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

FORM 8-K
 

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): May 7, 2015
 

LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 

 
Maryland
 
1-14045
 
36-4219376
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
7550 Wisconsin Avenue
10th Floor
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (301) 941-1500
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
¨
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
¨
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))








ITEM 5.07.
SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.
On May 7, 2015, the Company held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The matters on which the shareholders voted, in person or by proxy were:
(i)
for the election of three trustees of the Company to serve until the 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;
(ii)
the ratification of the appointment of the Company’s independent registered public accountants for the year ending December 31, 2015; and
(iii)
the approval, by non-binding vote, of executive compensation.
The three nominees were elected, the ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accountants was approved and executive compensation was approved. The results of the voting were as follows:
Election of Trustees:
Trustee
 
Votes For
 
Votes Withheld
 
Abstentions
 
Broker
Non-Votes
Jeffrey T. Foland
 
104,342,004
 
978,837
 
-0-
 
2,111,393
Darryl Hartley-Leonard
 
103,370,776
 
1,950,065
 
-0-
 
2,111,393
William S. McCalmont
 
103,357,909
 
1,962,932
 
-0-
 
2,111,393


Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accountants:

Votes For
 
Votes Against
 
Abstentions
 
Broker
Non-Votes
105,420,013
 
1,944,515
 
67,706
 
N/A


Approval of Executive Compensation:

Votes For
 
Votes Against
 
Abstentions
 
Broker
Non-Votes
101,420,993
 
3,755,791
 
144,057
 
2,111,393

Item 8.01.     OTHER EVENTS.    
On May 7, 2015, LaSalle Hotel Properties (the “Company”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a prospectus supplement dated May 7, 2015 (the “Prospectus Supplement”) to its prospectus dated November 20, 2012, which was included in its automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-185081) (the “Registration Statement”). The Prospectus Supplement relates to the resale by selling shareholders of up to 151,077 of the Company’s common shares of beneficial interest (“common shares”) that may be issued from time to time if, and to the extent that, such selling shareholders, which hold an equal number of Class A common units of limited partnership interest (“common units”) in LaSalle Hotel Operating Partnership, L.P., the Company’s operating partnership, tender such common units for redemption, and the Company elects, in its sole and absolute discretion, to exchange some or all of the common units tendered for redemption for common shares.
    The Company is filing the opinion of its counsel, Hunton & Williams LLP, as Exhibit 5.1 hereto, regarding the legality of the common shares covered by the Prospectus Supplement. Exhibit 5.1 is incorporated herein by reference and into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus Supplement.
    This Current Report shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.
ITEM 9.01.     FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit Number
 
Description
5.1
 
Opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP regarding the legality of the shares offered
23.1
 
Consent of Hunton & Williams LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)








SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


 
 
LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES
 
 
 
 
 
 
BY:
/s/ Bruce A. Riggins
 
 
 
Bruce A. Riggins
Dated: May 7, 2015
 
 
Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President and Secretary








EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number
 
Description
5.1
 
Opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP regarding the legality of the shares offered
23.1
 
Consent of Hunton & Williams LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)












 
Exhibit 5.1


HUNTON & WILLIAMS LLP
200 PARK AVENUE
SUITE 1400
NEW YORK, NY 10166-0005


TEL 212 • 309 • 1000
FAX 212 • 309 • 1100


 


May 7, 2015

Board of Trustees
LaSalle Hotel Properties
7550 Wisconsin Avenue, 10th Floor
Bethesda, Maryland 20814

Re: Issuance of up to 151,077 Common Shares
Gentlemen:
We have served as special counsel for LaSalle Hotel Properties, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), in connection with the prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) filed on May 7, 2015 by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-185081) (the “Registration Statement”), which became effective upon filing with the Commission under the Securities Act on November 21, 2012, relating to the registration by the Company of the resale from time to time of up to an aggregate of 151,077 common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), of the Company by the individuals named under the caption “Selling Shareholders” in the Prospectus Supplement. The Shares are issuable upon the redemption of Class A common units of limited partnership interests (the “Common Units”) in LaSalle Hotel Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”).
In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents:
(a)
the Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust of the Company, together with all amendments and articles supplementary filed to date with respect thereto (the “Declaration of Trust”), as certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland (the “SDAT”) as of December 10, 2014 and by the Secretary of the Company as of the date hereof;

ATLANTA AUSTIN BANGKOK BEIJING BRUSSELS CHARLOTTE DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES
McLEAN MIAMI NEW YORK NORFOLK RALEIGH RICHMOND SAN FRANCISCO TOKYO WASHINGTON
www.hunton.com






(b)
the Company’s Third Amended and Restated Bylaws, as certified by the Secretary of the Company as of the date hereof;
(c)
form of certificate representing the common shares of beneficial interest, as certified by the Secretary of the Company as of the date hereof;
(d)
copies of resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Company, dated as of June 14, 2011 and October 16, 2012 (the “Resolutions”), as certified by the Secretary of the Company as of the date hereof;
(e)
the Registration Statement and the related base prospectus, dated November 21, 2012, included therein in the form in which it was filed with the Commission under the Securities Act;
(f)
the Prospectus Supplement;
(g)
an executed copy of the certificate of the Secretary of the Company, dated the date hereof, as to certain factual matters;
(h)
the certificate of the SDAT as to the due formation, existence and good standing of the Company in the State of Maryland dated May 7, 2015 (the “Good Standing Certificate”);
(i)
the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Operating Partnership, together with all amendments and supplements thereto, as certified by the Secretary of the Company, as the sole member of the general partner of the Operating Partnership, as of the date hereof (the “Operating Partnership Agreement”); and
(j)
such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinion set forth below, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.
For purposes of the opinion expressed below, we have assumed (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals thereof, (iii) the legal capacity of natural persons, (iv) the genuineness of all signatures and (v) the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all parties and the validity and binding effect and enforceability thereof upon the Company.
Based upon the foregoing, and having regard for such legal considerations as we have considered necessary for purposes hereof, we are of the opinion that:
1.
The Company is a real estate investment trust duly formed and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with the requisite trust power to issue the Shares.







2.
The issuance of the Shares has been duly authorized and, when and to the extent issued upon the redemption of the Common Units in accordance with the Resolutions and the Operating Partnership Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
The opinion in paragraph 1 with respect to formation, existence and good standing of the Company in the State of Maryland is based solely on the Good Standing Certificate. In expressing the opinions above, we have assumed that the Shares will not be issued in violation of Article VII of the Declaration of Trust, as amended or supplemented as of the date hereof.
The foregoing opinions are limited to the Maryland REIT Law, as defined in Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of any federal or state securities (or “blue sky”) laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland or any federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by any provisions other than those set forth in the Maryland REIT Law, we do not express any opinion on such matter.
This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of Form S-3 and the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement with the Commission on the date hereof and to the use of the name of our firm in the section entitled “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Commission.
This opinion is limited to the matters stated in this letter, and no opinion may be implied or inferred beyond the matters expressly stated in this letter. This opinion is given as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to advise you after the date hereof of facts or circumstances that come to our attention or changes in the law, including judicial or administrative interpretations thereof, that occur which could affect the opinions contained herein.
Very truly yours,

/s/ Hunton & Williams LLP






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