Summary Risk Factors
An investment in our Common
Stock involves material risks. You should consider carefully the risks described below and under “Risk Factors” before purchasing
shares of our Common Stock in this offering:
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adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a significant reduction in business and personal travel
and travel restrictions in regions where our hotels are located, and one or more possible recurrences of COVID-19 cases causing a further
reduction in business and personal travel and potential reinstatement of travel restrictions by state or local governments;
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ongoing negotiations with our lenders regarding potential forbearance or the exercise by our lenders of
their remedies for default under our loan agreements;
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actions by our lenders to accelerate loan balances and foreclose on the hotel properties that are security
for our loans that are in default;
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actions by the lenders of our senior secured credit facility to foreclose on our assets which are pledged
as collateral;
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general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our Common Stock and Preferred Stock;
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availability, terms, and deployment of capital;
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unanticipated increases in financing and other costs, including a rise in interest rates;
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actual and potential conflicts of interest with Ashford Inc. and its subsidiaries (including Ashford LLC,
Remington Hotels and Premier), Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. (“Braemar”), our executive officers and our non-independent
directors;
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the expenditures, disruptions and uncertainties associated with a potential proxy contest;
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changes in personnel of Ashford LLC or the lack of availability of qualified personnel;
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changes in governmental regulations, accounting rules, tax rates and similar matters;
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our ability to implement effective internal controls to address the material weakness identified in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the annual period ended December 31, 2020;
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the timing or outcome of the SEC investigation;
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legislative and regulatory changes, including changes to the Code, and related rules, regulations and
interpretations governing the taxation of REITs;
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limitations imposed on our business and our ability to satisfy complex rules in order for us to qualify
as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and
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future sales and issuances of our Common Stock or other securities, including the sale or issuance of
our Common Stock to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement and in any privately negotiated exchange transactions completed in reliance
on Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, might result in dilution and could cause the price of our Common Stock to decline.
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Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
In order for us to qualify
as a REIT under the Code, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of our stock may be owned, actually or constructively,
by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the
first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made by us). In addition, if we, or one or more owners (actually or constructively)
of 10% or more of us, actually or constructively owns 10% or more of a tenant of ours (or a tenant of any partnership in which we are
a partner), the rent received by us (either directly or through any such partnership) from such tenant will not be qualifying income for
purposes of the REIT gross income tests of the Code. Our stock must also be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least
335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year (other than the first year for which
an election to be a REIT has been made by us).
Our Charter contains restrictions
on the ownership and transfer of our capital stock that are intended to assist us in complying with these requirements and continuing
to qualify as a REIT. The relevant sections of our Charter provide that, subject to the exceptions described below, no person or persons
acting as a group may own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more than (i) 9.8% of the lesser
of the number or value of shares of our Common Stock outstanding or (ii) 9.8% of the lesser of the number or value of the issued
and outstanding preferred or other shares of any class or series of our stock. We refer to this restriction as the “ownership limit.”
The ownership attribution
rules under the Code are complex and may cause stock owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities
to be owned constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8% of our Common Stock (or the acquisition
of an interest in an entity that owns, actually or constructively, our Common Stock) by an individual or entity, could, nevertheless cause
that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own constructively in excess of 9.8% of the outstanding Common Stock and
thereby subject the Common Stock to the ownership limit.
The Board may, in its sole
discretion, waive the ownership limit with respect to one or more stockholders who would not be treated as “individuals” for
purposes of the Code if it determines that such ownership will not cause any “individual’s” beneficial ownership of
shares of our capital stock to jeopardize our status as a REIT (for example, by causing any tenant of ours to be considered a “related
party tenant” for purposes of the REIT qualification rules).
Our Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices
are located at 14185 Dallas Parkway, Suite 1200, Dallas, Texas 75254. Our telephone number is (972) 490-9600. Our website is www.ahtreit.com.
The information on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus
or any other report or document we file with or furnish with the SEC.
The
Offering
On June 18, 2021, we
entered into a purchase agreement with Seven Knots, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which
Seven Knots has agreed to purchase from us up to an aggregate of 40,093,080 shares of our Common Stock (subject to certain limitations)
from time to time over the term of the Purchase Agreement. Also on June 18, 2021, we entered into a registration rights agreement
with Seven Knots, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Registration Rights Agreement, pursuant to which we have filed with the
SEC the registration statement that includes this prospectus to register for resale under the Securities Act the shares of Common Stock
that have been and may be issued to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement.
We do not have the right
to commence any sales of our Common Stock to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement until all of the conditions to our right to commence
such sales set forth in the Purchase Agreement have been satisfied (which we refer to in this prospectus as the “Commencement”),
including that the SEC has declared effective the registration statement that includes this prospectus. Subject to the terms and conditions
of the Purchase Agreement, from time to time after the Commencement, in our sole discretion, we may direct Seven Knots to purchase shares
of our Common Stock in amounts up to 350,000 shares, subject to a maximum commitment by Seven Knots of $2,000,000 per single purchase,
on any business day on which the closing sale price of our Common Stock equals or exceeds $1.00 (subject to adjustment as set forth in
the Purchase Agreement), which we refer to in this prospectus as “Fixed Purchases.” From time to time after Commencement,
provided we have directed Seven Knots to purchase the maximum allowable amount of shares of Common Stock in a Fixed Purchase and the other
conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement have been satisfied, we may, in our sole discretion, also direct Seven Knots to purchase
additional amounts of shares of our Common Stock in “VWAP Purchases” and “Additional VWAP Purchases” under the
Purchase Agreement as more specifically described in the section of this prospectus entitled “The Seven Knots Transaction.”
The purchase price of the
shares that may be sold to Seven Knots in Fixed Purchases under the Purchase Agreement will be based on the market prices of our Common
Stock at or prior to the time of sale, and the purchase price of the shares that may be sold to Seven Knots in VWAP Purchases and Additional
VWAP Purchases under the Purchase Agreement will be based on the volume weighted average price or closing price of our Common Stock at
the time of sale, in each case as computed under the Purchase Agreement and as more specifically described in the section of this prospectus
entitled “The Seven Knots Transaction.” There is no upper limit on the price per share that Seven Knots could be obligated
to pay for the Common Stock in any of the purchases we elect to make under the Purchase Agreement. The purchase price per share that Seven
Knots is obligated to pay for Common Stock under the Purchase Agreement will be subject to adjustment as set forth in the Purchase Agreement
for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, or other similar transaction occurring during the business days
used to compute such price.
From and after Commencement,
we will control the timing and amount of any sales of our Common Stock to Seven Knots after Commencement. Actual sales of shares of our
Common Stock to Seven Knots after Commencement under the Purchase Agreement will depend on a variety of factors to be determined by us
from time to time, including, among others, market conditions, the trading price of the Common Stock and determinations by us as to the
appropriate sources of funding for our company and our operations.
Under the applicable rules of
the NYSE, in no event may we issue to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement more than 40,093,080 shares of our Common Stock, which
represents 19.99% of the shares of our Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement on June 18,
2021 (the “Aggregate Limit”).
In all instances, the Purchase
Agreement prohibits us from directing Seven Knots to purchase any shares of Common Stock if those shares, when aggregated with all other
shares of our Common Stock then beneficially owned by Seven Knots and its affiliates, would result in Seven Knots having beneficial ownership,
at any single point in time, of more than 4.99% of the then total outstanding shares of our Common Stock, as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of
the Exchange Act, and Rule 13d-3 thereunder, which limitation we refer to as the Beneficial Ownership Cap.
There are no restrictions
on future financings, rights of first refusal, participation rights, penalties or liquidated damages in the Purchase Agreement or Registration
Rights Agreement other than a prohibition on entering into a “Variable Rate Transaction,” as defined in the Purchase Agreement,
and as more specifically described in the section of this prospectus entitled “The Seven Knots Transaction.” Seven Knots has
agreed not to cause, or engage in any manner whatsoever, any direct or indirect short selling or hedging of the Common Stock.
We paid Seven Knots $35,000
in cash as reimbursement to Seven Knots for the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Seven Knots, including the legal fees and
disbursements of Seven Knots’s legal counsel, in connection with its due diligence investigation of the Company and in connection
with the preparation, negotiation and execution of the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
The Purchase Agreement and
the Registration Rights Agreement contain customary representations, warranties, conditions and indemnification obligations of the parties.
The representations, warranties and covenants contained in such agreements were made only for purposes of such agreements and as of specific
dates, were solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreements and may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting
parties.
The Company has the right
to terminate the Purchase Agreement at any time after Commencement, at no cost or penalty, upon 10 trading days’ prior written notice
to Seven Knots. Neither the Company nor Seven Knots may assign or transfer its rights and obligations under the Purchase Agreement, and
no provision of the Purchase Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement may be modified or waived by the parties.
As of June 18,
2021, there were 200,565,683 shares of our Common Stock outstanding, of which 197,806,546 shares were held by non-affiliates, which
excludes the 40,093,080 shares of Common Stock that we may sell to Seven Knots after Commencement pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement. If all of the 40,093,080 shares offered for resale by Seven Knots under this prospectus were issued and outstanding as of
June 18, 2021, such shares would represent approximately 16.66% of the total number of shares of our Common Stock outstanding and
approximately 16.85% of the total number of outstanding shares held by non-affiliates. The number of shares ultimately offered for
resale by Seven Knots is dependent upon the number of shares we sell to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement.
Issuances of our Common Stock
to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement will not affect the rights or privileges of our existing stockholders, except that the economic
and voting interests of each of our existing stockholders will be diluted as a result of any such issuance. Although the number of shares
of Common Stock that our existing stockholders own will not decrease, the shares owned by our existing stockholders will represent a smaller percentage
of our total outstanding shares after any such issuance to Seven Knots.
Securities
Offered
Common
Stock to be offered by the selling stockholder:
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40,093,080
shares of Common Stock, consisting of 40,093,080 shares of Common Stock that we may sell to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement
from time to time after the Commencement, in our sole discretion.
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Common
Stock outstanding prior to this offering
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200,565,683
shares
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Common
Stock to be outstanding after giving effect to the issuance of 40,093,080 shares under the Purchase Agreement registered hereunder
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240,658,763
shares
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Use
of proceeds
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We will
receive no proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock by Seven Knots in this offering. However, we will receive proceeds from
the sales of Common Stock to Seven Knots that we elect to make after Commencement, if any, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. The
amount of gross proceeds we receive from such sales, if any, will depend upon the number of shares we sell to Seven Knots pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement and the market price of our Common Stock at or prior to the time of such sales, depending on the type of
purchases we elect to make. We expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the shares of our Common Stock to Seven Knots, if
any, for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisitions of additional properties or hospitality-related securities, as
suitable opportunities arise, the origination or acquisition of hotel debt, the joint venture of hotel investments, the repayment
of outstanding indebtedness, the repurchase of our outstanding equity securities, capital expenditures, the expansion, redevelopment
or improvement of properties in our portfolio, working capital and other general purposes.
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Risk
factors
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This investment
involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” for a discussion of factors you should consider carefully before making
an investment decision.
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Symbol
on the NYSE
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“AHT”
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RISK
FACTORS
An investment in our Common
Stock involves risks. In addition to other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, you should carefully
consider the following risks before investing in our Common Stock. The occurrence of any of the following risks could materially and adversely
affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and our ability to make cash distributions to our stockholders,
which could cause you to lose all or a significant portion of your investment in our Common Stock. Some statements included or incorporated
by reference in this prospectus, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Risks Related to the Offering
Investors who purchase shares from the selling
stockholder in this offering may experience different levels of dilution and may experience a decline in the value of their shares as
a result of future sales by us under the Purchase Agreement at prices lower than the prices investors paid for their shares in this offering.
On June 18, 2021, we
entered into the Purchase Agreement with Seven Knots, pursuant to which Seven Knots has committed to purchase up to 40,093,080 shares
of our Common Stock. The shares of our Common Stock that may be issued under the Purchase Agreement may be sold by us to Seven Knots at
our discretion from time to time over a 24-month period commencing on the date of Commencement, which we refer to in this prospectus as
the Commencement Date.
We generally have the right
to control the timing and amount of any sales of our shares to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement. Sales of our Common Stock, if
any, to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement will depend upon market conditions and other factors to be determined by us. We may ultimately
decide to sell to Seven Knots all, some or none of the shares of our Common Stock that may be available for us to sell pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement. Because the purchase price per share to be paid by Seven Knots for the shares of Common Stock that we may elect to
sell to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement, if any, will fluctuate based on the market prices of our Common Stock at the times such
sales are made and depending on whether such sales are Fixed Purchases, VWAP Purchases or Additional VWAP Purchases, it is not currently
possible to predict the number of shares that will be sold to Seven Knots, if any, the actual purchase price per share to be paid by Seven
Knots for those shares, or the actual gross proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.
Moreover, if and when we
do sell shares of our Common Stock to Seven Knots, after Seven Knots has acquired such shares, Seven Knots may resell all, some or none
of such shares at any time or from time to time in its discretion and at different prices. As a result, investors who purchase shares
from Seven Knots in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices for those shares, and so may experience different
levels of dilution and in some cases substantial dilution and different outcomes in their investment results. Investors may experience
a decline in the value of the shares they purchase from Seven Knots in this offering as a result of future sales made by us to Seven Knots
at prices lower than the prices such investors paid for their shares in this offering.
We may require additional financing to sustain
our operations and without it we will not be able to continue operations.
Subject to the terms and
conditions of the Purchase Agreement, we may, at our discretion, direct Seven Knots to purchase up to 40,093,080 shares of our Common
Stock under the Purchase Agreement from time-to-time over a 24-month period beginning on the Commencement Date. The purchase price per
share for the shares of Common Stock that we may elect to sell to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement, if any, will fluctuate based
on the market prices of our Common Stock at the times such sales are made and depending on whether such sales are Fixed Purchases, VWAP
Purchases or Additional VWAP Purchases. Accordingly, it is not currently possible to predict the number of shares that will be sold to
Seven Knots, if any, the actual purchase price per share to be paid by Seven Knots for those shares, or the actual gross proceeds to be
raised in connection with those sales.
Assuming a purchase price
of $5.84 per share (which represents the average closing price of our Common Stock for the five trading days ending on June 17, 2021,
the trading day immediately preceding the date the Purchase Agreement was executed), the purchase by Seven Knots of all of the 40,093,080
shares of our Common Stock registered for resale hereunder would result in gross proceeds to us of approximately $234,143,587.
The extent to which we rely
on Seven Knots as a source of funding will depend on a number of factors including, the prevailing market price of our Common Stock and
the extent to which we are able to secure working capital from other sources. If obtaining sufficient funding from Seven Knots were to
prove unavailable or prohibitively dilutive, we may need to secure another source of funding in order to satisfy our working capital needs.
Even if we were to sell to Seven Knots all of the shares of Common Stock available for sale to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement,
we may still need additional capital to fully implement our business, operating and development plans. We may also raise additional capital
through asset sales of our existing hotels or we may give back hotels to lenders pursuant to our property-level financing agreements.
Should the financing we require to sustain our working capital needs be unavailable or prohibitively expensive when we require it, the
consequences would be a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects.
Future sales and issuances of our Common
Stock or other securities might result in significant dilution and could cause the price of our Common Stock to decline.
To raise capital, we may
sell Common Stock, convertible securities or other equity securities in one or more transactions other than those contemplated by the
Purchase Agreement, at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. We may sell shares or other securities in any other offering
at a price per share that is less than the price per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other
securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of
our common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock, in future transactions may be higher or lower than the
price per share paid by investors in this offering.
We cannot predict what effect,
if any, sales of shares of our Common Stock in the public market or the availability of shares for sale will have on the market price
of our Common Stock. However, future sales of substantial amounts of our Common Stock in the public market, including shares issued upon
exercise of outstanding options, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock.
Our management team will have broad discretion
over the use of the net proceeds from our sale of shares of Common Stock to Seven Knots, if any, and you may not agree with how we use
the proceeds and the proceeds may not be invested successfully.
Our management team will
have broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from our sale of shares of Common Stock to Seven Knots, if any, and we could use
such proceeds 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 team with regard to the use of those net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of
your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. It is possible that, pending their use, we may
invest those net proceeds in a way that does not yield a favorable, or any, return for us. The failure of our management team to use such
funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows.
Risks Related to Our Business
A financial crisis, economic slowdown, pandemic,
or epidemic or other economically disruptive event may harm the operating performance of the hotel industry generally. If such events
occur, we may be harmed by declines in occupancy, average daily room rates and/or other operating revenues.
The performance of the lodging
industry has been closely linked with the performance of the general economy and, specifically, growth in the U.S. gross domestic product.
A majority of our hotels are classified as upscale and upper upscale. In an economic downturn, these types of hotels may be more susceptible
to a decrease in revenue, as compared to hotels in other categories that have lower room rates. This characteristic may result from the
fact that upscale and upper upscale hotels generally target business and high-end leisure travelers. In periods of economic difficulties
or concerns with respect to communicable disease, business and leisure travelers may seek to reduce travel costs and/or health risks by
limiting travel or seeking to reduce costs on their trips. Any economic recession will likely have an adverse effect on us. Our business
has been and will continue to be materially adversely affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, see “The outbreak of
COVID-19 has and will continue to significantly reduce our occupancy rates and RevPAR.”
The hotel industry is highly competitive
and the hotels in which we invest are subject to competition from other hotels for guests.
The hotel business is highly
competitive. Our hotel properties will compete on the basis of location, brand, room rates, quality, amenities, reputation and reservations
systems, among many factors. There are many competitors in the hotel industry, and many of these competitors may have substantially greater
marketing and financial resources than we have. This competition could reduce occupancy levels and rooms revenue at our hotels. Over-building
in the lodging industry may increase the number of rooms available and may decrease occupancy and room rates. In addition, in periods
of weak demand, as may occur during a general economic recession, profitability is negatively affected by the fixed costs of operating
hotels. We also face competition from services such as home sharing companies and apartment operators offering short-term rentals.
We have not paid dividends on our Common
Stock or Preferred Stock in fiscal year 2020 or the first quarter of 2021. We do not expect to pay dividends on our Common Stock or Preferred
Stock for the foreseeable future.
We have not paid dividends
on our Common Stock or Preferred Stock in fiscal year 2020 or in the first quarter of 2021. We do not expect to pay dividends on our Common
Stock or Preferred Stock for the foreseeable future, particularly in light of the downturn in our business occasioned by the COVID-19
pandemic and the demands of our property-level lenders, some of with whom we are currently negotiating forbearance agreements in light
of our failure to make interest and principal payments starting in April 2020. The Board decides each quarter whether to pay dividends
on our Preferred Stock, based on a variety of factors. On December 8, 2020, the Board reviewed and approved our 2021 dividend policy
and on December 11, 2020 announced that the Company does not anticipate paying any dividends on its outstanding Common Stock and
Preferred Stock for any quarter ending during 2021. The Board will continue to review our dividend policy and make future announcements
with respect thereto.
No dividends can be paid
on the Common Stock unless and until all accumulated and unpaid dividends on our outstanding Preferred Stock have been declared and paid.
As of June 14, 2021 and after giving effect to the exchange of approximately 14.7 million shares of Preferred Stock for Common Stock,
the total accumulated unpaid dividend on the outstanding Preferred Stock was approximately $15.1 million. Additionally, under Maryland
law and except for an ability to pay a dividend out of current earnings in certain limited circumstances, no dividend may be declared
or paid by a Maryland corporation unless, after giving effect to the dividend, assets will continue to exceed liabilities and the corporation
will be able to continue to pay its debts as they become due in the usual course. As of March 31, 2021, the Company had a deficit
in stockholders’ equity of approximately $342.0 million and had not generated current earnings from which a dividend is potentially
payable since the year ended December 31, 2015. For these and other reasons, there is no expectation that a dividend on Common Stock
can or would be considered or declared at any time in the foreseeable future.
We currently do not have an effective Form S-3,
which may impair our capital raising activities.
As a result of our recent
payment defaults under our mortgage loans with our property level lenders, which occurred beginning on April 1, 2020, and our failure
to pay dividends to the holders of our Preferred Stock during the second, third and fourth quarters of 2020, we are not eligible to file
a new Form S-3. Our previous Form S-3 expired in September 2020 and thus we do not have an effective Form S-3, which
may impair our capital raising activities. Since we did not pay dividends that were in arrears for the first quarter of 2021 to our holders
of Preferred Stock by March 31, 2021, we will remain ineligible to file a new Form S-3 which may impair our capital raising
ability. We have relied on shelf registration statements on Form S-3 for our financings in recent years, and accordingly any such
limitations may harm our ability to raise the capital we need. Under these circumstances, if we remain ineligible to use Form S-3,
we will be required to use a registration statement on Form S-11 to register securities with the SEC, which would hinder our ability
to act as quickly in raising capital to take advantage of market conditions in our capital raising activities and would increase our cost
of raising capital.
Because we depend upon our advisor and its
affiliates to conduct our operations, any adverse changes in the financial condition of our advisor or its affiliates or our relationship
with them could hinder our operating performance.
We depend on our advisor
or its affiliates to manage our assets and operations. Any adverse changes in the financial condition of our advisor or its affiliates
or our relationship with them could hinder their ability to manage us and our operations successfully.
We depend on our advisor’s key personnel
with longstanding business relationships. The loss of our advisor’s key personnel could threaten our ability to operate our business
successfully.
Our future success depends,
to a significant extent, upon the continued services of our advisor’s management team and the extent and nature of the relationships
they have developed with hotel franchisors, operators, and owners and hotel lending and other financial institutions. The loss of services
of one or more members of our advisor’s management team could harm our business and our prospects.
We do not have any employees, and rely on
our hotel managers to employ the personnel required to operate the hotels we own. As a result, we have less ability in the COVID-19 environment
to reduce staffing at our hotels than we would if we employed such personnel directly.
We
do not have any employees. We contractually engage hotel managers, such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and our affiliate, Remington
Hotels, which is owned by Ashford Inc., to operate, and to employ the personnel required to operate, our hotels. The hotel manager is
required under the applicable hotel management agreement to determine appropriate staffing levels; we are required to reimburse the applicable
hotel manager for the cost of these employees. As a result, we are dependent and our hotel managers to make appropriate staffing decisions
and to appropriately reduce staffing when market conditions are poor, and have less ability in the COVID-19 environment to reduce staffing
at our hotels than we would if we employed such personnel directly. As a result, our hotels may be staffed at a level higher than we would
choose if we employed the personnel required to operate the hotels. In addition, we may be less likely to take aggressive actions (such
as delaying payments owed to our hotel managers) in order to influence the staffing decisions made by Remington Hotels, which is our affiliate.
We are required to make minimum base management
fee payments to our advisor, Ashford Inc., under our Advisory Agreement, which must be paid even if our total market capitalization and
performance decline. Similarly, we are required to make minimum base hotel management fee payments under our hotel management agreements
with Remington Hotels, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., which must be paid even if revenues at our hotels decline significantly.
Pursuant to the Advisory
Agreement between us and our advisor, we must pay our advisor on a monthly basis a base management fee (based on our total market capitalization,
performance and the amount of sold assets), subject to a minimum base management fee. The minimum base management fee is equal to the
greater of: (i) 90% of the base fee paid for the same month in the prior fiscal year; and (ii) 1/12th of the “G&A
Ratio” for the most recently completed fiscal quarter multiplied by our total market capitalization on the last balance sheet date
included in the most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q or annual report on Form 10-K that we file with the SEC. Thus, even
if our total market capitalization and performance decline, including as a result of the impact of COVID-19, we will still be required
to make monthly payments to our advisor equal to the minimum base management fee (which we expect will equal 90% of the base fee paid
for the same month in the prior fiscal year), which could adversely impact our liquidity and financial condition. As described further
in our filings with the SEC, the independent members of the board of directors of Ashford Inc. provided the Company a deferral on the
payment of certain fees and expenses with respect to the months of October 2020, November 2020, December 2020 and January 2021
payable under the Advisory Agreement such that all such fees would be due and payable on the earlier of (x) January 18, 2021
and (y) immediately prior to the closing of the Credit Agreement. Additionally, the independent members of the board of directors
of Ashford Inc. waived any claim against the Company and the Company’s affiliates and each of their officers and directors for breach
of the Advisory Agreement or any damages that may have arisen in absence of such fee deferral. In accordance with the terms of the previously
disclosed deferrals, Ashford Trust paid Ashford Inc. $14,411,432 immediately prior to the closing of the Credit Agreement. There can be
no assurances that Ashford Inc. will grant similar deferrals in the future.
Similarly, pursuant to our
hotel management agreement with Remington Hotels, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., we pay Remington Hotels monthly base hotel management
fees on a per hotel basis equal to the greater of approximately $14,000 (increased annually based on consumer price index adjustments)
or 3% of gross revenues. As a result, even if revenues at our hotels decline significantly, we will still be required to make minimum
monthly payments to Remington Hotels equal to approximately $14,000 per hotel (increased annually based on consumer price index adjustments),
which could adversely impact our liquidity and financial condition.
Our joint venture investments could be adversely
affected by our lack of sole decision-making authority, our reliance on a co-venturer’s financial condition and disputes between
us and our co-venturers.
We have in the past and may
continue to co-invest with third parties through partnerships, joint ventures or other entities, acquiring controlling or non-controlling
interests in, or sharing responsibility for, managing the affairs of a property, partnership, joint venture or other entity. In such event,
we may not be in a position to exercise sole decision-making authority regarding the property, partnership, joint venture or other entity.
Investments in partnerships, joint ventures or other entities may, under certain circumstances, involve risks not present were a third
party not involved, including the possibility that partners or co-venturers might become bankrupt, suffer a deterioration in their financial
condition or fail to fund their share of required capital contributions. Partners or co-venturers may have economic or other business
interests or goals which are inconsistent with our business interests or goals, and may be in a position to take actions contrary to our
policies or objectives. Such investments may also have the potential risk of impasses on decisions, such as a sale, budgets, or financing,
if neither we nor the partner or co-venturer has full control over the partnership or joint venture. Disputes between us and partners
or co-venturers may result in litigation or arbitration that would increase our expenses and prevent our officers or directors from focusing
their time and effort on our business. Consequently, actions by, or disputes with, partners or co-venturers might result in subjecting
properties owned by the partnership or joint venture to additional risk. In addition, we may in certain circumstances be liable for the
actions of our third-party partners or co-venturers.
Our business strategy depends on our continued
growth. We may fail to integrate recent and additional investments into our operations or otherwise manage our future growth, which may
adversely affect our operating results.
We cannot assure you that
we will be able to adapt our management, administrative, accounting, and operational systems, or our advisor will be able to hire and
retain sufficient operational staff to successfully integrate and manage any future acquisitions of additional assets without operating
disruptions or unanticipated costs. Acquisitions of any property or additional portfolios of properties could generate additional operating
expenses for us. Any future acquisitions may also require us to enter into property improvement plans that will increase our use of cash
and could disrupt performance. As we acquire additional assets, we will be subject to the operational risks associated with owning those
assets. Our failure to successfully integrate any future acquisitions into our portfolio could have a material adverse effect on our results
of operations and financial condition and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.
Because the Board and our
advisor have broad discretion to make future investments, we may make investments that result in returns that are substantially below
expectations or that result in net operating losses.
The Board and our advisor
have broad discretion, within the investment criteria established by the Board, to make additional investments and to determine the timing
of such investments. In addition, our investment policies may be revised from time to time at the discretion of the Board, without a vote
of our stockholders, including with respect to our dividend policies on our Common Stock and Preferred Stock. Such discretion could result
in investments with returns inconsistent with expectations.
Hotel franchise or license requirements
or the loss of a franchise could adversely affect us.
We must comply with operating
standards, terms, and conditions imposed by the franchisors of the hotel brands under which our hotels operate. Franchisors periodically
inspect their licensed hotels to confirm adherence to their operating standards. The failure of a hotel to maintain standards could result
in the loss or cancellation of a franchise license. With respect to operational standards, we rely on our hotel managers to conform to
such standards. At times we may not be in compliance with such standards. Franchisors may also require us to make certain capital improvements
to maintain the hotel in accordance with system standards, the cost of which can be substantial. It is possible that a franchisor could
condition the continuation of a franchise based on the completion of capital improvements that our advisor or board of directors determines
is not economically feasible in light of general economic conditions, the operating results or prospects of the affected hotel or other
circumstances. In that event, our advisor or board of directors may elect to allow the franchise to lapse or be terminated, which could
result in a termination charge as well as a change in brand franchising or operation of the hotel as an independent hotel. In addition,
when the term of a franchise expires, the franchisor has no obligation to issue a new franchise.
The loss of a franchise could
have a material adverse effect on the operations and/or the underlying value of the affected hotel because of the loss of associated name
recognition, marketing support and centralized reservation systems provided by the franchisor.
We may be unable to identify additional
investments that meet our investment criteria or to acquire the properties we have under contract.
We cannot assure you that
we will be able to identify real estate investments that meet our investment criteria, that we will be successful in completing any investment
we identify, or that any investment we complete will produce a return on our investment. Moreover, we have broad authority to invest in
any real estate investments that we may identify in the future. We also cannot assure you that we will acquire properties we currently
have under firm purchase contracts, if any, or that the acquisition terms we have negotiated will not change.
Our investments are concentrated in particular
segments of a single industry.
Nearly all of our business
is hotel related. Our current strategy is predominantly to acquire upper upscale hotels, as well as when conditions are favorable to acquire
first mortgages on hotel properties, invest in other mortgage-related instruments such as mezzanine loans to hotel owners and operators,
and participate in hotel sale-leaseback transactions. Adverse conditions in the hotel industry, including as a result of COVID-19, will
have a material adverse effect on our operating and investment revenues and cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
Our reliance on Remington Hotels, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc.,
and on third party hotel managers to operate our hotels and for a substantial majority of our cash flow may adversely affect us.
Because U.S. federal income
tax laws restrict REITs and their subsidiaries from operating or managing hotels, third parties must operate our hotels. A REIT may lease
its hotels to taxable REIT subsidiaries in which the REIT can own up to a 100% interest. A taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”)
pays corporate-level income tax and may retain any after-tax income. A REIT must satisfy certain conditions to use the TRS structure.
One of those conditions is that the TRS must hire, to manage the hotels, an “eligible independent contractor” (“EIC”)
that is actively engaged in the trade or business of managing hotels for parties other than the REIT. An EIC cannot (i) own more
than 35% of the REIT, (ii) be owned more than 35% by persons owning more than 35% of the REIT, or (iii) provide any income to
the REIT (i.e., the EIC cannot pay fees to the REIT, and the REIT cannot own any debt or equity securities of the EIC). Accordingly,
while we may lease hotels to a TRS that we own, the TRS must engage a third-party operator to manage the hotels. Thus, our ability to
direct and control how our hotels are operated is less than if we were able to manage our hotels directly.
We have entered into management
agreements with Remington Hotels, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., to manage 68 of our 102 hotel properties and the WorldQuest condominium
properties as of March 31, 2021. We have hired unaffiliated third-party hotel managers to manage our remaining properties. We do
not supervise any of the hotel managers or their respective personnel on a day-to-day basis, and we cannot assure you that the hotel managers
will manage our properties in a manner that is consistent with their respective obligations under the applicable management agreement
or our obligations under our hotel franchise agreements. We also cannot assure you that our hotel managers will not be negligent in their
performance, will not engage in criminal or fraudulent activity, or will not otherwise default on their respective management obligations
to us. If any of the foregoing occurs, our relationships with any franchisors may be damaged, we may be in breach of our franchise agreement,
and we could incur liabilities resulting from loss or injury to our property or to persons at our properties. In addition, from time to
time, disputes may arise between us and our third-party managers regarding their performance or compliance with the terms of the hotel
management agreements, which in turn could adversely affect us. We generally will attempt to resolve any such disputes through discussions
and negotiations; however, if we are unable to reach satisfactory results through discussions and negotiations, we may choose to terminate
our management agreement, litigate the dispute or submit the matter to third-party dispute resolution, the expense of which may be material
and the outcome of which may adversely affect us.
Our cash flow from the hotels
may be adversely affected if our managers fail to provide quality services and amenities or if they or their affiliates fail to maintain
a quality brand name. In addition, our managers or their affiliates may manage, and in some cases may own, invest in or provide credit
support or operating guarantees, to hotels that compete with hotel properties that we own or acquire, which may result in conflicts of
interest and decisions regarding the operation of our hotels that are not in our best interests. Any of these circumstances could adversely
affect us.
Our management agreements could adversely
affect our sale or financing of hotel properties.
We have entered into management
agreements, and acquired properties subject to management agreements, that do not allow us to replace hotel managers on relatively short
notice or with limited cost or contain other restrictive covenants, and we may enter into additional such agreements or acquire properties
subject to such agreements in the future. For example, the terms of a management agreement may restrict our ability to sell a property
unless the purchaser is not a competitor of the manager, assumes the management agreement and meets other conditions. Also, the terms
of a long-term management agreement encumbering our property may reduce the value of the property. When we enter into or acquire properties
subject to any such management agreements, we may be precluded from taking actions in our best interest and could incur substantial expense
as a result of the agreements.
If we cannot obtain additional capital,
our growth will be limited.
We are required to distribute
to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, excluding net capital gains, each year to maintain our qualification as a
REIT. As a result, our retained earnings available to fund acquisitions, development, or other capital expenditures are nominal. As such,
we rely upon the availability of additional debt or equity capital to fund these activities. Our long-term ability to grow through acquisitions
or development, which is an important strategy for us, will be limited if we cannot obtain additional financing or equity capital. Market
conditions may make it difficult to obtain financing or equity capital, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain additional
debt or equity financing or that we will be able to obtain it on favorable terms.
In light of the downturn of our business
and Ashford Inc.’s business occasioned by COVID-19, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of the Enhanced Return Funding Program.
On June 26, 2018, we
entered into the Enhanced Return Funding Program Agreement and Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated Advisory Agreement (the
“ERFP Agreement”) with Ashford Inc. and Ashford LLC, which generally provides that Ashford LLC will provide funding to facilitate
the acquisition of properties by us that are recommended by Ashford LLC, in an aggregate amount of up to $50 million (subject to
increase to up to $100 million by mutual agreement).
In light of the downturn
of our business and Ashford Inc.’s business occasioned by COVID-19, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of the ERFP Agreement.
On April 20, 2021, we delivered written notice of our intention not to renew the ERFP Agreement. As a result, the ERFP Agreement
will terminate in accordance with its terms at the end of the current term on June 26, 2021. We continue to be entitled to receive
an additional $11.4 million in payments from Ashford LLC with respect to our purchase of the Embassy Suites New York Manhattan Times
Square in 2019. On March 13, 2020, an extension agreement was entered into whereby the due date for such payment was extended to
December 31, 2022. Additionally, on November 25, 2020, in exchange for the waiver of certain fees and expenses under certain
of the Company’s agreements with Ashford Inc. and Lismore, the Company granted Ashford Inc. the right to set-off such payment against
the fees that have been or may be deferred by Ashford Inc. It is uncertain whether Ashford LLC will be able to make this payment and,
if such payment is made, the timing of such payment. Furthermore, if Ashford Inc. and Ashford LLC do not fulfill their contractual obligations
pursuant to the ERFP Agreement, we may choose not to enforce, or to enforce less vigorously, our rights because of our desire to maintain
our ongoing relationship with Ashford Inc. and Ashford LLC, and legal action against either party could negatively impact that relationship.
Additionally, under the terms
of the Advisory Agreement, we are required on a going forward basis to pay an asset management fee to our advisor, Ashford Inc., with
respect to any hotel purchased with money funded pursuant to the ERFP Agreement, even after such hotel is disposed of, including as a
result of foreclosure. As a result, if any hotel purchased with funds provided pursuant to the ERFP Agreement is foreclosed upon or otherwise
disposed of, including the Embassy Suites New York Manhattan Times Square or the Hilton Scotts Valley hotel in Santa Cruz, California
(the property level secured debt of which is in default and has been accelerated by the lender), we will still be obligated to pay Ashford
Inc. an asset management fee as if we continued to own the hotels. Additionally, we would be required to replace the furniture, fixtures
and equipment (“FF&E”) we had previously sold to Ashford Inc. in any hotel that was foreclosed upon with new FF&E
from a different hotel. These obligations will continue after expiration of the ERFP Agreement although additional hotels will not be
purchased pursuant to the ERFP Agreement after June 26, 2021. On August 21, 2020, we announced that the Embassy Suites New York
Manhattan Times Square was sold subject to the loan and the proceeds of the sale were used to repay the mezzanine loans for the properties.
On November 5, 2020, the independent members of the board of directors of Ashford Inc. waived the requirement of the Company to provide
replacement FF&E.
We compete with other hotels for guests
and face competition for acquisitions and sales of hotel properties and of desirable debt investments.
The hotel business is competitive.
Our hotels compete on the basis of location, room rates, quality, service levels, amenities, loyalty programs, reputation and reservation
systems, among many other factors. New hotels may be constructed and these additions to supply create new competitors, in some cases without
corresponding increases in demand for hotel rooms. The result in some cases may be lower revenue, which would result in lower cash available
to meet debt service obligations, operating expenses and requisite distributions to our stockholders. We compete for hotel acquisitions
with entities that have similar investment objectives as we do. This competition could limit the number of suitable investment opportunities
offered to us. It may also increase the bargaining power of property owners seeking to sell to us, making it more difficult for us to
acquire new properties on attractive terms or on the terms contemplated in our business plan. In addition, we compete to sell hotel properties.
Availability of capital, the number of hotels available for sale and market conditions all affect prices. We may not be able to sell hotel
assets at our targeted price. We may also compete for mortgage asset investments with numerous public and private real estate investment
vehicles, such as mortgage banks, pension funds, other REITs, institutional investors, and individuals. Mortgages and other investments
are often obtained through a competitive bidding process. In addition, competitors may seek to establish relationships with the financial
institutions and other firms from which we intend to purchase such assets. Competition may result in higher prices for mortgage assets,
lower yields, and a narrower spread of yields over our borrowing costs. Some of our competitors are larger than us, may have access to
greater capital, marketing, and other financial resources, may have personnel with more experience than our officers, may be able to accept
higher levels of debt or otherwise may tolerate more risk than us, may have better relations with hotel franchisors, sellers or lenders,
and may have other advantages over us in conducting certain business and providing certain services.
We face risks related to changes in the
domestic and global political and economic environment, including capital and credit markets.
Our business may be impacted
by domestic and global economic conditions. Political crises in the U.S. and other international countries or regions, including sovereign
risk related to a deterioration in the credit worthiness or a default by local governments, may negatively affect global economic conditions
and our business. If the U.S. or global economy experiences volatility or significant disruptions, such disruptions or volatility could
hurt the U.S. economy and our business could be negatively impacted by reduced demand for business and leisure travel related to a slowdown
in the general economy, by disruptions resulting from credit markets, higher operating costs and by liquidity issues resulting from an
inability to access credit markets to obtain cash to support operations.
We are increasingly dependent on information
technology, and potential cyber-attacks, security problems or other disruption and expanding social media vehicles present new risks.
Our advisor and our various
hotel managers rely on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, to process, transmit and store electronic
information, and to manage or support a variety of business processes, including financial transactions and records, personal identifying
information, reservations, billing and operating data. Our advisor and our hotel managers purchase some of our information technology
from vendors, on whom our systems depend, and our advisor relies on commercially available systems, software, tools and monitoring to
provide security for processing, transmission and storage of confidential operator and other customer information, such as individually
identifiable information, including information relating to financial accounts.
We often depend upon the
secure transmission of this information over public networks. Our advisor’s and our hotel managers’ networks and storage applications
may be subject to unauthorized access by hackers or others (through cyber-attacks, which are rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly
sophisticated, or by other means) or may be breached due to operator error, malfeasance or other system disruptions. In some cases, it
is difficult to anticipate or immediately detect such incidents and the damage caused thereby. Any significant breakdown, invasion, destruction,
interruption or leakage of our advisor’s or our hotel managers’ systems could harm us.
In addition, the use of social
media could cause us to suffer brand damage or information leakage. Negative posts or comments about us, our hotel managers or our hotels
on any social networking website could damage our or our hotels’ reputations. In addition, employees or others might disclose non-public
sensitive information relating to our business through external media channels. The continuing evolution of social media will present
us with new challenges and risks.
Changes in laws, regulations, or policies
may adversely affect our business.
The laws and regulations
governing our business or the regulatory or enforcement environment at the federal level or in any of the states in which we operate may
change at any time and may have an adverse effect on our business. We are unable to predict how this or any other future legislative or
regulatory proposals or programs will be administered or implemented or in what form, or whether any additional or similar changes to
statutes or regulations, including the interpretation or implementation thereof, will occur in the future. Any such action could affect
us in substantial and unpredictable ways and could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Our inability
to remain in compliance with regulatory requirements in a particular jurisdiction could have a material adverse effect on our operations
in that market and on our reputation generally. No assurance can be given that applicable laws or regulations will not be amended or construed
differently or that new laws and regulations will not be adopted, either of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial
condition or results of operations.
We identified a material weakness in our
internal controls over financial reporting that existed for the period ended September 30, 2020. The Company designed a new control
whereby management will engage a third-party accounting expert to assist management in assessing the accounting for similar transactions
in its consolidated financial statements. The Company entered into similarly complex transactions during the fourth quarter of 2020, and
therefore it was possible for the Company to test and conclude the new control was designed and operating effectively as of December 31,
2020. As a result, the material weakness was remediated as of December 31, 2020. If we fail to properly identify or remediate any
future weaknesses or deficiencies, or achieve and maintain effective internal control, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial
statements or comply with applicable laws and regulations could be impaired and investors could lose confidence in our financial statements.
Internal control over financial
reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of
financial statements in accordance with GAAP. As discussed in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30,
2020, we became aware of a deficiency in the operating effectiveness of our controls that led to a misstatement in our consolidated financial
statements related to the accounting for troubled debt restructurings. We have corrected the misstatement; however, the lack of proper
controls resulted in a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting for the period ended September 30, 2020, as
defined in Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Auditing Standard No. 2201.
There can be no assurance
that our internal control over financial reporting will not be subject to additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in
the future. If the remedial actions that we may take in the future are insufficient to address the material weakness or if additional
material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control are discovered or occur in the future, our consolidated financial
statements may contain material misstatements, we could be required to restate our financial results, our access to capital markets may
be affected, we may be unable to maintain or regain compliance with applicable securities laws and NYSE listing requirements, and we may
be subject to regulatory investigations and penalties. Additionally, we may encounter problems or delays in implementing any additional
changes necessary for management to make a favorable assessment of our internal control over financial reporting. If we cannot favorably
assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors could lose confidence in our financial information
and the price of our Common Stock or Preferred Stock could decline.
We may experience losses caused by severe
weather conditions, natural disasters or the physical effects of climate change.
Our properties are susceptible
to revenue loss, cost increase or damage caused by severe weather conditions or natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes
and floods, as well as the effects of climate change. To the extent climate change causes changes in weather patterns, we could experience
increases in storm intensity and rising sea-levels. Over time, these conditions could result in declining hotel demand, significant damage
to our properties or our inability to operate the affected hotels at all.
We believe that our properties
are adequately insured, consistent with industry standards, to cover reasonably anticipated losses that may be caused by hurricanes, earthquakes,
tornadoes, floods and other severe weather conditions and natural disasters, including the effects of climate change. Nevertheless, we
are subject to the risk that such insurance will not fully cover all losses and, depending on the severity of the event and the impact
on our properties, such insurance may not cover a significant portion of the losses including but not limited to the costs associated
with evacuation. These losses may lead to an increase in our cost of insurance, a decrease in our anticipated revenues from an affected
property or a loss of all or a portion of the capital we have invested in an affected property. In addition, we may not purchase insurance
under certain circumstances if the cost of insurance exceeds, in our judgment, the value of the coverage relative to the risk of loss.
Also, changes in federal and state legislation and regulation relating to climate change could result in increased capital expenditures
to improve the energy efficiency and resiliency of our existing properties and could also necessitate spending more on our new development
properties without a corresponding increase in revenue.
We face risks related to an ongoing SEC
investigation.
In June 2020, each of
the Company, Braemar, Ashford Inc., and Lismore, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc. (collectively with the Company, Braemar and Ashford Inc.,
the “Ashford Companies”), received an administrative subpoena from the SEC. The Company’s administrative subpoena requires
the production of documents and other information since January 1, 2018 relating to, among other things, (1) related party transactions
among the Ashford Companies (including the Lismore Agreement between the Company and Lismore pursuant to which the Company engaged Lismore
to negotiate the refinancing, modification or forbearance of certain mortgage debt) or between any of the Ashford Companies and any officer,
director or owner of the Ashford Companies or any entity controlled by any such person, and (2) the Company’s accounting policies,
procedures, and internal controls related to such related party transactions. In addition, in October 2020, Mr. Monty J. Bennett,
chairman of the Board, received an administrative subpoena from the SEC requiring testimony and the production of documents and other
information substantially similar to the requests in the subpoenas received by the Ashford Companies.
The Company and Mr. Monty
Bennett are responding to the administrative subpoenas. At this point, we are unable to predict what the timing or the outcome of the
SEC investigation may be or what, if any, consequences the SEC investigation may have with respect to the Company. However, the SEC investigation
could result in considerable legal expenses, divert management’s attention from other business concerns and harm our business. If
the SEC were to determine that legal violations occurred, we could be required to pay significant civil and/or criminal penalties or other
amounts, and remedies or conditions could be imposed as part of any resolution. We can provide no assurances as to the outcome of the
SEC investigation.
Risks Related to Our Debt Financing
We have a significant
amount of debt, and our organizational documents have no limitation on the amount of additional indebtedness that we may incur in the
future.
On January 15, 2021,
we entered into a senior secured credit facility with Oaktree, resulting in the Company’s outstanding indebtedness consisting of
our $200 million senior secured credit facility and approximately $3.7 billion in property level debt, including approximately
$3.5 billion of variable interest rate debt. We have an additional $250 million of capacity under our senior secured credit facility
with Oaktree. We may also incur additional variable rate debt. In the future, we may incur additional indebtedness to finance future hotel
acquisitions, capital improvements and development activities and other corporate purposes. A substantial level of indebtedness could
have adverse consequences for our business, results of operations and financial position because it could, among other things:
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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to make principal and interest
payments on our indebtedness, thereby reducing our cash flow available to fund working capital, capital expenditures and other general
corporate purposes, including to pay dividends on our Common Stock and our Preferred Stock as currently contemplated or necessary to satisfy
the requirements for qualification as a REIT;
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increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions and limit our flexibility
in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and our industry;
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limit our ability to borrow additional funds or refinance indebtedness on favorable terms or at all to
expand our business or ease liquidity constraints; and
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place us at a competitive disadvantage relative to competitors that have less indebtedness.
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Our Charter and bylaws do
not limit the amount or percentage of indebtedness that we may incur, and we are subject to risks normally associated with debt financing.
Generally, our mortgage debt carries maturity dates or call dates such that the loans become due prior to their full amortization. It
may be difficult to refinance or extend the maturity of such loans on terms acceptable to us, or at all, and we may not have sufficient
borrowing capacity on our senior secured credit facility to repay any amounts that we are unable to refinance. Although we believe that
we will be able to refinance or extend the maturity of these loans, or will have the capacity to repay them, if necessary, using draws
under our senior secured credit facility, there can be no assurance that our senior secured credit facility will be available to repay
such maturing debt, as draws under our senior secured credit facility are subject to limitations based upon our unencumbered assets and
certain financial covenants. These conditions could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows or
the market price of our stock.
Increases in interest rates could increase our debt payments.
On January 15, 2021,
we entered into a senior secured credit facility with Oaktree, resulting in the Company’s outstanding indebtedness consisting of
our $200 million senior secured credit facility and approximately $3.7 billion in property level debt, including approximately $3.5
billion of variable interest rate debt. We have an additional $250 million of capacity under our senior secured credit facility with Oaktree.
We may also incur additional variable rate debt. Increases in interest rates increase our interest costs on our variable-rate debt and
could increase interest expense on any future fixed rate debt we may incur, and interest we pay reduces our cash available for distributions,
expansion, working capital and other uses. Moreover, periods of rising interest rates heighten the risks described immediately above under
“We have a significant amount of debt, and our organizational documents have no limitation on the amount of additional indebtedness
that we may incur in the future.”
We have defaulted on our property level
secured debt and if we are unable to negotiate forbearance agreements, the lenders may foreclose on our hotels.
Nearly all of the Company’s
properties are pledged as collateral for a variety of loans. On or about March 17, 2020, we sent notice to all of our lenders notifying
such lenders that the spread of COVID-19 was having a significant negative impact on the travel and hospitality industry and that our
hotels were experiencing a severe decrease in revenue, resulting in a negative impact on cash flow. While our loan agreements do not contain
forbearance rights, we requested a modification to the terms of the loans. Specifically, we requested that for a period of time, shortfalls
in debt service payments accrue without penalty and all extension options be deemed granted notwithstanding the existence of any debt
service payment accruals. Beginning on April 1, 2020, we did not make principal or interest payments under nearly all of our loans,
which constituted an “Event of Default” as such term is defined under the applicable loan documents. Pursuant to the terms
of the applicable loan documents, such an Event of Default caused an automatic increase in the interest rate on our outstanding loan balance
for the period such Event of Default remains outstanding. Following an Event of Default, our lenders can generally elect to accelerate
all principal and accrued interest payments that remain outstanding under the applicable loan agreement and foreclose on the applicable
hotel properties that are security for such loans.
The Company is in the process
of negotiating forbearance agreements with its lenders. As of June 14, 2021, forbearance agreements have been executed on some, but
not all of our loans. In the aggregate, we have entered into forbearance and other agreements with varying terms and conditions that conditionally
waive or defer payment defaults for loans with a total outstanding principal balance of approximately $3.6 billion out of approximately
$3.7 billion in property level debt outstanding as of the date of this filing. We cannot predict the likelihood that the remaining
forbearance agreement discussions will be successful. If we are unsuccessful in negotiating these forbearance agreements, the lenders
could potentially foreclose on our hotels.
Any such Event of Default,
acceleration of payments, or foreclosure of our assets could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations
and cash flows and ability to continue to operate or make distributions to our stockholders in the future. In addition, an Event of Default
could trigger a termination fee under the Advisory Agreement with Ashford Inc. An Event of Default could significantly limit our financing
alternatives, which could cause us to curtail our investment activities and/or dispose of assets. It is also possible that we could become
involved in litigation related to matters concerning the defaulted loans, and such litigation could result in significant costs to us.
In addition to losing the
applicable properties, a foreclosure may result in recognition of taxable income. Under the Code, a foreclosure of property securing non-recourse
debt would be treated as a sale of the property for a purchase price equal to the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage.
If the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage exceeds our tax basis in the property, we would recognize taxable income
on foreclosure even though we did not receive any cash proceeds. As a result, we may be required to identify and utilize other sources
of cash for distributions to our stockholders.
If we default on our senior secured credit
facility with entities managed by Oaktree, the lenders may foreclose on our assets which are pledged as collateral.
Substantially all of our
assets have been pledged as collateral in our senior secured credit facility with lending entities managed by Oaktree. If we default on
our senior secured credit facility or do not meet our covenants thereunder, Oaktree will be able to foreclose on its collateral under
the senior secured credit facility, which would have a material adverse effect on our business and operations. Additionally, under the
senior secured credit facility, a “Change of Control” shall occur in the event, among other items, during any period of 12
consecutive months, a majority of the members of the Board ceases to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that Board
on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that Board was approved by individuals referred to in clause
(i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that Board or (iii) whose election
or nomination to that Board was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of
such election or nomination at least a majority of that board. If there is a “Change of Control,” Oaktree shall have the option
to cause the Company to prepay all or any portion of the outstanding loans, together with a potential premium of 1% of the principal amount.
Additionally, upon the earliest of the repayment in full of the loan, final maturity of the loan or acceleration of the loan in connection
with an event of default, Oaktree will be entitled to an exit fee which, at the election of Oaktree, will be satisfied by either (x) a
payment equal to 15% of all loans advanced plus any capitalized in-kind interest, which may be paid in cash or Common Stock or (y) the
issuance of warrants for the purchase of Common Stock equal to 19.9% of all Common Stock outstanding on the closing date of the senior
secured credit facility subject to certain upward or downward adjustments. In the event Oaktree elects to be paid in warrants, the issuance
of shares of warrants and the Common Stock that underlies the warrants would be dilutive to our stockholders.
We may enter into other transactions which
could further exacerbate the risks to our financial condition. The use of debt to finance future acquisitions could restrict operations,
inhibit our ability to grow our business and revenues, and negatively affect our business and financial results.
We intend to incur additional
debt in connection with future hotel acquisitions. We may, in some instances, borrow under our senior secured credit facility or borrow
new funds to acquire hotels. In addition, we may incur mortgage debt by obtaining loans secured by a portfolio of some or all of the hotels
that we own or acquire. If necessary or advisable, we also may borrow funds to make distributions to our stockholders to maintain our
qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the extent that we incur debt in the future and do not have sufficient
funds to repay such debt at maturity, it may be necessary to refinance the debt through debt or equity financings, which may not be available
on acceptable terms or at all and which could be dilutive to our stockholders. If we are unable to refinance our debt on acceptable terms
or at all, we may be forced to dispose of hotels at inopportune times or on disadvantageous terms, which could result in losses. To the
extent we cannot meet our future debt service obligations, we will risk losing to foreclosure some or all of our hotels that may be pledged
to secure our obligation.
Covenants, “cash trap” provisions
or other terms in our mortgage loans and our senior secured credit facility, as well as any future credit facility, could limit our flexibility
and adversely affect our financial condition or our qualification as a REIT.
Some of our loan agreements
and our senior secured credit facility contain financial and other covenants. If we violate covenants in any debt agreements, we could
be required to repay all or a portion of our indebtedness before maturity at a time when we might be unable to arrange financing for such
repayment on attractive terms, if at all. Violations of certain debt covenants may also prohibit us from borrowing unused amounts under
our lines of credit, even if repayment of some or all the borrowings is not required. In addition, financial covenants under our current
or future debt obligations could impair our planned business strategies by limiting our ability to borrow beyond certain amounts or for
certain purposes.
Some of our loan agreements
also contain cash trap provisions that are triggered if the performance of our hotels decline. When these provisions are triggered, substantially
all of the profit generated by our hotels is deposited directly into lockbox accounts and then swept into cash management accounts for
the benefit of our various lenders. Cash is not distributed to us at any time after the cash trap provisions have been triggered until
we have cured performance issues. This could affect our liquidity and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders. If we are
not able to make distributions to our stockholders, we may not qualify as a REIT.
There is refinancing risk associated with our debt.
We finance our long-term
growth and liquidity needs with debt financings having staggered maturities, and use variable-rate debt or a mix of fixed and variable-rate
debt as appropriate based on favorable interest rates, principal amortization and other terms. In the event that we do not have sufficient
funds to repay the debt at the maturity of these loans, we will need to refinance this debt. If the credit environment is constrained
at the time of our debt maturities (including due to adverse economic conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic), we would have a very
difficult time refinancing debt. When we refinance our debt, prevailing interest rates and other factors may result in paying a greater
amount of debt service, which will adversely affect our cash flow, and, consequently, our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
If we are unable to refinance our debt on acceptable terms, we may be forced to choose from a number of unfavorable options. These options
include agreeing to otherwise unfavorable financing terms on one or more of our unencumbered assets, selling one or more hotels on disadvantageous
terms, including unattractive prices or defaulting on the mortgage and permitting the lender to foreclose. Any one of these options could
have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our
stockholders. If we sell a hotel, the required loan repayment may exceed the sale proceeds.
Our hedging strategies may not be successful
in mitigating our risks associated with interest rates and could reduce the overall returns on an investment in our Company.
We may use various financial
instruments, including derivatives, to provide a level of protection against interest rate increases and other risks, but no hedging strategy
can protect us completely. These instruments involve risks, such as the risk that the counterparties may fail to honor their obligations
under these arrangements, that these arrangements may not be effective in reducing our exposure to interest rate changes or other risks
and that a court could rule that such agreements are not legally enforceable. These instruments may also generate income that may
not be treated as qualifying REIT income. In addition, the nature and timing of hedging transactions may influence the effectiveness of
our hedging strategies. Poorly designed strategies or improperly executed transactions could actually increase our risk and losses. Moreover,
hedging strategies involve transaction and other costs. We cannot assure you that our hedging strategy and the instruments that we use
will adequately offset the risk of interest rate volatility or other risks or that our hedging transactions will not result in losses
that may reduce the overall return on your investment.
We may be adversely affected by changes
in LIBOR reporting practices, the method in which LIBOR is determined or the use of alternative reference rates.
As of March 31, 2021,
we had approximately $3.5 billion of variable interest rate debt as well as interest rate derivatives including caps and floors that
are indexed to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). In July 2017, the United Kingdom regulator that regulates
LIBOR announced its intention to phase out LIBOR rates by the end of 2021. The Alternative Reference Rates Committee, a steering committee
comprised of large U.S. financial institutions, has proposed replacing USD-LIBOR with a new index calculated by short-term repurchase
agreements, the Secured Overnight Financing Rate. At this time, no consensus exists as to what rate or rates may become accepted alternatives
to LIBOR, and it is impossible to predict whether and to what extent banks will continue to provide LIBOR submissions to the administrator
of LIBOR, whether LIBOR rates will cease to be published or supported before or after 2021 or whether any additional reforms to LIBOR
may be enacted in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Such developments and any other legal or regulatory changes in the method by which
LIBOR is determined or the transition from LIBOR to a successor benchmark may result in, among other things, a sudden or prolonged increase
or decrease in LIBOR, a delay in the publication of LIBOR, and changes in the rules or methodologies in LIBOR, which may discourage
market participants from continuing to administer or to participate in LIBOR’s determination and, in certain situations, could result
in LIBOR no longer being determined and published. If a published U.S. dollar LIBOR rate is unavailable after 2021, the interest rates
on our debt which is indexed to LIBOR will be determined using various alternative methods, any of which may result in interest obligations
which are more than or do not otherwise correlate over time with the payments that would have been made on such debt if U.S. dollar LIBOR
was available in its current form. Further, the same costs and risks that may lead to the unavailability of U.S. dollar LIBOR may make
one or more of the alternative methods impossible or impracticable to determine. Any of these proposals or consequences could have a material
adverse effect on our financing costs, and as a result, our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.
Risks Related to Hotel Investments
We are subject to general risks associated
with operating hotels.
We own hotel properties,
which have different economic characteristics than many other real estate assets, and a hotel REIT is structured differently than many
other types of REITs. A typical office property, for example, has long-term leases with third-party tenants, which provide a relatively
stable long-term revenue stream. Hotels, on the other hand, generate revenue from guests who typically stay at the hotel for only a few
nights, which causes the room rate and occupancy levels at each of our hotels to change every day, and results in earnings that can be
highly volatile. In addition, our hotels are subject to various operating risks common to the hotel industry, many of which are beyond
our control, and are discussed in more detail below.
These factors could adversely
affect our hotel revenues and expenses, as well as the hotels underlying our mortgage and mezzanine loans, which in turn could adversely
affect our financial condition, results of operations, the market price of our Common Stock and our ability to make distributions to our
stockholders.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has and will continue
to significantly reduce our occupancy rates and RevPAR.
Our business has been and
will continue to be materially adversely affected by the impact of, and the public concern about, a pandemic disease. In December 2019,
COVID-19 was identified in Wuhan, China, subsequently spread to other regions of the world, and has resulted in increased travel restrictions
and extended shutdown of certain businesses, including in every state in the United States. Since late February 2020, we have experienced
a significant decline in occupancy and RevPAR and we expect the significant occupancy and RevPAR reduction associated with COVID-19 to
continue as we are recording significant reservation cancellations relative to prior expectations as well as a significant reduction in
new reservations. The continued outbreak of the virus in the U.S. has and will continue to further reduce travel and demand at our hotels.
The prolonged occurrence of the virus has resulted in health or other government authorities imposing widespread restrictions on travel
or other market impacts. The hotel industry and our portfolio have and we expect will continue to experience the postponement or cancellation
of a significant number of business conferences and similar events. At this time those restrictions are very fluid and evolving. We have
been and will continue to be negatively impacted by those restrictions. Given that the type, degree and length of such restrictions are
not known at this time, we cannot predict the overall impact of such restrictions on us or the overall economic environment. In addition,
one or more possible recurrences of COVID-19 cases could result in further reductions in business and personal travel and could cause
state and local governments to reinstate travel restrictions. We may also face increased risk of litigation if we have guests or employees
who become ill due to COVID-19.
As such, the impact these
restrictions may have on our financial position, operating results and liquidity cannot be reasonably estimated at this time, but the
impact will likely be material. Additionally, the public perception of a risk of a pandemic or media coverage of these diseases, or public
perception of health risks linked to perceived regional food and beverage safety has materially adversely affected us by reducing demand
for our hotels. The length of time required for an effective vaccine or therapy to become widely available is uncertain. These events
have resulted in a sustained, significant drop in demand for our hotels and could have a material adverse effect on us.
Declines in or disruptions to the travel
industry could adversely affect our business and financial performance.
Our business and financial
performance are affected by the health of the worldwide travel industry. Travel expenditures are sensitive to personal and business-related
discretionary spending levels, tending to decline or grow more slowly during economic downturns, as well as to disruptions due to other
factors, including those discussed below. Decreased travel expenditures could reduce the demand for our services, thereby causing a reduction
in revenue. For example, during regional or global recessions, domestic and global economic conditions can deteriorate rapidly, resulting
in increased unemployment and a reduction in expenditures for both business and leisure travelers. A slower spending on the services we
provide could have a negative impact on our revenue growth.
Other factors that could
negatively affect our business include: terrorist incidents and threats and associated heightened travel security measures; political
and regional strife; acts of God such as earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, floods, volcanoes and other natural disasters; war; concerns
with or threats of pandemics, contagious diseases or health epidemics, such as COVID-19, Ebola, H1N1 influenza (swine flu), MERS, SARs,
avian flu, the Zika virus or similar outbreaks; environmental disasters; lengthy power outages; increased pricing, financial instability
and capacity constraints of air carriers; airline job actions and strikes; fluctuations in hotel supply, occupancy and ADR; changes to
visa and immigration requirements or border control policies; imposition of taxes or surcharges by regulatory authorities; and increases
in gasoline and other fuel prices.
Because these events or concerns,
and the full impact of their effects, are largely unpredictable, they can dramatically and suddenly affect travel behavior by consumers
and decrease demand. Any decrease in demand, depending on its scope and duration, together with any future issues affecting travel safety,
could significantly and adversely affect our business, working capital and financial performance over the short and long-term. In addition,
the disruption of the existing travel plans of a significant number of travelers upon the occurrence of certain events, such as severe
weather conditions, actual or threatened terrorist activity, war or travel-related health events, could result in significant additional
costs and decrease our revenues, in each case, leading to constrained liquidity.
Some of our hotels are subject to ground
leases; if we are found to be in breach of a ground lease or are unable to renew a ground lease, our business could be materially and
adversely affected.
Some of our hotels are on
land subject to ground leases, at least two of which cover the entire property. Accordingly, we only own a long-term leasehold rather
than a fee simple interest, with respect to all or a portion of the real property at these hotels. We may not continue to make payments
due on our ground leases, particularly in light of the downturn in our business occasioned by COVID-19. If we fail to make a payment on
a ground lease or are otherwise found to be in breach of a ground lease, we could lose the right to use the hotel or portion of the hotel
property that is subject to the ground lease. In addition, unless we can purchase the fee simple interest in the underlying land and improvements,
or extend the terms of these ground leases before their expiration, we will lose our right to operate these properties and our interest
in the improvements upon expiration of the ground leases. We may not be able to renew any ground lease upon its expiration, or if renewed,
the terms may not be favorable. Our ability to exercise any extension options relating to our ground leases is subject to the condition
that we are not in default under the terms of the ground lease at the time that we exercise such options. If we lose the right to use
a hotel due to a breach or non-renewal of the ground lease, we would be unable to derive income from such hotel and would need to purchase
an interest in another hotel to attempt to replace that income, which could materially and adversely affect our business, operating results
and prospects. Our ability to refinance a hotel property subject to a ground lease may be negatively impacted as the ground lease expiration
date approaches.
We may have to make significant capital
expenditures to maintain our hotel properties, and any development activities we undertake may be more costly than we anticipate.
Our hotels have an ongoing
need for renovations and other capital improvements, including replacements, from time to time, of FF&E. Managers or franchisors of
our hotels also will require periodic capital improvements pursuant to the management agreements or as a condition of maintaining franchise
licenses. Generally, we are responsible for the cost of these capital improvements. We may also develop hotel properties, timeshare units
or other alternate uses of portions of our existing properties, including the development of retail, residential, office or apartments,
including through joint ventures. Such renovation and development involves substantial risks, including:
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construction cost overruns and delays;
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the disruption of operations and displacement of revenue at operating hotels, including revenue lost while
rooms, restaurants or meeting space under renovation are out of service;
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the cost of funding renovations or developments and inability to obtain financing on attractive terms;
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the return on our investment in these capital improvements or developments failing to meet expectations;
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governmental restrictions on the nature or size of a project;
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inability to obtain all necessary zoning, land use, building, occupancy, and construction permits;
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loss of substantial investment in a development project if a project is abandoned before completion;
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acts of God such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods or fires that could adversely affect a project;
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environmental problems; and
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disputes with franchisors or hotel managers regarding compliance with relevant franchise agreements or
management agreements.
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If we have insufficient cash
flow from operations to fund needed capital expenditures, then we will need to obtain additional debt or equity financing to fund future
capital improvements, and we may not be able to meet the loan covenants in any financing obtained to fund the new development, creating
default risks.
In addition, to the extent
that developments are conducted through joint ventures, this creates additional risks, including the possibility that our partners may
not meet their financial obligations or could have or develop business interests, policies or objectives that are inconsistent with ours.
See “Our joint venture investments could be adversely affected by our lack of sole decision-making authority, our reliance on a
co-venturer’s financial condition and disputes between us and our co-venturers.”
Any of the above factors
could affect adversely our and our partners’ ability to complete the developments on schedule and along the scope that currently
is contemplated, or to achieve the intended value of these projects. For these reasons, there can be no assurances as to the value to
be realized by the company from these transactions or any future similar transactions.
The hotel business is seasonal, which affects
our results of operations from quarter to quarter.
The hotel industry is seasonal
in nature. This seasonality can cause quarterly fluctuations in our financial condition and operating results, including in any distributions
on our Common Stock. Our quarterly operating results may be adversely affected by factors outside our control, including weather conditions
and poor economic factors in certain markets in which we operate. We can provide no assurances that our cash flows will be sufficient
to offset any shortfalls that occur as a result of these fluctuations. As a result, we may have to reduce distributions or enter into
short-term borrowings in certain quarters in order to make distributions to our stockholders, and we can provide no assurances that such
borrowings will be available on favorable terms, if at all.
The cyclical nature of the lodging industry may cause fluctuations
in our operating performance, which could have a material adverse effect on us.
The lodging industry historically
has been highly cyclical in nature. Fluctuations in lodging demand and, therefore, hotel operating performance, are caused largely by
general economic and local market conditions, which subsequently affect levels of business and leisure travel. In addition to general
economic conditions, new hotel room supply is an important factor that can affect the lodging industry’s performance, and overbuilding
has the potential to further exacerbate the negative impact of an economic recession. Room rates and occupancy, and thus RevPAR, tend
to increase when demand growth exceeds supply growth. We can provide no assurances regarding whether, or the extent to which, lodging
demand will exceed supply and if so, for what period of time. An adverse change in lodging fundamentals could result in returns that are
substantially below our expectations or result in losses, which could have a material adverse effect on us.
Many real estate costs are fixed, even if
revenue from our hotels decreases.
Many costs, such as real
estate taxes, insurance premiums and maintenance costs, generally are not reduced even when a hotel is not fully occupied, room rates
decrease or other circumstances cause a reduction in revenues. In addition, newly acquired or renovated hotels may not produce the revenues
we anticipate immediately, or at all, and the hotel’s operating cash flow may be insufficient to pay the operating expenses and
debt service associated with these new hotels. If we are unable to offset real estate costs with sufficient revenues across our portfolio,
we may be adversely affected.
Our operating expenses may increase in the
future which could cause us to raise our room rates, which may deplete room occupancy, or cause us to realize lower net operating income
as a result of increased expenses that are not offset by increased room rates, in either case decreasing our cash flow and our operating
results.
Operating expenses, such
as expenses for fuel, utilities, labor and insurance, are not fixed and may increase in the future. To the extent such increases affect
our room rates and therefore our room occupancy at our lodging properties, our cash flow and operating results may be negatively affected.
The increasing use of Internet travel intermediaries
by consumers may adversely affect our profitability.
Some of our hotel rooms are
booked through Internet travel intermediaries. As Internet bookings increase, these intermediaries may be able to obtain higher commissions,
reduced room rates or other significant contract concessions from our management companies. Moreover, some of these Internet travel intermediaries
are attempting to offer hotel rooms as a commodity, by increasing the importance of price and general indicators of quality at the expense
of brand identification. These intermediaries may hope that consumers will eventually develop brand loyalties to their reservations system
rather than to the brands under which our properties are franchised. Although most of the business for our hotels is expected to be derived
from traditional channels, if the amount of sales made through Internet intermediaries increases significantly, rooms revenue may be lower
than expected, and we may be adversely affected.
We may be adversely affected by increased
use of business-related technology, which may reduce the need for business-related travel.
The increased use of teleconference
and video-conference technology by businesses could result in decreased business travel as companies increase the use of technologies
that allow multiple parties from different locations to participate at meetings without traveling to a centralized meeting location. To
the extent that such technologies play an increased role in day-to-day business and the necessity for business-related travel decreases,
hotel room demand may decrease and we may be adversely affected.
Our hotels may be subject to unknown or
contingent liabilities which could cause us to incur substantial costs.
The hotel properties that
we own or may acquire are or may be subject to unknown or contingent liabilities for which we may have no recourse, or only limited recourse,
against the sellers. In general, the representations and warranties provided under the transaction agreements related to the sales of
the hotel properties may not survive the closing of the transactions. While we will seek to require the sellers to indemnify us with respect
to breaches of representations and warranties that survive, such indemnification may be limited and subject to various materiality thresholds,
a significant deductible or an aggregate cap on losses. As a result, there is no guarantee that we will recover any amounts with respect
to losses due to breaches by the sellers of their representations and warranties. In addition, the total amount of costs and expenses
that may be incurred with respect to liabilities associated with these hotels may exceed our expectations, and we may experience other
unanticipated adverse effects, all of which may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, the market price of our
Common Stock and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
Future terrorist attacks or changes in terror alert levels could
materially and adversely affect us.
Previous terrorist attacks
and subsequent terrorist alerts have adversely affected the U.S. travel and hospitality industries since 2001, often disproportionately
to the effect on the overall economy. The extent of the impact that actual or threatened terrorist attacks in the U.S. or elsewhere could
have on domestic and international travel and our business in particular cannot be determined, but any such attacks or the threat of such
attacks could have a material adverse effect on travel and hotel demand, our ability to finance our business and our ability to insure
our hotels, which could materially adversely affect us.
During 2020, approximately
8% of our total hotel revenue was generated from nine hotels located in the Washington D.C. area, one of several key U.S. markets considered
vulnerable to terrorist attack. Our financial and operating performance may be adversely affected by potential terrorist attacks. Terrorist
attacks in the future may cause our results to differ materially from anticipated results. Hotels we own in other market locations may
be subject to this risk as well.
We are subject to risks associated with
the employment of hotel personnel, particularly with hotels that employ unionized labor.
Our managers, including Remington
Hotels, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., and unaffiliated third-party managers are responsible for hiring and maintaining the labor force
at each of our hotels. Although we do not directly employ or manage employees at our hotels, we still are subject to many of the costs
and risks generally associated with the hotel labor force, particularly at those hotels with unionized labor. From time to time, hotel
operations may be disrupted as a result of strikes, lockouts, public demonstrations or other negative actions and publicity. We also may
incur increased legal costs and indirect labor costs as a result of contract disputes involving our managers and their labor force or
other events. The resolution of labor disputes or re-negotiated labor contracts could lead to increased labor costs, a significant component
of our hotel operating costs, either by increases in wages or benefits or by changes in work rules that raise hotel operating costs.
We do not have the ability to affect the outcome of these negotiations. Our third party managers may also be unable to hire quality personnel
to adequately staff hotel departments, which could result in a sub-standard level of service to hotel guests and hotel operations.
Hotels where our managers
have collective bargaining agreements with their employees are more highly affected by labor force activities than others. The resolution
of labor disputes or re-negotiated labor contracts could lead to increased labor costs, either by increases in wages or benefits or by
changes in work rules that raise hotel operating costs. Furthermore, labor agreements may limit the ability of our hotel managers
to reduce the size of hotel workforces during an economic downturn because collective bargaining agreements are negotiated between the
hotel managers and labor unions. Our ability, if any, to have any material impact on the outcome of these negotiations is restricted by
and dependent on the individual management agreement covering a specific property, and we may have little ability to control the outcome
of these negotiations.
In addition, changes in labor
laws may negatively impact us. For example, the implementation of new occupational health and safety regulations, minimum wage laws, and
overtime, working conditions status and citizenship requirements and the Department of Labor’s proposed regulations expanding the
scope of non-exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act to increase the entitlement to overtime pay could significantly increase
the cost of labor in the workforce, which would increase the operating costs of our hotel properties and may have a material adverse effect
on us.
Risks Related to Conflicts of Interest
Our agreements with our external advisor
and its subsidiaries, as well as our mutual exclusivity agreement and management agreements with Remington Hotels and Premier, subsidiaries
of Ashford Inc., were not negotiated on an arm’s-length basis, and we may pursue less vigorous enforcement of their terms because
of conflicts of interest with certain of our executive officers and directors and key employees of our advisor.
Because each of our executive
officers are also key employees of our advisor, Ashford LLC, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., and have ownership interests in Ashford Inc.
and because the chairman of our board has an ownership interest in Ashford Inc., our Advisory Agreement, our master hotel management agreement
and hotel management mutual exclusivity agreement with Remington Hotels, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., and our master project management
agreement and project management mutual exclusivity agreement with Premier, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., among other agreements between
us and subsidiaries of Ashford Inc. were not negotiated on an arm’s-length basis, and we did not have the benefit of arm’s-length
negotiations of the type normally conducted with an unaffiliated third party. As a result, the terms, including fees and other amounts
payable, may not be as favorable to us as an arm’s-length agreement. Furthermore, we may choose not to enforce, or to enforce less
vigorously, our rights under these agreements because of our desire to maintain our ongoing relationship with our advisor and its subsidiaries
(including Ashford LLC, Remington Hotels and Premier).
The termination fee payable to our advisor
significantly increases the cost to us of terminating our Advisory Agreement, thereby effectively limiting our ability to terminate our
advisor without cause and could make a change of control transaction less likely or the terms thereof less attractive to us and to our
stockholders.
The initial term of our Advisory
Agreement with our advisor is 10 years from the effective date of the Advisory Agreement, subject to an extension by our advisor for up
to 7 successive additional 10-year renewal terms thereafter. The Board will review our advisor’s performance and fees annually and,
following the 10-year initial term, may elect to renegotiate the amount of fees payable under the Advisory Agreement in certain circumstances.
Additionally, if we undergo a change of control transaction, we will have the right to terminate the Advisory Agreement with the payment
of the termination fee described below. If we terminate the Advisory Agreement without cause or upon a change of control, we will be required
to pay our advisor a termination fee equal to:
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(A) 1.1 multiplied by the greater of (i) 12 times the net earnings of our advisor for the 12
month period preceding the termination date of the Advisory Agreement; (ii) the earnings multiple (calculated as our advisor’s
total enterprise value on the trading day immediately preceding the day the termination notice is given to our advisor divided by our
advisor’s most recently reported adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”)
for our advisor’s common stock for the 12 month period preceding the termination date of the Advisory Agreement multiplied by the
net earnings of our advisor for the 12 month period preceding the termination date of the Advisory Agreement; or (iii) the simple
average of the earnings multiples for each of the three fiscal years preceding the termination of the Advisory Agreement (calculated as
our advisor’s total enterprise value on the last trading day of each of the three preceding fiscal years divided by, in each case,
our advisor’s Adjusted EBITDA for the same periods), multiplied by the net earnings of our advisor for the 12 month period preceding
the termination date of the Advisory Agreement; plus
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(B) an additional amount such that the total net amount received by our advisor after the reduction
by state and U.S. federal income taxes at an assumed combined rate of 40% on the sum of the amounts described in (A) and (B) shall
equal the amount described in (A).
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Any such termination fee
will be payable on or before the termination date. Moreover, our advisor is entitled to set off, take and apply any of our money on deposit
in any of our bank, brokerage or similar accounts (all of which are controlled by, and in the name of, our advisor) to amounts we owe
to our advisor-including amounts we would owe to our advisor in respect of the termination fee, and in certain circumstances permits our
advisor to escrow any money in such accounts into a termination fee escrow account (to which we would not have access) even prior to the
time that the termination fee is payable. The termination fee makes it more difficult for us to terminate our Advisory Agreement. These
provisions significantly increase the cost to us of terminating our Advisory Agreement, thereby limiting our ability to terminate our
advisor without cause.
Our advisor has agreed that
its right to receive fees payable under the Advisory Agreement, including the termination fee and liquidated damages, shall be subordinate
under certain circumstances to the payment in full of obligations under our senior secured credit facility with Oaktree and has agreed
to enter into documents necessary to subordinate our advisor’s interest in such fees. On January 15, 2021, the Company and
our advisor, together with certain affiliated entities, entered into the SNDA pursuant to which our advisor agreed to subordinate to the
prior repayment in full of all obligations under the senior secured credit facility with Oaktree, among other items, (1) advisory
fees (other than reimbursable expenses) in excess of 80% of such fees paid during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, and (2) any
termination fee or liquidated damages amounts under the Advisory Agreement, or any amount owed under any enhanced return funding program
in connection with the termination of the Advisory Agreement or sale or foreclosure of assets financed thereunder.
Our advisor manages other entities and may
direct attractive investment opportunities away from us. If we change our investment guidelines, our advisor is not restricted from advising
clients with similar investment guidelines.
Our executive officers also
serve as key employees and as officers of our advisor and Braemar, and will continue to do so. Furthermore, Mr. Monty J. Bennett,
our chairman, is also the chief executive officer, chairman and a significant stockholder of our advisor and the chairman of Braemar.
Our Advisory Agreement requires our advisor to present investments that satisfy our investment guidelines to us before presenting them
to Braemar or any future client of our advisor. Additionally, in the future our advisor may advise other clients, some of which may have
investment guidelines substantially similar to ours.
Some portfolio investment
opportunities may include hotels that satisfy our investment objectives as well as hotels that satisfy the investment objectives of Braemar
or other entities advised by our advisor. If the portfolio cannot be equitably divided, our advisor will necessarily have to make a determination
as to which entity will be presented with the opportunity. In such a circumstance, our Advisory Agreement requires our advisor to allocate
portfolio investment opportunities between us, Braemar or other entities advised by our advisor in a fair and equitable manner, consistent
with our, Braemar’s and such other entities’ investment objectives. In making this determination, our advisor, using substantial
discretion, will consider the investment strategy and guidelines of each entity with respect to acquisition of properties, portfolio concentrations,
tax consequences, regulatory restrictions, liquidity requirements and other factors deemed appropriate. In making the allocation determination,
our advisor has no obligation to make any such investment opportunity available to us. Further, our advisor and Braemar have agreed that
any new investment opportunities that satisfy our investment guidelines will be presented to the Board; however, our board will have only
ten business days to make a determination with respect to such opportunity prior to it being available to Braemar. The above mentioned
dual responsibilities may create conflicts of interest for our officers which could result in decisions or allocations of investments
that may benefit one entity more than the other.
Our advisor and its key employees, most
of whom are Braemar’s, Ashford Inc.’s and our executive officers, face competing demands relating to their time and this may
adversely affect our operations.
We rely on our advisor and
its employees for the day-to-day operation of our business. Certain key employees of our advisor are executive officers of Braemar and
Ashford Inc. Because our advisor’s key employees have duties to Braemar and Ashford Inc., as well as to our company, we do not have
their undivided attention and they face conflicts in allocating their time and resources between our company, Braemar and Ashford Inc.
Our advisor may also manage other entities in the future. During turbulent market conditions or other times when we need focused support
and assistance from our advisor, other entities for which our advisor also acts as an external advisor will likewise require greater focus
and attention as well, placing competing high levels of demand on the limited time and resources of our advisor’s key employees.
Additionally, activist investors have, and in the future, may commence campaigns seeking to influence other entities advised by our advisor
to take particular actions favored by the activist or gain representation on the board of directors of such entities, which could result
in additional disruption and diversion of management’s attention. We may not receive the necessary support and assistance we require
or would otherwise receive if we were internally managed by persons working exclusively for us.
Conflicts of interest could result in our
management acting other than in our stockholders’ best interest.
Conflicts of interest in
general and specifically relating to Ashford Inc. and its subsidiaries (including Ashford LLC, Remington Hotels and Premier) may lead
to management decisions that are not in the stockholders’ best interest. The chairman of our Board, Mr. Monty J. Bennett, is
the chairman, chief executive officer and a significant stockholder of Ashford Inc. and Mr. Archie Bennett, Jr., who is our
chairman emeritus, is a significant stockholder of Ashford Inc. Prior to its acquisition by Ashford Inc. on November 6, 2019, Messrs. Archie
Bennett, Jr. and Monty J. Bennett beneficially owned 100% of Remington Hotels. As of March 31, 2021, Remington Hotels managed
68 of our 102 hotel properties and the WorldQuest condominium properties and provides other services.
As of March 31, 2021,
Mr. Monty J. Bennett and Mr. Archie Bennett, Jr. together owned approximately 607,743 shares of Ashford Inc. common stock,
which represented an approximate 20.2% ownership interest in Ashford Inc., and owned 18,758,600 shares of Ashford Inc. Series D Convertible
Preferred Stock, which was exercisable (at an exercise price of $117.50 per share) into an additional approximate 3,991,191 shares
of Ashford Inc. common stock, which if exercised would have increased the Bennetts’ ownership interest in Ashford Inc. to 66.9%.
The 18,758,600 Series D Convertible Preferred Stock owned by Mr. Monty J. Bennett and Mr. Archie Bennett, Jr. include
360,000 shares owned by trusts.
Messrs. Archie Bennett, Jr.
and Monty J. Bennett’s ownership interests in, and Mr. Monty J. Bennett’s management obligations to, Ashford Inc. present
them with conflicts of interest in making management decisions related to the commercial arrangements between us and Ashford Inc. Mr. Monty
J. Bennett’s management obligations to Ashford Inc. (and his obligations to Braemar, where he also serves as chairman of the board
of directors) reduce the time and effort he spends on us. Our Board has adopted a policy that requires all material approvals, actions
or decisions to which we have the right to make under the master hotel management agreement with Remington Hotels and the master project
management agreement with Premier be approved by a majority or, in certain circumstances, all of our independent directors. However, given
the authority and/or operational latitude provided to Remington Hotels under the master hotel management agreement and to Premier under
the master project management agreement, and Mr. Monty J. Bennett as the chairman and chief executive officer of Ashford Inc., could
take actions or make decisions that are not in our stockholders’ best interest or that are otherwise inconsistent with the obligations
to us under the master hotel management agreement or master project management agreement.
Holders of units in
our operating partnership, including members of our management team, may suffer adverse tax consequences upon our sale of certain properties.
Therefore, holders of units, either directly or indirectly, including Messrs. Archie Bennett, Jr. and Monty J. Bennett,
or Mr. Mark Nunneley, our Chief Accounting Officer, may have different objectives regarding the appropriate pricing and timing of
a particular property’s sale. These officers and directors of ours may influence us to sell, not sell, or refinance certain properties,
even if such actions or inactions might be financially advantageous to our stockholders, or to enter into tax deferred exchanges with
the proceeds of such sales when such a reinvestment might not otherwise be in our best interest.
We are a party to a master
hotel management agreement and a hotel management exclusivity agreement with Remington Hotels and a master project management agreement
and a project management exclusivity agreement with Premier, which describes the terms of Remington Hotels’ and Premier’s,
respectively, services to our hotels, as well as any future hotels we may acquire that may or may not be property managed by Remington
Hotels or project managed by Premier. The exclusivity agreements requires us to engage Remington Hotels for hotel management and Premier
for project management, respectively, unless, in each case, our independent directors either: (i) unanimously vote to hire a different
manager or developer; or (ii) by a majority vote, elect not to engage Remington Hotels or Premier, as the case may be, because they
have determined that special circumstances exist or that, based on Remington Hotels’ or Premier’s prior performance, another
manager or developer could perform the duties materially better. As significant owners of Ashford Inc., which would receive any development,
management, and management termination fees payable by us under the management agreements, Mr. Monty J. Bennett, and to a lesser
extent, Mr. Archie Bennett, Jr., in his role as chairman emeritus, may influence our decisions to sell, acquire, or develop
hotels when it is not in the best interests of our stockholders to do so.
Ashford Inc.’s ability to exercise
significant influence over the determination of the competitive set for any hotels managed by Remington Hotels could artificially enhance
the perception of the performance of a hotel, making it more difficult to use managers other than Remington Hotels for future properties.
Our hotel management mutual
exclusivity agreement with Remington requires us to engage Remington Hotels to manage all future properties that we acquire, to the extent
we have the right or control the right to direct such matters, unless our independent directors either: (i) unanimously vote not
to hire Remington Hotels or (ii) based on special circumstances or past performance, by a majority vote, elect not to engage Remington
Hotels because they have determined, in their reasonable business judgment, that it would be in our best interest not to engage Remington
Hotels or that another manager or developer could perform the duties materially better. Under our master hotel management agreement with
Remington Hotels, we have the right to terminate Remington Hotels based on the performance of the applicable hotel, subject to the payment
of a termination fee. The determination of performance is based on the applicable hotel’s gross operating profit margin and its
RevPAR penetration index, which provides the relative revenue per room generated by a specified property as compared to its competitive
set. For each hotel managed by Remington Hotels, its competitive set will consist of a small group of hotels in the relevant market that
we and Remington Hotels believe are comparable for purposes of benchmarking the performance of such hotel. Remington Hotels will have
significant influence over the determination of the competitive set for any of our hotels managed by Remington Hotels, and as such could
artificially enhance the perception of the performance of a hotel by selecting a competitive set that is not performing well or is not
comparable to the Remington Hotels-managed hotel, thereby making it more difficult for us to elect not to use Remington Hotels for future
hotel management.
Under the terms of our hotel management
mutual exclusivity agreement with Remington Hotels, Remington Hotels may be able to pursue lodging investment opportunities that compete
with us.
Pursuant to the terms of
our hotel management mutual exclusivity agreement with Remington Hotels, if investment opportunities that satisfy our investment criteria
are identified by Remington Hotels or its affiliates, Remington Hotels will give us a written notice and description of the investment
opportunity. We will have 10 business days to either accept or reject the investment opportunity. If we reject the opportunity, Remington
Hotels may then pursue such investment opportunity, subject to a right of first refusal in favor of Braemar, pursuant to an existing agreement
between Braemar and Remington Hotels, on materially the same terms and conditions as offered to us. If we were to reject such an investment
opportunity, either Braemar or Remington Hotels could pursue the opportunity and compete with us. In such a case, Mr. Monty J. Bennett,
our chairman, in his capacity as chairman of Braemar or chief executive officer of Ashford Inc. could be in a position of directly competing
with us.
Our fiduciary duties as the general partner
of our operating partnership could create conflicts of interest, which may impede business decisions that could benefit our stockholders.
We, as the general partner
of our operating partnership, have fiduciary duties to the other limited partners in our operating partnership, the discharge of which
may conflict with the interests of our stockholders. The limited partners of our operating partnership have agreed that, in the event
of a conflict in the fiduciary duties owed by us to our stockholders and, in our capacity as general partner of our operating partnership,
to such limited partners, we are under no obligation to give priority to the interests of such limited partners. In addition, those persons
holding common units will have the right to vote on certain amendments to the operating partnership agreement (which require approval
by a majority in interest of the limited partners, including us) and individually to approve certain amendments that would adversely affect
their rights. These voting rights may be exercised in a manner that conflicts with the interests of our stockholders. For example, we
are unable to modify the rights of limited partners to receive distributions as set forth in the operating partnership agreement in a
manner that adversely affects their rights without their consent, even though such modification might be in the best interest of our stockholders.
In addition, conflicts may
arise when the interests of our stockholders and the limited partners of our operating partnership diverge, particularly in circumstances
in which there may be an adverse tax consequence to the limited partners. Tax consequences to holders of common units upon a sale
or refinancing of our properties may cause the interests of the key employees of our advisor (who are also our executive officers and
have ownership interests in our operating partnership) to differ from our stockholders.
Our conflicts of interest policy may not
adequately address all of the conflicts of interest that may arise with respect to our activities.
In order to avoid any actual
or perceived conflicts of interest with our directors or officers or our advisor’s employees, we adopted a conflicts of interest
policy to address specifically some of the conflicts relating to our activities. Although under this policy the approval of a majority
of our disinterested directors is required to approve any transaction, agreement or relationship in which any of our directors or officers
or our advisor or it has an interest, there is no assurance that this policy will be adequate to address all of the conflicts that may
arise or will resolve such conflicts in a manner that is favorable to us.
Risks Related to Derivative Transactions
We have engaged in and may continue to engage
in derivative transactions, which can limit our gains and expose us to losses.
We have entered into and
may continue to enter into hedging transactions to: (i) attempt to take advantage of changes in prevailing interest rates; (ii) protect
our portfolio of mortgage assets from interest rate fluctuations; (iii) protect us from the effects of interest rate fluctuations
on floating-rate debt; (iv) protect us from the risk of fluctuations in the financial and capital markets; or (v) preserve net
cash in the event of a major downturn in the economy. Our hedging transactions may include entering into interest rate swap agreements,
interest rate cap or floor agreements or flooridor and corridor agreements, credit default swaps and purchasing or selling futures contracts,
purchasing or selling put and call options on securities or securities underlying futures contracts, or entering into forward rate agreements.
Hedging activities may not have the desired beneficial impact on our results of operations or financial condition. Volatile fluctuations
in market conditions could cause these instruments to become ineffective. Any gains or losses associated with these instruments are reported
in our earnings each period. No hedging activity can completely insulate us from the risks inherent in our business.
Credit default hedging could
fail to protect us or adversely affect us because if a swap counterparty cannot perform under the terms of our credit default swap, we
may not receive payments due under such agreement and, thus, we may lose any potential benefit associated with such credit default swap.
Additionally, we may also risk the loss of any cash collateral we have pledged to secure our obligations under such credit default swaps
if the counterparty becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy.
Moreover, interest rate hedging
could fail to protect us or adversely affect us because, among other things:
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available interest rate hedging may not correspond directly with the interest rate risk for which protections
is sought;
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the duration of the hedge may not match the duration of the related liability;
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the party owing money in the hedging transaction may default on its obligation to pay;
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the credit quality of the party owing money on the hedge may be downgraded to such an extent that it impairs
our ability to sell or assign our side of the hedging transaction; and
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the value of derivatives used for hedging may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) to reflect changes in fair value and such downward adjustments, or “market-to-market
loss,” would reduce our stockholders’ equity.
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Hedging involves both risks
and costs, including transaction costs, which may reduce our overall returns on our investments. These costs increase as the period covered
by the hedging relationship increases and during periods of rising and volatile interest rates. These costs will also limit the amount
of cash available for distributions to stockholders. We generally intend to hedge to the extent management determines it is in our best
interest given the cost of such hedging transactions as compared to the potential economic returns or protections offered. The REIT qualification
rules may limit our ability to enter into hedging transactions by requiring us to limit our income and assets from hedges. If we
are unable to hedge effectively because of the REIT rules, we will face greater interest rate exposure than may be commercially prudent.
We are subject to the risk of default or
insolvency by the hospitality entities underlying our investments.
The leveraged capital structure
of the hospitality entities underlying our investments will increase their exposure to adverse economic factors (such as rising interest
rates, competitive pressures, downturns in the economy or deterioration in the condition of the real estate industry) and to the risk
of unforeseen events. If an underlying entity cannot generate adequate cash flow to meet such entity’s debt obligations (which may
include leveraged obligations in excess of its aggregate assets), it may default on its loan agreements or be forced into bankruptcy.
As a result, we may suffer a partial or total loss of the capital we have invested in the securities and other investments of such entity.
The derivatives provisions of the Dodd-Frank
Act and related rules could have an adverse effect on our ability to use derivative instruments to reduce the negative effect of
interest rate fluctuations on our results of operations and liquidity, credit default risks and other risks associated with our business.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street
Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) establishes federal oversight and regulation of the over-the-counter
derivatives market and entities, including us, that participate in that market. As required by the Dodd-Frank Act, the Commodities Futures
Trading Commission (the “CFTC”), the SEC and other regulators have adopted certain rules implementing the swaps regulatory
provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act and are in the process of adopting other rules to implement those provisions. Numerous provisions
of the Dodd-Frank Act and the CFTC’s rules relating to derivatives that qualify as “swaps” thereunder apply or
may apply to the derivatives to which we are or may become a counterparty. Under such statutory provisions and the CFTC’s rules,
we must clear on a derivatives clearing organization any over-the- counter swap we enter into that is within a class of swaps designated
for clearing by CFTC rule and execute trades in such cleared swap on an exchange if the swap is accepted for trading on the exchange
unless such swap is exempt from such mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements. We may qualify for and intend to elect the end-user
exception from those requirements for swaps we enter to hedge our commercial risks and that are subject to the mandatory clearing and
trade execution requirements. If we are required to clear or voluntarily elect to clear any swaps we enter into, those swaps will be governed
by standardized agreements and we will have to post margin with respect to such swaps. To date, the CFTC has designated only certain types
of interest rate swaps and credit default swaps for clearing and trade execution. Although we believe that none of the interest rate swaps
and credit default swaps to which we are currently party fall within those designated types of swaps, we may enter into swaps in the future
that will be subject to the mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements and subject to the risks described.
Rules recently adopted
by banking regulators and the CFTC in accordance with a requirement of the Dodd-Frank Act require regulated financial institutions and
swap dealers and major swap participants that are not regulated financial institutions to collect margin with respect to uncleared swaps
to which they are parties and to which financial end users, among others, are their counterparties. We will qualify as a financial end
user for purposes of such margin rules. We will not have to post initial margin with respect to our uncleared swaps under the new rules because
we do not have material swaps exposure as defined in the new rules. However, we will be required to post variation margin (most likely
in the form of cash collateral) with respect to each of our uncleared swaps subject to the new margin rules in an amount equal to
the cumulative decrease in the market-to-market value of such swap to our counterparty as of any date of determination from the value
of such swap as of the date of the swap’s execution. The SEC has proposed margin rules for security-based swaps to which regulated
financial institutions are not counterparties. Those proposed rules differ from the CFTC’s margin rules, but the final form
that those rules will take and their effect is uncertain at this time.
The Dodd-Frank Act has caused
certain market participants, and may cause other market participants, including the counterparties to our derivative instruments, to spin
off some of their derivatives activities to separate entities. Those entities may not be as creditworthy as the historical counterparties
to our derivatives.
Some of the rules required
to implement the swaps-related provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act remain to be adopted, and the CFTC has, from time to time, issued and
may in the future issue interpretations and no-action letters interpreting, and clarifying the application of, those provisions and the
related rules or delaying compliance with those provisions and rules. As a result, it is not possible at this time to predict with
certainty the full effects of the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFTC’s rules and the SEC’s rules on us and the timing of such
effects.
The Dodd-Frank Act and the
rules adopted thereunder could significantly increase the cost of derivative contracts (including from swap recordkeeping and reporting
requirements and through requirements to post margin with respect to our swaps, which could adversely affect our available liquidity),
materially alter the terms of derivative contracts, reduce the availability of derivatives to protect against risks we encounter, reduce
our ability to monetize or restructure our existing derivative contracts, and increase our exposure to less creditworthy counterparties.
If we reduce our use of derivatives as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act and the related rules, our results of operations may become more
volatile and our cash flows may be less predictable, which could adversely affect our ability to plan for and fund capital expenditures
and to pay dividends to our stockholders. Any of these consequences could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial
position, results of operations and cash flows.
Risks Related to Investments in
Securities, Mortgages and Mezzanine Loans
Our earnings are dependent, in part, upon
the performance of our investment portfolio.
To the extent permitted by
the Code, we may invest in and own securities of other public companies and REITs (including Braemar). To the extent that the value of
those investments declines or those investments do not provide an attractive return, our earnings and cash flow could be adversely affected.
Debt investments that are not United States
government insured involve risk of loss.
As part of our business strategy,
we may originate or acquire lodging-related uninsured and mortgage assets, including mezzanine loans. While holding these interests, we
are subject to risks of borrower defaults, bankruptcies, fraud and related losses, and special hazard losses that are not covered by standard
hazard insurance. Also, costs of financing the mortgage loans could exceed returns on the mortgage loans. In the event of any default
under mortgage loans held by us, we will bear the risk of loss of principal and non-payment of interest and fees to the extent of any
deficiency between the value of the mortgage collateral and the principal amount of the mortgage loan. We suffered significant impairment
charges with respect to our investments in mortgage loans in 2009 and 2010. The value and the price of our securities may be adversely
affected.
We may invest in non-recourse loans, which
will limit our recovery to the value of the mortgaged property.
Our mortgage and mezzanine
loan assets have typically been non-recourse. With respect to non-recourse mortgage loan assets, in the event of a borrower default, the
specific mortgaged property and other assets, if any, pledged to secure the relevant mortgage loan, may be less than the amount owed under
the mortgage loan. As to those mortgage loan assets that provide for recourse against the borrower and its assets generally, we cannot
assure you that the recourse will provide a recovery in respect of a defaulted mortgage loan greater than the liquidation value of the
mortgaged property securing that mortgage loan.
Investment yields affect our decision whether
to originate or purchase investments and the price offered for such investments.
In making any investment,
we consider the expected yield of the investment and the factors that may influence the yield actually obtained on such investment. These
considerations affect our decision whether to originate or purchase an investment and the price offered for that investment. No assurances
can be given that we can make an accurate assessment of the yield to be produced by an investment. Many factors beyond our control are
likely to influence the yield on the investments, including, but not limited to, competitive conditions in the local real estate market,
local and general economic conditions, and the quality of management of the underlying property. Our inability to accurately assess investment
yields may result in our purchasing assets that do not perform as well as expected, which may adversely affect the price of our securities.
Volatility of values of mortgaged properties
may adversely affect our mortgage loans.
Lodging property values and
net operating income derived from lodging properties are subject to volatility and may be affected adversely by a number of factors, including
the risk factors described herein relating to general economic conditions, operating lodging properties, and owning real estate investments.
In the event its net operating income decreases, one of our borrowers may have difficulty paying our mortgage loan, which could result
in losses to us. In addition, decreases in property values will reduce the value of the collateral and the potential proceeds available
to our borrowers to repay our mortgage loans, which could also cause us to suffer losses.
We may not be able to raise capital through
financing activities and may have difficulties negotiating with lenders in times of distress due to our complex structure and property-level
indebtedness.
Substantially all of our
assets are encumbered by property-level indebtedness; therefore, we may be limited in our ability to raise additional capital through
property level or other financings. In addition, our ability to raise additional capital could be limited to refinancing existing secured
mortgages before their maturity date which may result in yield maintenance or other prepayment penalties to the extent that the mortgage
is not open for prepayment at par. Due to these limitations on our ability to raise additional capital, we may face difficulties obtaining
liquidity and negotiating with lenders in times of distress.
Mezzanine loans involve greater risks of
loss than senior loans secured by income-producing properties.
We may make and acquire mezzanine
loans. These types of loans are considered to involve a higher degree of risk than long-term senior mortgage lending secured by income-producing
real property due to a variety of factors, including the loan being entirely unsecured or, if secured, becoming unsecured as a result
of foreclosure by the senior lender. We may not recover some or all of our investment in these loans. In addition, mezzanine loans may
have higher loan-to-value ratios than conventional mortgage loans resulting in less equity in the property and increasing the risk of
loss of principal.
The assets associated with certain of our
derivative transactions do not constitute qualified REIT assets and the related income will not constitute qualified REIT income. Significant
fluctuations in the value of such assets or the related income could jeopardize our REIT status or result in additional tax liabilities.
We have entered into certain
derivative transactions to protect against interest rate risks and credit default risks not specifically associated with debt incurred
to acquire qualified REIT assets. The REIT provisions of the Code limit our income and assets in each year from such derivative transactions.
Failure to comply with the asset or income limitation within the REIT provisions of the Code could result in penalty taxes or loss of
our REIT status. If we elect to contribute the non-qualifying derivatives into a TRS to preserve our REIT status, such an action would
result in any income from such transactions being subject to U.S. federal income taxation.
Our prior investment performance is not
indicative of future results.
The performance of our prior
investments is not necessarily indicative of the results that can be expected for the investments to be made by our subsidiaries. On any
given investment, total loss of the investment is possible. Although our management team has experience and has had success in making
investments in real estate-related lodging debt and hotel assets, the past performance of these investments is not necessarily indicative
of the results of our future investments.
Our investment portfolio will contain investments
concentrated in a single industry and will not be fully diversified.
We have formed subsidiaries
for the primary purpose of acquiring securities and other investments of lodging-related entities. As such, our investment portfolio will
contain investments concentrated in a single industry and may not be fully diversified by asset class, geographic region or other criteria,
which will expose us to significant loss due to concentration risk. Investors have no assurance that the degree of diversification in
our investment portfolio will increase at any time in the future.
The values of our investments are affected
by the U.S. credit and financial markets and, as such, may fluctuate.
The U.S. credit and financial
markets may experience severe dislocations and liquidity disruptions. The values of our investments are likely to be sensitive to the
volatility of the U.S. credit and financial markets, and, to the extent that turmoil in the U.S. credit and financial markets occurs,
such volatility has the potential to materially affect the value of our investment portfolio.
We may invest in securities for which there
is no liquid market, and we may be unable to dispose of such securities at the time or in the manner that may be most favorable to us,
which may adversely affect our business.
We may invest in securities
for which there is no liquid market or which may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise be less liquid than
publicly traded securities generally. The relative illiquidity of these investments may make it difficult for us to sell these investments
when desired. In addition, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less
than the value at which we had previously recorded these investments. Our investments may occasionally be subject to contractual or legal
restrictions on resale or will be otherwise illiquid due to the fact that there is no established trading market for such securities,
or such trading market is thinly traded. The relative illiquidity of such investments may make it difficult for us to dispose of them
at a favorable price, and, as a result, we may suffer losses.
Risks Related to the Real Estate
Industry
Illiquidity of real estate investments could
significantly impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance of our hotel properties and harm our financial condition.
Because real estate investments
are relatively illiquid, our ability to sell promptly one or more hotel properties or mortgage loans in our portfolio for reasonable prices
in response to changing economic, financial, and investment conditions is limited.
We may decide to sell hotel
properties or loans in the future. We cannot predict whether we will be able to sell any hotel property or loan for the price or on the
terms set by us, or whether any price or other terms offered by a prospective purchaser would be acceptable to us. We may sell a property
at a loss as compared to carrying value. We also cannot predict the length of time needed to find a willing purchaser and to close the
sale of a hotel property or loan. We may offer more flexible terms on our mortgage loans than some providers of commercial mortgage loans,
and as a result, we may have more difficulty selling or participating our loans to secondary purchasers than would these more traditional
lenders.
We may be required to expend
funds to correct defects or to make improvements before a property can be sold. We cannot assure you that we will have funds available
to correct those defects or to make those improvements. In acquiring a hotel property, we may agree to lock-out provisions that materially
restrict us from selling that property for a period of time or impose other restrictions, such as a limitation on the amount of debt that
can be placed or repaid on that property. These and other factors could impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance
of our hotel properties or a need for liquidity.
Increases in property taxes would increase
our operating costs, reduce our income and adversely affect our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
Each of our hotel properties
will be subject to real and personal property taxes. These taxes may increase as tax rates change and as the properties are assessed or
reassessed by taxing authorities. If property taxes increase, our financial condition, results of operations and our ability to make distributions
to our stockholders could be materially and adversely affected and the market price of our Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock could decline.
The costs of compliance with or liabilities
under environmental laws may harm our operating results.
Operating expenses at our
hotels could be higher than anticipated due to the cost of complying with existing or future environmental laws and regulations. In addition,
our hotel properties and properties underlying our loan assets may be subject to environmental liabilities. An owner of real property,
or a lender with respect to a party that exercises control over the property, can face liability for environmental contamination created
by the presence or discharge of hazardous substances on the property. We may face liability regardless of:
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our knowledge of the contamination;
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the timing of the contamination;
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the cause of the contamination; or
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the party responsible for the contamination.
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There may be environmental problems associated with our hotel properties
or properties underlying our loan assets of which we are unaware. Some of our hotel properties or the properties underlying our loan
assets use, or may have used in the past, underground tanks for the storage of petroleum-based or waste products that could create a
potential for release of hazardous substances. If environmental contamination exists on a hotel property, we could become subject to
strict, joint and several liabilities for the contamination if we own the property or if we foreclose on the property or otherwise have
control over the property.
The presence of hazardous
substances on a property we own or have made a loan with respect to may adversely affect our ability to sell, on favorable terms or at
all, or foreclose on the property, and we may incur substantial remediation costs. The discovery of material environmental liabilities
at our properties or properties underlying our loan assets could subject us to unanticipated significant costs.
We generally have environmental
insurance policies on each of our owned properties, and we intend to obtain environmental insurance for any other properties that we may
acquire. However, if environmental liabilities are discovered during the underwriting of the insurance policies for any property that
we may acquire in the future, we may be unable to obtain insurance coverage for the liabilities at commercially reasonable rates or at
all, and we may experience losses. In addition, we generally do not require our borrowers to obtain environmental insurance on the properties
they own that secure their loans from us.
Numerous treaties, laws and
regulations have been enacted to regulate or limit carbon emissions. Changes in the regulations and legislation relating to climate change,
and complying with such laws and regulations, may require us to make significant investments in our hotels and could result in increased
energy costs at our properties.
Our properties and the properties underlying
our mortgage loans may contain or develop harmful mold, which could lead to liability for adverse health effects and costs of remediating
the problem.
When excessive moisture accumulates
in buildings or on building materials, mold growth may occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or is not addressed
over a period of time. Some molds may produce airborne toxins or irritants. Concern about indoor exposure to mold has been increasing
as exposure to mold may cause a variety of adverse health effects and symptoms, including allergic or other reactions. Some of the properties
in our portfolio may contain microbial matter such as mold and mildew. As a result, the presence of significant mold at any of our properties
or the properties underlying our loan assets could require us or our borrowers to undertake a costly remediation program to contain or
remove the mold from the affected property. In addition, the presence of significant mold could expose us or our borrowers to liability
from hotel guests, hotel employees, and others if property damage or health concerns arise.
Compliance with the ADA and fire, safety,
and other regulations may require us or our borrowers to incur substantial costs.
All of our properties and
properties underlying our mortgage loans are required to comply with the ADA. The ADA requires that “public accommodations”
such as hotels be made accessible to people with disabilities. Compliance with the ADA’s requirements could require removal of access
barriers and non-compliance could result in imposition of fines by the U.S. government or an award of damages to private litigants, or
both. In addition, we and our borrowers are required to operate our properties in compliance with fire and safety regulations, building
codes, and other land use regulations as they may be adopted by governmental agencies and bodies and become applicable to our properties.
Any requirement to make substantial modifications to our hotel properties, whether to comply with the ADA or other changes in governmental
rules and regulations, could be costly.
We may obtain only limited warranties when
we purchase a property and would have only limited recourse if our due diligence did not identify any issues that lower the value of our
property, which could adversely affect our financial condition and ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
We may acquire a hotel property
in its “as is” condition on a “where is” basis and “with all faults,” without any warranties of merchantability
or fitness for a particular use or purpose. In addition, purchase agreements may contain only limited warranties, representations and
indemnifications that will only survive for a limited period after the closing, or provide a cap on the amount of damages we can recover.
The purchase of properties with limited warranties increases the risk that we may lose some or all our invested capital in the property
as well as the loss of income from that property.
We may experience uninsured or underinsured
losses.
We have property and casualty
insurance with respect to our hotel properties and other insurance, in each case, with loss limits and coverage thresholds deemed reasonable
by our management team (and with the intent to satisfy the requirements of lenders and franchisors). In doing so, we have made decisions
with respect to what deductibles, policy limits, and terms are reasonable based on management’s experience, our risk profile, the
loss history of our hotel managers and our properties, the nature of our properties and our businesses, our loss prevention efforts, the
cost of insurance and other factors.
Various types of catastrophic
losses may not be insurable or may not be economically insurable. In the event of a substantial loss, our insurance coverage may not cover
the full current market value or replacement cost of our lost investment, including losses incurred in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inflation, changes in building codes and ordinances, environmental considerations, and other factors might cause insurance proceeds to
be insufficient to fully replace or renovate a hotel after it has been damaged or destroyed. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that:
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the insurance coverage thresholds that we have obtained will fully protect us against insurable losses
(i.e., losses may exceed coverage limits);
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we will not incur large deductibles that will adversely affect our earnings;
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we will not incur losses from risks that are not insurable or that are not economically insurable; or
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current coverage thresholds will continue to be available at reasonable rates.
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In the future, we may choose
not to maintain terrorism or other insurance policies on any of our properties. As a result, one or more large uninsured or underinsured
losses could have a material adverse effect on us.
Each of our current lenders
requires us to maintain certain insurance coverage thresholds, and we anticipate that future lenders will have similar requirements. We
believe that we have complied with the insurance maintenance requirements under the current governing loan documents and we intend to
comply with any such requirements in any future loan documents. However, a lender may disagree, in which case the lender could obtain
additional coverage thresholds and seek payment from us, or declare us in default under the loan documents. In the former case, we could
spend more for insurance than we otherwise deem reasonable or necessary or, in the latter case, subject us to a foreclosure on hotels
securing one or more loans.
In addition, a material casualty
to one or more hotels securing loans may result in the insurance company applying to the outstanding loan balance insurance proceeds that
otherwise would be available to repair the damage caused by the casualty, which would require us to fund the repairs through other sources,
or the lender foreclosing on the hotels if there is a material loss that is not insured.
Risks Related to Our Status as
a REIT
If we do not qualify as a REIT, we will
be subject to tax as a regular corporation and could face substantial tax liability.
We conduct operations so
as to qualify as a REIT under the Code. However, qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex Code
provisions for which only a limited number of judicial or administrative interpretations exist. Even a technical or inadvertent mistake
could jeopardize our REIT status or we may be required to rely on a REIT “savings clause.” If we were to rely on a REIT “savings
clause,” we would have to pay a penalty tax, which could be material. Due to the gain we recognized as a result of the spin-off
of Braemar, if Braemar were to fail to qualify as a REIT for 2013, we may have failed to qualify as a REIT for 2013 and subsequent taxable
years. Furthermore, new tax legislation, administrative guidance, or court decisions, in each instance potentially with retroactive effect,
could make it more difficult or impossible for us to qualify as a REIT.
If we fail to qualify as
a REIT in any tax year, then:
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we would be taxed as a regular domestic corporation, which, among other things, means being unable to
deduct distributions to our stockholders in computing taxable income and being subject to U.S. federal income tax on our taxable income
at regular corporate rates;
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we would also be subject to federal alternative minimum tax for taxable years beginning before January 1,
2018, and, possibly, increased state and local income taxes;
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any resulting tax liability could be substantial and would reduce the amount of cash available for distribution
to stockholders; and
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unless we were entitled to relief under applicable statutory provisions, we would be disqualified from
treatment as a REIT for the subsequent four taxable years following the year that we lost our qualification, and, thus, our cash available
for distribution to stockholders could be reduced for each of the years during which we did not qualify as a REIT.
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If, as a result of covenants
applicable to our future debt, we are restricted from making distributions to our stockholders, we may be unable to make distributions
necessary for us to avoid U.S. federal corporate income and excise taxes and to qualify and maintain our qualification as a REIT, which
could materially and adversely affect us. In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, we will not be required to make distributions
to stockholders to maintain our tax status. As a result of all of these factors, our failure to qualify as a REIT could impair our ability
to raise capital, expand our business, and make distributions to our stockholders and could adversely affect the value of our securities.
Even if we qualify and remain qualified
as a REIT, we may face other tax liabilities that reduce our cash flow.
Even if we qualify and remain
qualified for taxation as a REIT, we may be subject to certain federal, state, and local taxes on our income and assets. For example:
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We will be required to pay tax on undistributed REIT taxable income.
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If we have net income from the disposition of foreclosure property held primarily for sale to customers
in the ordinary course of business or other non-qualifying income from foreclosure property, we must pay tax on that income at the highest
corporate rate.
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If we sell a property in a “prohibited transaction,” our gain from the sale would be subject
to a 100% penalty tax.
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Each of our TRSs is a fully taxable corporation and will be subject to federal and state taxes on its
income.
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We may continue to experience increases in our state and local income tax burden. Over the past several
years, certain state and local taxing authorities have significantly changed their income tax regimes in order to raise revenues. The
changes enacted that have increased our state and local income tax burden include the taxation of modified gross receipts (as opposed
to net taxable income), the suspension of and/or limitation on the use of net operating loss deductions, increases in tax rates and fees,
the addition of surcharges, and the taxation of our partnership income at the entity level. Facing mounting budget deficits, more state
and local taxing authorities have indicated that they are going to revise their income tax regimes in this fashion and/or eliminate certain
federally allowed tax deductions such as the REIT dividends paid deduction.
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Failure to make required distributions would
subject us to U.S. federal corporate income tax.
We intend to operate in a
manner that allows us to continue to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In order to continue to qualify as a REIT,
we generally are required to distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction
and excluding any net capital gain, each year to our stockholders. To the extent that we satisfy this distribution requirement, but distribute
less than 100% of our REIT taxable income, we will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on our undistributed taxable income.
In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax if the actual amount that we pay out to our stockholders in a calendar
year is less than a minimum amount specified under the Code.
Our TRS lessee structure increases our overall
tax liability.
Our TRS lessees are subject
to federal, state and local income tax on their taxable income, which consists of the revenues from the hotel properties leased by our
TRS lessees, net of the operating expenses for such hotel properties and rent payments to us. Accordingly, although our ownership of our
TRS lessees allows us to participate in the operating income from our hotel properties in addition to receiving fixed rent, the net operating
income is fully subject to income tax. The after-tax net income of our TRS lessees is available for distribution to us.
If our leases with our TRS lessees are not
respected as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we would fail to qualify as a REIT.
To qualify as a REIT, we
are required to satisfy two gross income tests, pursuant to which specified percentages of our gross income must be passive income,
such as rent. For the rent paid pursuant to the hotel leases with our TRS lessees, which constitutes substantially all of our gross income,
to qualify for purposes of the gross income tests, the leases must be respected as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes and
must not be treated as service contracts, joint ventures or some other type of arrangement. We have structured our leases, and intend
to structure any future leases, so that the leases will be respected as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes, but the IRS
may not agree with this characterization. If the leases were not respected as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we would
not be able to satisfy either of the two gross income tests applicable to REITs and likely would fail to qualify as a REIT.
Our ownership of TRSs is limited and our
transactions with our TRSs will cause us to be subject to a 100% penalty tax on certain income or deductions if those transactions are
not conducted on arm’s-length terms.
A REIT may own up to 100%
of the stock of one or more TRSs. A TRS may hold assets and earn income that would not be qualifying assets or income if held or earned
directly by a REIT, including gross operating income from hotels that are operated by eligible independent contractors pursuant to hotel
management agreements. Both the subsidiary and the REIT must jointly elect to treat the subsidiary as a TRS. A corporation of which a
TRS directly or indirectly owns more than 35% of the voting power or value of the stock will automatically be treated as a TRS. Overall,
no more than 20% of the value of a REIT’s assets may consist of stock or securities of one or more TRSs. In addition, the TRS rules limit
the deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a TRS to its parent REIT to assure that the TRS is subject to an appropriate level of
corporate taxation. The rules also impose a 100% excise tax on certain transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT that are not
conducted on an arm’s-length basis. Finally, the 100% excise tax also applies to the underpricing of services by a TRS to its parent
REIT in contexts where the services are unrelated to services for REIT tenants.
Our TRSs are subject to federal,
foreign, state and local income tax on their taxable income, and their after-tax net income is available for distribution to us but is
not required to be distributed to us. We believe that the aggregate value of the stock and securities of our TRSs is less than 20% of
the value of our total assets (including our TRS stock and securities).
We monitor the value of our
respective investments in our TRSs for the purpose of ensuring compliance with TRS ownership limitations. In addition, we scrutinize all
of our transactions with our TRSs to ensure that they are entered into on arm’s-length terms to avoid incurring the 100% excise
tax described above. For example, in determining the amounts payable by our TRSs under our leases, we engaged a third party to prepare
transfer pricing studies to ascertain whether the lease terms we established are on an arm’s-length basis as required by applicable
Treasury Regulations. However the receipt of a transfer pricing study does not prevent the IRS from challenging the arm’s length
nature of the lease terms between a REIT and its TRS lessees. Consequently, there can be no assurance that we will be able to avoid application
of the 100% excise tax discussed above.
If our hotel managers, including Ashford
Hospitality Services, LLC and its subsidiaries (including Remington Hotels) do not qualify as “eligible independent contractors,”
we would fail to qualify as a REIT.
Rent paid by a lessee that
is a “related party tenant” of ours is not qualifying income for purposes of the two gross income tests applicable to REITs.
We lease all of our hotels to our TRS lessees. A TRS lessee will not be treated as a “related party tenant,” and will not
be treated as directly operating a lodging facility, which is prohibited, to the extent the TRS lessee leases properties from us that
are managed by an “eligible independent contractor.”
We believe that the rent
paid by our TRS lessees is qualifying income for purposes of the REIT gross income tests and that our TRSs qualify to be treated as TRSs
for U.S. federal income tax purposes, but there can be no assurance that the IRS will not challenge this treatment or that a court would
not sustain such a challenge. If we failed to meet either the asset or gross income tests, we would likely lose our REIT qualification
for U.S. federal income tax purposes, unless certain of the REIT “savings clauses” applied.
If our hotel managers, including
Ashford Hospitality Services, LLC (“AHS”) and its subsidiaries (including Remington Hotels), do not qualify as “eligible
independent contractors,” we would fail to qualify as a REIT. Each of the hotel management companies that enters into a management
contract with our TRS lessees must qualify as an “eligible independent contractor” under the REIT rules in order for
the rent paid to us by our TRS lessees to be qualifying income for our REIT income test requirements. Among other requirements, in order
to qualify as an eligible independent contractor a manager must not own more than 35% of our outstanding shares (by value) and no person
or group of persons can own more than 35% of our outstanding shares and the ownership interests of the manager, taking into account only
owners of more than 5% of our shares and, with respect to ownership interests in such managers that are publicly-traded, only holders
of more than 5% of such ownership interests. Complex ownership attribution rules apply for purposes of these 35% thresholds. Although
we intend to monitor ownership of our shares by our hotel managers and their owners, there can be no assurance that these ownership levels
will not be exceeded. Additionally, we and AHS and its subsidiaries, including Remington Hotels, must comply with the provisions of the
private letter ruling we obtained from the IRS in connection with Ashford Inc.’s acquisition of Remington Hotels to ensure that
AHS and its subsidiaries, including Remington Hotels, continue to qualify as “eligible independent contractors.”
Dividends payable by REITs do not qualify
for the reduced tax rates available for some dividends.
The maximum U.S. federal
income tax rate applicable to “qualified dividend income” payable to U.S. stockholders that are taxed at individual rates
is 20%. Dividends payable by REITs, however, generally are not eligible for this reduced maximum rate on qualified dividend income. However,
under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act a non-corporate taxpayer may deduct 20% of ordinary REIT dividends that are not “capital gain dividends”
or “qualified dividend income” resulting in an effective maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 29.6% (based on the current
maximum U.S. federal income tax rate for individuals of 37%). Individuals, trusts and estates whose income exceeds certain thresholds
are also subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on dividends received from us. The more favorable rates applicable to regular corporate qualified
dividends could cause investors who are taxed at individual rates to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than
investments in the stocks of non-REIT corporations that pay dividends, which could adversely affect the value of the shares of REITs,
including our stock.
If our operating partnership failed to qualify
as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we would cease to qualify as a REIT and would be subject to higher taxes and have
less cash available for distribution to our stockholders and suffer other adverse consequences.
We believe that our operating
partnership qualifies to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a partnership, our operating partnership
is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on its income. Instead, each of its partners, including us, is required to include in income
its allocable share of the operating partnership’s income. No assurance can be provided, however, that the IRS will not challenge
its status as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or that a court would not sustain such a challenge. If the IRS were
successful in treating our operating partnership as a corporation for tax purposes, we would fail to meet the gross income tests and certain
of the asset tests applicable to REITs and, accordingly, cease to qualify as a REIT. Also, the failure of our operating partnership to
qualify as a partnership would cause it to become subject to federal and state corporate income tax, which would reduce significantly
the amount of cash available for debt service and for distribution to its partners, including us.
Note that although partnerships
have traditionally not been subject to U.S. federal income tax at the entity level as described above, new audit rules, will generally
apply to the partnership. Under the new rules, unless an entity elects otherwise, taxes arising from audit adjustments are required to
be paid by the entity rather than by its partners or members. We may utilize exceptions available under the new provisions (including
any changes) and Treasury Regulations so that the partners, to the fullest extent possible, rather than the partnership itself, will be
liable for any taxes arising from audit adjustments to the issuing entity’s taxable income. One such exception is to apply an elective
alternative method under which the additional taxes resulting from the adjustment are assessed from the affected partners (often referred
to as a “push-out election”), subject to a higher rate of interest than otherwise would apply. When a push-out election causes
a partner that is itself a partnership to be assessed with its share of such additional taxes from the adjustment, such partnership may
cause such additional taxes to be pushed out to its own partners. In addition, Treasury Regulations provide that a partner that is a REIT
may be able to use deficiency dividend procedures with respect to such adjustments. Many questions remain as to how the partnership audit
rules will apply, and it is not clear at this time what effect these rules will have on us. However, it is possible that these
changes could increase the U.S. federal income tax, interest, and/or penalties otherwise borne by us in the event of a U.S. federal income
tax audit of a subsidiary partnership (such as our operating partnership).
Complying with REIT requirements may cause
us to forgo otherwise attractive opportunities.
To qualify as a REIT for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, the nature
and diversification of our assets, the amounts we distribute to our stockholders, and the ownership of our stock. We may be required to
make distributions to stockholders at disadvantageous times or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution. We may elect
to pay dividends on our Common Stock in cash or a combination of cash and shares of securities as permitted under U.S. federal income
tax laws governing REIT distribution requirements. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our ability to operate solely
on the basis of maximizing profits.
Complying with REIT requirements may limit
our ability to hedge effectively.
The REIT provisions of the
Code may limit our ability to hedge mortgage securities and related borrowings by requiring us to limit our income and assets in each
year from certain hedges, together with any other income not generated from qualified real estate assets, to no more than 25% of our gross
income. In addition, we must limit our aggregate income from nonqualified hedging transactions, from our provision of services, and from
other non-qualifying sources to no more than 5% of our annual gross income. As a result, we may have to limit our use of advantageous
hedging techniques. This could result in greater risks associated with changes in interest rates than we would otherwise want to incur.
However, for transactions that we enter into to protect against interest rate risks on debt incurred to acquire qualified REIT assets
and for which we identify as hedges for tax purposes, any associated hedging income is excluded from the 95% income test and the 75% income
test applicable to a REIT. In addition, similar rules apply to income from positions that primarily manage risk with respect to a
prior hedge entered into by a REIT in connection with the extinguishment or disposal (in whole or in part) of the liability or asset related
to such prior hedge, to the extent the new position qualifies as a hedge or would so qualify if the hedged position were ordinary property.
If we were to violate the 25% or 5% limitations, we may have to pay a penalty tax equal to the amount of income in excess of those limitations
multiplied by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability. If we fail to satisfy the REIT gross income tests, unless our failure
was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect such that a REIT “savings clause” applied, we could lose our REIT
status for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Complying with REIT requirements may force
us to liquidate otherwise attractive investments.
To qualify as a REIT, we
must also ensure that at the end of each calendar quarter at least 75% of the value of our assets consists of cash, cash items, government
securities, and qualified REIT real estate assets. The remainder of our investment in securities (other than government securities and
qualified real estate assets) generally cannot include more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer or more than
10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer. In addition, in general, no more than 5% of the value of our assets
(other than government securities and qualified real estate assets) can consist of the securities of any one issuer, and no more than
20% of the value of our total assets can be represented by securities of one or more TRSs, and no more than 25% of the value of our total
assets can be represented by certain publicly offered REIT debt instruments.
If we fail to comply with
these requirements at the end of any calendar quarter, we must correct such failure within 30 days after the end of the calendar
quarter to avoid losing our REIT status and suffering adverse tax consequences. As a result, we may be required to liquidate otherwise
attractive investments.
Complying with REIT requirements may force
us to borrow to make distributions to our stockholders.
As a REIT, we must distribute
at least 90% of our annual REIT taxable income, excluding net capital gains, (subject to certain adjustments) to our stockholders. To
the extent that we satisfy the distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100% of our taxable income, we will be subject to federal
corporate income tax on our undistributed taxable income. In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax if the actual
amount that we pay out to our stockholders in a calendar year is less than a minimum amount specified under federal tax laws.
From time to time, we may
generate taxable income greater than our net income for financial reporting purposes or our taxable income may be greater than our cash
flow available for distribution to our stockholders. If we do not have other funds available in these situations, we could be required
to borrow funds, sell investments at disadvantageous prices, or find another alternative source of funds to make distributions sufficient
to enable us to pay out enough of our taxable income to satisfy the distribution requirement and to avoid corporate income tax and the
4% excise tax in a particular year. These alternatives could increase our costs or reduce the value of our equity. We may elect to pay
dividends on our Common Stock in cash or a combination of cash and shares of securities as permitted under U.S. federal income tax laws
governing REIT distribution requirements. To the extent that we make distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and
profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes), such distributions would generally be considered a return of capital for
U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of the holder’s adjusted tax basis in its shares. A return of capital is not taxable,
but it has the effect of reducing the holder’s adjusted tax basis in its investment. To the extent that distributions exceed the
adjusted tax basis of a holder’s shares, they will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such stock.
We may in the future choose to pay taxable
dividends in our shares of our Common Stock instead of cash, in which case stockholders may be required to pay income taxes in excess
of the cash dividends they receive.
We may distribute taxable
dividends that are payable in cash and Common Stock at the election of each stockholder, subject to certain limitations, including that
the cash portion be at least 20% of the total distribution.
If we make a taxable dividend
payable in cash and Common Stock, taxable stockholders receiving such dividends will be required to include the full amount of the dividend
as ordinary income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
As a result, stockholders may be required to pay income taxes with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash dividends received.
If a U.S. stockholder sells the shares of Common Stock that it receives as a dividend in order to pay this tax, the sales proceeds may
be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of our Common Stock at the time
of the sale. Furthermore, with respect to certain non-U.S. stockholders, we may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax with respect
to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that is payable in shares of Common Stock. In addition, if
we made a taxable dividend payable in cash and our Common Stock and a significant number of our stockholders determine to sell shares
of our Common Stock in order to pay taxes owed on dividends, it may put downward pressure on the trading price of our Common Stock. We
do not currently intend to pay taxable dividends of our Common Stock and cash, although we may choose to do so in the future.
The prohibited transactions tax may limit
our ability to dispose of our properties.
A REIT’s net income
from prohibited transactions is subject to a 100% tax. In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property,
other than foreclosure property, held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. We may be subject to the prohibited
transaction tax equal to 100% of net gain upon a disposition of real property. Although a safe harbor to the characterization of the sale
of real property by a REIT as a prohibited transaction is available, we cannot assure you that we can comply with the safe harbor or that
we will avoid owning property that may be characterized as held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. Consequently,
we may choose not to engage in certain sales of our properties or may conduct such sales through our TRS, which would be subject to federal
and state income taxation.
The ability of the Board to revoke our REIT
qualification without stockholder approval may cause adverse consequences to our stockholders.
Our Charter provides that
the Board may revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without the approval of our stockholders, if it determines that it is no
longer in our best interest to continue to qualify as a REIT. If we cease to qualify as a REIT, we would become subject to U.S. federal
and state and local income taxes on our taxable income and would no longer be required to distribute most of our taxable income to our
stockholders, which may have adverse consequences on the total stockholder return received by our stockholders.
We may be subject to adverse legislative
or regulatory tax changes that could reduce the market price of our securities.
At any time, the U.S. federal
income tax laws governing REITs or the administrative interpretations of those laws may be amended. We cannot predict when or if any new
U.S. federal income tax law, regulation or administrative interpretation, or any amendment to any existing U.S. federal income tax law,
regulation or administrative interpretation, will be adopted, promulgated or become effective and any such law, regulation, or interpretation
may take effect retroactively. We and our stockholders could be adversely affected by any such change in the U.S. federal income tax laws,
regulations or administrative interpretations. It is possible that future legislation would result in a REIT having fewer advantages,
and it could become more advantageous for a company that invests in real estate to be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as
a corporation.
If Braemar failed to qualify as a REIT for
2013, it would significantly affect our ability to maintain our REIT status.
For U.S. federal income tax
purposes, we recorded a gain of approximately $145.7 million as a result of the spin-off of Braemar in November 2013. If Braemar
qualified for taxation as a REIT for 2013, that gain was qualifying income for purposes of our 2013 REIT income tests. If, however, Braemar
failed to qualify as a REIT for 2013, that gain would be non-qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Although Braemar
covenanted in the Separation and Distribution Agreement to use reasonable best efforts to qualify as a REIT in 2013, no assurance can
be given that it so qualified. If Braemar failed to qualify, we would have failed our 2013 REIT income tests, which would either result
in our loss of our REIT status for 2013 and the following four taxable years or result in a significant tax in 2013 that has not been
accrued or paid and thereby would materially negatively impact our business, financial condition and potentially impair our ability to
continue operating in the future.
Your investment in our securities has various
federal, state, and local income tax risks that could affect the value of your investment.
We strongly urge you to consult
your own tax advisor concerning the effects of federal, state, and local income tax law on an investment in our securities because of
the complex nature of the tax rules applicable to REITs and their stockholders.
Our failure to qualify as a REIT would potentially
give rise to a claim for damages from Braemar.
In connection with the spin-off
of Braemar, which was completed in November 2013, we represented in the Separation and Distribution Agreement with Braemar that we
have no knowledge of any fact or circumstance that would cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT. In the event of a breach of this representation,
Braemar may be able to seek damages from us, which could have a significantly negative effect on our liquidity and results of operations.
Declines in the values of our investments
may make it more difficult for us to maintain our qualification as a REIT or exemption from the Investment Company Act.
If the market value or income
potential of real estate-related investments declines as a result of increased interest rates or other factors, we may need to increase
our real estate-related investments and income or liquidate our non-qualifying assets in order to maintain our REIT qualification or exemption
from the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”). If the decline in real estate asset values and/or
income occurs quickly, this may be especially difficult to accomplish. This difficulty may be exacerbated by the illiquid nature of any
non-qualifying assets that we may own. We may have to make investment decisions that we otherwise would not make absent the REIT and Investment
Company Act considerations.
Risks Related to Our Corporate
Structure
Our Charter, the partnership agreement of
our operating partnership and Maryland law contain provisions that may delay or prevent a change of control transaction.
Our Charter contains 9.8%
ownership limits. For the purpose of preserving our REIT qualification, our Charter prohibits direct or constructive ownership by any
person of more than (i) 9.8% of the lesser of the total number or value (whichever is more restrictive) of the outstanding shares
of our Common Stock or (ii) 9.8% of the total number or value (whichever is more restrictive) of the outstanding shares of any class
or series of our Preferred Stock or any other stock of our company, unless the Board grants a waiver.
Our Charter’s constructive
ownership rules are complex and may cause stock owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities
to be deemed to be constructively owned by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8% of any class or series
of our stock by an individual or entity could nevertheless cause that individual or entity to own constructively in excess of 9.8% of
a class or series of outstanding stock, and thus be subject to our Charter’s ownership limit. Any attempt to own or transfer shares
of our stock in excess of the ownership limit without the consent of the Board will be void, and could result in the shares being automatically
transferred to a charitable trust.
The Board may create and issue a class or
series of common stock or preferred stock without stockholder approval.
Our Charter authorizes the
Board to issue common stock or preferred stock in one or more classes and to establish the preferences and rights of any class of common
stock or preferred stock issued. These actions can be taken without obtaining stockholder approval. Our issuance of additional classes
of common stock or preferred stock could substantially dilute the interests of the holders of our common stock. Such issuances could also
have the effect of delaying or preventing someone from taking control of us, even if a change in control were in our stockholders’
best interests.
Certain provisions in the partnership agreement
of our operating partnership may delay or prevent unsolicited acquisitions of us.
Provisions in the partnership
agreement of our operating partnership may delay or make more difficult unsolicited acquisitions of us or changes in our control. These
provisions could discourage third parties from making proposals involving us or change of our control, although some stockholders might
consider such proposals, if made, desirable. These provisions include, among others:
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redemption rights of qualifying parties;
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transfer restrictions on our common units;
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the ability of the general partner in some cases to amend the partnership agreement without the consent
of the limited partners; and
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the right of the limited partners to consent to transfers of the general partnership interest and mergers
under specified circumstances.
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Because provisions contained in Maryland
law and our Charter may have an anti-takeover effect, investors may be prevented from receiving a “control premium” for their
shares.
Provisions contained in our
Charter and the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”) may have effects that delay, defer, or prevent a takeover attempt,
which may prevent stockholders from receiving a “control premium” for their shares. For example, these provisions may defer
or prevent tender offers for our Common Stock or purchases of large blocks of our Common Stock, thereby limiting the opportunities for
our stockholders to receive a premium for their Common Stock over then-prevailing market prices.
These provisions include
the following:
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The ownership limit in our Charter limits related investors, including, among other things, any voting
group, from acquiring over 9.8% of our Common Stock or any class of our Preferred Stock without our permission.
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Our Charter authorizes the Board to issue common stock or preferred stock in one or more classes and to
establish the preferences and rights of any class of common stock or preferred stock issued. These actions can be taken without soliciting
stockholder approval. Our common stock and preferred stock issuances could have the effect of delaying or preventing someone from taking
control of us, even if a change in control were in our stockholders’ best interests.
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Maryland statutory law provides
that an act of a director relating to or affecting an acquisition or a potential acquisition of control of a corporation may not be subject
to a higher duty or greater scrutiny than is applied to any other act of a director. Hence, directors of a Maryland corporation by statute
are not required to act in certain takeover situations under the same standards of care, and are not subject to the same standards of
review, as apply in Delaware and other corporate jurisdictions.
Certain other provisions of Maryland law,
if they became applicable to us, could inhibit changes in control.
Certain provisions of the
MGCL may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making a proposal to acquire us under circumstances that otherwise could provide
our stockholders with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price of our Common Stock or a “control
premium” for their shares or inhibit a transaction that might otherwise be viewed as being in the best interest of our stockholders.
These provisions include:
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“business combination” provisions that, subject to limitations, prohibit certain business
combinations between us and an “interested stockholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns 10% or more
of the voting power of our shares or an affiliate thereof) for five years after the most recent date on which the stockholder becomes
an interested stockholder, and thereafter impose special stockholder voting requirements on these business combinations, unless certain
fair price requirements set forth in the MGCL are satisfied; and
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“control share” provisions that provide that “control shares” of our company (defined
as shares which, when aggregated with other shares controlled by the stockholder, entitle the stockholder to exercise one of three increasing
ranges of voting power in electing directors) acquired in a “control share acquisition” (defined
as the direct or indirect acquisition of ownership or control of outstanding “control shares”) have no voting rights except
to the extent approved by our stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the
matter, excluding all interested shares.
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In addition, Subtitle 8 of
Title 3 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three
independent directors to elect to be subject, notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Charter or bylaws, to any or all of the following
five provisions: a classified board; a two-thirds stockholder vote requirement for removal of a director; a requirement that the number
of directors be fixed only by vote of the directors; a requirement that a vacancy on the board of directors be filled only by the remaining
directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred; and a requirement that the holders
of at least a majority of all votes entitled to be cast request a special meeting of stockholders.
Our Charter opts out of the
business combination/moratorium provisions and control share provisions of the MGCL and prevents us from making any elections under Subtitle
8 of the MGCL. Because these provisions are contained in our Charter, they cannot be amended unless the Board recommends the amendment
and the stockholders approve the amendment. Any such amendment would require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the outstanding voting
power of our Common Stock. Additionally, pursuant to the Investor Agreement, we are not permitted to elect to be subject to, or publicly
recommend any Charter amendment to our stockholders that would permit the Board to elect to be subject to, the business combination/moratorium
provisions or share control provisions of Maryland law or any similar state anti-takeover law, except to the extent Oaktree and its affiliates
are expressly exempted.
We depend on our operating partnership and
its subsidiaries for cash flow and are effectively structurally subordinated in right of payment to the obligations of our operating partnership
and its subsidiaries, which could adversely affect our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
We have no business operations
of our own. Our only significant asset is and will be the general and limited partnership interests of our operating partnership. We conduct,
and intend to continue to conduct, all of our business operations through our operating partnership. Accordingly, our only source of cash
to pay our obligations is distributions from our operating partnership and its subsidiaries of their net earnings and cash flows. We cannot
assure our stockholders that our operating partnership or its subsidiaries will be able to, or be permitted to, make distributions to
us that will enable us to make distributions to our stockholders from cash flows from operations. Each of our operating partnership’s
subsidiaries is a distinct legal entity and, under certain circumstances, legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to
obtain cash from such entities. Therefore, in the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization, our assets and those of our
operating partnership and its subsidiaries will be able to satisfy the claims of our stockholders only after all of our and our operating
partnership and its subsidiaries liabilities and obligations have been paid in full.
Offerings of debt securities, which would
be senior to our Common Stock and any Preferred Stock upon liquidation, or equity securities, which would dilute our existing stockholders’
holdings and could be senior to our Common Stock for the purposes of dividend distributions, may adversely affect the market price of
our Common Stock and any Preferred Stock.
We may attempt to increase
our capital resources by making additional offerings of debt or equity securities, including commercial paper, medium-term notes, senior
or subordinated notes, convertible securities, and classes of Preferred Stock or Common Stock or classes of preferred units. Upon
liquidation, holders of our debt securities or preferred units and lenders with respect to other borrowings will receive a distribution
of our available assets prior to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock. Furthermore, holders of our debt securities
and Preferred Stock or preferred units and lenders with respect to other borrowings will receive a distribution of our available
assets prior to the holders of our Common Stock. Additional equity offerings may dilute the holdings of our existing stockholders or reduce
the market price of our Common Stock or Preferred Stock or both. Our Preferred Stock or preferred units could have a preference on
liquidating distributions or a preference on dividend payments that could limit our ability to make a dividend distribution to the holders
of our Common Stock. Because our decision to issue securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other factors
beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing, or nature of our future offerings. Thus, our stockholders bear the
risk of our future offerings reducing the market price of our securities and diluting their securities holdings in us.
Securities eligible for future sale may
have adverse effects on the market price of our securities.
We cannot predict the effect,
if any, of future sales of securities, or the availability of securities for future sales, on the market price of our outstanding securities.
Sales of substantial amounts of Common Stock, or the perception that these sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices
for our securities.
We also may issue from time
to time additional shares of our securities or units of our operating partnership in connection with the acquisition of properties
and we may grant additional demand or piggyback registration rights in connection with these issuances. Sales of substantial amounts of
our securities or the perception that such sales could occur may adversely affect the prevailing market price for our securities or may
impair our ability to raise capital through a sale of additional debt or equity securities.
An increase in market interest rates may
have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities.
A factor investors may consider
in deciding whether to buy or sell our securities is our dividend rate as a percentage of our share or unit price relative to market
interest rates. If market interest rates increase, prospective investors may desire a higher dividend or interest rate on our securities
or seek securities paying higher dividends or interest. The market price of our securities is likely based on the earnings and return
that we derive from our investments, income with respect to our properties, and our related distributions to stockholders and not necessarily
from the market value or underlying appraised value of the properties or investments themselves. As a result, interest rate fluctuations
and capital market conditions can affect the market price of our securities. For instance, if interest rates rise without an increase
in our dividend rate, the market price of our Common Stock or Preferred Stock could decrease because potential investors may require a
higher dividend yield on our Common Stock or Preferred Stock as market rates on interest-bearing securities, such as bonds, rise. In addition,
rising interest rates would result in increased interest expense on our variable-rate debt, thereby adversely affecting cash flow and
our ability to service our indebtedness and pay dividends.
Our Board can take many actions without
stockholder approval.
Our Board has overall authority
to oversee our operations and determine our major corporate policies. This authority includes significant flexibility. For example, our
Board can do the following:
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amend or revise at any time our dividend policy with respect to our Common Stock or Preferred Stock (including
by eliminating, failing to declare, or significantly reducing dividends on these securities);
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terminate our advisor under certain conditions pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, subject to the payment
of a termination fee;
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amend or revise at any time and from time to time our investment, financing, borrowing and dividend policies
and our policies with respect to all other activities, including growth, debt, capitalization and operations, subject to the limitations
and restrictions provided in our Advisory Agreement and mutual exclusivity agreement;
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amend our policies with respect to conflicts of interest provided that such changes are consistent with
applicable legal requirements;
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subject to the terms of our Charter, prevent the ownership, transfer and/or accumulation of shares in
order to protect our status as a REIT or for any other reason deemed to be in the best interests of us and our stockholders;
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issue additional shares without obtaining stockholder approval, which could dilute the ownership of our
then-current stockholders;
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amend our Charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares
of stock of any class or series, without obtaining stockholder approval;
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classify or reclassify any unissued shares of our Common Stock or Preferred Stock and set the preferences,
rights and other terms of such classified or reclassified shares, without obtaining stockholder approval;
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employ and compensate affiliates (subject to disinterested director approval);
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direct our resources toward investments that do not ultimately appreciate over time; and
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determine that it is not in our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a
REIT.
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Any of these actions could
increase our operating expenses, impact our ability to make distributions or reduce the value of our assets without giving you, as a stockholder,
the right to vote.
The ability of our Board to change our major
policies without the consent of stockholders may not be in our stockholders’ interest.
Our Board determines our
major policies, including policies and guidelines relating to our acquisitions, leverage, financing, growth, operations and distributions
to stockholders. Our Board may amend or revise these and other policies and guidelines from time to time without the vote or consent of
our stockholders, subject to certain limitations and restrictions provided in our Advisory Agreement. Accordingly, our stockholders will
have limited control over changes in our policies and those changes could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations,
the market price of our stock and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
Our rights and the rights of our stockholders
to take action against our directors and officers are limited.
Maryland law provides that
a director or officer has no liability in that capacity if he or she performs his or her duties in good faith, in a manner he or she reasonably
believes to be in our best interests and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances.
In addition, our Charter eliminates our directors’ and officers’ liability to us and our stockholders for money damages except
for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty
established by a final judgment to have been material to the cause of action. Our Charter requires us to indemnify our directors and officers
and to advance expenses prior to the final disposition of a proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law for liability actually
incurred in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party, except to the extent that the
act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and was either committed in bad faith
or was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money,
property or services, or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act
or omission was unlawful. As a result, we and our stockholders may have more limited rights against our directors and officers than might
otherwise exist under common law. In addition, we are generally obligated to fund the defense costs incurred by our directors and officers.
Future issuances of securities, including
our Common Stock and Preferred Stock, could reduce existing investors’ relative voting power and percentage of ownership and
may dilute our share value.
Our Charter authorizes the
issuance of up to 400,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 50,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock. As of June 14, 2021, we had 191,035,683
shares of our Common Stock issued and outstanding, 1,363,292 shares of our Series D Preferred Stock, 1,559,944 shares of our Series F
Preferred Stock, 2,023,570 shares of our Series G Preferred Stock, 1,498,937 shares of our Series H Preferred Stock, and 1,483,929
share of our Series I Preferred Stock. Accordingly, we may issue up to an additional 208,964,317 shares of Common Stock and 42,070,328
shares of Preferred Stock.
Future
issuances of Common Stock or Preferred Stock could decrease the relative voting power of our Common Stock or Preferred Stock and may cause
substantial dilution in the ownership percentage of our then-existing holders of Common Stock or Preferred Stock. Future issuances
may have the effect of reducing investors’ relative voting power and/or diluting the net tangible book value of the shares held
by our stockholders, and might have an adverse effect on any trading market for our securities. Our Board may designate the rights, terms
and preferences of our authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock at its discretion, including conversion and voting
preferences without stockholder approval.
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Throughout this prospectus,
we make forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable
by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “potential,” “intend,”
“expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “approximately,” “believe,” “could,”
“project,” “predict,” or other similar words or expressions. Additionally, statements regarding the following
subjects are forward-looking by their nature:
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the impact of COVID-19 and numerous governmental travel restrictions and other orders on our business
including one or more possible recurrences of COVID-19 cases causing state and local governments to reinstate travel restrictions;
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our business and investment strategy;
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anticipated or expected purchases or sales of assets;
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our projected operating results;
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completion of any pending transactions;
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our ability to restructure existing property level indebtedness;
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our ability to secure additional financing to enable us to operate our business during the pendency of
COVID-related business weakness, which has materially impacted our operating cash flows and cash balances;
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our understanding of our competition;
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projected capital expenditures; and
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the impact of technology on our operations and business
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Such forward-looking statements
are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future performance taking into account all information currently known
to us. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations can change as a result of many potential events or factors, not all of which are known
to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans, and other objectives may vary materially
from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider this risk when you make an investment decision concerning
our securities. Additionally, the following factors could cause actual results to vary from our forward-looking statements:
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the factors discussed in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the
SEC on March 16, 2021, including those set forth under the sections titled “Risk Factors,” “Legal Proceedings,”
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Business,” and
“Properties,” as updated in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings under the Exchange Act;
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adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a significant reduction in business and personal travel
and travel restrictions in regions where our hotels are located, and one or more possible recurrences of COVID-19 cases causing a further
reduction in business and personal travel and potential reinstatement of travel restrictions by state or local governments;
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ongoing negotiations with our lenders regarding potential forbearance or the exercise by our lenders of
their remedies for default under our loan agreements;
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actions by our lenders to accelerate loan balances and foreclose on the hotel properties that are security
for our loans that are in default;
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actions by the lenders of our senior secured credit facility to foreclose on our assets which are pledged
as collateral;
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general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our Common Stock and Preferred Stock;
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general and economic business conditions affecting the lodging and travel industry;
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changes in our business or investment strategy;
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availability, terms, and deployment of capital;
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unanticipated increases in financing and other costs, including a rise in interest rates;
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changes in our industry and the market in which we operate, interest rates, or local economic conditions;
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the degree and nature of our competition;
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actual and potential conflicts of interest with Ashford Inc. and its subsidiaries (including Ashford LLC,
Remington Hotels and Premier), Braemar, our executive officers and our non-independent directors;
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the expenditures, disruptions and uncertainties associated with a potential proxy contest;
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changes in personnel of Ashford LLC or the lack of availability of qualified personnel;
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changes in governmental regulations, accounting rules, tax rates and similar matters;
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our ability to implement effective internal controls to address the material weakness identified in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the annual period ended December 31, 2020;
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the timing or outcome of the SEC investigation;
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legislative and regulatory changes, including changes to the Code, and related rules, regulations and
interpretations governing the taxation of REITs;
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limitations imposed on our business and our ability to satisfy complex rules in order for us to qualify
as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and
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future sales and issuances of our Common Stock or other securities, including the sale or issuance of
our Common Stock to Seven Knots and in any privately negotiated exchange transaction contemplated in reliance on Section 3(a)(9) of
the Securities Act, might result in dilution and could cause the price of our Common Stock to decline.
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When considering forward-looking
statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus could cause our actual results
and performance to differ significantly from those contained in our forward-looking statements. Additionally, many of these risks and
uncertainties are currently amplified by and will continue to be amplified by, or in the future may be amplified by, the COVID-19 outbreak
and the numerous government travel restrictions imposed in response thereto. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts us will
depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the scope, severity and duration
of the pandemic, the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the
pandemic and containment measures, among others. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee future results or performance. Readers are cautioned
not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements, which reflect our views as of the date of this prospectus. Furthermore,
we do not intend to update any of our forward-looking statements after the date of this prospectus to conform these statements to actual
results and performance, except as may be required by applicable law.
THE
SEVEN KNOTS TRANSACTION
On June 18, 2021, we
entered into the Purchase Agreement with Seven Knots, pursuant to which Seven Knots has agreed to purchase from us up to an aggregate
of 40,093,080 shares of our Common Stock (subject to certain limitations) from time to time over the term of the Purchase Agreement. Concurrently
with our execution of the Purchase Agreement on June 18, 2021, we also entered into the Registration Rights Agreement with Seven
Knots, pursuant to which we have filed with the SEC the registration statement that includes this prospectus to register for resale under
the Securities Act, the shares of Common Stock that have been and may be issued to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement.
We do not have the right
to commence any sales of our Common Stock to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement until the Commencement has occurred, which is the
time when all of the conditions to our right to commence such sales set forth in the Purchase Agreement have been satisfied, including
that the SEC has declared effective the registration statement that includes this prospectus. From and after Commencement, we will control
the timing and amount of any sales of our Common Stock to Seven Knots. Actual sales of shares of our Common Stock to Seven Knots under
the Purchase Agreement will depend on a variety of factors to be determined by us from time to time, including, among others, market conditions,
the trading price of the Common Stock and determinations by us as to the appropriate sources of funding for our company and our operations.
The purchase price of the shares that may be sold to Seven Knots in Fixed Purchases under the Purchase Agreement will be based on the
market prices of our Common Stock at or prior to the time of sale, and the purchase price of the shares that may be sold to Seven Knots
in VWAP Purchases and Additional VWAP Purchases under the Purchase Agreement will be based on the volume weighted average price or closing
price of our Common Stock at the time of sale, in each case as computed under the Purchase Agreement and as more specifically described
below. There is no upper limit on the price per share that Seven Knots could be obligated to pay for the Common Stock in any of the purchases
we elect to make under the Purchase Agreement.
As of June 18,
2021, there were 200,565,683 shares of our Common Stock outstanding, of which 197,806,546 shares were held by non-affiliates, which
excludes the 40,093,080 shares of Common Stock that we may sell to Seven Knots after Commencement pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement. If all of the 40,093,080 shares offered for resale by Seven Knots under this prospectus were issued and outstanding as of
June 18, 2021, such shares would represent approximately 16.66% of the total number of shares of our Common Stock outstanding and
approximately 16.85% of the total number of outstanding shares held by non-affiliates. The number of shares ultimately offered for
resale by Seven Knots is dependent upon the number of shares we sell to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement.
Under the applicable rules of
the NYSE, in no event may we issue to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement more than the Aggregate Limit of 40,093,080 shares of our
Common Stock, which represents 19.99% of the shares of our Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the execution of the Purchase
Agreement on June 18, 2021.
In all instances, the Purchase
Agreement prohibits us from directing Seven Knots to purchase any shares of Common Stock if those shares, when aggregated with all other
shares of our Common Stock then beneficially owned by Seven Knots and its affiliates, would result in Seven Knots exceeding the Beneficial
Ownership Cap at any point in time.
Issuances of our Common Stock
to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement will not affect the rights or privileges of our existing stockholders, except that the economic
and voting interests of each of our existing stockholders will be diluted as a result of any such issuance. Although the number of shares
of Common Stock that our existing stockholders own will not decrease, the shares owned by our existing stockholders will represent a smaller percentage
of our total outstanding shares after any such issuance to Seven Knots.
We paid Seven Knots $35,000
in cash as reimbursement to Seven Knots for the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Seven Knots, including the legal fees and
disbursements of Seven Knots’s legal counsel, in connection with its due diligence investigation of the Company and in connection
with the preparation, negotiation and execution of the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
The Purchase Agreement and
the Registration Rights Agreement contain customary representations, warranties, conditions and indemnification obligations of the parties.
The representations, warranties and covenants contained in such agreements were made only for purposes of such agreements and as of specific
dates, were solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreements and may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting
parties.
Neither the Company nor Seven
Knots may assign or transfer its rights and obligations under the Purchase Agreement, and no provision of the Purchase Agreement or the
Registration Rights Agreement may be modified or waived by the parties.
Purchase of Shares Under the Purchase
Agreement
Fixed Purchases
Under the Purchase Agreement,
on any business day selected by us on which the closing price of the Common Stock on the NYSE equals or exceeds $1.00 (subject to adjustment
as provided in the Purchase Agreement for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, or other similar transaction
occurring after the date of the Purchase Agreement), which we refer to as the “purchase date,” we may, at our discretion,
direct Seven Knots to purchase up to 350,000 shares of Common Stock in a Fixed Purchase on such purchase date, provided that Seven Knots’s
commitment in any single Fixed Purchase may not exceed $2,000,000. In addition to the conditions described elsewhere in this prospectus,
we may direct Seven Knots to purchase shares in a Fixed Purchase so long as we have delivered and Seven Knots has received all shares
of Common Stock purchased in all prior Fixed Purchases, VWAP Purchases and Additional VWAP Purchases (as applicable) in accordance with
the terms of the Purchase Agreement.
The purchase price per share
for each such Fixed Purchase will be equal to 96% of the lower of:
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the lowest sale price for the Common Stock on the NYSE on the applicable purchase date for such Fixed
Purchase; and
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the arithmetic average of the three closing sale prices for the Common Stock on the NYSE during the three
consecutive trading day period ending on the trading day immediately preceding the applicable purchase date for such Fixed Purchase.
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VWAP Purchases
We may also direct Seven
Knots, on any business day selected by us on which (i) we have properly submitted to Seven Knots a Fixed Purchase notice for the
applicable maximum number of shares of Common Stock that we may sell to Seven Knots in such Fixed Purchase (such Fixed Purchase, the “Corresponding
Fixed Purchase”) and (ii) the closing price of the Common Stock on the NYSE equals or exceeds $1.00 (subject to adjustment
as provided in the Purchase Agreement for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, or other similar transaction
occurring after the date of the Purchase Agreement), to purchase an additional amount of our Common Stock (each, a “VWAP Purchase”),
on the immediately following business day (the “VWAP Purchase Date”), of up to the lesser of:
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three times the number of shares purchased pursuant to such Corresponding Fixed Purchase; and
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30% of the aggregate shares of our Common Stock traded on the NYSE during all or, if certain trading volume
or market price thresholds specified in the Purchase Agreement are crossed on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, the portion of the normal
trading hours on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date prior to such time that any one of such thresholds is crossed, which period of time
on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date we refer to as the “VWAP Purchase Period.”
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The purchase price per share for each such VWAP Purchase will be equal to 96% of the lower of:
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the volume-weighted average price of our Common Stock on the NYSE during the applicable VWAP Purchase
Period on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date; and
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the closing sale price of our Common Stock on the NYSE on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date.
|
In addition to the conditions
described elsewhere in this prospectus, we may direct Seven Knots to purchase shares in a VWAP Purchase so long as we have delivered and
Seven Knots has received all shares of Common Stock purchased in all prior Fixed Purchases, VWAP Purchases and Additional VWAP Purchases
(as applicable) in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement.
Additional VWAP Purchases
We may also direct Seven
Knots, by notice delivered to Seven Knots prior to 1:00 p.m., Eastern time, on any business day on which a VWAP Purchase has been
completed, to purchase an additional amount of our Common Stock (each, an “Additional VWAP Purchase”) on such business day
(the “Additional VWAP Purchase Date”), of up to the lesser of:
|
·
|
three times the number of shares purchased pursuant to the applicable Corresponding Fixed Purchase; and
|
|
·
|
30% of the aggregate shares of our Common Stock traded on the NYSE during a certain portion of the normal
trading hours on the applicable Additional VWAP Purchase Date as determined in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, which period of
time on the applicable Additional VWAP Purchase Date we refer to as the “Additional VWAP Purchase Period.”
|
The purchase price per share
for each such Additional VWAP Purchase will be equal to 96% of the lower of:
|
·
|
the volume-weighted average price of our Common Stock on the NYSE during the applicable Additional VWAP
Purchase Period on the applicable Additional VWAP Purchase Date; and
|
|
·
|
the closing sale price of our Common Stock on the NYSE on the applicable Additional VWAP Purchase Date.
|
We may elect to submit multiple
Additional VWAP Purchase notices to Seven Knots on a single Additional VWAP Purchase Date, provided that (i) notice of such Additional
VWAP Purchase is delivered to Seven Knots prior to 1:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the applicable Additional VWAP Purchase Date, and
(ii) all prior Fixed Purchases and all prior VWAP Purchases and Additional VWAP Purchases (including those that have occurred earlier
on the same day) have been completed and all of the shares of Common Stock to be purchased thereunder (and under the applicable Corresponding
Fixed Purchase) have been properly delivered to Seven Knots in accordance with the Purchase Agreement.
Seven Knots’s aggregate
committed obligation under a VWAP Purchase and all Additional VWAP Purchases, the applicable Additional VWAP Purchase Date therefor is
the same business day as the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, shall not exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate for such
VWAP Purchase and all such Additional VWAP Purchases, collectively.
In the case of Fixed Purchases,
VWAP Purchases and Additional VWAP Purchases, the purchase price per share to be paid by Seven Knots will be equitably adjusted as set
forth in the Purchase Agreement for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other
similar transaction occurring during the business days used to compute the purchase price.
Other than as described above,
there are no trading volume requirements or restrictions under the Purchase Agreement, and we will control the timing and amount of any
sales of our Common Stock to Seven Knots.
Conditions to Commencement and for Delivery
of Fixed Purchase Notices, VWAP Purchase Notices and Additional VWAP Purchase Notices to Seven Knots
The Company’s right
to deliver Fixed Purchase notices, VWAP Purchase notices and Additional VWAP Purchase notices to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement
are subject to the satisfaction, both at the time of Commencement and at each time of delivery by the Company of a Fixed Purchase notice,
a VWAP Purchase notice or an Additional VWAP Purchase notice to Seven Knots, of conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement, all of
which are entirely outside of Seven Knots’s control, including the following:
|
·
|
the accuracy in all material respects of the representations and warranties of the Company included in
the Purchase Agreement;
|
|
·
|
the Company having performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements
and conditions required by the Purchase Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company;
|
|
·
|
the registration statement that includes this prospectus (and any one or more additional registration
statements filed with the SEC that include shares of Common Stock that may be issued and sold by the Company to Seven Knots under the
Purchase Agreement) having been declared effective under the Securities Act by the SEC, and Seven Knots being able to utilize this prospectus
(and the prospectus included in any one or more additional registration statements filed with the SEC under the Registration Rights Agreement)
to resell all of the shares of Common Stock included in this prospectus (and included in any such additional prospectuses);
|
|
·
|
the SEC shall not have issued any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement
that includes this prospectus (or any one or more additional registration statements filed with the SEC that include shares of Common
Stock that may be issued and sold by the Company to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement) or prohibiting or suspending the use of
this prospectus (or the prospectus included in any one or more additional registration statements filed with the SEC under the Registration
Rights Agreement), and the absence of any suspension of qualification or exemption from qualification of the Common Stock for offering
or sale in any jurisdiction;
|
|
·
|
there shall not have occurred any event and there shall not exist any condition or state of facts, which
makes any statement of a material fact made in the registration statement that includes this prospectus (or in any one or more additional
registration statements filed with the SEC that include shares of Common Stock that may be issued and sold by the Company to Seven Knots
under the Purchase Agreement) untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements contained therein in
order to state a material fact required by the Securities Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made
therein (in the case of this prospectus or the prospectus included in any one or more additional registration statements filed with the
SEC under the Registration Rights Agreement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading;
|
|
·
|
this prospectus, in final form, shall have been filed with the SEC under the Securities Act prior to Commencement,
and all reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company
with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”),
shall have been filed with the SEC;
|
|
·
|
trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the SEC or the NYSE, the Company shall not
have received any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the NYSE shall be terminated on
a date certain (unless, prior to such date, the Common Stock is listed or quoted on The Nasdaq Capital Market, The Nasdaq Global Market,
The Nasdaq Global Select Market or the NYSE American (or any nationally recognized successor to any of the foregoing) (each, an “Eligible
Market”), and there shall be no suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic
trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock;
|
|
·
|
the Company shall have complied with all applicable federal, state and local governmental laws, rules,
regulations and ordinances in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights
Agreement;
|
|
·
|
the absence of any statute, regulation, order, decree, writ, ruling or injunction by any court or governmental
authority of competent jurisdiction which prohibits the consummation of or that would materially modify or delay any of the transactions
contemplated by the Purchase Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement;
|
|
·
|
the absence of any action, suit or proceeding before any arbitrator or any court or governmental authority
seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement, or
seeking material damages in connection with such transactions;
|
|
·
|
all of the shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement shall have been
approved for listing or quotation on the NYSE (or any Eligible Market), subject only to notice of issuance;
|
|
·
|
no condition, occurrence, state of facts or event constituting a material adverse effect shall have occurred
and be continuing;
|
|
·
|
the absence of any bankruptcy proceeding against the Company commenced by a third party, and the Company
shall not have commenced a voluntary bankruptcy proceeding, consented to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary
bankruptcy case, consented to the appointment of a custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property in any bankruptcy
proceeding, or made a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; and
|
|
·
|
the receipt by Seven Knots of the opinions, bring-down opinions and negative assurances from outside counsel
to the Company in the forms mutually agreed to by the Company and Seven Knots prior to the date of the Purchase Agreement.
|
Termination of the Purchase Agreement
Unless earlier terminated
as provided in the Purchase Agreement, the Purchase Agreement will terminate automatically on the earliest to occur of:
|
·
|
the first day of the month next following the 24-month anniversary of the Commencement Date (which term
may not be extended by the parties);
|
|
·
|
the date on which Seven Knots shall have purchased all of the 40,093,080 shares of Common Stock available
for sale to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement;
|
|
·
|
the date on which the Common Stock shall have failed to be listed or quoted on the NYSE or any other Eligible
Market; and
|
|
·
|
the date on which the Company commences a voluntary bankruptcy case or any third party commences a bankruptcy
proceeding against the Company, a custodian is appointed for the Company in a bankruptcy proceeding for all or substantially all of its
property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors.
|
We have the right to terminate
the Purchase Agreement at any time after Commencement, at no cost or penalty, upon 10 trading days’ prior written notice to Seven
Knots.
No Short-Selling or Hedging by
Seven Knots
Seven Knots has agreed that
neither it nor any of its affiliates shall engage in any direct or indirect short-selling or hedging of our Common Stock during any time
prior to the termination of the Purchase Agreement.
Effect of Performance of the Purchase
Agreement on our Stockholders
All
shares registered for resale in this offering that have been or may be issued or sold by us to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement
are expected to be freely tradable. We generally have the right to control the timing and amount of any sales of our shares to Seven
Knots under the Purchase Agreement. Sales of our Common Stock, if any, to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement will depend upon market
conditions and other factors to be determined by us. We may ultimately decide to sell to Seven Knots all, some or none of the shares
of our Common Stock that may be available for us to sell pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. Because the purchase price per share to
be paid by Seven Knots for the shares of Common Stock that we may elect to sell to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement, if any,
will fluctuate based on the market prices of our Common Stock at the times such sales are made and depending on whether such sales are
Fixed Purchases, VWAP Purchases or Additional VWAP Purchases, it is not currently possible to predict the number of shares that will
be sold to Seven Knots, if any, the actual purchase price per share to be paid by Seven Knots for those shares, or the actual gross proceeds
to be raised in connection with those sales. Moreover, if and when we do sell shares of our Common Stock to Seven Knots, after Seven
Knots has acquired such shares, Seven Knots may resell all, some or none of such shares at any time or from time to time in its discretion
and at different prices. As a result, investors who purchase shares from Seven Knots in this offering at different times will likely
pay different prices for those shares, and so may experience different levels of dilution and in some cases substantial dilution and
different outcomes in their investment results. Investors may experience a decline in the value of the shares they purchase from Seven
Knots in this offering as a result of future sales made by us to Seven Knots at prices lower than the prices such investors paid for
their shares in this offering. In addition, if we sell a substantial number of shares to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement, or
if investors expect that we will do so, the actual sales of shares or the mere existence of our arrangement with Seven Knots may make
it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and at a price that we might otherwise wish
to effect such sales.
Pursuant to the terms of
the Purchase Agreement and as of the date hereof, we have the right, but not the obligation, to direct Seven Knots to purchase from us
up to 40,093,080 shares of our Common Stock. The number of shares ultimately offered for resale by Seven Knots under this prospectus is
dependent upon the number of shares we direct Seven Knots to purchase under the Purchase Agreement.
The following table sets
forth the amount of gross proceeds we would receive from Seven Knots from our sale of shares of our Common Stock to Seven Knots under
the Purchase Agreement at varying purchase prices:
Assumed Average Purchase
Price Per Share
|
|
|
Number of Shares to be
Issued if Full Purchase(1)
|
|
|
Percentage of Outstanding
Shares After Giving Effect to
the Issuance to Seven Knots(2)
|
|
|
Gross Proceeds from the Sale
of Shares to Seven Knots Under the
Purchase Agreement
|
|
$
|
4.00
|
|
|
|
40,093,080
|
|
|
|
16.66
|
%
|
|
$
|
160,372,320
|
|
$
|
4.50
|
|
|
|
40,093,080
|
|
|
|
16.66
|
%
|
|
$
|
180,418,860
|
|
$
|
5.42
|
(3)
|
|
|
40,093,080
|
|
|
|
16.66
|
%
|
|
$
|
217,304,494
|
|
$
|
5.50
|
|
|
|
40,093,080
|
|
|
|
16.66
|
%
|
|
$
|
220,511,940
|
|
$
|
6.00
|
|
|
|
40,093,080
|
|
|
|
16.66
|
%
|
|
$
|
240,558,480
|
|
|
(1)
|
We are registering 40,093,080 shares under this prospectus which represents 40,093,080 shares which may
be issued to Seven Knots in the future under the Purchase Agreement, if and when we sell shares to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement.
|
|
(2)
|
The denominator of 240,658,763 is based on: (i) 200,565,683 shares outstanding as of June 18,
2021; and (ii) 40,093,080 shares of Common Stock set forth in the adjacent column that we would have sold to Seven Knots, assuming
the average purchase price in the first column. The numerator is based on the 40,093,080 shares of Common Stock set forth in the adjacent
column that we would have sold to Seven Knots, assuming the average purchase price in the first column.
|
|
(3)
|
The closing sale price of our Common Stock on the NYSE on June 17, 2021.
|
USE
OF PROCEEDS
This prospectus relates to
shares of our Common Stock that may be offered and sold from time to time by Seven Knots. We will receive no proceeds from the sale of
shares of Common Stock by Seven Knots in this offering. The amount of gross proceeds we receive will depend upon the number of shares
we sell to Seven Knots pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and the market price of our Common Stock at the time of such sales. We estimate
that the net proceeds to us from the sale of our Common Stock to Seven Knots pursuant to the Purchase Agreement will be up to $217,304,494
over an approximately 24-month period, assuming that we sell the full amount of our Common Stock that we have the right, but not the obligation,
to sell to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement and assuming an average sale price of $5.42, the last reported price of our Common
Stock on the NYSE on June 17, 2021. See “The Seven Knots Transaction” elsewhere in this prospectus for more information.
We
expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the shares of our Common Stock for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisitions
of additional properties or hospitality-related securities, as suitable opportunities arise, the origination or acquisition of hotel debt,
the joint venture of hotel investments, the repayment of outstanding indebtedness, the repurchase of our outstanding equity securities,
capital expenditures, the expansion, redevelopment or improvement of properties in our portfolio, working capital and other general purposes.
Further details regarding the use of the net proceeds of a specific series or class of the securities will be set forth in the applicable
prospectus supplement. It is possible that no shares of our Common Stock will be issued under the Purchase Agreement.
SELLING
STOCKHOLDER
This prospectus relates to
the possible resale from time to time by Seven Knots of any or all of the shares of our Common Stock that may be issued by us to Seven
Knots under the Purchase Agreement. We are registering the shares of Common Stock pursuant to the provisions of the Registration Rights
Agreement we entered into with Seven Knots on June 18, 2021 in order to permit the selling stockholder to offer the shares for resale
from time to time. Except for the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, Seven Knots
has not had any material relationship with us within the past three years.
The table below presents
information regarding the selling stockholder and the shares of Common Stock that it may offer from time to time under this prospectus.
This table is prepared based on information supplied to us by the selling stockholder, and reflects holdings as of June 14, 2021.
The number of shares in the column “Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Offered Pursuant to this Prospectus” represents
all of the shares of Common Stock that the selling stockholder may offer under this prospectus. The selling stockholder may sell some,
all or none of its shares in this offering. We do not know how long the selling stockholder will hold the shares before selling them,
and we currently have no agreements, arrangements or understandings with the selling stockholder regarding the sale of any of the shares.
Beneficial ownership is determined
in accordance with Rule 13d-3(d) promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, and includes shares of Common Stock with respect
to which the selling stockholder has voting and investment power. The percentage of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by
the selling stockholder prior to the offering shown in the table below is based on an aggregate of 200,565,683 shares of our Common Stock
outstanding on June 18, 2021. Because the purchase price of the shares that may be sold to Seven Knots in Fixed Purchases under the
Purchase Agreement will be based on the market prices of our Common Stock at or prior to the time of sale, and the purchase price of the
shares that may be sold to Seven Knots in VWAP Purchases and Additional VWAP Purchases under the Purchase Agreement will be based on the
volume weighted average price or closing price of our Common Stock at the time of sale, in each case as computed under the Purchase Agreement
and as more specifically described in the section of this prospectus entitled “The Seven Knots Transaction,” the number of
shares that may actually be sold by the Company to Seven Knots under the Purchase Agreement may be fewer than the number of shares being
offered for resale by Seven Knots under this prospectus. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the selling
stockholder pursuant to this prospectus.
|
|
Shares Beneficially Owned
Prior to Offering
|
|
|
Shares to be Sold in this
Offering Assuming the
Company Issues the
Maximum Number of
Shares Under the
|
|
Shares to be Beneficially
Owned After Offering
|
|
Name of Selling Stockholder
|
|
Number.(1)
|
|
|
Percentage.(2)
|
|
|
Purchase Agreement
|
|
Number.(3)
|
|
|
Percentage.(2)
|
|
Seven Knots, LLC.(4)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
40,093,080
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
(1)
|
In accordance with Rule 13d-3(d) under the Exchange Act, we have excluded from the number of
shares beneficially owned prior to the offering all of the shares that Seven Knots may be required to purchase under the Purchase Agreement,
because the issuance of such shares is solely at our discretion and is subject to conditions contained in the Purchase Agreement, the
satisfaction of which are entirely outside of Seven Knots’s control, including the registration statement that includes this prospectus
becoming and remaining effective. Furthermore, the Fixed Purchases, VWAP Purchases and Additional VWAP Purchases of Common Stock are subject
to certain agreed upon maximum amount limitations set forth in the Purchase Agreement. Also, the Purchase Agreement prohibits us from
issuing and selling any shares of our Common Stock to Seven Knots to the extent such shares, when aggregated with all other shares of
our Common Stock then beneficially owned by Seven Knots, would cause Seven Knots’s beneficial ownership of our Common Stock to exceed
the 4.99% Beneficial Ownership Cap. The Purchase Agreement also prohibits us from issuing or selling shares of our Common Stock under
the Purchase Agreement in excess of the 19.99% Aggregate Limit. None of the foregoing share issuance limitations may be amended or waived
by the parties under the Purchase Agreement.
|
|
(2)
|
Applicable percentage ownership is based on 200,565,683 shares of our Common Stock outstanding as
of June 18, 2021.
|
|
(3)
|
Assumes the sale of all shares being offered pursuant to this prospectus.
|
|
(4)
|
The business address of Seven Knots, LLC is 7 Rose Avenue, Great Neck, New York, 11021. Seven Knots, LLC’s
principal business is that of a private investor. Marissa J. Welner is the beneficial owner of 50% of the membership interests in Seven
Knots LLC. Marissa J. Welner has sole voting control and investment discretion over securities beneficially owned directly by Seven Knots,
LLC. We have been advised that neither Ms. Welner nor Seven Knots LLC is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority,
or FINRA, or an independent broker-dealer, or an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member or independent broker-dealer. The foregoing
should not be construed in and of itself as an admission by Ms. Welner as to beneficial ownership of the securities beneficially
owned directly by Seven Knots, LLC.
|
POLICIES
AND OBJECTIVES WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN ACTIVITIES
The following is a discussion
of our policies with respect to certain activities, including financing matters and conflicts of interest. These policies may be amended
or revised from time to time at the discretion of the Board, without a vote of our stockholders. Any change to any of these policies by
the Board, however, would be made only after a review and analysis of that change, in light of then-existing business and other circumstances,
and then only if, in the exercise of its business judgment, the Board believes that it is advisable to do so in our and our stockholders’
best interests.
Disposition Policy
We will evaluate our asset
portfolio on a regular basis to determine if it continues to satisfy our investment criteria. Subject to certain restrictions applicable
to REITs, we may sell investments opportunistically and use the proceeds of any such sale for debt reduction or additional acquisitions.
We will utilize several criteria to determine the long-term potential of our investments. Investments will be identified for sale based
upon management’s forecast of the strength of the related cash flows as well as their value to our overall portfolio. Our decision
to sell an investment often will be predicated upon the projected cash flow, size of the hotel, strength of the franchise, property condition
and related costs to renovate the property, strength of market demand, projected supply of hotel rooms in the market, probability of increased
valuation and geographic profile of the hotel. We may also acquire and sell other lodging-related assets opportunistically based upon
management’s forecast and review of the performance of our overall portfolio and management’s assessment of changing conditions
in the investment and capital markets. If we sell a property, other than a foreclosure property, held for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of business, our gain from the sale will be subject to a 100% penalty tax.
Financing Policies
We utilize debt to increase
equity returns. When evaluating our future level of indebtedness and making decisions regarding the incurrence of indebtedness, the Board
considers a number of factors, including:
|
·
|
our leverage levels across the portfolio;
|
|
·
|
the purchase price of our investments to be acquired with debt financing;
|
|
·
|
impact on financial covenants;
|
|
·
|
loan maturity schedule;
|
|
·
|
the estimated market value of our investments upon refinancing;
|
|
·
|
the ability of particular investments, and our Company as a whole, to generate cash flow to cover expected
debt service; and
|
|
·
|
trailing twelve months net operating income of the hotel to be financed.
|
We may incur debt in the
form of purchase money obligations to the sellers of properties, publicly or privately placed debt instruments, or financing from banks,
institutional investors, or other lenders. Any such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured by mortgages or other interests in our properties.
This indebtedness may be recourse, non-recourse, or cross-collateralized. If recourse, such recourse may include our general assets or
be limited to the particular investment to which the indebtedness relates. In addition, we may invest in properties or loans subject to
existing loans secured by mortgages or similar liens on the properties, or we may refinance properties acquired on a leveraged basis.
We may also from time to time receive additional capital from our advisor in the form of enhanced return funding pursuant to our Enhanced
Return Funding Program Agreement with Ashford LLC.
We may use the proceeds from
any borrowings for working capital, consistent with industry practice, to:
|
·
|
purchase interests in partnerships or joint ventures;
|
|
·
|
finance the origination or purchase of debt investments; or
|
|
·
|
finance acquisitions, expand, redevelop or improve existing properties, or develop new properties or other
uses.
|
In addition, if we do not
have sufficient cash available, we may need to borrow to meet taxable income distribution requirements under the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). No assurances can be given that we will obtain additional financings or, if we do, what
the amount and terms will be. Our failure to obtain future financing under favorable terms could adversely impact our ability to execute
our business strategy. In addition, we may selectively pursue debt financing on our individual properties and debt investments.
Equity Capital Policies
Subject to applicable law
and the requirements for listed companies on the New York Stock Exchange, the Board has the authority, without further stockholder approval,
to issue additional authorized Common Stock and Preferred Stock or otherwise raise capital, including through the issuance of senior securities,
in any manner and on the terms and for the consideration it deems appropriate, including in exchange for property. Existing stockholders
will have no preemptive right to additional shares issued in any offering, and any offering might cause a dilution of investment. See
“Description of Capital Stock.” We may in the future issue Common Stock in connection with acquisitions. We also may issue units
of partnership interest in our operating partnership in connection with acquisitions of property.
We may, under certain circumstances,
purchase Common Stock in the open market or in private transactions with our stockholders, if those purchases are approved by the Board.
The Board has no present intention of causing us to repurchase any shares, and any action would only be taken in conformity with applicable
federal and state laws and the applicable requirements for qualifying as a REIT, for so long as the Board concludes that we should remain
a REIT.
In the future we may institute
a dividend reinvestment plan, or DRIP, and a related stock purchase plan which would allow our stockholders to acquire additional Common
Stock by automatically reinvesting their cash dividends. Shares would be acquired pursuant to the plan at a price equal to the then prevailing
market price, without payment of brokerage commissions or service charges. Stockholders who do not participate in the plan will continue
to receive cash dividends as declared.
See “Prospectus Summary — Recent
Developments” for a summary of the Exchange Offers that have been commenced.
Conflict of Interest Policy
We take conflicts of interest
seriously and aim to ensure that transactions involving conflicts or potential conflicts are thoroughly examined and only approved by
independent board members.
Because we could be subject
to various conflicts of interest arising from our relationships with Braemar and Ashford Inc., including its subsidiaries, their respective
affiliates and other parties, to mitigate any potential conflicts of interest, we have adopted a number of policies governing conflicts
of interest. Our bylaws require that, at all times, a majority of the Board be independent directors, and our Corporate Governance Guidelines
require that two-thirds of the Board be independent directors at all times that we do not have an independent chairman.
Our Corporate Governance
Guidelines provide that, in order to mitigate potential conflicts of interest, any waiver, consent, approval, modification, enforcement,
or elections which the Company may make pursuant to any agreement between the Company, on the one hand, and any of the following entities,
on the other hand, shall be within the exclusive discretion and control of a majority of the independent directors: (a) Braemar or
any of its subsidiaries; (b) Ashford Inc. or any of its subsidiaries; (c) any entity controlled by Mr. Monty J. Bennett
and/or Mr. Archie Bennett, Jr.; and (d) any other entity advised by Ashford Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Additionally, the Board has
adopted our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which includes a policy for review of any transactions in which an individual’s
private interests may interfere or conflict in any way with the interests of the Company. Pursuant to the Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics, employees must report any actual or potential conflict of interest involving themselves or others to our Executive Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary. Directors must make such report to our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary or the Chairman
of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Officers must make such report to the Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee.
Our Related Party Transactions
Committee is a committee composed of three independent directors and is tasked with reviewing any transaction in which our officers, directors,
Ashford Inc. or Braemar or their officers, directors or respective affiliates have an interest, including our advisor or any other related
party and their respective affiliates, before recommending approval by a majority of our independent directors. The Related Party Transactions
Committee can deny a new proposed transaction or recommend for approval to the independent directors. Also, the Related Party Transactions
Committee periodically reviews and reports to independent directors on past approved related party transactions. Finally, our directors
also are subject to provisions of Maryland law that address transactions between Maryland corporations and our directors or other entities
in which our directors have a material financial interest. Such transactions may be voidable under Maryland law, unless certain safe harbors
are met. Our Charter contains a requirement, consistent with one such safe harbor, that any transaction or agreement involving us, any
of our wholly owned subsidiaries or our operating partnership and a director or officer or an affiliate or associate of any director or
officer requires the approval of a majority of disinterested directors.
Reporting Policies
Generally speaking, we will
make available to our stockholders certified annual financial statements and annual reports. We are subject to the information reporting
requirements of the Exchange Act. Pursuant to these requirements, we will file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information,
including audited financial statements, with the SEC.
OUR
COMPANY
Overview
Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc.,
together with its subsidiaries, is an externally-advised REIT. While our portfolio currently consists of upscale hotels and upper upscale
full-service hotels, our investment strategy is predominantly focused on investing in upper upscale full-service hotels in the U.S. that
have a RevPAR generally less than twice the U.S. national average, and in all methods including direct real estate, equity, and debt.
Future investments will predominately be in upper upscale hotels. We own our lodging investments and conduct our business through Ashford
Trust OP, our operating partnership. Ashford OP General Partner LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, serves as the sole general
partner of our operating partnership. Our hotel properties are primarily branded under the widely recognized upscale and upper upscale
brands of Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Intercontinental Hotel Group. As of March 31, 2021, we owned interests in the following
assets:
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102 consolidated hotel properties, including 100 directly owned and two owned through a majority-owned
investment in a consolidated entity, which represent 22,569 total rooms (or 22,542 net rooms excluding those attributable to our partner);
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90 hotel condominium units at WorldQuest; and
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17.1% ownership in OpenKey with a carrying value of $2.7 million.
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For U.S. federal income tax
purposes, we have elected to be treated as a REIT, which subjects us to limitations related to operating hotels. As of March 31,
2021, our 102 hotel properties were leased or owned by Ashford TRS. Ashford TRS then engages Remington Hotels or third-party hotel management
companies to operate the hotels under management contracts. Hotel operating results related to these properties are included in our consolidated
statements of operations.
We are advised by Ashford
LLC, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., through our Advisory Agreement. All of the hotel properties in our portfolio are currently asset-managed
by Ashford LLC. We do not have any employees. All of the advisory services that might be provided by employees are provided to us by Ashford
LLC.
We do not operate any of
our hotel properties directly; instead we employ hotel management companies to operate them for us under management contracts. Remington
Hotels, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., manages 68 of our 102 hotel properties and WorldQuest. Third-party hotel management companies manage
our remaining hotel properties.
Ashford Inc. also provides
other products and services to us or our hotel properties through certain entities in which Ashford Inc. has an ownership interest. These
products and services include, but are not limited to project management services, debt placement and related services, audio visual services,
real estate advisory services, insurance claims services, hypoallergenic premium rooms, investment management services, broker-dealer
and distribution services and mobile key technology. Effective December 31, 2020, the Investment Management Agreement with AIM was
terminated.
Mr. Monty J. Bennett
is chairman and chief executive officer of Ashford Inc. and, together with Mr. Archie Bennett, Jr., as of March 31, 2021,
owned approximately 607,743 shares of Ashford Inc. common stock, which represented an approximate 20.2% ownership interest in Ashford
Inc., and owned 18,758,600 shares of Ashford Inc. Series D Convertible Preferred Stock, which is exercisable (at an exercise price
of $117.50 per share) into an additional approximate 3,991,191 shares of Ashford Inc. common stock, which if exercised as of March 31,
2021 would have increased the Bennetts’ ownership interest in Ashford Inc. to 65.7%, provided that prior to August 8, 2023,
the voting power of the holders of the Ashford Inc. Series D Convertible Preferred Stock is limited to 40% of the combined voting
power of all of the outstanding voting securities of the Ashford Inc. entitled to vote on any given matter. The 18,758,600 Series D
Convertible Preferred Stock owned by Mr. Monty J. Bennett and Mr. Archie Bennett, Jr. include 360,000 shares owned by trusts.
Business Strategies
Based on our primary business
objectives and forecasted operating conditions, our current key priorities and financial strategies include, among other things:
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acquisition of hotel properties, in whole or in part, that we expect will be accretive to our portfolio;
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disposition of non-core hotel properties;
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pursuing capital market activities to enhance long-term stockholder value;
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preserving capital, enhancing liquidity, and continuing current cost saving measures;
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implementing selective capital improvements designed to increase profitability and to maintain the quality
of our assets;
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implementing effective asset management strategies to minimize operating costs and increase revenues;
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financing or refinancing hotels on competitive terms;
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utilizing hedges, derivatives and other strategies to mitigate risks;
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accessing cost effective capital; and
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making other investments or divestitures that the Board deems appropriate.
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Our current investment strategy
is to focus on owning predominantly full-service hotels in the upper upscale segment in domestic markets that have RevPAR generally less
than twice the U.S. national average. We believe that as supply, demand, and capital market cycles change, we will be able to shift our
investment strategy to take advantage of new lodging-related investment opportunities as they may develop. Our investments may include:
(i) direct hotel investments; (ii) mezzanine financing through origination or acquisition; (iii) first mortgage financing
through origination or acquisition; (iv) sale-leaseback transactions; and (v) other hospitality transactions.
Our strategy is designed
to take advantage of lodging industry conditions and adjust to changes in market circumstances over time. Our assessment of market conditions
will determine asset reallocation strategies. While we seek to capitalize on favorable market fundamentals, conditions beyond our control
may have an impact on overall profitability, our investment opportunities and our investment returns. We will continue to seek ways to
benefit from the cyclical nature of the hotel industry.
To take full advantage of
future investment opportunities in the lodging industry, we intend to seek investment opportunities according to the asset allocation
strategies described below. However, due to ongoing changes in market conditions, we will continually evaluate the appropriateness of
our investment strategies. The Board may change any or all of these strategies at any time without stockholder approval or notice.
Direct
Hotel Investments — In selecting hotels to acquire, we target hotels that offer either a high current return or the opportunity
to increase in value through repositioning, capital investments, market-based recovery, or improved management practices. Our direct hotel
acquisition strategy primarily targets full-service upscale and upper upscale hotels with RevPAR less than twice the national average
in primary, secondary, and resort markets, typically throughout the U.S. and will seek to achieve both current income and appreciation.
In addition, we will continue to assess our existing hotel portfolio and make strategic decisions to sell certain under-performing or
non-strategic hotels that no longer fit our investment strategy or criteria due to micro or macro market changes or other reasons.
Other
Transactions — We may also seek investment opportunities in other lodging related assets or businesses
that offer diversification, attractive risk adjusted returns, and/or capital allocation benefits, including mezzanine financing, first
mortgage financing, and/or sale-leaseback transactions.
Business Segments
We currently operate in one
business segment within the hotel lodging industry: direct hotel investments. A discussion of our operating segment is incorporated by
reference to our consolidated financial statements which are incorporated by reference herein.
Financing Strategy
We often utilize debt to
increase equity returns. When evaluating our future level of indebtedness and making decisions regarding the incurrence of indebtedness,
we consider a number of factors, including:
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our leverage levels across the portfolio;
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the purchase price of our investments to be acquired with debt financing;
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impact on financial covenants;
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loan maturity schedule;
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the estimated market value of our investments upon refinancing;
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the ability of particular investments, and our Company as a whole, to generate cash flow to cover expected
debt service; and
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trailing twelve months net operating income of the hotel to be financed.
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We may incur debt in the
form of purchase money obligations to the sellers of properties, publicly or privately placed debt instruments, or financing from banks,
institutional investors, or other lenders. Any such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured by mortgages or other interests in our properties.
This indebtedness may be recourse, non-recourse, or cross-collateralized. If recourse, such recourse may include our general assets or
be limited to the particular investment to which the indebtedness relates. In addition, we may invest in properties or loans subject to
existing loans secured by mortgages or similar liens on the properties, or we may refinance properties acquired on a leveraged basis.
We may also from time to time receive additional capital from our advisor in the form of enhanced return funding pursuant to our Enhanced
Return Funding Program Agreement with Ashford LLC.
We may use the proceeds from
any borrowings for working capital, consistent with industry practice, to:
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purchase interests in partnerships or joint ventures;
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finance the origination or purchase of debt investments; or
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finance acquisitions, expand, redevelop or improve existing properties, or develop new properties or other
uses.
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In addition, if we do not
have sufficient cash available, we may need to borrow to meet taxable income distribution requirements under the Code. No assurances can
be given that we will obtain additional financings or, if we do, what the amount and terms will be. Our failure to obtain future financing
under favorable terms could adversely impact our ability to execute our business strategy. In addition, we may selectively pursue debt
financing on our individual properties and debt investments.
Competition
The hotel industry is highly
competitive and the hotels in which we invest are subject to competition from other hotels for guests. Competition is based on a number
of factors, most notably convenience of location, availability of rooms, brand affiliation, price, range of services, guest amenities
or accommodations offered and quality of customer service. Competition is often specific to the individual markets in which our properties
are located and includes competition from existing and new hotels. Increased competition could have a material adverse effect on the occupancy
rate, average daily room rate and rooms revenue per available room of our hotels or may require us to make capital improvements that we
otherwise would not have to make, which may result in decreases in our profitability.
Our principal competitors
include other hotel operating companies, ownership companies and national and international hotel brands. We face increased competition
from providers of less expensive accommodations, such as select-service hotels or independent owner-managed hotels, during periods of
economic downturn when leisure and business travelers become more sensitive to room rates. We also experience competition from alternative
types of accommodations such as home sharing companies and apartment operators offering short-term rentals.
Employees
We have no employees. Our
appointed officers are provided by Ashford LLC, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc. Advisory services which would otherwise be provided by employees
are provided by subsidiaries of Ashford Inc. and by our appointed officers. Subsidiaries of Ashford Inc. have approximately 96 full-time
employees who provide advisory services to us. These employees directly or indirectly perform various acquisition, development, asset
management, capital markets, accounting, tax, risk management, legal, redevelopment, and corporate management functions pursuant to the
terms of our Advisory Agreement.
Governmental Regulations
Our properties are subject
to various federal, state and local regulatory laws and requirements, including, but not limited to, the ADA, zoning regulations, building
codes and land use laws, and building, occupancy and other permit requirements. Noncompliance could result in the imposition of governmental
fines or the award of damages to private litigants. While we believe that we are currently in material compliance with these regulatory
requirements, the requirements may change or new requirements may be imposed that could require significant unanticipated expenditures
by us. Additionally, local zoning and land use laws, environmental statutes, health and safety rules and other governmental requirements
may restrict, or negatively impact, our property operations, or expansion, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities and such regulations
may prevent us from taking advantage of economic opportunities. Future changes in federal, state or local tax regulations applicable to
REITs, real property or income derived from our real estate could impact the financial performance, operations, and value of our properties
and the Company.
Environmental Matters
Under various federal, state,
and local laws and regulations, an owner or operator of real estate may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain
hazardous or toxic substances on such property. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner knew of, or was
responsible for, the presence of hazardous or toxic substances. Furthermore, a person who arranges for the disposal of a hazardous substance
or transports a hazardous substance for disposal or treatment from property owned by another may be liable for the costs of removal or
remediation of hazardous substances released into the environment at that property. The costs of remediation or removal of such substances
may be substantial, and the presence of such substances, or the failure to promptly remediate such substances, may adversely affect the
owner’s ability to sell the affected property or to borrow using the affected property as collateral. In connection with the ownership
and operation of our properties, we, our operating partnership, or Ashford TRS may be potentially liable for any such costs. In addition,
the value of any lodging property loan we originate or acquire would be adversely affected if the underlying property contained hazardous
or toxic substances.
Phase I environmental
assessments, which are intended to identify potential environmental contamination for which our properties may be responsible, have been
obtained on substantially all of our properties. Such Phase I environmental assessments included:
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historical reviews of the properties;
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reviews of certain public records;
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preliminary investigations of the sites and surrounding properties;
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screening for the presence of hazardous substances, toxic substances, and underground storage tanks; and
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the preparation and issuance of a written report.
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Such Phase I environmental
assessments did not include invasive procedures, such as soil sampling or ground water analysis. Such Phase I environmental assessments
have not revealed any environmental liability that we believe would have a material adverse effect on our business, assets, results of
operations, or liquidity, and we are not aware of any such liability. To the extent Phase I environmental assessments reveal facts
that require further investigation, we would perform a Phase II environmental assessment. However, it is possible that these environmental
assessments will not reveal all environmental liabilities. There may be material environmental liabilities of which we are unaware, including
environmental liabilities that may have arisen since the environmental assessments were completed or updated. No assurances can be given
that: (i) future laws, ordinances, or regulations will not impose any material environmental liability; or (ii) the current
environmental condition of our properties will not be affected by the condition of properties in the vicinity (such as the presence of
leaking underground storage tanks) or by third parties unrelated to us.
We believe our properties
are in compliance in all material respects with all federal, state, and local ordinances and regulations regarding hazardous or toxic
substances and other environmental matters. Neither we nor, to our knowledge, any of the former owners of our properties have been notified
by any governmental authority of any material noncompliance, liability, or claim relating to hazardous or toxic substances or other environmental
matters in connection with any of our properties.
Insurance
We maintain comprehensive
insurance, including liability, property, workers’ compensation, rental loss, environmental, terrorism, cyber security and, when
available on commercially reasonable terms, flood, wind and earthquake insurance, with policy specifications, limits, and deductibles
customarily carried for similar properties. Certain types of losses (for example, matters of a catastrophic nature such as acts of war
or substantial known environmental liabilities) are either uninsurable or require substantial premiums that are not economically feasible
to maintain. Certain types of losses, such as those arising from subsidence activity, are insurable only to the extent that certain standard
policy exceptions to insurability are waived by agreement with the insurer. We believe, however, that our properties are adequately insured,
consistent with industry standards.
Franchise Licenses
We believe that the public’s
perception of quality associated with a franchisor can be an important feature in the operation of a hotel. Franchisors provide a variety
of benefits for franchisees, which include national advertising, publicity, and other marketing programs designed to increase brand awareness,
training of personnel, continuous review of quality standards, and centralized reservation systems.
As of March 31, 2021,
we owned interests in 102 hotel properties, 96 of which operated under the following franchise licenses or brand management agreements:
Embassy Suites is a registered trademark of Hilton Hospitality, Inc.
Hilton is a registered trademark of Hilton Hospitality, Inc.
Hilton Garden Inn is a registered trademark of Hilton Hospitality, Inc.
Hampton Inn is a registered trademark of Hilton Hospitality, Inc.
Marriott is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
SpringHill Suites is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
Residence Inn by Marriott is a registered trademark of Marriott
International, Inc.
Courtyard by Marriott is a registered trademark of Marriott
International, Inc.
Fairfield Inn by Marriott is a registered trademark of Marriott
International, Inc.
TownePlace Suites is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
Renaissance is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
Ritz-Carlton is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
Hyatt Regency is a registered trademark of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
Le Meridien is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
Sheraton is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
W is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
Westin is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
Crowne Plaza is a registered trademark of InterContinental
Hotels Group.
Hotel Indigo is a registered trademark of InterContinental
Hotels Group.
One Ocean is a registered trademark of Remington Hotels,
LLC
Tribute Portfolio is a registered trademark of Marriott International, Inc.
Our management companies,
including Remington Hotels, must operate each hotel pursuant to the terms of the related franchise or brand management agreement and must
use their best efforts to maintain the right to operate each hotel pursuant to such terms. In the event of termination of a particular
franchise or brand management agreement, our management companies must operate any affected hotels under another franchise or brand management
agreement, if any, that we enter into. We anticipate that many of the additional hotels we acquire could be operated under franchise licenses
or brand management agreements as well.
Our franchise licenses and
brand management agreements generally specify certain management, operational, recordkeeping, accounting, reporting, and marketing standards
and procedures with which the franchisee or brand operator must comply, including requirements related to:
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training of operational personnel;
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maintaining specified insurance;
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types of services and products ancillary to guestroom services that may be provided;
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display of signage; and
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type, quality, and age of furniture, fixtures, and equipment included in guestrooms, lobbies, and other
common areas.
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Seasonality
Our properties’ operations
historically have been seasonal as certain properties maintain higher occupancy rates during the summer months, while certain other properties
maintain higher occupancy rates during the winter months. This seasonality pattern can cause fluctuations in our quarterly revenue. Quarterly
revenue also may be adversely affected by renovations and repositionings, our managers’ effectiveness in generating business and
by events beyond our control, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and government-issued travel restrictions in response, extreme weather conditions,
natural disasters, terrorist attacks or alerts, civil unrest, government shutdowns, airline strikes or reduced airline capacity, economic
factors and other considerations affecting travel. To the extent that cash flows from operations are insufficient during any quarter to
enable us to make quarterly distributions to maintain our REIT status due to temporary or seasonal fluctuations in lease revenue, we expect
to utilize cash on hand, cash generated through borrowings and issuances of common stock to fund required distributions. However, we cannot
make any assurances that we will make distributions in the future.
Investments in Real Estate or Interests
in Real Estate
Direct
Hotel Investments. In selecting hotels to acquire, we target hotels that offer either a high current return
or the opportunity to increase in value through repositioning, capital investments, market-based recovery, or improved management practices.
Our direct hotel acquisition strategy primarily targets full-service upscale and upper upscale hotels with RevPAR less than twice the
national average in primary, secondary, and resort markets, typically throughout the U.S. and will seek to achieve both current income
and appreciation. In addition, we will continue to assess our existing hotel portfolio and make strategic decisions to sell certain under-performing
or non-strategic hotels that do not fit our investment strategy or criteria due to micro or macro market changes or other reasons.
Operating Procedures
In implementing our business
strategy through investments that satisfy the applicable investment policies described above, we consider each of the following:
Asset
Review. In making future hotel investment decisions, we will consider several criteria, including:
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Number of Rooms — We anticipate acquiring or investing in hotels with at least 75
rooms.
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Ownership Structure — We prefer properties with a fee simple title.
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Management — We prefer that the property is unencumbered by long-term management contracts.
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Franchise Affiliations — We will consider both major franchises as well as independents.
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Competition — We intend to seek properties in areas that lack a substantial new supply
of hotel rooms, appear resilient to down markets and either have an existing broad demand or a growing demand base.
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Physical Condition — The condition of the property that is acceptable to us will depend
on the pricing structure. Major product improvement plans or renovations are acceptable if the pricing adequately reflects such renovations.
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Available Financing — To the extent we utilize financing in our investments, we will
seek non-recourse financing.
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Amenities — We prefer properties that have amenities (food and beverage, meeting space,
fitness equipment, parking, etc.) consistent with the needs of its targeted customer.
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Operating Performance — We intend to seek hotels that have shown a solid operating
performance or alternatively seek assets where strategic changes in operations or its market positioning will generate improved revenue
and operating margins.
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New Supply — We invest in markets where the effects of future growth in new rooms
are understood and factored in value considerations.
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Room Demand Generators — We will seek hotels that have a diversified base of room
demand generators or alternatively seek to reposition hotels to capitalize on shifting the hotel’s guest mix in ways to improve
operating performance.
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However, none of these criteria
alone is considered determinative.
Underwriting
Review. After we identify a potential investment, a due diligence team, consisting of in-house and third
parties, will conduct detailed due diligence to assess the potential investment. This due diligence team will follow underwriting guidelines
and review a list of property-level issues, including, but not limited to:
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advance booking reports; and
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Market
Assessments. Our market assessment analysis will entail in-depth evaluation of macro and micro market
forces affecting the lodging industry in a given market and the specific sub-market. We usually process data obtained from numerous industry
sources that focus on new supply, changes in demand patterns, brand expansion plans, performance of key corporations, government initiatives
and essential hotel performance data (e.g., average daily rate, or ADR, occupancy and RevPAR). We will analyze this information
to make near-term and long-term investment and sales decisions within each market and further within specific sub-markets.
Capital
Markets Evaluation. We monitor the capital markets to determine trends in lodging investment patterns
and debt-to-equity pricing. We typically maintain a debt and equity transaction database encompassing recently closed transactions and
suggested pricing for new transactions. This information will assist us in the formulation of competitive pricing trends and may serve
as a good indicator of when liquidity gaps or pricing inefficiencies may exist in the market. We intend to use this pricing knowledge
to optimally allocate our assets across our four targeted lodging-related investment classes to maximize our risk-adjusted returns.
Value
Optimization Strategies. We intend to regularly evaluate the incremental performance and resulting investment
actions for each asset in our portfolio as part of our budget review process. Because of our fluid asset allocation strategy, it will
be imperative that the relative merits of holding a particular property or investment demonstrate benefits in terms of accretion and portfolio
diversification. Our objective in such an evaluation is to confirm that an existing asset adds to stockholder value. The methodology consists
of a “re-buy” analysis that determines if continuing to hold a particular investment, using forward-looking market growth
assumptions, is a valid strategy. By consistently applying this policy across all investments, we seek to maximize our investment returns
by reallocating funds into more productive asset classes.
DISTRIBUTION
POLICY
No dividends can be paid
on the Common Stock unless and until all accumulated and unpaid dividends on our outstanding Preferred Stock have been declared and paid.
As of June 14, 2021 and after giving effect to the exchange of approximately 14.7 million shares of Preferred Stock for Common
Stock, the total accumulated unpaid dividend on the outstanding Preferred Stock was approximately $15.1 million. Additionally, under Maryland
law and except for an ability to pay a dividend out of current earnings in certain limited circumstances, no dividend may be declared
or paid by a Maryland corporation if, after giving effect to the dividend, assets will continue to exceed liabilities and the corporation
will be able to continue to pay its debts as they become due in the usual course. As of March 31, 2021, the Company had a deficit
in stockholders’ equity of approximately $342.0 million and had not generated current earnings from which a dividend is potentially
payable since the year ended December 31, 2015. For these and other reasons, there is no expectation that a dividend on Common Stock
can or would be considered or declared at any time in the foreseeable future.
On December 8, 2020,
the Board reviewed and approved our 2021 dividend policy and on December 11, 2020 announced that the Company does not anticipate
paying any dividends on its outstanding Common Stock and Preferred Stock for any quarter ending during 2021. The Board will continue to
review our dividend policy and make future announcements with respect thereto. We may incur indebtedness to meet distribution requirements
imposed on REITs under the Code to the extent that working capital and cash flow from our investments are insufficient to fund required
distributions. Alternatively, we may elect to pay dividends on our Common Stock in cash or a combination of cash and shares of securities
as permitted under U.S. federal income tax laws governing REIT distribution requirements. We may pay dividends in excess of our cash flow.
Distributions are authorized
by the Board and declared by us based upon a variety of factors deemed relevant by our directors. No assurance can be given that our dividend
policy, including our dividend policy for 2020 and 2021, will not change in the future. The adoption of a dividend policy does not commit
the Board to declare or not declare future dividends or the amount thereof. The Board will continue to review our dividend policy on at
least a quarterly basis. Our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders will depend, in part, upon our receipt of distributions
from our operating partnership. This, in turn, may depend upon receipt of lease payments with respect to our properties from indirect
subsidiaries of our operating partnership, the management of our properties by our hotel managers and general business conditions (including
the impact of COVID-19). Distributions to our stockholders are generally taxable to our stockholders as ordinary income. However, since
a portion of our investments are equity ownership interests in hotels, which result in depreciation and non-cash charges against our income,
a portion of our distributions may constitute a non-taxable return of capital, to the extent of a stockholder’s tax basis in the
stock. To the extent that it is consistent with maintaining our REIT status, we may maintain accumulated earnings of Ashford TRS in that
entity.
Our
Charter allows us to issue preferred stock with a preference on distributions, such as our Series D Preferred Stock, Series F
Preferred Stock, Series G Preferred Stock, Series H Preferred Stock and Series I Preferred Stock. The partnership agreement
of our operating partnership also allows the operating partnership to issue units with a preference on distributions. The issuance
of these series of Preferred Stock and units together with any similar issuance in the future, given the dividend preference on such
stock or units, could limit our ability to make a dividend distribution to our Common Stockholders. In addition, the same factors
impacting the Board’s dividend policy for 2020 and 2021 may impact our ability to pay dividends on our Preferred Stock.
DESCRIPTION
OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following is a brief
description of the material terms of our securities that may be offered under this prospectus. This description does not purport to be
complete and is subject in all respects to applicable Maryland law and to the provisions of our Charter and bylaws, which are filed as
exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and any applicable amendments or supplements thereto, copies
of which are on file with the SEC as described under “How to Obtain Additional Information.”
General
We may offer under this prospectus
shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share. Our Charter provides that we have authority to issue up to 450,000,000 shares of capital
stock, consisting of (a) 400,000,000 shares of Common Stock and (b) 50,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per
share.
Common Stock
As of June 18, 2021,
we had 200,565,683 shares of Common Stock outstanding. The following is a summary of the material terms and provisions of our Common Stock.
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Authorized
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Capital Shares
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Our authorized capital shares
consist of 400,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 50,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share. All outstanding shares
of our Common Stock are fully paid and nonassessable.
Subject to the provisions
of our Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, each outstanding share of our Common Stock entitles the holder to one
vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors and, except as provided with respect to any
other class or series of stock, the holders of such shares will possess the exclusive voting power. Director nominees in an uncontested
election are elected if the votes cast for such nominee’s election exceed the votes cast against such nominee’s election (with
abstentions and broker non-votes not counted as a vote cast either “for” or “against” that director’s election).
In the event of a contested election, as defined in our Charter, a plurality voting standard will apply.
Subject to the preferential
rights of any other class or series of stock and to the provisions of the Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, holders
of shares of our Common Stock are entitled to receive dividends on such stock when, as and if authorized by the Board out of funds legally
available therefor.
Subject to the preferential
rights of any other class or series of stock, holders of shares of our Common Stock are entitled to share ratably in the assets of our
Company legally available for distribution to our stockholders in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up after payment
of or adequate provision for all known debts and liabilities of our Company, including the preferential rights on dissolution of any class
or classes of Preferred Stock.
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Rights and Preferences
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Holders of shares of our
Common Stock have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund, or redemption and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any
securities of our Company, and generally have no appraisal rights so long as our Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange
and except in very limited circumstances involving a merger where our stock is converted into any consideration other than stock of the
successor in the merger and in which our directors, officers, and 5% or greater stockholders receive different consideration than stockholders
generally. Subject to the provisions of the Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, shares of our Common Stock will have
equal dividend, liquidation and other rights.
Subject to the provisions
of the Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, we are not aware of any limitations on the rights to own our Common Stock,
including rights of non-resident or foreign stockholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our Common Stock, imposed by foreign law
or by our Charter or bylaws.
The Common Stock is listed
on the NYSE under the trading symbol “AHT.”
Power to Reclassify Shares of Our
Capital Stock; Issuance of Additional Shares
Our Charter authorizes the
Board to classify or reclassify any unissued shares of stock from time to time in one or more classes or series of stock; including preferred
stock, and to authorize the issuance of such shares. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series of capital stock, the Board is
required by Maryland law and by our Charter to set, subject to our Charter restrictions on the transfer of our capital stock, the terms,
preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications
and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series. When issued, all shares of our capital stock offered by this Prospectus
will be duly authorized, fully paid and nonassessable.
We believe that the power
to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of Common Stock or Preferred
Stock and thereafter to issue the classified or reclassified shares provides us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future
financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs which might arise. These actions can be taken without stockholder approval, unless
stockholder approval is required by applicable law or the rules of any national securities exchange or automated quotation system
on which our securities may be listed or traded. Although we have no present intention of doing so, we could issue a class or series of
capital stock that could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of us that might involve a premium price for holders
of Common Stock or otherwise be in their best interest.
Preferred Stock
Our Charter authorizes the
Board to classify from time to time any unissued shares of capital stock in one or more classes or series of preferred stock and to reclassify
any previously classified but unissued Preferred Stock of any class or series, in one or more classes or series. As of the date of this
prospectus, there are five classes of Preferred Stock authorized and outstanding: our Series D Preferred Stock, Series F Preferred
Stock, Series G Preferred Stock, Series H Preferred Stock and Series I Preferred Stock.
If the Exchange Offer and
the Consent Solicitation for a series of Preferred Stock closes and the Proposed Amendments are approved by the holders of Common Stock,
each share of the Preferred Stock of the series not tendered in the Exchange Offers will be converted by the Articles of Amendment into
the right to receive 1.74 shares of our Common Stock, which does not include the same premium to market price of each series of Preferred
Stock that is included in the Consideration Options.
As of June 14, 2021,
we had 1,363,292 shares of our Series D Preferred Stock outstanding. The following is a summary of the material terms and provisions
of our Series D Preferred Stock.
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Authorized
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Capital Shares
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The Board has classified
and designated 9,666,797 shares of Series D Preferred Stock. All outstanding shares of our Series D Preferred Stock are fully
paid and nonassessable.
The Series D Preferred
Stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs rank:
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senior to all classes or series of Common Stock and to all equity securities ranking junior to the Preferred
Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;
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on a parity with all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those
equity securities rank on a parity with the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of our affairs; and
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junior to all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those equity
securities rank senior to the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
our affairs.
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The term “equity securities”
does not include convertible debt securities.
Our Series D Preferred
Stock, Series F Preferred Stock, Series G Preferred Stock, Series H Preferred Stock, and Series I Preferred Stock
all rank on a parity with one another.
Holders of Series D
Preferred Stock generally have no voting rights, except that if six or more quarterly dividend payments have not been made, the Board
will be expanded by two seats and the holders of Series D Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class with the holders of
all other series of Preferred Stock that has been granted similar voting rights and is considered parity stock with the Series D
Preferred Stock, will be entitled to elect these two directors. In addition, the issuance of senior shares or certain changes to the terms
of the Series D Preferred Stock that would be materially adverse to the rights of holders of Series D Preferred Stock cannot
be made without the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding Series D Preferred Stock and shares
of any class or series of shares ranking on a parity with the Series D Preferred Stock which are entitled to similar voting rights,
if any, voting as a single class.
The Series D Preferred
Stock accrues a cumulative cash dividend at an annual rate of 8.45% on the $25.00 per share liquidation preference; provided, however,
that during any period of time that both (i) the Series D Preferred Stock is not listed on either the NYSE, NYSE American LLC
(the “NYSE American”), or the NASDAQ, or on a successor exchange and (ii) we are not subject to the reporting requirements
of the Exchange Act, the Series D Preferred Stock will accrue a cumulative cash dividend at an annual rate of 9.45% on the $25.00
per share liquidation preference (equivalent to an annual dividend rate of $2.3625 per share), which we refer to as a special distribution.
Upon any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our Company, the holders of Series D Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive a liquidation
preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accumulated, accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not earned or declared)
to the date of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of our Company, before any payment or distribution will be made to
or set apart for the holders of any junior stock.
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Other
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Rights and Preferences
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The Series D Preferred
Stock is not convertible or exchangeable for any of our other securities or property, and holders of shares of our Series D Preferred
Stock have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of our Company. Holders of Series D Preferred Stock do not have redemption
rights. Our Series D Preferred Stock is not subject to any sinking fund provisions.
During any period in which
we are required to pay a special distribution, holders of the Series D Preferred Stock will become entitled to certain information
rights related thereto.
Subject to the provisions
of the Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, we are not aware of any limitations on the rights to own our Series D
Preferred Stock, including rights of non-resident or foreign stockholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our Series D Preferred
Stock, imposed by foreign law or by our Charter or bylaws.
The Series D Preferred
Stock is traded on the NYSE under the trading symbol “AHTprD.”
As of June 14, 2021,
we had 1,559,944 shares of our Series F Preferred Stock outstanding. The following is a summary of the material terms and provisions
of our Series F Preferred Stock.
Authorized Capital Shares
The Board has classified
and designated 4,800,000 shares of Series F Preferred Stock. All outstanding shares of our Series F Preferred Stock are fully
paid and nonassessable.
The Series F Preferred
Stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs rank:
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senior to all classes or series of Common Stock and to all equity securities ranking junior to the Preferred
Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;
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on a parity with all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those
equity securities rank on a parity with the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of our affairs; and
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·
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junior to all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those equity
securities rank senior to the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
our affairs.
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The term “equity securities”
does not include convertible debt securities.
Holders of Series F
Preferred Stock generally have no voting rights, except that if six or more quarterly dividend payments have not been made, the Board
will be expanded by two seats and the holders of Series F Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class with the holders of
all other series of Preferred Stock that has been granted similar voting rights and is considered parity stock with the Series F
Preferred Stock, will be entitled to elect these two directors. In addition, the issuance of senior shares or certain changes to the terms
of the Series F Preferred Stock that would be materially adverse to the rights of holders of Series F Preferred Stock cannot
be made without the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding Series F Preferred Stock and shares
of any class or series of shares ranking on a parity with the Series F Preferred Stock which are entitled to similar voting rights,
if any, voting as a single class.
The Series F Preferred
Stock accrues a cumulative cash dividend at an annual rate of 7.375% on the $25.00 per share liquidation preference.
Upon any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our Company, the holders of Series F Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive a liquidation
preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accumulated, accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not earned or declared)
to the date of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of our Company, before any payment or distribution will be made to
or set apart for the holders of any junior stock.
Upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control (as defined below), we may, at our option, redeem the Series F Preferred Stock, in whole or in part within 120 days
after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but
not including, the date of redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control conversion date, we exercise any of our redemption rights relating
to the Series F Preferred Stock (whether our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right), the holders of
Series F Preferred Stock will not have the conversion right described below.
A “Change of Control”
is when, after the original issuance of the Series F Preferred Stock, the following have occurred and are continuing:
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the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition
transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of our Company entitling that person to exercise
more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of our Company entitled to vote generally in elections of directors (except that
such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right
is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and
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following the closing of any transaction referred to in the bullet point above, neither we nor the acquiring
or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or American Depository Receipts representing such securities) listed on the NYSE,
the NYSE American or NASDAQ or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American
or NASDAQ.
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In addition, we may redeem
the Series F Preferred Stock, in whole or from time to time in part, at a cash redemption price equal to 100% of the $25.00 per share
liquidation preference plus all accrued and unpaid dividends to the date fixed for redemption. The Series F Preferred Stock has no
stated maturity and is not subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption provisions.
Upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control, each holder of Series F Preferred Stock will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control conversion
date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem the Series F Preferred Stock) to convert some or all of the Series F
Preferred Stock held by such holder on the Change of Control conversion date into a number of shares of our Common Stock per share of
Series F Preferred Stock to be converted equal to the lesser of:
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the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount
of any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the Change of Control conversion date (unless the Change of Control conversion
date is after a dividend record date for the Series F Preferred Stock and prior to the corresponding Series F Preferred Stock
dividend payment date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividend will be included in this sum) by (ii) the
Common Stock Price (as defined below); and
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0.968992, subject to certain adjustments;
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subject, in each case, to provisions for the receipt
of alternative consideration. The “Common Stock Price” will be (i) the amount of cash consideration per share of Common
Stock, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our Common Stock is solely cash; or (ii) the
average of the closing prices for our Common Stock on the NYSE for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including,
the effective date of the Change of Control, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our Common
Stock is other than solely cash.
If, prior to the Change of
Control conversion date, we have provided or provide a redemption notice, whether pursuant to our special optional redemption right in
connection with a Change of Control or our optional redemption right, holders of Series F Preferred Stock will not have any right
to convert the Series F Preferred Stock in connection with the Change of Control conversion right and any shares of Series F
Preferred Stock selected for redemption that have been tendered for conversion will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead
of converted on the Change of Control conversion date.
Except as provided above
in connection with a Change of Control, the Series F Preferred Stock is not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities
or property.
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Other
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Rights and Preferences
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Holders of shares of our
Series F Preferred Stock have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of our Company. Subject to the provisions of the
Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, we are not aware of any limitations on the rights to own our Series F Preferred
Stock, including rights of non-resident or foreign stockholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our Series F Preferred Stock,
imposed by foreign law or by our Charter or bylaws.
The Series F Preferred
Stock is traded on the NYSE under the trading symbol “AHTprF.”
As of June 14, 2021,
we had 2,023,570 shares of our Series G Preferred Stock outstanding. The following is a summary of the material terms and provisions
of our Series G Preferred Stock.
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Authorized
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Capital Shares
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The Board has classified
and designated 6,900,000 shares of Series G Preferred Stock. All outstanding shares of our Series G Preferred Stock are fully
paid and nonassessable.
The Series G Preferred
Stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs rank:
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senior to all classes or series of Common Stock and to all equity securities ranking junior to the Preferred
Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;
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on a parity with all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those
equity securities rank on a parity with the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of our affairs; and
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junior to all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those equity
securities rank senior to the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
our affairs.
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The term “equity securities”
does not include convertible debt securities.
Holders of Series G
Preferred Stock generally have no voting rights, except that if six or more quarterly dividend payments have not been made, the Board
will be expanded by two seats and the holders of Series G Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class with the holders of
all other series of Preferred Stock that has been granted similar voting rights and is considered parity stock with the Series G
Preferred Stock, will be entitled to elect these two directors. In addition, the issuance of senior shares or certain changes to the terms
of the Series G Preferred Stock that would be materially adverse to the rights of holders of Series G Preferred Stock cannot
be made without the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding Series G Preferred Stock and shares
of any class or series of shares ranking on a parity with the Series G Preferred Stock which are entitled to similar voting rights,
if any, voting as a single class.
The Series G Preferred
Stock accrues a cumulative cash dividend at an annual rate of 7.375% on the $25.00 per share liquidation preference.
Upon any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our Company, the holders of Series G Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive a liquidation
preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accumulated, accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not earned or declared)
to the date of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of our Company, before any payment or distribution will be made to
or set apart for the holders of any junior stock.
Upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control (as defined below), we may, at our option, redeem the Series G Preferred Stock, in whole or in part within 120 days
after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but
not including, the date of redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control conversion date, we exercise any of our redemption rights relating
to the Series G Preferred Stock (whether our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right), the holders of
Series G Preferred Stock will not have the conversion right described below.
A “Change of Control”
is when, after the original issuance of the Series G Preferred Stock, the following have occurred and are continuing:
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the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition
transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of our Company entitling that person to exercise
more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of our Company entitled to vote generally in elections of directors (except that
such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right
is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and
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following the closing of any transaction referred to in the bullet point above, neither we nor the acquiring
or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or ADRs representing such securities) listed on the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ
or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ.
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In addition, we may redeem
the Series G Preferred Stock, in whole or from time to time in part, at a cash redemption price equal to 100% of the $25.00 per share
liquidation preference plus all accrued and unpaid dividends to the date fixed for redemption. The Series G Preferred Stock has no
stated maturity and is not subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption provisions.
Upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control, each holder of Series G Preferred Stock will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control conversion
date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem the Series G Preferred Stock) to convert some or all of the Series G
Preferred Stock held by such holder on the Change of Control conversion date into a number of shares of our Common Stock per share of
Series G Preferred Stock to be converted equal to the lesser of:
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the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount
of any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the Change of Control conversion date (unless the Change of Control conversion
date is after a dividend record date for the Series G Preferred Stock and prior to the corresponding Series G Preferred Stock
dividend payment date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividend will be included in this sum) by (ii) the
Common Stock Price (as defined below); and
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0.83333, subject to certain adjustments;
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subject, in each case, to provisions for the receipt
of alternative consideration. The “Common Stock Price” will be (i) the amount of cash consideration per share of Common
Stock, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our Common Stock is solely cash; or (ii) the
average of the closing prices for our Common Stock on the NYSE for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including,
the effective date of the Change of Control, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our Common
Stock is other than solely cash.
If, prior to the Change of
Control conversion date, we have provided or provide a redemption notice, whether pursuant to our special optional redemption right in
connection with a Change of Control or our optional redemption right, holders of Series G Preferred Stock will not have any right
to convert the Series G Preferred Stock in connection with the Change of Control conversion right and any shares of Series G
Preferred Stock selected for redemption that have been tendered for conversion will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead
of converted on the Change of Control conversion date.
Except as provided above
in connection with a Change of Control, the Series G Preferred Stock is not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities
or property.
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Other
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Rights and Preferences
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Holders of shares of our
Series G Preferred Stock have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of our Company. Subject to the provisions of the
Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, we are not aware of any limitations on the rights to own our Series G Preferred
Stock, including rights of non-resident or foreign stockholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our Series G Preferred Stock,
imposed by foreign law or by our Charter or bylaws.
The Series G Preferred
Stock is traded on the NYSE under the trading symbol “AHTprG.”
As of June 14, 2021
we had 1,498,937 shares of our Series H Preferred Stock outstanding. The following is a summary of the material terms and provisions
of our Series H Preferred Stock.
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Authorized
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Capital Shares
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The Board has classified
and designated 3,910,000 shares of Series H Preferred Stock. All outstanding shares of our Series H Preferred Stock are fully
paid and nonassessable.
The Series H Preferred
Stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs rank:
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senior to all classes or series of Common Stock and to all equity securities ranking junior to the Preferred
Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;
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on a parity with all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those
equity securities rank on a parity with the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of our affairs; and
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junior to all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those equity
securities rank senior to the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
our affairs.
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The term “equity securities”
does not include convertible debt securities.
Holders of Series H
Preferred Stock generally have no voting rights, except that if six or more quarterly dividend payments have not been made, the Board
will be expanded by two seats and the holders of Series H Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class with the holders of
all other series of Preferred Stock that has been granted similar voting rights and is considered parity stock with the Series H
Preferred Stock, will be entitled to elect these two directors. In addition, the issuance of senior shares or certain changes to the terms
of the Series H Preferred Stock that would be materially adverse to the rights of holders of Series H Preferred Stock cannot
be made without the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding Series H Preferred Stock and shares
of any class or series of shares ranking on a parity with the Series H Preferred Stock which are entitled to similar voting rights,
if any, voting as a single class.
The Series H Preferred
Stock accrues a cumulative cash dividend at an annual rate of 7.50% on the $25.00 per share liquidation preference.
Upon any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our Company, the holders of Series H Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive a liquidation
preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accumulated, accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not earned or declared)
to the date of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of our Company, before any payment or distribution will be made to
or set apart for the holders of any junior stock.
Upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control (as defined below), we may, at our option, redeem the Series H Preferred Stock, in whole or in part within 120 days
after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but
not including, the date of redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control conversion date, we exercise any of our redemption rights relating
to the Series H Preferred Stock (whether our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right), the holders of
Series H Preferred Stock will not have the conversion right described below.
A “Change of Control”
is when, after the original issuance of the Series H Preferred Stock, the following have occurred and are continuing:
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the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition
transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of our Company entitling that person to exercise
more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of our Company entitled to vote generally in elections of directors (except that
such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right
is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and
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following the closing of any transaction referred to in the bullet point above, neither we nor the acquiring
or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or ADRs representing such securities) listed on the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ
or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ.
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In addition, we may redeem
the Series H Preferred Stock, in whole or from time to time in part, at a cash redemption price equal to 100% of the $25.00 per share
liquidation preference plus all accrued and unpaid dividends to the date fixed for redemption. The Series H Preferred Stock has no
stated maturity and is not subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption provisions.
Upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control, each holder of Series H Preferred Stock will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control conversion
date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem the Series H Preferred Stock) to convert some or all of the Series H
Preferred Stock held by such holder on the Change of Control conversion date into a number of shares of our Common Stock per share of
Series H Preferred Stock to be converted equal to the lesser of:
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the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount
of any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the Change of Control conversion date (unless the Change of Control conversion
date is after a dividend record date for the Series H Preferred Stock and prior to the corresponding Series H Preferred Stock
dividend payment date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividend will be included in this sum) by (ii) the
Common Stock Price (as defined below); and
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0.825083, subject to certain adjustments;
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subject, in each case, to provisions for the receipt
of alternative consideration. The “Common Stock Price” will be (i) the amount of cash consideration per share of Common
Stock, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our Common Stock is solely cash; or (ii) the
average of the closing prices for our Common Stock on the NYSE for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including,
the effective date of the Change of Control, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our Common
Stock is other than solely cash.
If, prior to the Change of
Control conversion date, we have provided or provide a redemption notice, whether pursuant to our special optional redemption right in
connection with a Change of Control or our optional redemption right, holders of Series H Preferred Stock will not have any right
to convert the Series H Preferred Stock in connection with the Change of Control conversion right and any shares of Series H
Preferred Stock selected for redemption that have been tendered for conversion will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead
of converted on the Change of Control conversion date.
Except as provided above
in connection with a Change of Control, the Series H Preferred Stock is not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities
or property.
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Other
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Rights and Preferences
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Holders of shares of our
Series H Preferred Stock have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of our Company. Subject to the provisions of the
Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, we are not aware of any limitations on the rights to own our Series H Preferred
Stock, including rights of non-resident or foreign stockholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our Series H Preferred Stock,
imposed by foreign law or by our Charter or bylaws.
The Series H Preferred
Stock is traded on the NYSE under the trading symbol “AHTprH.”
As of June 14, 2021
we had 1,483,929 shares of our Series I Preferred Stock outstanding. The following is a summary of the material terms and provisions
of our Series I Preferred Stock.
Authorized Capital Shares
The Board has classified
and designated 6,210,000 shares of Series I Preferred Stock. All outstanding shares of our Series I Preferred Stock are fully
paid and nonassessable.
The Series I Preferred
Stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs rank:
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senior to all classes or series of Common Stock and to all equity securities ranking junior to the Preferred
Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;
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on a parity with all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those
equity securities rank on a parity with the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of our affairs; and
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junior to all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that those equity
securities rank senior to the Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
our affairs.
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The term “equity securities”
does not include convertible debt securities.
Voting Rights
Holders of Series I
Preferred Stock generally have no voting rights, except that if six or more quarterly dividend payments have not been made, the Board
will be expanded by two seats and the holders of Series I Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class with the holders of
all other series of Preferred Stock that has been granted similar voting rights and is considered parity stock with the Series I
Preferred Stock, will be entitled to elect these two directors. In addition, the issuance of senior shares or certain changes to the terms
of the Series I Preferred Stock that would be materially adverse to the rights of holders of Series I Preferred Stock cannot
be made without the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding Series I Preferred Stock and shares
of any class or series of shares ranking on a parity with the Series I Preferred Stock which are entitled to similar voting rights,
if any, voting as a single class.
Dividend Rights
The Series I Preferred
Stock accrues a cumulative cash dividend at an annual rate of 7.50% on the $25.00 per share liquidation preference.
Liquidation Rights
Upon any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our Company, the holders of Series I Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive a liquidation
preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accumulated, accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not earned or declared)
to the date of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of our Company, before any payment or distribution will be made to
or set apart for the holders of any junior stock.
Redemption Provisions
Upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control (as defined below), we may, at our option, redeem the Series I Preferred Stock, in whole or in part within 120 days
after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but
not including, the date of redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control conversion date, we exercise any of our redemption rights relating
to the Series I Preferred Stock (whether our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right), the holders of
Series I Preferred Stock will not have the conversion right described below.
A “Change of Control”
is when, after the original issuance of the Series I Preferred Stock, the following have occurred and are continuing:
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the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition
transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of our Company entitling that person to exercise
more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of our Company entitled to vote generally in elections of directors (except that
such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right
is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and
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following the closing of any transaction referred to in the bullet point above, neither we nor the acquiring
or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or ADRs representing such securities) listed on the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ
or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ.
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In addition, on and after
November 17, 2022, we may redeem the Series I Preferred Stock, in whole or from time to time in part, at a cash redemption price
equal to 100% of the $25.00 per share liquidation preference plus all accrued and unpaid dividends to the date fixed for redemption. The
Series I Preferred Stock has no stated maturity and is not subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption provisions.
Conversion Rights
Upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control, each holder of Series I Preferred Stock will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control conversion
date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem the Series I Preferred Stock) to convert some or all of the Series I
Preferred Stock held by such holder on the Change of Control conversion date into a number of shares of our Common Stock per share of
Series I Preferred Stock to be converted equal to the lesser of:
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the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount
of any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the Change of Control conversion date (unless the Change of Control conversion
date is after a dividend record date for the Series I Preferred Stock and prior to the corresponding Series I Preferred Stock
dividend payment date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividend will be included in this sum) by (ii) the
Common Stock Price (as defined below); and
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0.806452, subject to certain adjustments;
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subject, in each case, to provisions for the receipt
of alternative consideration. The “Common Stock Price” will be (i) the amount of cash consideration per share of Common
Stock, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our Common Stock is solely cash; or (ii) the
average of the closing prices for our Common Stock on the NYSE for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including,
the effective date of the Change of Control, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our Common
Stock is other than solely cash.
If, prior to the Change of
Control conversion date, we have provided or provide a redemption notice, whether pursuant to our special optional redemption right in
connection with a Change of Control or our optional redemption right, holders of Series I Preferred Stock will not have any right
to convert the Series I Preferred Stock in connection with the Change of Control conversion right and any shares of Series I
Preferred Stock selected for redemption that have been tendered for conversion will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead
of converted on the Change of Control conversion date.
Except as provided above
in connection with a Change of Control, the Series I Preferred Stock is not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities
or property.
Other Rights and Preferences
Holders of shares of our
Series I Preferred Stock have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of our Company.
During any period that we
are not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and any Series I Preferred Stock is outstanding, holders of the
Series I Preferred Stock will become entitled to certain information rights related thereto.
Subject to the provisions
of the Charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, we are not aware of any limitations on the rights to own our Series I
Preferred Stock, including rights of non-resident or foreign stockholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our Series I Preferred
Stock, imposed by foreign law or by our Charter or bylaws.
The Series I Preferred
Stock is traded on the NYSE under the trading symbol “AHTprI.”
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
In order for us to qualify
as a REIT under the Code, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of our stock may be owned, actually or constructively,
by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the
first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made by us). In addition, if we, or one or more owners (actually or constructively)
of 10% or more of us, actually or constructively owns 10% or more of a tenant of ours (or a tenant of any partnership in which we are
a partner), the rent received by us (either directly or through any such partnership) from such tenant will not be qualifying income for
purposes of the REIT gross income tests of the Code. Our stock must also be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least
335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year (other than the first year for which
an election to be a REIT has been made by us).
Our Charter contains restrictions
on the ownership and transfer of our capital stock that are intended to assist us in complying with these requirements and continuing
to qualify as a REIT. The relevant sections of our Charter provide that, subject to the exceptions described below, no person or persons
acting as a group may own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more than (i) 9.8% of the lesser
of the number or value of shares of our Common Stock outstanding or (ii) 9.8% of the lesser of the number or value of the issued
and outstanding preferred or other shares of any class or series of our stock. We refer to this restriction as the “ownership limit.”
The ownership attribution
rules under the Code are complex and may cause stock owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities
to be owned constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8% of our Common Stock (or the acquisition
of an interest in an entity that owns, actually or constructively, our Common Stock) by an individual or entity, could, nevertheless cause
that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own constructively in excess of 9.8% of the outstanding Common Stock and
thereby subject the Common Stock to the ownership limit.
The Board may, in its sole
discretion, waive the ownership limit with respect to one or more stockholders who would not be treated as “individuals” for
purposes of the Code if it determines that such ownership will not cause any “individual’s” beneficial ownership of
shares of our capital stock to jeopardize our status as a REIT (for example, by causing any tenant of ours to be considered a “related
party tenant” for purposes of the REIT qualification rules).
As a condition of our waiver,
the Board may require an opinion of counsel or Internal Revenue Service ruling satisfactory to the Board, and/or representations or undertakings
from the applicant with respect to preserving our REIT status.
In connection with the waiver
of the ownership limit or at any other time, the Board may decrease the ownership limit for all other persons and entities; provided,
however, that the decreased ownership limit will not be effective for any person or entity whose percentage ownership in our capital
stock is in excess of such decreased ownership limit until such time as such person or entity’s percentage of our capital stock
equals or falls below the decreased ownership limit, but any further acquisition of our capital stock in excess of such percentage
ownership of our capital stock will be in violation of the ownership limit. Additionally, the new ownership limit may not allow five or
fewer “individuals” (as defined for purposes of the REIT ownership restrictions under the Code)
to beneficially own more than 49.0% of the value of our outstanding capital stock.
Our Charter provisions further
prohibit:
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any person from actually or constructively owning shares of our capital stock that would result in us
being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT; and
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any person from transferring shares of our capital stock if such transfer would result in shares of our
stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution).
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Any person who acquires or
attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of our Common Stock that will or may violate any of the
foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership will be required to give notice immediately to us and provide us with such other
information as we may request in order to determine the effect of such transfer on our status as a REIT. The foregoing provisions on transferability
and ownership will not apply if the Board determines that it is no longer in our best interests to qualify, or to continue to qualify,
as a REIT.
Pursuant to our Charter,
if any purported transfer of our capital stock or any other event would otherwise result in any person violating the ownership limits
or the other restrictions in our Charter, then any such purported transfer will be void and of no force or effect with respect to the
purported transferee or owner (collectively referred to hereinafter as the “purported owner”) as to that number of shares
in excess of the ownership limit (rounded up to the nearest whole share). The number of shares in excess of the ownership limit will be
automatically transferred to, and held by, a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable organizations selected by us. The
trustee of the trust will be designated by us and must be unaffiliated with us and with any purported owner. The automatic transfer will
be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the violative transfer or other event that results in
a transfer to the trust. Any dividend or other distribution paid to the purported owner, prior to our discovery that the shares had been
automatically transferred to a trust as described above, must be repaid to the trustee upon demand for distribution to the beneficiary
of the trust and all dividends and other distributions paid by us with respect to such “excess” shares prior to the sale by
the trustee of such shares shall be paid to the trustee for the beneficiary. If the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically
effective, for any reason, to prevent violation of the applicable ownership limit, then our Charter provides that the transfer of the
excess shares will be void. Subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that such excess shares have been transferred to the trust,
the trustee shall have the authority (at the trustee’s sole discretion and subject to applicable law) (i) to rescind as void
any vote cast by a purported owner prior to our discovery that such shares have been transferred to the trust and (ii) to recast
such vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the beneficiary of the trust, provided that if we have
already taken irreversible action, then the trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote.
Shares of our capital stock
transferred to the trustee are deemed offered for sale to us, or our designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the
price paid by the purported owner for the shares (or, if the event which resulted in the transfer to the trust did not involve a purchase
of such shares of our capital stock at market price, the market price on the day of the event which resulted in the transfer of such shares
of our capital stock to the trust) and (ii) the market price on the date we, or our designee, accepts such offer. We have the right
to accept such offer until the trustee has sold the shares of our capital stock held in the trust pursuant to the clauses discussed below.
Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold terminates and the trustee must distribute the net proceeds
of the sale to the purported owner and any dividends or other distributions held by the trustee with respect to such capital stock will
be paid to the charitable beneficiary.
If we do not buy the shares,
the trustee must, within 20 days of receiving notice from us of the transfer of shares to the trust, sell the shares to a person
or entity designated by the trustee who could own the shares without violating the ownership limits. After that, the trustee must distribute
to the purported owner an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the net price paid by the purported owner for the shares (or, if the
event which resulted in the transfer to the trust did not involve a purchase of such shares at market price, the market price on the day
of the event which resulted in the transfer of such shares of our capital stock to the trust) and (ii) the net sales proceeds received
by the trust for the shares. Any proceeds in excess of the amount distributable to the purported owner will be distributed to the beneficiary.
Our Charter also provides
that “Benefit Plan Investors” (as defined in our Charter) may not hold, individually or
in the aggregate, 25% or more of the value of any class or series of shares of our capital stock to the extent such class or series does
not constitute “Publicly Offered Securities” (as defined in our Charter).
All persons who own, directly
or by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more than 5% (or such other percentage as provided in the regulations promulgated
under the Code) of the lesser of the number or value of the shares of our outstanding capital stock must give written notice to us within
30 days after the end of each calendar year. In addition, each stockholder will, upon demand, be required to disclose to us in writing
such information with respect to the direct, indirect and constructive ownership of shares of our stock as the Board deems reasonably
necessary to comply with the provisions of the Code applicable to a REIT, to comply with the requirements or any taxing authority or governmental
agency or to determine any such compliance.
All
certificates representing shares of our capital stock bear a legend referring to the restrictions described above.
MATERIAL
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following discussion
is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to a prospective holder of our Common Stock.
The discussion does not address all aspects of taxation that may be relevant to particular investors in light of their personal investment
or tax circumstances, or to certain types of investors that are subject to special treatment under the federal income tax laws, such as:
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financial institutions or broker-dealers;
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tax-exempt organizations (except to the limited extent discussed in “— Taxation of Tax-Exempt
Stockholders”);
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passive foreign investment companies or controlled foreign corporations;
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persons who are not citizens or residents of the United States (except to the limited extent discussed
in “— Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders of Stock” and “Holders of our Debt Securities — Non-U.S.
Holders”);
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investors who hold or will hold securities as part of hedging or conversion transactions;
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investors subject to federal alternative minimum tax;
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investors that have a principal place of business or “tax home” outside the United States;
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investors whose functional currency is not the United States dollar;
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investors subject to special rules under Code Section 892;
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persons who mark-to-market our securities;
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subchapter S corporations;
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regulated investment companies and REITs;
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and persons who receive our securities through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as
compensation.
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If a partnership, entity
or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our Common Stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment
of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a
partnership holding our Common Stock, you should consult your tax advisor regarding the consequences to the partnership and its partners
of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Common Stock by the partnership.
In addition, this discussion
is limited to persons who hold our Common Stock as a “capital asset” (generally, property held for investment) within the
meaning of Section 1221 of the Code.
The statements of law in
this discussion are based on current provisions of the Code, existing, temporary and final Treasury regulations thereunder, and current
administrative rulings and court decisions. No assurance can be given that future legislative, judicial, or administrative actions or
decisions, which may be retroactive in effect, will not affect the accuracy of any statements in this prospectus with respect to the transactions
entered into or contemplated prior to the effective date of such changes. We have not received any rulings from the IRS concerning our
qualification as a REIT. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position
contrary to any tax consequences described below.
We urge you to consult
your own tax advisor regarding the specific tax consequences to you of ownership of our Common Stock and of our election to be taxed as
a REIT. Specifically, we urge you to consult your own tax advisor regarding the federal, state, local, foreign, and other tax consequences
of such ownership and election and regarding potential changes in applicable tax laws.
Taxation of Our Company
We have elected to be taxed
as a REIT under the U.S. federal income tax laws. We believe that, commencing with our short year ending December 31, 2003, we have
been organized and operated in such a manner as to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Code, and we intend to continue to operate
in such a manner, but no assurance can be given that we will operate in a manner so as to continue to qualify as a REIT. This section
discusses the laws governing the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its investors. These laws are highly technical and complex.
If we qualify as a REIT,
we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the taxable income that we distribute to our stockholders. The benefit
of that tax treatment is that it avoids the “double taxation,” or taxation at both the corporate and stockholder levels, that
generally results from owning stock in a C corporation. However, we will be subject to federal tax in the following circumstances:
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We will pay U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on taxable income, including net capital
gain, that we do not distribute to our stockholders during, or within a specified time period after, the calendar year in which the income
is earned.
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We will pay income tax at the highest corporate rate on (1) net income from the sale or other disposition
of property acquired through foreclosure (“foreclosure property”) that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of business and (2) other non-qualifying income from foreclosure property.
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We will pay a 100% tax on net income from sales or other dispositions of property, other than foreclosure
property, that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business.
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If we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, as described below under
“— Income Tests,” and nonetheless continue to qualify as a REIT because we meet other requirements, we will pay a 100%
tax on (1) the gross income attributable to the greater of the amount by which we fail the 75% and 95% gross income tests, multiplied
by (2) a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.
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If we fail to distribute during a calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85% of our REIT ordinary
income for such year, (2) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such year, and (3) any undistributed taxable income from
prior periods, we will pay a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of this required distribution over the sum of the amount we actually
distributed, plus any retained amounts on which income tax has been paid at the corporate level.
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We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gain. In that case, a U.S. holder
(as defined below under “— Taxation of Taxable U.S. Holders of Common Stock”) would be taxed on its proportionate share
of our undistributed long-term capital gain (to the extent that a timely designation of such gain is made by us to the stockholder) and
would receive a credit or refund for its proportionate share of the tax we paid.
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If we acquire any asset from a C corporation, a corporation that has been a C corporation or a corporation
that generally is subject to full corporate-level tax, in a merger or other transaction in which we acquire a basis in the asset that
is determined by reference to the C corporation’s basis in the asset, we will pay tax at the highest regular corporate rate applicable
if we recognize gain on the sale or disposition of such asset during a specified period after we acquire such asset. The amount of gain
on which we will pay tax generally is the lesser of: (1) the amount of gain that we recognize at the time of the sale or disposition;
or (2) the amount of gain that we would have recognized if we had sold the asset at the time we acquired the asset.
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We will incur a 100% excise tax on certain transactions with a TRS that are not conducted on an arm’s-length
basis and we will incur such 100% excise tax if it is determined we have been undercharged for certain services provided by a TRS.
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If we fail to satisfy certain asset tests, described below under “— Asset Tests” and
nonetheless continue to qualify as a REIT because we meet certain other requirements, we will be subject to a tax of the greater of $50,000
or at the highest corporate rate on the income generated by the non-qualifying assets.
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We may be subject to a $50,000 tax for each failure if we fail to satisfy certain REIT qualification requirements,
other than income tests or asset tests, and the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.
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In addition, notwithstanding
our qualification as a REIT, we may also have to pay certain state and local income taxes, because not all states and localities treat
REITs in the same manner that they are treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Moreover, as further described below, any TRS in
which we own an interest will be subject to federal and state corporate income tax on its taxable income.
Requirements for REIT Qualification
A REIT is a corporation,
trust, or association that meets the following requirements:
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it is managed by one or more trustees or directors;
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(2)
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its beneficial ownership is evidenced by transferable shares or by transferable certificates of beneficial
interest;
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(3)
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it would be taxable as a domestic corporation but for the REIT provisions of the U.S. federal income tax
laws;
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(4)
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it is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company subject to special provisions of the U.S.
federal income tax laws;
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(5)
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at least 100 persons are beneficial owners of its shares or ownership certificates;
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(6)
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no more than 50% in value of its outstanding shares or ownership certificates is owned, directly or indirectly,
by five or fewer individuals, as defined in the U.S. federal income tax laws to include certain entities, during the last half of each
taxable year;
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(7)
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it elects to be a REIT, or has made such election for a previous taxable year, and satisfies all relevant
filing and other administrative requirements established by the IRS that must be met to elect and maintain REIT status;
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(8)
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it uses a calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes and complies with the recordkeeping requirements
of the U.S. federal income tax laws;
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(9)
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it meets certain other qualification tests, described below, regarding the nature of its income and assets
and the amount of its distributions; and
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(10)
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it has no earnings and profits from any non-REIT taxable year at the close of any taxable year.
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We must meet requirements
1 through 4, 7, 8 and 9 during our entire taxable year, must meet requirement 10 at the close of each taxable year and must meet requirement
5 during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months.
If we comply with all the requirements for ascertaining the ownership of our outstanding shares in a taxable year and have no reason to
know that we violated requirement 6, we will be deemed to have satisfied requirement 6 for such taxable year. For purposes of determining
share ownership under requirement 6, an “individual” generally includes a supplemental unemployment compensation benefits
plan, a private foundation, or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes. An “individual,”
however, generally does not include a trust that is a qualified employee pension or profit sharing trust under the U.S. federal income
tax laws, and beneficiaries of such a trust will be treated as holding shares of our stock in proportion to their actuarial interests
in the trust for purposes of requirement 6. Requirements 5 and 6 applied to us beginning with our taxable year ended December 31,
2004.
We believe that we have been
and will continue to be organized and have operated in a manner that has allowed us, and will continue to allow us, to satisfy conditions
(1) through (10), inclusive, during the relevant time periods. We have issued sufficient stock with enough diversity of ownership
to satisfy requirements 5 and 6 set forth above. In addition, our Charter restricts the ownership and transfer of our stock so that we
should continue to satisfy requirements 5 and 6. The provisions of our Charter restricting the ownership and transfer of the stock are
described in “Description of Our Capital Stock — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.” These restrictions,
however, may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to satisfy such stock ownership requirements. If we fail to satisfy these
stock ownership requirements, our qualification as a REIT may terminate.
If we comply with regulatory
rules pursuant to which we are required to send annual letters to holders of our stock requesting information regarding the actual
ownership of our stock, and we do not know, or exercising reasonable diligence would not have known, whether we failed to meet requirement
6 above, we will be treated as having met the requirement.
In addition, we must satisfy
all relevant filing and other administrative requirements established by the IRS that must be met to elect and maintain REIT qualification.
Qualified REIT Subsidiaries
A corporation that is a “qualified
REIT subsidiary” is not treated as a corporation separate from its parent REIT. All assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction,
and credit of a “qualified REIT subsidiary” are treated as assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit
of the REIT. A “qualified REIT subsidiary” is a corporation, other than a TRS, all of the capital stock of which is owned
by the REIT. Thus, in applying the requirements described in this section, any “qualified REIT subsidiary” that we own will
be ignored, and all assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of that subsidiary will be treated as our assets,
liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit. Similarly, any wholly-owned limited liability company or certain wholly-owned
partnerships that we own will be disregarded, and all assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit of such limited liability
company will be treated as ours.
Other Disregarded Entities and
Partnerships
An unincorporated domestic
entity, such as a partnership or limited liability company that has a single owner, generally is not treated as an entity separate from
its parent for U.S. federal income tax purposes. An unincorporated domestic entity with two or more owners is generally treated as a partnership
for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership that has other partners, the REIT is treated
as owning its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership and as earning its allocable share of the gross income of the partnership
for purposes of the applicable REIT qualification tests. For purposes of the 10% value test (as described below under “— Asset
Tests”), our proportionate share is based on our proportionate interest in the equity interests and certain debt securities issued
by the partnership. For all of the other asset and income tests, our proportionate share is based on our proportionate interest in the
capital interests in the partnership. Our proportionate share of the assets, liabilities, and items of income of our operating partnership
and of any other partnership, joint venture, or limited liability company that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax
purposes in which we own or will acquire an interest, directly or indirectly (each, a “Partnership” and, together, the “Partnerships”),
are treated as our assets and gross income for purposes of applying the various REIT qualification requirements.
We may in the future acquire
interests in partnerships and limited liability companies that are joint ventures in which we do not own general partner or managing member
interests. If a partnership or limited liability company in which we own an interest takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize
our qualification as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible
that a partnership or limited liability company could take an action which could cause us to fail a REIT gross income or asset test, and
that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or limited liability company or take
other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to qualify as a REIT unless we are able to qualify for a statutory
REIT “savings” provision, which may require us to pay a significant penalty tax to maintain our REIT qualification.
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries
Subject to restrictions on
the value of TRS securities held by the REIT, a REIT is permitted to own up to 100% of the stock of one or more TRSs. A TRS is a fully
taxable corporation and is required to pay regular U.S. federal income tax, and state and local income tax where applicable, as a non-REIT
“C” corporation. In addition, a taxable REIT subsidiary may be prevented from deducting interest on debt funded directly or
indirectly by us if certain tests are not satisfied, as described below in “— Interest Deduction Limitation.” The TRS
and the REIT must jointly elect to treat the subsidiary as a TRS. A corporation of which a TRS directly or indirectly owns more than 35%
of the voting power or value of the stock will be automatically treated as a TRS. A TRS may not directly or indirectly operate or manage
any hotels or health care facilities or provide rights to any brand name under which any hotel or health care facility is operated but
is permitted to lease hotels from a related REIT as long as the hotels are operated on behalf of the TRS by an “eligible independent
contractor.” Overall, no more than 25% (20% with respect to taxable years beginning before July 31, 2008 and after December 31,
2017) of the value of a REIT’s assets may consist of TRS securities. A timely election has been made with respect to each of our
TRSs. Each of our hotel properties is leased by one of our TRSs, except that one or more of our TRSs may own a hotel or hotels. Additionally,
we may form or acquire one or more additional TRSs in the future. See the separate section below entitled “Taxable REIT Subsidiaries.”
Income Tests
We must satisfy two gross
income tests annually to maintain our qualification as a REIT. First, at least 75% of our gross income for each taxable year must consist
of defined types of income that we derive, directly or indirectly, from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property
or qualified temporary investment income. Qualifying income for purposes of that 75% gross income test generally includes:
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rents from real property;
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interest on debt secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property;
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dividends or other distributions on, and gain from the sale of, shares in other REITs;
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gain from the sale of real estate assets;
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income derived from the temporary investment of new capital or “qualified temporary investment income,”
that is attributable to the issuance of our stock or a public offering of our debt with a maturity date of at least five years and that
we receive during the one-year period beginning on the date on which we received such new capital; and
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income and gain derived from foreclosure property, as defined below under “— Foreclosure Property.”
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Second, in general, at least
95% of our gross income for each taxable year must consist of income that is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test,
other types of dividends and interest, gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, or any combination of these. Gross income
from our sale of any property that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business and cancellation of indebtedness,
or COD, income is excluded from both income tests. Certain foreign currency gains will be excluded from gross income for purposes of one
or both of the gross income tests, as discussed below in “— Foreign Currency Gain.” In addition, income and gain from
“hedging transactions,” as defined in the section below entitled “— Hedging Transactions,” that we enter
into, or have entered into, will be excluded from both the numerator and the denominator for purposes of the 95% gross income test and
the 75% gross income test. Rules similar to those applicable to income from “hedging transactions” apply to income arising
from transactions that we enter into, or have entered into, primarily to manage risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item
of income or gain included in the computation of the 95% income test or the 75% income test (or any property which generates such income
or gain). The following paragraphs discuss the specific application of the gross income tests to us.
Rents
from Real Property. Rent that we receive from real property that we own and lease to tenants will qualify as “rents
from real property,” which is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests, only if the following conditions
are met:
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First, the rent must not be based, in whole or in part, on the income or profits of any person but may
be based on a fixed percentage or percentages of gross receipts or gross sales.
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Second, neither we nor a direct or indirect owner of 10% or more of our shares of stock may own, actually
or constructively, 10% or more by vote or value of a tenant, other than a TRS, from whom we receive rent. If the tenant is a TRS either
(i) at least 90% of the property is leased to unrelated tenants and the rent paid by the TRS is substantially comparable to the rent
paid by the unrelated tenants for comparable space or (ii) the TRS leases a qualified lodging facility or qualified health care property
and engages an “eligible independent contractor” to operate such facility or property on its behalf.
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Third, if the rent attributable to personal property leased in connection with a lease of real property
exceeds 15% of the total rent received under the lease, then the portion of rent attributable to that personal property will not qualify
as “rents from real property.” If rent attributable to personal property leased in connection with a lease of real property
is 15% or less of the total rent received under the lease, then the rent attributable to personal property will qualify as rents from
real property.
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Fourth, we generally must not operate or manage our real property or furnish or render services to our
tenants, other than through an “independent contractor” who is adequately compensated, from whom we do not derive revenue,
and who does not, directly or through its stockholders, own more than 35% of our shares of stock, taking into consideration the applicable
ownership attribution rules. However, we need not provide services through an “independent contractor,” but instead may provide
services directly to our tenants, if the services are “usually or customarily rendered” in the geographic area in connection
with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not considered to be provided for the tenants’ convenience. In addition, we
may provide a minimal amount of “non-customary” services to the tenants of a property, other than through an independent contractor,
as long as our income from the services (valued at not less than 150% of our direct cost of performing such services) does not exceed
1% of our income from the related property. Furthermore, we may own up to 100% of the stock of a TRS which may provide customary and non-customary
services to our tenants without tainting our rental income from the related properties. See “— Taxable REIT Subsidiaries.”
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Pursuant to percentage
leases, our TRSs lease each of our properties (other than ones they may own). The percentage leases provide that our TRSs are obligated
to pay to the Partnerships (1) a minimum base rent plus percentage rent based on gross revenue and (2) “additional
charges” or other expenses, as defined in the leases. Percentage rent is calculated by multiplying fixed percentages by revenues
for each of the hotels. Both base rent and the thresholds in the percentage rent formulas may be adjusted for inflation.
In order for the base rent,
percentage rent, and additional charges to constitute “rents from real property,” the percentage leases must be respected
as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not treated as service contracts, joint ventures, or some other type of arrangement.
The determination of whether the percentage leases are true leases depends on an analysis of all the surrounding facts and circumstances.
In making such a determination, courts have considered a variety of factors, including the following:
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the property owner’s expectation of receiving a pre-tax profit from the lease;
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the intent of the parties;
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the form of the agreement;
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the degree of control over the property that is retained by the property owner, or whether the lessee
has substantial control over the operation of the property or is required simply to use its best efforts to perform its obligations under
the agreement;
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the extent to which the property owner retains the risk of loss with respect to the property, or whether
the lessee bears the risk of increases in operating expenses or the risk of damage to the property or the potential for economic gain
or appreciation with respect to the property;
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the lessee will be obligated to pay, at a minimum, substantial base rent for the period of use of the
properties under the lease; and
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the lessee will stand to incur substantial losses or reap substantial gains depending on how successfully
it, through the property managers, who work for the lessees during the terms of the leases, operates the properties.
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In addition, U.S. federal
income tax law provides that a contract that purports to be a service contract or a partnership agreement will be treated instead as a
lease of property if the contract is properly treated as such, taking into account all relevant factors, including whether or not:
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the service recipient is in physical possession of the property;
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the service recipient controls the property;
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the service recipient has a significant economic or possessory interest in the property, or whether the
property’s use is likely to be dedicated to the service recipient for a substantial portion of the useful life of the property,
the recipient shares the risk that the property will decline in value, the recipient shares in any appreciation in the value of the property,
the recipient shares in savings in the property’s operating costs, or the recipient bears the risk of damage to or loss of the property;
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the service provider bears the risk of substantially diminished receipts or substantially increased expenditures
if there is nonperformance under the contract;
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the service provider uses the property concurrently to provide significant services to entities unrelated
to the service recipient; and
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the total contract price substantially exceeds the rental value of the property for the contract period.
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Since the determination of
whether a service contract should be treated as a lease is inherently factual, the presence or absence of any single factor will not be
dispositive in every case.
We believe that our percentage
leases will be treated as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Such belief is based, in part, on the following facts:
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the Partnerships, on the one hand, and our TRSs, on the other hand, intend for their relationship to be
that of a lessor and lessee, and such relationship is documented by lease agreements;
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our TRSs have the right to the exclusive possession, use, and quiet enjoyment of the hotels during the
term of the percentage leases;
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our TRSs bear the cost of, and are responsible for, day-to-day maintenance and repair of the hotels and
generally dictate how the hotels are operated, maintained, and improved;
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our TRSs bear all of the costs and expenses of operating the hotels, including the cost of any inventory
used in their operation, during the term of the percentage leases, other than, in certain cases, real estate taxes;
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our TRSs benefit from any savings in the costs of operating the hotels during the term of the percentage
leases;
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our TRSs generally indemnify the Partnerships against all liabilities imposed on the Partnerships during
the term of the percentage leases by reason of (1) injury to persons or damage to property occurring at the hotels, (2) our
TRSs’ use, management, maintenance, or repair of the hotels, (3) any environmental liability caused by acts or grossly negligent
failures to act of our TRSs, (4) taxes and assessments in respect of the hotels that are the obligations of our TRSs, or (5) any
breach of the percentage leases or of any sublease of a hotel by our TRSs;
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our TRSs are obligated to pay, at a minimum, substantial base rent for the period of use of the hotels;
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our TRSs stand to incur substantial losses or reap substantial gains depending on how successfully they
operate the hotels;
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the Partnerships cannot use the hotels concurrently to provide significant services to entities unrelated
to our TRSs;
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the total contract price under the percentage leases does not substantially exceed the rental value
of the hotels for the term of the percentage leases;
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each lease, at the time we entered into it enabled the tenant to derive a meaningful profit, after expenses
and taking into account the risks associated with the lease, from the operation of the hotels during the term of its leases (and we expect
that each lease, at any time it is subsequently renewed or extended, will do the same); and
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upon termination of each lease, the applicable hotel is expected to have a substantial remaining useful
life and substantial remaining fair market value.
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Investors should be aware
that there are no controlling Treasury regulations, published rulings, or judicial decisions involving leases with terms substantially
the same as the percentage leases that discuss whether such leases constitute true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If
the percentage leases are characterized as service contracts or partnership agreements, rather than as true leases, part or all of
the payments that the Partnerships receive from our TRSs may not be considered rent or may not otherwise satisfy the various requirements
for qualification as “rents from real property.” In that case, we likely would not be able to satisfy either the 75% or 95%
gross income test and, as a result, would lose our REIT status. As described above, in order for the rent received by us to constitute
“rents from real property,” several other requirements must be satisfied. One requirement is that the percentage rent
must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. The percentage rent, however, will qualify as “rents
from real property” if it is based on percentages of gross receipts or gross sales and the percentages:
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are fixed at the time the percentage leases are entered into;
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are not renegotiated during the term of the percentage leases in a manner that has the effect of
basing percentage rent on income or profits; and
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conform with normal business practice.
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More generally, the percentage
rent will not qualify as “rents from real property” if, considering the percentage leases and all the surrounding circumstances,
the arrangement does not conform with normal business practice, but is in reality used as a means of basing the percentage rent on
income or profits. Since the percentage rent is based on fixed percentages of the gross revenues from the hotels that are established
in the percentage leases, and we believe that the percentages (1) will not be renegotiated during the terms of the percentage
leases in a manner that has the effect of basing the percentage rent on income or profits and (2) conform with normal business
practice, the percentage rent should not be considered based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. Furthermore,
we anticipate that, with respect to other hotel properties that we acquire in the future, we will not charge rent for any property that
is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person, except by reason of being based on a fixed percentage of gross
receipts or gross sales, as described above.
Another requirement for
qualification of our rent as “rents from real property” is that we must not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more
by vote or value of the stock of any corporate lessee or 10% or more by vote or value of the assets or net profits of any non-corporate
lessee (a “related party tenant”) other than a TRS. All of our hotels are leased to TRSs (other than those owned by a TRS).
In addition, our Charter prohibits transfers of our stock that would cause us to own actually or constructively, 10% or more by vote
or value of the ownership interests in any non-TRS lessee. Based on the foregoing, we should never own, actually or constructively, 10%
or more by vote or value of any lessee other than a TRS. However, because the constructive ownership rules are broad and it is not
possible to monitor continually direct and indirect transfers of our stock, no absolute assurance can be given that such transfers or
other events of which we have no knowledge will not cause us to own constructively 10% or more by vote or value of a lessee (or a subtenant,
in which case only rent attributable to the subtenant is disqualified) other than a TRS at some future date.
As described above, we may
own up to 100% of the capital stock of one or more TRSs. A TRS is a fully taxable corporation that generally may engage in any business,
including the provision of customary or non-customary services to tenants of its parent REIT, except that a TRS may not directly or indirectly
operate or manage any lodging facilities or health care facilities or provide rights to any brand name under which any lodging or health
care facility is operated, unless such rights are provided to an “eligible independent contractor” to operate or manage a
lodging or health care facility if such rights are held by the TRS as a franchisee, licensee, or in a similar capacity and such hotel
is either owned by the TRS or leased to the TRS by its parent REIT. A TRS will not be considered to operate or manage a qualified lodging
facility solely because the TRS directly or indirectly possesses a license, permit, or similar instrument enabling it to do so.
Additionally, a TRS that
employs individuals working at a qualified lodging facility outside the United States will not be considered to operate or manage a qualified
lodging facility located outside of the United States, as long as an “eligible independent contractor” is responsible for
the daily supervision and direction of such individuals on behalf of the TRS pursuant to a management agreement or similar service contract.
However, rent that we receive from a TRS with respect to any property will qualify as “rents from real property” as long as
the property is a “qualified lodging facility” and such property is operated on behalf of the TRS by a person from whom we
derive no income who is adequately compensated, who does not, directly or through its stockholders, own more than 35% of our shares, taking
into account certain ownership attribution rules, and who is, or is related to a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business
of operating “qualified lodging facilities” for any person unrelated to us and the TRS lessee (an “eligible independent
contractor”). A “qualified lodging facility” is a hotel, motel, or other establishment more than one-half of the dwelling units
in which are used on a transient basis, unless wagering activities are conducted at or in connection with such facility by any person
who is engaged in the business of accepting wagers and who is legally authorized to engage in such business at or in connection with such
facility. A “qualified lodging facility” includes customary amenities and facilities operated as part of, or associated with,
the lodging facility as long as such amenities and facilities are customary for other properties of a comparable size and class owned
by other unrelated owners. See “— Taxable REIT Subsidiaries.”
Our TRS lessees engage third-party
hotel managers that qualify as “eligible independent contractors” to operate the related hotels on behalf of such TRS lessees.
A third requirement for qualification
of our rent as “rents from real property” is that the rent attributable to the personal property leased in connection with
the lease of a hotel must not be greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease. The rent attributable to the personal property
contained in a hotel is the amount that bears the same ratio to total rent for the taxable year as the average of the fair market values
of the personal property at the beginning and at the end of the taxable year bears to the average of the aggregate fair market values
of both the real and personal property contained in the hotel at the beginning and at the end of such taxable year (the “personal
property ratio”). With respect to each hotel, we believe either that the personal property ratio is less than 15% or that any income
attributable to excess personal property will not jeopardize our ability to qualify as a REIT. There can be no assurance, however, that
the IRS would not challenge our calculation of a personal property ratio or that a court would not uphold such assertion. If such a challenge
were successfully asserted, we could fail to satisfy the 95% or 75% gross income test and thus lose our REIT status.
A fourth requirement for
qualification of our rent as “rents from real property” is that, other than within the 1% de minimis exception described
above (i.e., we may provide a minimal amount of “non-customary” services to the tenants of a property, other than
through a TRS or an independent contractor, as long as our income from the services does not exceed 1% of our income from the related
property) and other than through a TRS, we cannot furnish or render noncustomary services to the tenants of our hotels, or manage or
operate our hotels, other than through an independent contractor who is adequately compensated and from whom we do not derive or receive
any income. Provided that the percentage leases are respected as true leases, we should satisfy that requirement, because the Partnerships
will not perform any services other than customary services for our TRSs. Furthermore, we have represented that, with respect to other
hotel properties that we acquire in the future, we will not perform noncustomary services for our TRSs.
If a portion of our rent
from a hotel does not qualify as “rents from real property” because the rent attributable to personal property exceeds 15%
of the total rent for a taxable year, the portion of the rent that is attributable to personal property will not be qualifying income
for purposes of either the 75% or 95% gross income test. Thus, if such rent attributable to personal property, plus any other income that
is nonqualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, during a taxable year exceeds 5% of our gross income during the year,
we would lose our REIT status. If, however, the rent from a particular hotel does not qualify as “rents from real property”
because either (1) the percentage rent is considered based on the income or profits of the related lessee, (2) the lessee
is a related party tenant other than a TRS, or (3) we furnish noncustomary services to the tenants of the hotel, or manage or operate
the hotel, other than through a qualifying independent contractor or a TRS, none of the rent from that hotel would qualify as “rents
from real property.”
In that case, we likely would
be unable to satisfy either the 75% or 95% gross income test and, as a result, would lose our REIT status. However, in either situation,
we may still qualify as a REIT if the relief described below under “— Failure to Satisfy Gross Income Tests” is available
to us.
In addition to the rent,
our TRSs are required to pay to the Partnerships certain additional charges. To the extent that such additional charges represent either
(1) reimbursements of amounts that the Partnerships are obligated to pay to third parties or (2) penalties for nonpayment or
late payment of such amounts, such charges should qualify as “rents from real property.” However, to the extent that such
charges represent interest that is accrued on the late payment of the rent or additional charges, such charges will not qualify as “rents
from real property,” but instead should be treated as interest that qualifies for the 95% gross income test.
Interest. The
term “interest,” as defined for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests, generally does not include any amount
received or accrued, directly or indirectly, if the determination of such amount depends in whole or in part on the income or profits
of any person. However, interest generally includes the following: (i) an amount that is based on a fixed percentage or percentages
of receipts or sales, and (ii) an amount that is based on the income or profits of a debtor, as long as the debtor derives substantially
all of its income from the real property securing the debt from leasing substantially all of its interest in the property, and only to
the extent that the amounts received by the debtor would be qualifying “rents from real property” if received directly by
a REIT. Furthermore, to the extent that interest from a loan that is based on the residual cash proceeds from the sale of the property
securing the loan constitutes a “shared appreciation provision,” income attributable to such participation feature will be
treated as gain from the sale of the secured property.
In Revenue Procedure 2003-65,
the IRS established a safe harbor under which interest from loans secured by a first priority security interest in ownership interests
in a partnership or limited liability company owning real property will be treated as qualifying income for both the 75% and 95% gross
income tests, provided several requirements are satisfied. Although the Revenue Procedure provides a safe harbor on which taxpayers may
rely, it does not prescribe rules of substantive tax law. Moreover, although we anticipate that most or all of any mezzanine loans
that we make or acquire will qualify for the safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2003-65, it is possible that we may make or acquire some
mezzanine loans that do not qualify for the safe harbor. We intend to invest in such mezzanine loans in a manner that will allow us to
satisfy the gross income tests described above.
Dividends. Our
share of any dividends received from any corporation (including any TRS, but excluding any REIT) in which we own an equity interest will
qualify for purposes of the 95% gross income test but not for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Our share of any dividends or other
distributions received from any other REIT in which we own an equity interest will be qualifying income for purposes of both gross income
tests.
COD
Income. From time-to-time, we and our subsidiaries may recognize cancellation of indebtedness income
(“COD income”) in connection with repurchasing debt at a discount. COD income is excluded from gross income for purposes
of both the 95% gross income test and the 75% gross income test.
Foreign
Currency Gain. Certain foreign currency gains will be excluded from gross income for purposes of one or
both of the gross income tests. “Real estate foreign exchange gain” is excluded from gross income for purposes of the 75%
gross income test. Real estate foreign exchange gain generally includes foreign currency gain attributable to any item of income or gain
that is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, foreign currency gain attributable to the acquisition or ownership
of (or becoming or being the obligor under) obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interest in real property and certain
foreign currency gain attributable to certain “qualified business units” of a REIT. “Passive foreign exchange gain”
is excluded from gross income for purposes of the 95% gross income test. Passive foreign exchange gain generally includes real estate
foreign exchange gain as described above, and also includes foreign currency gain attributable to any item of income or gain that is qualifying
income for purposes of the 95% gross income test and foreign currency gain attributable to the acquisition or ownership of (or becoming
or being the obligor under) obligations. Because passive foreign exchange gain includes real estate foreign exchange gain, real estate
foreign exchange gain is excluded from gross income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests. These exclusions for real
estate foreign exchange gain and passive foreign exchange gain do not apply to foreign currency gain derived from dealing, or engaging
in substantial and regular trading, in securities. Such gain is treated as nonqualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross
income tests.
Prohibited
Transactions. A REIT will incur a 100% tax on the net income (including foreign currency gain) derived
from any sale or other disposition of property, other than foreclosure property, that the REIT holds primarily for sale to customers in
the ordinary course of a trade or business. Whether a REIT holds an asset “primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course
of a trade or business” depends on the facts and circumstances in effect from time to time, including those related to a particular
asset. We believe that none of the assets owned by the Partnerships is held primarily for sale to customers and that a sale of any such
asset would not be to a customer in the ordinary course of the owning entity’s business. There are safe-harbor provisions in the
U.S. federal income tax laws prescribing when an asset sale will not be characterized as a prohibited transaction. We cannot provide assurance,
however, that we can comply with such safe-harbor provisions or that the Partnerships will avoid owning property that may be characterized
as property held “primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business.”
Foreclosure
Property. We will be subject to tax at the maximum corporate rate on any income (including foreign currency
gain) from foreclosure property, other than income that would be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, less expenses
directly connected with the production of such income. However, gross income from such foreclosure property will qualify for purposes
of the 75% and 95% gross income tests. “Foreclosure property” is any real property, including interests in real property,
and any personal property incident to such real property:
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that is acquired by a REIT as the result of such REIT having bid on such property at foreclosure, or having
otherwise reduced such property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after there was a default or default was imminent
on a lease of such property or on an indebtedness that such property secured;
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for which the related loan or lease was acquired by the REIT at a time when the REIT had no intent to
evict or foreclose or the REIT did not know or have reason to know that default would occur; and
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for which such REIT makes a proper election to treat such property as foreclosure property.
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However, a REIT will not
be considered to have foreclosed on a property where the REIT takes control of the property as a mortgagee-in-possession and cannot receive
any profit or sustain any loss except as a creditor of the mortgagor. Property generally ceases to be foreclosure property with respect
to a REIT at the end of the third taxable year following the taxable year in which the REIT acquired such property, or longer if an extension
is granted by the Secretary of the Treasury. The foregoing grace period is terminated and foreclosure property ceases to be foreclosure
property on the first day:
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on which a lease is entered into with respect to such property that, by its terms, will give rise to income
that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test or any amount is received or accrued, directly or indirectly, pursuant
to a lease entered into on or after such day that will give rise to income that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income
test;
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on which any construction takes place on such property, other than completion of a building, or any other
improvement, where more than 10% of the construction of such building or other improvement was completed before default became imminent;
or
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which is more than 90 days after the day on which such property was acquired by the REIT and the
property is used in a trade or business which is conducted by the REIT, other than through an independent contractor from whom the REIT
itself does not derive or receive any income or, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, through a TRS.
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As a result of the rules with
respect to foreclosure property, if a lessee defaults on its obligations under a percentage lease, we terminate the lessee’s
leasehold interest, and we are unable to find a replacement lessee for the hotel within 90 days of such foreclosure, gross income
from hotel operations conducted by us from such hotel would cease to qualify for the 75% and 95% gross income tests unless we are able
to hire an independent contractor or, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, use a TRS to manage and operate the hotel.
In such event, we might be unable to satisfy the 75% and 95% gross income tests and, thus, might fail to qualify as a REIT.
Hedging
Transactions. From time to time, we may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of
our assets or liabilities. Our hedging activities may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps, floors, options to purchase such
items, futures and forward contracts. To the extent that we enter into hedging transactions, income arising from “clearly identified”
hedging transactions that are entered into by the REIT in the normal course of business, either directly or through certain subsidiary
entities, to manage the risk of interest rate movements, price changes, or currency fluctuations with respect to borrowings or obligations
incurred or to be incurred by the REIT to acquire or carry real estate assets is excluded from the 95% income test and the 75% income
test. In general, for a hedging transaction to be “clearly identified,” (A) the transaction must be identified as a hedging
transaction before the end of the day on which it is entered into, and (B) the items or risks being hedged must be identified “substantially
contemporaneously” with the hedging transaction, meaning that the identification of the items or risks being hedged must generally
occur within 35 days after the date the transaction is entered into. Rules similar to those applicable to income from hedging
transactions, discussed above, apply to income arising from transactions that are entered into by the REIT primarily to manage risk of
currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain included in the computation of the 95% income test or the 75% income
test (or any property which generates such income or gain). In addition, for taxable years ending after December 31, 2015, similar
rules apply to income from positions that primarily manage risk with respect to a prior hedge entered into by a REIT in connection
with the extinguishment or disposal (in whole or in part) of the liability or asset related to such prior hedge, to the extent the new
position qualifies as a hedge or would so qualify if the hedge position were ordinary property. We intend to structure any hedging transactions
in a manner that does not jeopardize our status as a REIT. The REIT income and asset rules may limit our ability to hedge loans or
securities acquired as investments.
We have entered into certain
derivative transactions to protect against risks not specifically associated with debt incurred to acquire qualified REIT assets. The
REIT provisions of the Code limit our income and assets in each year from such derivative transactions. Failure to comply with the asset
or income limitations within the REIT provisions of the Code could result in penalty taxes or loss of our REIT status. We have contributed
non-qualifying derivatives to our TRSs to preserve our REIT status, which may result in any income from such transactions being subject
to U.S. federal income taxation, and we may elect to contribute non-qualifying derivatives to our TRSs in the future.
Failure
to Satisfy Gross Income Tests. If we fail to satisfy one or both of the gross income tests for any taxable
year, we nevertheless may qualify as a REIT for such year if we qualify for relief under certain provisions of the U.S. federal income
tax laws. Those relief provisions generally will be available if:
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our failure to meet such tests is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect; and
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following our identification of the failure to meet one or both gross income tests for a taxable year,
a description of each item of our gross income included in the 75% or 95% gross income tests is set forth in a schedule for such taxable
year filed as specified by Treasury regulations.
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We cannot predict, however,
whether in all circumstances we would qualify for the relief provisions. In addition, as discussed above in “— Taxation of
Our Company,” even if the relief provisions apply, we would incur a 100% tax on the gross income attributable to the greater of
the amounts by which we fail the 75% and 95% gross income tests, multiplied by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.
Asset Tests
To maintain our qualification
as a REIT, we also must satisfy the following asset tests at the close of each quarter of each taxable year:
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First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets must consist of:
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cash or cash items, including certain receivables;
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interests in real property, including leaseholds and options to acquire real property and leaseholds;
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interests in mortgages on real property or, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015,
on interests in real property;
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for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, interests in mortgages on both real and personal
property where the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all such property;
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for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, personal property to the extent that rents attributable
to such personal property are treated as rents from real property under the income test, as discussed above under “— Rents
From Real Property”;
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for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, debt issued by publicly traded REITs; and
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investments in stock or debt instruments during the one-year period following our receipt of new capital
that we raise through equity offerings or offerings of debt with at least a five-year term.
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Second, except with respect to a TRS, of our investments not included in the 75% asset class, the value
of our interest in any one issuer’s securities may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets.
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Third, except with respect to a TRS, of our investments not included in the 75% asset class, we may not
own more than 10% of the voting power or value of any one issuer’s outstanding securities, or the 10% vote test or the 10% value
test, respectively.
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Fourth, no more than 25% (20% with respect to taxable years beginning before July 31, 2008 and after
December 31, 2017) of the value of our total assets may consist of the securities of one or more TRSs.
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Fifth, no more than 25% of the value of our total assets may consist of certain debt issued by publicly
traded REITs.
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For purposes of the second
and third asset tests, the term “securities” does not include stock in another REIT, equity or debt securities of a qualified
REIT subsidiary or TRS, or equity interests in a partnership.
For purposes of the 10% value
test, the term “securities” does not include:
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“Straight debt” securities, which is defined as a written unconditional promise to pay on
demand or on a specified date a sum certain in money if (i) the debt is not convertible, directly or indirectly, into stock, and
(ii) the interest rate and interest payment dates are not contingent on profits, the borrower’s discretion, or similar factors.
“Straight debt” securities do not include any securities issued by a partnership or a corporation in which we or any controlled
TRS (i.e., a TRS in which we own directly or indirectly more than 50% of the voting power or value of the stock) hold non-”straight
debt” securities that have an aggregate value of more than 1% of the issuer’s outstanding securities. However, “straight
debt” securities include debt subject to the following contingencies:
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a contingency relating to the time of payment of interest or principal, as long as either (i) there
is no change to the effective yield of the debt obligation, other than a change to the annual yield that does not exceed the greater of
0.25% or 5% of the annual yield, or (ii) neither the aggregate issue price nor the aggregate face amount of the issuer’s debt
obligations held by us exceeds $1 million and no more than 12 months of unaccrued interest on the debt obligations can be required
to be prepaid; and
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a contingency relating to the time or amount of payment upon a default or prepayment of a debt obligation,
as long as the contingency is consistent with customary commercial practice.
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Any loan to an individual or an estate.
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Any “section 467 rental agreement,” other than an agreement with a related party tenant.
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Any obligation to pay “rents from real property.”
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Certain securities issued by governmental entities.
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Any security issued by a REIT.
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Any debt instrument of an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the
extent of our interest as a partner in the partnership.
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Any debt instrument of an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes not described
in the preceding bullet points if at least 75% of the partnership’s gross income, excluding income from prohibited transactions,
is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test described above in “— Income Tests.”
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For purposes of the 10% value
test, our proportionate share of the assets of a partnership is our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership,
without regard to the securities described in the last two bullet points above.
We may make or acquire some
mezzanine loans that are secured only by a first priority security interest in ownership interests in a partnership or limited liability
company and that do not qualify for the safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2003-65 relating to the 75% asset test and that do not qualify
as “straight debt” for purposes of the 10% value test. We will make or acquire mezzanine loans that do not qualify for the
safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2003-65 or as “straight debt” securities only to the extent that such loans will not cause
us to fail the asset tests described above.
We will monitor the status
of our assets for purposes of the various asset tests and seek to manage our assets to comply at all times with such tests. There can
be no assurances, however, that we will be successful in this effort. In this regard, to determine our compliance with these requirements,
we need to estimate the value of the real estate securing our mortgage loans at various times. In addition, we have to value our investment
in our other assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests. Although we seek to be prudent in making these estimates, there can be
no assurances that the IRS might not disagree with these determinations and assert that a different value is applicable, in which case
we might not satisfy the 75% and the other asset tests and would fail to qualify as a REIT. If we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the
end of a calendar quarter, we will not lose our REIT qualification if:
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we satisfied the asset tests at the end of the preceding calendar quarter; and
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the discrepancy between the value of our assets and the asset test requirements arose from changes in
the market values of our assets and was not wholly or partly caused by the acquisition of one or more non-qualifying assets.
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If we did not satisfy the
condition described in the second item, above, we still could avoid disqualification by eliminating any discrepancy within 30 days
after the close of the calendar quarter in which it arose.
If we violate the second
or third asset tests described above at the end of any calendar quarter, we will not lose our REIT qualification if (i) the failure
is de minimis (up to the lesser of 1% of our assets or $10 million) and (ii) we dispose of assets or otherwise comply
with the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identified such failure. In the event of a more than
de minimis failure of any of the asset tests, as long as the failure was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, we
will not lose our REIT qualification if we (i) dispose of assets or otherwise comply with the asset tests within six months after
the last day of the quarter in which we identified such failure, (ii) file a schedule with the IRS describing the assets that caused
such failure in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Treasury and (iii) pay a tax equal to the greater of
$50,000 or the highest rate of federal corporate income tax of the net income from the nonqualifying assets during the period in which
we failed to satisfy the asset tests.
Distribution Requirements
Each taxable year, we must
distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends and deemed distributions of retained capital gain, to our stockholders in an aggregate
amount at least equal to:
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the sum of (1) 90% of our “REIT taxable income,” computed without regard to the dividends
paid deduction and our net capital gain, and (2) 90% of our after-tax net income, if any, from foreclosure property; minus
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the sum of certain items of non-cash income.
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In addition, our REIT taxable
income will be reduced by any taxes we are required to pay on any gain we recognize from the disposition of any asset we acquired from
a corporation that is or has been a C corporation in a transaction in which our tax basis in the asset is less than the fair market
value of the asset, in each case determined as of the date on which we acquired the asset, within the five-year period following our acquisition
of such asset, as described above under “— Taxation of Our Company”.
We must pay such distributions
in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if we declare the distribution before we timely file our U.S.
federal income tax return for such year and pay the distribution on or before the first regular dividend payment date after such declaration.
Any dividends declared in the last three months of the taxable year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified date during such
period, will be treated as paid on December 31 of such year if such dividends are distributed during January of the following
year.
We will pay U.S. federal
income tax on taxable income, including net capital gain, that we do not distribute to our stockholders. Furthermore, if we fail to distribute
during a calendar year, or by the end of January following such calendar year in the case of distributions with declaration and record
dates falling in the last three months of the calendar year, at least the sum of:
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85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year;
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95% of our REIT capital gain income for such year; and
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any undistributed taxable income from prior periods,
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we will incur a 4% nondeductible excise tax on
the excess of such required distribution over the amounts we actually distributed. We may elect to retain and pay income tax on the net
long-term capital gain we receive in a taxable year. See “— Taxation of Taxable U.S. Holders of Common Stock — Distributions.”
If we so elect, we will be treated as having distributed any such retained amount for purposes of the 4% excise tax described above. We
intend to make timely distributions sufficient to satisfy the annual distribution requirements.
It is possible that, from
time to time, we may experience timing differences between (1) the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses,
and (2) the inclusion of that income and deduction of such expenses in arriving at our REIT taxable income. For example, under some
of the percentage leases, the percentage rent is not due until after the end of the calendar quarter. In that case, we still
would be required to recognize as income the excess of the percentage rent over the base rent paid by the lessee in the calendar
quarter to which such excess relates. In addition, we may not deduct recognized net capital losses from our “REIT taxable income.”
Further, it is possible that, from time to time, we may be allocated a share of gain attributable to the sale of depreciated property
that exceeds our allocable share of cash attributable to that sale. Furthermore, generally for taxable years beginning after December 31,
2017, subject to certain exceptions, generally we must accrue income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the time when
such income is taken into account as revenue in our financial statements, which could create additional differences between REIT taxable
income and the receipt of cash attributable to such income. As a result of the foregoing, we may have less cash than is necessary to
distribute all of our taxable income and thereby avoid corporate income tax and the excise tax imposed on certain undistributed income.
In such a situation, we may need to borrow funds or issue additional common or preferred shares.
We
may satisfy the REIT annual distribution requirements by making taxable distributions of our stock. In accordance with guidance issued
by the IRS, a publicly traded REIT should generally be eligible to treat a distribution of its own stock as fulfilling its REIT distribution
requirements if each stockholder is permitted to elect to receive his or her distribution in either cash or stock of the REIT (even where
there is a limitation on the percentage of the distribution payable in cash, provided that the limitation is at least 20% (10% for
distributions declared on or after April 1, 2020, and on or before December 31, 2020)), subject to the satisfaction of certain
guidelines. If too many stockholders elect to receive cash, each stockholder electing to receive cash generally must receive a
portion of his or her distribution in cash (with the balance of the distribution paid in stock). If these and certain other requirements
are met, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the amount of the distribution paid in stock generally will be a taxable distribution in
an amount equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of stock. As a result, a U.S. holder (as defined below) may
be required to pay tax with respect to such dividends in excess of any cash received. With respect to non-U.S. holders (as defined below),
we may be required to withhold U.S. tax with respect to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that
is payable in stock. We currently do not intend to pay taxable dividends payable in cash and stock.
For taxable years beginning
on or before December 31, 2014, in order for distributions to be counted towards our distribution requirement and to give rise to
a tax deduction by us, they must not be “preferential dividends.” A dividend is not a preferential dividend if it is pro rata
among all outstanding shares of stock within a particular class and is in accordance with the preferences among different classes of stock
as set forth in the organizational documents. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2014, preferential dividends are generally
not excluded from our distribution requirement.
Under certain circumstances,
we may be able to correct a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our
stockholders in a later year. We may include such deficiency dividends in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Although
we may be able to avoid income tax on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends, we will be required to pay interest to the IRS based
upon the amount of any deduction we take for deficiency dividends.
Interest Deduction Limitation
Commencing in the taxable
years beginning after December 31, 2017, the deductibility of net interest expense paid or accrued on debt properly allocable to
a trade or business is limited to 30% of “adjusted taxable income,” subject to certain exceptions. Any deduction in excess
of the limitation is carried forward and may be used in a subsequent year, subject to the 30% limitation. However, for any taxable year
beginning in 2019 or 2020, the 30% limitation has been increased to a 50% limitation, provided that for partnerships the 50% limitation
applies for any taxable year beginning in 2020 only. Taxpayers may elect to use their 2019 adjusted taxable income for purposes of computing
their 2020 limitation. Adjusted taxable income is determined without regard to certain deductions, including those for net interest expense,
net operating loss carryforward and, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2022, depreciation, amortization and depletion.
Provided the taxpayer makes a timely election (which is irrevocable), the limitation does not apply to a trade or business involving real
property development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, rental, operation, acquisition, conversion, disposition, management,
leasing or brokerage, within the meaning of Section 469(c)(7)(C) of the Code. We have made this election and as a consequence,
depreciable real property (including certain improvements) held by us must be depreciated under the alternative depreciation system under
the Code, which is generally less favorable than the generally applicable system of depreciation under the Code. If the election is determined
not to be available with respect to all or certain of our business activities, the new interest deduction limitation could result in us
having more REIT taxable income and thus increase the amount of distributions we must make to comply with the REIT requirements and avoid
incurring corporate level tax. Similarly, the limitation could cause our TRSs to have greater taxable income and thus potentially greater
corporate tax liability.
Recordkeeping Requirements
To avoid a monetary penalty,
we must request on an annual basis information from our stockholders designed to disclose the actual ownership of our outstanding shares
of stock. We intend to comply with such requirements.
Failure to Qualify
If we fail to satisfy one
or more requirements for REIT qualification, other than the gross income tests and the asset tests, we could avoid disqualification if
our failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. In addition,
there are relief provisions for a failure of the gross income tests and asset tests, as described in “— Income Tests”
and “— Asset Tests.”
If we were to fail to qualify
as a REIT in any taxable year, and no relief provision applied, we would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our taxable income at
regular corporate rates and any applicable alternative minimum tax. In calculating our taxable income in a year in which we failed to
qualify as a REIT, we would not be able to deduct amounts paid out to stockholders with respect to our stock. In fact, we would not be
required to distribute any amounts to stockholders in such year. In such event, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings
and profits, all distributions to stockholders would be taxable as regular corporate dividends. Subject to certain limitations of the
U.S. federal income tax laws, corporate stockholders might be eligible for the dividends received deduction and individual and certain
non-corporate trust and estate stockholders may be eligible for a reduced maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 20% on such dividends.
Unless we qualified for relief under specific statutory provisions, we also would be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four
taxable years following the year during which we ceased to qualify as a REIT. We cannot predict whether in all circumstances we would
qualify for such statutory relief.
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Holders
The term “U.S. holder”
means a holder of our Common Stock that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is a “U.S. person.” A U.S. person means:
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a citizen or resident of the United States;
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a corporation (including an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created
or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any of its states, or the District of Columbia;
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an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
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any trust if (1) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of
such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) it has a valid
election in place to be treated as a U.S. person.
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Taxation of Taxable U.S. Holders
of Common Stock
Distributions. As
long as we qualify as a REIT, (1) a taxable U.S. holder of our Common Stock must report as ordinary income distributions that are
made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits and that we do not designate as capital gain dividends or retained long-term
capital gain, and (2) a corporate U.S. holder of our Common Stock will not qualify for the dividends received deduction generally
available to corporations. In addition, dividends paid to an individual U.S. holder generally will not qualify for the reduced rate of
U.S. federal income tax applicable to “qualified dividend income.” Qualified dividend income generally includes dividends
from most U.S. corporations but does not generally include REIT dividends. As a result, our ordinary REIT dividends generally will continue
to be taxed at the U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income. However, for taxable years beginning before January 1,
2026, generally U.S. holders that are individuals, trusts or estates may deduct 20% of the aggregate amount of ordinary dividends distributed
by us, subject to certain limitations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the U.S. federal income tax rate for qualified dividend income will
apply to our ordinary REIT dividends, if any, that are (1) attributable to dividends received by us from non-REIT corporations, such
as our TRSs, and (2) attributable to income upon which we have paid corporate U.S. federal income tax (e.g., to the extent
that we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income). In general, to qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rate on
qualified dividend income, a U.S. holder must hold our stock for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date
that is 60 days before the date on which our stock becomes ex-dividend.
A U.S. holder generally will
report distributions that we designate as capital gain dividends as long-term capital gain without regard to the period for which the
U.S. holder has held our stock. A corporate U.S. holder, however, may be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends
as ordinary income.
We may elect to retain and
pay U.S. federal income tax on the net long-term capital gain that we receive in a taxable year. In that case, a U.S. holder would be
taxed on its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain, to the extent that we designate such amount in a timely
notice to such holder. The U.S. holder would be entitled to a credit or refund for its proportionate share of the U.S. federal income
tax we paid. The U.S. holder would increase the basis in its stock by the amount of its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term
capital gain, minus its share of the U.S. federal income tax we paid.
To the extent that we make
a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, such distribution will not be taxable to a U.S. holder to
the extent that it does not exceed the adjusted tax basis of the U.S. holder’s stock. Instead, such distribution will reduce the
adjusted tax basis of such stock. To the extent that we make a distribution in excess of both our current and accumulated earnings and
profits and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its stock, such U.S. holder will recognize long-term capital gain, or short-term
capital gain if the stock has been held for one year or less. The IRS has ruled that if total distributions for two or more classes of
stock are in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits, dividends must be treated as having been distributed to those stockholders
having a priority under the corporate charter before any distribution to stockholders with lesser priority. If we declare a dividend in
October, November, or December of any year that is payable to a U.S. holder of record on a specified date in any such month, such
dividend shall be treated as both paid by us and received by the U.S. holder on December 31 of such year, if we actually pay the
dividend during January of the following calendar year.
U.S. holders may not include
in their individual U.S. federal income tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses. Instead, we would carry over such
losses for potential offset against our future income generally. Taxable distributions from us and gain from the disposition of our stock
will not be treated as passive activity income, and, therefore, U.S. holders generally will not be able to apply any “passive activity
losses,” such as losses from certain types of limited partnerships in which the U.S. holder is a limited partner, against such income.
In addition, taxable distributions from us and gain from the disposition of the stock generally will be treated as investment income for
purposes of the investment interest limitations.
We will notify stockholders
after the close of our taxable year as to the portions of the distributions attributable to that year that constitute ordinary income,
return of capital, and capital gain.
Disposition
of Stock. In general, a U.S. holder who is not a dealer in securities must treat any gain or loss realized
upon a taxable disposition of our Common Stock as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder has held the stock for more than one
year and otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. However, a U.S. holder must treat any loss upon a sale or exchange of stock held
by such U.S. holder for six months or less as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any actual or deemed distributions from us that
such U.S. holder previously has characterized as long-term capital gain. All or a portion of any loss that a U.S. holder realizes upon
a taxable disposition of the stock may be disallowed if the U.S. holder purchases the same type of stock within 30 days before or
after the disposition.
Capital
Gains and Losses. A taxpayer generally must hold a capital asset for more than one year for gain or loss
derived from its sale or exchange to be treated as long-term capital gain or loss. In general, a U.S. holder will realize gain or loss
in an amount equal to the difference between the sum of the fair market value of any property and the amount of cash received in such
disposition and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis. A U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis generally will equal the U.S. holder’s
acquisition cost, increased by the excess of net capital gains deemed distributed to the U.S. holder (discussed above) less tax deemed
paid on such gains and reduced by any returns of capital. In general, the maximum U.S. federal income tax rate on long-term capital gain
applicable to non-corporate taxpayers is 20% for sales and exchanges of assets held for more than one year. The maximum U.S. federal
income tax rate on long-term capital gain from the sale or exchange of “section 1250 property,” or depreciable real property,
is 25% to the extent that such gain, not otherwise treated as ordinary, would have been treated as ordinary income if the property were
“section 1245 property.” With respect to distributions that we designate as capital gain dividends and any retained capital
gain that we are deemed to distribute, we generally may designate whether such a distribution is taxable to our non-corporate stockholders
at a 20% or 25% U.S. federal income tax rate. In addition, the characterization of income as capital gain or ordinary income may affect
the deductibility of capital losses. A non-corporate taxpayer may deduct capital losses not offset by capital gains against its ordinary
income only up to a maximum annual amount of $3,000. A non-corporate taxpayer may carry forward unused capital losses indefinitely. A
corporate taxpayer must pay U.S. federal income tax on its net capital gain at ordinary corporate U.S. federal income tax rates. A corporate
taxpayer may deduct capital losses only to the extent of capital gains, with unused losses being carried back three years and forward
five years.
Medicare
Tax. A U.S. holder that is an individual or estate, or a trust that does not fall into a special class
of trusts that is exempt from such tax, will be subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (1) the U.S. holder’s “net investment
income” for the relevant taxable year and (2) the excess of the U.S. holder’s modified adjusted gross income for the
taxable year over a certain threshold (which in the case of individuals will be between $125,000 and $250,000 depending on the individual’s
circumstances). Net investment income generally includes dividend income and net gains from the disposition of stock, unless such dividend
income or net gains are derived in the ordinary course of the conduct of a trade or business (other than a trade or business that consists
of certain passive or trading activities). A U.S. holder that is an individual, estate or trust, should consult its tax advisor regarding
the applicability of the Medicare tax to its income and gains in respect of its investment in our Common Stock.
Information
Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding. We will report to our stockholders and to the IRS the amount
of distributions we pay during each calendar year and the amount of tax we withhold, if any. Under the backup withholding rules, a U.S.
holder may be subject to backup withholding at the rate of 24% with respect to distributions unless such holder:
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comes within certain exempt categories and, when required, demonstrates this fact; or
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provides to the applicable withholding agent a taxpayer identification number, certifies as to no loss
of exemption from backup withholding, and otherwise complies with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.
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A U.S. holder who does not
provide the applicable withholding agent with its correct taxpayer identification number also may be subject to penalties imposed by the
IRS. Any amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the U.S. holder’s income tax liability. In addition, we may
be required to withhold a portion of capital gain distributions to any U.S. holders who fail to certify their non-foreign status to us.
See “— Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders of Stock.”
Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders
Tax-exempt entities, including
qualified employee pension and profit sharing trusts and individual retirement accounts, generally are exempt from U.S. federal income
taxation. However, they are subject to taxation on their unrelated business taxable income. While many investments in real estate generate
unrelated business taxable income, the IRS has issued a published ruling that dividend distributions from a REIT to an exempt employee
pension trust do not constitute unrelated business taxable income, provided that the exempt employee pension trust does not otherwise
use the shares of the REIT in an unrelated trade or business of the pension trust. Based on that ruling, amounts that we distribute to
tax-exempt stockholders generally should not constitute unrelated business taxable income. However, if a tax-exempt stockholder were
to finance its acquisition of our stock with debt, a portion of the income that it receives from us would constitute unrelated business
taxable income pursuant to the “debt-financed property” rules. Furthermore, certain entities that are exempt from taxation
under special provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws are subject to different unrelated business taxable income rules, which
generally will require them to characterize distributions that they receive from us as unrelated business taxable income. Finally, if
we are a “pension-held REIT,” a qualified employee pension or profit sharing trust that owns more than 10% of our shares
of stock is required to treat a percentage of the dividends that it receives from us as unrelated business taxable income. That percentage
is equal to the gross income that we derive from an unrelated trade or business, determined as if we were a pension trust, divided by
our total gross income for the year in which we pay the dividends. That rule applies to a pension trust holding more than 10% of
our shares of stock only if:
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the percentage of our dividends that the tax-exempt trust would be required to treat as unrelated
business taxable income is at least 5%;
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we qualify as a REIT by reason of the modification of the rule requiring that no more than 50% of
our stock be owned by five or fewer individuals that allows the beneficiaries of the pension trust to be treated as holding our stock
in proportion to their actuarial interests in the pension trust (see “— Taxation of Our Company — Requirements
for REIT Qualification”); and
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either (1) one pension trust owns more than 25% of the value of our stock or (2) a group of
pension trusts individually holding more than 10% of the value of our stock collectively owns more than 50% of the value of our stock.
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Although there can be no
assurance that we will not become one in the future, we do not believe that our Company is currently a pension-held REIT.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders
The rules governing
federal income taxation of non-U.S. holders of our Common Stock are complex. A “non-U.S. holder” means a holder that is not
a U.S. holder, as defined above, and is not an entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. This section is only a
summary of such rules as they apply to non-U.S. holders of our Common Stock. We urge non-U.S. holders to consult their tax advisors
to determine the impact of federal, state, and local income tax laws on ownership of our Common Stock, including any reporting requirements.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders of
Common Stock
Distributions. The
portion of a distribution that is received by a non-U.S. holder that we do not designate as a capital gain dividend and that is payable
out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as well as any other payment that is treated as a dividend as described above
under “Taxation of Taxable U.S. Holders of Common Stock,” will be subject to U.S. income tax withholding at the rate of 30%
on the gross amount of any such distribution paid unless either:
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a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. holder furnishes an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E evidencing
eligibility for that reduced rate to the applicable withholding agent; or
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the non-U.S. holder furnishes an IRS Form W-8ECI to the applicable withholding agent claiming that
the distribution is effectively connected income.
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If a distribution is treated
as effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the non-U.S. holder generally will be subject
to U.S. federal income tax on the distribution at graduated rates, in the same manner as U.S. holders are taxed with respect to such distributions.
A non-U.S. holder that is a corporation also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax with respect to a distribution treated as effectively
connected with its conduct of a U.S. trade or business, unless reduced or eliminated by a tax treaty.
Except as described in the
following paragraph, a non-U.S. holder will not incur tax on a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits
if the excess portion of such distribution does not exceed the adjusted basis of its stock. Instead, the excess portion of such distribution
will reduce the adjusted basis of such stock. A non-U.S. holder will be subject to tax on a distribution that exceeds both our current
and accumulated earnings and profits and the adjusted basis of its stock, if the non-U.S. holder otherwise would be subject to tax on
gain from the sale or disposition of its stock, as described below. If we cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether
or not the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, we will treat the entire amount of any distribution
as a taxable dividend. However, a non-U.S. holder may obtain a refund of amounts that we withhold if we later determine that a distribution
in fact exceeded our current and accumulated earnings and profits.
If our stock constitutes
a United States real property interest, as defined below, unless (1) we are a “domestically-controlled qualified investment
entity,” as defined below, (2) the distribution is with respect to a class of our stock regularly traded on an established
securities market located in the United States and is made to a non-U.S. holder that did not own more than 10% of such class of Common
Stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of distribution or (3) the distribution is with respect to stock
held by a “qualified shareholder,” including stock held indirectly through one or more partnerships (to the extent not held
by an “applicable investor”), the distribution will give rise to gain from the sale or exchange of such stock, the tax treatment
of which is described below and, we must withhold 15% of any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits.
A “qualified shareholder” is generally defined as a foreign person that (i) is eligible for benefits of an income tax
treaty with the United States and the principal class of interests of which is listed and regularly traded on one or more recognized stock
exchanges, or is a foreign partnership that is created or organized under foreign law as a limited partnership in a jurisdiction that
has an agreement for the exchange of information with respect to taxes with the United States and has a class of limited partnership units
which is regularly traded on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Stock Market and such class of limited partnership units’
value is greater than 50% of the value of all the partnership units; (ii) is a “qualified collective investment vehicle,”
and (iii) maintains records on the identity of each person who, at any time during the foreign person’s taxable year, holds
directly 5% or more of the class of interest described in clause (i) above. The benefits of the qualified shareholder exception do
not apply to the extent of the ownership in that shareholder of an “applicable investor,” generally defined as a more than
10% owner of the REIT on a look-through basis, taking into account all interests held by such applicable investor in the REIT. Any distribution
to a qualified shareholder shall not be treated as an effectively connected income distribution to the extent that stock held by such
qualified shareholder is not treated as a United States real property interest as provided in an exception described in this section.
Consequently, although we intend to withhold at a rate of 30% on the entire amount of any distribution, to the extent that we do not do
so, we may withhold at a rate of 15% on any portion of a distribution not subject to withholding at a rate of 30%.
For any year in which we
qualify as a REIT, a non-U.S. holder (other than certain qualified foreign pension funds) may incur tax on distributions that are attributable
(or deemed so attributable pursuant to applicable Treasury regulations) to gain from our sale or exchange of “United States real
property interests” under special provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws referred to as “FIRPTA.” The term
“United States real property interests” includes certain interests in real property and stock in corporations at least 50%
of whose assets consists of interests in real property. Under those rules, a non-U.S. holder is generally taxed on distributions attributable
(or deemed attributable) to gain from sales of United States real property interests as if such gain were effectively connected with
a United States business of the non-U.S. holder. A non-U.S. holder thus would be taxed on such a distribution at the normal rates, including
applicable capital gains rates, applicable to U.S. holders, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum
tax in the case of a nonresident alien individual. A non-U.S. corporate holder not entitled to treaty relief or exemption also may be
subject to the 30% branch profits tax on such a distribution. Except as described below with respect to regularly traded stock, we must
withhold 21% of any distribution that we could designate as a capital gain dividend. A non-U.S. holder may receive a credit against its
tax liability for the amount we withhold. Any distribution with respect to any class of stock which is regularly traded on an established
securities market located in the United States, will not be treated as gain recognized from the sale or exchange of a United States real
property interest if the non-U.S. holder did not own more than 10% of such class of stock at any time during the one-year period preceding
the date of the distribution. As a result, non-U.S. holders generally will be subject to withholding tax on such capital gain distributions
in the same manner as they are subject to withholding tax on ordinary dividends. We anticipate that each class of our Common Stock will
be regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States following this offering. If a class of our Common Stock
is not regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States or the non-U.S. holder owned more than 10% of such class
of stock at any time during the one-year period preceding the date of the distribution, capital gain distributions with respect to that
class of capital that are attributable to our sale of real property would be subject to tax under FIRPTA, as described above unless otherwise
excepted. Moreover, if a non-U.S. holder owning more than 5% of a class of our Common Stock disposes of such stock during the 30-day
period preceding the ex-dividend date of a dividend, and such non-U.S. holder (or a person related to such non-U.S. holder) acquires
or enters into a contract or option to acquire our Common Stock within 61 days of the first day of the 30-day period described above,
and any portion of such dividend payment would, but for the disposition, be treated as a United States real property interest capital
gain to such non-U.S. holder, then such non-U.S. holder will be treated as having United States real property interest capital gain in
an amount that, but for the disposition, would have been treated as United States real property interest capital gain.
Any distribution that is
made by a REIT that would otherwise be subject to FIRPTA because the distribution is attributable to the disposition of a United States
real property interest will retain its character as FIRPTA income when distributed to any regulated investment company or other REIT,
and will be treated as if it were from the disposition of a United States real property interest by that regulated investment company
or other REIT.
Disposition
of Stock. Except as discussed below, gain on a sale of our Common Stock by a non-U.S. holder generally
will not be subject to U.S. taxation.
Subject to the exceptions
described in this section, non-U.S. holders (other than certain qualified foreign pension funds) could incur tax under FIRPTA with respect
to gain realized upon a disposition of shares of our Common Stock if shares of our Common Stock are United States real property interests.
Generally, shares of a United States real property holding corporation are United States real property interests. If at least 50% of a
REIT’s assets are United States real property interests, then the REIT will be a United States real property holding corporation.
We anticipate that we will be a United States real property holding corporation based on our investment strategy. However, even if we
are a United States real property holding corporation, shares of our Common Stock will not be treated as United States real property interests
and a non-U.S. holder generally will not incur tax under FIRPTA with respect to gain realized upon a disposition of shares of our Common
Stock as long as we are a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity.” A domestically-controlled qualified investment
entity includes a REIT in which, at all times during a specified testing period, less than 50% in value of its shares are held directly
or indirectly by non-U.S. holders. We cannot assure you that that test will be met. However, even if we are not a domestically controlled
qualified investment entity, shares of our Common Stock will not be treated as United States real property interests and a non-U.S. holder
generally will not incur tax under FIRPTA with respect to gain realized upon a disposition of shares of our Common Stock, if such non-U.S.
holder owned, actually or constructively, 10% or less of a our Common Stock, at all times during a specified testing period if our Common
Stock is “regularly traded” on an established securities market, or, if such non-U.S. holder is a “qualified shareholder”
(to the extent not allocable to an applicable investor). If the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition
of our Common Stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, and if shares of our Common Stock were not “regularly traded” on
an established securities market, the purchaser of such Common Stock would be required to withhold and remit to the IRS 15% of the purchase
price. If the gain on the sale of the Common Stock were taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. holder would be taxed in the same manner as U.S.
holders with respect to such gain, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of
nonresident alien individuals. Furthermore, a non-U.S. holder generally will incur tax on gain not subject to FIRPTA if (1) the gain
is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s U.S. trade or business, in which case the non-U.S. holder will be subject to
the same treatment as U.S. holders with respect to such gain, or (2) the non-U.S. holder is a nonresident alien individual who was
present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which
case the non-U.S. holder will incur a 30% tax on his capital gains.
If we are a domestically
controlled qualified investment entity and a non-U.S. holder disposes of our Common Stock during the 30-day period preceding a dividend
payment, and such non-U.S. holder (or a person related to such non-U.S. holder) acquires or enters into a contract or option to acquire
our Common Stock within 61 days of the first day of the 30-day period described above, and any portion of such dividend payment would,
but for the disposition, be treated as a United States real property interest capital gain to such non-U.S. holder, then such non-U.S.
holder shall be treated as having United States real property interest capital gain in an amount that, but for the disposition, would
have been treated as United States real property interest capital gain.
Information
Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding. Generally, information reporting will apply to payments
of distributions on our stock, and backup withholding may apply at a rate of 24%, unless the payee certifies that it is not a U.S. person
or otherwise establishes an exemption.
The payment of the proceeds
from the disposition of our stock to or through the U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting
and, possibly, backup withholding unless the non-U.S. holder certifies as to its non-U.S. status or otherwise establishes an exemption,
provided that the broker does not have actual knowledge that the non-U.S. holder is a U.S. person or that the conditions of any other
exemption are not, in fact, satisfied. The proceeds of the disposition by a non-U.S. holder of our stock to or through a foreign office
of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, if the broker is a U.S. person, a
controlled foreign corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross income from all sources
for specified periods is from activities that are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business, information reporting generally
will apply unless the broker has documentary evidence as to the non-U.S. holder’s foreign status and has no actual knowledge to
the contrary. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment
to a non-U.S. holder will be allowed as a credit against such non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability (which might
entitle such non-U.S. holder to a refund), provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Applicable Treasury Regulations
provide presumptions regarding the status of stockholders when payments to the stockholders cannot be reliably associated with appropriate
documentation provided to the payer. Because the application of these Treasury Regulations varies depending on the stockholder’s
particular circumstances, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the information reporting requirements applicable to you.
Copies of information returns that are filed with the IRS may also be made available under the provisions of an applicable treaty or agreement
to the tax authorities of the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established.
Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance
Act Withholding
Pursuant to the Foreign Account
Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, foreign financial institutions (which include most foreign hedge funds, private equity funds, mutual funds,
securitization vehicles and any other investment vehicles) and certain other foreign entities must comply with registration and information
reporting rules with respect to their U.S. account holders and investors or be subject to a withholding tax on U.S.-source payments
made to them (whether received as a beneficial owner or as an intermediary for another party). A foreign financial institution or other
foreign entity that does not comply with the FATCA registration and reporting requirements will generally be subject to a new 30% withholding
tax on “withholdable payments.” For this purpose, withholdable payments generally include U.S.-source payments (including
U.S.-source dividends), and (subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations below) the gross proceeds from a sale of equity or debt instruments
of issuers who are considered U.S. issuers under the FATCA rules. The FATCA withholding tax applies even if the payment would otherwise
not be subject to U.S. nonresident withholding tax (e.g., because it is capital gain). While withholding under FATCA would have
applied also to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of stock on or after January 1, 2019, proposed Treasury
Regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Taxpayers may generally rely on these proposed Treasury
Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental
agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules. We will not pay additional amounts in respect of amounts
withheld. Investors should consult their tax advisors regarding FATCA.
Tax Aspects of Our Investments
in the Partnerships
The following discussion
summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to our direct or indirect investments in the Partnerships. The discussion
does not cover state or local tax laws or any federal tax laws other than income tax laws.
We are entitled to include
in our income our distributive share of each Partnership’s income and to deduct our distributive share of each Partnership’s
losses only if such Partnership is classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a partnership (or an entity that is disregarded
for U.S. federal income tax purposes if the entity has only one owner or member), rather than as a corporation or an association taxable
as a corporation. An organization with at least two owners or members will be classified as a partnership, rather than as a corporation,
for U.S. federal income tax purposes if it:
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is treated as a partnership under Treasury regulations relating to entity classification (the “check-the-box
regulations”); and
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is not a “publicly-traded” partnership.
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Under the check-the-box regulations,
an unincorporated entity with at least two owners or members may elect to be classified either as an association taxable as a corporation
or as a partnership. If such an entity fails to make an election, it generally will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income
tax purposes. Each Partnership intends to be classified as a partnership (or an entity that is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax
purposes if the entity has only one owner or member) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and no Partnership will elect to be treated
as an association taxable as a corporation under the check-the-box regulations.
A publicly-traded partnership
is a partnership whose interests are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial
equivalent thereof. A publicly-traded partnership will not, however, be treated as a corporation for any taxable year if 90% or more of
the partnership’s gross income for such year consists of certain passive-type income, including real property rents (which includes
rents that would be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, with certain modifications that make it easier for the
rents to qualify for the 90% passive income exception), gains from the sale or other disposition of real property, interest, and dividends
(the “90% passive income exception”).
Treasury regulations (the
“PTP regulations”) provide limited safe harbors from the definition of a publicly-traded partnership. Pursuant to one of those
safe harbors (the “private placement exclusion”), interests in a partnership will not be treated as readily tradable on a
secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof if (1) all interests in the partnership were issued in a transaction or transactions
that were not required to be registered under the Securities Act, and (2) the partnership does not have more than 100 partners at
any time during the partnership’s taxable year. In determining the number of partners in a partnership, a person owning an interest
in a partnership, grantor trust, or S corporation that owns an interest in the partnership is treated as a partner in such partnership
only if (1) substantially all of the value of the owner’s interest in the entity is attributable to the entity’s direct
or indirect interest in the partnership and (2) a principal purpose of the use of the entity is to permit the partnership to satisfy
the 100-partner limitation. We anticipate that each Partnership will qualify for the private placement exclusion.
We have not requested, and
do not intend to request, a ruling from the IRS that the Partnerships will be classified as partnerships (or disregarded entities, if
the entity has only one owner or member) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If for any reason a Partnership were taxable as a corporation,
rather than as a partnership or a disregarded entity, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we likely would not be able to qualify as
a REIT. See “— Taxation of Our Company — Income Tests” and “— Asset Tests.” In
addition, any change in a Partnership’s status for tax purposes might be treated as a taxable event, in which case we might incur
tax liability without any related cash distribution. See “— Taxation of Our Company — Distribution Requirements.”
Further, items of income and deduction of such Partnership would not pass through to its partners, and its partners would be treated as
stockholders for tax purposes. Consequently, such Partnership would be required to pay income tax at corporate rates on its net income,
and distributions to its partners would not be deductible in computing such Partnership’s taxable income.
Income Taxation of the Partnerships
and Their Partners
Partners,
Not the Partnerships, Subject to Tax. A partnership is not a taxable entity for U.S. federal income tax
purposes. Rather, we are required to take into account our allocable share of each Partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions,
and credits for any taxable year of such Partnership ending within or with our taxable year, without regard to whether we have received
or will receive any distribution from such Partnership. New audit rules, currently scheduled to become effective for tax years beginning
in 2018, will generally apply to the partnership. Under the new rules, unless an entity elects otherwise, taxes arising from audit adjustments
are required to be paid by the entity rather than by its partners or members. We will have the authority to utilize, and intend to utilize,
any exceptions available under the new provisions (including any changes) and Treasury Regulations so that the partners, to the fullest
extent possible, rather than the partnership itself, will be liable for any taxes arising from audit adjustments to the issuing entity’s
taxable income. Prospective investors are urged to consult with their tax advisors regarding the possible effect of the new rules.
Partnership
Allocations. Although a partnership agreement generally will determine the allocation of income, gains,
losses, deductions, and credits among partners, such allocations will be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes if they do not
comply with the provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws governing partnership allocations. If an allocation is not recognized for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners’ interests
in the partnership, which will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement
of the partners with respect to such item. Each Partnership’s allocations of taxable income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits
are intended to comply with the requirements of the U.S. federal income tax laws governing partnership allocations.
Tax
Allocations With Respect to Partnership Properties. Income, gain, loss, and deduction attributable to
appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to a partnership in exchange for an interest in the partnership must be allocated
in a manner such that the contributing partner is charged with, or benefits from, respectively, the unrealized gain or unrealized loss
associated with the property at the time of the contribution (the “704(c) Allocations”). The amount of the unrealized
gain or unrealized loss (“built-in gain” or “built-in loss”) is generally equal to the difference between the
fair market value of the contributed property at the time of contribution and the adjusted tax basis of such property at the time of contribution
(a “book-tax difference”). Any property purchased for cash initially will have an adjusted tax basis equal to its fair market
value, resulting in no book-tax difference. A book-tax difference generally is decreased on an annual basis as a result of depreciation
deductions to the contributing partner for book purposes but not for tax purposes. The 704(c) Allocations are solely for U.S. federal
income tax purposes and do not affect the book capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners.
The U.S. Treasury Department
has issued regulations requiring partnerships to use a “reasonable method” for allocating items with respect to which there
is a book-tax difference and outlining several reasonable allocation methods. Under our operating partnership’s partnership agreement,
depreciation or amortization deductions of the operating partnership generally will be allocated among the partners in accordance with
their respective interests in the operating partnership, except to the extent that the operating partnership is required under the U.S.
federal income tax laws governing partnership allocations to use a method for allocating tax depreciation deductions attributable to contributed
properties that results in our receiving a disproportionate share of such deductions. In addition, gain or loss on the sale of a property
that has been contributed, in whole or in part, to the operating partnership will be specially allocated to the contributing partners
to the extent of any built-in gain or loss with respect to such property for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Basis
in Partnership Interest. Our adjusted tax basis in our partnership interest in the operating partnership
generally is equal to:
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the amount of cash and the basis of any other property contributed by us to the operating partnership;
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increased by our allocable share of the operating partnership’s income and gains and our allocable
share of indebtedness of the operating partnership; and
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reduced, but not below zero, by our allocable share of the operating partnership’s losses, deductions
and credits and the amount of cash distributed to us, and by constructive distributions resulting from a reduction in our share of indebtedness
of the operating partnership.
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If the allocation of our
distributive share of the operating partnership’s loss would reduce the adjusted tax basis of our partnership interest in the operating
partnership below zero, the recognition of such loss will be deferred until such time as the recognition of such loss would not reduce
our adjusted tax basis below zero. To the extent that the operating partnership’s distributions, or any decrease in our share of
the indebtedness of the operating partnership, which is considered a constructive cash distribution to the partners, reduce our adjusted
tax basis below zero, such distributions will constitute taxable income to us. Such distributions and constructive distributions normally
will be characterized as long-term capital gain.
Depreciation
Deductions Available to our Operating Partnership. To the extent that our operating partnership acquires
its hotels in exchange for cash, its initial basis in such hotels for U.S. federal income tax purposes generally was or will be equal
to the purchase price paid by our operating partnership. Our operating partnership’s initial basis in hotels acquired in exchange
for units in our operating partnership should be the same as the transferor’s basis in such hotels on the date of acquisition
by our operating partnership. Although the law is not entirely clear, our operating partnership generally will depreciate such depreciable
hotel property for U.S. federal income tax purposes over the same remaining useful lives and under the same methods used by the transferors.
Our operating partnership’s tax depreciation deductions will be allocated among the partners in accordance with their respective
interests in our operating partnership, except to the extent that our operating partnership is required under the U.S. federal income
tax laws governing partnership allocations to use a method for allocating tax depreciation deductions attributable to contributed properties
that results in our receiving a disproportionate share of such deductions.
Sale of a Partnership’s
Property
Generally, any gain realized
by us or a Partnership on the sale of property held for more than one year will be long-term capital gain, except for any portion of such
gain that is treated as depreciation or cost recovery recapture. Any gain or loss recognized by a Partnership on the disposition of contributed
properties will be allocated first to the partners who contributed such properties to the extent of their built-in gain or loss on those
properties for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The partners’ built-in gain or loss on such contributed properties will equal the
difference between the partners’ proportionate share of the book value of those properties and the partners’ tax basis allocable
to those properties at the time of the contribution. Any remaining gain or loss recognized by the Partnership on the disposition of the
contributed properties, and any gain or loss recognized by the Partnership on the disposition of the other properties, will be allocated
among the partners in accordance with their respective percentage interests in the Partnership.
Our share of any gain realized
by a Partnership on the sale of any property held by the Partnership as inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers
in the ordinary course of the Partnership’s trade or business will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject
to a 100% penalty tax. Such prohibited transaction income also may have an adverse effect upon our ability to satisfy the income tests
for REIT status. See “— Taxation of Our Company — Income Tests.” We, however, do not presently intend
to acquire or hold or to allow any Partnership to acquire or hold any property that represents inventory or other property held primarily
for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our or such Partnership’s trade or business.
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries
We own, directly or indirectly,
the stock of several TRSs. A TRS is a fully taxable corporation for which a TRS election is properly made. A TRS may lease hotels from
us under certain circumstances, provide services to our tenants, and perform activities unrelated to our tenants, such as third-party
management, development, and other independent business activities. A corporation of which a TRS directly or indirectly owns more than
35% of the voting power or value of the stock will automatically be treated as a TRS. Overall, no more than 25% (20% with respect to taxable
years beginning before July 31, 2008 and after December 31, 2017) of the value of our assets may consist of the securities of
TRSs.
A TRS may not directly or
indirectly operate or manage any hotels or health care facilities or provide rights to any brand name under which any hotel or health
care facility is operated. However, rents received by us from a TRS pursuant to a hotel lease will qualify as “rents from real property”
as long as the hotel is operated on behalf of the TRS by a person who satisfies the following requirements:
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such person is, or is related to a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business of operating
“qualified lodging facilities” for any person unrelated to us and the TRS;
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such person does not own, directly or indirectly, more than 35% of our stock;
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no more than 35% of such person is owned, directly or indirectly, by one or more persons owning 35% or
more of our stock; and
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we do not directly or indirectly derive any income from such person.
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A “qualified lodging
facility” is a hotel, motel, or other establishment more than one-half of the dwelling units in which are used on a transient
basis, unless wagering activities are conducted at or in connection with such facility by any person who is engaged in the business of
accepting wagers and who is legally authorized to engage in such business at or in connection with such facility. A “qualified lodging
facility” includes customary amenities and facilities operated as part of, or associated with, the lodging facility as long as such
amenities and facilities are customary for other properties of a comparable size and class owned by other unrelated owners.
The TRS rules limit
the deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a TRS to us to assure that the TRS is subject to an appropriate level of corporate taxation.
Further, the rules impose a 100% excise tax on certain transactions between a TRS and us or our tenants that are not conducted on
an arm’s-length basis. We intend that all of our transactions with any TRS that we form will be conducted on an arm’s-length
basis, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in this regard.
We have formed and made a
timely election with respect to each of our TRSs, which lease each of our properties not owned by a TRS. Additionally, we may form or
acquire additional TRSs in the future.
State and Local Taxes
We and/or you may be subject
to state and local tax in various states and localities, including those states and localities in which we or you transact business, own
property, or reside. The state and local tax treatment in such jurisdictions may differ from the U.S. federal income tax treatment described
above. Consequently, you should consult your own tax advisor regarding the effect of state and local tax laws upon an investment in our
Common Stock.
Legislative or Other Actions Affecting
REITs
The present U.S. federal
income tax treatment of REITs may be modified, possibly with retroactive effect, by legislative, judicial or administrative action at
any time. The REIT rules are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury
Department which may result in statutory changes as well as revisions to regulations and interpretations. Additionally, several of the
tax considerations described herein are currently under review and are subject to change. Prospective investors are urged to consult with
their own tax advisors regarding the effect of potential changes to the federal tax laws on an investment in our Common Stock.
THE TAX DISCUSSION SET FORTH
ABOVE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED TO DESCRIBE FULLY THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE COMPANY.
INVESTORS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO CONSULT, AND MUST RELY ON, THEIR OWN TAX ADVISERS WITH RESPECT TO THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF HOLDING SK IN
THE COMPANY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE EFFECT OF U.S. FEDERAL TAXES (INCLUDING TAXES OTHER THAN INCOME TAXES) AND STATE, LOCAL
AND FOREIGN TAX CONSIDERATIONS, AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF ANY CHANGES THERETO MADE BY FUTURE LEGISLATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE
OR JUDICIAL DEVELOPMENTS (WHICH MAY HAVE RETROACTIVE EFFECT).
PLAN
OF DISTRIBUTION
The shares of Common Stock
offered by this prospectus are being offered by the selling stockholder, Seven Knots. The shares may be sold or distributed from time
to time by the selling stockholder directly to one or more purchasers or through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely
as agents at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, at negotiated prices, or
at fixed prices, which may be changed. The sale of the shares of our Common Stock offered by this prospectus could be effected in one
or more of the following methods:
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·
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ordinary brokers’ transactions;
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·
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transactions involving cross or block trades;
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·
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through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents;
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·
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“at the market” into an existing market for our Common Stock;
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·
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in other ways not involving market makers or established business markets, including direct sales to purchasers
or sales effected through agents;
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·
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in privately negotiated transactions; or
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·
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any combination of the foregoing.
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In order to comply with the
securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the shares may be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition,
in certain states, the shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the state or an exemption from
the state’s registration or qualification requirement is available and complied with.
Seven Knots is an “underwriter”
within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act.
Seven Knots has informed
us that it intends to use one or more registered broker-dealers to effectuate all sales, if any, of our Common Stock that it has acquired
and may in the future acquire from us pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. Such sales will be made at prices and at terms then prevailing
or at prices related to the then current market price. Each such registered broker-dealer will be an underwriter within the meaning of
Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. Seven Knots has informed us that each such broker-dealer will receive commissions from Seven
Knots that will not exceed customary brokerage commissions.
Brokers, dealers, underwriters
or agents participating in the distribution of the shares of our Common Stock offered by this prospectus may receive compensation in the
form of commissions, discounts, or concessions from the purchasers, for whom the broker-dealers may act as agent. The compensation paid
to any particular broker-dealer by any purchaser of shares of our Common Stock sold by the selling stockholder may be less than or in
excess of customary commissions. Neither we nor the selling stockholder can presently estimate the amount of compensation that any agent
will receive from any purchasers of shares of our Common Stock sold by the selling stockholder.
We know of no existing arrangements
between the selling stockholder or any other stockholder, broker, dealer, underwriter or agent relating to the sale or distribution of
the shares of our Common Stock offered by this prospectus.
We may from time to time
file with the SEC one or more supplements to this prospectus or amendments to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms
a part to amend, supplement or update information contained in this prospectus, including, if and when required under the Securities Act,
to disclose certain information relating to a particular sale of shares offered by this prospectus by the selling stockholder, including
the names of any brokers, dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of such shares by the selling stockholder,
any compensation paid by the selling stockholder to any such brokers, dealers, underwriters or agents, and any other required information.
We will pay the expenses
incident to the registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of the shares of our Common Stock covered by this prospectus
by the selling stockholder. We also paid to Seven Knots $35,000 in cash as reimbursement to Seven Knots for the reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses incurred by Seven Knots, including the legal fees and disbursements of Seven Knots’s legal counsel, in connection with
its due diligence investigation of the Company and in connection with the preparation, negotiation and execution of the Purchase Agreement
and the Registration Rights Agreement.
We also have agreed to indemnify
Seven Knots and certain other persons against certain liabilities in connection with the offering of shares of our Common Stock offered
hereby, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act or, if such indemnity is unavailable, to contribute amounts required to
be paid in respect of such liabilities. Seven Knots has agreed to indemnify us against liabilities under the Securities Act that may arise
from certain written information furnished to us by Seven Knots specifically for use in this prospectus or, if such indemnity is unavailable,
to contribute amounts required to be paid in respect of such liabilities. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC
this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore, unenforceable.
We estimate that the total
expenses for the offering will be approximately $348,707.92.
Seven Knots has represented
to us that at no time prior to the date of the Purchase Agreement has Seven Knots or its agents, representatives or affiliates engaged
in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, any short sale (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO
of the Exchange Act) of our Common Stock or any hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to our Common
Stock. Seven Knots has agreed that during the term of the Purchase Agreement, neither Seven Knots, nor any of its agents, representatives
or affiliates will enter into or effect, directly or indirectly, any of the foregoing transactions.
We have advised the selling
stockholder that it is required to comply with Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act. With certain exceptions, Regulation M
precludes the selling stockholder, any affiliated purchasers, and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution
from bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to induce any person to bid for or purchase any security which is the subject of the distribution
until the entire distribution is complete. Regulation M also prohibits any bids or purchases made in order to stabilize the price
of a security in connection with the distribution of that security. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the securities
offered by this prospectus.
This offering will terminate
on the date that all shares of our Common Stock offered by this prospectus have been sold by the selling stockholder.
Our Common Stock is currently
listed on the NYSE under the symbol “AHT”.
EXPERTS
The historical consolidated
financial statements of our Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31,
2020 and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020
incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the registration statement have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of
BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of such firm
as experts on auditing and accounting.
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of the Common
Stock offered by this prospectus has been passed upon for us by Hogan Lovells US LLP.
WHERE
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
This prospectus contains
certain business and financial information about the Company that is not included in or delivered with this document. We maintain a website
at www.ahtreit.com. On our website, we make available free of charge our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q,
current reports on Form 8-K and other reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. In addition, our Code of Business Conduct
and Ethics, Code of Ethics for the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, Corporate Governance
Guidelines and Board Committee Charters are also available free-of-charge on our website or can be made available in print upon request.
The information contained on our website is expressly not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
All reports filed with the
SEC may also be read and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20549-1090. Further
information regarding the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, all of our filed
reports can be obtained at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
The SEC permits us to “incorporate
by reference” the information contained in documents we have filed with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information
to you by referring you to those documents rather than by including them in this prospectus. Information that is incorporated by reference
is considered to be part of this prospectus and you should read it with the same care that you read this prospectus. We have filed with
the SEC, and incorporate by reference in this prospectus:
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Our
Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 5,
2021, January 7,
2021, January 15,
2021, January 15,
2021 (both Form 8-Ks filed on such date), January 20,
2021, January 21,
2021, January 22,
2021, February 2,
2021, February 23,
2021, February 24,
2021
(Two Filings), March 3,
2021, March 11,
2021, March 15,
2021
March 19, 2021, April 2,
2021, April 8,
2021
(Two Filings), April 9,
2021, April 19,
2021, April 22,
2021, May 10,
2021, May 12,
2021, May 18,
2021, June 1, 2021, and June 8, 2021 (except for the information furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 and the exhibits
furnished therewith); and
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Any statement contained in
any document incorporated by reference herein will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent
that a statement contained in this prospectus or any additional prospectus supplements modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement
so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
All reports and other documents
we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering,
including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness
of the registration statement, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated
by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
We will provide without charge
to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all
documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, but not delivered with the prospectus, other than exhibits to such
documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the documents that this prospectus incorporates. You should
direct written requests to:
Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc.
14185 Dallas Parkway, Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75254
(972) 490-9600
40,093,080 Shares
ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST, INC.
Common Stock
PROSPECTUS
, 2021
PART II
Information Not Required In Prospectus
Item 31. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following is a statement
of estimated expenses in connection with the offering described in this registration statement. All expenses incurred with respect to
the registration of the Common Stock will be borne by us. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee.
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Amount to be Paid
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SEC Registration Fee
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$
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23,707.92
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Legal Fees and Expenses*
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$
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300,000.00
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Accounting Fees and Expenses*
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$
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25,000.00
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Total
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$
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348,707.92
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*
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Estimated solely for the purpose of this Item. Actual expenses may vary.
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Item 32. Sales to Special Parties.
Not applicable.
Item 33. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 34. Indemnification of Directors and
Officers.
The MGCL permits a Maryland
corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders
for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services
or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. The Company’s
Charter contains such a provision which eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
The Company’s Charter
requires it, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final
disposition of a proceeding to our present and former directors and officers, whether serving us or any other entity at our request, from
and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his or her service
in any such capacity. The bylaws of the Company establish certain procedures for indemnification and advancement of expenses pursuant
to Maryland law and the Company’s Charter.
The MGCL requires a corporation
(unless its charter provides otherwise, which the our Charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on
the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his
or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others,
against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to
which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established
that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (i) was
committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received
an improper personal benefit in money, property or services, or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer
had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify
for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit
was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, the MGCL permits
a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of (x) a written affirmation
by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification
by the corporation and (y) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by
the corporation if it shall ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
The Company has entered into
indemnification agreements with certain of its directors and officers. Under the indemnification agreements, the Company will indemnify
each indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law for liabilities and expenses arising out of the indemnitee’s service
to the Company or other entity for which such indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company. The indemnification agreements
also provide (a) for the advancement of expenses by the Company, subject to certain conditions, (b) a procedure for determining
an indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification and (c) for certain remedies for the indemnitee. In addition, the indemnification
agreements require the Company to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain directors and officers liability insurance on terms and conditions
deemed appropriate by the Board.
The Company maintains insurance
for its directors and officers against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, under insurance policies,
the premiums of which are paid by the Company. The effect of these insurance policies is to indemnify any directors or officers of the
Company against expenses, judgments, attorneys’ fees and other amounts paid in settlements incurred by a director or officer upon
a determination that such person acted in accordance with the requirements of such insurance policy.
Item 35. Treatment of Proceeds from Stock
Being Registered.
None.
Item 36. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(a) Financial
Statements. The financial statements set forth in the documents that are incorporated by reference as part of the prospectus included
in this registration statement are set forth in the section of the prospectus entitled “Incorporation by Reference.”
(b) Exhibits.
The list of exhibits filed with or incorporated by reference in this registration statement is set forth in the Exhibit Index below.
Item 37. Undertakings.
(i) The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(A) To
file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(1) To
include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act.
(2) 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 SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume
and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration
Fee” table in the effective registration statement.
(3) 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.
(B) 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.
(C) 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.
(D) That,
for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as
part of the registration statement relating to the offering, other than a registration statement relying on Rule 430B or other than
a prospectus filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date
it is first used after effectiveness. 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 first use,
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 date of first use.
(E) That,
for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the
securities, in a primary offering of securities 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:
(1) any
preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(2) 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;
(3) 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
(4) any
other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(ii) 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 and otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC 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 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.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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2.1
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Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated October 31, 2014, by and between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford OP Limited Partner LLC, Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, Ashford Inc. and Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Form 8-K, filed on November 6, 2014, for the event dated October 31, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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3.1
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Articles of Amendment and Restatement, as amended by Amendment Number One to Articles of Amendment and Restatement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed May 15, 2015)
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3.2
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Amendment Number Two to Articles of Amendment and Restatement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on May 22, 2017) (File No. 00131775)
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3.3
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Articles of Amendment to the Company’s Charter (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on July 1, 2020) (File No. 001-31775)
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3.4
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Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on October 26, 2014, by Amendment No. 2 on October 19, 2015 and by Amendment No. 3 on August 2, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on August 8, 2016) (File No. 001-31775)
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4.1
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Form of Certificate for Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Form S-11/A, filed on August 20, 2003) (File No. 001-31775)
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4.1.1
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Articles Supplementary for Series A Cumulative Preferred Stock, dated September 15, 2004 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1.1 of Form 10-K, filed on February 28, 2012) (File No. 001-31775)
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4.1.2
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Form of Certificate of Series A Cumulative Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1.2 of Form 10-K, filed on February 28, 2012) (File No. 001-31775)
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4.2.1
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Articles Supplementary for Series D Cumulative Preferred Stock, dated July 17, 2007 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to the Registrant’s Form 8-A, filed July 17, 2007)
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4.2.2
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Form of Certificate of Series D Cumulative Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-A, filed July 17, 2007)
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4.3.1
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Articles Supplementary for Series E Cumulative Preferred Stock, dated April 15, 2011 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to the Registrant’s Form 8-A, filed April 18, 2011)
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4.3.2
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Form of Certificate of Series E Cumulative Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-A, filed April 18, 2011)
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4.4
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Articles Supplementary for Series F Cumulative Preferred Stock, accepted for record and certified by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on July 11, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8- K, filed July 12, 2016) (File No. 001-31775)
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4.5
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Articles Supplementary for Series G Cumulative Preferred Stock, accepted for record and certified by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on October 17, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on October 18, 2016) (File No. 001-31775)
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Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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4.6
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Articles Supplementary for Series H Cumulative Preferred Stock, accepted for record and certified by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on August 18, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on August 22, 2017) (File No. 001-31775)
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4.7
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Articles Supplementary for Series I Cumulative Preferred Stock, accepted for record and certified by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on November 14, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on November 14, 2017) (File No. 001-31775)
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5.1*
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Legal Opinion of Hogan Lovells US LLP
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10.1
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Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on April 15, 2016) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.1.2
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Amendment No. 1 to Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, dated July 12, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on July 12, 2016) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.1.3
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Amendment No. 2 to Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, dated October 18, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on October 18, 2016) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.1.4
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Amendment No. 3 to Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, dated August 25, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on August 25, 2017) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.1.5
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Amendment No. 4 to Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, dated November 17, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on November 17, 2017) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.1.6
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Amendment No. 5 to Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, dated December 13, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on December 14, 2017) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.1.7
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Amendment No. 7 to Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, dated July 15, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on July 15, 2020) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.2
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Registration Rights Agreement among Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and the persons named therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of Form S-11/A, filed on July 31, 2003) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.1†
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2011 Stock Incentive Plan of Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. dated May 17, 2011 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on May 20, 2011, for the event dated May 17, 2011) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.1.1†
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Amendment No. 1 to 2011 Incentive Stock Plan of Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., dated May 13, 2014 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of Form 8-K, filed on May 19, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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10.3.1.2†
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Amendment No. 3 to 2011 Incentive Stock Plan of Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., dated May 16, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed May 22, 2017) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.1.3†
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Amendment No. 4 to 2011 Incentive Stock Plan of Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., dated July 15, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed July 15, 2020) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.2†
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Form of LTIP Unit Award Agreement, dated March 21, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3.3 of Form 10-K, filed on March 3, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.3†
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Form of Performance LTIP Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on April 7, 2016) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.4†
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Form of Performance Stock Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on April 7, 2016) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.5†
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Amended and Restated Form of Performance Stock Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3.6 of Form 10-K, filed on March 16, 2017) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.6†
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Amended and Restated Form of Performance LTIP Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3.7 of Form 10-K, filed on March 16, 2017) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.3.7†
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Form of LTIP Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3.7 of Form 10-K, filed on March 12, 2020)
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10.3.8†
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Form of Performance LTIP Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3.8 of Form 10-K, filed on March 12, 2020)
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10.3.9†
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Form of Performance Stock Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3.9 of Form 10-K, filed on March 12, 2020)
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10.4
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Non-Compete/Services Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2008, between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Archie Bennett, Jr. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of Form 10-K, filed on March 3, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.5
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Chairman Emeritus Agreement, dated January 7, 2013, between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, and Archie Bennett, Jr. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Form 8-K filed on January 9, 2013) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.6.1
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Form of Management Agreement between Remington Hotels and Ashford TRS Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of Form S-11/A, filed on July 31, 2003) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.6.2
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Hotel Management Agreement between Remington Management, L.P. and Ashford TRS companies (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6.1 of Form 10-K, filed on February 28, 2012) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.6.3
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Hotel Master Management Agreement between Remington Lodging & Hospitality, LLC and PHH TRS Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6.2 of Form 10-K, filed on February 28, 2012) (File No. 001-31775)
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Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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10.6.4
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First Amendment to Hotel Master Management Agreement between Remington Lodging & Hospitality, LLC and Ashford TRS Corporation dated August 29, 2003, effective November 19, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of Form 8-K, filed on November 25, 2013, for the event dated November 19, 2013) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.6.5
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First Amendment to Hotel Master Management Agreement between Remington Lodging & Hospitality, LLC and Ashford TRS Corporation dated September 29, 2006, effective November 19, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of Form 8-K, filed on November 25, 2013, for the event dated November 19, 2013) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.7
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Form of Lease Agreement between Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership and Ashford TRS Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 of Form S-11/A, filed on July 31, 2003) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.8
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Contribution and Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated December 27, 2004, between the Registrant and FGSB Master Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 of Form 10-K, filed on March 1, 2013) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.9
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Release and Waiver Agreement, Dated March 31, 2011, by and between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Mr. Alan Tallis, former Executive Vice President of Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on April 6, 2011, for the event dated April 11, 2011) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.10
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Indemnity Agreement dated March 10, 2011, between the Registrant and Remington Lodging & Hospitality, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.31 to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q, filed on May 10, 2011) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.11
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Right of First Offer Agreement between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc., dated November 19, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of Form 8-K, filed on November 25, 2013, for the event dated November 19, 2013) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.12
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Option Agreement Pier House Resort by and between Ashford Hospitality Prime Limited Partnership and Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership with respect to the Properties Entities, and Ashford TRS Corporation and Ashford Prime TRS Corporation with respect to the TRS Entity, dated November 19, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 of Form 8-K, filed on November 25, 2013, for the event dated November 19, 2013) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.13
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Option Agreement Crystal Gateway Marriott by and between Ashford Hospitality Prime Limited Partnership and Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership with respect to the Properties Entities, and Ashford TRS Corporation and Ashford Prime TRS Corporation with respect to the TRS Entity, dated November 19, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 of Form 8-K, filed on November 25, 2013, for the event dated November 19, 2013) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.14
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Registration Rights Agreement by and between Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership and Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC, dated November 19, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of Form 8-K, filed on November 25, 2013, for the event dated November 19, 2013) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.15
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Assignment, Assumption and Admission Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2014, by and between Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC and Monty Bennett, regarding the sale of Class B company interests of AIM Management Holdco, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of Form 8-K, filed on September 10, 2014, for the event dated September 10, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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10.16
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Assignment, Assumption and Admission Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2014, by and between Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC and Rob Hays, regarding the sale of Class B company interests of AIM Management Holdco, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of Form 8-K, filed on September 10, 2014, for the event dated September 10, 2014) (File No. 001- 31775)
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10.17
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Assignment, Assumption and Admission Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2014, by and between Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC and Monty Bennett, regarding the sale of Class B limited partnership interests of AIM Performance Holdco, LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of Form 8-K, filed on September 10, 2014, for the event dated September 10, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.18
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Assignment, Assumption and Admission Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2014, by and between Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC and Rob Hays, regarding the sale of Class B limited partnership interests of AIM Performance Holdco, LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of Form 8-K, filed on September 10, 2014, for the event dated September 10, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.19
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Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Form 8-K, filed on October 15, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.20
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Third Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of AIM Performance Holdco, LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Form 8-K, filed on November 6, 2014, for the event dated November 5, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.21
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Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of AIM Management Holdco, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of Form 8-K, filed on November 6, 2014, for the event dated November 5, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.22
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Tax Matters Agreement, dated October 31, 2014, between Ashford Inc., Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC, Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K, filed on November 6, 2014, for the event dated October 31, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.23.1
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Amended and Restated Advisory Agreement, dated as of June 10, 2015, by and between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, Ashford TRS Corporation, Ashford Inc. and Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Form 8-K, filed on June 12, 2015) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.23.2
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Enhanced Return Funding Program Agreement and Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated Advisory Agreement, dated June 26, 2018, among Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, Ashford TRS Corporation, Ashford Inc. and Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC, dated June, 26, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on June 26, 2018 (File No. 001-31775)
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10.23.3
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Extension Agreement to Enhanced Return Funding Program Agreement and Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated Advisory Agreement, dated March 13, 2020, by and among Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, Ashford TRS Corporation, Ashford Inc., and Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of Form 8-K filed on March 16, 2020)
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Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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10.23.4
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Second Amended and Restated Advisory Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2021, by and between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, Ashford TRS Corporation, Ashford Inc. and Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K, filed on January 15, 2021) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.24
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Assignment and Assumption Agreement, dated as of November 12, 2014 by and between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership and Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Form 8-K, filed on November 18, 2014, for the event dated November 12, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.25
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Licensing Agreement, dated as of November 12, 2014 by and between Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC, Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Form 8-K, filed on November 18, 2014, for the event dated November 12, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.26
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Letter Agreement dated December 14, 2014, between PRISA III Investments, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K, filed on December 19, 2014) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.27.1
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Letter Agreement, dated September 17, 2015, by and between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., and Ashford Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on September 18, 2015) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.27.2
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Letter Agreement, dated March 13, 2020, by and between Remington Lodging & Hospitality, LLC and Ashford TRS Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of Form 8-K filed on March 16, 2020)
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10.28
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Restricted Stock Award Agreement, dated February 20, 2017, by and between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Douglas A. Kessler (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on February 21, 2017) (File No. 001-31775).
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10.29
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Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of February 20, 2017, by and among Ashford Inc., Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC and Douglas A. Kessler (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on February 21, 2017) (File No. 001-31775).
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10.30
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Indemnification Agreement, dated as of February 20, 2017, by and between Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Douglas A. Kessler (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on February 21, 2017) (File No. 001-31775).
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10.31
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Loan Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as lenders, and Ashford Tipton Lakes LP, Ashford Scottsdale LP, Ashford Phoenix Airport LP, Ashford Hawthorne LP, Ashford San Jose LP, Ashford LV Hughes Center LP and Ashford Plymouth Meeting LP, as borrowers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.32
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Senior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Senior A LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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10.33
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Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as lenders, and Ashford Newark LP, Ashford BWI Airport LP, Ashford Oakland LP, Ashford Plano-C LP, Ashford Plano-R LP, Ashford Manhattan Beach LP and Ashford Basking Ridge LP as borrowers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.34
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Senior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Senior B LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.35
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Loan Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as lenders, and Ashford MV San Diego LP, Ashford Bucks County LLC, New Fort Tower I Hotel Limited Partnership, Ashford Coral Gables LP and Ashford Minneapolis Airport LP, as borrowers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.36
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Senior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Senior C LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.37
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Junior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Junior C LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.38
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Loan Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as lenders, and Ashford Dulles LP, Ashford Santa Fe LP, Ashford Market Center LP, New Beverly Hills Hotel Limited Partnership and Ashford Atlantic Beach LP, as borrowers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.39
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Senior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Senior D LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.40
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Junior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Junior D LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.41
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Loan Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as lenders, and Ashford Memphis LP, Ashford Philly LP, Ashford Anchorage LP, Ashford Lakeway LP and Ashford Fremont LP, as borrowers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.42
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Senior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Senior E LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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10.43
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Junior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Junior E LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.44
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Loan Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as lenders, and Ashford Downtown Atlanta LP, Ashford Flagstaff LP, Ashford Walnut Creek LP, Ashford Bridgewater Hotel Partnership, LP and Ashford Durham I LLC, as borrowers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.45
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Senior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Senior F LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.46
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Junior Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated June 13, 2018, between Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as lenders, and Ashford Junior F LLC, as borrower (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 19, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.47
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Consolidated, Amended and Restated Hotel Master Management Agreement, dated August 8, 2018, by and among Ashford TRS Corporation, RI Manchester Tenant Corporation, CY Manchester Tenant Corporation and Remington Lodging & Hospitality, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on August 14, 2018) (File No. 001- 31775)
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10.48
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Master Project Management Agreement, dated August 8, 2018, by and among Ashford TRS Corporation, RI Manchester Tenant Corporation, CY Manchester Tenant Corporation, Project Management LLC and Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on August 14, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.49
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Amended and Restated Mutual Exclusivity Agreement, dated August 8, 2018, by and among Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Remington Lodging & Hospitality, LLC, as consented to by Monty J. Bennett (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on August 14, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.50
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Mutual Exclusivity Agreement, dated August 8, 2018, dated August 8, 2018, by and among Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Project Management LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on August 14, 2018) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.51
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Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 7, 2020, by and between the Company and Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on December 8, 2020) (File No. 001-31775)
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Exhibit No.
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Description of Document
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10.52
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Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 7, 2020, by and between the Company and Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on December 8, 2020) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.53
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Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2021, by and between the Company and Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on March 15, 2021) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.54
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Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2021, by and between the Company and Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on March 15, 2021) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.55
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Commitment Letter, dated December 26, 2020, by and among Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership and Oaktree Capital Management. L.P. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on December 28, 2020) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.56
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Credit Agreement, dated as of January 15, 2021, by and among Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, OPPS AHT Holdings, LLC, ROF8 AHT PT, LLC, Oaktree Phoenix Investment Fund AIF (Delaware), L.P., and Oaktree Fund Administration, LLC, as administrative agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on January 15, 2021) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.57
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Investor Agreement, dated as of January 15, 2021, by and among Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., OPPS AHT Holdings, LLC and ROF8 AHT PT, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on January 15, 2021) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.58
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Subordination and Non-Disturbance Agreement, dated as of January 15, 2021, by and among Oaktree Fund Administration, LLC as the Administrative Agent and collateral agent on behalf of the Lenders, Ashford Inc., Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC, Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, Ashford TRS Corporation, Remington Lodging & Hospitality, LLC, Premier Project Management, LLC and Lismore Capital II LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on January 15, 2021) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.59
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Standby Equity Distribution Agreement, dated as of January 22, 2021, by and between the Company and YA II PN, Ltd. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on January 22, 2021) (File No. 001-31775)
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10.60
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Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2021, by and between the Company, Ashford Trust OP and Seven Knots (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on May 18, 2021 (File No. 001-31775).
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10.61
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Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2021, by and between the Company and Seven Knots (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on May 18, 2021 (File No. 001-31775).
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21.1
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Registrant’s Subsidiaries Listing as of December 31, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.1 to the Registrant’s Form 10-K, filed on March 12, 2020) (File No. 001-31775)
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21.2
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Registrant’s Special-Purpose Entities Listing as of December 31, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.2 to the Registrant’s Form 10-K, filed on March 12, 2020) (File No. 001-31775)
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23.1*
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Consent of BDO USA, LLP
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23.2*
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Consent of Hogan Lovells US LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
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24
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Power of Attorney (included on the signature page)
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99.1
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Amendment No. 8 to the Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, dated December 9, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on December 15, 2020) (File No. 001-31775).
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†
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Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements
for filing this Form S-11 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Dallas, State of Texas, on June 21, 2021.
|
ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST, INC.
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|
|
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By:
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/s/ Deric S. Eubanks
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|
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Deric S. Eubanks
|
|
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Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
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POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each person whose signature
appears below appoints Deric S. Eubanks as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agents, 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 and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agents full power and authority
to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might
or would do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agents or any of them or their or his substitute
or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Company
and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name
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Title
|
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Date
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|
|
|
|
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/s/
J. Robison Hays, III
|
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Chief Executive Officer and President;
|
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June 21, 2021
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J.
Robison Hays, III
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Director (Principal Executive Officer)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/
Robert G. Haiman
|
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Executive Vice President, General
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Robert
G. Haiman
|
|
Counsel and Secretary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/
Deric S. Eubanks
|
|
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Deric
S. Eubanks
|
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(Principal Financial Officer)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Jeremy J. Welter
|
|
Chief Operating Officer
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Jeremy
J. Welter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/
Mark L. Nunneley
|
|
Chief Accounting Officer
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Mark
L. Nunneley
|
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(Principal Accounting Officer)
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Title
|
|
Date
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Monty J. Bennett
|
|
Director and Chairman of the Board
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Monty
J. Bennett
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/
Benjamin J. Ansell, MD
|
|
Director
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Benjamin
J. Ansell, MD
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/
Amish V. Gupta
|
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Lead Director
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Amish
V. Gupta
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/
Kamal Jafarnia
|
|
Director
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Kamal
Jafarnia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Frederick J. Kleisner
|
|
Director
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Frederick
J. Kleisner
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/
Sheri L. Pantermuehl
|
|
Director
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Sheri
L. Pantermuehl
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/
Alan L. Tallis
|
|
Director
|
|
June 21, 2021
|
Alan
L. Tallis
|
|
|
|
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