Item 1. Business
X Rail Entertainment, Inc. is a Nevada corporation, originally formed as a Utah corporation under the name State Cycle, Inc. on August 7, 1974. We moved the corporation to the state of Nevada and changed our name to X Rail Enterprises, Inc. on November 5, 2015, at which time our primary business changed from mining to rail transportation, passenger excursions, rail car construction and rail related operations and services. Effective November 4, 2017, we changed our name to X Rail Entertainment, Inc.
Company Overview
X Rail Entertainment, Inc. is in the specialty passenger train business and has three operating divisions, The X Train, which will be an excursion railroad between metropolitan areas and resort/casino destinations, X Wine Railroads, which is a rail excursion from metropolitan areas to wine regions, and Club X Train, a riders membership club for X Train customers.
This summary highlights certain information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. Because it is a summary, it may not contain all of the information that is important to you. Before investing in our common stock, you should read this entire offering carefully, especially the sections entitled "Risk Factors" beginning on page 6 and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" beginning on page 35, as well our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.
As used in this prospectus, references to "the Company," "XREE", "we", "our," "ours" and "us" refer to X Rail Entertainment, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated.
X Train
The X Train will be an excursion passenger rail service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. We expect service to begin in September 2018. XREE plans to have its casino guests ride the exclusive train service and to manage the host activity of its guests throughout their stay in the resort/casino. We anticipate that, in addition to the service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, future X Train runs will be added in the coming years.
We expect to operate the X Train as an Amtrak train listed on the Amtrak national timetable. X Train will provide a complete bundled package of services including ticket, rooms and transfers to & from the station and weekend events such as access to nightclubs, golf outings and restaurants. It will be scheduled as a Friday through Sunday service with passengers in Los Angeles boarding the train at Union Station and arriving at a new station to be built in Las Vegas and owned and operated by the X Train. Only the X Train will be able to use our station in Las Vegas. A typical X Train will carry 10 passenger cars and will include food service and will carry on average, 500 passengers per trip. This number can be increased by adding more cars to the route.
Our LA to Vegas business plan emanates from a regional transportation feasibility study published in 2007, which suggested that a well-run rail service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas could garner up to 30% of the approximately 12 million passengers who regularly drive between these two metropolitan areas. See: www.rtcsouthernnevada.com. We believe that with our current business plan, we would be able to break-even, on an operating basis, with approximately 2,000 riders per year.
To commence commercial service of the Los Angeles to Las Vegas route, we will need to negotiate and secure the necessary rights, equipment and facilities. These items include: securing a regularly scheduled train agreement from Amtrak to operate our excursion service on a weekly basis beginning with one round trip train per week and increasing to six round trips per week over the next several years as demand dictates, securing operating rights to run our trains over tracks owned by private railroads, obtaining the capability to operate train equipment safely and in conformity with applicable government regulations, and purchasing or leasing appropriate locomotive and passenger cars designed to move passengers over the route in comfort and securing leases on terminal facilities and passenger depots in Los Angeles and in Las Vegas. We expect the X Train to begin running in September 2018.
X Wine Railroad
The Company's X Wine Railroad service from LA Union Station to Santa Barbara California ran on a scheduled basis, once a month on Saturdays, with individual riders (retail) as well as charters for corporate outings and special events (corporate). The X Wine Railroad provides a unique wine tasting experience to riders who take the train aboard special period classic railcars and an excursion to the Los Olivos wine area of Southern California. Over 250 private wineries reside in the area and the X Wine Railroad provides private access to these vineyards on an exclusive basis. Ticket prices are $369 per person, all inclusive. Since February 2017 this train has run once and the Company expects to continue to run this train intermittently, depending on demand. X Wine provides an all-inclusive day trip including a gourmet breakfast, wine tasting in the wineries, wine and cheese lunch at the wineries, and a gourmet dinner on the train's return trip.
Club X Train
Club X Train, which is still in the planning stage, will be a one stop shop for all Las Vegas rooms, activities, tours, show tickets and packages. Las Vegas shows, hotel rooms, tours, nightclubs and attractions will all available for members of ClubXTrain.com. This will be the only site riders need to plan their Vegas vacation getaway.
We anticipate that when a customer purchases a train ticket on either the X Train (once it commences operations) or any of the X Wine Railroad excursions, such tickets will include enrollment in our Club X membership club. Members will receive points from each excursion they ride and will be provided discounts on products and services we provide. The more they ride, the more points they will receive. Club X train will be the customer's ticket within Vegas for access to nightclubs, hosted bottle service, pool parties, gentlemen's clubs and the Club X Train Crawl: a high end to visiting three nightclubs in one night. Customers will outline their desired plan for the evening and Club X Train will take care of arranging all the details. We expect to commence offering Club X Train service when the X Train commences running, currently anticipated to be September 2018.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We qualify as an "emerging growth company" as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:
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being permitted to present two years of audited financial statements in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements with correspondingly reduced "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" disclosure;
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reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements;
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exemptions from the requirements of holding non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements; and
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exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting.
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We may take advantage of these exemptions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company on the date that is the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; or (iv) the last day of the fiscal year in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, which means the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior September 30th. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these exemptions. We have taken advantage of reduced reporting requirements in this prospectus. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock.
Where You Can Find Us
The company website is www.xrailentertainment.com and our booking website is
www.vegasxtrain.com
. The X Wine Railroad site is
www.winerailroad.com
The Club X Train website is
www.clubxtrain.com
. The contents of these websites are not incorporated into this prospectus. X Train Vacations, is a licensed IATAN travel agency, owned by X Rail Entertainment, Inc.
The Company's common stock is currently quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbol "XREE".
The Company maintains offices at 9480 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 205, Las Vegas, Nevada 89123.
Plan of Operations
The X Train
On February 11, 2016, the Company entered into share exchange agreements with some shareholders of Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc. ("Las Vegas Rail"). Las Vegas Rail had developed a brand identity in its development of a passenger train service from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, called the X Train. X Rail Entertainment, Inc. was formed to enter into an agreement with selected shareholders of Las Vegas Rail to exchange the stock of the Company for certain shares of Las Vegas Rail. In addition, the Company executed a license agreement with XTRN to pay a royalty of 5% of the gross revenues generated by the Company's operation of the X Train brand services including the operating name of Las Vegas Railway Express. Accordingly the Company owns the right to use Las Vegas Railway Express and the X Train brand and logo, which it acquired under the license agreement.
Under the licensing agreement X Rail Entertainment Inc. operates an excursion passenger rail service also known as the X Train that will run between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Service is expected to begin in 2018. The Company plans to have its casino guests ride this exclusive train service and manage a host of activities for its guests throughout their stay in the resorts and casinos in Las Vegas.
Accordingly, the Company plans to operate an excursion passenger rail service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The service will operate as an Amtrak train on the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF railroad and Metrolink railroad under Amtrak's access entitlement. The X Train will be stored in Amtrak's 8
th
Street yard in Los Angeles and the consist will be assembled there by Amtrak switching engines. Each consist will be made up of unique privately owned custom railcars which the Company will lease based on demand for that particular weekly service. Each train will consist of 10 railcars with a total capacity of approximately 444 passengers.
Arrival into Las Vegas is planned to be at the train station we will construct in downtown Las Vegas at the Plaza Hotel. The train station, has not yet been constructed. The station is being built by R & O Construction of Ogden Utah and is expected to have a temporary platform completed by May, 2018 and a final structure completed by June 2018.
At arrival, passengers will disembark the rail cars and immediately board a limo or tour bus to take them to the property where they are staying. All accommodations and activities planned for the weekend stay will be booked via the X Train booking center in Las Vegas. Weekend VIP and club hop services will be coordinated through Red Carpet VIP or Niteclubs.com for niteclub and outings. Passengers will be picked up at their hotels on Sunday at noon for a 2 pm departure back to Los Angeles Union Station where the weekend experience is concluded.
To commence commercial service on the Las Angeles to Las Vegas route, we will need to negotiate and secure the necessary rights, equipment and facilities. These items include: securing a regularly scheduled train agreement from Amtrak to operate our excursion service on a weekly basis beginning with one round trip train per week and increasing to six round trips per week over the next several years as demand dictates, securing operating rights to run our trains over tracks owned by private railroads, obtaining the capability to operate train equipment safely and in conformity with applicable government regulations, and purchasing or leasing appropriate locomotive and passenger cars designed to move passengers over the route in comfort and securing leases on terminal facilities and passenger depots in Los Angeles and in Las Vegas. We expect the X Train to begin running in 2018.
The Company also owns a licensed IATIA travel agency, X Train Vacations which books rail excursions for other passenger railroads in the United States of America. X Train Vacations is considered as a part of the Las Vegas Railway Express division. The Company plans to earn commissions from services that it will provide in 2017 in conjunction with the X Train rail service.
The specific steps, estimated costs and expected timeline for operation of our X Train service are as follows:
April 2018 – June 2018: Rail realignment on station property to accommodate the X Train station – Cost - $2 million
April 2018 – June 2018- Training of Amtrak crews for certification of the new route between Dagget, Ca. & Las Vegas - $550,000
May 2018 – June 2018 – Beta test runs on route $250,000
February 2018 – June 2018– Procurement of passenger rail cars for service – lease deposit $500,000
September 2018 – First run at one per week.
The X Wine Railroad
The Company's X Wine Railroad service from LA Union Station to Santa Barbara California ran regularly on a monthly basis from February 2017 to December 2017, and the Company plans to continue to run the train service in 2018 depending on demand, as discussed above.
Club X Train
Club X Train will be a one stop shop for all Las Vegas rooms, activities, tours, show tickets and packages. Las Vegas shows, hotel rooms, tours, nightclubs and attractions are all available as a member of ClubXTrain.com. This will be the only site riders need to plan their Vegas vacation getaway. Club X Train has the best Las Vegas deals and specials, too.
We expect to commence offering Club X Train service when the X Train commences running, currently anticipated to be September 2018. As such commencement of the Club X Train will require the same steps and costs as commencement of the X Train, as set forth above.
Our Competitive Strengths
We have developed a business model that focuses on leisure travelers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. We believe the following strengths will allow us to maintain a competitive advantage in the market we serve:
Large Untapped Market of 12 Million Drivers.
There has been no regular passenger rail service between the Los Angeles and Las Vegas areas for over 20 years. The only major highway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas is Interstate 15 ("I-15"). Of the more than 12,000,000 annual visitors from the Southern California/Los Angeles market, 94% use automobile transportation to Las Vegas via this corridor every year. We only need to capture 28,000 of these drivers (approximately 0.025 % of the total marketplace) to meet our plan on an operating basis. As the LA population grows, so will the traffic on this highway; the forecast for traffic on I-15 is expected to be 17 million passengers by 2030. Congestion on I-15 is increasing, with motor vehicle travelers experiencing substantial delays during peak travel times (e.g., generally over 6 hours of drive time on Friday and Sunday afternoons). With increasing gasoline costs, increasingly restrictive highway capacity, and reduced air travel from LA to Las Vegas, a rail transportation product - with both First Class and Coach – should be an attractive and viable alternative. Our trains will offer a service that will set us apart from other travel options by extending our customers' "Las Vegas" experience while en route.
"Las Vegas Style" Service.
The focus of our approach is to create a unique, Vegas class, "must see" mode of travel that not only serves the functional purpose of transporting passengers to Las Vegas, but also integrates seamlessly into the traditional and iconic Las Vegas experience. To accomplish this goal, our award winning team of design professionals and staff has assembled an on-board product reflective of the "Las Vegas" theme, which is comprised of a comfortable, fun, upscale and provocative atmosphere with multiple on-board amenities. Each train ticket entitles a passenger to an assigned seat with a high-quality meal and an alcoholic beverage.
Oversize baggage, access to the on-board Wi-Fi network, and other premium options will also be available for additional ancillary fees. Commissions will be derived through our call centers, our website, and our on-board mobile application, where customers will be presented with the option to book ahead for various Vegas attractions and necessities such as hotels, shows, tours, restaurant reservations, and rental cars.
Experienced Management and Board of Directors.
We have a strong management team and board of directors comprised of both experienced industry professionals and successful entrepreneurs. Our CEO, Michael Barron has been a successful entrepreneur establishing and growing several companies over the past 30 years. Our board of directors is led by Dr. Harry Teng, Head of the School of Rail Engineering at UNLV in Las Vegas, Lou Schillinger, CEO of Short Line Insurance Company, with over 300 industry rail clients insured and Don Adams,
a 50 year icon in the Las Vegas hotel/casino scene
. Company management has operated passenger service on a railroad with our own Club X cars and staff.
RISK FACTORS
An investment in the Company's common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before you invest you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and the other information in this prospectus. Our business, operating results and financial condition could be harmed and the value of our stock could go down as a result of these risks. This means you could lose all or a part of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business
We have an unproven business model and a limited operating history upon which an evaluation of our prospects can be made.
Our future operations are contingent upon generating revenues and raising capital for operations. Because we have a limited operating history, it is difficult to evaluate our business and future prospects and there are substantial risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties that we are subject to. There can be no assurance that at this time we will operate profitably or that we will have adequate working capital to meet our obligations as they become due. Investors must consider the risks and difficulties frequently encountered by early stage companies. We cannot be certain that our business strategy will be successful or that we will successfully address the risks we face. In the event that we do not successfully address these risks, our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
We have a history of losses and can provide no assurance of our future operating results.
We began to generate revenues in January 2017. For the years ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we incurred a net loss of $
7,385,372
and 2,567,469. As of December 31, 2017, we had an aggregate accumulated deficit of $
15,351,533
.
Our independent registered auditors have expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, include an explanatory paragraph that such financial statements were prepared assuming that we would continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, included with this prospectus, because of our lack of revenue and capital deficiency there is substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, shareholders may lose their entire investments.
We will need to raise additional capital to fund our business.
We will need to raise additional capital to fund our operations and capital expenditures. We estimate that we will need to raise $5 million to fund our plan of operations for the next 12 months, including the payment of rail access fees and pre-paid haulage fees to Amtrak and the railroads upon which we will be operating. Such additional funding may not be available on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all. Any additional equity financing we raise may involve substantial dilution to the existing shareholders.
Implementation of our business plan depends upon our ability to enter into key contracts with certain key providers providing rights and services that are critical to our business plan.
To execute our business plan we must enter into and maintain key contracts with certain key providers including:
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Amtrak for haulage agreement; and
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Union Pacific for access to their railroad;
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We have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Amtrak but have not yet executed an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad. There can be no assurances that we will enter into key contracts or that the key contracts will be on terms that are acceptable to us. Our ability to maintain and build relationship with our key providers will be critical to our success. Even if we enter into key contracts with our key providers, we may not be able to preserve relationships and if any of these key providers reduce their commitment to us, terminate their agreements with us or enter into similar agreements with our competitors, this will have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
In addition to the key contracts discussed above, our plans for growth and expansion may rely significantly on other agreements with other railroads and third parties, including joint ventures, strategic alliances and marketing agreements. Our ability to provide comprehensive rail service to our future customers will depend in large part upon our ability to enter into and maintain these other agreements and upon the performance of the obligations under the agreements by the other railroads and third parties.
If we commence commercial operations of the X-Train service, if sufficient numbers of travelers do not utilize our service, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected.
Our business model depends on our ability to provide an alternative means of transportation between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. If we commence commercial operations of the X-Train service, utilization of our service will depend upon the adoption of our service by leisure travelers as a viable alternative to existing options. We cannot assure you that leisure travelers will accept our service as a replacement for traveling by car or by airplane. Achieving market acceptance for the X-Train service will require substantial sales and marketing efforts and the expenditure of significant financial and other resources to create awareness and demand by leisure travelers. If we fail to achieve broad acceptance of the X-Train service or if we fail to position X-Train as a preferred method for travel, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected.
Our business model depends on leisure travel demand on the route from the Los Angeles area to Las Vegas. Any significant downturn in the Las Vegas travel market could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
According to the Las Vegas Convention Visitor Authority (LVCVA), there were approximately 38.9 million travelers to Las Vegas from the Southern California region in 2011. If demand for rail travel does not keep up with amount of service offered, competitive pressure may cause reductions in average fare price.
The Las Vegas region also faces competition with legalized gaming from casinos located on Native American tribal lands. Native American tribes in California are permitted to operate casinos with video gaming machines, black jack and house-banked card games. The governor of California has entered into compacts with numerous tribes in California and has executed a number of compacts with no limits on the number of gaming machines, which was limited under the prior compacts. The federal government has approved numerous compacts in California and casino-style gaming is now legal on those tribal lands. While
the competitive impact on our operations in Las Vegas from the continued growth of Native American gaming establishments in California remains uncertain, the proliferation of gaming in California could have an adverse effect on Las Vegas travel and thus on our results of operations.
In addition, certain states have legalized, and others may legalize, casino gaming in specific areas, including metropolitan areas from which we would traditionally seek to attract customers, such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston. In October 2001, the New York legislature approved a bill for expanded casino gaming on Native American reservations and video lottery terminals at certain race tracks. In 2003 and 2004, Maine and Pennsylvania, respectively, approved legislation legalizing slot machines or similar electronic gaming devices at certain locations, although such legislation has not been implemented yet. A number of states have permitted or are considering permitting gaming at "racinos," on Native American reservations and through expansion of state lotteries. The current global trend toward liberalization of gaming restrictions and resulting proliferation of gaming venues could result in a decrease in the number of visitors to the Las Vegas area by attracting customers close to home and away from Las Vegas, which could adversely affect the demand for travel to Las Vegas and thereby affect our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Severe weather and natural disasters could disrupt normal business operations, which would result in increased costs and liabilities and decreases in revenues.
Our success will be dependent on our ability to operate a railroad system efficiently. Severe weather and natural disasters, such as tornados, flooding and earthquakes, could cause significant business interruptions and result in increased costs and liabilities and decreased revenues. In addition, damages to or loss of use of significant aspects of our infrastructure due to natural or man-made disruptions could have an adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition or liquidity for an extended period of time until repairs or replacements could be made. Additionally, during natural disasters, our workforce may be unavailable, which could result in further delays. Extreme swings in weather could also negatively affect the performance of locomotives and rolling stock.
Operational dependencies may adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.
Due to the integrated nature of the United States' freight transportation infrastructure, our future operations may be negatively affected by service disruptions of other entities such as ports and other railroads which we will interact with and the Class I railroads we will need to interact with Amtrak and Union Pacific, neither of which we yet have an agreement with. A significant prolonged service disruption of one or more of these entities could have an adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.
Acts of terrorism or war, as well as the threat of war, may cause significant disruptions in our business operations.
Terrorist attacks and any government response to those types of attacks and war or risk of war may adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity. Our proposed use of the Class I railroad rail lines and facilities could be direct targets or indirect casualties of an act or acts of terror, which could cause significant business interruption and result in increased costs and liabilities and decreased revenues, which could have an adverse effect on operating results and financial condition. Such effects could be magnified if releases of hazardous materials are involved. Any act of terror, retaliatory strike, sustained military campaign or war or risk of war may have an adverse impact on our operating results and financial condition by causing unpredictable operating or financial conditions, including disruptions of our host railroads or connecting rail lines, loss of critical customers or partners, volatility or sustained increase of fuel prices, fuel shortages, general economic decline and instability or weakness of financial markets. In addition, insurance premiums charged for some or all of the coverage currently maintained by us could increase dramatically, the coverage available may not adequately compensate us for certain types of incidents and certain coverage may not be available to us in the future.
We expect to depend on the stability and availability of our information technology systems.
We expect to rely on information technology in all aspects of our business. A significant disruption or failure of our information technology systems could result in service interruptions, revenue collection disruptions, safety failures, security violations, regulatory compliance failures and the inability to protect corporate information assets against intruders or other operational difficulties. Although we anticipate taking steps to mitigate these risks, a significant disruption could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity. Additionally, if we are unable to acquire or implement new technology, we may suffer a competitive disadvantage, which could also have an adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.
We may in the future become subject to various claims and lawsuits, and increases in the amount or severity of these claims and lawsuits could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and liquidity.
As part of our proposed railroad operations, we may become exposed to various claims and litigation related to commercial disputes, personal injury, property damage, environmental liability and other matters. Personal injury claims by our employees and those of the host railroads are subject to the Federal Employees' Liability Act (FELA), rather than state workers' compensation laws. We believe that the FELA system, which includes unscheduled awards and a reliance on the jury system, can contribute to increased expenses. Other proceedings include claims by third parties for punitive as well as compensatory damages, and a few proceedings purport to be class actions. Developments in legislative and judicial standards, material changes to litigation trends, or a catastrophic rail accident or series of accidents involving any or all of property damage, personal injury, and environmental liability could have a material adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition and liquidity.
We expect that most of our future host railroad employees will be represented by unions, and failure to negotiate reasonable collective bargaining agreements may result in strikes, work stoppages or substantially higher ongoing labor costs.
We expect that a significant majority of the Class I railroads employees that we plan to employ will be union-represented. These union employees work under collective bargaining agreements with various labor organizations. Wages, health and welfare benefits, work rules and other issues have traditionally been addressed through industry-wide negotiations. If we or our Class I railroad partners are unable to negotiate acceptable new agreements, it could result in strikes by the affected workers, loss of business and increased operating costs as a result of higher wages or benefits paid to union members, any of which could have an adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition or liquidity.
The unavailability of qualified personnel in the future could adversely affect our operations.
Changes in demographics, training requirements and the unavailability of qualified personnel, particularly engineers and trainmen, could negatively impact our future ability to meet demand for rail service. Recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, particularly those with expertise in the railroad industry, will be vital to our future operations. Unpredictable increases in demand for rail services may exacerbate the risk of not having sufficient numbers of trained personnel, which could have a negative impact on operational efficiency and otherwise have a material adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition or liquidity.
We will need to increase the size of our organization, and may experience difficulties in managing growth.
We are a small company with a minimal number of employees. With the start of our planned principal activities, we expect to experience a period of significant expansion in headcount, facilities, infrastructure and overhead and anticipate that further expansion will be required to address potential growth and market opportunities. Future growth will impose significant added responsibilities on members of management, including the need to identify, recruit, maintain and integrate managers. Our future financial performance and our ability to compete effectively will depend, in part, on our ability to manage any future growth effectively.
The loss of any of our executive officers, directors or key personnel would likely have an adverse effect on our business.
Our future success will depend to a significant extent on the continued services of our senior management and other key personnel, particularly Michael A. Barron. The loss of the services of Mr. Barron or other key employees or directors would also likely have an adverse effect on our operations.
Risks Related to Our Industry
Changes in government policy could negatively impact demand for our future services, impair our ability to price our future services or increase our costs or liability exposure.
Changes in United States government policies could change the macroeconomic environment and affect demand for our future services. Developments and changes in laws and regulations as well as increased economic regulation of the rail industry through legislative action and revised rules and standards applied by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board in various areas, including rates, services and access to facilities could adversely impact our ability to determine prices for rail services and significantly affect the revenues, costs and profitability of tour business. Additionally, because of the significant costs to maintain our future rail network, an increase in expenditures related to the maintenance of the rails owned by the Class I railroads could hinder our ability to maintain, improve or expand the rail network, facilities and equipment in order to accept or handle any increased demand. Federal or state spending on infrastructure improvements or incentives that favor other modes of transportation could also adversely affect any future revenues.
Our success depends on our ability to continue to comply with the significant federal, state and local governmental regulations to which we are subject.
We are or will be subject to a significant amount of governmental laws and regulation with respect to our practices, taxes, railroad operations and a variety of health, safety, labor, environmental and other matters. Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on us. Governments may change the legislative and/or regulatory framework within which we operate without providing us with any recourse for any adverse effects that the change may have on its business. For example, federal legislation enacted in 2008 mandates the implementation of positive train control technology by December 31, 2015, on certain mainline track where intercity and commuter passenger railroads operate and where toxic-by-inhalation hazardous materials are transported. This type of technology is new and deploying it across our host railroads' infrastructure may pose significant operating and implementation risks and could require significant capital expenditures.
We are subject to stringent environmental laws and regulations, which may impose significant costs on its business operations.
Our operations are or will be subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations concerning, among other things, emissions to the air; discharges to waters; the generation, handling, storage, transportation and disposal of waste and hazardous materials; and the cleanup of hazardous material or petroleum releases. Changes to or limits on carbon dioxide emissions could result in significant capital expenditures to comply with these regulations with respect to any diesel locomotives, equipment, vehicles and other machinery that we may operate. Emission regulations could also adversely affect fuel efficiency and increase operating costs. Further, local concerns on emissions and other forms of pollution could inhibit our ability to build facilities in strategic locations to facilitate growth and efficient operations. In addition, many land holdings are and have been used for industrial or transportation-related purposes or leased to commercial or industrial companies whose activities may have resulted in discharges onto the property. We may in the future be subject to allegations or findings to the effect that we have violated, or are strictly liable under, these laws or regulations. Any future operating results, financial condition or liquidity could be adversely affected as a result of any of the foregoing, and we may be required to incur significant expenses to investigate and remediate environmental contamination.
Fuel supply availability and fuel prices may adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.
Fuel supply availability could be impacted as a result of limitations in refining capacity, disruptions to the supply chain, rising global demand and international political and economic factors. A significant reduction in fuel availability could increase fuel costs resulting in reduced margins. Each of these factors could have an adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition or liquidity. If the price of fuel increases substantially, we may be able to offset a significant portion of these higher fuel costs through a fuel surcharge program or increase in ticket prices, which may result in loss of customers.
Downturns in the economy could adversely affect demand for our future services.
Significant, extended negative changes in domestic and global economic conditions that impact future customers transported by us and may have an adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition or liquidity. Declines in economic growth and the United States travel industry all could result in reduced revenues.
Negative changes in general economic conditions could lead to disruptions in the credit markets, increase credit risks and could adversely affect our financial condition or liquidity.
Challenging economic conditions may not only affect future revenues due to reduced demand for many goods and services, but could result in payment delays and increased credit risk. Railroads are capital-intensive and we may need to finance a portion of the building and maintenance of infrastructure as well as locomotives and other rail equipment. Economic slowdowns and related credit market disruptions may adversely affect our cost structure, our timely access to capital to meet financing needs and costs of its financings.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
A large percentage of our stock is owned by relatively few people, including officers and directors.
As of December 31, 2017, our officers and directors beneficially owned approximately 42% of our outstanding common stock. If you purchase shares, you may be subject to certain risks due to the concentrated ownership of our common stock. For example, these stockholders could, if they were to act together, affect the outcome of stockholder votes, which could, among other things, affect elections of directors, delay or prevent a change in control or other transaction that might be beneficial to you as a stockholder.
We have not paid dividends on common stock in the past and do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future. Any return on investment may be limited to the value of our common stock.
We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock would depend on earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting it at such time as the Board of Directors may consider relevant. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if its stock price appreciates.
There is a limited market for our common stock which may make it more difficult to dispose of your stock.
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbol "XREE". There is a limited trading market for our common stock. As a result, investors may find it difficult to dispose of, or to obtain accurate quotations of the price of, our common stock, which may adversely affect the market price of our common stock. A limited market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares of capital stock and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or assets by using common stock as consideration. There can be no assurance as to the liquidity of any markets that may develop for our common stock, the ability of holders of our common stock to sell our common stock, or the prices at which holders may be able to sell our common stock.
The price of our common stock is volatile, which may cause investment losses for our stockholders.
The market for our common stock is highly volatile. The trading price of our common stock on the OTC Pink is subject to wide fluctuations in response to, among other things, quarterly variations in operating and financial results, and general economic and market conditions. In addition, statements or changes in opinions, ratings, or earnings estimates made by brokerage firms or industry analysts relating to our market or relating to us could result in an immediate and adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. The highly volatile nature of our stock price may cause investment losses for our shareholders. In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against companies following periods of volatility in the market price of their securities. If securities class action litigation is brought against us, such litigation could result in substantial costs while diverting management's attention and resources.
Additional stock offerings may dilute current stockholders.
Given our plans and our expectation that we may need additional capital and personnel, we may need to issue additional shares of capital stock or securities convertible or exercisable for shares of capital stock, including preferred stock, options or warrants. The issuance of additional capital stock may dilute the ownership of our current stockholders.
Shares eligible for future sale may adversely affect the market.
From time to time, certain of our stockholders may be eligible to sell all or some of their shares of common stock by means of ordinary brokerage transactions in the open market pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, subject to certain limitations. In general, pursuant to Rule 144, non-affiliate stockholders may sell freely after six months subject only to the current public information requirement. Affiliates may sell after six months subject to the Rule 144 volume, manner of sale (for equity securities), current public information and notice requirements. Any substantial sales of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 may have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. Such shares may include shares issuable pursuant to convertible debt or exercise of warrants. As of December 31, 2017, there are 39,167,080 shares of our common stock issuable upon conversion of outstanding convertible debt and 14,978,000 shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding warrants.
Our common stock may be considered a "penny stock" and is subject to additional sale and trading regulations that may make it more difficult to buy or sell.
We anticipate that our common stock may be considered to be a "penny stock" and securities broker-dealers participating in sales of common stock will be subject to the "penny stock" regulations set forth in Rules 15g-2 through 15g-9 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the "penny stock" rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of our common stock and cause a decline in the market value of our stock.
As an issuer of "penny stock", the protection provided by the federal securities laws relating to forward looking statements does not apply to us.
Although federal securities laws provide a safe harbor for forward-looking statements made by a public company that files reports under the federal securities laws, this safe harbor is not available to issuers of penny stocks. As a result, if our common stock is considered a penny stock, we will not have the benefit of this safe harbor protection in the event of any legal action based upon a claim that the material provided by us contained a material misstatement of fact or was misleading in any material respect because of our failure to include any statements necessary to make the statements not misleading. Such an action could hurt our financial condition.
Conversions of convertible promissory notes may also cause dilution to existing shareholders.
As a consequence of the discounted conversion price, any conversion of promissory notes will result in immediate dilution of the existing shareholders
We are an "emerging growth company" and will be able to avail ourselves of reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies, which could make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not "emerging growth companies" including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) 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 shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, for complying with new or revised accounting standards, and we have elected to take advantage of this extended transition period. In other words, as an emerging growth company, we have elected to take advantage of the provision of the JOBS Act allowing us to delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile. We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. We are also currently able to take advantage of certain of these exemptions as a smaller reporting company. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of $1.0 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; and (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC
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