Other Related Party Transactions
As of January 31, 2018 and 2017, the Trust paid Berg Investment Advisors $46,000 and $0, respectively, for additional consultative services including successfully negotiating refinances of our properties or sale of hotel properties which were rendered by Mr. Marc Berg, the Trusts Executive Vice President.
As of January 31, 2018 and 2017, Mr. Wirth and his affiliates held 3,064,038 and 3,407,938 Class B Partnership units, which represented 23.86% and 25.8% of the total outstanding Partnership units, respectively. As of January 31, 2018 and 2017, Mr. Wirth and his affiliates held 6,939,429 and 6,939,429, respectively, Shares of Beneficial Interest in the Trust, which represented 70.99% and 71.93%, respectively, of the total issued and outstanding Shares of Beneficial Interest.
As of January 31, 2018 and 2017, the Trust owned 74.80% and 72.11% of the Partnership, respectively. As of January 31, 2018, the Partnership owned a 51.01% interest in the InnSuites® hotel located in Tucson. The Trust also owned a direct 12.79% interest in one InnSuites® hotel located in Yuma, Arizona and owned a direct 22.83% interest in one InnSuites® hotel located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Trust directly manages the Hotels through the Trusts wholly-owned subsidiary, InnSuites Hotels Inc. Under the management agreements, InnSuites Hotels Inc. manages the daily operations of the Hotels and the two hotels owned by affiliates of Mr. Wirth. Revenues and reimbursements among the Trust, InnSuites Hotels Inc. and the Partnership have been eliminated in consolidation. The management fees for the Hotels and the two hotels owned by affiliates of Mr. Wirth are set at 3.0% of room revenue and a monthly accounting fee of $2,000 per hotel. As of May 1, 2017, management fees increased to 5.0% of room revenues. These agreements have no expiration date and may be cancelled by either party with 90-days written notice or 30-days written notice in the event the property changes ownership. During the years ended January 31, 2018 and 2017, the Trust recognized approximately $200,000 and approximately $296,000, respectively of revenue.
On July 23, 2013, the Trust entered into a Corporate Card Agreement (Corporate Purchase Cards) with American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. The Corporate Card Agreement distributed a total of nine purchase cards - one to each of the four respective Hotels, one to the Trust, and one to each of the two respective hotels owned by affiliates of James F. Wirth. The Corporate Purchase Cards, with a total limit of $50,000, includes insignificant annual fees and $0 of interest per annum. Payments are due monthly. The Corporate Card Agreement may be cancelled by either party with 30-days written notice. Pamela J. Barnhill, the Trusts President and Vice Chairperson and daughter of Mr. Wirth, initiated the nine purchase cards. As of January 31, 2018 and 2017, the Trusts portion of the Corporate Purchase Cards balance was approximately $0 and $115,000, respectively.
During the fiscal years ended January 31, 2018 and 2017, the Trust paid Berg Investment Advisors $42,500 and $3,500, respectively, for additional consultative services rendered by Mr. Marc Berg, the Trusts Executive Vice President.
Besides Pamela Barnhill, former Vice Chairperson and President of the Trust and daughter of Mr. Wirth, the Trusts Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, the Trust also employs two other immediate family members of Mr. Wirth who provide technology and administrative support services to the Trust with each receiving a $47,500 yearly salary.
During the fiscal years ended January 31, 2018 and 2017, Rare Earth received restructuring fees of $440,000 and $0, respectively, relating to the syndications of our Yuma, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico hotel properties.
On December 22, 2015, the Trust provided Advances to Affiliate – Related Party each in the amount of $500,000 to Phoenix Northern Resort, LLC and Tempe/Phoenix Airport Resort LLC. Mr. Wirth, individually and thru one of his affiliates owns approximately 100% and 42%, respectively, of Phoenix Northern Resort, LLC and Tempe/Phoenix Airport Resort LLC. Both notes have a due date of June 30, 2018 and accrue interest of 7.0%. During the fiscal year ended January 31, 2018, the Trust received $0 and $17,061 interest income from Phoenix Northern Resort, LLC and Tempe/Phoenix Airport Resort LLC, respectively. As of January 31, 2018, the Advances from Affiliate – Related Party balance was $0 and $970,353 from Phoenix Northern Resort, LLC and Tempe/Phoenix Airport Resort LLC, respectively. As of January 31, 2017, the Lending from Affiliate – Related Party balance was $19,483 and $359,684 from Phoenix Northern Resort, LLC and Tempe/Phoenix Airport Resort LLC, respectively.