the transaction. The results of this non-cash transaction increased the Company’s interest to 100%. Upon acquisition, the Company consolidated the Youth Sports joint venture, an inactive voting interest entity. The Company accounted for the transaction as an asset acquisition under a cost accumulation model, no gain on the change of control of interest was recognized in the consolidation, resulting in no consolidated assets or liabilities.

  

F-46

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Income Taxes

 

Income taxes are accounted for under the provisions of the “Income Taxes” topic of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”). There is no provision in the accompanying financial statements for federal or state income taxes because the entities comprising the Company are organized as limited liability companies structured to be treated as a partnership for income tax purposes. Accordingly, items of income, expense, deduction, and credit are reported in the individual income tax returns of the members.

 

In accordance with the “Income Taxes” topic of the FASB ASC, uncertain income tax positions are evaluated at least annually by management. The Company classifies interest and penalties related to income tax matters within property operating expenses in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. As of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company identified no uncertain income tax positions and has incurred no amounts for income tax penalties and interest for the periods then ended.

 

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (the “Budget Act”) provides new rules for the audits of entities treated as partnerships for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2018.  These rules will only apply in the event the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) audits the Company’s tax return. 

 

Should the Company subsequently receive such a notice and should the audit result in adjustments increasing the taxable income of the members, the Company may be liable for payment of the income taxes that would have been imposed on the members.  If the Company is eligible to make an election out of the new rules and makes such an election or the Company elects to push out the adjustments to the members in a timely manner, the Company will not be liable for any income taxes that result from any IRS audit of any taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2018. As of the date of this report, the Company has not received any notice of audit by the IRS. 

 

Revenue Recognition

 

The Company has adopted ASC 606, Revenue with Contracts with Customers, with a date of initial application of January 1, 2019. As a result, the Company has updated its accounting policy for revenue recognition to reflect the new standard. Under ASC 606, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition for arrangements that an entity determines are within the scope of ASC 606, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.

 

The Company generates revenues from various streams such as sponsorship agreements, rents, cost recoveries and event revenues. The sponsorship arrangements, in which the customer sponsors a play area or event and receives specified brand recognition and other benefits over a set period of time, recognized revenue on a straight-line basis over the time period specified in the contract. Refer to Note 6 for more details. Revenue for rents, cost recoveries and events are recognized at the time the respective event or service has been performed.

 

F-47

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Revenue Recognition (continued)

 

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to a customer. If the contract does not specify the revenue by performance obligation, the Company allocates the transaction price to each performance obligation based on its relative standalone selling price. Such prices are generally determined using prices charged to customers or using the Company’s expected cost plus margin. Revenue is recognized as the Company’s performance obligations are satisfied. If consideration is received in advance of the Company’s performance, including amounts which are refundable, recognition of revenue is deferred until the performance obligation is satisfied or amounts are no longer refundable.

 

Advertising

 

The Company expenses all advertising and marketing costs as they are incurred. Total advertising and marketing costs for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 were $49,908 and $14,946, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 were $267,595 and $41,774, respectively, which are recorded as property operating expenses on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations.

 

The Company also received a grant of $100,000 from Visit Canton on April 3, 2020, whose purpose is to be used to generate visitors to the Canton area through the Company’s events. This grant will be used to offset future marketing and tourism expenses. The grant is recorded in other liabilities on the Company’s unaudited condensed balance sheet.

 

Ground Rent Expense

 

Ground rent expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the related operating lease.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The carrying amounts of cash, accounts receivable, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, due to affiliate, other liabilities, preferred equity instruments, and notes payable approximate their fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The Company’s operations and financing activities are conducted in United States dollars and as a result, the Company is not subject to significant exposure to market risks from changes in foreign currency rates. The Company is exposed to credit risk through its cash and restricted cash, but mitigates this risk by keeping these deposits at major financial institutions.

 

ASC 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” provides the framework for measuring fair value. That framework provides a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements).

 

Fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received upon the sale of an asset or payment to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. Fair value is a market-based measurement that is determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.

 

F-48

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments (continued)

 

A three-tier fair value hierarchy is used to prioritize the inputs in measuring fair value as follows:

 

Level 1 Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

 

Level 2 Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly.

 

Level 3 Significant unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by market data.

 

At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company did not have any financial instruments that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

 

On December 11, 2018, in connection with the Master Transaction Agreement (as discussed in Note 4), the Company recorded the initial values of its preferred equity loan and subordinated debt agreements at fair value. The Company used the following assumptions to calculate the fair value of those instruments:

 

    Preferred Equity Loan     Subordinated Debt  
Face value   $ 95,500,000     $ 6,450,000  
Issuance date     December 11, 2018       December 11, 2018  
Maturity date     February 26, 2023       December 11, 2023  
Stated coupon rate     4.25 %     5.00 %
Discount rate     22.3 %     17.3 %

 

The Company has determined the estimated fair value amounts by using available market information and commonly accepted valuation methodologies. However, considerable judgment is required in interpreting market data to develop the estimates of fair value. Accordingly, the estimates presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that the Company or holders of the instruments could realize in a current market exchange. The use of different assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair values.

 

F-49

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Recent Accounting Standards

 

In February 2016, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as modified by subsequently issued ASU Nos. 2018-01, 2018-10, 2018-11, 2018-20 and 2019-01 (collectively “ASU 2016-02”). This ASU is effective for private companies beginning after December 15, 2021. ASU 2016-02 requires recognition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. Most prominent among the changes in ASU 2016-02 is the lessees’ recognition of a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for operating leases. The right-of-use asset and lease liability are initially measured based on the present value of committed lease payments. Leases are classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition. Expenses related to operating leases are recognized on a straight-line basis, while those related to financing leases are recognized under a front-loaded approach in which interest expense and amortization of the right-of-use asset are presented separately in the statement of operations. As the Company is an emerging growth company and following private company deadlines, the Company has an additional deferral under this ASU to adopt beginning after December 15, 2022. Similarly, lessors are required to classify leases as sales-type, finance or operating with classification affecting the pattern of income recognition. Classification for both lessees and lessors is based on an assessment of whether risks and rewards as well as substantive control have been transferred through a lease contract. ASU 2016-02 also requires qualitative and quantitative disclosures to assess the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of this new standard on its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) (“ASU 2016-13”), as amended by ASU 2018-19, 2019-04, and 2019-11. This standard requires the use of a forward-looking expected loss impairment model for trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, loans and other instruments. ASU 2016-13 does not prescribe a specific method to make the estimate, so its application will require significant judgment. ASU 2016-13 is effective for public companies in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Based on the Company’s analysis, ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations and financial condition upon adoption on January 1, 2020.

 

In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05, Targeted Transition Relief, which allows entities with an option to elect fair value for certain instruments upon adoption of Topic 326. The standard is effective for the Company for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of this new standard on its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (“Topic 740”): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”). ASU 2019-12 simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740. ASU 2019-12 also simplifies aspects of accounting for franchise taxes and clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual and interim financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of this new standard on its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

  

F-50

 

   

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Recent Accounting Standards (continued)

 

In January 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-01, Investments—Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments—Equity Method and Joint-Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815). Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815.” This ASU is effective for private companies beginning after December 15, 2021. Early application is permitted, including early adoption in an interim period for public business entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. An entity should apply ASU No. 2020-01 prospectively at the beginning of the interim period that includes the adoption date. This ASU among other things clarifies that a company should consider observable transactions that require a company to either apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting under Topic 323, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures, for the purposes of applying the measurement alternative in accordance with Topic 321 immediately before applying or upon discontinuing the equity method. The new ASU clarifies that, when determining the accounting for certain forward contracts and purchased options a company should not consider, whether upon settlement or exercise, if the underlying securities would be accounted for under the equity method or fair value option. Following the completion of the Business Combination, this new standard is no longer applicable to the Company.

 

In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements,” which requires an entity (a lessee or lessor) to provide transition disclosures under Topic 250 upon adoption of Topic 842. In February 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-02, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases. The ASU adds and amends SEC paragraphs in the Accounting Standards Codification to reflect the issuance of SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 related to the new credit losses standard and comments by the SEC staff related to the revised effective date of the new leases standard. This new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of this new standard on its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

Subsequent Events

 

Subsequent events have been evaluated through October 16, 2020, the date the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements were issued. Other than what has been disclosed in the condensed consolidated financial statements, no other events have been identified requiring disclosure or recording.

  

F-51

 

  

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

  

Note 3: Property and Equipment and Project Development Costs

 

Property and equipment consists of the following:

  

    Useful Life   June 30,
2020
    December 31,
2019
 
Land       $ 278,556     $ 278,556  
Land improvements   25 years     31,078,211       31,078,211  
Building and improvements   15 to 39 years     128,756,221       128,599,831  
Equipment   5 to 10 years     1,313,488       1,313,488  
Property and equipment, gross         161,426,476       161,270,086  
                     
Less: accumulated depreciation         (31,804,622 )     (26,359,199 )
Property and equipment, net       $ 129,621,854     $ 134,910,887  
                     
Project development costs       $ 105,461,050     $ 88,587,699  

 

During the second quarter 2020, the Company capitalized leasehold improvements that were completed and placed into service totaling $156,390.

 

For the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recorded depreciation expense of $2,723,303 and $2,721,317, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, of $5,445,423 and $5,412,733, respectively. Additionally, the Company recorded a charge of $12,194,783 for the six months ended June 30, 2019 for a loss on abandonment of project development costs for previously capitalized development costs within the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company incurred $16,873,351 and $7,449,847 of capitalized project development costs, respectively.

 

F-52

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net

 

Notes payable, net consisted of the following at June 30, 2020:

 

    Gross     Discount     Net  
Bridge loan   $ 65,000,000     $ (130,042 )   $ 64,869,958  
TIF loan     9,752,000       (1,700,439 )     8,051,561  
Syndicated unsecured term loan     9,355,789       (2,563,624 )     6,792,165  
Preferred equity loan     103,058,750       (47,535,602 )     55,523,148  
Land loan with affiliate     1,273,888       -       1,273,888  
Naming rights securitization loan     5,566,082       (341,976 )     5,224,106  
City of Canton Loan     2,596,235       (8,270 )     2,587,965  
New Market/SCF     2,211,313       -       2,211,313  
McKinley Grand Mortgage     1,900,000       (42,696 )     1,857,304  
Constellation EME     9,900,000       -       9,900,000  
Convertible notes     18,185,382       (432,416 )     17,752,966  
IRG November Note     22,365,646       (27,450 )     22,338,196  
Paycheck protection plan loan     390,400       -       390,400  
JKP Capital loan     4,453,831       (24,373 )     4,429,458  
SCF subordinated note     1,000,000       -       1,000,000  
Total   $ 257,009,316     $ (52,806,888 )   $ 204,202,428  

 

Notes payable, net consisted of the following at December 31, 2019:

 

    Gross     Discount     Net  
Bridge loan   $ 65,000,000     $ (361,655 )   $ 64,638,345  
TIF loan     9,847,000       (1,721,761 )     8,125,239  
Syndicated unsecured term loan     6,803,530       (2,838,067 )     3,965,463  
Preferred equity loan     99,603,847       (53,365,911 )     46,237,936  
Land loan with affiliate     1,273,888       -       1,273,888  
Naming rights securitization loan     9,235,845       (566,096 )     8,669,749  
McKinley Grand Mortgage     1,900,000       (51,787 )     1,848,213  
CH capital lending     1,807,339       -       1,807,339  
Convertible notes     17,310,252       (471,965 )     16,838,287  
IRG November Note     11,585,792       (67,537 )     11,518,255  
Total   $ 224,367,493     $ (59,444,779 )   $ 164,922,714  

  

During the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recorded amortization of note discounts of $3,443,333 and $3,538,040, respectively. During the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recorded amortization of note discounts of $6,677,746 and $6,902,308, respectively.

 

F-53

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (continued)

 

Accrued Interest on Notes Payable

 

As of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, accrued interest on notes payable, were as follows:

 

    June 30,
2020
    December 31,
2019
 
Bridge loan   $ 3,317,793     $ 2,084,711  
Preferred equity loan     2,916,477       717,286  
Land loan with affiliate     44,964       101,662  
Constellation EME     214,742       -  
New Market/SCF     25,126       -  
Naming rights securitization loan     -       30,786  
City of Canton Loan     7,601       -  
McKinley Grand Mortgage     -       41,821  
Paycheck Protection Program Loan     738       -  
JKP Capital Note     10,439       -  
SCF Subordinated Note     1,111       -  
Convertible notes     262,678       269,271  
Total   $ 6,801,669     $ 3,245,537  

 

The amounts above were included in accounts payable and accrued expenses and other liabilities on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet, as follows:

 

    June 30,
2020
    December 31,
2019
 
Accounts payable and accrued expenses   $ 3,885,192     $ 2,528,251  
Other liabilities     2,916,477       717,286  
    $ 6,801,669     $ 3,245,537  

 

Bridge Loan

 

On March 20, 2018, the Company negotiated a term loan (“Bridge Loan”), with additional amendments during 2018, creating a facility of $65,000,000 with a number of lenders, overseen by a single administrative agent, and secured by a mortgage and a security interest in the assets of the Company. In addition, a guaranty was provided by an affiliated individual. On February 19, 2019, a forbearance agreement was signed which amended the additional margin over LIBOR to 12.5% and extended the maturity date until June 28, 2019. The Company received additional extensions on this Bridge Loan to September 13, 2019 and again on November 16, 2019. Among other things, this amendment extended the maturity date of the facility to October 31, 2020 and has a flat interest rate of 12% computed on an annual basis. The Bridge Loan has an exit fee of 1% on the $65,000,000 balance due at the maturity of the loan, which the Company is accreting over the term of the Bridge Loan.

 

F-54

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (continued)

 

Bridge Loan (continued)

 

At the date of the business combination between the Company and GPAQ, on July 1, 2020, the Company used proceeds from the business combination to pay $15,500,000 on the Bridge Loan, while an additional $15,000,000 converted into equity in the newly formed HOFRE. The remaining balance following the business combination was approximately $34,500,000. The maturity date on the remaining balance has been extended one month to November 30, 2020. Should the Company be unable to pay off the principal balance at maturity, IRG agreed to advance funds to the Company to pay off the Bridge Loan, under the terms of the guarantee. As a result, IRG would become a lender to the Company with a maturity date of August 2021.

 

Tax Incremental Funding Loan

 

For the Company, the Development Finance Authority of Summit County (“DFA Summit”) offered a private placement of $10,030,000 in taxable development revenue bonds, Series 2018. The bond proceeds are to reimburse the developer for costs of certain public improvements at the JCIHOFV, which are eligible uses of tax-incremental funding (TIF) proceeds.

 

Under the cooperative agreement entered into by the Company, two subsidiaries, the City of Canton, DFA Summit, Stark County Port Authority, and the bank trustee, the Company and certain subsidiaries have been exempted from certain real estate taxes. However, the Company must make real estate tax payments on the TIF parcels sufficient to cover future required payments on the bond debt service until the 2018 bonds are no longer outstanding. This is a significant commitment made by the Company and is guaranteed by an individual’s trust, an individual, and two subsidiaries of the Company.

 

Since the bond debt service is fixed and determinable, a liability has been recorded as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, representing the present value of the future bond debt service payments. The term of the TIF requires the Company to make installment payments through July 31, 2048. The current imputed interest rate is 5.2%, which runs through July 31, 2028. The imputed interest rate then increases to 6.6% through July 31, 2038 and finally increases to 7.7% through the remainder of the TIF. The Company is required to make payments on the TIF semi-annually in June and December each year. During the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company made principal payments on this loan totaling $95,000 and $90,000, respectively.

 

Syndicated Unsecured Term Loan and Preferred Equity Loan

 

On January 1, 2016, as amended and restated on October 15, 2017, the Company entered into a financing agreement with a syndicate of lenders, including affiliates of the IRG member, for a loan amount up to $150,000,000 as an unsecured promissory note. The loan may not be prepaid either in whole or in part until the initial maturity date without the express consent of the lender. The loan proceeds are intended to cover working capital and the construction costs for venues including the Stadium, Youth Fields, and campus infrastructure projects. The maturity date is February 26, 2021, and the loan accrues interest at a rate of 12% per annum.

 

F-55

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (continued)

 

Syndicated Unsecured Term Loan and Preferred Equity Loan (continued)

 

On December 11, 2018, the Company and various parties signed a Master Transaction Agreement (“Master Agreement”) setting forth various terms and conditions for the development of JCIHOFV. As part of the Master Agreement, American Capital Center, LLC (ACC), an affiliate, exchanged $106,450,000 of the Company’s debt and $24,470,142 of accrued interest and origination fees, as well as $336,579 of amounts due to Pro Football Hall of Fame, by converting it to preferred equity instruments with a face value of $95,500,000 and an amended subordinated debt agreement with a face value of $6,450,000. In accordance with the Extinguishment of Liabilities subtopic of the FASB ASC 470-50, given that ACC was a related party, the Company treated the Master Agreement as a capital transaction and recapitalized the debt to equity in the amount of $96,076,120, net of discounts and unamortized deferred financing costs.

 

The subordinated debt accrues interest at a rate of 5% and the balance is due February 26, 2021. The remaining subordinated debt is subordinate to the bridge loan. Additionally, the subordinated debt contains a payment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest provision, which represents contractually deferred interest added to the subordinated debt outstanding balance that is due at maturity. For the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company incurred PIK interest of $165,907 and $83,123, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company incurred PIK interest of $252,259 and $164,308, respectively.

 

Land Loan with Affiliate

 

On July 10, 2017, the Company entered into a promissory note with the National Football Museum, Inc., doing business as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an affiliate of JCIHOFV, for purpose of the acquisition of land at the Hall of Fame Village. The promissory note with an outstanding balance of $1,273,888 at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 bears interest at a rate of 1.22% per annum. The loan may be prepaid in whole or in part without penalty. For any unpaid balance after December 31, 2017, the interest rate was increased by 5%. The loan is subordinate to the Bridge Loan and has a maturity date of February 26, 2023.

 

Naming Rights Securitization Loan

 

On November 9, 2017, the Company, through a subsidiary, JCIHOFV Financing, LLC, entered into a secured loan with a financial institution for $22,800,000, collateralized by the entire payment stream of the Johnson Controls Naming Rights Agreement dated November 17, 2016 (See Note 6). Monthly payments include principal and interest at 4% per annum with the remaining principal balance due on March 31, 2021. The loan may not be prepaid, in whole or in part, without paying the prepayment premium, which is equal to the present value of the remaining interest payments.

 

City of Canton Loan

 

On December 30, 2019, the Company entered into a loan facility with the City of Canton, OH, whereby it may borrow up to $3,500,000. The loan accrues interest at a rate of one-half percent (0.5%) per annum. Upon an event of default, the interest rate will increase to five percent (5%) per annum on the outstanding balance at the time of default. The loan shall mature on July 1, 2027. During the three months ended June 30, 2020, the Company borrowed $1,172,698 on the loan and for the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company borrowed $2,596,235 on the loan.

 

F-56

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (continued)

 

New Market Project Loan

 

On December 30, 2019, the Company entered into a loan facility with New Market Project, Inc., whereby it may borrow up to $3,000,000, of which the proceeds are to be used for the development of McKinley Grand Hotel, as described below. During the three months ended June 30, 2020, the Company borrowed $1,384,952 and during the six months ended June 30, 2020 the Company borrowed $2,211,313 on this facility. The loan has a maturity date of December 30, 2024 and accrues interest at a rate of 4% per annum. In the event of default, including failure to pay upon final maturity, the interest rate shall increase by adding a 5% fee that applies to each succeeding interest rate change that would have applied had there been no default.

 

McKinley Grand Mortgage

 

On October 22, 2019, the Company purchased the McKinley Grand Hotel in Canton, Ohio for $3.9 million, which was partially financed by separate notes payable of $1,900,000 and $1,807,339.

 

The $1,807,339 notes payable accrues interest at a fixed rate equal to ten percent (10%) per annum. The Company was required to make payments commencing on or prior to December 30, 2019. The maturity date of the loan was April 30, 2020 and interest was payable quarterly. The Company was previously in default on the $1,807,339 note, however the note was paid in full on June 19, 2020, as discussed below.

 

The $1,900,000 note payable has a maturity date of October 22, 2021. Interest accrues at a rate that is equal to the greater of (i) 3.75% or (ii) the sum of the LIBOR rate plus 2.75%. The Company is required to make interest payments commencing on November 1, 2019, and on the first day of each successive month until the note is repaid.

 

Constellation EME

 

On December 30, 2019, the Company entered into a loan facility with Constellation whereby it may borrow up to $9,900,000 (the “Loan Facility”). The proceeds of the Loan Facility are to be held in escrow by a custodian to fund future development costs. The proceeds will be released from escrow as development costs are incurred. The Loan Facility was amended on April 13, 2020 to modify the payment schedule and maturity date, reflecting current project timetables. The maturity date is December 31, 2022 and payments are due in twenty-nine (29) monthly installments totaling $11,075,000, with an effective interest rate of 6.1%. Beginning in August 2020 through December 2020, the monthly installment amount is $55,000 which increases in January 2021 to $450,000 through December 2022. During the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company borrowed the full amount under the Loan Facility. The balance of the escrow account included in restricted cash on the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2020 was approximately $8.5 million.

 

As of June 30, 2020, $1,518,013 of such funds had been released from the custodial accounts to the Company under this facility.

 

The Company also has a sponsorship agreement with Constellation. Refer to Note 6 for additional information.

 

F-57

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (continued)

 

Convertible Notes

 

On December 24, 2018, the Company issued a series of convertible notes totaling $7,750,000. The notes accrue interest at a rate of 10%, with payments due semi-annually in arrears. The principal and all accrued interest is due November 5, 2025. The Company may redeem the notes after December 24, 2023, subject to terms defined in the individual notes. Notes redeemed between December 24, 2023 and December 24, 2024 will be redeemed at 105% of face value. Notes redeemed after December 24, 2024 will be redeemed at 102.5% of face value. Additionally, the convertible notes contain a PIK interest provision, which represents contractually deferred interest added to the convertible notes outstanding balance that is due at maturity. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company incurred PIK interest of $875,129 and for the six months ended June 30, 2019, the Company incurred PIK interest of $424,722. The notes are subject to automatic conversion to equity instruments when the Company achieves certain financing goals. The notes convert into a number of conversion units equal to the outstanding principal balance of the notes divided by the price per unit at the valuation set by the investor or the Company. The notes are subordinate to the Bridge Loan. There are no embedded beneficial conversion features deemed to be present in these notes.

 

IRG November Note

 

On February 7, 2020, as effective on November 27, 2019, the Company entered into a loan facility with the IRG Member, whereby it may borrow up to $30,000,000 (the “IRG November Note”). As of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the aggregate principal amounts, excluding PIK interest, borrowed on this facility were $22,365,646 and $11,585,792, respectively. The IRG November Note accrues interest at a rate of 12% per annum and has a maturity date of November 1, 2020. Additionally, the IRG November Note contains a PIK interest provision, which represents contractually deferred interest added to the IRG November Note outstanding balance that is due at maturity. For the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company incurred PIK interest of $605,774 and $0, and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 incurred, $1,072,326 and $0, respectively.

 

Paycheck Protection Program Loan

 

On April 22, 2020, the Company obtained a Paycheck Protection Program Loan (“PPP Loan”) for $390,400. The loan has a fixed interest rate of 1%, requires the Company to make eighteen (18) monthly payments of $17,325 beginning on November 22, 2020 with a maturity date of April 22, 2022 subject to debt forgiveness provisions from the Small Business Association.

 

JKP Capital Loan

 

On June 19, 2020, the Company entered into a note with JKP Financial, LLC (the “JKP Capital Loan”) for up to $7,000,000. The JKP Capital Loan bears interest at a rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum and matures on August 31, 2021. The Company is required to pay all unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest on August 31, 2021. The Company will use the remaining proceeds of the JKP Capital Loan to fund its Phase II and Phase III construction costs.

 

F-58

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (continued)

 

JKP Capital Loan (continued)

 

On June 19, 2020, the Company paid, in full, the $1,807,339 principal and $121,492 of accrued interest owed to its lender for the purchase of the McKinley Grand Mortgage utilizing the proceeds of the JKP Capital Loan (as described above).

 

SCF Subordinated Note

 

On June 22, 2020, the Company entered into a loan facility with Stark Community Foundation (the “SCF Subordinated Note”) for $1,000,000. The SCF Subordinated Note has a fixed interest rate of five percent (5%) per annum, has a PIK interest provision that is payable semi-annually in arrears on each July 22 and January 22 commencing July 22, 2020, and matures on June 22, 2023.

 

Future Minimum Principal Payments

 

The minimum required principal payments on notes payable outstanding as of June 30, 2020, are as follows:

 

For the year ended December 31,   Amount  
2020 (six months)   $ 92,514,014  
2021     17,039,441  
2022     6,989,541  
2023     108,636,389  
2024     2,623,313  
Thereafter     29,206,618  
Total Gross Principal Payments   $ 257,009,316  
Less: Discount     (52,806,888 )
Total Net Principal Payments   $ 204,202,428  

  

F-59

 

  

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 5: Members’ Equity

 

The operating agreement allows for two types of member interests in the Company – Preferred and Common. As of both June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the members consisted of one Preferred Member and five Common Members.

 

Distributions are made to members from cash flow from operations, as available, in the preference order set forth in the operating agreement. The operating agreement states that the Preferred Member is entitled to cash distributions first, until their preferred return of 4.25%, compounded annually, on the outstanding balance of their preferred unreturned capital amount is paid. After five years from the effective date of the operating agreement, the preferred return is 5.0%, compounded annually. Preferred equity dividends are recorded as interest expense. For the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, $1,129,141 and $1,691,145 have been earned, respectively, and $2,199,191 and $2,705,833 have been earned for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Given that the preferred equity had a redemption feature, the redemption value of the preferred members’ equity is included as “preferred equity loan” in notes payable, net on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

On June 30, 2020, the Company entered into a Shared Services Agreement with PFHOF (the “Shared Services Agreement”). Per the terms of the Shared Services Agreement, PFHOF forgave a cumulative amount of $5,150,000 for services previously provided to the Company. Similarly, the Company forgave a total of $1,200,000 for services that the Company previously performed for PFHOF. Additionally, the Company wrote-off the Tom Benson statue, which was valued as of the date of the Shared Services Agreement at $251,000 while the Company had valued it at $300,000. As this is a related party transaction, the Company treated the resulting difference of $3,699,000 as a contribution from one of its members in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2020.

 

Net income and net losses are allocated between the members in accordance with the preference order noted in the operating agreement.

 

Note 6: Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments

 

Johnson Controls, Inc.

 

An 18-year sponsorship agreement between Johnson Controls, Inc. (“JCI”) and the Company was signed on November 17, 2016. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will receive $135 million in return for granting JCI exclusive naming rights over the facility. The Company is contractually obligated to spend $45 million as activation expenses for the benefit of promoting the Johnson Controls and HOF Village brands.

 

JCI has the right to terminate the agreement if the project is not substantially complete by December 31, 2021.

 

As amended, as of June 30, 2020, scheduled future cash to be received and required activation spend under the non-cancellable period of the agreement are as follows:

 

    Unrestricted     Activation     Total  
Remainder of 2020 (six months)   $ 5,197,917     $ -     $ 5,197,917  
2021     4,718,750       750,000       5,468,750  
Total   $ 9,916,667     $ 750,000     $ 10,666,667  

 

F-60

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 6: Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments (continued)

 

Johnson Controls, Inc. (continued)

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $1,237,347 and $1,237,347 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. During the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $2,474,694 and $2,461,097 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. Accounts receivable from JCI totaled $475,525 and $84,164 at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

The Company entered into an amendment with JCI on July 2, 2020. See Note 13 for additional information.

 

Aultman Health Foundation

 

In 2016, the Company entered into a 10-year licensing agreement with Aultman Health Foundation (“Aultman”) allowing Aultman use of the HOF Village and Pro Football Hall of Fame marks and logos. Under terms of the agreement, the Company will receive $2.5 million in cash sponsorship funds. Of those funds, the Company is contractually obligated to spend $700,000 as activation expenses for the benefit of Aultman.

 

As of June 30, 2020, scheduled future cash to be received and required activation spend under the agreement are as follows:

 

    Unrestricted     Activation     Total  
Remainder of 2020 (six months)   $ 250,000     $ 75,000     $ 325,000  
2021     175,000       75,000       250,000  
2022     175,000       75,000       250,000  
2023     175,000       75,000       250,000  
2024     200,000       75,000       275,000  
Thereafter     375,000       175,000       550,000  
Total   $ 1,350,000     $ 550,000     $ 1,900,000  

 

Included in the chart above for the remainder of 2020 (six months) is $75,000 for services performed in 2019 that the Company has not yet collected from Aultman. As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $44,852 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal. During the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $89,704 and $89,211 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. Accounts receivable from Aultman totaled $254,819 and $165,115 at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

  

F-61

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 6: Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments (continued)

 

First Data Merchant Services LLC

 

In December 2018, the Company entered into an 8-year licensing agreement with First Data Merchant Services LLC (“First Data”) and Santander Bank. As of June 30, 2020, scheduled future cash to be received under the agreement are as follows:

  

Year ending December 31:

 

Remainder of 2020 (six months)   $ 50,000  
2021     150,000  
2022     150,000  
2023     150,000  
2024     150,000  
Thereafter     300,000  
Total   $ 950,000  

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $37,042 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal. During the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $74,084 and $73,677 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. As of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were no amounts due from First Data, respectively.

 

Constellation NewEnergy, Inc.

 

On December 19, 2018 the Company entered into an agreement with Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. (“Constellation”) whereby Constellation and its affiliates will provide the gas and electric needs of the Company in exchange for certain sponsorship rights. The agreement is through December 31, 2028.

 

The agreement provides for certain rights to Constellation and its employees, to benefit from the relationship with the Company from discounted pricing, marketing efforts, and other benefits as detailed in the agreement. The agreement also provides for Constellation to pay sponsorship income and to provide activation fee funds. Activation fee funds are to be used in the year received and do not roll forward for future years as unspent funds. The amounts are due by March 31 of the year to which they apply, which is represented in the chart on the following page.

 

The agreement includes certain contingencies reducing the sponsorship fee amount owed by Constellation if construction is not on pace with the timeframe noted in the agreement.

 

The Company also has a note payable with Constellation. Refer to Note 4 for additional information.

  

F-62

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 6: Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments (continued)

 

Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. (continued)

  

As of June 30, 2020, scheduled future cash to be received and required activation spend under the agreement are as follows:

 

    Unrestricted     Activation     Total  
Remainder of 2020 (six months)   $ -     $ -     $ -  
2021     1,300,000       187,193       1,487,193  
2022     1,396,000       200,000       1,596,000  
2023     1,423,220       200,000       1,623,220  
2024     1,450,977       200,000       1,650,977  
Thereafter     6,092,610       800,000       6,892,610  
Total   $ 11,662,807     $ 1,587,193     $ 13,250,000  

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $326,736 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal. During the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $653,473 and $649,882 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. Accounts receivable from Constellation totaled $510,685 and $857,213 at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

Turf Nation, Inc.

 

During October 2018, the Company entered into a 5-year sponsorship agreement with Turf Nation, Inc. (“Turf Nation”). Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will receive payments over the term based on the sale of Turf Nation products based on rates defined in the sponsorship agreement. The minimum guaranteed fee per year beginning in 2020 is $50,000 per year.

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $14,951 and $14,951 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. During the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $29,901 and $29,737 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. Accounts receivable from Turf Nation totaled $101,862 and $171,961 at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

Note 7: Other Commitments

 

Canton City School District

 

The Company has entered into cooperative agreements with certain governmental entities that support the development of the project overall, where the Company is an active participant in the agreement activity, and the Company would benefit from the success of the activity.

 

The Company had a commitment to the Canton City School District (“CCSD”) to provide a replacement for their Football Operations Center (“FOC”) and to construct a Heritage Project (“Heritage”). The commitment was defined in the Operations and Use Agreement for HOF Village Complex dated as of February 26, 2016.

 

F-63

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 7: Other Commitments (continued)

 

Canton City School District (continued)

 

On March 20, 2018, a Letter of Representations was entered into by both parties whereby the Company has agreed to put money into escrow. The escrow balance at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 of $296,653 and $2,604,318, respectively, is included in restricted cash on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. In addition, the Company is obligated to provide temporary facilities to support CCSD athletics until the FOC is completed.

 

Project and Ground Leases

 

Three wholly owned subsidiaries have project leases with the Stark County Port Authority to lease project improvements and ground leased property at the stadium, youth fields, and parking areas. Rent is comprised of certain fees and generally escalating ground rent over the term of the leases which run until January 31, 2056. Future minimum lease commitments under non-cancellable operating leases, excluding the amounts yet to be paid from escrow for the FOC noted above, are as follows:

 

For the years ended December 31:

 

Remainder of 2020 (six months)   $ 17,902  
2021     119,118  
2022     119,118  
2023     119,118  
2024     119,118  
Thereafter     9,521,588  
Total   $ 10,015,962  

 

Rent expense on operating leases totaled $99,279 and $163,381 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $200,228 and $205,329 during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, and is recorded as a component of property operating expenses on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations.

 

QREM Management Agreement

 

On August 15, 2018, the Company entered into an Interim Services Agreement with Q Real Estate Management (QREM) to manage the Company’s Tom Benson Stadium operations. Under that agreement, the Company incurs a monthly management fee to QREM. The interim agreement ended March 1, 2019 and the agreement was not renewed between the parties. Management fee expense for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was $0 for both periods, and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, $0 and $59,675, respectively, which was included in property operating expenses on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations.

 

F-64

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 7: Other Commitments (continued)

 

SMG Management Agreement

 

On September 1, 2019, the Company entered into a Service Agreement with SMG to manage the Company’s Tom Benson Stadium operations. Under that agreement, the Company incurs an annual management fee of $200,000. Management fee expense for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was, $50,000 and $0, and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was $100,000 and $0, respectively, which is included in property operating expenses on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. The agreement term shall end on December 31, 2022.

 

Employment Agreements

 

The Company has an employment agreement with its chief financial officer, the terms of which expire in December 2021, with an automatic one-year extension. Such agreement provides for minimum salary levels and incentive bonus that is payable if specified management goals are attained as well as profits interest of 1.0% of future profits vesting over the terms of the agreement.

 

In addition, the Company has employment agreements with certain of its executives, the terms of which expire through December 2022. Such agreements provide for minimum salary levels and incentive bonuses that are payable if specified management goals are attained as well as profit interests ranging from $300,000 to $600,000 of future profits of the Company generated after the time of such grants.

 

DoubleTree Canton Downtown Hotel

 

On January 2, 2020, the Company entered into a franchise agreement with Hilton Franchise Holding, LLC (“Hilton”) in order to obtain a license to use the Hilton brand in the operation of the DoubleTree Canton Downtown Hotel in Canton, Ohio. The Company will be responsible for operating the hotel full-time, complying with industry and brand standards, and using the Reservation Service provided by Hilton. While possessing exclusive control of day to day operations, the Company is required to display and maintain signage displaying Hilton’s brand name. The Company is also required to publish and make available to the traveling public, a directory that includes the Hilton brand. The monthly fee will be used for advertising, promotions, publicity, public relations, market research, and other marketing programs. The projected opening date of the hotel is December 2, 2021.

 

F-65

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 7: Other Commitments (continued)

 

Management Agreement with Crestline Hotels & Resorts

 

On October 22, 2019, the Company entered into a management agreement with Crestline Hotels & Resorts (“Crestline”). The Company appointed and engaged Crestline as the Company’s exclusive agent to supervise, direct and control management and operation of the Hilton to assist the Company in preparing the Hilton for re-opening. In consideration of the services performed by Crestline, the Company agrees to the greater of: two percent (2%) of gross revenues or $10,000 per month in base management fees. The agreement will be terminated on the fifth anniversary of the commencement date, or October 22, 2024.

 

Note 8: Contingencies

 

During the normal course of its business, the Company is subject to occasional legal proceedings and claims.

 

The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary HOF Village Stadium LLC is a defendant in a lawsuit “National Football Museum, Inc. dba Pro Football Hall of Fame v. Welty Building Company Ltd., et al;” filed in the Stark County Court of Common Pleas. The Pro Football Hall of Fame, an affiliate, filed this suit for monetary damages as a result of the cancellation of the 2016 Hall of Fame Game. Plaintiff alleges that the game was cancelled as a result of negligent acts of subcontractors who were hired to perform field painting services.

 

The Plaintiff alleges that HOF Village Stadium, LLC is contractually liable for $1.2 million in damages Plaintiff sustained because it guaranteed the performance of Defendant Welty Building Company Ltd. (“Welty”) for the Hall of Fame Stadium renovation.

 

Potential damages claimed by Plaintiff include the refunds of ticket sales, lost commissions on food and beverage sales, and lost profits on merchandise sales. The Company’s management, in consultation with legal counsel, believes that this suit is without merit and intends to vigorously defend its position. The ultimate outcome of this litigation cannot presently be determined. Accordingly, adjustments, if any that might result from the resolution of this matter have not been reflected in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

Note 9: Related-Party Transactions

 

Due to Affiliates

 

Due to affiliates consisted of the following at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019:

  

    June 30,
2020
    December 31,
2019
 
Due to IRG Member   $ 6,408,371     $ 6,257,840  
Due to IRG Affiliate     140,561       145,445  
Due to M. Klein     500,000       500,000  
Due to Related Party Advances     -       5,800,000  
Due to PFHOF     4,966,557       6,630,305  
     Total   $ 12,015,489     $ 19,333,590  

 

F-66

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 9: Related-Party Transactions (continued)

 

Due to Affiliates (continued)

 

The IRG Member and an affiliate provide certain supporting services to the Company. As noted in the Operating Agreement of HOF Village, LLC, an affiliate of the IRG Member, IRG Canton Village Manager, LLC, may earn a master developer fee calculated as 4.0% of development costs incurred for the JCIHOFV, including, but not limited to site assembly, construction supervision, and project financing.

 

For the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, costs incurred under these arrangements were $80,174 and $810,720, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, costs incurred were $208,946 and $1,106,882, under these arrangements, which were included in Project Development Costs.

 

The IRG Member also provides certain general administrative support to the Company. For the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, expenses of $211 and $16,477, respectively, were included in Property Operating Expenses. For the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, expenses of $211 and $348,985 related to this support were incurred.

 

The amounts due to the IRG member above are for development fees and human resources support.

 

The amounts above due to the IRG Affiliate relate to the Company’s engagement with them to identify and obtain naming rights sponsors and other entitlement partners for the Company under an arrangement for $15,000 per month plus commissions. For both the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 the Company incurred $45,000 in costs to this affiliate, respectively, and $90,000 for both the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

The amounts above due to M. Klein relate to advisory services provided to the Company. The Company engages a company owned by an investor for advisory services. The Company has not incurred any advisory costs under this arrangement in any of the reported periods presented.

 

The amounts above due to related party advances are non-interest bearing advances from an affiliate of IRG Member due on demand. The Company is currently in discussions with this affiliate to establish repayment terms of these advances, however, there could be no assurance that the Company and IRG Member will come to terms acceptable to both parties.

 

On January 13, 2020, the Company secured $9.9 million in financing from Constellation through its Efficiency Made Easy (“EME”) program to implement energy efficient measures and to finance the construction of the Constellation Center for Excellence and other enhancements, as part of Phase II development. The Hanover Insurance Company provided a guarantee bond to guarantee the Company’s payment obligations under the financing, and Stuart Lichter and two trusts affiliated with Mr. Lichter have agreed to indemnify The Hanover Insurance Company for payments made under the guarantee bond.

 

The amounts above due to the Pro Football Hall of Fame (“PFHOF”) relate to advances to and from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including costs for onsite sponsorship activation, sponsorship sales support, shared services, event tickets, and expense reimbursements.

 

F-67

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 9: Related-Party Transactions (continued)

 

License Agreement

 

On March 10, 2016, the Company entered into a license agreement with Pro Football Hall of Fame, whereby the Company has the ability to license and use certain intellectual property from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in exchange for the Company paying a fee based on certain sponsorship revenue and expenses. On December 11, 2018, the license agreement was amended to change the calculation of the fee to be 20% of eligible sponsorship revenue. The license agreement expires on December 31, 2033. During the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized expenses of $464,618 and $464,619, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized $1,466,222 and $929,288, respectively, which are included in property operating expenses on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations.

 

Media License Agreement

 

On November 11, 2019, the Company entered into a Media License Agreement with PFHOF that shall terminate on December 31, 2034. The Company shall pay to PFHOF a minimum guarantee of $1,250,000 each year during the term. After the first five (5) years of the agreement, the minimum guarantee shall increase by three percent (3%) on a year-over-year basis. In consideration of any license granted to the Company, the Company shall pay to PFHOF a license fee that will be agreed upon between the Company and PFHOF. The license fee will be two hundred twenty five thousand dollars ($225,000) that will increase by 3% on a year-over-year basis after the first five (5) years of the Media License Agreement. There were no license fees incurred during the three months and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.

 

PFHOF Shared Services Agreement

 

On June 30, 2020, the Company entered into the Shared Services Agreement with PFHOF. Per the terms of the Shared Services Agreement, PFHOF forgave a cumulative amount of $5,150,000 for services previously provided to the Company. Similarly, the Company forgave a total of $1,200,000 for services that the Company previously performed for PFHOF. Additionally, the Company wrote-off the Tom Benson statue, which was valued as of the date of the Shared Services Agreement at $251,000 while the Company had valued it at $300,000. As this is a related party transaction, the Company treated the resulting difference of $3,699,000 as a contribution from one of its members in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2020.

 

Other Liabilities

 

Other liabilities consist of the following at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019:

 

    June 30,
2020
    December 31,
2019
 
Activation fund reserves   $ 4,092,169     $ 2,876,149  
Deferred revenue     116,757       90,841  
Preferred stock dividend payable     2,916,476       717,286  
Total   $ 7,125,402     $ 3,684,276  

 

F-68

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 9: Related-Party Transactions (continued)

 

Crown League Investment

 

On June 11, 2020, we acquired 60% of the equity interests in Mountaineer GM, LLC (“Mountaineer”) from Michael Klein & Associates, Inc., an affiliate of our director Michael Klein (“MKA”) for a purchase price of $100 pursuant to membership interest purchase agreement (the “Membership Purchase Agreement”). Mountaineer is party to an asset purchase agreement, dated June 5, 2020 (the “Crown APA”), with CrownThrown, Inc. (“Crown”), pursuant to which Mountaineer agreed to acquire the assets of, and assume certain liabilities of, Crown, which consist of The Crown League, a professionalized fantasy sports league (the “Crown Business”). The Company entered into a services agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020 (the “Services Agreement”), with Mountaineer and BXPG LLC (“Brand X”), whereby Mountaineer and the Company retain Brand X to provide services with regard to the Crown Business. Pursuant to an amended and restated limited liability company agreement of Mountaineer that the Company and MKA entered into in connection with the Company’s purchase of the 60% interest in Mountaineer under the Membership Purchase Agreement, MKA agreed to provide the consideration for Mountaineer to complete the acquisition of Crown as a capital contribution to Mountaineer, consisting of 90,287 shares of HOFRE’s common stock, and the Company agreed to provide the consideration owed to Brand X under the Services Agreement as a capital contribution to Mountaineer, consisting of $30,000 per month for 18 months plus 100,000 shares of HOFRE’s common stock, 25,000 shares of which were issued on August 6, 2020, and 25,000 shares of which are issuable on each of July 1, 2021, January 1, 2022 and July 1, 2022, until such capital contributions of the Company equal 60% of the total capital contributions to Mountaineer. The Services Agreement may be extended for an additional six months. Compensation during the extension period would be $30,000 per month and 25,000 shares of HOFRE’s common stock. Mountaineer completed the acquisition of Crown assets under the Crown APA on July 22, 2020. The Company anticipates that it will have control of Mountaineer and expects to account for its investment as a business combination.

 

Note 10: Concentrations

 

For the six months ended June 30, 2020, two customers represented approximately 68% and 18% of the Company’s sponsorship revenue. For the six months ended June 30, 2019, one customer represented approximately 62% of the Company’s sponsorship revenue. At June 30, 2020, four customers represented approximately 41%, 30%, 15%, and 12% of the Company’s accounts receivable. At December 31, 2019, two customers represented approximately 43% and 33% of the Company’s accounts receivable.

 

At any point in time, the Company can have funds in our operating accounts and restricted cash accounts that are with third party financial institutions. These balances in the U.S. may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits. While the Company monitors the cash balances in our operating accounts, these cash and restricted cash balances could be impacted if the underlying financial institutions fails or could be subject to other adverse conditions in the financial markets.

 

Note 11: Merger Agreement

 

On September 16, 2019, the Company entered into a definitive business combination agreement (as amended, the “BCA” or the “Business Combination Agreement” and the transactions contemplated thereby, the “Business Combination”) with GPAQ, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, and HOF Village Newco, LLC (“Newco”), to create a sports, entertainment and media enterprise surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 

F-69

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 11: Merger Agreement (continued)

 

The terms of the Business Combination Agreement provided for HOV Village Newco, LLC, a subsidiary of the Company to which all of the Company’s operations are transferred as part of the Business Combination, to merge with and into a wholly-owned subsidiary of GPAQ. The Company’s management and equity holders have rolled 100% of their equity into the combined entity. Proceeds from GPAQ’s trust account will be used by the Company to repay certain debt and expenses and to fund continued growth of the Company’s operations. Immediately following the closing, the combined company changed its name to “Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company” and the Company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of HOFRE, and received approval to trade on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol “HOFV”.

 

See Note 13 for additional information related to the Company’s merger agreement with GPAQ.

 

Note 12: COVID-19 Coronavirus

 

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China. Since then, the COVID-19 coronavirus has spread to multiple countries, including the United States. As the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread in the United States, the Company may experience disruptions that could severely impact the Company. The global outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to rapidly evolve. The extent to which the COVID-19 coronavirus may impact the Company’s business will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, such as the ultimate geographic spread of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, travel restrictions and social distancing in the United States and other countries, business closures or business disruptions and the effectiveness of actions taken in the United States to contain and treat the disease. The Company has had to cancel events due to COVID-19 and is in process of monitoring COVID-19’s potential impact on the Company’s operations

 

Note 13: Subsequent Events

 

JCI Sponsorship Revenue Amendment

 

On July 2, 2020, the Company entered into an amendment (the “Amendment”) to its sponsorship agreement with JCI. Among other things, the Amendment restricts the activation proceeds from rolling over from year to year with a maximum amount of activation proceeds in one agreement year to be $750,000. This is a prospective change, which the Company will reflect beginning in the third quarter of 2020. Additionally, for the rest of 2020, the Company will receive $5,197,917 in cash receipts, $4,718,750 in 2021, $4,750,000 in 2022 and 2023, $5,000,000 in 2024 and 2025, and $5,170,139 from 2026 through 2034. The parties have also agreed to change the name of the village, formerly known as “Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village” to “Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls”.

 

F-70

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Note 13: Subsequent Events (continued)

 

Merger

 

On July 1, 2020, the Company and GPAQ successfully completed the Business Combination contemplated by the merger agreement. Beginning on July 1, 2020 and thereafter, the combined entity had changed its name to Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company and has been trading on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol “HOFV”.

 

In connection with the consummation of the business combination, each issued and outstanding unit of GPAQ was detached and the holder thereof was deemed to hold one share of GPAQ Class A common stock and one GPAQ warrant was converted automatically into the right to receive 1.421333 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001, following which all shares of GPAQ Class A common stock ceased to be outstanding and were automatically canceled and cease to exist.

 

At the date of the Business Combination between the Company and GPAQ, on July 1, 2020, the Company used proceeds from the Business Combination to pay $15,500,000 on the Bridge Loan, while an additional $15,000,000 converted into equity in the newly formed Hall of Fame Entertainment & Resort entity. The remaining balance following the Business Combination was approximately $34,500,000. The maturity date on the remaining balance has been extended one month to November 30, 2020. Should the Company be unable to pay off the principal balance at maturity, IRG agreed to advance funds to the Company to pay off the Bridge Loan, under the terms of the guarantee. As a result, IRG would become a lender to the Company with a maturity date of August 2021.

 

On July 1, 2020, HOFRE, the parent of the Company following the Business Combination, entered into a note purchase agreement (the “Magnetar Note”) with certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC (“Magnetar”) pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to Magnetar in a private placement $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8% Convertible Notes due 2025. The Magnetar Note may be converted into shares of common stock at the option of the holders of the note, and the Company may, at its option, redeem the notes in exchange for cash and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.

   

On July 1, 2020, in connection with the closing of the Business Combination, each of the holders immediately prior to the closing date, GPAQ entered into a lock-up agreement (the “Lock-Up Agreement”). Under the Lock-Up Agreement, each GPAQ holder agrees not to sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, sell any option or contract to purchase, grant any option, right or warrant, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of or lend its portion of any shares of common stock for a period after closing ending on the date that is the later of (i) 180 days after July 1, 2020 and (ii) the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-Up Period under, dated January 24, 2018 among GPAQ, its officers and directors and initial shareholders.

 

2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

On July 1, 2020, in connection with the closing on the Business Combination, the board of directors of HOFRE adopted an omnibus incentive plan (the “2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan”). In accordance with the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the employment agreement of HOFRE’s Chief Executive Officer, HOFRE’s Chief Executive Officer is entitled to receive 715,929 restricted shares of HOFRE’s common stock upon the effectiveness of a registration statement covering those shares. One-third of the restricted shares vest immediately after the effectiveness of the registration statement, one-third upon the first anniversary of the closing of the Business Combination and the last third upon the second anniversary of such closing.

 

F-71

 

 

Note Purchase Agreement

 

On July 1, 2020, concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination, HOFRE entered into a Note Purchase Agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the other purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (together, the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which HOFER agreed to issue and sell to the Purchasers in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of HOFRE’s 8.00% Convertible Notes due 2025 (the “PIPE Notes”). Pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement, the PIPE Notes are convertible into shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock at the option of PIPE Note holders, and HOFRE may, at its option, redeem the PIPE Notes in exchange for cash (or, at the option of PIPE Note holders, shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock) and warrants to purchase shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock.

 

Industrial Realty Group exchanged $9.0 million of the amount outstanding under the IRG November Note for PIPE Notes in the principal amount of $9.0 million and, at present, the outstanding balance of the IRG November Notes is $13.3 million. Gordon Pointe Management, LLC exchanged $500,000 of the principal component of the indebtedness owed to such Purchaser by GPAQ under loan agreements and related promissory notes for PIPE Notes in the principal amount of $500,000. Seven other Purchasers exchanged a total of $4,221,293 in GPAQ founder notes held by such Purchasers for PIPE Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $4,221,293. Consequently, HOFRE received cash proceeds from the issuance and sale of the PIPE Notes of approximately $7 million. HOFRE used proceeds of the Private Placement to fund HOFRE’s obligations related to the Merger Agreement and to pay transaction fees and expenses and intend to use remaining proceeds of the Private Placement to satisfy its working capital obligations.

 

The Private Placement was conducted in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof as a transaction by an issuer not involving any public offering. The offer and sale of the PIPE Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and consequently, the PIPE Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.

 

Issuance of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

On October 13, 2020, Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company issued to American Capital Center, LLC (the “Preferred Investor”) 900 shares of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) at $1,000 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $900,000. HOFRE paid the Preferred Investor an origination fee of 2%. The issuance and sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to the Preferred Investor was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. HOFRE used half of the proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to pay down outstanding amounts under its Bridge Loan.

 

Technology as a Service Agreement

 

On October 9, 2020, Newco, entered into a Technology as a Service Agreement (the “TAAS Agreement”) with JCI. Pursuant to the TAAS Agreement, JCI will provide certain services related to the construction and development of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls (the “Project”), including, but not limited to, (i) design assist consulting, equipment sales and turn-key installation services in respect of specified systems to be constructed as part of Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Project and (ii) maintenance and lifecycle services in respect of certain systems constructed as part of Phase I, and to be constructed as part of Phase II and Phase III, of the Project. Under the terms of the TAAS Agreement, Newco has agreed to pay JCI up to an aggregate $217,934,637 for services rendered by JCI over the term of the TAAS Agreement.

 

F-72

 

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Members and Board of Directors of
HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in members’ equity and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Explanatory Paragraph — Going Concern

 

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As more fully described in Note 1, the Company has incurred significant losses and needs to raise additional funds to meet their obligations and sustain their operations. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting 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.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ Marcum LLP

 

Marcum LLP

 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019.

 

New York, NY
March 10, 2020

 

F-73

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

    As of December 31,  
    2019     2018  
Assets                
Cash   $ 2,818,194     $ 4,568,832  
Restricted cash     5,796,398       3,849,118  
Accounts receivable, net     1,355,369       2,504,735  
Prepaid expenses and other assets     2,292,859       1,803,070  
Property and equipment, net     134,910,887       145,810,591  
Project development costs     88,587,699       80,744,934  
Total assets   $ 235,761,406     $ 239,281,280  
                 
Liabilities and Members’ Equity                
Liabilities                
Notes payable, net   $ 164,922,714     $ 130,558,352  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     12,871,487       5,271,070  
Due to affiliate     19,333,590       9,874,297  
Deferred rent payable           889,464  
Other liabilities     3,684,276       1,834,878  
Total liabilities   $ 200,812,067     $ 148,428,061  
                 
Commitments and contingencies                
Members’ equity     34,949,339       90,853,219  
Total liabilities and members’ equity   $ 235,761,406     $ 239,281,280  

 

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

 

F-74

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS of Operations

 

    For the Year Ended
December 31,
 
    2019     2018  
Revenues            
Sponsorships, net of activation costs   $ 6,720,298     $ 5,528,887  
Rents and cost recoveries     1,064,569       677,863  
Event revenues     76,464       682,398  
Total revenues     7,861,331       6,889,148  
                 
Operating expenses                
Property operating expenses     16,707,537       12,161,073  
Commission expense     1,003,226       886,912  
Depreciation expense     10,915,839       10,885,057  
Loss on abandonment of project development costs     12,194,783        
Total operating expenses     40,821,385       23,933,042  
                 
Loss from operations     (32,960,054 )     (17,043,894 )
                 
Other expense                
Interest expense     (9,416,099 )     (14,167,521 )
Amortization of discount on note payable     (13,274,793 )     (2,095,182 )
Total interest expense     (22,690,892 )     (16,262,703 )
                 
Other loss     (252,934 )     (319,027 )
Total other expense     (22,943,826 )     (16,581,730 )
Net loss   $ (55,903,880 )   $ (33,625,624 )

 

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

 

F-75

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements Of Changes In MemberS’ Equity
For The YEARS Ended DECEMBER 31, 2019 And 2018

 

    Members’
Equity
 
Balance at January 1, 2018   $ 28,402,723  
Recapitalization of debt under Master Transaction Agreement     96,076,120  
Net loss     (33,625,624 )
Balance at December 31, 2018   $ 90,853,219  
Net loss     (55,903,880 )
Balance at December 31, 2019   $ 34,949,339  

 

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

 

F-76

 

 

HOF VILLAGE, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 

    For the Year Ended
December 31,
 
    2019     2018  
Cash Flows From Operating Activities            
Net loss   $ (55,903,880 )   $ (33,625,624 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to cash flows provided by operating activities                
Depreciation expense     10,915,839       10,885,057  
Amortization of note discounts     13,274,793       2,095,182  
Bad debt expense     788,689       517,358  
Loss on abandonment of project development costs     12,194,783        
Loss from equity method investment     252,576        
Prepaid rent     (2,644,397 )     169,616  
Interest paid in kind     5,722,638        
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
Accounts receivable     360,677       (933,642 )
Prepaid expenses and other assets     1,012,568       (1,032,480 )
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     3,650,041       (24,194 )
Due to affiliates     9,459,293       1,582,362  
Other liabilities     1,849,398       6,389,506  
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities     933,018       (13,976,859 )
                 
Cash Flows From Investing Activities                
Additions to project development costs     (16,723,883 )     (40,058,044 )
Contributions to equity method joint venture           (703,027 )
Net cash used in investing activities     (16,723,883 )     (40,761,071 )
                 
Cash Flows From Financing Activities                
Proceeds from notes payable     23,588,122       84,475,917  
Repayments of notes payable     (7,023,874 )     (19,539,610 )
Payment of financing costs     (576,741 )     (3,840,350 )
Net cash provided by financing activities     15,987,507       61,095,957  
Net increase in cash and restricted cash     196,642       6,358,027  
Cash and restricted cash, beginning of period     8,417,950       2,059,923  
Cash and restricted cash, end of period   $ 8,614,592     $ 8,417,950  
Cash   $ 2,818,194     $ 4,568,832  
Restricted Cash     5,796,398       3,849,118  
Total cash and restricted cash   $ 8,614,592     $ 8,417,950  
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information                
Cash paid during the year for interest   $ 1,198,888     $ 3,689,365  
Non-cash investing and financing activities                
Property, equipment, and development cost acquired through accounts payable and accrued expenses, net   $ (3,329,800 )   $ (3,057,196 )
Recapitalization of debt under the master transaction agreement   $     $ 96,076,120  
Deferred financing costs in accounts payable and accrued expenses, net   $ 620,576     $  

 

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

 

F-77

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 1: Organization, Nature of Business, and Going Concern

 

Organization and Nature of Business

 

HOF Village, LLC and subsidiaries (“HOF Village” or the “Company”), was established as a Delaware Limited Liability Company on August 5, 2015, and operates under an agreement dated December 11, 2018 that was amended by the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement dated July 31, 2019 (the “LLC Agreement”). Pursuant to the LLC Agreement, the Company was established by initial equity members IRG Canton Village Member, LLC (“IRG Member”), a Delaware Limited Liability Company, and Hall of Fame Village, Inc. (“HOFVI”), an Ohio corporation, collectively (the “Members”). IRG acts as the Company’s day to day manager. The Company was formed for the purpose of developing a mixed-use real estate and entertainment destination in Canton, Ohio, currently approximately 100 acres of land surrounding the historic Pro Football Hall of Fame (the “Hall of Fame Village Property”) through its subsidiaries. In 2016, HOF Village was rebranded as Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village (“JCIHOFV”) as part of an 18-year, $135 million naming rights agreement with Johnson Controls (see Note 6). As of December 31, 2019 IRG owned 59% of HOF Village and HOFVI owned 35% of HOF Village.

 

The term of the Company shall continue in perpetuity in full force and effect until the dissolution and termination of the Company in accordance with the terms of the Amended LLC agreement or by operation of law.

 

The JCIHOFV consists of dynamic, multi-use venues which management believes will generate significant attendance from the region through strong synergies between project components. Phase I was completed on August 1, 2017, having constructed the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (“Stadium”) in Canton, Ohio, youth fields, land acquisition, parking infrastructure and general site infrastructure and formed a media company. Plans for future components of the JCIHOFV include two premium hotels, an indoor waterpark, the Center for Excellence (with an office building including retail and dining establishments), the Center for Performance (a convention center/field house) and the Hall of Fame Retail Promenade. Long-term expansion plans include the addition of the Hall of Fame Experience (an immersive VR/AR attraction), a luxury hotel with retail space, a performance center/arena, multi-family housing, and other complementary components.

 

The Company has entered into several agreements with Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is an affiliate of JCIHOFV, and government entities which outline the rights and obligations of each of the parties with regard to the property on which the JCIHOFV sits, portions of which are owned by the Company and portions of which are net leased to the Company by the government entities (see Note 7). Under these agreements, Pro Football Hall of Fame and the government entities are entitled to use portions of the JCIHOFV on a direct-cost basis.

 

On December 11, 2018, the Company entered into the Master Transaction Agreement, whereby, among other things, it amended its LLC Agreement (see Note 4).

 

Going Concern

 

The Company has incurred continuing losses from its operations through December 31, 2019. Since inception, the Company has met its liquidity requirements principally through the issuance of debt. The Company’s cash losses from operations, in addition to its debt due within 12 months of the issuance of these consolidated financial statements, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue operations as a going concern.

 

The Company’s ability to continue its operations and to pay its obligations when they become due is contingent upon the Company obtaining additional financing. Management’s plans include seeking to procure additional funds through debt and equity financings and to complete its secondary phases of development in order to generate operating cash flows. The Company entered into a merger agreement with Gordon Pointe Acquisition Holdings and filed its registration statement on Form S-4 on November 12, 2019, which was declared effective on February 14, 2020 and when closed is expected to provide additional working capital (see Note 12). As part of this merger and subsequent public market launch, the Company is pursuing convertible (into equity) debt financing via Private Investment in Public Equity (“PIPE”) Investments. Concurrently, the Company is pursuing senior debt financing from a third party for $45 million. These events will provide the necessary working capital to fund operations and prepare the Company for other funding in the form of a construction loan and public financing through Tourism Development District financing and Tax Increment Financing.

 

F-78

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 1: Organization, Nature of Business, and Going Concern (cont.)

 

There are no assurances that the Company will be able to raise capital on terms acceptable to the Company or at all, or that cash flows generated from its operations will be sufficient to meet its current operating costs. If the Company is unable to obtain sufficient amounts of additional capital, it may be required to reduce the scope of its planned development, which could harm its financial condition and operating results, or it may not be able to continue to fund its ongoing operations. If management is unable to execute its planned debt and equity financing initiatives, these conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern to sustain operations for at least one year from the issuance of these consolidated financial statements. The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

 

Consolidation

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts and activity of HOF Village, LLC and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Investments in a variable interest entity in which the Company is not the primary beneficiary; or where the Company does not own a majority interest but has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for using the equity method. All intercompany profits, transactions, and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

Reclassification

 

Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the previously reported net loss.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates and assumptions for the Company relate to bad debt, depreciation, useful lives of assets, fair value of financial instruments, and estimates and assumptions used to measure impairment. Management adjusts such estimates when facts and circumstances dictate. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment are recorded at historical cost and are depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. During the construction period, the Company capitalizes all costs related to the development of the Hall of Fame Village. Project development costs include predevelopment costs, amortization of finance costs, real estate taxes, insurance, and other project costs incurred during the period of development. The capitalization of costs began during the preconstruction period, which the Company defines as activities that are necessary to the development of the project. The Company ceases cost capitalization when a portion of the project is held available for occupancy and placed into service. This usually occurs upon substantial completion of all costs necessary to bring a portion of the project to the condition needed for its intended use, but no later than one year from the completion of major construction activity. The Company will continue to capitalize only those costs associated with the portion still under construction. Capitalization will also cease if activities necessary for the development of the project have been suspended. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the second two phases of the project remain subject to such capitalization, respectively.

 

F-79

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

 

The Company reviews its property and equipment and projects under development for impairment whenever events or changes indicate that the carrying value of the long-lived assets may not be fully recoverable. In cases where the Company does not expect to recover its carrying costs, an impairment charge is recorded.

 

The Company measures and records impairment losses on its long-lived assets when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets is less than their carrying amount. Considerable judgement by management is necessary to estimate undiscounted future operating cash flows and fair values and, accordingly, actual results could vary significantly from such estimates. On January 18, 2019, management determined that previously capitalized costs for the development of a hotel should be written off because plans for this particular hotel and site location have been abandoned and will not benefit the current plans for another hotel elsewhere on the site. Management reviewed its capitalized costs and identified the costs that have no future benefit. The Company recorded a $12,194,783 charge as a loss on abandonment of development costs within the accompanying consolidated statement of operations.

 

Cash and Restricted Cash

 

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased, to be cash equivalents. There were no cash equivalents at December 31, 2019 and 2018. The Company maintains its cash and escrow accounts at national financial institutions. The balances, at times, may exceed federally insured limits.

 

Restricted cash totaling $5,796,398 and $3,849,118 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, are required by lenders or governmental agreements to be set aside.

 

Accounts Receivable

 

Accounts receivable are generally amounts due under sponsorship and other agreements. Accounts receivable are reviewed for delinquencies on a case by case basis and are considered delinquent when the sponsor or debtor has missed a scheduled payment. Interest is not charged on delinquencies.

 

The carrying amount of accounts receivable is reduced by an allowance that reflects management’s best estimate of the amounts that will not be collected. Management individually reviews all delinquent accounts receivable balances and based on an assessment of current creditworthiness, estimates the portion, if any, of the balance that will not be collected. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company has an allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,306,047 and $517,358, respectively, which relates to the Company’s investment in Youth Sports Management, LLC (“Youth Sports”). See Note 7 for additional information on the Company’s investment.

 

Deferred Financing Costs

 

Costs incurred in obtaining financing are capitalized and amortized to additions in project development costs during the construction period over the term of the related loans, without regard for any extension options until the project or portion thereof is considered substantially complete. Upon substantial completion of the project or portion thereof, such costs are amortized as interest expense over the term of the related loan. Any unamortized costs are shown as an offset to Notes Payable on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.

 

F-80

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

 

Investment in Joint Venture

 

The Company uses the equity method to record the activities of its 50% owned joint venture. The equity method of accounting requires that the Company recognizes its initial capital investment at cost and subsequently, its share of the earnings or losses in the joint venture. The joint venture agreement is structured whereby the Company is not at risk for losses above its original capital investment. Therefore, the Company will not record a deficit that would result in the equity being negative from the investment in joint venture.

 

The maximum exposure to loss represents the potential loss of assets which may be recognized by the Company relating to its investment in the joint venture. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the balance of the Company’s investment in this joint venture was $0 and $252,576 respectively, which is included in prepaid expenses and other assets on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Impairment losses are recognized upon evidence of other than temporary losses of value. When evaluating our investment, management generally uses a discounted cash flow approach to estimate the fair value of the Company’s investment. Management’s judgement is required in developing the assumptions for the discounted cash flow approach. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company’s management determined there was no impairment with respect to its investment in the joint venture. The Company recorded losses of $252,934 and $319,027 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, which is included as other loss on the consolidated statement of operations.

 

Income Taxes

 

Income taxes are accounted for under the provisions of the “Income Taxes” topic of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC). There is no provision in the accompanying financial statements for federal or state income taxes because the entities comprising the Company are organized as limited liability companies structured to be treated as a partnership for income tax purposes. Accordingly, items of income, expense, deduction, and credit are reported in the individual income tax returns of the members.

 

In accordance with the “Income Taxes” topic of the FASB ASC, uncertain income tax positions are evaluated at least annually by management. The Company classifies interest and penalties related to income tax matters within property operating expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company identified no uncertain income tax positions and has incurred no amounts for income tax penalties and interest for the periods then ended.

 

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (the” Budget Act”) provides new rules for the audits of entities treated as partnerships for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2018. These rules will only apply in the event the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits the Company’s tax return. Should the Company subsequently receive such a notice and should the audit result in adjustments increasing the taxable income of the members, the Company may be liable for payment of the income taxes that would have been imposed on the members. If the Company is eligible to make an election out of the new rules and makes such an election or the Company elects to push out the adjustments to the members in a timely manner, the Company will not be liable for any income taxes that result from any IRS audit of any taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2018. As of the date of this report, the Company has not received any notice of audit by the IRS.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

The Company has adopted ASC 606, Revenue with Contracts with Customers, with a date of initial application of January 1, 2019. As a result, the Company has update its accounting policy for revenue recognition to reflect the new standard. Under ASC 606, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition for arrangements that an entity determines are within the scope of ASC 606, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.

 

F-81

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

 

The Company generates revenues from various streams such as sponsorship agreements, rents, and cost recoveries and event revenues. Refer to Note 6 for more details. These fees may be for arrangements in which the customer sponsors a play area or event and receives specified brand recognition and other benefits over a set period of time. Sponsorship revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the time period specified in the contract.

 

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to a customer. If the contract does not specify the revenue by performance obligation, the Company allocates the transaction price to each performance obligation based on its relative standalone selling price. Such prices are generally determined using prices charged to customers or using the Company’s expected cost plus margin. Revenue is recognized as the Company’s performance obligations are satisfied. If consideration is received in advance of the Company’s performance, including amounts which are refundable, recognition of revenue is deferred until the performance obligation is satisfied or amounts are no longer refundable.

 

Advertising

 

The Company expenses all advertising and marketing costs as they are incurred. Total advertising and marketing costs for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were $383,104 and $310,293, respectively, which are recorded as property operating expenses on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

 

Ground Rent Expense

 

Ground rent expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the related operating lease.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The carrying amounts of cash, accounts receivable, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, due to affiliate, other liabilities, preferred equity instruments, and notes payable approximate their fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The Company’s operations and financing activities are conducted in United States dollars and as a result, the Company is not subject to significant exposure to market risks from changes in foreign currency rates. The Company is exposed to credit risk through its cash and restricted cash, but mitigates this risk by keeping these deposits at major financial institutions.

 

ASC 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” provides the framework for measuring fair value. That framework provides a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements).

 

Fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received upon the sale of an asset or payment to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. Fair value is a market-based measurement that is determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. A three-tier fair value hierarchy is used to prioritize the inputs in measuring fair value as follows:

 

Level 1 Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

 

Level 2 Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly.

 

Level 3 Significant unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by market data.

 

F-82

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

 

As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company did not have any financial instruments that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

 

On December 11, 2018, in connection with the Master Transaction Agreement (as discussed in Note 4), the Company recorded the initial values of its preferred equity loan and subordinated debt agreements at fair value. The Company used the following assumptions to calculate the fair value of those instruments:

 

    Preferred
Equity Loan
    Subordinated
Debt
 
Face value   $ 95,500,000     $ 6,450,000  
Issuance date     December 11, 2018       December 11, 2018  
Maturity date     February 26, 2023       December 11, 2023  
Stated coupon rate     4.25 %     5.00 %
Discount rate     22.3 %     17.3 %

 

The Company has determined the estimated fair value amounts by using available market information and commonly accepted valuation methodologies. However, considerable judgment is required in interpreting market data to develop the estimates of fair value. Accordingly, the estimates presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that the Company or holders of the instruments could realize in a current market exchange. The use of different assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair values.

 

Recent Accounting Standards

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which is a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that will supersede existing revenue recognition guidance. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. FASB subsequently issued ASU 2015-14 which deferred the effective date of adoption for the Company until annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Earlier adoption is permitted subject to certain limitations. The amendments in this update are required to be applied retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or with the cumulative effect being recognized at the date of initial application. On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 606 and management determined that this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases. The objective of this ASU is to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under previous U.S. GAAP. This ASU is effective after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2020. Early adoption of this ASU is permitted. The Company has evaluated the pronouncement, which it has yet to adopt. Upon adoption, the Company anticipates recording a right-of-use asset and lease liability on the consolidated balance sheet similar in magnitude to the total present value of outstanding future minimum payments for operating leases as shown in Note 7. The pronouncement is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations or statement of cash flows.

 

In January 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements,” which requires an entity (a lessee or lessor) to provide transition disclosures under Topic 250 upon adoption of Topic 842. This new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of this new standard on our consolidated financial statements.

 

F-83

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

 

In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05, Targeted Transition Relief (Topic 326 — Financial Instruments Credit Losses). This update provides entities that have certain instruments within the scope of Subtopic 326-20, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses- Measured at Amortized Cost, with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option in Subtopic 825-10 applied on an instrument-by-instrument basis for eligible instruments, upon adoption of Topic 326. The fair value option election does not apply to held-to-maturity debt securities. An entity that elects the fair value option should subsequently apply the guidance in Subtopics 820-10, Fair Value Measurement — Overall, and 825-10. This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The pronouncement is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

Subsequent Events

 

Subsequent events have been evaluated through March 10, 2020, the date the consolidated financial statements were available to be issued. Other than what has been disclosed in the consolidated financial statements, no other events have been identified requiring disclosure or recording.

 

Note 3: Property and Equipment and Project Development Costs

 

Property and equipment consists of the following:

 

        December 31,  
    Useful Life   2019     2018  
Land       $ 278,556     $ 278,556  
Land improvements   25 years     31,078,211       31,078,211  
Building and improvements   15 to 39 years     128,599,831       128,599,831  
Equipment   5 to 10 years     1,313,488       1,297,353  
Property and equipment, gross         161,270,086       161,253,951  
                     
Less: accumulated depreciation         (26,359,199 )     (15,443,360 )
Property and equipment, net       $ 134,910,887     $ 145,810,591  
                     
Project development costs       $ 88,587,699     $ 80,744,934  

 

The Company recorded depreciation expense of $10,915,839 and $10,885,057 for years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Additionally, the Company recorded a charge of $12,194,783 and $0, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 for a loss on abandonment for previously capitalized development costs within the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company transferred $7,403,848 and $36,813,865 into project development costs, respectively.

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net

 

Notes payable, net consisted of the following at December 31, 2019:

 

    Gross     Discount     Net  
Bridge loan   $ 65,000,000     $ (361,655 )   $ 64,638,345  
TIF loan     9,847,000       (1,721,761 )     8,125,239  
Syndicated unsecured term loan     6,803,530       (2,838,067 )     3,965,463  
Preferred equity loan     99,603,847       (53,365,911 )     46,237,936  
Land loan with affiliate     1,273,888             1,273,888  
Naming rights securitization loan     9,235,845       (566,096 )     8,669,749  
Mortgage McKinley Grand     1,900,000       (51,787 )     1,848,213  
CH Capital Lending     1,807,339             1,807,339  
Convertible notes     17,310,252       (471,965 )     16,838,287  
IRG November Note     11,585,792       (67,537 )     11,518,255  
Total   $ 224,367,493     $ (59,444,779 )   $ 164,922,714  

 

F-84

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (cont.)

 

Notes payable, net consisted of the following at December 31, 2018:

 

    Gross     Discount     Net  
Bridge loan   $ 65,000,000     $ (2,612,155 )   $ 62,387,845  
TIF loan     10,030,000       (1,804,083 )     8,225,917  
Syndicated unsecured term loan     6,450,000       (3,489,602 )     2,960,398  
Preferred equity loan     95,500,000       (62,794,966 )     32,705,034  
Land loan with affiliate     1,273,888             1,273,888  
Naming rights securitization loan     16,076,719       (813,433 )     15,263,286  
Convertible notes     7,750,000       (8,016 )     7,741,984  
Total   $ 202,080,607     $ (71,522,255 )   $ 130,558,352  

 

During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recorded amortization of note discounts of $13,274,793 and $2,095,182, respectively.

 

Accrued Interest on Notes Payable

 

As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, accrued interest on notes payable, were as follows:

 

    December 31,
2019
    December 31,
2018
 
Bridge loan   $ 2,084,711     $  
Syndicated unsecured term loan           17,917  
Preferred equity loan     717,286       676,458  
Land loan with affiliate     101,662       22,950  
Naming rights securitization loan     30,786        
Mortgage McKinley Grand     41,821        
Convertible notes     269,271       42,242  
Total   $ 3,245,537     $ 759,567  

 

The amounts above were included in accounts payable and accrued expenses and other liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet, as follows:

 

    December 31,
2019
    December 31,
2018
 
Accounts payable and accrued expenses   $ 2,528,251     $ 83,109  
Other liabilities     717,286       676,458  
    $ 3,245,537     $ 759,567  

 

Bridge Loan

 

On March 20, 2018, the Company negotiated a term loan (“Bridge Loan”), with additional amendments during 2018, creating a facility of $65,000,000 with a number of lenders, overseen by a single administrative agent, and secured by a mortgage and a security interest in the assets of the Company. In addition, a guaranty was provided by an affiliated individual. On February 19, 2019, a forbearance agreement was signed which amended the additional margin over LIBOR to 12.5% and extended the maturity date until June 28, 2019. The Company received additional extensions on this Bridge Loan to September 13, 2019 and again on November 16, 2019. Among other things, this amendment extended the maturity date of the facility to October 31, 2020 and has a flat interest rate of 12% computed on an annual basis. Additionally, the Bridge Loan has an exit fee of 1% on the $65,000,000 balance due at the maturity of the loan. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company accrued $83,571 and $0, respectively, included in accounts payable and accrued expenses on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. In accordance with ASC 405-20 “Extinguishment of Liabilities”, the Company tested for extinguishment by comparing the present value of the old Note to the present value of the new Note. Since the change in present value of the future cash flows was less than a 10% change, the Company accounted for the amendment as a modification to the Bridge Loan.

 

F-85

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (cont.)

 

Tax Incremental Funding Loan

 

For the Company, the Development Finance Authority of Summit County (“DFA Summit”) offered a private placement of $10,030,000 in taxable development revenue bonds, Series 2018. The bond proceeds are to reimburse the developer for costs of certain public improvements at the JCIHOFV, which are eligible uses of tax-increment funding (TIF) proceeds.

 

Under the cooperative agreement entered into by the Company, two subsidiaries, the City of Canton, DFA Summit, Stark County Port Authority, and the bank trustee, the Company and certain subsidiaries have been exempted from certain real estate taxes. However, the Company must make real estate tax payments on the TIF parcels sufficient to cover future required payments on the bond debt service until the 2018 bonds are no longer outstanding. This is a significant commitment made by the Company and is guaranteed by an individual’s trust, an individual, and two subsidiaries of the Company.

 

Since the bond debt service is fixed and determinable, a liability has been recorded as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, representing the present value of the future bond debt service payments. The term of the TIF requires the Company to make installment payments through July 31, 2048. The current imputed interest rate is 5.2%, which runs through July 31, 2028. The imputed interest rate then increases to 6.6% through July 31, 2038 and finally increases to 7.7% through the remainder of the TIF. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company made principal payments on this loan totaling $183,000.

 

Syndicated Unsecured Term Loan and Preferred Equity Loan

 

On January 1, 2016, as amended and restated on October 15, 2017, the Company entered into a financing agreement with a syndicate of lenders, including affiliates of the IRG member, for a loan amount up to $150,000,000 as an unsecured promissory note. The loan may not be prepaid either in whole or in part until the initial maturity date without the express consent of the lender. The loan proceeds are intended to cover working capital and the construction costs for venues including the Stadium, Youth Fields, and campus infrastructure projects. The maturity date is February 26, 2021, and the loan accrues interest at a rate of 12% per annum.

 

On December 11, 2018, the Company and various parties signed a Master Transaction Agreement (“Master Agreement”) setting forth various terms and conditions for the development of JCIHOFV. As part of the Master Agreement, American Capital Center, LLC (ACC), an affiliate, exchanged $106,450,000 of the Company’s debt and $24,470,142 of accrued interest and origination fees, as well as $336,579 of amounts due to Pro Football Hall of Fame, by converting it to preferred equity instruments with a face value of $95,500,000 and an amended subordinated debt agreement with a face value of $6,450,000. In accordance with the Extinguishment of Liabilities subtopic of the FASB ASC 470-50, given that ACC was a related party, the Company treated the Master Agreement as a capital transaction and recapitalized the debt to equity in the amount of $96,076,120, net of discounts and unamortized deferred financing costs.

 

The preferred equity interests were recorded at their fair value of $34,587,034 from their $95,500,000 face value. The preferred equity interests require that the Company accrete a “dividend” in the amount of 4.25% per annum until the preferred equity balance is repaid. This rate goes up 5.0% beginning on December 11, 2023 if the balance is still unpaid. The preferred equity interest is required to be repaid on February 26, 2021. However, the Company has the option to extend the maturity date by two years.

 

Given that the preferred equity interest has a mandatory redemption feature, the Company has recorded this instrument as a preferred equity loan within notes payable, net on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The Company will accrete the discount on the preferred equity loan using the effective interest method. The preferred equity interest also contains a payment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest provision, which represents contractually deferred interest added to the subordinated debt outstanding balance that is due at maturity. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recorded $4,103,848 and $0, respectively.

 

F-86

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (cont.)

 

The subordinated debt was recorded at a fair value of $3,093,567 from its face value of $6,450,000. The subordinated debt accrues interest at a rate of 5% and the balance is due February 26, 2021. The remaining subordinated debt is subordinate to the bridge loan. Additionally, the subordinated debt contains a PIK interest provision. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company incurred PIK interest of $353,530 and $0, respectively.

 

Land Loan with Affiliate

 

On July 10, 2017, the Company entered into a promissory note with the National Football Museum, Inc., commonly referred to as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an affiliate of JCIHOFV, for purpose of the acquisition of land at the Hall of Fame Village. The promissory note with an outstanding balance of $1,273,888 at December 31, 2019 bears interest at a rate of 1.22% per annum. The loan may be prepaid in whole or in part without penalty. For any unpaid balance after December 31, 2017, the interest rate was increased by 5% for any unpaid balance after December 31, 2017. The loan is subordinate to the bridge loan.

 

Naming Rights Securitization Loan

 

On November 9, 2017, the Company, through a subsidiary, JCIHOFV Financing, LLC, entered into a secured loan with a financial institution for $22,800,000, collateralized by the entire payment stream of the Johnson Controls Naming Rights Agreement dated November 17, 2016 (See Note 6). Monthly payments include principal and interest at 4% per annum with the remaining principal balance due on March 31, 2021. The loan may not be repaid, in whole or in part, without paying the prepayment premium, which is equal to the present value of the remaining interest payments.

 

Convertible Notes

 

On December 24, 2018, the Company issued a series of convertible notes totaling $7,750,000. During the year ended December 31, 2019, an additional $8,380,000 was borrowed. The notes accrue interest at a rate of 10%, with payments due semi-annually in arrears. The principal and all accrued interest is due November 5, 2025. The Company may redeem the notes after December 24, 2023, subject to terms defined in the individual notes. Notes redeemed between December 24, 2023 and December 24, 2024 will be redeemed at 105% of face value. Notes redeemed after December 24, 2024 will be redeemed at 102.5% of face value. Additionally, the convertible notes contain a PIK interest provision, which represents contractually deferred interest added to the convertible notes outstanding balance that is due at maturity. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company incurred PIK interest of $1,180,252 and $0, respectively. The notes are subject to automatic conversion to equity instruments when the Company achieves certain financing goals. The notes convert into a number of conversion units equal to the outstanding principal balance of the notes divided by the price per unit at the valuation set by the investor or the Company. The notes are subordinate to the bridge loan. There are no embedded beneficial conversion features deemed to be present in these notes.

 

City of Canton Loan

 

On December 30, 2019, the Company entered into a loan facility with the City of Canton, Ohio, whereby it may borrow up to $3,500,000. The loan accrues interest at a rate of one-half percent (0.5%) per annum. Upon an event of default, the interest rate will increase to five percent (5%) per annum on the outstanding balance at the time of default. The loan shall mature on July 1, 2027. To date, the Company has not drawn on this facility.

 

New Market Project Loan

 

On December 30, 2019, the Company entered into a loan facility with New Market Project, Inc., whereby it may borrow up to $3,000,000, the proceeds of which are to be used for the development of McKinley Grand Hotel, as described below. The loan will be distributed to the Company in four (4) installments in an amount not to exceed $500,000 at closing, $500,000 on January 15, 2020, up to $1,000,000 on February 15, 2020, and up to $1,000,000 on March 15, 2020. The amounts listed are maximums. Actual disbursements could be lower, depending on renovation activity and applications. Through December 31, 2019, the Company has not drawn on this facility. The loan has a maturity date of December 30, 2024, which accrues interest at a rate of 4% per annum. In the event of default, including failure to pay upon final maturity, the interest rate shall increase by adding a 5% fee that applies to each succeeding interest rate change that would have applied had there been no default.

 

F-87

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 4: Notes payable, Net (cont.)

 

Purchase of McKinley Grand Hotel

 

On October 22, 2019, the Company purchased the McKinley Grand Hotel in Canton, Ohio for $3.9 million, which was partially financed by separate notes payable of $1,900,000 and $1,807,339, of which the latter is from an affiliate.

 

The $1,900,000 note payable has a maturity date of October 22, 2021. Interest accrues at a fixed rate that is equal to the greater of (i) 3.75% or (ii) the sum of the LIBOR rate plus 2.75%. The Company is required to make payments commencing on November 1, 2019, and on the first day of each successive month until the note is repaid.

 

The $1,807,339 note payable accrues interest at a fixed rate equal to ten percent (10%) per annum. The Company is required to make payments commencing on or prior to December 30, 2019. As of December 31, 2019, the Company was in default on this loan for missed payments, but is currently in the process of amending the note with the lender. The maturity date of the loan is April 30, 2020 and interest is payable quarterly.

 

Constellation Agreement

 

On December 30, 2019, the Company entered into a loan facility with Constellation whereby it may borrow up to $9,900,000. The maturity date is January 31, 2023 and payments are due in thirty-six (36) monthly installments. Beginning in February 2020 through July 2020, the monthly installment amount is $55,000 which increases in August 2020 to $355,754 through January 2023. As of December 31, 2019, the Company has not drawn down on this facility.

 

The Company also has a sponsorship agreement with Constellation. Refer to Note 6 for additional information.

 

IRG November Note

 

On February 7, 2020, as effective on November 27, 2019, the Company entered into a loan facility with the IRG Member, whereby it may borrow up to $30,000,000 (the “IRG November Note”). For the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company had drawn $11,500,784 on this facility. The IRG November Note accrues interest at a rate of 12% per annum and has a maturity date of November 1, 2020. Additionally, the IRG November Note contains a PIK interest provision, which represents contractually deferred interest added to the IRG November Note outstanding balance that is due at maturity. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company incurred PIK interest of $85,009 and $0, respectively.

 

Future Minimum Principal Payments

 

The minimum required principal payments on notes payable outstanding as of December 31, 2019, are as follows:

 

For the year ended December 31,   Amount  
2020   $ 87,274,305  
2021     8,828,089  
2022     2,114,000  
2023     99,828,847  
2024     237,000  
Thereafter     26,085,252  
Total   $ 224,367,493  
Less: Discount     (59,444,779 )
Net   $ 164,922,714  

 

F-88

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 5: Members’ Equity

 

The operating agreement allows for two types of member interests in the Company – Preferred and Common. As of both December 31, 2019 and 2018, the members consisted of one Preferred Member and five Common Members.

 

Distributions are made to members from cash flow from operations, as available, in the preference order set forth in the operating agreement. The operating agreement states that the Preferred Member is entitled to cash distributions first, until their preferred return of 4.25%, compounded annually, on the outstanding balance of their preferred unreturned capital amount is paid. After five years from the effective date of the operating agreement, the preferred return is 5.0%, compounded annually. Preferred equity dividends for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 are recorded as interest expense in the amounts of $4,821,133 and $676,458, respectively, on the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. Given that the preferred equity had a redemption feature, the redemption value of the preferred members’ equity is included as “preferred equity loan” in notes payable, net on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

 

Net income and net losses are allocated between the members in accordance with the preference order noted in the operating agreement.

 

Note 6: Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments

 

Johnson Controls, Inc.

 

An 18-year sponsorship agreement between Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) and the Company was signed on November 17, 2016. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will receive $135 million in return for granting JCI exclusive naming rights over the facility. The Company is contractually obligated to spend $45 million as activation expenses for the benefit of promoting the Johnson Controls and HOF Village brands.

 

JCI has the right to terminate the agreement if the project is not substantially complete by December 31, 2021.

 

As of December 31, 2019, scheduled future cash to be received and required activation spend under the non-cancellable period of the agreement are as follows:

 

    Unrestricted     Activation     Total  
2020   $ 5,000,000     $ 2,625,000     $ 7,625,000  
2021     5,000,000       2,625,000       7,625,000  
Total   $ 10,000,000     $ 5,250,000     $ 15,250,000  

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $4,962,985 and $5,012,985 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. Accounts receivable from JCI totaled $91,932 and $1,787,846 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Aultman Health Foundation

 

In 2016, the Company entered into a 10-year licensing agreement with Aultman Health Foundation (“Aultman”) allowing Aultman use of the HOF Village and Pro Football Hall of Fame marks and logos. Under terms of the agreement, the Company will receive $2.5 million in cash sponsorship funds. Of those funds, the Company is contractually obligated to spend $700,000 as activation expenses for the benefit of Aultman.

 

F-89

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 6: Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments (cont.)

 

As of December 31, 2019, scheduled future cash to be received and required activation spend under the agreement are as follows:

 

    Unrestricted     Activation     Total  
2020   $ 175,000     $ 75,000     $ 250,000  
2021     175,000       75,000       250,000  
2022     175,000       75,000       250,000  
2023     175,000       75,000       250,000  
2024     200,000       75,000       275,000  
Thereafter     375,000       175,000       550,000  
Total   $ 1,275,000     $ 550,000     $ 1,825,000  

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $179,901 and $179,901 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. Accounts receivable from Aultman totaled $165,115 and $85,214 December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Insurance Office of America

 

On September 24, 2015 the Company entered into a 5-year licensing agreement with Insurance Office of America (“IOA”) allowing IOA sponsorship rights to include intellectual property rights, distinction as the “Official Insurance Broker of the Hall of Fame Village” and IOA branding onsite and online. Effective December 31, 2018, the agreement was discontinued.

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $0 and $73,305 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were no accounts receivable from IOA, respectively.

 

First Data Merchant Services LLC

 

In December 2018, the Company entered into an 8-year licensing agreement with First Data Merchant Services LLC (“First Data”) and Santander Bank. As of December 31, 2019, scheduled future cash to be received under the agreement are as follows:

 

For the years ending December 31:

 

2020   $ 50,000  
2021     150,000  
2022     150,000  
2023     150,000  
2024     150,000  
Thereafter     300,000  
Total   $ 950,000  

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $148,575 and $10,583 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were $0 and $10,583 accounts receivable from First Data, respectively.

 

F-90

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 6: Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments (cont.)

 

Constellation NewEnergy, Inc.

 

On December 19, 2018 the Company entered into an agreement with Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. (“Constellation”) whereby Constellation and its affiliates will provide the gas and electric needs of the Company in exchange for certain sponsorship rights. The agreement is through December 31, 2028.

 

The agreement provides for certain rights to Constellation and its employees, to benefit from the relationship with the Company from discounted pricing, marketing efforts, and other benefits as detailed in the agreement. The agreement also provides for Constellation to pay sponsorship income and to provide activation fee funds. Activation fee funds are to be used in the year received and do not roll forward for future years as unspent funds. The amounts are due by March 31 of the year to which they apply.

 

The agreement includes certain contingencies reducing the sponsorship fee amount owed by Constellation if construction is not on pace with the timeframe noted in the agreement. The Company also has a note payable agreement with Constellation. Refer to Note 4 for additional information.

 

As of December 31, 2019, scheduled future cash to be received and required activation spend under the agreement are as follows:

 

    Unrestricted     Activation     Total  
2020   $ 1,000,000     $ 150,000     $ 1,150,000  
2021     1,300,000       187,193       1,487,193  
2022     1,396,000       200,000       1,596,000  
2023     1,423,220       200,000       1,623,220  
2024     1,450,977       200,000       1,650,977  
Thereafter     6,092,610       800,000       6,892,610  
Total   $ 12,662,807     $ 1,737,193     $ 14,400,000  

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $1,310,536 and $46,677 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. Accounts receivable from Constellation totaled $857,213 and $46,667 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Turf Nation, Inc.

 

During October 2018, the Company entered into a 5-year sponsorship agreement with Turf Nation, Inc. (“Turf Nation”). Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will receive payments over the term based on the sale of Turf Nation products based on rates defined in the sponsorship agreement. The minimum guaranteed fee per year beginning in 2020 is $50,000 per year.

 

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $59,967 and $11,993 of net sponsorship revenue related to this deal, respectively. Accounts receivable from Turf Nation totaled $171,961 and $11,993 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Note 7: Other Commitments

 

Canton City School District

 

The Company has entered into cooperative agreements with certain governmental entities that support the development of the project overall, where the Company is an active participant in the agreement activity, and the Company would benefit from the success of the activity.

 

F-91

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 7: Other Commitments (cont.)

 

The Company had a commitment to the Canton City School District (CCSD) to provide a replacement for their Football Operations Center (FOC) and to construct a Heritage Project (“Heritage”). The commitment was defined in the Operations and Use Agreement for HOF Village Complex dated as of February 26, 2016.

 

On March 20, 2018, a Letter of Representations was entered into by both parties whereby the Company has agreed to put money into escrow. The escrow balance at December 31, 2019 and 2018 of $2,604,318 and $2,547,672, respectively, is included in restricted cash on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The Company has agreed to make a final escrow payment of $1,000,000 which was funded in September 2019. In addition, the Company is obligated to provide temporary facilities to support CCSD athletics until the Football Operations Center (FOC) is completed.

 

Project and Ground Leases

 

Three wholly owned subsidiaries have project leases with the Stark County Port Authority to lease project improvements and ground leased property at the stadium, youth fields, and parking areas. Rent is comprised of certain fees and generally escalating ground rent over the term of the leases which run until January 31, 2056. Future minimum lease commitments under non-cancellable operating leases, excluding the amounts yet to be paid from escrow for the FOC noted above, are as follows:

 

For the years ended December 31:

 

2020   $ 3,200,254  
2021     119,118  
2022     119,118  
2023     119,118  
2024     119,118  
Thereafter     9,521,586  
Total   $ 13,198,312  

 

Rent expense on operating leases totaled $331,916 and $414,061 during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and is recorded as a component of property operating expenses on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.

 

QREM Management Agreement

 

On August 15, 2018, the Company entered into an Interim Services Agreement with Q Real Estate Management (QREM) to manage the Company’s Tom Benson Stadium operations. Under that agreement, the Company incurs a monthly management fee to QREM. Management fee expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $59,675 and $231,750 respectively, which was included in property operating expenses on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. The interim agreement ended March 1, 2019 and the agreement was not renewed between the parties.

 

SMG Management Agreement

 

On September 1, 2019, the Company entered into a Service Agreement with SMG to manage the Company’s Tom Benson Stadium operations. Under that agreement, the Company incurs an annual management fee of $200,000. Management fee expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $66,667 and $0, respectively, which is included in property operating expenses on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. The agreement term shall end on December 31, 2022.

 

F-92

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 7: Other Commitments (cont.)

 

Youth Sports Management, LLC

 

In 2016, the Company, through a subsidiary, HOF Village Sports Business, LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company invested $200,000 for a 50% interest in Youth Sports, which the Company accounts for under the equity method.

 

The investment is focused on programming and operating youth sport camps to include primarily football, soccer, and lacrosse for both boy’s and girl’s athletics. The day-to-day programming and operations are managed by LEGACY Global Sports, L.P., the other 50% owner. Youth Sports’ events take place on the youth fields constructed at the HOF Village, which include four contemplated turf fields within HOF Village.

 

On June 18, 2016 the Company entered into a 5-year lease agreement with Youth Sports Management, LLC for the youth fields currently completed and all future youth fields. However, as of December 31, 2019, the Company no longer expects to collect revenue under the lease.

 

The amount of income for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 under this agreement was $271,331 and $496,463, which is included in rent and cost recoveries revenues on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations, respectively. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, accounts receivable, net included a gross amount of $1,306,047 and $1,034,715 owed by this affiliate which is offset by an allowance of $1,306,047 and $517,358, respectively.

 

Employment Agreements

 

The Company has an employment agreement with its chief financial officer, the terms of which expire in December 2021, with an automatic one year extension. Such agreement provides for minimum salary levels and incentive bonus that is payable if specified management goals are attained as well as profits interest of 1.0% of future profits vesting over the terms of the agreement.

 

In addition, the Company has employment agreements with certain executives, the terms of which expire through December 2022. Such agreements provide for minimum salary levels and incentive bonuses that are payable if specified management goals are attained as well as profit interests totaling $750,000 of future profits of the Company generated after the time of such grants.

 

Note 8: Contingencies

 

During the normal course of its business, the Company is subject to occasional legal proceedings and claims.

 

The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary HOF Village Stadium LLC is a defendant in a lawsuit “National Football Museum, Inc. dba Pro Football Hall of Fame v. Welty Building Company Ltd., et al;” filed in the Stark County Court of Common Pleas. The Pro Football Hall of Fame, an affiliate, filed this suit for monetary damages as a result of the cancellation of the 2016 Hall of Fame Game. Plaintiff alleges that the game was cancelled as a result of negligent acts of subcontractors who were hired to perform field painting services. Plaintiff alleges that HOF Village Stadium, LLC is contractually liable for $1.2 million in damages Plaintiff sustained because it guaranteed the performance of Defendant Welty Building Company Ltd. (“Welty”) for the Hall of Fame Stadium renovation. Potential damages claimed by Plaintiff include the refunds of ticket sales, lost commissions on food and beverage sales, and lost profits on merchandise sales. The Company’s management, in consultation with legal counsel, believes that this suit is without merit and intends to vigorously defend its position. The ultimate outcome of this litigation cannot presently be determined. Accordingly, adjustments, if any, that might result from the resolution of this matter have not been reflected in the consolidated financial statements.

 

F-93

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 9: Related-Party Transactions

 

Due to Affiliates

 

Due to affiliates consisted of the following at December 31, 2019 and 2018:

 

    December 31,
2019
    December 31,
2018
 
Due to IRG Member   $ 6,257,840     $ 5,102,671  
Due to IRG Affiliate     145,445        
Due to affiliate for advisory services     500,000        
IRG Member Advances     5,800,000        
Due to PFHOF     6,630,305       4,771,626  
Total   $ 19,333,590     $ 9,874,297  

 

IRG Member and Affiliates

 

The IRG Member and an affiliate provide certain supporting services to the Company. As noted in the Operating Agreement of HOF Village, LLC, an affiliate of the IRG Member, IRG Canton Village Manager, LLC, may earn a master developer fee calculated as 4.0% of development costs incurred for the JCIHOFV, including, but not limited to site assembly, construction supervision, and project financing.

 

For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, costs incurred under these arrangements were $1,276,885 and $1,916,557 included in Project Development Costs.

 

The IRG Member also provides certain human resource support to the Company. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, expenses of $344,426 and $982,492 were included in Property Operating Expenses.

 

At December 31, 2019, due to affiliate included $6,269,890 to the IRG Member and the affiliate to the IRG Member and the affiliate for the development fees and human resources support. At December 31, 2018, due to affiliate included $5,102,671 to the IRG Member and the affiliate for the development fees and human resources support.

 

The Company engages an affiliate of the IRG Member to identify and obtain naming rights sponsors and other entitlement partners for the Village under an arrangement for $15,000 per month plus commissions. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company incurred $180,000 and $180,000 in costs to this affiliate, respectively. At December 31, 2019, due to affiliate included $145,445 owed to the affiliate. At December 31, 2018, accounts payable and accrued expenses included $205,445 owed to the affiliate.

 

As of December 31, 2019 the Company has received non-interest bearing advances from an affiliate of IRG Member in the amount of $5,800,000 due on demand, which is included in due to affiliate on the Company’s balance sheet. The Company is currently in discussions with this affiliate to establish repayment terms of these advances.

 

Pro Football Hall of Fame

 

The Company incurs advances to and from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including costs for onsite sponsorship activation, sponsorship sales support, shared services, event tickets, and expense reimbursements.

 

On March 10, 2016, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “License Agreement”) with Pro Football Hall of Fame, whereby the Company has the ability to license and use certain intellectual property from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in exchange for the Company paying a fee based on certain sponsorship revenue and expenses. On December 11, 2018, the License Agreement was amended to change the calculation of the fee to be 20% of eligible sponsorship revenue. The License Agreement expires on December 31, 2033. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized expenses under the License Agreement of $1,706,290 and $2,662,342, respectively, which is included in property operating expenses on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations, respectively.

 

F-94

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 9: Related-Party Transactions (cont.)

 

On November 11, 2019, the Company entered into a Media License Agreement with PFHOF that will terminate on December 31, 2034. The Company has agreed to pay to PFHOF a minimum guarantee of $1,250,000 each year during the term. After the first five (5) years of the agreement, the minimum guarantee will increase by three percent (3%) on a year-over-year basis. In consideration of any license granted to the Company, the Company will pay to PFHOF an agreed upon license fee that first will be credited against the minimum guarantee until the aggregate amount of all such license fees equals the minimum guarantee, and any additional license fees due to PFHOF will be paid over and above the minimum guarantee. In addition, $225,000 annually will be credited against the minimum guarantee for the license granted by PFHOF to Youth Sports Management, LLC, provided that such $225,000 will increase by 3% on a year-over-year basis after the first five (5) years of the Media License Agreement.

 

At December 31, 2019 and 2018, due to affiliate included $6,630,305 and $4,771,626, respectively, owed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 

Affiliate for Advisory Services

 

The Company engages a company owned by an investor for advisory services. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, advisory costs incurred under this arrangement were $0 and $1,000,000, respectively. At December 31, 2019, due to affiliates included $500,000 owed to this company for these advisory services. At December 31, 2018, accounts payable and accrued expenses included $500,000 owed to this company for these advisory services.

 

Note 10: Other Liabilities

 

Other Liabilities

 

Other liabilities consist of the following at December 31, 2019 and 2018:

 

    December 31,
2019
    December 31,
2018
 
Activation fund reserves   $ 2,876,149     $ 1,158,420  
Deferred revenue     90,841        
Preferred stock dividend payable     717,286       676,458  
Total   $ 3,684,276     $ 1,834,878  

 

Note 11: Concentrations

 

For the year ended December 31, 2019, two customers represented approximately 63% and 17% of the Company’s revenue. For the year ended December 31, 2018, one customer represented approximately 73% of the Company’s revenue. At December 31, 2019, two customers represented approximately 43% and 33% of the Company’s accounts receivable. At December 31, 2018, two customers represented approximately 71% and 21% of the Company’s accounts receivable.

 

At any point in time, the Company can have funds in our operating accounts and restricted cash accounts that are with third party financial institutions. These balances in the U.S. may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits. While the Company monitors the cash balances in our operating accounts, these cash and restricted cash balances could be impacted if the underlying financial institutions fail or could be subject to other adverse conditions in the financial markets.

 

Note 12: Merger Agreement

 

On September 16, 2019, the Company entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp (“GPAQ”), a publically traded special purpose acquisition company, to create a sports, entertainment and media enterprise surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 

F-95

 

 

HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO Consolidated Financial Statements
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 AND 2018

 

Note 12: Merger Agreement (cont.)

 

The terms of the merger agreement provide, among other things, for HOF Village Newco, LLC, a subsidiary of the Company that will hold all of the Company’s operations, to be merged with and into a wholly-owned subsidiary of GPAQ. The Company’s management and equity holders have committed to roll 100% of their equity into the combined entity. Proceeds from GPAQ’s trust account will be used by the Company to repay certain debt and expenses and to fund continued growth of the Company’s operations. Immediately following the closing of the proposed transaction, the combined company intends to change its name to Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company and intends to apply to trade on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol “HOFV”, subject to NASDAQ approval.

 

Note 13: Subsequent Events

 

IRG November Note

 

From January 1, 2020 through March 10, 2020, the Company has drawn an additional $6,026,529 under the IRG November Note.

 

F-96

 

 

PART II

 

Information Not Required in Prospectus

 

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

 

    Amount  
Commission registration fee   $          
Legal fees and expenses        
Accounting fees and expenses        
Miscellaneous        
Total (1)   $  

 

 

(1) Does not include any fees or expenses in connection with any subsequent expense.

 

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions, suits or proceedings in which such person is made a party by reason of such person being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent of the registrant. The DGCL provides that Section 145 is not exclusive of other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide for indemnification by us of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.

 

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL permits a corporation to provide in its Certificate of Incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) for unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides for such limitation of liability to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.

 

We maintain standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided (1) to our directors and officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, while acting in their capacity as our directors and officers, and (2) to us with respect to payments which may be made by us to such officers and directors pursuant to any indemnification provision contained in our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws or otherwise as a matter of law.

 

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

 

Founder Shares in Connection with GPAQ IPO

 

On April 12, 2017, Gordon Pointe Management, LLC (the “Sponsor”) 3,593,750 shares of the Class F common stock of Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corporation (“GPAQ”) that were issued prior to GPAQ’s initial public offering (the “GPAQ IPO”), which we refer to as “founder shares,” for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.007 per share. Subsequently, the Sponsor transferred 325,000 founder shares to various trusts or estate planning vehicles for certain Dolan grandchildren and other Dolan family members that are managed by Mr. Dolan’s adult children; and an additional aggregate of 75,000 founder shares to GPAQ’s independent directors and GPAQ’s Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer. On March 12, 2018, following the expiration of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, the Sponsor forfeited 468,750 founder shares, so that, at such time, the remaining founder shares held by the initial stockholders would represent 20% of the outstanding shares of capital stock following the completion of the GPAQ IPO.

 

II-1

 

 

Private Placement Warrants in Connection with GPAQ IPO

 

Simultaneously with the consummation of the GPAQ IPO, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 4,900,000 private placement warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, each exercisable to purchase one share of GPAQ’s Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, in a private placement generating gross proceeds of $4,900,000. The private placement warrants are identical to the public warrants sold as part of the units in the GPAQ IPO except that, so long as they are held by their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, (i) they will not be redeemable by GPAQ, (ii) they (including the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of these private placement warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold until 30 days after the completion of GPAQ’s initial business combination, (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis; and (iv) they (including the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of these private placement warrants) have certain registration rights.

 

Loans, Promissory Notes and Vendor Debt Convertible into Company Common Stock in the Business Combination

 

The discussion under the heading of “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” of loans, promissory notes and vendor debt that were convertible into shares of Company Common Stock in the Business Combination, to the extent such loans, promissory notes and vendor debt are securities, is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Convertible Notes

 

On July 1, 2020, concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination, we entered into a Note Purchase Agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the other purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (together, the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which we agreed to issue and sell to the Purchasers in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) $20,721,293 in aggregate principal amount of our 8.00% Convertible Notes due 2025 (the “PIPE Notes”). Pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement, the PIPE Notes are convertible into shares of Common Stock at the option of PIPE Note holders, and we may, at our option, redeem the PIPE Notes in exchange for cash (or, at the option of PIPE Note holders, shares of our Common Stock) and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock.

 

Note Redemption Warrants

 

The Note Redemption Warrants that may be issued pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement will be exercisable for a number of shares of Common Stock to be determined at the time any such Note Purchase Warrant is issued. The exercise price per share of Common Stock of any Note Purchase Warrant will be set at the time such Note Purchase Warrant is issued pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement and the Note Redemption Warrant Agreement. The Note Redemption Warrants may be exercised from and after the date of issuance, subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in the Note Redemption Warrant Agreement. Unexercised Note Redemption Warrants will expire on the maturity date of the PIPE Notes. The Note Redemption Warrants will not participate in cash distributions by the Company. If issued upon redemption of PIPE Notes, the Note Redemption Warrants will be issued in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof, as a transaction by an issuer not involving any public offering.

 

Crown League Services Agreement

 

HOF Village entered into a services agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020 (the “Crown League Services Agreement”), with Mountaineer GM, LLC (“Mountaineer”) and BXPG LLC (“Brand X”), whereby Mountaineer and HOF Village retain Brand X to provide services with regard to The Crown League, a professionalized fantasy sports league (the “Crown Business”). Mountaineer completed the acquisition of Crown assets under the Crown APA on July 22, 2020. Pursuant to an amended and restated limited liability company agreement of Mountaineer that HOF Village and Michael Klein & Associates, Inc., an affiliate of Michael Klein (“MKA”), entered into in connection with HOF Village’s purchase of the 60% interest in Mountaineer, MKA agreed to provide the consideration for Mountaineer to complete the acquisition of Crown as a capital contribution to Mountaineer, consisting of 90,287 shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock, and HOF Village agreed to provide the consideration owed to Brand X under the Crown League Services Agreement as a capital contribution to Mountaineer, consisting of $30,000 per month for 18 months plus 100,000 shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock, 25,000 shares of which were issued on August 6, 2020, and 25,000 shares of which are issuable on each of July 1, 2021, January 1, 2022 and July 1, 2022, until such capital contributions of HOF Village equal 60% of the total capital contributions to Mountaineer. The Services Agreement may be extended for an additional six months. Compensation during the extension period would be $30,000 per month and 25,000 shares of HOFRE’s Common Stock.

 

The sales of the above issued securities discussed in this Item 15. “Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities,” were exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in reliance on the exemptions afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Other than the GPAQ IPO, no sales involved underwriters, underwriting discounts or commissions or public offerings of securities of the registrant.

 

Issuance of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

On October 13, 2020, HOFRE issued to American Capital Center, LLC (the “Preferred Investor”) 900 shares of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) at $1,000 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $900,000. HOFRE paid the Preferred Investor an origination fee of 2%. The issuance and sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to the Preferred Investor was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. HOFRE used half of the proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to pay down outstanding amounts under its Bridge Loan.

 

II-2

 

 

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

  Description
1.1   Form of Underwriting Agreement
2.1(a)†   Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of September 16, 2019, by and among Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp., GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc., GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, HOF Village, LLC and HOF Village Newco, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38363) filed with the Commission on September 17, 2019)
2.1(b)   First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 5, 2019, by and among Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp., GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc., GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, HOF Village, LLC and HOF Village Newco, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.2 to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38363) filed with the Commission on November 8, 2019)
2.1(c)   Second Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 10, 2020, by and among Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp., GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc., GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, HOF Village, LLC and HOF Village Newco, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38363) filed with the Commission on March 16, 2020)
2.1(d)   Third Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 22, 2020, by and among Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp., GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc., GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, HOF Village, LLC and HOF Village Newco, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38363) filed with the Commission on May 28, 2020)
3.1   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
3.2   Certificate of Designations of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock of Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on October 15, 2020)
3.3   Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
4.1   Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
4.2   Specimen Warrant Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
4.3   Form of Warrant Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38363) filed with the Commission on January 30, 2018)
4.4   Form of Warrant to be issued to Investors in the Offering
4.5  

Form of Warrant Agency Agreement between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company

5.1*   Opinion of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
10.1   Form of Lock-Up Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on November 12, 2019)
10.2   Form of Director Nominating Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on March 10, 2020)
10.3   Form of Release Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on November 12, 2019)
10.4   Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-248851) filed with the Commission on September 16, 2020)
10.5   Employment Agreement, dated July 1, 2020, by and between Michael Crawford, HOFV Newco, LLC and Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)

 

II-3

 

 

10.6   Employment Agreement, dated June 22, 2020, by and between Michael Levy and HOF Village, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.7   Employment Agreement, dated September 16, 2019, by and between Jason Krom and HOF Village, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 of the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Form S-3 on Form S-1 (File No. 333-240045), filed with the Commission on September 2, 2020)
10.8   Employment Agreement, dated December 1, 2019, by and between Anne Graffice and HOF Village, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 of the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Form S-3 on Form S-1 (File No. 333-240045), filed with the Commission on September 2, 2020)
10.9   Employment Agreement, dated August 31, 2020, by and between Tara Charnes and Hall of Fame Resort  & Entertainment Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Form S-3 on Form S-1 (File No. 333-240045), filed with the Commission on September 2, 2020)
10.10   Employment Agreement dated September 14, 2020, between Erica Muhleman and Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of the Company’s Amendment No. 2 to Form S-3 on Form S-1 (File No. 333-240045), filed with the Commission on September 22, 2020)
10.11+   Note Purchase Agreement, dated July 1, 2020, by and among Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company and certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.12   Registration Rights Agreement, dated July 1, 2020, by and among Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company and certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.13   Note Redemption and Warrant Agreement, dated July 1, 2020, by and among Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company and certain funds managed by Magnetar Financial, LLC and the purchasers listed on the signature pages thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.14+   Amended and Restated Sponsorship and Naming Rights Agreement, dated July 2, 2020, by and among HOF Village, LLC, National Football Museum, Inc. and Johnson Controls, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.15   Promissory Note, dated June 24, 2020, by HOF Village, LLC and HOF Village Hotel II, LLC in favor of JKP Financial, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.16   Letter Agreement re Payment Terms, dated June 25, 2020, by and among Industrial Realty Group, LLC, IRG Master Holdings, LLC, HOF Village, LLC and certain affiliates party thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.17+   Term Loan Agreement dated as of March 20, 2018 among HOF Village, LLC and affiliates, the Lenders party thereto and GACP Finance Co., LLC, as Administrative Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.18+   Delayed Draw Joinder Number 1 to Term Loan Agreement dated April 11, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.19+   Delayed Draw Joinder Number 2 to Term Loan Agreement dated May 18, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.20   Third Amendment to Term Loan Agreement dated September 14, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.21+   Fourth Amendment to Term Loan Agreement dated February 19, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.22   Fifth Amendment to Term Loan Agreement dated June 28, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)

 

II-4

 

 

10.23   Sixth Amendment to Term Loan Agreement dated August 15, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.24   Seventh Amendment to Term Loan Agreement dated November 16, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.25   IRG Master Holdings, LLC Guaranty dated November 16, 2019 in favor of GACP Finance Co., LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.26+   Amendment Number 8 to Term Loan Agreement, dated June 30, 2020, by and among HOF Village, LLC and certain affiliates party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and GACP Finance Co., LLC, as Administrative Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.27+   Amendment to Sponsorship and Services Agreement, dated June 15, 2020, by and among HOF Village, LLC, National Football Museum, Inc. and Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 of the Company’s Form 8-K (001-38363), filed with the Commission on July 8, 2020)
10.28   First Amended and Restated License Agreement, dated September 16, 2019, between the National Football Museum, Inc. and HOF Village, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Amendment No. 1 to GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-234655) filed with the Commission on January 23, 2020)
10.29   Shared Services Agreement, dated June 30, 2020, between National Football Museum, Inc. and HOF Village, LLC
10.30+  

Amended and Restated Media License Agreement, dated July 1, 2020, among National Football Museum, Inc., HOF Village Media Group, LLC and HOF Village, LLC

21.1   Subsidiaries of Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company
23.1   Consent of Marcum LLP
23.2   Consent of Marcum LLP
23.4*   Consent of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1   Power of Attorney (contained on the signature page this registration statement).

 

 

+ Schedules to this exhibit have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Registration S-K. The registrant hereby agrees to furnish a copy of any omitted schedules to the Commission upon request.
* To be filed by amendment.

 

II-5

 

 

Item 17. Undertakings.

 

(a) The undersigned registrant 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, as amended (the “Securities Act”);

 

(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 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 end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “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 to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that: Paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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.

 

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

 

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

II-6

 

 

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

(b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant 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 registrant 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 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

II-7

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Canton, State of Ohio, on October [15], 2020.

 

  HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY
   
  /s/ Michael Crawford
  Name: Michael Crawford
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Each of the undersigned, whose signature appears below, hereby constitutes and appoints Michael Crawford and Jason Krom, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments to this registration statement and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate to be done with respect to this registration statement or any amendments hereto in the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature   Capacity in Which Signed   Date
         
*   Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
  October [15], 2020
Michael Crawford  
         
*   Chief Financial Officer   October [15], 2020
Jason Krom   (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)    
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
Anthony J. Buzzelli        
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
David Dennis        
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
James J. Dolan        
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
Karl L. Holz        
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
Stuart Lichter        
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
Curtis Martin        
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
Mary Owen        
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
Edward J. Roth III        
         
*   Director   October [15], 2020
Kimberly K. Schaefer        

  

* By:  /s/ Michael Crawford  
  Michael Crawford  
  Attorney-in-fact  

II-8

 

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Exhibit 1.1

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

 

FORM OF

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

October          , 2020

 

MAXIM GROUP LLC
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10174

 

As Representative of the Underwriters
named on Schedule I hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) to issue and sell to the underwriter or underwriters, as the case may be, named in Schedule I hereto (each, an “Underwriter” and, collectively, the “Underwriters;”), for whom Maxim Group LLC is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), an aggregate of [●] units (the “Firm Units” or “Units”) of the Company’s securities, and, at the election of the Representative, up to an additional [●] Option Shares (as defined herein and collectively with the shares of Common Stock (as defined below) underlying the Firm Units, the “Shares”), and/or up to an additional [●] Option Warrants (as defined herein and collectively with warrants underlying the Firm Units, the “Warrants”), representing up to 15% of the total number of Firm Units sold in the Offering. Each Unit consists of one share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and one Warrant. Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock (as more fully described in Section 2 hereof). The Units, the Shares, the Warrants and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (the “Warrant Shares”) are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Securities.” The offering and sale of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement is referred to herein as the “Offering.”

 

Units will not be issued or certificated. The shares of Common Stock and Warrants that comprise the Units are immediately separable and will be issued separately.

 

1. Securities; Over-Allotment Option.

 

(a) Purchase of Firm Units. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell, severally and not jointly, to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of [] Firm Units at a purchase price per Firm Unit of $[] , which represents a 7% discount to the public offering price per Firm Unit.

 

 

 

 

(b) The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Units set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule I attached hereto and made a part hereof.

 

(c) Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Units shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the second Business Day (as hereinafter defined) following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) (or the third Business Day following the Effective Date, if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:30 p.m. New York time) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company at the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Units is called the “Closing Date.” The closing of the payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates representing, the Firm Units is referred to herein as the “Closing.” Payment for the Firm Units shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds with concurrent delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Units (or through the full fast transfer facilities of the Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Units shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Firm Units for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Units except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all the Firm Units. Notwithstanding any provision of this Underwriting Agreement to the contrary, the Firm Units and the Option Securities (defined below), if any, shall be in book-entry form in such denominations and registered in the name of “Cede & Co.”, as the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, or such other names as the Representative may request in writing.

 

(d) Over-allotment Option. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Units, the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters are hereby granted an option (the “Over-Allotment Option”) to purchase up to an additional [] shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”) and/or up to an additional [] Warrants (the “Option Warrants” and, together with the Option Shares, “Option Securities”), in each case, solely to cover over-allotments and representing up to 15% of the total number of Firm Units sold in the Offering . The purchase price to be paid for the Option Shares subject to the Over-Allotment Option will be equal to $[] per Option Share, the purchase price to be paid for the Option Warrants subject to the Over-Allotment Option will be equal to $[] per Option Warrant.

 

2

 

 

(e) Exercise of Option. The Over-Allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1(d) hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants within 45 days after the Closing Date. The Underwriters will not be under any obligation to purchase any of such Option Shares and/or Option Warrants prior to the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option. The Over-Allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the Representative giving written notice to the Company setting forth the number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for such Option Shares and/or Option Warrant, which date and time will not be later than three Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for all of the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants does not occur on the Closing Date, the date and time of the closing for such Option Shares and/or Option Warrants will be as set forth in the notice (hereinafter the “Option Closing Date”). Upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants specified in such notice. If any Option Shares and/or Option Warrants are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representative may determine) that bears the same proportion to the number of Firm Units to be purchased as set forth on Schedule I opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Units.

 

(f) Payment and Delivery of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants. Payment for Option Shares and/or Option Warrants shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds to the Company by deposit of the price for the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants being purchased upon delivery to the Underwriters of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing such Option Shares and/or Option Warrants (or through the full fast transfer facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The certificates representing the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants to be delivered will be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representative requests not less than one Business Day prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and will be made available to the Representative for inspection, checking and packaging at the aforesaid office of the Company’s transfer agent or correspondent not less than one Business Day prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

3

 

 

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents, warrants and covenants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date:

 

(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-249133), and amendments thereto, and related preliminary prospectuses for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Securities which registration statement, as so amended (including post-effective amendments, if any), has been declared effective by the Commission and copies of which have heretofore been delivered to the Underwriters. The registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the prospectus, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and other information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company has filed or is required pursuant to the terms hereof to file a registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act registering additional Securities (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), then, unless otherwise specified, any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Other than a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, which, if filed, becomes effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission. All of the Securities have been registered under the Securities Act pursuant to the Registration Statement or, if any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is filed, will be duly registered under the Securities Act with the filing of such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The Company has responded to all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. Based on communications from the Commission, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of either the Registration Statement or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The Company, if required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission (the “Rules and Regulations”), proposes to file the Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (“Rule 424(b)”). The prospectus, in the form in which it is to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), or, if the prospectus is not to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), the prospectus in the form included as part of the Registration Statement at the time the Registration Statement became effective, is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus or prospectus supplement shall be provided to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the Offering, which differs from the Prospectus (whether or not such revised prospectus or prospectus supplement is required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b)), the term “Prospectus” shall also refer to such revised prospectus or prospectus supplement, as the case may be, from and after the time it is first provided to the Underwriters for such use. Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus subject to completion included in the Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act is hereafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the exhibits incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the Rules and Regulations on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement, the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference herein to the terms “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include: (i) the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended(together with the Rules and Regulations promulgated thereunder, the “Exchange Act”) after the Effective Date, the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be, which is incorporated therein by reference, and (ii) any such document so filed. All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, a Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall be deemed to include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”). The Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the Offering was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T promulgated by the Commission.

 

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(b) At the time of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the effectiveness of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, when the Prospectus is first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), when any supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus is filed with the Commission, when any document filed under the Exchange Act was or is filed, at all other subsequent times until the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities, and at the Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements or exhibits thereto complied or will comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations, and did not and will not, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, contain an untrue statement of a material fact and did not and will not, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein: (i) in the case of the Registration Statement, not misleading; and (ii) in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made as of its date, not misleading. When any Preliminary Prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the registration statement for the registration of the Securities or any amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act) and when any amendment thereof or supplement thereto was first filed with the Commission, such Preliminary Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No representation and warranty is made in this subsection (b), however, with respect to any information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any related Preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of: the statements set forth in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus only insofar as such statements relate to the names and corresponding share amounts set forth in the table of Underwriters, the amount of selling concession and re-allowance or to over-allotment and related activities that may be undertaken by the Underwriters and the paragraph relating to stabilization by the Underwriters (the “Underwriters’ Information”).

 

(c) Neither: (i) any Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) and the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below), all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, includes or included as of the Applicable Time any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or omitted as of the Applicable Time to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or any Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus in conformity with the Underwriters’ Information.

 

(d) Each Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below), as of its issue date and at all subsequent times until the Closing Date or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the then-current Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the then-current Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus relating to the Securities or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company has notified or will notify promptly the Representative so that any use of such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus may cease until it is promptly amended or supplemented by the Company, at its own expense, to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

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(e) The Company has not distributed and will not distribute any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the General Disclosure Package, any Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or other materials permitted by the Securities Act to be distributed by the Company. Unless the Company obtains the prior consent of the Representative, the Company has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, required to be filed with the Commission; provided that the prior written consent of the Representative shall be deemed to have been given in respect of any free writing prospectus referenced on Schedule II attached hereto. The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act applicable to any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the Closing Date, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. To the extent an electronic road show is used, the Company has satisfied and will satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 under the Securities Act to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show.

 

(f) The Representative agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise (without taking into account any approval, authorization, use or reference thereto by the Company) constitute a “free writing prospectus” required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Company hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of any Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectuses referenced on Schedule II attached hereto.

 

(g) As used in this Agreement, the terms set forth below shall have the following meanings:

 

(i) “Applicable Time” means October __, 2020, ______/P.m. a.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.

 

(ii) “Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time. For purposes of this definition, information contained in a form of prospectus that is deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A or 430B shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act.

 

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(iii) “Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to the Securities that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, or (B) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) under the Securities Act because it contains a description of the Securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms or pursuant to Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) because it is a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act.

 

(iv) “Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule II to this Agreement.

 

(v) “Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectus. The term Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus also includes any “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, that is made available without restriction pursuant to Rule 433(d)(8)(ii), even though not required to be filed with the Commission.

 

(h) Marcum LLP (the “Auditor”), whose reports relating to the Company are included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”). To the Company’s knowledge, the Auditor is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended (“Sarbanes-Oxley”). The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

 

(i) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is presented in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus: (i) the Company has not declared, paid or made any dividends or other distributions of any kind on or in respect of its capital stock, and (ii) there has been no material adverse change (or, to the knowledge of the Company, any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change in the future), whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, in or affecting: (A) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (as hereinafter defined); (B) the long-term debt or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (C) the Offering or consummation of any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the Warrants, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (a “Material Adverse Change”). Since the date of the latest balance sheet presented in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not incurred or undertaken any liabilities or obligations, whether direct or indirect, liquidated or contingent, matured or unmatured, or entered into any transactions, including any acquisition or disposition of any business or asset, which are material to the Company, except for liabilities, obligations and transactions that are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(j) As of the dates set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with all applicable federal and, to the knowledge of the Company, all state securities laws and none of those shares of capital stock was issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to the extent any such rights were not waived; the Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefore as provided in this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights that have not heretofore been waived (with copies of such waivers provided to the Underwriters); and no holder of any Securities or any shares of Common Stock is or will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder. The Securities conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. When issued, the Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company to issue and sell, upon exercise thereof and payment of the respective exercise prices therefor, the number and type of securities of the Company called for thereby in accordance with the terms thereof and such Warrants are enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. The Warrant Shares have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and when issued in accordance with the terms of the Warrants, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; will not have been issued in violation of or be subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company; and the holders thereof will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders;

 

(k) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) there are no outstanding rights (contractual or otherwise), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, or agreements or understandings with respect to the sale or issuance of, any shares of capital stock of or other equity interest in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (B) there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act or otherwise register any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person and any such rights so disclosed have been waived by the holders thereof in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby including the Offering;

 

(l) [Reserved]

 

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(m) The subsidiaries of the Company (the “Subsidiaries”), together with their respective jurisdictions of incorporation are listed on Schedule IV hereto. Each of the Subsidiaries, other than Mountaineer GM, LLC, is wholly-owned by the Company and no person or entity has any right to acquire any equity interest in any of the Subsidiaries. Except for the Subsidiaries, the Company does not own any equity interest in any other corporation, limited liability company or other entity.

 

(n) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated, organized or formed and validly exists as a corporation or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation, organization or formation. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as it is currently being conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and to own, lease and operate its properties. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company in each jurisdiction in which the character or location of its properties (owned, leased or licensed) or the nature or conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except, in each case, for those failures to be so qualified or in good standing that (individually and in the aggregate) would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on: (i) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries; (ii) the long-term debt or capital stock of the Company; or (iii) the Offering or consummation of any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (any such effect being a “Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(o) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is: (i) in violation of its certificate or bylaws, operating agreement or other organizational documents; (ii) in default under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject; and no event has occurred, which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, security interest, charge or other encumbrance (a “Lien”) upon any of its property or assets pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject; or (iii) in violation in any respect of any law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, foreign or domestic, except, in the case of subsections (ii) and (iii) above, for such violations or defaults that (individually or in the aggregate) would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(p) The Company has entered into a warrant agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”) with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, with respect to the Warrants substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Warrants and all other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement and the Warrants. The Company has duly and validly authorized this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Warrants and each of the transactions contemplated thereby. This Agreement and the Warrant Agreement have been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and are enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought..

 

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(q) Reserved

 

(r) The execution, delivery, and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Warrants, the Warrant Agreement, and all other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement, the Warrants and the Warrant Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not: (i) conflict with, require consent under or result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement, instrument, franchise, license or permit to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, operations or assets may be bound; (ii) violate or conflict with any provision of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws, operating agreement or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) violate or conflict with any law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (iv) trigger a reset or repricing of any outstanding securities of the Company other than the Company’s 8.00% Convertible Notes due 2025, except in the case of subsection (i) for any default, conflict or violation that would not have or reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have all consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, qualifications, licenses, filings and permits of, with and from all judicial, regulatory and other legal or governmental agencies and bodies and all third parties, foreign and domestic (collectively, the “Consents”), to own, lease and operate their respective properties and conduct their respective businesses as they are now being conducted and as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and each such Consent is valid and in full force and effect, except which (individually or in the aggregate), in each such case, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice of any investigation or proceedings that result in or, if decided adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries could reasonably be expected to result in, the revocation of, or imposition of a materially burdensome restriction on, any Consent. No Consent contains a materially burdensome restriction not adequately disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(t) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, directives, judgments, decrees and orders, foreign and domestic, except for any non-compliance the consequences of which would not have or reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.).

 

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(u) The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Exchange Act. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration;

 

(v) The Shares and the Warrant Shares have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market (the “Exchange”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting its Common Stock, including the Shares and the Warrant Shares, from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing.

 

(w) No consent of, with or from any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body or any third party, foreign or domestic is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Warrants or the Warrant Agreement, or consummation of each of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities to be issued, sold and delivered hereunder, except: (i) such as may have previously been obtained (with copies of such consents provided to the Underwriters); (ii) the registration under the Securities Act of the Securities, which has become effective; (iii) such consents as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws or the by-laws and rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market; and (iv) the FINRA in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, each of which has been obtained and is in full force and effect.

 

(x) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no judicial, regulatory, arbitral or other legal or governmental proceeding or other litigation or arbitration, domestic or foreign, pending to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property, operations or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject, which, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no such proceeding, litigation or arbitration is threatened or contemplated and the defense of any such proceedings, litigation and arbitration against or involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(y) The financial statements, including the notes thereto, and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and present fairly in all material respects the financial position as of the dates indicated and the cash flows and results of operations for the periods specified of the Company. Except as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except in the case of unaudited financials thatare subject to normal year-end adjustments and do not contain certain footnotes. The supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. The other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information included therein and have been prepared on a basis consistent with that of the financial statements that are included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and the books and records of the respective entities presented therein.

 

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(z) There are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements that are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in accordance with Regulation S-X that have not been included as so required. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and include all adjustments necessary to present fairly in accordance with GAAP the pro forma and as adjusted financial position of the respective entity or entities presented therein at the respective dates indicated and their cash flows and the results of operations for the respective periods specified. The assumptions used in preparing the pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions or events described therein. The related pro forma and pro forma as adjusted adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions; and the pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement amounts.

 

(aa) The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.

 

(bb) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) and such controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information relating to the Company required to be disclosed in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company has utilized such controls and procedures in preparing and evaluating the disclosures in the Registration Statement, in the General Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus.

 

(cc) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company’s board of directors has validly appointed an audit committee whose composition satisfies the requirements of the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Stock Market and the board of directors and/or audit committee has adopted a charter that satisfies the requirements of the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Stock Market. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the board of directors nor the audit committee has been informed, nor is the Company aware, of: (i) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting that are reasonably likely to materially adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

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(dd) Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates (as defined in the Securities Act) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in, or that could reasonably be expected to constitute, cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(ee) Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities that are required to be “integrated” pursuant to the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations with the Offering. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates has sold or issued any securities during the six-month period preceding the date of the Prospectus, including but not limited to any sales pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation D or Regulation S under the Securities Act.

 

(ff) To the knowledge of the Company, all information contained in the questionnaires completed by each of the Company’s officers and directors and 5% holders immediately prior to the Offering and provided to the Representative as well as the biographies of such officers and directors in the Registration Statement are true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information that would cause the information disclosed in the questionnaires completed by the directors and officers to become inaccurate and incorrect.

 

(gg) To the knowledge of the Company, no director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any current employer or prior employer that could materially affect his ability to be and act in his respective capacity of the Company.

 

(hh) The Company is not and, at all times up to and including consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and after giving effect to application of the net proceeds of the Offering, will not be, subject to registration as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and is not and will not be an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of such act.

 

(ii) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any Affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and any director, officer, shareholder, customer or supplier of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any Affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Rules and Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, which is not so described as required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members. The Company has not, in violation of Sarbanes-Oxley, directly or indirectly extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or executive officer of the Company..

 

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(jj) The Company is in material compliance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Nasdaq Stock Market or any other governmental or self-regulatory entity or agency, except for such violations that, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing: (i) all members of the Company’s board of directors who are required to be “independent” (as that term is defined under applicable laws, rules and regulations), including, without limitation, all members of the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors, meet the qualifications of independence as set forth under applicable laws, rules and regulations; and (ii)  the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors has at least one member who is an “audit committee financial expert” (as that term is defined under applicable laws, rules and regulations).

 

(kk) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any Person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee, financial consulting fee or other like payment in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with respect to the Company or any of its officers, directors, shareholders, partners, employees or Affiliates that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by FINRA.

 

(ll) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties (other than intellectual property, which is covered by Section 2(mm)) as are necessary to the conduct of its business as presently operated as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by it, in each case free and clear of all Liens except such as are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or such as do not (individually or in the aggregate) materially affect the business or prospects of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Any real property and buildings held under lease or sublease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are held by it under valid, subsisting and, to the Company’s knowledge, enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material to, and do not materially interfere with, the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company or its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of any claim adverse to its ownership of any real or personal property or of any claim against the continued possession of any real property, whether owned or held under lease or sublease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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(mm) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries: (i) owns, possesses, or has the adequate right to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, formulae, customer lists, and know-how and other intellectual property (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures, “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of its businesses as being conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure and Prospectus; and (ii) has no knowledge that the conduct of its business conflicts or will conflict with the rights of others, and it has not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any right of others. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has granted or assigned to any other Person any right to sell any of the products or services of the Company or its Subsidiaries. To the Company’s knowledge, there is no infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts that would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any other fact that would form a reasonable basis for any such claim. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any claim for royalties or other compensation from any Person, including any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who made inventive contributions to the technology or products of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that are pending or unsettled, and except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has or will have any obligation to pay royalties or other compensation to any Person on account of inventive contributions.

 

(nn) The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the applicable provisions of the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of their respective properties or businesses are or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or attached as an exhibit thereto, or (ii) is material to the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, has been duly and validly executed by the Company or its Subsidiary, as applicable, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company or its Subsidiary in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the foreign, federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and none of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and neither the Company, any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in breach or default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a breach or default thereunder, in any such case, which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(oo) The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of foreign, federal, state and local regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.

 

(pp) Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. No deficiency assessment with respect to a proposed adjustment of the Company’s federal, state, local or foreign taxes is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened There is no tax lien, whether imposed by any federal, state, foreign or other taxing authority, outstanding against the assets, properties or business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than liens for taxes not yet delinquent, or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which reserves in accordance with GAAP have been established in the Company’s books and records. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

(qq) No labor disturbance or dispute by or with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, currently exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with the labor and employment laws and collective bargaining agreements and extension orders applicable to its employees.

 

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(rr) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has at all times operated its business in material compliance with all Environmental Laws (as hereinafter defined), and no material expenditures are or will be required in order to comply therewith. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or communication that relates to or alleges any actual or potential violation or failure to comply with any Environmental Laws that would, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, the term “Environmental Laws” means all applicable laws and regulations, including any licensing, permits or reporting requirements, and any action by a federal state or local government entity pertaining to the protection of the environment, protection of public health, protection of worker health and safety, or the handling of hazardous materials, including without limitation, the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401, et seq., the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. § 9601, et seq., the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1321, et seq., the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. § 1801, et seq., the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. § 690-1, et seq., and the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2601, et seq.

 

(ss) Reserved

 

(tt) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably considers adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries, all of which insurance is in full force and effect, except where the failure to maintain such insurance could not reasonably be expected to have Material Adverse Effect. The Company reasonably believes that it and each of its Subsidiaries will be able to renew its existing insurance as and when such coverage expires or will be able to obtain replacement insurance adequate for the conduct of its respective business and the value of its respective properties at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(uu) Except as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has failed to file with the applicable regulatory authorities any filing, declaration, listing, registration, report or submission that is required to be so filed for the business operation of the Company or such Subsidiary as currently conducted. All such filings were in material compliance with applicable laws when filed and no deficiencies have been asserted in writing by any applicable regulatory authority with respect to any such filings, declarations, listings, registrations, reports or submissions. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries holds, and is in material compliance with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders (“Permits”) of any governmental or self-regulatory agency, authority or body required for the conduct of the business of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted, and all such Permits are in full force and effect, in each case except where the failure to hold, or comply with, any of them is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(vv) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries including, without limitation, any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, while acting on behalf of the Company or its Subsidiaries: (i) used any corporate funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds; (iii) violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (iv) made any other unlawful payment.

 

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(ww) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

(xx) The operations of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements and money laundering statutes of the United States and, to the Company’s knowledge, all other jurisdictions to which the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any applicable governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(yy) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(zz) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the Offering. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA. The Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who provided capital to the Company, (ii) any FINRA member, or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member participating in the Offering within the 12-month period prior to the date on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (the “Filing Date”) or thereafter. To the Company’s knowledge, no (i) officer or director of the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) owner of 5% or more of the Company’s unregistered securities or that of its subsidiaries or (iii) owner of any amount of the Company’s unregistered securities acquired within the 180-day period prior to the Filing Date, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member participating in the Offering. The Company will advise the Underwriters and their respective counsel if it becomes aware that any officer, director or stockholder of the Company or its subsidiaries is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering.

 

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(aaa) As used in this Agreement, references to matters being “material” with respect to the Company shall mean a material event, change, condition, status or effect related to the condition (financial or otherwise), properties, assets (including intangible assets), liabilities, business, prospects, operations or results of operations of the Company either individually or taken as a whole, as the context requires.

 

(bbb) As used in this Agreement, the term “knowledge of the Company” (or similar language) shall mean the knowledge of the executive officers and directors of the Company who are named in the Prospectus, with the assumption that such executive officers and directors shall have made reasonable and diligent inquiry of the matters presented (with reference to what is customary and prudent for the applicable individuals in connection with the discharge by the applicable individuals of their duties as executive officers or directors of the Company).

 

(ccc) Any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to Loeb & Loeb LLP (“Underwriters’ Counsel”) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter listed on Schedule A hereto as to the matters covered thereby.

 

3. Offering. Upon authorization of the release of the Securities by the Representative, the Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

 

4. Covenants of the Company. The Company acknowledges, covenants and agrees with the Representative that:

 

(a) The Registration Statement and any amendments thereto have been declared effective, and if Rule 430A is used or the filing of the Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 424(b), the Company will file the Prospectus (properly completed if Rule 430A has been used) pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the prescribed time period and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representative of such timely filing. The Company will file with the Commission all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses in the time and manner required under Rules 433(d) or 163(b)(2), as the case may be.

 

(b) During the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date as, in the opinion of Underwriters’ Counsel, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act is no longer required to be provided), in connection with sales by an underwriter or dealer (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object within 36 hours of delivery thereof to the Representatives and Underwriters’ Counsel.

 

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(c) After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Representative in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective, and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of any order preventing or suspending its use or the use of any prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing the Common Stock from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 430B, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable best efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or Rule 164(b)).

 

(d) (i) During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply in all material respects with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and hereafter amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, and by the Exchange Act so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the General Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the General Disclosure Package ) would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary or appropriate in the opinion of the Company or its counsel or the Representative or Underwriters’ Counsel to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the General Disclosure Package ) to comply with the Securities Act or to file under the Exchange Act any document that would be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the General Disclosure Package) or file such document (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

 

(ii) If at any time following issuance of an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company has promptly notified or promptly will notify the Representative and has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

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(e) The Company will promptly deliver to the Underwriters and Underwriters’ Counsel a signed copy of the Registration Statement, as initially filed and all amendments thereto, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith, and will maintain in the Company’s files manually signed copies of such documents for at least five (5) years after the date of filing thereof. The Company will promptly deliver to each of the Underwriters such number of copies of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, and all amendments of and supplements to such documents, if any, and all documents that are exhibits to the Registration Statement and Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, as the Underwriters may reasonably request. Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter, the Company will furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

 

(f) The Company consents to the use and delivery of the Preliminary Prospectus by the Underwriters in accordance with Rule 430 and Section 5(b) of the Securities Act.

 

(g) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company shall both file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111 of the Securities Act by the earlier of: (i) 10:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement; and (ii) the time that confirmations are given or sent, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2).

 

(h) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Representative, at or prior to the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws relating to the offering or sale of the Securities of such jurisdictions, domestic or foreign, as the Representative may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualification in effect for so long as required for the distribution thereof, except that in no event shall the Company be obligated in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction, to execute a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or to subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is otherwise not so subject.

 

(i) During the 90 day period following the date of this Agreement (the “Company Lock-Up Period”), the Company may not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) offer, sell, issue, agree or contract to sell or issue or grant any option for the sale of any securities of the Company, except for (A) the issuance of securities under the Company’s 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as described in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, (B) the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon any exercise of the Warrants, (C) the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or conversion of securities that are issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement and are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price or conversion price of such securities (other than in connection with stock splits, adjustments or combinations as set forth in such securities) or to extend the term of such securities, (D) the issuance of shares of the Company’s 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock to American Capital Center, LLC, or (ii) file any registration statement relating to the offer or sale of any of the Company’s securities.

 

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(j) Schedule II hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s executive officers, directors and holders of 5% or more of the Company’s Common Stock (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Annex I (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.

 

(k) If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a Lock-Up Agreement described in Section 4(j) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by (i) a press release substantially in the form of Annex III hereto through a major news service or (ii) any other method that satisfies the obligations described in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2) at least two Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

(l) For a period of three years from the Closing Date, the Company shall retain the Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company as the Company’s transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock and the Warrants and as the Company’s warrant agent for the Warrants or (i) a transfer and registrar agent for the Common Stock and (ii) warrant agent for the Warrants, in each case, reasonably acceptable to the Representative.

 

(m) The Company, at its expense, shall register with and, for a period of three (3) years after the Closing Date, keep current, its registration in the Standard & Poor’s Corporation Records Services (including annual report information).

 

(n) For a period of at least three (3) years from the Effective Date, the Company shall retain a nationally recognized PCAOB registered independent public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is acceptable to the Representative.

 

(o) During the period of one (1) year from the Effective Date, the Company will make available to the Representative copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to security holders or from time to time published or publicly disseminated by the Company, and will deliver to the Representative: (i) as soon as practicable after they are available, copies of any reports, financial statements and proxy or information statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request in writing pursuant to a specific regulatory or liability issue or; provided, that any such item that is available on the EDGAR system (or successor thereto) need not be furnished in physical form.

 

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(p) Reserved

 

(q) Reserved

 

(r) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as set forth under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.

 

(s) The Company will use its commercial best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the NYSE, or the NYSE American, for at least three (3) years after the Closing Date.

 

(t) The Company, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations within the time periods required thereby.

 

(u) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to do and perform all things required to be done or performed under this Agreement by the Company prior to the Closing Date, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Securities.

 

(v) The Company will not take, and will use its reasonable best efforts to cause its Affiliates not to take, directly or indirectly, any action that constitutes or is designed to cause or result in, or that could reasonably be expected to constitute, cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(w) The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered to the Representative, at its expense, within two (2) Business Days from the effective date of this Agreement, an Electronic Prospectus to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering. As used herein, the term “Electronic Prospectus” means a form of prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representative, that may be transmitted electronically by the other Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Securities for at least the period during which a Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act; (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper prospectus and prospectus filed pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the electronic prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be in or convertible into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representative, that will allow recipients thereof to store and have continuously ready access to the prospectus at any future time, without charge to such recipients (other than any fee charged for subscription to the Internet as a whole and for on-line time).

 

(x) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, and the Representative represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, required to be filed with the Commission; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included in Schedule II. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” Each of the Company and the Representative represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping.

 

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(y) The Company hereby grants the Representative the right of first refusal for a period of twelve (12) months from the Effective Date to act as lead managing underwriter and book runner or minimally as a co-sole manager and book runner and/or lead placement agent for any and all future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt offerings during such twelve (12) month period of the Company, or any successor o or any Subsidiary of the Company. The Company shall provide written notice to the Representative with the terms of any such proposed offering and shall offer the Representative compensation no more favorable, as a proportion of the total offering amount, than that offered to the Representative in this Offering.

 

5. Payment of Expenses.

 

(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company hereby agrees to pay all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder including the following:

 

(i) all filing fees and communication expenses related to the registration of the Securities to be sold in the Offering including all expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, formatting for EDGAR and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any and all amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers;

 

(ii) all fees and expenses in connection with filings with FINRA;

 

(iii) all fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Accountant in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act and the Offering;

 

(iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market;

 

(v) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including this Agreement, any blue sky surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney);

 

(vi) all reasonable travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expense of the Company incurred in connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of the Securities;

 

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(vii) any stock transfer taxes payable upon the transfer of securities by the Company to the Underwriters and any other taxes incurred by the Company in connection with this Agreement or the Offering;

 

(viii) the costs associated with book building, prospectus tracking and compliance software and the cost of preparing certificates representing the Securities;

 

(ix) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities;

 

(x) any reasonable cost and expenses in conducting background checks of the Company’s officers and directors by a background search firm acceptable to the Representative;

 

(xi) fees of Underwriters’ Counsel;

 

(xii) the cost of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing each of the Securities;

 

(xiii) all other costs, fees and expenses incident to the performance of the Company obligations hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 5;

 

provided, however, that the maximum amount of fees, costs and expenses payable by the Company in respect of Maxim’s fees and expenses shall be $150,000 The Company and the Representative acknowledge that the Company has previously paid to the Representative advances in an amount of $15,000 (the “Advance”) against the Representative’s out-of-pocket expenses.

 

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5, in the event that this Agreement is terminated by the Company, pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, or subsequent to a Material Adverse Change, the Company will pay the out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred as allowed under FINRA Rule 5110 by the Underwriters through the date of such termination (including the fees and disbursements of Underwriters’ Counsel ) in an aggregate amount not to exceed $47,500 less the Advance previously paid.

 

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Units or the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants, as the case may be, as provided herein shall be subject to: (i) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein contained, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, (ii) the absence from any certificates, opinions, written statements or letters furnished to the Representative or to Underwriters’ Counsel pursuant to this Section 6 of any misstatement or omission, (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and (iv) each of the following additional conditions. For purposes of this Section 6, the terms “Closing Date” and “Closing” shall refer to the Closing Date for the Firm Units or the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants, as the case may be, and each of the foregoing and following conditions must be satisfied as of each Closing.

 

(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective and all necessary regulatory or listing approvals shall have been received not later than 5:30 p.m., New York time, on the date of this Agreement, or at such later time and date as shall have been consented to in writing by the Representative. If the Company shall have elected to rely upon Rule 430A under the Securities Act, the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in a timely fashion in accordance with the terms hereof and a form of the Prospectus containing information relating to the description of the Securities and the method of distribution and similar matters shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period; and, at or prior to the Closing Date or the actual time of the Closing, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened; any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the Representative’s satisfaction; and FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

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(b) The Representative shall not have reasonably determined, and advised the Company, that the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, contains an untrue statement of fact, which, in the Representative’s reasonable opinion, is material, or omits to state a fact, which, in the Representative’s reasonable opinion, is material and is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that if in the Representative’s opinion such deficiency is curable Representative shall have given the Company reasonable notice of such deficiency and a reasonable chance to cure such deficiency.

 

(c) The Representative shall have received the written opinion and negative assurance letter of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, the legal counsel for the Company, dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex II.

 

(d) The Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of each Closing Date to the effect that: (i) the condition set forth in subsection (a) of this Section 6 has been satisfied; (ii) as of the date hereof and as of the applicable Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Sections 1 and 2 hereof are accurate; (iii) as of the applicable Closing Date, all agreements, conditions and obligations of the Company to be performed or complied with hereunder on or prior thereto have been duly performed or complied with; (iv) the Company has not sustained any material loss or interference with their respective businesses, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding; (v) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereof has been issued and no proceedings therefor have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; (vi) there are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus pursuant to the Rules and Regulations that are not so included or incorporated by reference; and (vii) subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus there has not been any Material Adverse Change or any development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business.

 

(e) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a “cold comfort” letter from the Auditor as of the date of delivery and addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and Underwriters’ Counsel, confirming that they are independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, and stating, as of the date of delivery (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than five (5) days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters relating to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus covered by such letter.

 

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(f) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, other than the increase in authorized shares of Common Stock submitted for approval of the Company’s shareholders at the shareholder meeting scheduled for November 3, 2020, there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any change or development involving a change, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company including but not limited to the occurrence of any fire, flood, storm, explosion, accident, act of war or terrorism or other calamity, the effect of which, in any such case described above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement).

 

(g) Prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received a Lock-Up Agreement from each Lock-Up Party, duly executed by the applicable Lock-Up Party, in each case substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex I.

 

(h) As of the Closing Date, the Shares and the Warrant Shares shall be listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market and satisfactory evidence of such action shall have been provided to the Representative. The Company shall have taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting or suspending from trading the Common Stock from the Nasdaq Capital Market, nor has the Company received any information suggesting that the Commission or the Nasdaq Capital Market is contemplating terminating such registration of listing. The Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares shall be DTC eligible. The Warrants need not be listed on Nasdaq Capital Market or any other stock exchange.

 

(i) FINRA shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements..

 

(j) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.

 

(k) The Company shall have furnished the Representative with a Certificate of Good Standing for the Company certified by the Secretary of State of Delaware.

 

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(l) The Company shall have furnished the Representative and Underwriters’ Counsel with such other certificates, opinions or other documents as they may have reasonably requested.

 

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement, or if any of the certificates, opinions, written statements or letters furnished to the Representative or to Underwriters’ Counsel pursuant to this Section 6 shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and to Underwriters’ Counsel, all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled by the Representative at, or at any time prior to, the consummation of the Closing. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing, by email or by telephone. Any such telephone notice shall be confirmed promptly thereafter in writing.

 

7. Indemnification.

 

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers, directors and employees, and each Person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses whatsoever as incurred (including but not limited to reasonable attorneys’ fees and any and all expenses whatsoever incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, and any and all amounts paid in settlement of any claim or litigation), joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Rules and Regulations, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any documents filed under the Exchange Act and deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus) or (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any other materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including any road show or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically) (collectively “Marketing Materials”), and will reimburse such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; or (ii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any other Marketing Materials, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriters’ Information.

 

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(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of the directors of the Company, each of the officers of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement, and each other Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses whatsoever as incurred (including but not limited to attorneys’ fees and any and all expenses whatsoever incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, and any and all amounts paid in settlement of any claim or litigation), joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, as originally filed or any amendment thereof, or any related Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriters’ Information; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter be liable or responsible for any amount in excess of the aggregate underwriting discount applicable to the Securities to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder. The parties agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative consists solely of the material referred to in the last sentence of Section 2(b) hereof.

 

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of any claims or the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify each party against whom indemnification is to be sought in writing of the claim or the commencement thereof (but the failure so to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have under this Section 7 to the extent that it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability that such indemnifying party may have otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement hereunder). In case any such claim or action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate, at its own expense in the defense of such action, and to the extent it may elect by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the written consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by one of the indemnifying parties in connection with the defense of such action, (ii) the indemnifying parties shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, (iii) the indemnifying party does not diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, or (iv) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, or any of them, in conducting the defense of any such action or there may be legal defenses available to it or them that are different from or additional to those available to one or all of the indemnifying parties (in which case the indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the indemnifying parties and shall be paid as incurred. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably delayed, withheld or denied), effect any settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened claim, investigation, action or proceeding in respect of which indemnity or contribution may be or could have been sought by an indemnified party under this Section 7 or Section 8 hereof (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party thereto), unless (x) such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, investigation, action or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or any failure to act, by or on behalf of the indemnified party, and (y) the indemnifying party confirms in writing its indemnification obligations hereunder with respect to such settlement, compromise or judgment.

 

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8. Contribution. In order to provide for contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in Section 7 is for any reason held to be unavailable from any indemnifying party or is insufficient to hold harmless a party indemnified thereunder, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses of the nature contemplated by such indemnification provision (including any investigation, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claims asserted, but after deducting in the case of losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses suffered by the Company, any contribution received by the Company from Persons, other than the Underwriters, who may also be liable for contribution, including Persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company) as incurred to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject, in such proportions as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Underwriters from the Offering or, if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportions as are appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Underwriters in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Underwriters shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (x) the total proceeds from the Offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Company bears to (y) the underwriting discount or commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of each of the Company and of the Underwriters shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 8 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8: (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the aggregate discounts and commissions applicable to the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public and (ii) no Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each Person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to clauses (i) and (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties, notify each party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify such party or parties shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any obligation it or they may have under this Section 8 or otherwise. The obligations of the Underwriters to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective number of Securities to be purchased by each of the Underwriters hereunder and not joint.

 

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9. Underwriter Default.

 

(a) If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligation to purchase Firm Units hereunder, and if the securities with respect to which such default relates (the “Default Securities”) do not (after giving effect to arrangements, if any, made by the Representative pursuant to subsection (b) below) exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Units, each non-defaulting Underwriter, acting severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company that number of Default Securities that bears the same proportion of the total number of Default Securities then being purchased as the number of Firm Units set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate number of Firm Units set forth opposite the names of the non-defaulting Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make.

 

(b) In the event that the aggregate number of Default Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Firm Units, the Representative may in its discretion arrange for themselves or for another party or parties (including any non-defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters who so agree) to purchase the Default Securities on the terms contained herein. In the event that within 48 hours after such a default the Representative does not arrange for the purchase of the Default Securities as provided in this Section 9, this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of the Company with respect thereto (except in each case as provided in Sections 5, 7, 8, 9 and 11(d)) or the Underwriters, but nothing in this Agreement shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters of its or their liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and the Company for damages occasioned by its or their default hereunder.

 

(c) In the event that any Default Securities are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a period, not exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, which, in the reasonable opinion of Underwriters’ Counsel, may thereby be made necessary or advisable. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 9 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Firm Units.

 

10. Survival of Representations and Agreements. All representations and warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, including the agreements contained in Sections 5, 10, 14 and 15, the indemnity agreements contained in Section 7 and the contribution agreements contained in Section 8 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling Person thereof or by or on behalf of the Company, any of its officers and directors or any controlling Person thereof, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities to and by the Underwriters. The representations contained in Section 2 hereof and the covenants and agreements contained in Sections 5, 7, 8, this Section 10 and Sections 12, 13, 14 and 15 hereof shall survive any termination of this Agreement, including termination pursuant to Section 9 or 11 hereof. The representations and covenants contained in Sections 2, 3 and 4 hereof shall survive termination of this Agreement if any Securities are purchased pursuant to this Agreement.

 

11. Effective Date of Agreement; Termination.

 

(a) This Agreement shall become effective upon the later of: (i) receipt by the Representative and the Company of notification of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement; or (ii) the execution of this Agreement. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the provisions of this Section 11 and of Sections 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 and 15, inclusive, shall remain in full force and effect at all times after the execution hereof. If this Agreement is terminated after any Securities have been purchased hereunder, the provisions of Sections 2, 3 and 4 hereof shall survive termination of this Agreement .

 

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(b) The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the consummation of the Closing if: (i) any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the Representative will in the immediate future materially disrupt, the market for the Company’s securities or securities in general; (ii) trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market shall have been suspended or been made subject to material limitations, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction; (iii) a banking moratorium has been declared by any state or federal authority or if any material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services shall have occurred; (iv) any downgrading shall have occurred in the Company’s corporate credit rating or the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Securities Act) or if any such organization shall have been publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities; or (v) (A) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or acts of terrorism involving the United States or there is a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or (B) there shall have been any other calamity or crisis or any change in political, financial or economic conditions if the effect of any such event in (A) or (B), in the judgment of the Representative, is so material and adverse that such event makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale and delivery of the Firm Units on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Prospectus.

 

(c) Any notice of termination pursuant to this Section 11 shall be in writing.

 

(d) If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to any of the provisions hereof or if the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth herein is not satisfied or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof, the Company will, subject to demand by the Representative, reimburse the Underwriters for those out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of Underwriters’ Counsel), actually incurred by the Underwriters in connection herewith less the Advance previously paid.

 

12. Notices. All communications hereunder, except as may be otherwise specifically provided herein, shall be in writing, and:

 

(a) if sent to the Representative or any Underwriter, shall be mailed, delivered, or faxed and confirmed in writing, to:

 

Maxim Group LLC
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attention: Clifford A. Teller, Executive Managing Director of Investment Banking,
Fax: 212-895-3555

 

with a copy to Underwriters’ Counsel at:

 

Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Attention: Mitchell Nussbaum, Esq.
Fax: 212-407-4990

 

(b) if sent to the Company, shall be mailed, delivered, or faxed and confirmed in writing to the Company and its counsel at the addresses set forth in the Registration Statement.

 

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13. Parties; Limitation of Relationship. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of, and shall be binding upon, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling Persons, directors, officers, employees and agents referred to in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, and their respective successors and assigns, and no other Person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and said controlling Persons and their respective successors, officers, directors, heirs and legal representative, and it is not for the benefit of any other Person. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of Securities from any of the Underwriters.

 

14. Submission of Jurisdiction; Governing Law.

 

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The Company irrevocably (a) submits to the jurisdiction of any court of the State of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement, or any of the agreements or transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (each, a “Proceeding”), (b) agrees that all claims in respect of any Proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court, (c) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any immunity from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process therein, (d) agrees not to commence any Proceeding other than in such courts, and (e) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim that such Proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum. EACH OF THE COMPANY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS RESPECTIVE EQUITY HOLDERS AND CREDITORS) HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, AND THE PROSPECTUS.

 

15. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the exhibits, schedules and annexes attached hereto and as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof, constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous written or oral agreements, understandings, promises and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

16. Severability. If any term or provision of this Agreement or the performance thereof shall be invalid or unenforceable to any extent, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect or render invalid or unenforceable any other provision of this Agreement and this Agreement shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

17. Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.

 

18. Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

 

33

 

 

19. No Fiduciary Relationship. The Company hereby acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with the offering of the Company’s Securities. The Company further acknowledge that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arm’s length basis and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company, its management, shareholders, creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the offering of the Company’s Securities, either before or after the date hereof. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to the Company, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Company hereby confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company hereby further confirms its understanding that no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the Offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including any negotiation related to the pricing of the Securities; and the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate in connection with this Agreement and the Offering. The Company and the Underwriters agree that they are each responsible for making their own independent judgments with respect to any such transactions, and that any opinions or views expressed by the Underwriters to the Company regarding such transactions, including but not limited to any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the Company’s securities, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the Company. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary or similar duty to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions.

 

20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

 

21. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

22. Time is of the Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any day on which the major stock exchanges in New York, New York are not open for business.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

34

 

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth your understanding, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement among us.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  HALL OF FAME RESORT &
ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY
   
  By:  
    Name: Michael Crawford
    Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

Accepted by the Representative, acting for themselves and as
Representative of the Underwriters named on Schedule I attached hereto,
as of the date first written above:

 

MAXIM GROUP LLC  
   
By:    
  Name: Clifford A. Teller  
  Title:  Executive Managing Director,  
  Investment Banking  

 

35

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Name of Underwriter   Number of Firm Units Being Purchased
Maxim Group LLC    
Total    

  

 

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

Lock-Up Parties

 

Michael Crawford

 

Jason Krom

 

Mike Levy

 

Anne Graffice

 

Tara Charnes

 

Lisa Gould

 

Erica Muhleman

 

James J. Dolan

 

David Dennis

 

Edward J. Roth, III

 

Stuart Lichter

 

Kimberly K. Schaefer

 

Karl L. Holz

 

Anthony J. Buzzelli

 

Mary Owen

 

Curtis Martin

 

Michael Klein

 

HOF Village, LLC

 

CH Capital Lending , LLC

 

IRG Canton Village Member, LLC

 

IRG Canton Village Manager, LLC

 

National Football Museum, Inc.

 

Gordon Pointe Management, LLC

 

2

 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

Free Writing Prospectus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

Subsidiaries

 

Name of Subsidiary   Jurisdiction of
Organization
  Percent Ownership  
HOF Village Newco, LLC   Delaware     100 %
Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.   Delaware     100 %
HOF Experience, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Center for Excellence, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Center for Performance, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Hotel I, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Hotel II, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Hotel WP, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Land, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Media Group, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Parking, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Parking Management I, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Residences I, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Retail I, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Sports Business, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Stadium, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Waterpark, LLC   Delaware     100 %
HOF Village Youth Fields, LLC   Delaware     100 %
JCIHOFV Financing, LLC   Delaware     100 %
Youth Sports Management, LLC   Delaware     100 %
Mountaineer GM, LLC   Delaware     60 %

4

 

 

ANNEX I

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

 

________, 2020

 

Maxim Group LLC
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10174

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that Maxim Group LLC (the “Representative”) proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement “) with Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and warrants to purchase common stock of the Company (collectively with the Common Stock referred to as, the “Securities”).

 

To induce the Representative to continue its efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending ninety (90) days after such date (the “Lock-Up Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, grant, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities; or (4) publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement relating to any Lock-Up Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representative in connection with (a) transactions relating to Lock-Up Securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering; provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Lock-Up Securities acquired in such open market transactions; (b) transfers of Lock-Up Securities (i) as a bona fide gift, by will or intestacy, (ii) by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or as required by a divorce settlement, or (iii) to a family member or trust for the benefit of a family member (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “family member” means any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); (c) transfers of Lock-Up Securities to a charity or educational institution; (d) if the undersigned, directly or indirectly, controls a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, any transfers of Lock-Up Securities to any shareholder, partner or member of, or owner of similar equity interests in, the undersigned, as the case may be; or (e) transaction relating to Lock-Up Securities in connection with paying tax withholding with respect to vested awards under the Company’s 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to the foregoing clauses (b), (c) or (d), (i) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (ii) each transferee shall sign and deliver to the Representative a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement and (ii) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with this lock-up agreement.

 

Annex I

 

 

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any Securities that the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering; (ii) the Representative agrees that, at least three (3) business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Lock-Up Securities, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver; and (iii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two (2) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two (2) business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of Lock-Up Securities not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this lock-up agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of such transfer.

 

No provision in this lock-up agreement shall be deemed to restrict or prohibit the exercise, exchange or conversion by the undersigned of any securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock, as applicable; provided that the undersigned does not transfer the shares of Common Stock acquired on such exercise, exchange or conversion during the Lock-Up Period, unless otherwise permitted pursuant to the terms of this lock-up agreement. In addition, no provision herein shall be deemed to restrict or prohibit the entry into or modification of a so-called “10b5-1” plan at any time (other than the entry into or modification of such a plan in such a manner as to cause the sale of any Lock-Up Securities within the Lock-Up Period) or a sale of 100% of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock.

 

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Representative are relying upon this lock-up agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this lock-up agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

 

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement is not executed by ____________, 2020, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities to be sold thereunder, then this lock-up agreement shall be void and of no further force or effect.

 

 

 

 

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Representative.

 

  Very truly yours,
     
     
  (Name - Please Print)
     
     
  (Signature)
     
     
  (Name of Signatory, in the case of entities -
Please Print)
     
     
  (Title of Signatory, in the case of entities -
Please Print)
     
  Address:  
     
     
     
     

 

 

 

 

ANNEX II

 

FORM OF COMPANY COUNSEL OPINION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annex II

 

 

ANNEX III

 

FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

 

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company

 

__________, 2020

 

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (the “Company”) announced today that Maxim Group LLC, the sole book-running manager in the Company’s recent public sale of _____ Units consisting of shares of Common Stock and Warrants, are [waiving][releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to ____ shares of the Company’s [common stock] held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver][release] will take effect on ____, 2020, and the [shares] may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

[to be attached]

 

 

Annex III

 

Exhibit 4.4

 

FORM OF

COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

 

Warrant Shares: [_______] Initial Exercise Date: ______, 2020

 

THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date hereof (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on [_____], 20251 (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), up to [___] shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of Common Stock (as defined in Section 1). The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price(as defined in Section 2(b)). This Warrant shall initially be issued and maintained in the form of a security held in book-entry form and the Depository Trust Company or its nominee (“DTC”) shall initially be the sole registered holder of this Warrant, subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agency Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply.

 

Section 1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

 

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

 

 

1 Insert the date that is the 5th year anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date; provided, however, that, if such date is not a Trading Day, insert the immediately following Trading Day. 

 

 

 

Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-249133).

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of [ ] and a facsimile number of [_______________], and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

Underwriting Agreement” means the underwriting agreement, dated as of October [__], 2020 among the Company and Maxim Group LLC, as representative of the underwriters named therein, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.

 

VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

2

 

 

Warrant Agency Agreement” means that certain warrant agency agreement, dated on or about the Initial Exercise Date, between the Company and the Warrant Agent.

 

Warrant Agent” means the Transfer Agent and any successor warrant agent of the Company.

 

Warrants” means this Warrant and other Common Stock purchase warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

Section 2. Exercise.

 

a) Exercise of Warrant. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Warrant Agent of a duly executed facsimile copy (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Warrant Agent until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Warrant Agent for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Warrant Agent. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within three (3) Business Days of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Section 2(a), a holder whose interest in this Warrant is a beneficial interest in certificate(s) representing this Warrant held in book-entry form through DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions), shall effect exercises made pursuant to this Section 2(a) by delivering to DTC (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable) the appropriate instruction form for exercise, complying with the procedures to effect exercise that are required by DTC (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable), subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Definitive Warrant pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agency Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply.

 

3

 

 

b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $[_____]2, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).

 

c) Cashless Exercise. If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not current, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing ((A-B)(X)) by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

(B) = the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

(X) = the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

In connection with clause (ii) in (A) above, upon written request of the Company, the Holder will provide evidence reasonably acceptable to the Company of the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market that was reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise.

 

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

 

 

2 Insert [__]% of the price of each share of common stock sold in the Offering.

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d) Mechanics of Exercise.

 

i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise on a date as soon as practicable with the goal of such transmission occurring by the date that is the earliest of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Warrant Agent of the Notice of Exercise, (ii) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (iii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Warrant Agent of the Notice of Exercise (such as soon as practicable date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise.

 

ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise by notifying the Company of such rescission within ten (10) days of delivering the Notice of Exercise.

 

iv. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

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v. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. The Company shall from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of the Warrants, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares of Common Stock.

 

vi. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below).  For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties.  Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination and shall have no liability for exercises of this Warrant that are not in compliance with the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, provided this limitation of liability shall not apply if the Holder has detrimentally relied on outstanding share information provided by the Company or the Transfer Agent. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding.  Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding.  In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

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Section 3. Certain Adjustments.

 

a) Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

 

b) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

c) Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a "Distribution"), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder's right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

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d) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event of a Fundamental Transaction, the Company or any Successor Entity (as defined below) shall, at the Holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with, or within 30 days after, the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction (or, if later, the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction), purchase this Warrant from the Holder by paying to the Holder an amount of cash equal to the Black Scholes Value of the remaining unexercised portion of this Warrant on the date of the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction; provided, however, if the Fundamental Transaction is not within the Company's control, including not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, the Holder shall only be entitled to receive from the Company or any Successor Entity, as of the date of consummation of such Fundamental Transaction, the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of this Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holders of Common Stock of the Company in connection with the Fundamental Transaction, whether that consideration be in the form of cash, stock or any combination thereof, or whether the holders of Common Stock are given the choice to receive from among alternative forms of consideration in connection with the Fundamental Transaction. “Black Scholes Value” means the value of this Warrant based on the Black and Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg, L.P. (“Bloomberg”) determined as of the day of consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction for pricing purposes and reflecting (A) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date, (B) an expected volatility equal to the greater of 100% and the 100 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg as of the Trading Day immediately following the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, (C) the underlying price per share used in such calculation shall be the sum of the price per share being offered in cash, if any, plus the value of any non-cash consideration, if any, being offered in such Fundamental Transaction and (D) a remaining option time equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date. The payment of the Black Scholes Value will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds within five Business Days of the Holder’s election (or, if later, on the effective date of the Fundamental Transaction). The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(e) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.

 

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e) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

f) Notice to Holder.

 

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

g) Voluntary Adjustment By Company. Subject to the rules and regulations of the Trading Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant, subject to the prior written consent of the Holder, reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the board of directors of the Company.

 

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Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.

 

a) Transferability. This Warrant and all rights hereunder (including, without limitation, any registration rights) are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Warrant Agent unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Warrant Agent within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Warrant Agent assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.

 

b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the initial issuance date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c) Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent (or, in the event a Holder elects to receive a Definitive Certificate (as defined in the Warrant Agency Agreement), the Company) shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Warrant Agent (or, in the event a Holder elects to receive a Definitive Certificate, the Company) for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

Section 5. Miscellaneous.

 

a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3.

 

b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

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d) Authorized Shares.

 

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

 

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

e) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

f) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, [and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise,] will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

 

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g) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

h) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder or Warrant Agent to the Company shall be in writing and delivered personally, or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at 2626 Fulton Drive, NW, Canton, OH 44718, Attention: Michael Crawford, email address: michael.crawford@HOFvillage.com, or such other facsimile number, email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Holders hereunder or by the Company to or on the Warrant Agent shall be in writing and delivered personally, or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, (until another address is filed in writing by the Warrant Agent with the Company), as follows: Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, One State Street, 30th Floor, New York, NY 10004, Attention: Compliance Department. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or electronic transmission, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number, email address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via email at the email address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via email at the email address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any subsidiaries, the Company shall file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K as soon as practicable and no later than 4 Business Days after providing such notice hereunder.

 

i) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

j) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

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k) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

 

l) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holder or the beneficial owner of this Warrant, on the other hand.

 

m) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

n) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

o) Warrant Agency Agreement. If this Warrant is held in global form through DTC (or any successor depositary), this Warrant is issued subject to the Warrant Agency Agreement. To the extent any provision of this Warrant conflicts with the express provisions of the Warrant Agency Agreement, the provisions of this Warrant shall govern and be controlling.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

  HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY
   
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To: Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company

 

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (the “Company”) pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

 

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

☐ in lawful money of the United States; or

 

☐ if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

_______________________________

 

 

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: ________________________________________________________________________

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: _________________________________________________

Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________________

Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________________

Date: ________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:
  (Please Print)
   
Address:
  (Please Print)
   
Phone Number: ______________________________________
   
Email Address: ______________________________________
   
Dated: _______________ __, ______  
   
Holder’s Signature: ______________________  
   
Holder’s Address: ______________________  

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.5

 

 

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

 

and

 

CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as

Warrant Agent

 

 

 

Form of

Warrant Agency Agreement

 

Dated as of October __, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WARRANT AGENCY AGREEMENT

 

WARRANT AGENCY AGREEMENT, dated as of October __, 2020 (“Agreement”), between Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York (the “Warrant Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to a registered offering (the “Offering”),the Company intends to issue and sell to the underwriters (the “Underwriters”), for whom Maxim Group LLC is acting as representative (the “Representative”) up to ___ Units (the “Units”), with each Unit consisting of one share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and one warrant (the “Warrants”) to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Warrant Shares”) at a price of $[___] per share (or [__]% of the price of each share of Common Stock sold in the Offering); and

 

WHEREAS, the Company granted an over-allotment option to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters to purchase up to an additional [_______] shares of Common Stock and/or up to an additional ______________Warrants (collectively, the “Over-Allotment Option”); and

 

WHEREAS, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth and pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-249133) (the “Registration Statement”), and the terms and conditions of the Warrant Certificate (as defined below), the Company wishes to issue the Warrants entitling the respective holders of the Warrants (the “Holders,” which term shall include a Holder’s transferees, successors and assigns and “Holder” shall include, if the Warrants are held in “street name,” a Participant (as defined below) or a designee appointed by such Participant) to purchase the Warrant Shares; and

 

WHEREAS, the shares of Common Stock and Warrants to be issued in connection with the Offering shall be immediately separable and will be issued separately, but will be purchased together as Units in the Offering; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company wishes the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing so to act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, exercise and replacement of the Warrants and, in the Warrant Agent’s capacity as the Company’s transfer agent, the delivery of the Warrant Shares (as defined below).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, all capitalized terms not defined elsewhere in this Agreement shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

(a) “Affiliate” has the meaning ascribed to it in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

(b) “Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which the Nasdaq Stock Market is authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

(c) “Close of Business” on any given date means 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it means 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

(d) “Person” means an individual, corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, government or political subdivision thereof or governmental agency or other entity.

 

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(e) “Warrant Certificate” means a certificate in substantially the form attached as Exhibit 1 hereto, representing such number of Warrant Shares as is indicated therein, provided that any reference to the delivery of a Warrant Certificate in this Agreement shall include delivery of a Definitive Certificate or a Global Warrant (each as defined below).

 

All other capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Warrant Certificate.

 

Section 2. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment.

 

Section 3. Global Warrants.

 

(a) The Warrants shall be registered securities and shall be evidenced by a global warrant (the “Global Warrants”), in the form of the Warrant Certificate, which shall be deposited with the Warrant Agent and registered in the name of Cede & Co., a nominee of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”), or as otherwise directed by the Depositary. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained by (i) the Depositary or its nominee for each Global Warrant or (ii) institutions that have accounts with the Depositary (such institution, with respect to a Warrant in its account, a “Participant”).

 

(b) If the Depositary subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding other arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Warrant Agent shall provide written instructions to the Depositary to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation each Global Warrant, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver to each Holder a Warrant Certificate.

 

(c) A Holder has the right to elect at any time or from time to time a Warrant Exchange (as defined below) pursuant to a Warrant Certificate Request Notice (as defined below). Upon written notice by a Holder to the Company and the Warrant Agent for the exchange of some or all of such Holder’s Global Warrants for a separate certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 1 (such separate certificate, a “Definitive Certificate”) evidencing the same number of Warrants, which request shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 2 (a “Warrant Certificate Request Notice” and the date of delivery of such Warrant Certificate Request Notice by the Holder, the “Warrant Certificate Request Notice Date” and the surrender by the Holder to the Warrant Agent of a number of Global Warrants for the same number of Warrants evidenced by a Warrant Certificate, a “Warrant Exchange”), the Company and the Warrant Agent shall promptly effect the Warrant Exchange and the Company shall promptly issue and deliver to the Holder a Definitive Certificate for such number of Warrants in the name set forth in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice. Such Definitive Certificate shall be dated the original issue date of the Warrants, shall be manually executed by an authorized signatory of the Company, and shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 1. In connection with a Warrant Exchange, the Company agrees to deliver the Definitive Certificate to the Holder within twenty (20) Business Days of the Warrant Certificate Request Notice pursuant to the delivery instructions in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice (“Warrant Certificate Delivery Date”). If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Definitive Certificate subject to the Warrant Certificate Request Notice by the Warrant Certificate Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares evidenced by such Definitive Certificate (based on the VWAP (as defined in the Warrants) of the Common Stock on the Warrant Certificate Request Notice Date), $10 per Business Day for each Business Day after such Warrant Certificate Delivery Date until such Definitive Certificate is delivered or, prior to delivery of such Warrant Certificate, the Holder rescinds such Warrant Exchange. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon the date of delivery of the Warrant Certificate Request Notice, the Holder shall be deemed to be the holder of the Definitive Certificate and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the Definitive Certificate shall be deemed for all purposes to contain all of the terms and conditions of the Warrants evidenced by such Warrant Certificate and the terms of this Agreement, other than Sections 3(c), 3(d) and 9 herein, shall not apply to the Warrants evidenced by the Definitive Certificate. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall act as warrant agent with respect to any Definitive Certificate requested and issued pursuant to this section. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, in the event of inconsistency between any provision in this Agreement and any provision in a Definitive Certificate, as it may from time to time be amended, the terms of such Definitive Certificate shall control.

 

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(d) A Holder of a Definitive Certificate (pursuant to a Warrant Exchange or otherwise) has the right to elect at any time or from time to time a Global Warrants Exchange (as defined below) pursuant to a Global Warrants Request Notice (as defined below). Upon written notice by a Holder to the Company for the exchange of some or all of such Holder’s Warrants evidenced by a Definitive Certificate for a beneficial interest in Global Warrants held in book-entry form through the Depositary evidencing the same number of Warrants, which request shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 3 (a “Global Warrants Request Notice” and the date of delivery of such Global Warrants Request Notice by the Holder, the “Global Warrants Request Notice Date” and the surrender upon delivery by the Holder of the Warrants evidenced by Definitive Certificates for the same number of Warrants evidenced by a beneficial interest in Global Warrants held in book-entry form through the Depositary, a “Global Warrants Exchange”), the Company shall promptly effect the Global Warrants Exchange and shall promptly direct the Warrant Agent to issue and deliver to the Holder Global Warrants for such number of Warrants in the Global Warrants Request Notice, which beneficial interest in such Global Warrants shall be delivered by the Depositary’s Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system to the Holder pursuant to the instructions in the Global Warrants Request Notice. In connection with a Global Warrants Exchange, the Company shall direct the Warrant Agent to deliver the beneficial interest in such Global Warrants to the Holder within twenty (20) Business Days of the Global Warrants Request Notice pursuant to the delivery instructions in the Global Warrant Request Notice (“Global Warrants Delivery Date”). If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder Global Warrants subject to the Global Warrants Request Notice by the Global Warrants Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares evidenced by such Global Warrants (based on the VWAP (as defined in the Warrants) of the Common Stock on the Global Warrants Request Notice Date), $10 per Business Day for each Business Day after such Global Warrants Delivery Date until such Global Warrants are delivered or, prior to delivery of such Global Warrants, the Holder rescinds such Global Warrants Exchange. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon the date of delivery of the Global Warrants Request Notice, the Holder shall be deemed to be the beneficial owner of such Global Warrants.

 

Section 4. Form of Warrant Certificates. The Warrant Certificate, together with the form of election to purchase Common Stock (“Notice of Exercise”) and the form of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof, shall be in the form of Exhibit 1 hereto.

 

Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Global Warrant shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Vice President, by manual, facsimile or electronic signature. The Global Warrant shall be countersigned by the Warrant Agent by manual, facsimile or electronic signature and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Global Warrant shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Warrant Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Global Warrant, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Warrant Agent, issued and delivered with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Global Warrant had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Global Warrant may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Global Warrant, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Global Warrant, although at the date of the execution of this Warrant Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

 

The Warrant Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at one of its offices, or at the office of one of its agents, books for registration and transfer of the Global Warrants issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective Holders of the Global Warrant, the number of warrants evidenced on the face of each of such Global Warrant and the date of each of such Global Warrant. The Warrant Agent will create a special account for the issuance of Global Warrants. The Company may keep or cause to be kept at one of its offices, books for the registration and transfer of any Definitive Certificates issued hereunder, in which case the Warrant Agent shall not have any obligation to keep books and records with respect to any Definitive Warrants. Such Company books shall show the names and addresses of the respective Holders of the Definitive Certificates, the number of warrants evidenced on the face of each such Definitive Certificate and the date of each such Definitive Certificate.

 

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Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Warrant Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Warrant Certificates. With respect to the Global Warrant, subject to the provisions of the Warrant Certificate and the last sentence of this first paragraph of Section 6 and subject to applicable law, rules or regulations, or any “stop transfer” instructions the Company may give to the Warrant Agent, at any time after the closing date of the Offering, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Termination Date (as such term is defined in the Warrant Certificate), any Global Warrant or Global Warrants may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Global Warrant or Global Warrants, entitling the Holder to purchase a like number of shares of Common Stock as the Global Warrant or Global Warrants surrendered then entitled such Holder to purchase. Any Holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Global Warrant shall make such request in writing delivered to the Warrant Agent, and shall surrender the Global Warrant to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the Warrant Agent. Any requested transfer of Warrants, whether in book-entry form or certificate form, shall be accompanied by reasonable evidence of authority of the party making such request that may be required by the Warrant Agent. Thereupon the Warrant Agent shall, subject to the last sentence of this first paragraph of Section 6, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Global Warrant or Global Warrants, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment from the Holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Global Warrants. The Company shall compensate the Warrant Agent per the fee schedule mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto and provided separately on the date hereof.

 

Upon receipt by the Warrant Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Warrant Certificate, which evidence shall include an affidavit of loss, or in the case of mutilated certificates, the certificate or portion thereof remaining, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity in customary form and amount (but, with respect to any Definitive Certificates, shall not include the posting of any bond by the Holder), and satisfaction of any other reasonable requirements established by Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of Delaware, and reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Warrant Agent and cancellation of the Warrant Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like tenor to the Warrant Agent for delivery to the Holder in lieu of the Warrant Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

 

Section 7. Exercise of Warrants; Exercise Price; Termination Date.

 

(a) The Warrants shall be exercisable commencing on the Initial Exercise Date (as such term is defined in the Warrant Certificate). The Warrants shall cease to be exercisable and shall terminate and become void as set forth in the Warrant Certificate. Subject to the foregoing and to Section 7(b) below, the Holder of a Warrant may exercise the Warrant in whole or in part upon surrender of the Warrant Certificate, if required, with the executed Notice of Exercise and payment of the Exercise Price (as such term is defined in the Warrant certificate), which may be made, at the option of the Holder, by wire transfer or by certified or official bank check in United States dollars, to the Warrant Agent at the principal office of the Warrant Agent or to the office of one of its agents as may be designated by the Warrant Agent from time to time. In the case of the Holder of a Global Warrant, the Holder shall deliver the executed Notice of Exercise and the payment of the Exercise Price as described herein. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, a holder whose interest in a Global Warrant is a beneficial interest in a Global Warrant held in book-entry form through the Depositary (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions), shall effect exercises by delivering to the Depositary (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable) the appropriate instruction form for exercise, complying with the procedures to effect exercise that are required by the Depositary (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable). The Company acknowledges that the bank accounts maintained by the Warrant Agent in connection with the services provided under this Agreement will be in its name and that the Warrant Agent may receive investment earnings in connection with the investment at Warrant Agent risk and for its benefit of funds held in those accounts from time to time. Neither the Company nor the Holders will receive interest on any deposits or Exercise Price. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. The Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to a Holder whose interest in a Global Warrant is a beneficial interest in a Global Warrant held in book-entry form through the Depositary (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions), upon delivery of irrevocable instructions to such Holder’s Participant to exercise such Warrants, that solely for purposes of Regulation SHO that such Holder shall be deemed to have exercised such Warrants.

 

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(b) Upon receipt of a Notice of Exercise for a cashless exercise (as such term is defined in the Warrant Certificate) the Company will promptly calculate and transmit to the Warrant Agent the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with such cashless exercise and deliver a copy of the Notice of Exercise to the Warrant Agent, which shall issue such number of Warrant Shares in connection with such cashless exercise.

 

(c) Upon the exercise of the Warrant Certificate pursuant to the terms of Section 2 of the Warrant Certificate, the Warrant Agent shall cause the Warrant Shares underlying such Warrant Certificate or Global Warrant to be delivered to or upon the order of the Holder of such Warrant Certificate or Global Warrant, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such Holder, no later than the Warrant Share Delivery Date (as such term is defined in the Warrant Certificate). If the Company is then a participant in the DWAC system of the Depositary and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder or (B) the Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, then the certificates for Warrant Shares shall be transmitted by the Warrant Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s broker with the Depositary through its DWAC system. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Company becomes obligated to pay any amounts to any Holders pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) or 2(d)(iv) of the Warrant Certificate, such obligation shall be solely that of the Company and not that of the Warrant Agent. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a cashless exercise, if any Holder fails to duly deliver payment to the Warrant Agent of an amount equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the Warrant Shares to be purchased upon exercise of such Holder’s Warrant as set forth in Section 7(a) hereof by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Warrant Agent will not obligated to deliver such Warrant Shares (via DWAC or otherwise) until following receipt of such payment, and the applicable Warrant Share Delivery Date shall be deemed extended by one day for each day (or part thereof) until such payment is delivered to the Warrant Agent.

 

(d) The Warrant Agent shall deposit all funds received by it in payment of the Exercise Price for all Warrants in the account of the Company maintained with the Warrant Agent for such purpose (or to such other account as directed by the Company in writing) and shall advise the Company via email at the end of each day on which notices of exercise are received or funds for the exercise of any Warrant are received of the amount so deposited to its account.

 

Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Warrant Certificates. All Warrant Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Warrant Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Warrant Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Warrant Certificate shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Warrant Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Warrant Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Warrant Agent shall deliver all canceled Warrant Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Warrant Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company, subject to any applicable law, rule or regulation requiring the Warrant Agent to retain such canceled certificates.

 

Section 9. Certain Representations; Reservation and Availability of Shares of Common Stock or Cash.

 

(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Warrant Agent, constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, and the Warrants have been duly authorized, executed and issued by the Company and, assuming due authentication thereof by the Warrant Agent pursuant hereto and payment therefor by the Holders as provided in the Registration Statement, constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits hereof; in each case except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

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(b) As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) [ ] hundred million ([ ]) shares of Common Stock, of which approximately [ ] shares of Common Stock are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, and [ ] shares of Common Stock are reserved for issuance upon exercise of the Warrants, and (ii) five million (5,000,000) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of which 900 shares of 7.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, there are no other outstanding obligations, warrants, options or other rights to subscribe for or purchase from the Company any class of capital stock of the Company.

 

(c) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock or its authorized and issued shares of Common Stock held in its treasury, free from preemptive rights, the number of shares of Common Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants.

 

(d) The Warrant Agent will create a special account for the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of Warrants.

 

(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the Warrant Certificates or certificates evidencing Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrants. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax or governmental charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of Warrant Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for Common Stock in a name other than that of the Holder of the Warrant Certificate evidencing Warrants surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificate for shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of any Warrants until any such tax or governmental charge shall have been paid (any such tax or governmental charge being payable by the Holder of such Warrant Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or governmental charge is due.

 

Section 10. Common Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for shares of Common Stock is issued (or to whose broker’s account is credited shares of Common Stock through the DWAC system) upon the exercise of Warrants shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record for the Common Stock represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date on which submission of the Notice of Exercise was made, provided that the Warrant Certificate evidencing such Warrant is duly surrendered (but only if required herein) and payment of the Exercise Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) is received on or prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date; provided, however, that if the date of submission of the Notice of Exercise is a date upon which the Common Stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding day on which the Common Stock transfer books of the Company are open.

 

Section 11. Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number of Shares of Common Stock or Number of the Company Warrants. The Exercise Price, the number of shares covered by each Warrant and the number of Warrants outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 3 of the Warrant Certificate. In the event that at any time, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 3 of the Warrant Certificate, the Holder of any Warrant thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than shares of Common Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the shares contained in Section 3 of the Warrant Certificate and the provisions of Sections 7, 11 and 12 of this Agreement with respect to the shares of Common Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares. All Warrants originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Exercise Price pursuant to the Warrant Certificate shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Warrants, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

 

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Section 12. Certification of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares of Common Stock. Whenever the Exercise Price or the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of each Warrant is adjusted as provided in Section 11 or 13, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth the Exercise Price of each Warrant as so adjusted, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Warrant Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) instruct the Warrant Agent to send a brief summary thereof to each Holder of a Warrant Certificate.

 

Section 13. Fractional Shares of Common Stock.

 

(a) The Company shall not issue fractions of Warrants or distribute Warrant Certificates which evidence fractional Warrants. Whenever any fractional Warrant would otherwise be required to be issued or distributed, the actual issuance or distribution shall reflect a rounding of such fraction to the nearest whole Warrant (rounded down).

 

(b) The Company shall not issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of Warrants or distribute stock certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. Whenever any fraction of a share of Common Stock would otherwise be required to be issued or distributed, the actual issuance or distribution in respect thereof shall be made in accordance with Section 2(d)(v) of the Warrant Certificate.

 

Section 14. Conditions of the Warrant Agent’s Obligations. The Warrant Agent accepts its obligations herein set forth upon the terms and conditions hereof, including the following to all of which the Company agrees and to all of which the rights hereunder of the Holders from time to time of the Warrant Certificates shall be subject:

 

(a) Compensation and Indemnification. The Company agrees promptly to pay the Warrant Agent the compensation detailed on Exhibit 4 hereto for all services rendered by the Warrant Agent and to reimburse the Warrant Agent for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable counsel fees) incurred without gross negligence or willful misconduct finally adjudicated to have been directly caused by the Warrant Agent in connection with the services rendered hereunder by the Warrant Agent. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without gross negligence, or willful misconduct on the part of the Warrant Agent, finally adjudicated to have been directly caused by Warrant Agent hereunder, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending against any claim of such liability.

 

(b) Agent for the Company. In acting under this Warrant Agreement and in connection with the Warrant Certificates, the Warrant Agent is acting solely as agent of the Company and does not assume any obligations or relationship of agency or trust for or with any of the Holders of Warrant Certificates or beneficial owners of Warrants.

 

(c) Counsel. The Warrant Agent may consult with counsel satisfactory to it, which may include counsel for the Company, and the written advice of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice of such counsel.

 

(d) Documents. The Warrant Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon any Warrant Certificate, notice, direction, consent, certificate, affidavit, statement or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been presented or signed by the proper parties.

 

(e) Certain Transactions. The Warrant Agent, and its officers, directors and employees, may become the owner of, or acquire any interest in, Warrants, with the same rights that it or they would have if it were not the Warrant Agent hereunder, and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, it or they may engage or be interested in any financial or other transaction with the Company and may act on, or as depositary, trustee or agent for, any committee or body of Holders of Warrant Securities or other obligations of the Company as freely as if it were not the Warrant Agent hereunder. Nothing in this Warrant Agreement shall be deemed to prevent the Warrant Agent from acting as trustee under any indenture to which the Company is a party.

 

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(f) No Liability for Interest. Unless otherwise agreed with the Company, the Warrant Agent shall have no liability for interest on any monies at any time received by it pursuant to any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Warrant Certificates.

 

(g) No Liability for Invalidity. The Warrant Agent shall have no liability with respect to any invalidity of this Agreement or the Warrant Certificates (except as to the Warrant Agent’s countersignature thereon).

 

(h) No Responsibility for Representations. The Warrant Agent shall not be responsible for any of the recitals or representations herein or in the Warrant Certificate (except as to the Warrant Agent’s countersignature thereon), all of which are made solely by the Company.

 

(i) No Implied Obligations. The Warrant Agent shall be obligated to perform only such duties as are herein and in the Warrant Certificates specifically set forth and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this Agreement or the Warrant Certificates against the Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent shall not be under any obligation to take any action hereunder which may tend to involve it in any expense or liability, the payment of which within a reasonable time is not, in its reasonable opinion, assured to it. The Warrant Agent shall not be accountable or under any duty or responsibility for the use by the Company of any of the Warrant Certificates authenticated by the Warrant Agent and delivered by it to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or for the application by the Company of the proceeds of the Warrant Certificate. The Warrant Agent shall have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by the Company in the performance of its covenants or agreements contained herein or in the Warrant Certificates or in the case of the receipt of any written demand from a Holder of a Warrant Certificate with respect to such default, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any duty or responsibility to initiate or attempt to initiate any proceedings at law.

 

Section 15. Purchase or Consolidation or Change of Name of Warrant Agent. Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent shall be party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business of the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent, shall be the successor to the Warrant Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Warrant Agent under the provisions of Section 17. In case at the time such successor Warrant Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement any of the Warrant Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Warrant Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Warrant Agent and deliver such Warrant Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Warrant Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Warrant Agent may countersign such Warrant Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Warrant Agent or in the name of the successor Warrant Agent; and in all such cases such Warrant Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Warrant Certificates and in this Agreement.

 

In case at any time the name of the Warrant Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Warrant Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Warrant Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver such Warrant Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Warrant Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Warrant Agent may countersign such Warrant Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Warrant Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Warrant Certificates and in this Agreement.

 

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Section 16. Duties of Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company, by its acceptance hereof, shall be bound:

 

(a) The Warrant Agent may consult with legal counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Warrant Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

 

(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Vice President of the Company; and such certificate shall be full authentication to the Warrant Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

 

(c) Subject to the limitation set forth in Section 14, the Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct, or for a breach by it of this Agreement.

 

(d) The Warrant Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Warrant Certificate (except its countersignature thereof) by the Company or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

 

(e) The Warrant Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Warrant Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Warrant Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for the adjustment of the Exercise Price or the making of any change in the number of shares of Common Stock required under the provisions of Section 11 or 13 or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such change or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment or change (except with respect to the exercise of Warrants evidenced by the Warrant Certificates after actual notice of any adjustment of the Exercise Price); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock will, when issued, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

(f) Each party hereto agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the other party hereto for the carrying out or performing by any party of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(g) The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Vice President of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable and shall be indemnified and held harmless for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer, provided Warrant Agent carries out such instructions without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

 

(h) The Warrant Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the Warrant Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Warrants or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Warrant Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Warrant Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

 

(i) The Warrant Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorney or agents, and the Warrant Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorney or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.

 

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Section 17. Change of Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing sent to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and to the Holders of the Warrant Certificates. The Company may remove the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, sent to the Warrant Agent or successor Warrant Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and to the Holders of the Warrant Certificates. If the Warrant Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Warrant Agent or by the Holder of a Warrant Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Warrant Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the Holder of any Warrant Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Warrant Agent, provided that, for purposes of this Agreement, the Company shall be deemed to be the Warrant Agent until a new warrant agent is appointed. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of a state thereof, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Warrant Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. After appointment, the successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Warrant Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Warrant Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Warrant Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Warrant Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the Holders of the Warrant Certificates. However, failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 17, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Warrant Agent or the appointment of the successor Warrant Agent, as the case may be.

 

Section 18. Issuance of New Warrant Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Warrants to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Warrant Certificates evidencing Warrants in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price per share and the number or kind or class of shares of stock or other securities or property purchasable under the several Warrant Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

Section 19. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made (i) by the Warrant Agent or by the Holder of any Warrant Certificate to or on the Company, (ii) subject to the provisions of Section 17, by the Company or by the Holder of any Warrant Certificate to or on the Warrant Agent or (iii) by the Company or the Warrant Agent to the Holder of any Warrant Certificate shall be deemed given (a) on the date delivered, if delivered personally, (b) on the first Business Day following the deposit thereof with Federal Express or another recognized overnight courier, if sent by Federal Express or another recognized overnight courier, (c) on the fourth Business Day following the mailing thereof with postage prepaid, if mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), and (d) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile or email attachment at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Business Day and (e) the next Business Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile or email attachment on a day that is not a Business Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Business Day, in each case to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):

 

(a) If to the Company, to:

 

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company

2626 Fulton Drive, NW

Canton, OH 44718

Attention:

Email:

 

(b) If to the Warrant Agent, to:

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company 

One State Street, 30th Floor 

New York, NY 10004 

Attention: Compliance Department

Email:

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For any notice delivered by email to be deemed given or made, such notice must be followed by notice sent by overnight courier service to be delivered on the next business day following such email, unless the recipient of such email has acknowledged via return email receipt of such email.

 

(c) If to the Holder of any Warrant Certificate to the address of such Holder as shown on the registry books of the Company. Any notice required to be delivered by the Company to the Holder of any Warrant may be given by the Warrant Agent on behalf of the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, where this Agreement provides for notice of any event to a Holder of any Warrant, such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the procedures of the Depositary or its designee.

 

Section 20. Supplements and Amendments.

 

(a) The Company and the Warrant Agent may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any Holders of Global Warrants in order to add to the covenants and agreements of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of the Global Warrants or to surrender any rights or power reserved to or conferred upon the Company in this Agreement, provided that such addition or surrender shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Global Warrants or Warrant Certificates in any material respect.

 

(b) In addition to the foregoing, with the consent of Holders of Warrants entitled, upon exercise thereof, to receive not less than a majority of the shares of Common Stock issuable thereunder, the Company and the Warrant Agent may modify this Agreement for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Warrant Agreement or modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Global Warrants; provided, however, that no modification of the terms (including but not limited to the adjustments described in Section 11) upon which the Warrants are exercisable or the rights of Holders of Warrants to receive liquidated damages or other payments in cash from the Company or reducing the percentage required for consent to modification of this Agreement may be made without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Warrant Certificate affected thereby; provided further, however, that no amendment hereunder shall affect any terms of any Warrant Certificate issued in a Warrant Exchange. As a condition precedent to the Warrant Agent’s execution of any amendment, the Company shall deliver to the Warrant Agent a certificate from a duly authorized officer of the Company that states that the proposed amendment complies with the terms of this Section 20.

 

Section 21. Successors. All covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

 

Section 22. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give any Person other than the Company, the Holders of Warrant Certificates and the Warrant Agent any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Warrant Agent and the Holders of the Warrant Certificates. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, to the extent any provision of a Warrant Certificate conflicts with any provision of this Agreement, the provisions of the Warrant Certificate shall govern and be controlling.

 

Section 23. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Warrant Certificate and Global Warrant issued hereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the conflicts of law principles thereof.

 

Section 24. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

Section 25. Captions. The captions of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

 

Section 26. Information. The Company agrees to promptly provide to the Holders of the Warrants any information it provides to the holders of the Common Stock, except to the extent any such information is publicly available on the EDGAR system (or any successor thereof) of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

  HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY
       
  By:                
    Name:  
    Title:  
       
  CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
       
  By:                    
    Name:  
    Title:  

 

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Exhibit 1

 

Form of Warrant Certificate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 2

 

Form of Warrant Certificate Request Notice

 

WARRANT CERTIFICATE REQUEST NOTICE

 

To: Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company as Warrant Agent for Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (the “Company”)

 

The undersigned Holder of Common Stock Purchase Warrants (“Warrants”) in the form of Global Warrants issued by the Company hereby elects to receive a Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants held by the Holder as specified below:

 

1. Name of Holder of Warrants in form of Global Warrants: _____________________________

 

2. Name of Holder in Warrant Certificate (if different from name of Holder of Warrants in form of Global Warrants): ________________________________

 

3. Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Global Warrants: ___________________

 

4. Number of Warrants for which Warrant Certificate shall be issued: __________________

 

5. Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Global Warrants after issuance of Warrant Certificate, if any: ___________

 

6. Warrant Certificate shall be delivered to the following address:

 

______________________________

 

______________________________

 

______________________________

 

______________________________

 

The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with this Warrant Exchange and the issuance of the Warrant Certificate, the Holder is deemed to have surrendered the number of Warrants in form of Global Warrants in the name of the Holder equal to the number of Warrants evidenced by the Warrant Certificate.

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: ____________________________________________________

 

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: ______________________________

 

Name of Authorized Signatory: ________________________________________________

 

Title of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________________

 

Date: _______________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3

 

Form of Global Warrant Request Notice

 

GLOBAL WARRANT REQUEST NOTICE

 

To: Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Warrant Agent for Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (the “Company”)

 

The undersigned Holder of Common Stock Purchase Warrants (“Warrants”) in the form of Warrants Certificates issued by the Company hereby elects to receive a Global Warrant evidencing the Warrants held by the Holder as specified below:

 

1. Name of Holder of Warrants in form of Warrant Certificates: _____________________________

 

2. Name of Holder in Global Warrant (if different from name of Holder of Warrants in form of Warrant Certificates): ________________________________

 

3. Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Warrant Certificates: ___________________

 

4. Number of Warrants for which Global Warrant shall be issued: __________________

 

5. Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Warrant Certificates after issuance of Global Warrant, if any: ___________

 

6. Global Warrant shall be delivered to the following address:

 

______________________________

 

______________________________

 

______________________________

 

______________________________

 

The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with this Global Warrant Exchange and the issuance of the Global Warrant, the Holder is deemed to have surrendered the number of Warrants in form of Warrant Certificates in the name of the Holder equal to the number of Warrants evidenced by the Global Warrant.

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: ____________________________________________________

 

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: ______________________________

 

Name of Authorized Signatory: ________________________________________________

 

Title of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________________

 

Date: _______________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4

 

Warrant Agent Fee Schedule

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.29

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

This Shared Services Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of June 30, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), is entered into by and between National Football Museum, Inc., an Ohio nonprofit corporation d/b/a the Pro Football Hall of Fame (“PFHOF”), and HOF Village, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”) (each of the foregoing is individually referred to herein as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Merger Agreement (as defined below).

 

RECITALS

 

A. The Company is a party to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 16, 2019, by and among GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp, GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., the Company and HOF Village Newco, LLC (the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company will transfer substantially all of its assets and liabilities to a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company that will merge into a subsidiary of Holdings in a business combination transaction.

 

B. The Company and PFHOF were parties to that certain Shared Services Agreement, dated December 11, 2018 and effective January 1, 2018, which was terminated effective as of September 24, 2019 (the “2018 Shared Services Agreement”).

 

C. In connection with the Merger Agreement, the Parties entered into a Side Letter Agreement, dated September 16, 2019 (the “Side Letter Agreement”), pursuant to which the Parties made certain agreements regarding potential future shared services, forgiveness of certain outstanding amounts owed under the 2018 Shared Services Agreement and other agreements, and other matters. The Parties have had further discussions regarding additional matters to be reflected in this Agreement.

 

D. The Parties desire to enter into this Agreement to formally coordinate with each other on certain business services and expenses, and to reflect further agreements between the Parties, upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

 

AGREEMENT

 

In consideration of the foregoing and the respective agreements of the Parties contained herein, the Parties agree as follows:

 

1. Reduction of Fees.

 

(a) Reduction of Fees Owed to PFHOF by Company. In accordance with the terms of the Side Letter Agreement, simultaneously with the Closing under the Merger Agreement, PFHOF hereby reduces the amounts owed from the Company to PFHOF by $5,150,000 as follows:

 

i. PFHOF hereby forgives $2,000,000 in shared services fees that were incurred by the Company and remain outstanding under the 2018 Shared Services Agreement.

 

 

 

 

ii. PFHOF hereby waives all interest on PFHOF’s outstanding receivables from the Company as of the Effective Date, which interest amount is estimated to be $200,000.

 

iii. PFHOF hereby forgives $500,000 owed by the Company to PFHOF for expenses and fees associated with Youth Sports Management, LLC, including fees owed from the Company to PFHOF under the Branding License Agreement, dated December 15, 2015, between Youth Sports Management, LLC and PFHOF, prepaid media expenses, and other miscellaneous expenses.

 

iv. PFHOF hereby forgives $300,000 owed by the Company relating to the Tom Benson statue.

 

v. PFHOF hereby forgives $2,150,000 owed by the Company for miscellaneous expenses.

 

(b) Reduction of Fees Owed to Company by PFHOF. The Company hereby reduces the amounts owed from PFHOF to the Company by $1,200,000 as follows:

 

i. The Company hereby forgives $1,200,000 owed by PFHOF for miscellaneous expenses.

 

(c) Effect of Reduction of Fees. The Parties acknowledge and agree that after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Holdings to PFHOF under the Merger Agreement and the reduction of fees in this Section 1, no amounts will be owed or outstanding between the Parties as of March 31, 2020. In the event of any errors or inconsistencies between the aforementioned amounts in this Section 1 and either Party’s financial records, the numbers that would achieve the intent of the Parties to have no amounts owed or outstanding between the Parties as of March 31, 2020 shall control, and the Parties agree to modify any such amounts hereunder accordingly to achieve this intent.

 

2. Coordination of Shared Services. The Parties agree to act in good faith to coordinate with each other on certain services, including, without limitation, youth programming, government relations, community relations, public relations and sponsorship activities, as set forth in Exhibit A (the “Services”), which shall be mutually agreeable to both Parties.

 

3. Provision of Services. In connection with the provision of Services, the Parties will mutually agree on and establish one Party as the lead service provider for each category of Services or particular Service to be undertaken. The Party serving in the capacity as the lead service provider for any given category of Services or particular Service to be undertaken shall be referred to as the “Lead Service Provider”, and the other Party shall be referred to as the “Receiving Party”. In connection with the provision of Services, the Parties will mutually agree on and establish a proposed budget for each category of the Services, as such Services are provided. Each proposed budget shall thereafter be presented to the governing body of each Party for review and approval. Neither Party will provide any Services hereunder unless and until each Party has mutually agreed on the Lead Service Provider, the Receiving Party, the scope of Services, the Services Fee (defined below), and an agreed upon budget for or each category of the Services, as such Services are provided. The Parties acknowledge and agree that Services may be provided by the employees or Affiliates of the Lead Service Provider or by third party consultants and service providers, at the direction of the Lead Service Provider, in accordance with the relevant budget; provided that the Lead Service Provider remains liable for any non-performance by its employees or Affiliates of the Lead Service Provider or by third party consultants and service providers so engaged by Lead Service Provider in the performance of the Services hereunder. The Parties will designate a place and time to meet (via in-person or by other electronic means) to review and discuss the Services on no less than a quarterly basis beginning on October 1, 2020, to discuss the performance hereunder, which shall include, without limitation, aligning the categories referenced above and as set forth in Exhibit A hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, an “Affiliate” of any specified person is a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified.

 

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4. Compensation and Reimbursement for Services.

 

(a) Fees for Services. As consideration payable to the Lead Service Provider or any of its Affiliates for providing and/or coordinating the Services, the Receiving Party shall pay to the Lead Service Provider an amount to be mutually determined prior to the beginning of the provision of such Services (the “Services Fee”). The Receiving Party will also reimburse the Lead Service Provider for an agreed upon portion of its reasonable, documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the provision and/or coordination of the Services, to the extent not included in the Services Fee. In order for the Lead Service Provider to bill the Receiving Party for time spent by its employees, or Affiliates or by third party consultants and service providers so engaged by Lead Service Provider in the performance of the Services hereunder, the Lead Service Provider must provide the Receiving Party with advance notice of the proposed billing rates and a time estimate for the number of hours expected to be spent on the Services, and such billing rates and time estimates must be preapproved by the Receiving Party. All proposed Services Fees and billing rates shall be calculated on a cost basis, including using a Lead Service Provider’s actual costs for employee/third party/consultant/etc. time (taking into account a pro rata portion of benefits, salary and other expenses attributable to the provision of the Services, by employee and employee seniority level), and no markup or surcharge may be billed to the Receiving Party. Any Services Fees or other expenses in excess of the original estimate must be preapproved in writing by the Receiving Party. The outstanding Services Fees and any other expenses will be settled by the Parties on a monthly basis, with amounts owed between the Parties to offset each other to determine the net Services Fees payable by either Party. The Services Fees shall be payable on a monthly basis, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties. The Services Fees will be subject to review by the Parties on a quarterly basis, beginning on October 1, 2020, in connection with the quarterly review of the Services, and may be modified accordingly, based on the level of the Services needed by the respective Parties.

 

(b) Late Payment. Services Fees and expenses that are not subject to a dispute must be paid within 30 days of receipt of an invoice. If such outstanding Services Fees and expenses remain unpaid for 90 days or more, the Party to whom such amounts are owed may immediately terminate this Agreement, at its sole discretion, and all amounts due and payable hereunder shall be paid immediately.

 

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(c) Services Fee Exclusions. Neither Party shall be permitted to charge a Services Fee or any other amount to the other Party for Services provided by Michael Crawford or C. David Baker under this Agreement. PFHOF shall not be permitted to charge a Services Fee for Services provided by a PFHOF employee acting as liaison between the Company and PFHOF. Additionally, in the case of any initiatives worked on jointly by the Parties and that provide a benefit to both Parties, neither Party shall be permitted to charge a Services Fee to the other Party for any Services provided.

 

5. Term. The term of this Agreement (the “Term”) shall be for an initial period expiring one year after the Effective Date; provided, however, that this Agreement and the Parties’ coordination with each other for the Services hereunder may be terminated at any time following the date hereof: (a) by either Party upon 90 days’ written notice to the other Party; (b) upon mutual agreement of the Parties; or (c) by either Party pursuant to Section 4(b). Unless previously terminated by the Parties, this Agreement will automatically renew for successive terms of one year, with the scope of Services to be subject to adjustment based on the prior year. If the Parties cannot agree on the adjusted scope of Services within 30 days after the beginning of any successive term, this Agreement shall automatically terminate on such date. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no termination of this Agreement, whether pursuant to this Section 5 or otherwise, will affect either Party’s duty to pay any fees accrued, or reimburse any cost or expense incurred, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement prior to the effective date of such termination.

 

6. Limitation of Liability. No Lead Service Provider nor any of its officers, directors, managers, principals, stockholders, partners, members, employees, agents, representatives and Affiliates (each a “Related Party” and, collectively, the “Related Parties”) shall be liable to a Receiving Party or any of its Affiliates for any loss, liability, damage or expense arising out of or in connection with the performance of any Services contemplated by this Agreement, unless such loss, liability, damage or expense shall be proven to result directly from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of such person. In no event will a Lead Service Provider or any of its Related Parties be liable to a Receiving Party for special, indirect, punitive or consequential damages, including, without limitation, loss of profits or lost business, even if the Lead Service Provider has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Under no circumstances will the liability of a Lead Service Provider or Related Parties exceed, in the aggregate, the fees actually paid to the Lead Service Provider hereunder.

 

7. Notice. For purposes of this Agreement, notices and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and deemed to have been duly given when: (i) personally delivered or sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid; (ii) on the date sent by facsimile or e-mail of a .pdf document (with confirmation of transmission) if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next Business Day if sent after normal business hours of the recipient; or (ii) upon receipt by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (receipt requested). Such communications must be sent to the respective Parties at the addresses indicated below (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 7). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks located in New York, New York, are authorized or required by applicable law to be closed for business.

 

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To the Company:

 

HOF Village, LLC

2626 Fulton Drive NW

Canton, OH 44718

Attn: Michael Crawford, CEO

Email: michael.crawford@hofvillage.com

 

with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

2200 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20037

Attn: J. Steven Patterson

Email: spatterson@huntonak.com

 

To PFHOF:

 

National Football Museum, Inc.

2121 George Halas Drive NW

Canton, OH 44708

Attn: C. David Baker, President

Email: David.Baker@ProFootballHOF.com

 

with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co., L.P.A.

4775 Munson Street, NW

P.O. Box 36963

Canton, OH 44735-6963

Attn: Christopher R. Hunt

Email: chunt@kwgd.com

 

8. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and other understandings and arrangements, oral or written, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

9. Amendment and Modification; Waiver. This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented only by an agreement in writing signed by the Parties. No waiver by any Party of any of the provisions hereof shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing and signed by the Party so waiving. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, no failure to exercise, or delay in exercising, any rights, remedy, power or privilege arising from this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.

 

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10. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any one provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof.

 

11. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed in all respects, including as to validity, interpretation and effect, by and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio, without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof to the extent that the application of law of another jurisdiction would be required thereby. The Parties hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Stark County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio, and to the federal district court of the United States of America located in Akron, Ohio, exclusively, in respect of the interpretation and enforcement of the provisions of this Agreement, and hereby waive, and agree not to assert, as a defense in any action, suit or proceeding for the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement, that it is not subject thereto or that such action, suit or proceeding may not be brought or is not maintainable in said courts or that the venue thereof may not be appropriate or that this Agreement or any of such documents may not be enforced in or by said courts, and the Parties hereto irrevocably agree that all claims with respect to such action or proceeding shall be heard and determined in such an Ohio state or federal court. The Parties hereby consent to and grant any such court jurisdiction over the person of such Parties and over the subject matter of any such dispute. The Company waives any defense of lack of personal jurisdiction in these courts.

 

12. Authority. Each Party warrants and represents that such Party’s execution and delivery of this Agreement has been duly authorized by proper corporate or limited liability company action and that this Agreement is a binding obligation of such Party enforceable in accordance with its terms.

 

13. Independent Contracting Parties. The Company and PFHOF are independent contracting parties, and nothing in this Agreement shall make either Party the agent or legal representative of the other for any purpose whatsoever, nor does it grant either Party the authority to assume or create any obligation on behalf of or in the name of the other. Furthermore, the Parties shall remain separate and independent contracting parties, and nothing in this Agreement shall make either Party subject to a joint venture agreement or other mutual arrangement between the Parties.

 

14. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, e-mail or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties has executed this Agreement or caused this Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer effective as of the Effective Date.

 

National Football Museum, Inc.  
     
By: /s/ David Baker  
  Name:  C. David Baker  
  Title: President  
     
HOF VILLAGE, LLC  
     
By: /s/ Michael Crawford  
  Name: Michael Crawford  
  Title: Chief Executive Officer  

 

[Signature Page to Shared Services Agreement]

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Services

 

Categories of Services

Community Relations

Government Relations

Marketing and Public Relations

New Business Development

Sponsorship Activities

Youth Programming

 

 

A-1

 

Exhibit 10.30

 

CERTAIN INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS EXHIBIT BECAUSE IT IS NOT MATERIAL AND WOULD LIKELY CAUSE COMPETITIVE HARM TO THE REGISTRANT IF PUBLICLY DISCLOSED. [***] OR [REDACTED] INDICATES THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN REDACTED.

EXECUTION COPY

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED MEDIA LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED MEDIA LICENSE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and effective as of the date of the Closing (as defined in the Merger Agreement (as defined below)) (the “Effective Date”), between NATIONAL FOOTBALL MUSEUM, INC., an Ohio non-profit corporation, doing business as Pro Football Hall of Fame (“PFHOF”), HOF Village Media Group, LLC (the “Village Media Company”), a Delaware limited liability company that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HOF Village, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“HOFV”) and, solely for purposes of Section 4.5, HOFV; each a “Party” and collectively, the “Parties”, and amends and restates, in its entirety, that certain Media License Agreement dated as of November 11, 2019 between the Parties (the “Original Agreement’).

 

RECITALS

 

A. In connection with a Master Transaction Agreement dated December 11, 2018, as it may be amended, restated, or otherwise modified from time to time (the “Master Transaction Agreement”), by and among the Parties and certain other parties, as well as other agreements referenced in the Master Transaction Agreement relating to the development of the Hall of Fame Village Complex (the “Village”), the Parties have determined that it is appropriate and in the Parties’ best interests to enter into a media license agreement for the exploitation of certain PFHOF assets by the Village Media Company and its Affiliates.

 

B. The Parties entered into the Original Agreement to provide for the sharing of media-related opportunities between the Village Media Company and Hall of Fame Media Group, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company and indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of PFHOF (the “HOF Media Company”).

 

C. The Parties now desire to enter into this Agreement as the media license agreement, as contemplated under the Master Transaction Agreement, and amend and restate, in its entirety, the Original Agreement.

 

 

 

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW THEREFORE, based upon the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged (including but not limited to consideration outlined in the Master Transaction Agreement), and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Parties agree as follows:

 

1. DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Advisory Board” shall mean a board of advisors to the Village Media Company and the HOF Media Company made up of four (4) individuals – (i) the Chief Executive Officer of HOFV, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer of PFHOF (or the Chief Marketing Officer of PFHOF or such other officer of PFHOF as the designee of the Chief Executive Officer of PFHOF), (iii) the Chief Executive Officer of the Village Media Company and (iv) the Executive Director of the HOF Media Company. The Advisory Board’s function shall be to facilitate the consideration of opportunities presented to either or both of the Village Media Company and the HOF Media Company.

 

1.2 Affiliate” with respect to the Village Media Company shall mean any of HOFV and any of the following entities so long as it is directly or indirectly controlled by, or is under common control, with HOFV: HOF Village Stadium, LLC; HOF Village Parking, LLC; HOF Village Land, LLC; HOF Village Youth Fields, LLC; HOF Village Hotel I, LLC; HOF Village Sports Business, LLC; Youth Sports Management, LLC; HOF Village Parking Management I, LLC; HOF Village Residences I, LLC; HOF Village Center for Excellence, LLC; HOF Village Center for Performance, LLC; HOF Experience, LLC; and JCIHOFV Financing, LLC. “Affiliate” with respect to PFHOF shall mean any entity that is directly or indirectly controlled by, or is under common control with, PFHOF. For purposes of this definition, “control” means an equity or income interest of fifty percent (50%) or more, or the possession of the power, directly or indirectly, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the Affiliate, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

 

1.3 Exploit” or “Exploitation” means to reproduce, distribute, digitally transmit, publish, publicly perform or otherwise display via any and all means of video or audio-visual media, or means of distribution except as set forth in this Agreement as to manner, frequency or duration of use including, but not limited to: film, television, streaming, short-form streaming, social media, SVOD, IVOD, pay per view, OTT, theatrical professional/non-professional productions, location based entertainment, music, publishing, holographic mediums, projection mapping, haptic mediums, as well as any marketing, advertising, and promotional activities thereof in any medium currently existing or hereinafter created.

 

1.4 Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 16, 2019, by and among GPAQ Acquisition Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp, a Delaware corporation, GPAQ Acquiror Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation, GPAQ Company Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, HOFV, and HOF Village Newco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as it may be amended, restated, or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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1.5 Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, estate, joint stock company or other similar organization, government or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity.

 

1.6 PFHOF Works” shall mean the written, audio, visual, audiovisual, or choreographic works currently or hereafter owned by or freely sub-licensable by PFHOF.

 

2. GRANT OF RIGHTS

 

2.1 Subject to the terms of this Agreement (including, without limitation, Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.6 and 5 below), PFHOF hereby grants to the Village Media Company a worldwide, non-exclusive, limited, non-sublicenseable and non-assignable (except to the extent set forth in this Agreement) right and license to (a) Exploit the PFHOF Works and (b) edit, supplement or otherwise adapt, incorporate or otherwise utilize, the PFHOF Works to create, produce and Exploit new, original work(s) (each such work in this clause (b), a “HOFV Work”). For the avoidance of doubt, after the termination or expiration of this Agreement, the Village Media Company and its permitted licensees shall continue to have the right to fully exploit, use, and Exploit the HOFV Works for the length of the term of the license granted by PFHOF in connection with such HOFV Work pursuant to Section 2.3; provided that the length of the term of such license shall be a minimum of five (5) years. Any HOFV Works created pursuant to this Agreement shall exclusively be owned by the Village Media Company; provided, however, that, (i) PFHOF shall own all right, title, interest, and copyright in and to the underlying PFHOF Work(s) as further set forth in Section 2.5 and (ii) the Village Media Company’s ownership is subject in all events to any Rights Restrictions and the terms of the license (including the term of such license) granted by PFHOF in connection with such HOFV Work pursuant to Section 2.3.

 

2.2 In addition to any rights set forth herein, PFHOF shall have the right and license to Exploit HOFV Works, at no fee or charge to PFHOF or any of its Affiliates, for educational, not-for-profit purposes aligned with the mission of PFHOF which usage shall not diminish the value of the Village Media Company’s or its Affiliates’ Exploitation of such HOFV Work in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. HOFV must preapprove any of PFHOF’s proposed plans to Exploit the HOFV Works, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld.

 

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2.3 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, PFHOF shall have the right to approve (in its sole and absolute discretion) any and all usage of, and Village Media Company’s (and its Affiliates’ and permitted licensees’) plans to Exploit, the PFHOF Works (including any inclusion of any PFHOF Work in any HOFV Work and the term of such usage). Prior to any initial Exploitation of a PFHOF Work, the Village Media Company, at its own expense, must furnish to the Advisory Board and PFHOF a written notice (“Notice”) which Notice will set forth the Village Media Company’s proposal for Exploitation of a PFHOF Work (whether by itself or as incorporated into a HOFV Work), which proposal shall at a minimum specify the applicable PFHOF Work(s) to be Exploited by the Village Media Company, the nature and location of the proposed Exploitation and a pro forma specifying the economics and approximate time period related to such Exploitation. The Advisory Board shall, within fourteen (14) days of its receipt of the Notice, make a recommendation to PFHOF to either approve or reject such proposal as set forth in the Notice. PFHOF shall, within fourteen (14) days of its receipt of the recommendation of the Advisory Board, either approve or reject the proposal as set forth in the Notice. If PFHOF does not approve the proposal as set forth in the Notice within fourteen (14) days of PFHOF’s receipt of the recommendation of the Advisory Board, such proposal shall be deemed rejected by PFHOF. In the event that a proposal is rejected (or deemed rejected) by PFHOF, PFHOF shall, upon request from the Village Media Company, provide a written explanation (with reasonable detail) outlining its reason for rejecting such proposal. Upon PFHOF’s approval with respect to any such proposal, the Village Media Company (and its Affiliates and permitted licensees) may Exploit the applicable PFHOF Work(s) so long as such Exploitation is in conformance with the proposal as approved by PFHOF (including any proposed sublicenses in accordance with Section 2.4).

 

2.4 The Village Media Company shall have the right to sublicense (a) the production and creation of the HOFV Works and (b) Exploitation of the PFHOF Works hereunder to any of its Affiliates; provided, that, Village Media Company shall (x) cause such sublicenses to comply with all terms and conditions of this Agreement and (y) not be relieved of any of its obligations under this Agreement as a result of any such sublicense, and will be primarily responsible for any acts or omissions of such sublicensees.

 

2.5 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, as between PFHOF (and its Affiliates), on the one hand, and the Village Media Company (and its Affiliates), on the other hand, PFHOF shall own and control all right, title, interest, and copyright in and to the PFHOF Works, including, without, limitation, any and all PFHOF Work(s) utilized by, or incorporated in, any HOFV Work and all of its constituent elements, which shall include, without limitation, all feeds recorded by or on behalf of PFHOF in connection with the production of such PFHOF Work, all event footage contained therein and all information and data concerning such PFHOF Work, and all derivatives of the foregoing (except for derivatives that constitute HOFV Works, which ownership shall be retained by the Village Media Company). The Village Media Company agrees, on behalf of itself and its Affiliates and their permitted sublicensees, that all uses by the Village Media Company or any of its Affiliates or their respective permitted sublicensees of the PFHOF Work shall inure to the benefit of PFHOF, and any right that may accrue to the Village Media Company, any of its Affiliates or any of their respective permitted sublicensees related thereto and any goodwill associated therewith are hereby granted and assigned to PFHOF or its designee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent any HOFV Work incorporates any HOFV trademarks, service marks, or trade dress (“HOFV Trademarks”), use of such HOFV Trademarks shall inure solely to HOFV’s benefit. The Village Media Company shall not, and shall cause its Affiliates and their respective permitted sublicensees not to, whether during the Term or thereafter, challenge (a) the rights of PFHOF in and to any PFHOF Work, (b) the validity of any PFHOF Work, (c) PFHOF’s right to grant rights or licenses relating to the PFHOF Works or (d) the validity, legality, or enforceability of this Agreement.

 

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2.6 The Village Media Company acknowledges the existence of agreements in effect as of the Effective Date between PFHOF and certain licensees and/or licensors of PFHOF Works that may restrict or prohibit PFHOF from making certain PFHOF Works available for use or Exploitation under this Agreement, including, without limitation that certain agreement effective as of June 25, 2013 among NFL Enterprises LLC, PFHOF and PFHOF Enshrinees Events, Inc. d/b/a Pro Football Hall of Fame Enterprisers (the “NFLN Agreement”) (any and all such restrictions and prohibitions, collectively, “Rights Restrictions”) and that the Village Media Company’s rights under this Agreement shall subject and subordinate to any such Rights Restrictions for so long as such Rights Restrictions are in effect. Without limiting the foregoing, in the event that the Village Media Company is prohibited from pursing and launching an opportunity to create and Exploit an HOFV Work or use or Exploit an existing PFHOF Work pursuant to Sections 2.7, 2.8 or 2.9 as a result of a Rights Restriction under the terms of the NFLN Agreement, then the Parties shall negotiate in good faith a reasonable decrease in the Annual Guarantee for the calendar year in which such opportunity is unavailable.

 

2.7 PFHOF agrees not to grant licenses to create new PFHOF Works, except with respect to the categories identified on Exhibit A, to any third party during the Term without first offering to the Village Media Company the right of first refusal to create such PFHOF Works on equal terms, subject to any Rights Restrictions. If PFHOF desires to offer a license to any third party or if it receives any bona fide offer from a third party that it is willing to accept, it shall promptly communicate such offer, including the specific terms and business plan relating to such offer, to the Village Media Company and provide the Village Media Company with at least fourteen (14) days to exercise its right of first refusal. If the Village Media Company elects to exercise its right of first refusal, the terms of the offer shall apply, the applicable license shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Village Media Company shall pay to PFHOF a License Fee (as defined below) for such license in accordance with this Agreement. If the Village Media Company does not exercise its right of first refusal, PFHOF shall have the right to grant a license with respect to such third party on the same terms originally provided to the Village Media Company.

 

2.8 PFHOF agrees that during the Term, except with respect to the categories identified on Exhibit A, it will not create new PFHOF Works without first granting the Village Media Company a right of first offer to create such PFHOF Work, subject to any Rights Restrictions. If PFHOF desires to create new PFHOF Works, it shall present a proposed business plan in writing to the Village Media Company. The Village Media Company will have fourteen (14) days to review such business plan and elect to proceed under the business plan. If the Village Media Company elects proceed under the business plan, then creation of such PFHOF Work shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Village Media Company shall pay to PFHOF a License Fee in accordance with this Agreement for the license to create the PFHOF Work. If the Village Media Company does not make such an election, then PFHOF shall have the right to create such PFHOF Work itself.

 

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2.9 PFHOF agrees that during the Term, except with respect to the categories identified on Exhibit A, if PFHOF desires to either exploit itself or license a third party to exploit an existing PFHOF Work, it shall first give the Village Media Company a right of first offer to exclusively license such PFHOF Work, subject to any Rights Restrictions. In such a case, PFHOF shall promptly notify the Village Media Company and provide the Village Media Company with any bona fide third party offer to license such PFHOF Work that PFHOF is willing to accept, including any specific terms and proposed business plan relating to such offer. The Parties shall then negotiate in good faith an agreement to exclusively license the particular PFHOF Work. If the Parties reach an agreement within thirty (30) days, then the applicable license shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Village Media Company shall pay to PFHOF a License Fee for such license in accordance with this Agreement. If the Parties cannot reach an agreement within thirty (30) days, then PFHOF shall have the right to exploit or license the PFHOF Work itself.

 

2.10 PFHOF represents and warrants to the Village Media Company that it is the exclusive owner of the PFHOF Works or has the right to grant the licenses and other rights granted to the Village Media Company hereunder, including the right to use the PFHOF Works as permitted herein and that, subject to any Rights Restriction in effect on the Effective Date, PFHOF has secured any necessary releases for any rights of publicity or privacy and can license such rights to the Village Media Company hereunder.

 

2.11 PFHOF agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Village Media Company, its Affiliates, and their respective employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives, and successors and assigns from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, losses, suits, damages, costs (including, without limitation, costs of investigation), and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or relating to (a) the Village Media Company’s authorized use of the PFHOF Works, as permitted by, and in accordance with, the terms of this Agreement, (b) any breach by PFHOF of any warranty, representation, obligation, or agreement made under this Agreement, or (c) PFHOF’s use of the HOFV Works in breach of this Agreement, or any claim of infringement of any intellectual property right arising out of the misuse or misappropriation of the HOFV Works by PFHOF.

 

2.12 The Village Media Company represents and warrants to PFHOF that it is (a) a limited liability company organized and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and (b) a wholly-owned subsidiary of HOFV.

 

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2.13 The Village Media Company agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless PFHOF, its Affiliates, and their respective employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives, and successors and assigns from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, losses, suits, damages, costs (including, without limitation, costs of investigation), and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or related to (a) the Village Media Company’s use of the PFHOF Works in breach of this Agreement, or any claim of infringement of any intellectual property right arising out of the misuse or misappropriation of the PFHOF Works, (b) any breach by the Village Media Company (or its sublicensees, if applicable) of any warranty, representation, obligation, or agreement made under this Agreement, (c) the Exploitation of any of the rights granted pursuant to the terms of this Agreement by the Village Media Company, its Affiliates, licensees or sublicensees arising out of or relating to the Exploitation of any PFHOF Works or HOFV Works (unless such liability arises solely from use of the PFHOF Works by the Village Media Company in accordance with this Agreement), (d) PFHOF’s authorized use of any HOFV Works as permitted by, and in accordance with, the terms of this Agreement, (e) any advertising, promotion or other similar materials that are inserted into any Exploitation of any PFHOF Work or any HOFV Work (but excluding advertising or promotional announcements supplied by or on behalf of PFHOF and excluding any claims arising solely from use of the PFHOF Works by the Village Media Company in accordance with this Agreement)) or (f) any failure of the Village Media Company to comply with applicable laws in connection with the rights and performance of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

2.14 Except for Section 3.5, nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as limiting in any way the Village Media Company’s ability to seek and exploit separate rights from any third party.

 

3. OPERATION OF VILLAGE MEDIA COMPANY

 

3.1 The Chief Executive Officer of the Village Media Company (the “CEO”) shall be the Manager of the Village Media Company.

 

3.2 The Executive Producer of the Village Media Company (the “EP”) shall report to the CEO with input from the Chief Marketing Officer of PFHOF who will act as the liaison between the CEO and the PFHOF representatives on the Advisory Board. To the extent that the Village Media Company and PFHOF work collaboratively on media projects, the EP’s services on such projects for the benefit of PFHOF shall be charged to PFHOF at cost without markup. Performance objectives for the EP shall be determined by the CEO with input from the Advisory Board.

 

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3.3 In consultation with the CEO, the EP shall annually prepare a staffing plan for the Village Media Company’s operations and present such plan to the Advisory Board for review. Staff employed by the Village Media Company may be used for projects solely for the benefit of PFHOF or for projects that are collaboratively undertaken by both the Village Media Company and PFHOF. The Advisory Board shall be informed to the extent Village Media Company staff are employed on projects solely for the benefit of PFHOF or on projects that are collaboratively undertaken by both the Village Media Company and PFHOF. In addition, (a) PFHOF shall bear its proportionate share of the cost of such Village Media Company staff (at cost without markup) that work on such collaborative projects and, to the extent such staff work 100% on a PFHOF project, PFHOF shall bear all of the cost of such staff for such project (at cost without markup) and (b) the Village Media Company shall bear its proportionate share of the cost of PFHOF staff (at cost without markup) that work on such collaborative projects and, to the extent such staff work 100% on a Village Media Company project, the Village Media Company bear all of the cost of such staff for such project (at cost without markup). The EP shall ensure that, to the extent that PFHOF and the Village Media Company share staff, that such sharing will not impact the ability of PFHOF or the Village Media Company to meet their respective budget, creative goals, or sales/marketing goals for any year.

 

3.4 The Advisory Board shall meet regularly to facilitate the Village Media Company’s consideration of media-related opportunities contemplated hereunder and to review proposed projects, budgets, schedules, and creative concepts under consideration by the Village Media Company.

 

3.5 All communication with the National Football League (the “NFL”), its 32 Member Clubs, NFL Legends and Gold Jackets shall be made exclusively and directly through PFHOF. For the avoidance of doubt, PFHOF has the exclusive and sole relationship with the NFL, its 32 Member Clubs, NFL Legends and Gold Jackets for any and all PFHOF and HOFV activities; provided, however, that any communication relating to any investment by the NFL in any Village Media Company project, may be made directly through the President of PFHOF or the Chief Executive Officer of HOFV; and, provided further, that the Village Media Company shall have the right to present opportunities related to any of the above for approval by PFHOF.

 

4. TERM AND TERMINATION

 

4.1 Unless otherwise terminated as provided herein, the term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date (which for purposes of clarity is the date of the Closing under the Merger Agreement) and shall terminate on December 31, 2034 (such period, including as may be extended in accordance with the subsequent sentence, the “Term”). Thereafter, the Agreement shall automatically renew for successive five (5)-year terms, unless either Party gives written notice to the other Party of intent not to renew at least six (6) months prior to the expiration of the then-current Term. If either Party elects not to renew the Agreement and the other party wishes to continue the Agreement, the Parties shall attempt in good faith to negotiate an amendment to the Agreement to renew the Term on such terms as may be negotiated by the Parties. Such good faith negotiation shall continue until both Parties agree to cease negotiations or until expiration of the Term.

 

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4.2 After good faith consultation with the Advisory Board, either Party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time for an uncured material breach by the other Party, including the non-payment of the Annual Guarantee, license fees and staffing fees, provided that the non-breaching Party provides prior written notice to the breaching Party, specifying the alleged material breach, and further provided that the breaching Party shall have thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice to cure the material breach, to the reasonable satisfaction of the non-breaching Party; provided, further, that if such breach (other than a breach for non-payment) cannot be cured during such 30-day period, but the allegedly breaching Party has commenced and is continuing good faith efforts to cure such breach within such 30-day period, then the cure period shall be extended until the allegedly breaching Party has stopped making good faith efforts to cure such breach, such extension not to exceed ninety (90) days.

 

4.3 Either Party may terminate this Agreement immediately upon giving notice if the other Party ceases to conduct its operations in the normal course of business, including the inability to meet its obligations as they mature, or if any proceeding under the bankruptcy or insolvency laws is brought by or against the other Party, or a receiver or custodian is appointed or applied for by the other Party, or an assignment for the benefit of creditors or a transfer of all or substantially all of its property is made by the other Party.

 

4.4 In addition to and without limiting any other provision of this Agreement, if a Change of Control occurs at any time during the Term, PFHOF shall have the right to terminate this Agreement immediately upon giving notice of such termination to the Village Media Company. For purposes of this Section 4.4, a “Change of Control” shall mean any transaction or series of related transactions that results in (including by way of merger or consolidation), or that is in connection with, the Village Media Company no longer being controlled (as defined in Section 1.2) by or under common control (as defined in Section 1.2) with HOFV.

 

4.5 In addition to and without limiting any other provision of this Agreement, in the event the Village Media Company or HOFV fails to pay the Annual Guarantee to PFHOF in accordance with Section 5.1 and such failure is not cured within thirty (30) days of notice thereof by PFHOF, then the rights of first offer granted to HOFV in Section 3.1 of the First Amended and Restated License Agreement, dated as of September 16, 2019 between PFHOF and HOFV (the “License Agreement”) shall automatically and immediately terminate, regardless of whether PFHOF elects not to terminate this Agreement in accordance Section 4.2.

 

4.6 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, this Agreement shall automatically and immediately terminate, without any further action or notice to any Party, upon termination of the License Agreement.

 

4.7 Upon the expiration or termination of this Agreement as provided in this Section 4, the rights and obligations of the Parties under this Agreement shall be terminated, except as provided herein.

 

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5. FEES

 

5.1 Subject to Section 2.6, the Village Media Company shall, or shall cause HOFV to, pay to PFHOF a minimum annual guarantee of one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($1,250,000) (the “Annual Guarantee”). The first Annual Guarantee payment shall be due and payable to PFHOF on the date that is one (1) year following the Effective Date, and each subsequent installment of the Annual Guarantee shall be due and payable to PFHOF thereafter on each twelve (12) month anniversary of the Effective Date during the Term; provided that the Parties acknowledge and agree that after the first five (5) years of the Term, the Annual Guarantee shall increase by three percent (3%) on a year-over-year basis (e.g., the Annual Guarantee shall increase to $1,287,500 for year six (6) and to $1,326,125 for year seven (7), and thereafter accordingly). Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 5.1 or any other Section of this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that the Village Media Company wants to exercise any of the rights provided to it under this Agreement prior to the first (1st) anniversary of the Effective Date including, without limitation, any Exploitation of the PFHOF Works or the exercise of the right of first offer under Sections 2.7, 2.8, and 2.9, the first payment of the Annual Guarantee that is otherwise due and payable on the date that is one (1) year following the Effective Date would be immediately due and payable on the date of such Exploitation or exercise of rights hereunder by the Village Media Company, and the Agreement and all other terms including the payment of each subsequent installment of the Annual Guarantee would remain unchanged and in effect.  .

 

5.2 In consideration of any license granted to the Village Media Company hereunder, the Village Media Company shall, or shall cause HOFV to, pay to PFHOF a license fee specific to the PFHOF Work(s) licensed by PFHOF hereunder (“License Fee”) pursuant to the rate for the applicable project or opportunity as will be mutually agreed between the Parties for each opportunity; provided that License Fees shall be debited first from the Annual Guarantee, which shall satisfy such License Fees due and payable hereunder until the aggregate amount of the License Fees due and payable during such calendar year exceeds the Annual Guarantee for such calendar year. For clarity, if for any calendar year during the Term, the amount of License Fees for such calendar is (x) less than the amount of the Annual Guarantee, the Village Media Company shall still be required to pay the Annual Guarantee for such calendar year or (y) more than the Annual Guarantee, the Village Media Company shall be required to pay all License Fees in excess of the Annual Guarantee for such calendar year. The Parties acknowledge and agree that two hundred twenty five thousand dollars ($225,000) (the “Youth Sports License Fee”) shall be credited against the Annual Guarantee on the Closing Date and each anniversary of the Closing Date during the Term for the license granted by PFHOF to Youth Sports Management, LLC (“Youth Sports”) pursuant to that certain branding license agreement to be entered into on the Effective Date between PFHOF and Youth Sports for so long as such agreement remains in effect; provided that after the first five (5) years of the Term, the Youth Sports License Fee shall increase by three percent (3%) on a year-over year basis and thereafter, the aggregate amount of the Youth Sports License Fee, after giving effect to such increase each year, shall be the amount credited against the Annual Guarantee.

 

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6. FORCE MAJEURE

 

In the event either Party is unable to comply fully with its obligations (other than payment obligations) under this Agreement due to an event beyond the control of the Party whose performance is affected, including any legal prohibition, court order, degree, regulation or requirement of any governmental entity having jurisdiction, strikes, catastrophe, drought, shortage of water or other action of the elements, temporary or permanent shutdown due to regulatory or other governmental actions, or Acts of God or any other matters beyond its control, such Party shall while so affected be relieved to the extent thus prevented from performing its obligations hereunder and such non-performance shall not, in and of itself, be deemed to be a breach of this Agreement; provided that, in such event, the non-performing Party takes all commercially reasonable measures to remove the disability and resume full performance hereunder at the earliest possible date.

 

7. GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

7.1 Confidentiality

 

(a) Confidential Information” means all forms of confidential information, including technical information and business information, disclosed by one Party or its Affiliates (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other Party or its Affiliates (the “Receiving Party”) during the Term in connection with this Agreement, that is identified as confidential or is information that is of a nature that is customarily regarded as confidential, whether disclosed in electronic, tangible, oral or visual form; provided that oral or visual disclosures shall be deemed confidential only if they are confirmed as confidential in writing by the Disclosing Party prior to or at the time of disclosure or within thirty (30) days thereafter, or if the Receiving Party should reasonably know that such visual or oral disclosures are intended to be confidential. Confidential Information shall not include such information that: (i) as of the date of disclosure is known to the Receiving Party or its Affiliates, as shown by written documentation; (ii) was independently developed by the Receiving Party or its Affiliates without access to the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information; (iii) as of the date of disclosure is in, or subsequently enters, the public domain, through no fault of the Receiving Party; or (iv) as of the date of disclosure or thereafter is obtained from a third party free from any obligation of confidentiality to the Disclosing Party.

 

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(b) Each Receiving Party agrees: (i) not to disclose, make public, or authorize any disclosure or publication of such Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party except as expressly permitted herein; (ii) to take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information exercising the same degree of care to preserve and safeguard the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information as it uses to preserve and safeguard its own Confidential Information, but in no event less than a reasonable degree of care; (iii) to restrict access to such Confidential Information to only those officers, directors, or employees of the Receiving Party or its Affiliates or representatives who have a need to know such Confidential Information and who are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as restrictive as those contained in this Agreement; and (iv) not to remove any confidential or proprietary markings or designations placed by the Disclosing Party on such Confidential Information. The Receiving Party and its Affiliates shall not use the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information for any purpose except as permitted by this Agreement.

 

(c) The confidentiality obligations contained herein shall not apply to the extent that the Receiving Party is required to disclose the information by law, order, or regulation of a governmental agency or a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that, in each such case, the Receiving Party shall give written notice thereof to the Disclosing Party and sufficient opportunity to prevent or limit any such disclosure or to request confidential treatment thereof; and provided further, that the Receiving Party shall give reasonable assistance to the Disclosing Party to preserve the information as confidential.

 

(d) Upon termination of this Agreement, each Receiving Party shall return to the Disclosing Party (or at the Disclosing Party’s direction, destroy) all Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party that is in the possession, custody, or control of the Receiving Party. The Village Media Company shall be permitted to retain copies of PFHOF’s Confidential Information as necessary to allow the Village Media Company to exercise its post-termination rights with respect to such information.

 

(e) Each Party acknowledges that a breach or threatened breach of this Section 7.1 on its part shall result in irreparable and incalculable damages to the other Party. Therefore, in addition to any action by either Party for collection of damages resulting from the breach of this Agreement, such Party shall also be entitled to immediate injunctive relief, restraining the other Party from continued or threatened breach of this Agreement. Each Party further agrees that, upon a finding of a breach of the terms of this Agreement on its part, such Party shall pay to the other Party the costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, which the other Party incurs in enforcing the terms of this Agreement.

 

7.2 Notices. Any notice required or permitted by this Agreement will be in writing and delivered as follows with notice deemed given as indicated: (i) by personal delivery when delivered personally; (ii) by overnight courier upon written verification of receipt; (iii) by telecopy or facsimile transmission upon acknowledgement of receipt of electronic transmission; or (iv) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, upon verification of receipt. Notice will be sent to the appropriate address set forth below or such other address as to which the Parties have been notified hereunder.

 

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7.3 Compliance with Laws and Regulations. Each of the Village Media Company and PFHOF, as applicable, agrees to be in material compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and regulations applicable to its respective operations and to obtain and maintain all licenses and permits required by law necessary for each of their respective operations.

 

7.4 Governing Law and Arbitration.

 

(a) This Agreement will be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of Ohio (without regard to conflicts of law provisions), as such laws are applied to agreements entered into and to be performed entirely within the State of Ohio between Ohio residents.

 

(b) Any dispute between the Parties concerning the scope or interpretation of this Agreement shall be submitted to binding arbitration in accordance with the Rules of Commercial Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association in effect on the date that a dispute is submitted to arbitration (the “Rules”). The arbitration shall be held in Canton, Ohio, and shall be before a panel of three arbitrators, one chosen by each of the Parties and a third chosen by the two arbitrators so chosen by the Parties. Not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the arbitration, each Party shall submit to the other the documents and a list of witnesses it intends to interview or call in the arbitration. The arbitrators shall apply the substantive law of the State of Ohio with regard to any dispute that becomes the subject of arbitration, and the arbitrators will be so instructed. The arbitrators shall issue a written opinion stating the findings of fact and the conclusions of law upon which the decision is based. The decision of the arbitrators shall be final and binding.

 

(c) In any action, suit, proceeding, claim, or counterclaim brought to enforce this Agreement or any of its provisions, the Party that prevails in any such action, suit, proceeding, claim, or counterclaim (the “Prevailing Party”) shall recover its costs, fees, and expenses, including, but not limited to, the reasonable costs, fees, and expenses of attorneys and outside experts (collectively, “Expenses”), from the other Party (the “Non-Prevailing Party”), and the court or arbitration panel shall be so instructed to determine which Party is the Prevailing Party, to grant the recovery of the Expenses incurred by the Prevailing Party, and to order the Non-Prevailing Party to pay the Expenses of the Prevailing Party.

 

7.5 Assignment. The Village Media Company shall not, directly or indirectly, assign, sublicense or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of PFHOF. The transfer of ownership of the Village Media Company pursuant to the Merger Agreement shall not require the consent of PFHOF.

 

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7.6 Severability. Should any provision of this Agreement be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, the legality, validity, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement will not be affected or impaired thereby.

 

7.7 Waiver. The waiver by either Party of a breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other Party will not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach by such other Party.

 

7.8 Authority. Each Party warrants and represents that such Party’s execution and delivery of this Agreement has been duly authorized by proper corporate or limited liability company action and that this Agreement is a binding obligation of such Party enforceable in accordance with its terms.

 

7.9 Independent Contracting Parties. The Parties are independent contracting parties and nothing in this Agreement shall make either Party the agent or legal representative of the other for any purpose whatsoever, nor does it grant either Party the authority to assume or create any obligation on behalf of or in the name of the other. Furthermore, the Parties shall remain separate and independent contracting parties and nothing in this Agreement shall make either Party subject to a joint venture agreement or other mutual arrangement between the Parties.

 

7.10 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties relating to this subject matter and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements concerning such subject matter, including the Original License Agreement. This Agreement may be changed only by mutual agreement of the Parties in writing.

 

7.11 Merger Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that the Closing (as such term is defined in the Merger Agreement) does not occur, this Agreement shall be terminated and the provisions herein shall have no force or effect.

 

[signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, PFHOF, HOFV (solely for purposes of Section 4.5) and the Village Media Company have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective, duly authorized representatives, effective as of the Effective Date.

 

  NATIONAL FOOTBALL MUSEUM, INC.  
   
  By: /s/ David Baker  
    C. David Baker  
    President  
     
  Date: July 1, 2020  
     
  Address: 2121 George Halas Drive NW
    Canton, Ohio 44708
     
  HOF VILLAGE MEDIA GROUP, LLC
     
  By: /s/ Michael Crawford
    Name: Michael Crawford  
    Title:   Chief Executive Officer  
     
  Date: July 1, 2020  
     
  Address:  2626 Fulton Drive NW  
    Canton, Ohio 44718  

 

[Amended and Restated Media License Agreement]

 

 

 

 

  For the purpose of acknowledging and agreeing to the terms set forth in Section 4.5:
   
  HOF VILLAGE, LLC
     
  By: /s/ Michael Crawford  
    Name: Michael Crawford  
    Title:   Chief Executive Officer  
     
  Date: July 1, 2020
     
  Address:  2626 Fulton Drive NW  
    Canton, Ohio 44718  

 

[Amended and Restated Media License Agreement]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A

 

[REDACTED]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A-1

 

Exhibit 21.1

 

HALL OF FAME RESORT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

 

LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES

 

Name of Subsidiary   Jurisdiction of
Organization
  Percent Ownership
HOF Village Newco, LLC   Delaware   100%
Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp.   Delaware   100%
HOF Experience, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Center for Excellence, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Center for Performance, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Hotel I, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Hotel II, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Hotel WP, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Land, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Media Group, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Parking, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Parking Management I, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Residences I, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Retail I, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Sports Business, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Stadium, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Waterpark, LLC   Delaware   100%
HOF Village Youth Fields, LLC   Delaware   100%
JCIHOFV Financing, LLC   Delaware   100%
Youth Sports Management, LLC   Delaware   100%
Mountaineer GM, LLC   Delaware   60%

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s Consent

 

We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company on Amendment No.1 to Form S-1 (File No. 333-249133) of our report dated March 10, 2020, which includes an explanatory paragraph as to HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries’ ability to continue as a going concern with respect to our audits of the consolidated financial statements of HOF Village, LLC and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019, which report appears in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.

 

/s/ Marcum llp

 

Marcum llp

New York, NY

October 16, 2020

 

 

Exhibit 23.2

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s Consent

 

We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company on Amendment No. 1 to Form S-1 [File No. 333-249133] of our report dated March 10, 2020 with respect to our audits of the consolidated financial statements of Gordon Pointe Acquisition Corp. as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019, which report appears in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.

 

/s/ Marcum llp

 

Marcum llp

New York, NY

October 16, 2020