CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE (a) The Issuer may not consolidate with or merge into any other person or convey, transfer or lease substantially all of its properties and assets in one or more related transactions to, any Person unless:
(i) the Person acquiring the assets of the Issuer in any such sale or other disposition or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger is a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership organized and existing under the laws of the United States or a state thereof (the Issuer or such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Issuer”) and (if such Person is not the Issuer) expressly assumes pursuant to a supplemental indenture, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Issuer under the Notes and this Indenture; provided, that if such Person is not a corporation, a corporate co-issuer that is organized and existing under the laws of the United States or a state thereof shall be added to this Indenture by executing and delivering a supplemental indenture, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee;
(ii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and
(iii) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture. The Successor Issuer (if other than the Issuer) shall succeed to, and be substituted for, the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes, and the Issuer shall automatically be released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes without any further action required by any party other than as expressly set forth in this Indenture. Any sale or conveyance of assets of one or more Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer (other than to the Issuer or any Guarantor), which, if such assets were owned by the Issuer would constitute all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of consolidated assets of the Issuer for purposes of the provisions of this Section 5.01. After assuming the obligations of the Issuer, the Successor Issuer will have all the rights, powers and obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Issuer shall be automatically released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes.
(b) Subject to Section 10.02(b), each Guarantor shall not, and the Issuer shall not permit any Guarantor to, consolidate or merge into, or convey, transfer or lease substantially all of its properties and assets in one or more related transactions to, any Person (other than the Issuer or another Guarantor) unless:
(i) the Person acquiring the assets of a Guarantor in any such sale or other disposition or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger is a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership organized and existing under the laws of the United States or a state thereof, (such Guarantor or such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Guarantor”) and the Successor Guarantor (if other than the Guarantor) expressly assumes pursuant to a supplemental indenture, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Guarantor under such Guarantor’s Guarantee and this Indenture;
(ii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and
(iii) any Successor Guarantor (if other than such Guarantor) shall have delivered or caused to be delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture. The Successor Guarantor shall succeed to, and be substituted for, such Guarantor under this Indenture and such Guarantor’s Guarantee, and such Guarantor shall automatically be released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and such Subsidiary Guarantor’s guarantee. After assuming the obligations of such Guarantor, the Successor Guarantor will have all the rights, powers and obligations of the Guarantor under this Indenture and such Guarantor shall be automatically released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and its Guarantee without any further action required by any party other than as expressly set forth in this Indenture.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 5.01(b), a Subsidiary Guarantor may sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to, or consolidate or merge with or into, another Person without complying with the provisions of this Section 5.01 so long as the Guarantee of the Guarantor would be permitted to be released in connection with such transaction in accordance with the provisions of Article 10.02(b).
