FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF SUMMIT HOTEL OP, LP (a Delaware limited partnership)
Exhibit 3.3
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
SUMMIT HOTEL OP, LP
(a Delaware limited partnership)
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
ARTICLE I
|
DEFINED TERMS | 1 | ||||
ARTICLE II
|
FORMATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP | 8 | ||||
2.01
|
Formation of the Partnership | 8 | ||||
2.02
|
Name | 8 | ||||
2.03
|
Registered Office and Agent; Principal Office | 8 | ||||
2.04
|
Term and Dissolution | 9 | ||||
2.05
|
Filing of Certificate and Perfection of Limited Partnership | 9 | ||||
2.06
|
Certificates Describing Partnership Units | 9 | ||||
ARTICLE III
|
BUSINESS OF THE PARTNERSHIP | 10 | ||||
ARTICLE IV
|
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACCOUNTS | 10 | ||||
4.01
|
Capital Contributions | 10 | ||||
4.02
|
Additional Capital Contributions and Issuances of Additional Partnership Units | 10 | ||||
4.03
|
Additional Funding | 13 | ||||
4.04
|
LTIP Units | 13 | ||||
4.05
|
Conversion of LTIP Units | 15 | ||||
4.06
|
Capital Accounts | 17 | ||||
4.07
|
Percentage Interests | 18 | ||||
4.08
|
No Interest on Contributions | 18 | ||||
4.09
|
Return of Capital Contributions | 18 | ||||
4.10
|
No Third-Party Beneficiary | 18 | ||||
ARTICLE V
|
PROFITS AND LOSSES; DISTRIBUTIONS | 18 | ||||
5.01
|
Allocation of Profit and Loss | 18 | ||||
5.02
|
Distribution of Cash | 20 | ||||
5.03
|
REIT Distribution Requirements | 21 | ||||
5.04
|
No Right to Distributions in Kind | 21 | ||||
5.05
|
Limitations on Return of Capital Contributions | 21 | ||||
5.06
|
Distributions Upon Liquidation | 21 | ||||
5.07
|
Substantial Economic Effect | 22 | ||||
ARTICLE VI
|
RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND POWERS OF THE GENERAL PARTNER | 22 | ||||
6.01
|
Management of the Partnership | 22 | ||||
6.02
|
Delegation of Authority | 24 | ||||
6.03
|
Indemnification and Exculpation of Indemnitees | 24 | ||||
6.04
|
Liability of the General Partner | 25 | ||||
6.05
|
Partnership Obligations | 26 | ||||
6.06
|
Outside Activities | 26 | ||||
6.07
|
Employment or Retention of Affiliates | 26 | ||||
6.08
|
Summit REIT’s Activities | 27 | ||||
6.09
|
Title to Partnership Assets | 27 | ||||
ARTICLE VII
|
CHANGES IN GENERAL PARTNER | 27 | ||||
7.01
|
Transfer of the General Partner’s Partnership Interest | 27 | ||||
7.02
|
Admission of a Substitute or Additional General Partner | 29 | ||||
7.03
|
Effect of Bankruptcy, Withdrawal, Death or Dissolution of General Partner | 29 | ||||
7.04
|
Removal of General Partner | 30 |
i
ARTICLE VIII
|
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE LIMITED PARTNERS | 30 | ||||
8.01
|
Management of the Partnership | 30 | ||||
8.02
|
Power of Attorney | 31 | ||||
8.03
|
Limitation on Liability of Limited Partners | 31 | ||||
8.04
|
Common Unit Redemption Right | 31 | ||||
8.05
|
Registration | 33 | ||||
ARTICLE IX
|
TRANSFERS OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS | 36 | ||||
9.01
|
Purchase for Investment | 36 | ||||
9.02
|
Restrictions on Transfer of Partnership Units | 37 | ||||
9.03
|
Admission of Substitute Limited Partner | 37 | ||||
9.04
|
Rights of Assignees of Partnership Units | 38 | ||||
9.05
|
Effect of Bankruptcy, Death, Incompetence or Termination of a Limited Partner | 38 | ||||
9.06
|
Joint Ownership of Partnership Units | 39 | ||||
ARTICLE X
|
BOOKS AND RECORDS; ACCOUNTING; TAX MATTERS | 39 | ||||
10.01
|
Books and Records | 39 | ||||
10.02
|
Custody of Partnership Funds; Bank Accounts | 39 | ||||
10.03
|
Fiscal and Taxable Year | 39 | ||||
10.04
|
Annual Tax Information and Report | 39 | ||||
10.05
|
Tax Matters Partner; Tax Elections; Special Basis Adjustments | 39 | ||||
ARTICLE XI
|
AMENDMENT OF AGREEMENT; MERGER | 40 | ||||
11.01
|
Amendment of Agreement | 40 | ||||
11.02
|
Merger of Partnership | 41 | ||||
ARTICLE XII
|
GENERAL PROVISIONS | 41 | ||||
12.01
|
Notices | 41 | ||||
12.02
|
Survival of Rights | 41 | ||||
12.03
|
Additional Documents | 41 | ||||
12.04
|
Severability | 41 | ||||
12.05
|
Entire Agreement | 42 | ||||
12.06
|
Pronouns and Plurals | 42 | ||||
12.07
|
Headings | 42 | ||||
12.08
|
Counterparts | 42 | ||||
12.09
|
Governing Law | 42 |
ii
EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT A—Partners, Capital Contributions and
Percentage Interests
EXHIBIT B—Notice of Exercise of Common Unit
Redemption Right
EXHIBIT C-1—Certification of Non-Foreign Status (For
Redeeming Limited Partners That Are Entities)
EXHIBIT C-2—Certification of Non-Foreign Status (For
Redeeming Limited Partners That Are Individuals)
EXHIBIT D—Notice of Election by Partner to Convert
LTIP Units into Common Units
EXHIBIT E—Notice of Election by Partnership to Force
Conversion of LTIP Units into Common Units
iii
FIRST
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
SUMMIT HOTEL OP, LP
RECITALS
OF
SUMMIT HOTEL OP, LP
RECITALS
Summit Hotel OP, LP (the “Partnership”) was formed as
a limited partnership under the laws of the State of Delaware,
pursuant to a Certificate of Limited Partnership filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware effective as
of June 30,
2010 and an Agreement of Limited Partnership entered into as
of June 28,
2010, by and between Summit Hotel Properties, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (“Summit REIT”), as the original general
partner, and Summit REIT (the “Original Limited
Partner”). This First Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership is entered into
this
day
of ,
2010 among Summit Hotel GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company and the new general partner of the Partnership (the
“General Partner”), Summit REIT and the other Limited
Partners set forth on Exhibit A hereto, for the
purpose of amending and restating the Agreement of Limited
Partnership.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, of mutual
covenants between the parties hereto, and of other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are
hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree to amend the
Agreement of Limited Partnership to read in its entirety as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINED
TERMS
The following defined terms used in this Agreement shall have
the meanings specified below:
“Act” means the Delaware Revised Uniform
Limited Partnership Act, as it may be amended from time to time.
“Additional Funds” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.03 hereof.
“Additional Securities” means any:
(1) shares of capital stock of Summit REIT now or hereafter
authorized or reclassified that has dividend rights, or rights
upon liquidation, winding up and dissolution, that are superior
or prior to the REIT Shares (“Preferred
Shares”), (2) REIT Shares, (3) shares of
capital stock of Summit REIT now or hereafter authorized or
reclassified that has dividend rights, or rights upon
liquidation, winding up and dissolution, that are junior in rank
to the REIT Shares (“Junior Shares”) and (4)
(i) rights, options, warrants or convertible or
exchangeable securities having the right to subscribe for or
purchase REIT Shares, Preferred Shares or Junior Shares, or
(ii) indebtedness issued by Summit REIT that provides any
of the rights described in clause (4)(i) of this definition (any
such securities referred to in clause (4)(i) or (ii) of
this definition, “New Securities”).
“Adjustment Events” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.04(a)(i) hereof.
“Administrative Expenses” means (i) all
administrative and operating costs and expenses incurred by the
Partnership, (ii) administrative costs and expenses of the
General Partner and Summit REIT, including any salaries or other
payments to directors, officers or employees of the General
Partner and Summit REIT, and any accounting and legal expenses
of the General Partner and Summit REIT, which expenses, the
Partners hereby agree are expenses of the Partnership and not
the General Partner or Summit REIT, and (iii) to the extent
not included in clauses (i) or (ii) above, REIT
Expenses; provided, however, that Administrative
Expenses shall not include any administrative costs and expenses
incurred by the General Partner or Summit REIT that are
attributable to Properties or interests in a Subsidiary that are
owned by the General Partner or Summit REIT other than through
its ownership interest in the Partnership.
“Affiliate” means, (i) any Person that,
directly or indirectly, controls or is controlled by or is under
common control with such Person, (ii) any other Person that
owns, beneficially, directly or indirectly,
1
10% or more of the outstanding capital stock, shares or equity
interests of such Person, or (iii) any officer, director,
employee, partner, member, manager or trustee of such Person or
any Person controlling, controlled by or under common control
with such Person. For the purposes of this definition,
“control” (including the correlative meanings of the
terms “controlled by” and “under common control
with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management and policies of such
Person, through the ownership of voting securities or
partnership interests, contract or otherwise.
“Agreed Value” means the fair market value of a
Partner’s non-cash Capital Contribution as of the date of
contribution as agreed to by such Partner and the General
Partner. The names and addresses of the Partners, number of
Partnership Units issued to each Partner, and the Agreed Value
of non-cash Capital Contributions as of the date of contribution
is set forth on Exhibit A, as it may be amended or
restated from time to time.
“Agreement” means this First Amended and
Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, as it may be amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Articles” means the Articles of Amendment and
Restatement of Summit REIT filed with the State Department and
Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland, as amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Board of Directors” means the Board of
Directors of Summit REIT.
“Capital Account” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.06 hereof.
“Capital Account Limitation” has the meaning
set forth in Section 4.05(b) hereof.
“Capital Contribution” means the total amount
of cash, cash equivalents, and the Agreed Value of any Property
or other asset contributed or agreed to be contributed, as the
context requires, to the Partnership by each Partner pursuant to
the terms of the Agreement. Any reference to the Capital
Contribution of a Partner shall include the Capital Contribution
made by a predecessor holder of the Partnership Interest of such
Partner.
“Cash Amount” means an amount of cash per
Common Unit equal to the Value of the REIT Shares Amount on
the Specified Redemption Date.
“Certificate” means any instrument or document
that is required under the laws of the State of Delaware, or any
other jurisdiction in which the Partnership conducts business,
to be signed and sworn to by the Partners of the Partnership
(either by themselves or pursuant to the
power-of-attorney
granted to the General Partner in Section 8.02 hereof) and filed
for recording in the appropriate public offices within the State
of Delaware or such other jurisdiction to perfect or maintain
the Partnership as a limited partnership, to effect the
admission, withdrawal or substitution of any Partner of the
Partnership, or to protect the limited liability of the Limited
Partners as limited partners under the laws of the State of
Delaware or such other jurisdiction.
“Certificate of Formation” means the
Certificate of Formation of the General Partner filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, as amended or
supplemented from time to time.
“Change of Control” means, as to either the
General Partner or Summit REIT, the occurrence of any of the
following: (i) the sale, lease or transfer, in one or a
series of related transactions, of 80% or more of the assets of
the General Partner or Summit REIT, taken as a whole, to any
Person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or
Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor
provision), other than an Affiliate of the General Partner or
Summit REIT; or (ii) the acquisition by any Person or group
(within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or
Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor
provision), including any group acting for the purpose of
acquiring, holding or disposing of securities (within the
meaning of
Rule 13d-5(b)(1)
under the Exchange Act), other than an Affiliate of the General
Partner or Summit REIT in a single transaction or in a related
series of transactions, by way of merger, share exchange,
consolidation or other business combination or purchase of
beneficial ownership
2
(within the meaning of
Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of more than
50% of the total voting power of the membership interest of the
General Partner or more than 50% of the total voting power of
the voting capital stock of Summit REIT.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended, and as hereafter amended from time to time.
Reference to any particular provision of the Code shall mean
that provision in the Code at the date hereof and any successor
provision of the Code.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission.
“Common Partnership Unit Distribution” has the
meaning set forth in Section 4.04(a)(ii) hereof.
“Common Redemption Amount” means either
the Cash Amount or the REIT Shares Amount, as selected by
Summit REIT pursuant to Section 8.04(b) hereof.
“Common Unit” means a Partnership Unit which is
designated as a Common Unit of the Partnership.
“Common Unit Economic Balance” has the meaning
set forth in Section 5.01(g) hereof.
“Common Unit Redemption Right” has the
meaning set forth in Section 8.04(a) hereof.
“Common Unit Transaction” has the meaning set
forth in Section 4.05(f) hereof.
“Constituent Person” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.05(f) hereof.
“Conversion Date” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.05(b) hereof.
“Conversion Factor” means a factor of 1.0, as
adjusted as provided in this definition and in
Section 6.08. The Conversion Factor will be adjusted in the
event that Summit REIT (i) declares or pays a dividend on
its outstanding REIT Shares in REIT Shares or makes a
distribution to all holders of its outstanding REIT Shares in
REIT Shares, (ii) subdivides its outstanding REIT Shares or
(iii) combines its outstanding REIT Shares into a smaller
number of REIT Shares. In each of such events, the Conversion
Factor shall be adjusted by multiplying the Conversion Factor by
a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of REIT
Shares issued and outstanding on the record date for such
dividend, distribution, subdivision or combination (assuming for
such purposes that such dividend, distribution, subdivision or
combination has occurred as of such time), and the denominator
of which shall be the actual number of REIT Shares (determined
without the above assumption) issued and outstanding on such
date and, provided further, that in the event that
an entity other than an Affiliate of Summit REIT shall become
General Partner pursuant to any merger, consolidation or
combination of the General Partner or Summit REIT with or into
another entity (the “Successor Entity”), the
Conversion Factor shall be adjusted by multiplying the
Conversion Factor by the number of shares of the Successor
Entity into which one REIT Share is converted pursuant to such
merger, consolidation or combination, determined as of the date
of such merger, consolidation or combination. Any adjustment to
the Conversion Factor shall become effective immediately after
the effective date of such event retroactive to the record date,
if any, for such event. If, however, the General Partner
receives a Notice of Redemption after the record date, if any,
but prior to the effective date of such event, the Conversion
Factor shall be determined as if the General Partner had
received the Notice of Redemption immediately prior to the
record date for event.
“Conversion Notice” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.05(b) hereof.
“Conversion Right” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.05(a) hereof.
“Defaulting Limited Partner” means a Limited
Partner that has failed to pay any amount owed to the
Partnership under a Partnership Loan within 15 days after
demand for payment thereof is made by the Partnership.
“Distributable Amount” has the meaning set
forth in Section 5.02(d) hereof.
“Economic Capital Account Balances” has the
meaning set forth in Section 5.01(g) hereof.
3
“Equity Incentive Plan” means any equity
incentive or compensation plan hereafter adopted by the
Partnership or Summit REIT, including, without limitation,
Summit REIT’s 2010 Equity Incentive Plan.
“Event of Bankruptcy” as to any Person means
(i) the filing of a petition for relief as to such Person
as debtor or bankrupt under the Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as
amended, or similar provision of law of any jurisdiction (except
if such petition is contested by such Person and has been
dismissed within 90 days); (ii) the insolvency or
bankruptcy of such Person as finally determined by a court
proceeding; (iii) the filing by such Person of a petition
or application to accomplish the same or for the appointment of
a receiver or a trustee for such Person or a substantial part of
his assets; or (iv) the commencement of any proceedings
relating to such Person as a debtor under any other
reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, adjustment of debt or
liquidation law of any jurisdiction, whether now in existence or
hereinafter in effect, either by such Person or by another,
provided that if such proceeding is commenced by
another, such Person indicates his approval of such proceeding,
consents thereto or acquiesces therein, or such proceeding is
contested by such Person and has not been finally dismissed
within 90 days.
“Excepted Holder Limit” has the meaning set
forth in the Articles.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
“Forced Conversion” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.05(c) hereof.
“Forced Conversion Notice” has the meaning set
forth in Section 4.05(c) hereof.
“General Partner” has the meaning set forth in
the first paragraph of this Agreement.
“General Partner Loan” means a loan extended by
the General Partner to a Defaulting Limited Partner in the form
of a payment on a Partnership Loan by the General Partner to the
Partnership on behalf of the Defaulting Limited Partner.
“General Partnership Interest” means the
Partnership Interest held by the General Partner in its capacity
as the general partner of the Partnership, which Partnership
Interest is an interest as a general partner under the Act. The
General Partnership Interest will be a number of Common Units
held by the General Partner equal to one-tenth of one percent
(0.1%) of all outstanding Partnership Units. All other
Partnership Units owned by the General Partner and any
Partnership Units owned by any Affiliate or Subsidiary of the
General Partner shall be considered to constitute a Limited
Partnership Interest.
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth
in Section 8.05(f) hereof.
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth
in Section 8.05(f) hereof.
“Indemnitee” means (i) any Person made a
party to a proceeding by reason of its status as (A) the
General Partner or (B) a director of the General Partner or
an officer or employee of the Partnership, the General Partner,
Summit REIT or any Subsidiary thereof, and (ii) such other
Persons (including Affiliates of the General Partner, Summit
REIT or the Partnership) as the General Partner may designate
from time to time (whether before or after the event giving rise
to potential liability), in its sole and absolute discretion.
“Independent Director” means a director of
Summit REIT who meets the NYSE requirements for an independent
director as set forth from time to time.
“Junior Shares” has the meaning set forth in
the definition of “Additional Securities.”
“Limited Partner” means any Person named as a
Limited Partner on Exhibit A attached hereto, as it
may be amended or restated from time to time, and any Person who
becomes a Substitute Limited Partner or any additional Limited
Partner, in such Person’s capacity as a Limited Partner in
the Partnership.
“Limited Partnership Interest” means a
Partnership Interest held by a Limited Partner at any particular
time representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interest
of all Limited Partners, and includes any and all benefits to
which the holder of such a Limited Partnership Interest may be
entitled as
4
provided in this Agreement and in the Act, together with the
obligations of such Limited Partner to comply with all the
provisions of this Agreement and of the Act. Limited Partnership
Interests may be expressed as a number of Common Units, LTIP
Units or other Partnership Units.
“Liquidating Gains” has the meaning set forth
in Section 5.01(g) hereof.
“LTIP Unit” means a Partnership Unit which is
designated as an LTIP Unit and which has the rights, preferences
and other privileges designated in Section 4.04 hereof and
elsewhere in this Agreement in respect of holders of LTIP Units,
including both vested LTIP Units and Unvested LTIP Units. The
allocation of LTIP Units among the Partners shall be set forth
on Exhibit A as it may be amended or restated from
time to time.
“LTIP Unitholder” means a Partner that holds
LTIP Units.
“Loss” has the meaning set forth in Section
5.01(h) hereof.
“Majority in Interest” means Limited Partners
holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the Percentage
Interests of the Limited Partners.
“New Securities” has the meaning set forth in
the definition of “Additional Securities”.
“Notice of Redemption” means the Notice of
Exercise of Common Unit Redemption Right substantially in
the form attached as Exhibit hereto.
“NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.
“Offer” has the meaning set forth in Section
7.01(c) hereof.
“Offering” means the underwritten initial
public offering of REIT Shares.
“Original Limited Partner” means Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxxxxx.
“Partner” means any General Partner or Limited
Partner, and “Partners” means the General Partner and
the Limited Partners.
“Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain” has the
meaning set forth in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i).
A Partner’s share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain
shall be determined in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(5).
“Partnership” has the meaning set forth in the
first paragraph of this Agreement.
“Partnership Interest” means an ownership
interest in the Partnership held by a Partner, and includes any
and all benefits to which the holder of such a Partnership
Interest may be entitled as provided in this Agreement, together
with all obligations of such Person to comply with the terms and
provisions of this Agreement. A Partnership Interest may be
expressed as a number of Common Units, LTIP Units or other
Partnership Units.
“Partnership Loan” means a loan from the
Partnership to the Partner on the day the Partnership pays over
the excess of the Withheld Amount over the Distributable Amount
to a taxing authority.
“Partnership Minimum Gain” has the meaning set
forth in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(d).
In accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(d),
the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain is determined by first
computing, for each Partnership nonrecourse liability, any gain
the Partnership would realize if it disposed of the property
subject to that liability for no consideration other than full
satisfaction of the liability, and then aggregating the
separately computed gains. A Partner’s share of Partnership
Minimum Gain shall be determined in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(g)(1).
“Partnership Record Date” means the record date
established by the General Partner for the distribution of cash
pursuant to Section 5.02 hereof, which record date shall be the
same as the record date established by Summit REIT for a
distribution to its stockholders of some or all of its portion
of such distribution.
5
“Partnership Unit” means a fractional,
undivided share of the Partnership Interests of all Partners
issued hereunder, and includes Common Units, LTIP Units and any
other class or series of Partnership Units that may be
established after the date hereof in accordance with the terms
hereof. The number of Partnership Units outstanding and the
Percentage Interests represented by such Partnership Units are
set forth on Exhibit A hereto, as it may be amended
or restated from time to time.
“Partnership Unit Designation” has the meaning
set forth in Section 4.02(a)(i) hereof.
“Percentage Interest” means the percentage
determined by dividing the number of Partnership Units of a
Partner by the sum of the number of Partnership Units of all
Partners.
“Person” means any individual, partnership,
corporation, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or
other entity.
“Preferred Shares” has the meaning set forth in
the definition of “Additional Securities”.
“Profit” has the meaning set forth in Section
5.01(h) hereof.
“Property” means any property or other
investment in which the Partnership, directly or indirectly,
holds an ownership interest.
“Redeeming Limited Partner” has the meaning set
forth in Section 8.04(a) hereof.
“Redemption Shares” has the meaning set
forth in Section 8.05(a) hereof.
“Regulations” means the Federal Income Tax
Regulations issued under the Code, as amended and as
subsequently amended from time to time. Reference to any
particular provision of the Regulations shall mean that
provision of the Regulations on the date hereof and any
successor provision of the Regulations.
“REIT” means a real estate investment trust
under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code.
“REIT Expenses” means (i) costs and
expenses relating to the formation and continuity of existence
and operation of Summit REIT and any Subsidiaries thereof (which
Subsidiaries shall, for purposes hereof, be included within the
definition of Summit REIT), including taxes, fees and
assessments associated therewith, any and all costs, expenses or
fees payable to any director, officer or employee of Summit
REIT, (ii) costs and expenses relating to any public
offering and registration, or private offering, of securities by
Summit REIT, and all statements, reports, fees and expenses
incidental thereto, including, without limitation, underwriting
discounts and selling commissions applicable to any such
offering of securities, and any costs and expenses associated
with any claims made by any holders of such securities or any
underwriters or placement agents thereof, (iii) costs and
expenses associated with any repurchase of any securities by
Summit REIT, (iv) costs and expenses associated with the
preparation and filing of any periodic or other reports and
communications by Summit REIT under federal, state or local laws
or regulations, including filings with the Commission,
(v) costs and expenses associated with compliance by Summit
REIT with laws, rules and regulations promulgated by any
regulatory body, including the Commission and any securities
exchange, (vi) costs and expenses associated with any
health, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, 401(k) plan,
incentive plan, bonus plan or other plan providing for
compensation or benefits for the employees of Summit REIT,
(vii) costs and expenses incurred by Summit REIT relating
to any issuing or redemption of Partnership Interests and
(viii) all other operating or administrative costs of
Summit REIT incurred in the ordinary course of its business on
behalf of or related to the Partnership.
“REIT Shares” means shares of common stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of Summit REIT (or Successor Entity, as
the case may be).
“REIT Shares Amount” means the number of
REIT Shares equal to the product of (X) the number of
Common Units offered for redemption by a Redeeming Limited
Partner, multiplied by (Y) the Conversion Factor as
adjusted to and including the Specified Redemption Date;
provided that in the event Summit REIT issues to all
holders of REIT Shares rights, options, warrants or convertible
or
6
exchangeable securities entitling the holders of REIT Shares to
subscribe for or purchase additional REIT Shares, or any other
securities or property (collectively, the
“Rights”), and such Rights have not expired at
the Specified Redemption Date, then the REIT
Shares Amount shall also include such Rights issuable to a
holder of the REIT Shares Amount on the record date fixed
for purposes of determining the holders of REIT Shares entitled
to Rights.
“Restriction Notice” has the meaning set forth
in Section 8.04(f) hereof.
“Rights” has the meaning set forth in the
definition of “REIT Shares Amount” herein.
“Rule 144” has the meaning set forth in
Section 8.05(c) hereof.
“S-3
Eligible Date” has the meaning set forth in Section
8.05(a) hereof.
“Safe Harbor Election” has the meaning set
forth in Section 11.01 hereof.
“Safe Harbor Interest” has the meaning set
forth in Section 11.01 hereof.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of
1933, as amended.
“Service” means the Internal Revenue Service.
“Stock Ownership Limit” has the meaning set
forth in the Articles.
“Specified Redemption Date” means the
first business day of the calendar quarter that is at least
60 calendar days after the receipt by the General Partner
of a Notice of Redemption.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person,
any corporation or other entity of which a majority of
(i) the voting power of the voting equity securities or
(ii) the outstanding equity interests is owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person.
“Subsidiary Partnership” means any partnership
or limited liability company in which the General Partner,
Summit REIT, the Partnership, or a wholly owned Subsidiary of
the General Partner, Summit REIT or the Partnership owns a
partnership or limited liability company interest.
“Substitute Limited Partner” means any Person
admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner pursuant to
Section 9.03 hereof.
“Successor Entity” has the meaning set forth in
the definition of “Conversion Factor” herein.
“Summit REIT” has the meaning set forth in the
first paragraph of this Agreement.
“Survivor” has the meaning set forth in Section
7.01(d) hereof.
“Tax Matters Partner” has the meaning set forth
within Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which a security is
listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if a security is not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, shall mean any day other
than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions
in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
“Transaction” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.01(c) hereof.
“Transfer” has the meaning set forth in Section
9.02(a) hereof.
“TRS” means a taxable REIT subsidiary (as
defined in Section 856(l) of the Code) of Summit REIT.
“Unvested LTIP Units” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.04(c) hereof.
“Value” means, with respect to any security,
the average of the daily market prices of such security for the
ten consecutive Trading Days immediately preceding the date of
such valuation. The market price for each such Trading Day shall
be: (i) if the security is listed or admitted to trading on
the NYSE or any
7
other national securities exchange, the last reported sale
price, regular way, on such day, or if no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way, on such day, (ii) if the security is not
listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or any other national
securities exchange, the last reported sale price on such day
or, if no sale takes place on such day, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices on such day, as reported by a
reliable quotation source designated by Summit REIT, or
(iii) if the security is not listed or admitted to trading
on the NYSE or any national securities exchange and no such last
reported sale price or closing bid and asked prices are
available, the average of the reported high bid and low asked
prices on such day, as reported by a reliable quotation source
designated by Summit REIT, or if there shall be no bid and asked
prices on such day, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices, as so reported, on the most recent day (not more than
ten days prior to the date in question) for which prices have
been so reported; provided that if there are no bid and
asked prices reported during the ten days prior to the date in
question, the value of the security shall be determined by
Summit REIT acting in good faith on the basis of such quotations
and other information as it considers, in its reasonable
judgment, appropriate. In the event the security includes any
additional rights (including any Rights), then the value of such
rights shall be determined by Summit REIT acting in good faith
on the basis of such quotations and other information as it
considers, in its reasonable judgment, appropriate.
“Vested LTIP Units” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.04(c) hereof.
“Vesting Agreement” means each or any, as the
context implies, agreement or instrument entered into by an LTIP
Unitholder upon acceptance of an award of LTIP Units under an
Equity Incentive Plan.
“Withheld Amount” means any amount required to
be withheld by the Partnership to pay over to any taxing
authority as a result of any allocation or distribution of
income to a Partner.
ARTICLE II
FORMATION
OF THE PARTNERSHIP
2.01 Formation of the Partnership. The
Partnership was formed as a limited partnership pursuant to the
provisions of the Act and upon the terms and conditions set
forth in this Agreement. Except as expressly provided herein to
the contrary, the rights and obligations of the Partners and
administration and termination of the Partnership shall be
governed by the Act. The Partnership Interest of each Partner
shall be personal property for all purposes.
2.02 Name. The Name of the
Partnership shall be “Summit Hotel OP, LP” and the
Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other
name or names deemed advisable by the General Partner, including
the name of the General Partner or any Affiliate thereof. The
words “Limited Partnership,” “LP,”
“L.P.” or “Ltd.” or similar words or letters
shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary
for the purposes of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction
that so requires. The General Partner in its sole and absolute
discretion may change the name of the Partnership at any time
and from time to time and shall notify the Partners of such
change in the next regular communication to the Partners;
provided, however, failure to so notify the Partners shall not
invalidate such change or the authority granted hereunder.
2.03 Registered Office and Agent; Principal
Office. The registered office of the Partnership in
the State of Delaware is located at Corporation
Trust Center, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, and
the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership
in the State of Delaware at such registered office is The
Corporation Trust Company, a Delaware corporation. The
principal office of the Partnership is located at 0000 Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00000,
or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time
designate. Upon such a change of the principal office of the
Partnership, the General Partner shall notify the Partners of
such change in the next regular communication to the Partners;
provided, however, failure to so notify the Partners shall not
invalidate such change or the authority granted hereunder. The
Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places
within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner
deems necessary or desirable.
8
2.04 Term and Dissolution.
(a) The term of the Partnership shall continue in full
force and effect until dissolved upon the first to occur of any
of the following events:
(i) the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy as to a
General Partner or the dissolution, death, removal or withdrawal
of a General Partner unless the business of the Partnership is
continued pursuant to Section 7.03(b) hereof; provided
that if a General Partner is on the date of such occurrence a
partnership, the dissolution of such General Partner as a result
of the dissolution, death, withdrawal, removal or Event of
Bankruptcy of a partner in such partnership shall not be an
event of dissolution of the Partnership if the business of such
General Partner is continued by the remaining partner or
partners, either alone or with additional partners, and such
General Partner and such partners comply with any other
applicable requirements of this Agreement;
(ii) the passage of 90 days after the sale or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership (provided that if the Partnership receives an
installment obligation as consideration for such sale or other
disposition, the Partnership shall continue, unless sooner
dissolved under the provisions of this Agreement, until such
time as such installment obligations are paid in full);
(iii) the redemption of all Limited Partnership Interests
(other than any Limited Partnership Interests held by the
General Partner), unless the General Partner determines to
continue the term of the Partnership by the admission of one or
more additional Limited Partners; or
(iv) the dissolution of the Partnership upon election by
the General Partner.
(b) Upon dissolution of the Partnership (unless the
business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section
7.03(b) hereof), the General Partner (or its trustee, receiver,
successor or legal representative) shall amend or cancel the
Certificate and liquidate the Partnership’s assets and
apply and distribute the proceeds thereof in accordance with
Section 5.06 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
liquidating General Partner may either (i) defer
liquidation of, or withhold from distribution for a reasonable
time, any assets of the Partnership (including those necessary
to satisfy the Partnership’s debts and obligations), or
(ii) distribute the assets to the Partners in kind.
2.05 Filing of Certificate and Perfection of
Limited Partnership. The General Partner shall
execute, acknowledge, record and file at the expense of the
Partnership the Certificate and any and all amendments thereto
and all requisite fictitious name statements and notices in such
places and jurisdictions as may be necessary to cause the
Partnership to be treated as a limited partnership under, and
otherwise to comply with, the laws of each state or other
jurisdiction in which the Partnership conducts business.
2.06 Certificates Describing Partnership
Units. At the request of a Limited Partner, the
General Partner, at its option, may issue a certificate
summarizing the terms of such Limited Partner’s interest in
the Partnership, including the class or series and number of
Partnership Units owned and the Percentage Interest represented
by such Partnership Units as of the date of such certificate.
Any such certificate (i) shall be in form and substance as
determined by the General Partner, (ii) shall not be
negotiable and (iii) shall bear a legend to the following
effect:
THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT NEGOTIABLE. THE PARTNERSHIP UNITS
REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE GOVERNED BY AND TRANSFERABLE
ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH (A) THE PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT
OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF SUMMIT HOTEL OP, LP, AS AMENDED,
SUPPLEMENTED OR RESTATED FROM TIME TO TIME, AND (B) ANY
APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES OR BLUE SKY LAWS.
9
ARTICLE III
BUSINESS
OF THE PARTNERSHIP
The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the
Partnership is (i) to conduct any business that may be
lawfully conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant
to the Act, provided, however, that such business
shall be limited to and conducted in such a manner as to permit
Summit REIT at all times to qualify as a REIT, unless Summit
REIT otherwise ceases to, or the Board of Directors determines,
pursuant to Section 5.7 of the Articles, that Summit REIT
shall no longer, qualify as a REIT, (ii) to enter into any
partnership, joint venture or other similar arrangement to
engage in any of the foregoing or the ownership of interests in
any entity engaged in any of the foregoing and (iii) to do
anything necessary or incidental to the foregoing. In connection
with the foregoing, and without limiting Summit REIT’s
right in its sole and absolute discretion to cease qualifying as
a REIT, the Partners acknowledge that the status of Summit REIT
as a REIT and the avoidance of income and excise taxes on Summit
REIT inures to the benefit of all the Partners and not solely to
the General Partner or its Affiliates. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Limited Partners agree that Summit REIT may
terminate or revoke its status as a REIT under the Code at any
time. Summit REIT shall also be empowered to do any and all acts
and things necessary or prudent to ensure that the Partnership
will not be classified as a “publicly traded
partnership” taxable as a corporation for purposes of
Section 7704 of the Code.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACCOUNTS
4.01 Capital Contributions. The
General Partner and each Limited Partner has made a capital
contribution to the Partnership in exchange for the Partnership
Units set forth opposite such Partner’s name on
Exhibit A hereto, as it may be amended or restated
from time to time by the General Partner to the extent necessary
to reflect accurately sales, exchanges or other Transfers,
redemptions, Capital Contributions, the issuance of additional
Partnership Units or similar events having an effect on a
Partner’s ownership of Partnership Units.
4.02 Additional Capital Contributions and
Issuances of Additional Partnership Units. Except
as provided in this Section 4.02 or in Section 4.03 hereof, the
Partners shall have no right or obligation to make any
additional Capital Contributions or loans to the Partnership.
The General Partner may contribute additional capital to the
Partnership, from time to time, and receive additional
Partnership Interests, in the form of Partnership Units, in
respect thereof, in the manner contemplated in this Section 4.02.
(a) Issuances of Additional Partnership Units.
(i) General. As of the effective date of
this Agreement, the Partnership shall have authorized two
classes of Partnership Units, entitled “Common Units”
and “LTIP Units.” The General Partner is hereby
authorized to cause the Partnership to issue such additional
Partnership Interests, in the form of Partnership Units, for any
Partnership purpose at any time or from time to time to the
Partners (including the General Partner) or to other Persons for
such consideration and on such terms and conditions as shall be
established by the General Partner in its sole and absolute
discretion, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.
The General Partner’s determination that consideration is
adequate shall be conclusive insofar as the adequacy of
consideration relates to whether the Partnership Units are
validly issued and fully paid. Any additional Partnership Units
issued thereby may be issued in one or more classes, or one or
more series of any of such classes, with such designations,
preferences and relative, participating, optional or other
special rights, powers and duties, including rights, powers and
duties senior to the then-outstanding Partnership Units held by
the Limited Partners, all as shall be determined by the General
Partner in its sole and absolute discretion and without the
approval of any Limited Partner, subject to Delaware law that
cannot be preempted by the terms hereof and as set forth in a
written document hereafter attached to and made an exhibit to
this Agreement (each, a “Partnership Unit
Designation”), including, without limitation, (i) the
allocations of items of Partnership income, gain, loss,
deduction and credit to each such class
10
or series of Partnership Units; (ii) the right of each such
class or series of Partnership Units to share in Partnership
distributions; and (iii) the rights of each such class or
series of Partnership Units upon dissolution and liquidation of
the Partnership; provided, however, that no
additional Partnership Units shall be issued to the General
Partner or Summit REIT (or any direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner or Summit REIT) unless:
(1) (A) the additional Partnership Units are
issued in connection with an issuance of REIT Shares or other
capital stock of, or other interests in, Summit REIT, which REIT
Shares, capital stock or other interests have designations,
preferences and other rights, all such that the economic
interests are substantially similar to the designations,
preferences and other rights of the additional Partnership Units
issued to the General Partner or Summit REIT (or any direct or
indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner or
Summit REIT) by the Partnership in accordance with this Section
4.02 and (B) the General Partner or Summit REIT (or any
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General
Partner or Summit REIT) shall make a Capital Contribution to the
Partnership in an amount equal to the cash consideration
received by Summit REIT from the issuance of such REIT Shares,
capital stock or other interests in Summit REIT;
(2) (A) the additional Partnership Units are
issued in connection with an issuance of REIT Shares or other
capital stock of, or other interests in, Summit REIT pursuant to
a taxable share dividend declared by Summit REIT, which REIT
Shares, capital stock or interests have designations,
preferences and other rights, all such that the economic
interests are substantially similar to the designations,
preferences and other rights of the additional Partnership Units
issued to the General Partner or Summit REIT (or any direct or
indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner or
Summit REIT) by the Partnership in accordance with this Section
4.02, (B) if Summit REIT allows the holders of its REIT
Shares to elect whether to receive such dividend in REIT Shares
or other capital stock of or, other interests in Summit REIT or
cash, the Partnership will give the Limited Partners (excluding
the General Partner, Summit REIT or any direct or indirect
Subsidiary of the General Partner or Summit REIT) the same
election to elect to receive (I) Partnership Units or cash
or, (II) at the election of Summit REIT, REIT Shares,
capital stock or other interests in Summit REIT or cash, and
(C) if the Partnership issues additional Partnership Units
pursuant to this Section 4.02(a)(i)(2), then an amount of income
equal to the value of the Partnership Units received will be
allocated to those holders of Common Units that elect to receive
additional Partnership Units;
(3) the additional Partnership Units are issued in
exchange for property owned by the General Partner or Summit
REIT (or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the
General Partner or Summit REIT) with a fair market value, as
determined by the General Partner, in good faith, equal to the
value of the Partnership Units; or
(4) the additional Partnership Units are issued to
all Partners in proportion to their respective Percentage
Interests.
Without limiting the foregoing, the General Partner is expressly
authorized to cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Units
for less than fair market value, so long as the General Partner
concludes in good faith that such issuance is in the interests
of the Partnership. Upon the issuance of any additional
Partnership Units, the General Partner shall amend
Exhibit A as appropriate to reflect such issuance.
(ii) Upon Issuance of Additional
Securities. Summit REIT shall not issue any
Additional Securities (other than REIT Shares issued in
connection with an exchange pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof or
REIT Shares or other capital stock of or other interests in
Summit REIT issued in connection with a taxable stock dividend
as described in Section 4.02(a)(i)(2) hereof) or Rights other
than to all holders of REIT Shares, Preferred Shares, Junior
Shares, or New Securities, as the case may be, unless
(A) the General Partner shall cause the Partnership to
issue to the General Partner or Summit REIT (or any direct or
indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner or
Summit
11
REIT) Partnership Units or Rights having designations,
preferences and other rights, all such that the economic
interests are substantially similar to those of the Additional
Securities, and (B) Summit REIT, directly or through the
General Partner (or any direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner or another direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of Summit REIT), contributes the
proceeds from the issuance of such Additional Securities and
from any exercise of Rights contained in such Additional
Securities to the Partnership; provided, however,
that Summit REIT is allowed to issue Additional Securities in
connection with an acquisition of Property to be held directly
by Summit REIT, but if and only if, such direct acquisition and
issuance of Additional Securities have been approved by a
majority of the Independent Directors. Without limiting the
foregoing, Summit REIT is expressly authorized to issue
Additional Securities for less than fair market value, and the
General Partner is authorized to cause the Partnership to issue
to the General Partner or Summit REIT (or any direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner or Summit REIT)
corresponding Partnership Units, so long as (x) the General
Partner concludes in good faith that such issuance is in the
best interests of Summit REIT, the General Partner and the
Partnership and (y) Summit REIT, directly or through the
General Partner (or any direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner or another direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of Summit REIT), contributes all
proceeds from such issuance to the Partnership, including
without limitation, the issuance of REIT Shares and
corresponding Partnership Units pursuant to a stock purchase
plan providing for purchases of REIT Shares at a discount from
fair market value or pursuant to stock awards, including stock
options that have an exercise price that is less than the fair
market value of the REIT Shares, either at the time of issuance
or at the time of exercise, and restricted or other stock awards
approved by the Board of Directors. For example, in the event
Summit REIT issues REIT Shares for a cash purchase price and
Summit REIT, directly or through the General Partner (or any
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General
Partner or another direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of
Summit REIT), contributes all of the proceeds of such issuance
to the Partnership as required hereunder, the General Partner or
Summit REIT (or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary
of the General Partner or Summit REIT) shall be issued a number
of additional Partnership Units equal to the product of
(A) the number of such REIT Shares issued by Summit REIT,
the proceeds of which were so contributed, multiplied by
(B) a fraction, the numerator of which is 100%, and the
denominator of which is the Conversion Factor in effect on the
date of such contribution.
(b) Certain Contributions of Proceeds of Issuance of
REIT Shares. In connection with any and all
issuances of REIT Shares, Summit REIT, directly or through the
General Partner (or any direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner or another direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of Summit REIT), shall make Capital
Contributions to the Partnership of the proceeds therefrom,
provided that if the proceeds actually received and
contributed by Summit REIT, directly or through the General
Partner (or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of
the General Partner or another direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of Summit REIT), are less than the gross proceeds of
such issuance as a result of any underwriter’s discount,
commissions, placement fees or other expenses paid or incurred
in connection with such issuance, then Summit REIT, directly or
through the General Partner (or any direct or indirect wholly
owned Subsidiary of the General Partner or another direct or
indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of Summit REIT), shall be
deemed to have made a Capital Contribution to the Partnership in
the amount equal to the sum of the net proceeds of such issuance
plus the amount of such underwriter’s discount,
commissions, placement fees or other expenses paid by Summit
REIT, and the Partnership shall be deemed simultaneously to have
reimbursed such discount, commissions, placement fees and
expenses as an Administrative Expense for the benefit of the
Partnership for purposes of Section 6.05(b).
(c) Repurchases of Summit REIT
Securities. If Summit REIT shall repurchase
shares of any class or series of its capital stock, the purchase
price thereof and all costs incurred in connection with such
repurchase shall be reimbursed to Summit REIT by the Partnership
pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof and the General Partner shall
cause the Partnership to redeem an equivalent number of
Partnership Units of the appropriate class or series held by
Summit REIT (or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary
12
of Summit REIT) (which, in the case of REIT Shares, shall be a
number equal to the quotient of the number of such REIT Shares
divided by the Conversion Factor).
4.03 Additional Funding. If the
General Partner determines that it is in the best interests of
the Partnership to provide for additional Partnership funds
(“Additional Funds”) for any Partnership
purpose, the General Partner may (i) cause the Partnership
to obtain such funds from outside borrowings, or (ii) elect
to have the General Partner or any of its Affiliates provide
such Additional Funds to the Partnership through loans or
otherwise.
4.04 LTIP Units.
(a) Issuance of LTIP
Units. Notwithstanding anything contained herein
to the contrary, the General Partner may from time to time issue
LTIP Units to Persons who provide services to the Partnership,
the General Partner or Summit REIT for such consideration as the
General Partner may determine to be appropriate, and admit such
Persons as Limited Partners. Subject to the following provisions
of this Section 4.04 and the special provisions of Sections 4.05
and 5.01(g) hereof, LTIP Units shall be treated as Common Units,
with all of the rights, privileges and obligations attendant
thereto. For purposes of computing the Partners’ Percentage
Interests, holders of LTIP Units shall be treated as Common Unit
holders and LTIP Units shall be treated as Common Units. In
particular, the Partnership shall maintain at all times a
one-to-one
correspondence between LTIP Units and Common Units for
conversion, distribution and other purposes, including, without
limitation, complying with the following procedures:
(i) If an Adjustment Event (as defined below) occurs, then
the General Partner shall make a corresponding adjustment to the
LTIP Units to maintain a
one-for-one
conversion and economic equivalence ratio between Common Units
and LTIP Units. The following shall be “Adjustment
Events”: (A) the Partnership makes a distribution
on all outstanding Common Units in Partnership Units,
(B) the Partnership subdivides the outstanding Common Units
into a greater number of units or combines the outstanding
Common Units into a smaller number of units, or (C) the
Partnership issues any Partnership Units in exchange for its
outstanding Common Units by way of a reclassification or
recapitalization of its Common Units. If more than one
Adjustment Event occurs, the adjustment to the LTIP Units need
be made only once using a single formula that takes into account
each and every Adjustment Event as if all Adjustment Events
occurred simultaneously. For the avoidance of doubt, the
following shall not be Adjustment Events: (x) the issuance
of Partnership Units in a financing, reorganization, acquisition
or other similar business Common Unit Transaction, (y) the
issuance of Partnership Units pursuant to any employee benefit
or compensation plan or distribution reinvestment plan or
(z) the issuance of any Partnership Units to the General
Partner or Summit REIT (or any direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner or Summit REIT) in respect of
a capital contribution to the Partnership of proceeds from the
sale of Additional Securities by Summit REIT. If the Partnership
takes an action affecting the Common Units other than actions
specifically described above as “Adjustment Events”
and in the opinion of the General Partner such action would
require an adjustment to the LTIP Units to maintain the
one-to-one
correspondence described above, the General Partner shall have
the right to make such adjustment to the LTIP Units, to the
extent permitted by law and by any Equity Incentive Plan and
Vesting Agreement, in such manner and at such time as the
General Partner, in its sole discretion, may determine to be
appropriate under the circumstances. If an adjustment is made to
the LTIP Units, as herein provided, the Partnership shall
promptly file in the books and records of the Partnership an
officer’s certificate setting forth such adjustment and a
brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment, which
certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of
such adjustment absent manifest error. Promptly after filing of
such certificate, the Partnership shall deliver a notice to each
LTIP Unitholder setting forth the adjustment to his or her LTIP
Units and the effective date of such adjustment; provided,
however, the failure to deliver such notice shall not invalidate
the adjustment or the authority granted hereunder, and
(ii) The LTIP Unitholders shall, when, as and if authorized
and declared by the General Partner out of assets legally
available for that purpose, be entitled to receive distributions
in an amount per
13
LTIP Unit equal to the distributions per Common Unit (the
“Common Partnership Unit Distribution”), paid
to holders of Common Units on such Partnership Record Date
established by the General Partner with respect to such
distribution. So long as any LTIP Units are outstanding, no
distributions (whether in cash or in kind) shall be authorized,
declared or paid on Common Units, unless equal distributions
have been or contemporaneously are authorized, declared and paid
on the LTIP Units.
(b) Priority. Subject to the provisions
of this Section 4.04, the special provisions of Sections 4.05
and 5.01(g) hereof and any Vesting Agreement, the LTIP Units
shall rank pari passu with the Common Units as to the
payment of regular and special periodic or other distributions
and distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up. As to the payment of distributions and as to
distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding
up, any class or series of Partnership Units which by its terms
specifies that it shall rank junior to, on a parity with, or
senior to the Common Units shall also rank junior to, or pari
passu with, or senior to, as the case may be, the LTIP
Units. Subject to the terms of any Vesting Agreement, an LTIP
Unitholder shall be entitled to transfer his or her LTIP Units
to the same extent, and subject to the same restrictions as
holders of Common Units are entitled to transfer their Common
Units pursuant to Article IX.
(c) Special Provisions. LTIP Units shall
be subject to the following special provisions:
(i) Vesting Agreements. LTIP Units may,
in the sole discretion of the General Partner, be issued subject
to vesting, forfeiture and additional restrictions on transfer
pursuant to the terms of a Vesting Agreement. The terms of any
Vesting Agreement may be modified by the General Partner from
time to time in its sole discretion, subject to any restrictions
on amendment imposed by the relevant Vesting Agreement or by the
Equity Incentive Plan, if applicable. LTIP Units that have
vested under the terms of a Vesting Agreement are referred to as
“Vested LTIP Units”; all other LTIP Units shall
be treated as “Unvested LTIP Units.”
(ii) Forfeiture. Unless otherwise
specified in the Vesting Agreement, upon the occurrence of any
event specified in a Vesting Agreement as resulting in either
the right of the Partnership or the General Partner to
repurchase LTIP Units at a specified purchase price or some
other forfeiture of any LTIP Units, then if the Partnership or
the General Partner exercises such right to repurchase or
forfeiture in accordance with the applicable Vesting Agreement,
the relevant LTIP Units shall immediately, and without any
further action, be treated as cancelled and no longer
outstanding for any purpose. Unless otherwise specified in the
Vesting Agreement, no consideration or other payment shall be
due with respect to any LTIP Units that have been forfeited,
other than any distributions declared with respect to a
Partnership Record Date prior to the effective date of the
forfeiture. In connection with any repurchase or forfeiture of
LTIP Units, the balance of the portion of the Capital Account of
the LTIP Unitholder that is attributable to all of his or her
LTIP Units shall be reduced by the amount, if any, by which it
exceeds the target balance contemplated by Section 5.01(g)
hereof, calculated with respect to the LTIP Unitholder’s
remaining LTIP Units, if any.
(iii) Allocations. LTIP Unitholders shall
be entitled to certain special allocations of gain under Section
5.01(g) hereof.
(iv) Redemption. The Common Unit
Redemption Right provided to Limited Partners under Section
8.04 hereof shall not apply with respect to LTIP Units unless
and until they are converted to Common Units as provided in
clause (v) below and Section 4.05 hereof.
(v) Conversion to Common Units. Vested
LTIP Units are eligible to be converted into Common Units in
accordance with Section 4.05 hereof.
(d) Voting. LTIP Unitholders shall
(a) have the same voting rights as the holders of Common
Units, with all Vested LTIP Units and Unvested LTIP Units voting
as a single class with the Common Units and having one vote per
LTIP Unit; and (b) have the additional voting rights that
are expressly set forth below. So long as any LTIP Units remain
outstanding, the Partnership shall not, without the
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affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the LTIP Units
(Vested LTIP Units and Unvested LTIP Units) outstanding at the
time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a
meeting (voting separately as a class), amend, alter or repeal,
whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, the provisions of
this Agreement applicable to LTIP Units so as to materially and
adversely affect (as determined in good faith by the General
Partner) any right, privilege or voting power of the LTIP Units
or the LTIP Unitholders as such, unless such amendment,
alteration, or repeal affects equally, ratably and
proportionately the rights, privileges and voting powers of the
holders of Common Units; but subject, in any event, to the
following provisions:
(i) With respect to any Common Unit Transaction (as defined
in Section 4.05(f) hereof), so long as the LTIP Units are
treated in accordance with Section 4.05(f) hereof, the
consummation of such Common Unit Transaction shall not be deemed
to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences,
privileges or voting powers of the LTIP Units or the LTIP
Unitholders as such; and
(ii) Any creation or issuance of any Partnership Units or
of any class or series of Partnership Interest including without
limitation additional Common Units or LTIP Units, whether
ranking senior to, junior to, or on a parity with the LTIP Units
with respect to distributions and the distribution of assets
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, shall not be deemed
to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences,
privileges or voting powers of the LTIP Units or the LTIP
Unitholders as such.
The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior
to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would
otherwise be required will be effected, all outstanding LTIP
Units shall have been converted into Common Units.
4.05 Conversion of LTIP Units.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.05, an LTIP
Unitholder shall have the right (the “Conversion
Right”), at such holder’s option, at any time to
convert all or a portion of such holder’s Vested LTIP Units
into Common Units; provided, however, that a holder may
not exercise the Conversion Right for less than 1,000 Vested
LTIP Units or, if such holder holds less than 1,000 Vested LTIP
Units, all of the Vested LTIP Units held by such holder. LTIP
Unitholders shall not have the right to convert Unvested LTIP
Units into Common Units until they become Vested LTIP Units;
provided, however, that when an LTIP Unitholder is
notified of the expected occurrence of an event that will cause
such LTIP Unitholder’s Unvested LTIP Units to become Vested
LTIP Units, such LTIP Unitholder may give the Partnership a
Conversion Notice conditioned upon and effective as of the time
of vesting and such Conversion Notice, unless subsequently
revoked by the LTIP Unitholder, shall be accepted by the
Partnership subject to such condition. The General Partner shall
have the right at any time to cause a conversion of Vested LTIP
Units into Common Units. In all cases, the conversion of any
LTIP Units into Common Units shall be subject to the conditions
and procedures set forth in this Section 4.05.
(b) A holder of Vested LTIP Units may convert such LTIP
Units into an equal number of fully paid and non-assessable
Common Units, giving effect to all adjustments (if any) made
pursuant to Section 4.04 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
in no event may a holder of Vested LTIP Units convert a number
of Vested LTIP Units that exceeds (x) the Economic Capital
Account Balance of such Limited Partner, to the extent
attributable to its ownership of LTIP Units, divided by
(y) the Common Unit Economic Balance, in each case as
determined as of the effective date of conversion (the
“Capital Account Limitation”).
In order to exercise the Conversion Right, an LTIP Unitholder
shall deliver a notice (a “Conversion Notice”)
in the form attached as Exhibit D to the Partnership
(with a copy to the General Partner) not less than ten nor more
than 60 days prior to a date (the “Conversion
Date”) specified in such Conversion Notice;
provided, however, that if the General Partner has
not given to the LTIP Unitholders notice of a proposed or
upcoming Common Unit Transaction (as defined in Section 4.05(f)
hereof) at least 30 days prior to the effective date of
such Common Unit Transaction, then LTIP Unitholders shall have
the right to deliver a Conversion Notice until the earlier of
(x) the tenth day after such notice from the General
Partner of a
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Common Unit Transaction or (y) the third Trading Day
immediately preceding the effective date of such Common Unit
Transaction. A Conversion Notice shall be provided in the manner
provided in Section 12.01 hereof. Each LTIP Unitholder covenants
and agrees with the Partnership that all Vested LTIP Units to be
converted pursuant to this Section 4.05(b) shall be free and
clear of all liens. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, a holder of LTIP Units may deliver a Notice of
Redemption pursuant to Section 8.04(a) hereof relating to those
Common Units that will be issued to such holder upon conversion
of such LTIP Units into Common Units in advance of the
Conversion Date; provided, however, that the
redemption of such Common Units by the Partnership shall in no
event take place until after the Conversion Date. For clarity,
it is noted that the objective of this paragraph is to put an
LTIP Unitholder in a position where, if such holder so wishes,
the Common Units into which such holder’s Vested LTIP Units
will be converted can be tendered to the Partnership for
redemption simultaneously with such conversion, with the further
consequence that, if Summit REIT elects to assume the
Partnership’s redemption obligation with respect to such
Common Units under Section 8.04(b) hereof by delivering to such
holder the REIT Shares Amount, then such holder can have
the REIT Shares Amount issued to such holder simultaneously
with the conversion of such holder’s Vested LTIP Units into
Common Units. The General Partner and LTIP Unitholder shall
reasonably cooperate with each other to coordinate the timing of
the events described in the foregoing sentence.
(c) The Partnership, at any time at the election of the
General Partner, may cause any number of Vested LTIP Units held
by an LTIP Unitholder to be converted (a “Forced
Conversion”) into an equal number of Common Units,
giving effect to all adjustments (if any) made pursuant to
Section 4.04 hereof; provided, however, that the
Partnership may not cause Forced Conversion of any LTIP Units
that would not at the time be eligible for conversion at the
option of such LTIP Unitholder pursuant to Section 4.05(b)
hereof. In order to exercise its right of Forced Conversion, the
Partnership shall deliver a notice (a “Forced Conversion
Notice”) in the form attached as Exhibit E
to the applicable LTIP Unitholder not less than ten nor more
than 60 days prior to the Conversion Date specified in such
Forced Conversion Notice. A Forced Conversion Notice shall be
provided in the manner provided in Section 12.01 hereof and
shall be revocable by the General Partner at any time prior to
the Forced Conversion.
(d) A conversion of Vested LTIP Units for which the holder
thereof has given a Conversion Notice or the Partnership has
given a Forced Conversion Notice shall occur automatically after
the close of business on the applicable Conversion Date without
any action on the part of such LTIP Unitholder, as of which time
such LTIP Unitholder shall be credited on the books and records
of the Partnership with the issuance as of the opening of
business on the next day of the number of Common Units issuable
upon such conversion. After the conversion of LTIP Units as
aforesaid, the Partnership shall deliver to such LTIP
Unitholder, upon his or her written request, a certificate of
the General Partner certifying the number of Common Units and
remaining LTIP Units, if any, held by such person immediately
after such conversion. The Assignee of any Limited Partner
pursuant to Article IX hereof may exercise the rights of
such Limited Partner pursuant to this Section 4.05 and such
Limited Partner shall be bound by the exercise of such rights by
the Assignee.
(e) For purposes of making future allocations under Section
5.01(g) hereof and applying the Capital Account Limitation, the
portion of the Economic Capital Account Balance of the
applicable LTIP Unitholder that is treated as attributable to
his or her LTIP Units shall be reduced, as of the date of
conversion, by the product of the number of LTIP Units converted
and the Common Unit Economic Balance.
(f) If the Partnership, the General Partner or Summit REIT
shall be a party to any Common Unit Transaction (including
without limitation a merger, consolidation, unit exchange, self
tender offer for all or substantially all Common Units or other
business combination or reorganization, or sale of all or
substantially all of the Partnership’s assets, but
excluding any Common Unit Transaction which constitutes an
Adjustment Event) in each case as a result of which Common Units
shall be exchanged for or converted into the right, or the
holders of Common Units shall otherwise be entitled, to receive
cash, securities or other property or any combination thereof
(each of the foregoing being referred to herein as a
“Common Unit Transaction”), then the General
Partner shall, subject to the terms of any applicable Equity
Incentive Plan or Vesting Agreement, exercise immediately prior
to the Common Unit Transaction
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its right to cause a Forced Conversion with respect to the
maximum number of LTIP Units then eligible for conversion,
taking into account any allocations that occur in connection
with the Common Unit Transaction or that would occur in
connection with the Common Unit Transaction if the assets of the
Partnership were sold at the Common Unit Transaction price or,
if applicable, at a value determined by the General Partner in
good faith using the value attributed to the Partnership Units
in the context of the Common Unit Transaction (in which case the
Conversion Date shall be the effective date of the Common Unit
Transaction).
In anticipation of such Forced Conversion and the consummation
of the Common Unit Transaction, the Partnership shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to cause each LTIP Unitholder to
be afforded the right to receive in connection with such Common
Unit Transaction in consideration for the Common Units into
which such LTIP Unitholder’s Units will be converted the
same kind and amount of cash, securities and other property (or
any combination thereof) receivable upon the consummation of
such Common Unit Transaction by a holder of the same number of
Common Units, assuming such holder of Common Units is not a
Person with which the Partnership consolidated or into which the
Partnership merged or which merged into the Partnership or to
which such sale or transfer was made, as the case may be (a
“Constituent Person”), or an affiliate of a
Constituent Person. In the event that holders of Common Units
have the opportunity to elect the form or type of consideration
to be received upon consummation of the Common Unit Transaction,
prior to such Common Unit Transaction the General Partner shall
give prompt written notice to each LTIP Unitholder of such
election, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
afford the LTIP Unitholders the right to elect, by written
notice to the General Partner, the form or type of consideration
to be received upon conversion of each LTIP Unit held by such
holder into Common Units in connection with such Common Unit
Transaction. If an LTIP Unitholder fails to make such an
election, such holder (and any of its transferees) shall receive
upon conversion of each LTIP Unit held by such LTIP Unitholder
(or by any of such LTIP Unitholder’s transferees) the same
kind and amount of consideration that a holder of a Common Unit
would receive if such Common Unit holder failed to make such an
election.
Subject to the rights of the Partnership and the General Partner
under any Vesting Agreement and any Equity Incentive Plan, the
Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause
the terms of any Common Unit Transaction to be consistent with
the provisions of this Section 4.05(f) and to enter into an
agreement with the successor or purchasing entity, as the case
may be, for the benefit of any LTIP Unitholders whose LTIP Units
will not be converted into Common Units in connection with the
Common Unit Transaction that will (i) contain provisions
enabling the holders of LTIP Units that remain outstanding after
such Common Unit Transaction to convert their LTIP Units into
securities as comparable as reasonably possible under the
circumstances to the Common Units and (ii) preserve as far
as reasonably possible under the circumstances the distribution,
special allocation, conversion, and other rights set forth in
this Agreement for the benefit of the LTIP Unitholders.
4.06 Capital Accounts. A separate
capital account (a “Capital Account”) shall be
established and maintained for each Partner in accordance with
Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv).
If (i) a new or existing Partner acquires an additional
Partnership Interest in exchange for more than a de minimis
Capital Contribution, (ii) the Partnership distributes
to a Partner more than a de minimis amount of Partnership
property as consideration for a Partnership Interest,
(iii) the Partnership is liquidated within the meaning of
Regulation
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)
or (iv) the Partnership grants a Partnership Interest
(other than a de minimis Partnership Interest) as
consideration for the provision of services to or for the
benefit of the Partnership to an existing Partner acting in a
Partner capacity, or to a new Partner acting in a Partner
capacity or in anticipation of being a Partner, the General
Partner shall revalue the property of the Partnership to its
fair market value (as determined by the General Partner, in its
sole and absolute discretion, and taking into account
Section 7701(g) of the Code) in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f);
provided that the issuance of any LTIP Unit shall be
deemed to require a revaluation pursuant to this Section 4.06.
When the Partnership’s property is revalued by the General
Partner, the Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be adjusted
in accordance with Regulations
Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)
and (g), which generally require such Capital Accounts to be
adjusted to reflect the manner in which the unrealized gain or
loss inherent in such property (that has not been reflected in
the Capital Accounts previously) would be allocated among the
Partners
17
pursuant to Section 5.01 hereof if there were a taxable
disposition of such property for its fair market value (as
determined by the General Partner, in its sole and absolute
discretion, and taking into account Section 7701(g) of the
Code) on the date of the revaluation. In making those
adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Partners occurring
during any taxable year in which this Agreement is effective,
the General Partner shall allocate the adjustments, to the
extent possible and in its sole and absolute discretion, to
cause the Capital Account attributable to each Common Unit to be
equal in amount; provided that the General Partner shall
not make any allocation that could cause any holder of
Partnership Units to recognize income or gain for federal income
tax purposes.
4.07 Percentage Interests. If the
number of outstanding Common Units or other class or series of
Partnership Units increases or decreases during a taxable year,
each Partner’s Percentage Interest shall be adjusted by the
General Partner effective as of the effective date of each such
increase or decrease to a percentage equal to the number of
Common Units or other class or series of Partnership Units held
by such Partner divided by the aggregate number of Common Units
or other class or series of Partnership Units, as applicable,
outstanding after giving effect to such increase or decrease. If
the Partners’ Percentage Interests are adjusted pursuant to
this Section 4.07, the Profits and Losses for the taxable year
in which the adjustment occurs shall be allocated between the
part of the year ending on the day when the Partnership’s
property is revalued by the General Partner and the part of the
year beginning on the following day either (i) as if the
taxable year had ended on the date of the adjustment or
(ii) based on the number of days in each part. The General
Partner, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine
which method shall be used to allocate Profits and Losses for
the taxable year in which the adjustment occurs. The allocation
of Profits and Losses for the earlier part of the year shall be
based on the Percentage Interests before adjustment, and the
allocation of Profits and Losses for the later part shall be
based on the adjusted Percentage Interests.
4.08 No Interest on
Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to
interest on its Capital Contribution.
4.09 Return of Capital
Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to
withdraw any part of its Capital Contribution or its Capital
Account or to receive any distribution from the Partnership,
except as specifically provided in this Agreement. Except as
otherwise provided herein, there shall be no obligation to
return to any Partner or withdrawn Partner any part of such
Partner’s Capital Contribution for so long as the
Partnership continues in existence.
4.10 No Third-Party
Beneficiary. No creditor or other third party
having dealings with the Partnership shall have the right to
enforce the right or obligation of any Partner to make Capital
Contributions or loans or to pursue any other right or remedy
hereunder or at law or in equity, it being understood and agreed
that the provisions of this Agreement, except as provided in
Section 6.03(h), shall be solely for the benefit of, and may be
enforced solely by, the parties to this Agreement and their
respective successors and assigns. None of the rights or
obligations of the Partners herein set forth to make Capital
Contributions or loans to the Partnership shall be deemed an
asset of the Partnership for any purpose by any creditor or
other third party, nor may such rights or obligations be sold,
transferred or assigned by the Partnership or pledged or
encumbered by the Partnership to secure any debt or other
obligation of the Partnership or of any of the Partners. In
addition, it is the intent of the parties hereto that no
distribution to any Limited Partner shall be deemed a return of
money or other property in violation of the Act. However, if any
court of competent jurisdiction holds that, notwithstanding the
provisions of this Agreement, any Limited Partner is obligated
to return such money or property, such obligation shall be the
obligation of such Limited Partner and not of the General
Partner. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a
deficit Capital Account of a Partner shall not be deemed to be a
liability of such Partner nor an asset or property of the
Partnership.
ARTICLE V
PROFITS
AND LOSSES; DISTRIBUTIONS
5.01 Allocation of Profit and Loss.
(a) Profit. Profit of the Partnership for
each fiscal year of the Partnership shall be allocated to the
Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
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(b) Loss. Loss of the Partnership for
each fiscal year of the Partnership shall be allocated to the
Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
(c) Minimum Gain
Chargeback. Notwithstanding any provision to the
contrary, (i) any expense of the Partnership that is a
“nonrecourse deduction” within the meaning of
Regulations
Section 1.704-2(b)(1)
shall be allocated in accordance with the Partners’
respective Percentage Interests, (ii) any expense of the
Partnership that is a “partner nonrecourse deduction”
within the meaning of Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(2)
shall be allocated to the Partner that bears the “economic
risk of loss” of such deduction in accordance with
Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(1),
(iii) if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum
Gain within the meaning of Regulations
Section 1.704-2(f)(1)
for any Partnership taxable year, then, subject to the
exceptions set forth in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(f)(2),(3),
(4) and (5), items of gain and income shall be allocated
among the Partners in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(f)
and the ordering rules contained in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(j),
and (iv) if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse
Debt Minimum Gain within the meaning of Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(4)
for any Partnership taxable year, then, subject to the
exceptions set forth in Regulations Section 1.704(2)(g),
items of gain and income shall be allocated among the Partners
in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(4)
and the ordering rules contained in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(j).
The manner in which it is reasonably expected that the
deductions attributable to nonrecourse liabilities will be
allocated for purposes of determining a Partner’s share of
the nonrecourse liabilities of the Partnership within the
meaning of Regulations
Section 1.752-3(a)(3)
shall be in accordance with a Partner’s Percentage Interest.
(d) Qualified Income Offset. If a Partner
receives in any taxable year an adjustment, allocation or
distribution described in subparagraphs (4), (5) or
(6) of Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)
that causes or increases a deficit balance in such
Partner’s Capital Account that exceeds the sum of such
Partner’s shares of Partnership Minimum Gain and Partner
Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain, as determined in accordance with
Regulations
Sections 1.704-2(g)
and 1.704-2(i), such Partner shall be allocated specially for
such taxable year (and, if necessary, later taxable years) items
of income and gain in an amount and manner sufficient to
eliminate such deficit Capital Account balance as quickly as
possible as provided in Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d).
After the occurrence of an allocation of income or gain to a
Partner in accordance with this Section 5.01(d), to the extent
permitted by Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b),
items of expense or loss shall be allocated to such Partner in
an amount necessary to offset the income or gain previously
allocated to such Partner under this Section 5.01(d).
(e) Capital Account Deficits. Loss shall
not be allocated to a Limited Partner to the extent that such
allocation would cause a deficit in such Partner’s Capital
Account (after reduction to reflect the items described in
Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4),
(5) and (6)) to exceed the sum of such Partner’s
shares of Partnership Minimum Gain and Partner Nonrecourse Debt
Minimum Gain. Any Loss in excess of that limitation shall be
allocated to the General Partner. After the occurrence of an
allocation of Loss to the General Partner in accordance with
this Section 5.01(e), to the extent permitted by Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b),
Profit first shall be allocated to the General Partner in an
amount necessary to offset the Loss previously allocated to the
General Partner under this Section 5.01(e).
(f) Allocations Between Transferor and
Transferee. If a Partner transfers any part or
all of its Partnership Interest, the distributive shares of the
various items of Profit and Loss allocable among the Partners
during such fiscal year of the Partnership shall be allocated
between the transferor and the transferee Partner either
(i) as if the Partnership’s fiscal year had ended on
the date of the transfer or (ii) based on the number of
days of such fiscal year that each was a Partner without regard
to the results of Partnership activities in the respective
portions of such fiscal year in which the transferor and the
transferee were Partners. The General Partner, in its sole and
absolute discretion, shall determine which method shall be used
to allocate the distributive shares of the various items of
Profit and Loss between the transferor and the transferee
Partner.
(g) Special Allocations Regarding LTIP
Units. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections
5.01(a) and (b) hereof, Liquidating Gains shall first be
allocated to the LTIP Unitholders until their Economic
19
Capital Account Balances, to the extent attributable to their
ownership of LTIP Units, are equal to (i) the Common Unit
Economic Balance, multiplied by (ii) the number of their
LTIP Units. For this purpose, “Liquidating Gains”
means net capital gains realized in connection with the
actual or hypothetical sale of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Partnership, including but not limited to net
capital gain realized in connection with an adjustment to the
value of Partnership assets under Section 704(b) of the
Code. The “Economic Capital Account Balances”
of the LTIP Unit holders will be equal to their Capital
Account balances to the extent attributable to their ownership
of LTIP Units. Similarly, the “Common Unit Economic
Balance” shall mean (i) the Capital Account
balance of Summit REIT, plus the amount of Summit REIT’s
share of any Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain or
Partnership Minimum Gain, in either case to the extent
attributable to Summit REIT’s direct or indirect ownership
of Common Units and computed on a hypothetical basis after
taking into account all allocations through the date on which
any allocation is made under this Section 5.01(g), divided by
(ii) the number of Common Units directly or indirectly
owned by Summit REIT. Any such allocations shall be made among
the LTIP Unitholders in proportion to the amounts required to be
allocated to each under this Section 5.01(g). The parties agree
that the intent of this Section 5.01(g) is to make the Capital
Account balance associated with each LTIP Unit to be
economically equivalent to the Capital Account balance
associated with Common Units directly or indirectly owned by
Summit REIT (on a
per-Unit
basis).
(h) Definition of Profit and
Loss. “Profit” and
“Loss” and any items of income, gain, expense
or loss referred to in this Agreement shall be determined in
accordance with federal income tax accounting principles, as
modified by Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv),
except that Profit and Loss shall not include items of income,
gain and expense that are specially allocated pursuant to
Sections 5.01(c), (d) or (e) hereof. All allocations of income,
Profit, gain, Loss and expense (and all items contained therein)
for federal income tax purposes shall be identical to all
allocations of such items set forth in this Section 5.01,
except as otherwise required by Section 704(c) of the Code
and Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(4).
With respect to properties acquired by the Partnership, the
General Partner shall have the authority to elect the method to
be used by the Partnership for allocating items of income, gain
and expense as required by Section 704(c) of the Code with
respect to such properties, and such election shall be binding
on all Partners.
5.02 Distribution of Cash.
(a) Subject to Sections 5.02(c), (d) and (e) hereof and to
the terms of any Partnership Unit Designation, the Partnership
shall distribute cash at such times and in such amounts as are
determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute
discretion, to the Partners who are Partners on the Partnership
Record Date with respect to such quarter (or other distribution
period) in proportion with their respective Common Units on the
Partnership Record Date.
(b) In accordance with Section 4.04(a)(ii), the LTIP
Unitholders shall be entitled to receive distributions in an
amount per LTIP Unit equal to the Common Partnership Unit
Distribution.
(c) If a new or existing Partner acquires additional
Partnership Units in exchange for a Capital Contribution on any
date other than a Partnership Record Date (other than
Partnership Units acquired by the General Partner or Summit REIT
(or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the
General Partner or Summit REIT ) in connection with the issuance
of additional REIT Shares or Additional Securities), the cash
distribution attributable to such additional Partnership Units
relating to the Partnership Record Date next following the
issuance of such additional Partnership Units shall be reduced
in the proportion to (i) the number of days that such
additional Partnership Units are held by such Partner bears to
(ii) the number of days between such Partnership Record
Date and the immediately preceding Partnership Record Date.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the General Partner is authorized to take any action that it
determines to be necessary or appropriate to cause the
Partnership to comply with any withholding requirements
established under the Code or any other federal, state or local
law including, without limitation, pursuant to
Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code. To the
extent that the Partnership is required to withhold and pay over
to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the
20
allocation or distribution of income to a Partner or assignee
(including by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), either
(i) if the actual amount to be distributed to the Partner
(the “Distributable Amount”) equals or exceeds
the Withheld Amount, the entire Distributable Amount shall be
treated as a distribution of cash to such Partner, or
(ii) if the Distributable Amount is less than the Withheld
Amount, the excess of the Withheld Amount over the Distributable
Amount shall be treated as a Partnership Loan from the
Partnership to the Partner on the day the Partnership pays over
such amount to a taxing authority. A Partnership Loan shall be
repaid upon the demand of the Partnership or, alternatively,
through withholding by the Partnership with respect to
subsequent distributions to the applicable Partner or assignee.
In the event that a Limited Partner fails to pay any amount owed
to the Partnership with respect to the Partnership Loan within
15 days after demand for payment thereof is made by the
Partnership on the Limited Partner, the General Partner, in its
sole and absolute discretion, may elect to make the payment to
the Partnership on behalf of such Defaulting Limited Partner. In
such event, on the date of payment, the General Partner shall be
deemed to have extended a General Partner Loan to the Defaulting
Limited Partner in the amount of the payment made by the General
Partner and shall succeed to all rights and remedies of the
Partnership against the Defaulting Limited Partner as to that
amount. Without limitation, the General Partner shall have the
right to receive any distributions that otherwise would be made
by the Partnership to the Defaulting Limited Partner until such
time as the General Partner Loan has been paid in full, and any
such distributions so received by the General Partner shall be
treated as having been received by the Defaulting Limited
Partner and immediately paid to the General Partner.
Any amounts treated as a Partnership Loan or a General Partner
Loan pursuant to this Section 5.02(d) shall bear interest at the
lesser of (i) 300 basis points above the base rate on
corporate loans at large United States money center
commercial banks, as published from time to time in The Wall
Street Journal, or (ii) the maximum lawful rate of
interest on such obligation, such interest to accrue from the
date the Partnership or the General Partner, as applicable, is
deemed to extend the loan until such loan is repaid in full.
(e) In no event may a Partner receive a distribution of
cash with respect to a Partnership Unit if such Partner is
entitled to receive a cash dividend or other distribution of
cash as the holder of record of a REIT Share for which all or
part of such Partnership Unit has been or will be redeemed.
5.03 REIT Distribution Requirements.
The General Partner shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
cause the Partnership to distribute amounts sufficient to enable
Summit REIT to pay distributions to its stockholders that will
allow Summit REIT to (i) meet its distribution requirement
for qualification as a REIT as set forth in Section 857 of
the Code and (ii) avoid any federal income or excise tax
liability imposed by the Code, other than to the extent Summit
REIT elects to retain and pay income tax on its net capital gain.
5.04 No Right to Distributions in Kind.
No Partner shall be entitled to demand property other than cash
in connection with any distributions by the Partnership.
5.05 Limitations on Return of Capital
Contributions. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of
this Article V, no Partner shall have the right to receive, and
the General Partner shall not have the right to make, a
distribution that includes a return of all or part of a
Partner’s Capital Contributions, unless after giving effect
to the return of a Capital Contribution, the sum of all
Partnership liabilities, other than the liabilities to a Partner
for the return of his Capital Contribution, does not exceed the
fair market value of the Partnership’s assets.
5.06 Distributions Upon Liquidation.
(a) Upon liquidation of the Partnership, after payment of,
or adequate provision for, debts and obligations of the
Partnership, including any Partner loans, any remaining assets
of the Partnership shall be distributed to all Partners with
positive Capital Accounts in accordance with their respective
positive Capital Account balances.
(b) For purposes of Section 5.06(a) hereof, the Capital
Account of each Partner shall be determined after all
adjustments made in accordance with Sections 5.01 and 5.02
hereof resulting from Partnership operations and from all sales
and dispositions of all or any part of the Partnership’s
assets.
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(c) Any distributions pursuant to this Section 5.06 shall
be made by the end of the Partnership’s taxable year in
which the liquidation occurs (or, if later, within 90 days
after the date of the liquidation). To the extent deemed
advisable by the General Partner, appropriate arrangements
(including the use of a liquidating trust) may be made to assure
that adequate funds are available to pay any contingent debts or
obligations.
5.07 Substantial Economic Effect. It is
the intent of the Partners that the allocations of Profit and
Loss under the Agreement have substantial economic effect (or be
consistent with the Partners’ interests in the Partnership
in the case of the allocation of losses attributable to
nonrecourse debt) within the meaning of Section 704(b) of
the Code as interpreted by the Regulations promulgated pursuant
thereto. Article V and other relevant provisions of this
Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such
intent.
ARTICLE VI
RIGHTS,
OBLIGATIONS AND
POWERS
OF THE GENERAL PARTNER
6.01 Management of the Partnership.
(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
Agreement, the General Partner shall have full, complete and
exclusive discretion to manage and control the business of the
Partnership for the purposes herein stated, and shall make all
decisions affecting the business and assets of the Partnership.
Subject to the restrictions specifically contained in this
Agreement, the powers of the General Partner shall include,
without limitation, the authority to take the following actions
on behalf of the Partnership:
(i) to acquire, purchase, own, operate, lease and dispose
of any real property and any other property or assets including,
but not limited to, notes and mortgages that the General Partner
determines are necessary or appropriate in the business of the
Partnership;
(ii) to construct buildings and make other improvements on
the properties owned or leased by the Partnership;
(iii) to authorize, issue, sell, redeem or otherwise
purchase any Partnership Units or any securities (including
secured and unsecured debt obligations of the Partnership, debt
obligations of the Partnership convertible into any class or
series of Partnership Units, or Rights relating to any class or
series of Partnership Units) of the Partnership;
(iv) to borrow or lend money for the Partnership, issue or
receive evidences of indebtedness in connection therewith,
refinance, increase the amount of, modify, amend or change the
terms of, or extend the time for the payment of, any such
indebtedness, and secure indebtedness by mortgage, deed of
trust, pledge or other lien on the Partnership’s assets;
(v) to pay, either directly or by reimbursement, all
operating costs and general administrative expenses of the
Partnership to third parties or to the General Partner or its
Affiliates as set forth in this Agreement;
(vi) to guarantee or become a co-maker of indebtedness of
any Subsidiary of the General Partner or the Partnership,
refinance, increase the amount of, modify, amend or change the
terms of, or extend the time for the payment of, any such
guarantee or indebtedness, and secure such guarantee or
indebtedness by mortgage, deed of trust, pledge or other lien on
the Partnership’s assets;
(vii) to use assets of the Partnership (including, without
limitation, cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with this
Agreement, including, without limitation, payment, either
directly or by reimbursement, of all operating costs and general
and administrative expenses of Summit REIT, the General Partner,
the Partnership or any Subsidiary of the foregoing, to third
parties or to Summit REIT or the General Partner as set forth in
this Agreement;
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(viii) to lease all or any portion of any of the
Partnership’s assets, whether or not the terms of such
leases extend beyond the termination date of the Partnership and
whether or not any portion of the Partnership’s assets so
leased are to be occupied by the lessee, or, in turn, subleased
in whole or in part to others, for such consideration and on
such terms as the General Partner may determine and to further
lease property from third parties, including ground leases;
(ix) to prosecute, defend, arbitrate or compromise any and
all claims or liabilities in favor of or against the
Partnership, on such terms and in such manner as the General
Partner may determine, and similarly to prosecute, settle or
defend litigation with respect to the Partners, the Partnership
or the Partnership’s assets;
(x) to file applications, communicate and otherwise deal
with any and all governmental agencies having jurisdiction over,
or in any way affecting, the Partnership’s assets or any
other aspect of the Partnership’s business;
(xi) to make or revoke any election permitted or required
of the Partnership by any taxing authority;
(xii) to maintain such insurance coverage for public
liability, fire and casualty, and any and all other insurance
for the protection of the Partnership, for the conservation of
Partnership assets, or for any other purpose convenient or
beneficial to the Partnership, in such amounts and such types,
as it shall determine from time to time;
(xiii) to determine whether or not to apply any insurance
proceeds for any property to the restoration of such property or
to distribute the same;
(xiv) to establish one or more divisions of the
Partnership, to hire and dismiss employees of the Partnership or
any division of the Partnership, and to retain legal counsel,
accountants, consultants, real estate brokers and such other
persons as the General Partner may deem necessary or appropriate
in connection with the Partnership business and to pay therefor
such reasonable remuneration as the General Partner may deem
reasonable and proper;
(xv) to retain other services of any kind or nature in
connection with the Partnership business, and to pay therefor
such remuneration as the General Partner may deem reasonable and
proper;
(xvi) to negotiate and conclude agreements on behalf of the
Partnership with respect to any of the rights, powers and
authority conferred upon the General Partner;
(xvii) to maintain accurate accounting records and to file
promptly all federal, state and local income tax returns on
behalf of the Partnership; (xviii) to distribute
Partnership cash or other Partnership assets in accordance with
this Agreement;
(xix) to form or acquire an interest in, and contribute
property to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint
ventures or other relationships that it deems desirable
(including, without limitation, the acquisition of interests in,
and the contributions of property to, its Subsidiaries and any
other Person in which it has an equity interest from time to
time);
(xx) to establish Partnership reserves for working capital,
capital expenditures, contingent liabilities or any other valid
Partnership purpose;
(xxi) to merge, consolidate or combine the Partnership with
or into another Person;
(xxii) to enter into and perform obligations under
underwriting or other agreements in connection with issuances of
securities by the Partnership or the General Partner or any
affiliate thereof;
(xxiii) to do any and all acts and things necessary or
prudent to ensure that the Partnership will not be classified as
a “publicly traded partnership” taxable as a
corporation under Section 7704 of the Code or an
“investment company” or a subsidiary of an investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and
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(xxiv) to take such other action, execute, acknowledge,
swear to or deliver such other documents and instruments, and
perform any and all other acts that the General Partner deems
necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation and
conduct of the business and affairs of the Partnership
(including, without limitation, all actions consistent with
allowing Summit REIT at all times to qualify as a REIT unless
Summit REIT voluntarily terminates or revokes its REIT status)
and to possess and enjoy all of the rights and powers of a
general partner as provided by the Act.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, to the extent the
duties of the General Partner require expenditures of funds to
be paid to third parties, the General Partner shall not have any
obligations hereunder except to the extent that Partnership
funds are reasonably available to it for the performance of such
duties, and nothing herein contained shall be deemed to
authorize or require the General Partner, in its capacity as
such, to expend its individual funds for payment to third
parties or to undertake any individual liability or obligation
on behalf of the Partnership.
6.02 Delegation of Authority. The
General Partner may delegate any or all of its powers, rights
and obligations hereunder, and may appoint, employ, contract or
otherwise deal with any Person for the transaction of the
business of the Partnership, which Person may, under supervision
of the General Partner, perform any acts or services for the
Partnership as the General Partner may approve.
6.03 Indemnification and Exculpation of
Indemnitees.
(a) The Partnership shall indemnify an Indemnitee from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint
or several, expenses (including reasonable legal fees and
expenses), judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts
arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or
proceedings, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative,
that relate to the operations of the Partnership as set forth in
this Agreement in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is
threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, unless it is
established that: (i) the act or omission of the Indemnitee
was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and
either was committed in bad faith or was the result of active
and deliberate dishonesty; (ii) the Indemnitee actually
received an improper personal benefit in money, property or
services; or (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding,
the Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that the act or
omission was unlawful. The termination of any proceeding by
judgment, order or settlement does not create a presumption that
the Indemnitee did not meet the requisite standard of conduct
set forth in this Section 6.03(a). The termination of any
proceeding by conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere
or its equivalent, or an entry of an order of probation
prior to judgment, creates a rebuttable presumption that the
Indemnitee acted in a manner contrary to that specified in this
Section 6.03(a). Any indemnification pursuant to this
Section 6.03 shall be made only out of the assets of the
Partnership.
(b) The Partnership shall reimburse an Indemnitee for
reasonable expenses incurred by an Indemnitee who is a party to
a proceeding in advance of the final disposition of the
proceeding upon receipt by the Partnership of (i) a written
affirmation by the Indemnitee of the Indemnitee’s good
faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for
indemnification by the Partnership as authorized in this Section
6.03 has been met, and (ii) a written undertaking by or on
behalf of the Indemnitee to repay the amount if it shall
ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct has not
been met.
(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 6.03 shall
be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee or any
other Person may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to
any vote of the Partners, as a matter of law or otherwise, and
shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in
such capacity.
(d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain insurance, as
an expense of the Partnership, on behalf of the Indemnitees and
such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine,
against any liability that may be asserted against or expenses
that may be incurred by such Person in connection with the
Partnership’s activities, regardless of whether the
Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person
against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.
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(e) For purposes of this Section 6.03, the Partnership
shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as
fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance
by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on,
or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or
participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed
on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan
pursuant to applicable law shall constitute fines within the
meaning of this Section 6.03; and actions taken or omitted by
the Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan in the
performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by
it to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries
of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is not
opposed to the best interests of the Partnership.
(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited
Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification
provisions set forth in this Agreement.
(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in
whole or in part under this Section 6.03 because the Indemnitee
had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the
indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise
permitted by the terms of this Agreement.
(h) The provisions of this Section 6.03 are for the benefit
of the Indemnitees, their heirs, successors, assigns and
administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for
the benefit of any other Persons.
(i) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section
6.03 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall
not in any way affect the indemnification of an Indemnitee by
the Partnership under this Section 6.03 as in effect immediately
prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to
matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment,
modification or repeal, regardless of when claims relating to
such matters may arise or be asserted.
6.04 Liability of the General Partner.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in
this Agreement, neither the General Partner, nor any of its
directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for
monetary damages to the Partnership or any Partners for losses
sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of errors in
judgment or mistakes of fact or law or of any act or omission if
any such party acted in good faith. The General Partner shall
not be in breach of any duty that the General Partner may owe to
the Limited Partners or the Partnership or any other Persons
under this Agreement or of any duty stated or implied by law or
equity provided the General Partner, acting in good faith,
abides by the terms of this Agreement.
(b) The Limited Partners expressly acknowledge that the
General Partner is acting on behalf of the Partnership, the
Limited Partners and Summit REIT’s stockholders
collectively, that the General Partner is under no obligation to
consider the separate interests of the Limited Partners
(including, without limitation, the tax consequences to Limited
Partners or the tax consequences of some, but not all, of the
Limited Partners) in deciding whether to cause the Partnership
to take (or decline to take) any actions. In the event of a
conflict between the interests of the stockholders of Summit
REIT on the one hand and the Limited Partners on the other, the
General Partner shall endeavor in good faith to resolve the
conflict in a manner not adverse to either the stockholders of
Summit REIT or the Limited Partners; provided,
however, that for so long as the General Partner owns a
controlling interest in the Partnership, any such conflict that
the General Partner, in its sole and absolute discretion,
determines cannot be resolved in a manner not adverse to either
the stockholders of Summit REIT or the Limited Partners shall be
resolved in favor of the stockholders of Summit REIT. The
General Partner shall not be liable for monetary damages for
losses sustained, liabilities incurred or benefits not derived
by the Limited Partners in connection with such decisions.
(c) Subject to its obligations and duties as General
Partner set forth in Section 6.01 hereof, the General Partner
may exercise any of the powers granted to it under this
Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it
hereunder either directly or by or through its agents. The
General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or
negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by it in good
faith.
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(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement
or the Act, any action of the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership or any decision of the General Partner to refrain
from acting on behalf of the Partnership, undertaken in the good
faith belief that such action or omission is necessary or
advisable in order (i) to protect the ability of Summit
REIT to continue to qualify as a REIT or (ii) to prevent
Summit REIT from incurring any taxes under Section 857,
Section 4981 or any other provision of the Code, is
expressly authorized under this Agreement and is deemed approved
by all of the Limited Partners.
(e) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section
6.04 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall
not in any way affect the limitations on the General
Partner’s or any of its officers’, directors’,
agents’ or employees’ liability to the Partnership and
the Limited Partners under this Section 6.04 as in effect
immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with
respect to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such
amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when claims
relating to such matters may arise or be asserted.
6.05 Partnership Obligations.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 6.05 and elsewhere
in this Agreement (including the provisions of Articles V and VI
hereof regarding distributions, payments and allocations to
which it may be entitled), the General Partner shall not be
compensated for its services as general partner of the
Partnership.
(b) All Administrative Expenses shall be obligations of the
Partnership, and the General Partner or Summit REIT shall be
entitled to reimbursement by the Partnership for any expenditure
(including Administrative Expenses) incurred by it on behalf of
the Partnership that shall be made other than out of the funds
of the Partnership. All reimbursements hereunder shall be
characterized for federal income tax purposes as expenses of the
Partnership incurred on its behalf, and not as expenses of the
General Partner or Summit REIT.
6.06 Outside Activities. Subject to
Section 6.08 hereof, the Certificate of Formation and any
agreements entered into by the General Partner or its Affiliates
with the Partnership or a Subsidiary, any officer, director,
employee, agent, trustee, Affiliate or member of the General
Partner, the General Partner, Summit REIT and any stockholder of
Summit REIT shall be entitled to and may have business interests
and engage in business activities in addition to those relating
to the Partnership, including business interests and activities
substantially similar or identical to those of the Partnership.
Neither the Partnership nor any of the Limited Partners shall
have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any such business
ventures, interest or activities. None of the Limited Partners
nor any other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this
Agreement or the partnership relationship established hereby in
any such business ventures, interests or activities, and the
General Partner and Summit REIT shall have no obligation
pursuant to this Agreement to offer any interest in any such
business ventures, interests and activities to the Partnership
or any Limited Partner, even if such opportunity is of a
character that, if presented to the Partnership or any Limited
Partner, could be taken by such Person.
6.07 Employment or Retention of
Affiliates.
(a) Any Affiliate of the General Partner may be employed or
retained by the Partnership and may otherwise deal with the
Partnership (whether as a buyer, lessor, lessee, manager,
furnisher of goods or services, broker, agent, lender or
otherwise) and may receive from the Partnership any
compensation, price or other payment therefor that the General
Partner determines to be fair and reasonable.
(b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to its
Subsidiaries or other Persons in which it has an equity
investment, and such Persons may borrow funds from the
Partnership, on terms and conditions established in the sole and
absolute discretion of the General Partner. The foregoing
authority shall not create any right or benefit in favor of any
Subsidiary or any other Person.
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(c) The Partnership may transfer assets to joint ventures,
other partnerships, corporations or other business entities in
which it is or thereby becomes a participant upon such terms and
subject to such conditions as the General Partner deems are
consistent with this Agreement and applicable law.
6.08 Summit REIT’s Activities.
Summit REIT agrees that, generally, all business activities of
Summit REIT, including activities pertaining to the acquisition,
development, ownership of or investment in hotel properties or
other property, shall be conducted through the Partnership or
one or more Subsidiaries of the Partnership; provided,
however, that Summit REIT may make direct acquisitions or
undertake business activities if such acquisitions or activities
are made in connection with the issuance of Additional
Securities by Summit REIT or the business activity has been
approved by a majority of the Independent Directors. If, at any
time, Summit REIT acquires material assets (other than
Partnership Units or other assets on behalf of the Partnership)
without transferring such assets to the Partnership, the
definition of “REIT Shares Amount” may be
adjusted, as reasonably determined by the General Partner, to
reflect only the fair market value of a REIT Share attributable
to Partnership Units directly or indirectly owned by Summit REIT
and other assets held on behalf of the Partnership.
6.09 Title to Partnership Assets. Title
to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and
whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by
the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or
collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such
Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all
of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the
Partnership, the General Partner, Summit REIT or one or more
nominees, as the General Partner may determine, including
Affiliates of the General Partner or Summit REIT. Summit REIT
hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for
which legal title is held in the name of the General Partner or
Summit REIT or any nominee or Affiliate of the General Partner
or Summit REIT shall be held by the General Partner or Summit
REIT for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement; provided,
however, that the General Partner or Summit REIT shall
use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause beneficial and
record title to such assets to be vested in the Partnership as
soon as reasonably practicable. All Partnership assets shall be
recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and
records, irrespective of the name in which legal title to such
Partnership assets is held.
ARTICLE VII
CHANGES
IN GENERAL PARTNER
7.01 Transfer of the General Partner’s
Partnership Interest.
(a) Other than to an Affiliate of Summit REIT, the General
Partner shall not transfer all or any portion of its General
Partnership Interests, and the General Partner shall not
withdraw as General Partner, except as provided in or in
connection with a transaction contemplated by Sections 7.01(c),
(d) or (e) hereof.
(b) The General Partner agrees that its General Partnership
Interest will at all times be in the aggregate at least 0.1%.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01(d) or (e)
hereof, neither the General Partner nor Summit REIT shall engage
in any merger, consolidation or other combination with or into
another Person or sale of all or substantially all of its assets
(other than in connection with a change in the General
Partner’s state of organization or organizational form or
Summit REIT’s state of incorporation or organizational
form), in each case which results in a Change of Control of the
General Partner or Summit REIT (a
“Transaction”), unless at least one of the
following conditions is met:
(i) the consent of a Majority in Interest (other than the
General Partner or any Subsidiary of the General Partner or
Summit REIT) is obtained;
(ii) as a result of such Transaction, all Limited Partners
(other than the General Partner, Summit REIT and any Subsidiary
of the General Partner or Summit REIT, and, in the case of LTIP
Unitholders, subject to the terms of any applicable Equity
Incentive Plan or Vesting Agreement) will
27
receive, or have the right to receive, for each Partnership Unit
an amount of cash, securities or other property equal or
substantially equivalent in value, as determined by the General
Partner in good faith, to the product of the Conversion Factor
and the greatest amount of cash, securities or other property
paid in the Transaction to a holder of one REIT Share in
consideration of one REIT Share, provided that if, in
connection with such Transaction, a purchase, tender or exchange
offer (“Offer”) shall have been made to and
accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding REIT
Shares, each holder of Partnership Units (other than the General
Partner, Summit REIT and any Subsidiary of the General Partner
or Summit REIT) shall be given the option to exchange its
Partnership Units for an amount of cash, securities or other
property equal or substantially equivalent in value, as
determined by the General Partner in good faith, to the greatest
amount of cash, securities or other property that such Limited
Partner would have received had it (A) exercised its Common
Unit Redemption Right pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof and
(B) sold, tendered or exchanged pursuant to the Offer the
REIT Shares received upon exercise of the Common Unit Redemption
Right immediately prior to the expiration of the Offer; or
(iii) either the General Partner or Summit REIT, as
applicable, is the surviving entity in the Transaction and
either (A) the holders of REIT Shares do not receive cash,
securities or other property in the Transaction or (B) all
Limited Partners (other than the General Partner, Summit REIT,
and any Subsidiary of the General Partner or Summit REIT, and,
in the case of LTIP Unitholders, subject to the terms of any
applicable Equity Incentive Plan or Vesting Agreement) receive
for each Partnership Unit an amount of cash, securities or other
property (expressed as an amount per REIT Share) equal or
substantially equivalent in value, as determined by the General
Partner in good faith, to the product of the Conversion Factor
and the greatest amount of cash, securities or other property
(expressed as an amount per REIT Share) received in the
Transaction by any holder of REIT Shares.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 7.01(c) hereof, either of the
General Partner or Summit REIT, as applicable, may merge with or
into or consolidate with another entity if immediately after
such merger or consolidation (i) substantially all of the
assets of the successor or surviving entity (the
“Survivor”), other than Partnership Units held
directly or indirectly by the General Partner or Summit REIT,
are contributed, directly or indirectly, to the Partnership as a
Capital Contribution in exchange for Partnership Units, or for
economically equivalent partnership interests issued by a
Subsidiary Partnership established at the direction of the Board
of Directors, with a fair market value equal to the value of the
assets so contributed as determined by the Survivor in good
faith and (ii) the Survivor expressly agrees to assume all
obligations of the General Partner and Summit REIT hereunder.
Upon such contribution and assumption, the Survivor shall have
the right and duty to amend this Agreement as set forth in this
Section 7.01(d). The Survivor shall in good faith arrive at a
new method for the calculation of the Cash Amount, the REIT
Shares Amount and Conversion Factor for a Partnership Unit
after any such merger or consolidation so as to approximate the
existing method for such calculation as closely as reasonably
possible. Such calculation shall take into account, among other
things, the kind and amount of securities, cash and other
property that was receivable upon such merger or consolidation
by a holder of REIT Shares or options, warrants or other rights
relating thereto, and which a holder of Partnership Units could
have acquired had such Partnership Units been exchanged
immediately prior to such merger or consolidation. Such
amendment to this Agreement shall provide for adjustment to such
method of calculation, which shall be as nearly equivalent as
may be practicable to the adjustments provided for with respect
to the Conversion Factor. The Survivor also shall in good faith
modify the definition of REIT Shares and make such amendments to
Section 8.04 hereof so as to approximate the existing rights and
obligations set forth in Section 8.04 hereof as closely as
reasonably possible. The above provisions of this Section
7.01(d) shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations permitted hereunder.
In respect of any transaction described in the preceding
paragraph, each of the General Partner and Summit REIT is
required to use its commercially reasonable efforts to structure
such transaction to avoid causing the Limited Partners (other
than the General Partner, Summit REIT or any Subsidiary thereof)
to recognize a gain for federal income tax purposes by virtue of
the occurrence of, or their participation in, such
28
transaction, provided such efforts are consistent with
and subject in all respects to the exercise of the Board of
Directors’ fiduciary duties to the stockholders of Summit
REIT under applicable law.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Article VII,
(i) The General Partner may transfer all or any portion of
its General Partnership Interest to (A) any wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner or (B) the owner of all
of the ownership interests of the General Partner, and following
a transfer of all of its General Partnership Interest, may
withdraw as General Partner; and
(ii) Summit REIT may engage in a transaction required by
law or by the rules of any national securities exchange or
over-the-counter
interdealer quotation system on which the REIT Shares are listed
or traded.
7.02 Admission of a Substitute or Additional
General Partner. A Person shall be admitted as a
substitute or additional General Partner of the Partnership only
if the following terms and conditions are satisfied:
(a) the Person to be admitted as a substitute or additional
General Partner shall have accepted and agreed to be bound by
all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by executing a
counterpart thereof and such other documents or instruments as
may be required or appropriate in order to effect the admission
of such Person as a General Partner, and a certificate
evidencing the admission of such Person as a General Partner
shall have been filed for recordation and all other actions
required by Section 2.05 hereof in connection with such
admission shall have been performed;
(b) if the Person to be admitted as a substitute or
additional General Partner is a corporation or a partnership, it
shall have provided the Partnership with evidence satisfactory
to counsel for the Partnership of such Person’s authority
to become a General Partner and to be bound by the terms and
provisions of this Agreement; and
(c) counsel for the Partnership shall have rendered an
opinion (relying on such opinions from other counsel as may be
necessary) that the admission of the Person to be admitted as a
substitute or additional General Partner is in conformity with
the Act, that none of the actions taken in connection with the
admission of such Person as a substitute or additional General
Partner will cause (i) the Partnership to be classified
other than as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, or
(ii) the loss of any Limited Partner’s limited
liability.
7.03 Effect of Bankruptcy, Withdrawal, Death or
Dissolution of General Partner.
(a) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy as to the
General Partner (and its removal pursuant to Section 7.04(a)
hereof) or the death, withdrawal, removal or dissolution of the
General Partner (except that, if the General Partner is on the
date of such occurrence a partnership, the withdrawal, death,
dissolution, Event of Bankruptcy as to, or removal of a partner
in, such partnership shall be deemed not to be a dissolution of
the General Partner if the business of the General Partner is
continued by the remaining partner or partners), the Partnership
shall be dissolved and terminated unless the Partnership is
continued pursuant to Section 7.03(b) hereof. The merger of the
General Partner with or into any entity that is admitted as a
substitute or successor General Partner pursuant to Section 7.02
hereof shall not be deemed to be the withdrawal, dissolution or
removal of the General Partner.
(b) Following the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy as
to the General Partner (and its removal pursuant to Section
7.04(a) hereof) or the death, withdrawal, removal or dissolution
of the General Partner (except that, if the General Partner is
on the date of such occurrence a partnership, the withdrawal,
death, dissolution, Event of Bankruptcy as to, or removal of a
partner in, such partnership shall be deemed not to be a
dissolution of the General Partner if the business of such
General Partner is continued by the remaining partner or
partners), the Limited Partners, within 90 days after such
occurrence, may elect to continue the business of the
Partnership for the balance of the term specified in Section
2.04 hereof by selecting, subject to Section 7.02 hereof and any
other provisions of this Agreement, a substitute General Partner
by consent of a Majority in Interest. If the Limited Partners
elect to continue the business of the
29
Partnership and admit a substitute General Partner, the
relationship with the Partners and of any Person who has
acquired an interest of a Partner in the Partnership shall be
governed by this Agreement.
7.04 Removal of General Partner.
(a) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy as to, or
the dissolution of, the General Partner, the General Partner
shall be deemed to be removed automatically; provided,
however, that if the General Partner is on the date of
such occurrence a partnership, the withdrawal, death,
dissolution or Event of Bankruptcy of a partner in such
partnership shall be deemed not to be a dissolution of the
General Partner if the business of the General Partner is
continued by the remaining partner or partners. The Limited
Partners may not remove the General Partner, with or without
cause.
(b) If the General Partner has been removed pursuant to
this Section 7.04 and the Partnership is continued pursuant to
Section 7.03 hereof, the General Partner shall promptly transfer
and assign its General Partnership Interest in the Partnership
to the substitute General Partner approved by a Majority in
Interest in accordance with Section 7.03(b) hereof and otherwise
be admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 7.02
hereof. At the time of assignment, the removed General Partner
shall be entitled to receive from the substitute General Partner
the fair market value of the General Partnership Interest of
such removed General Partner. Such fair market value shall be
determined by an appraiser mutually agreed upon by the General
Partner and a Majority in Interest (excluding the General
Partner and any Subsidiary of the General Partner) within ten
days following the removal of the General Partner. In the event
that the parties are unable to agree upon an appraiser, the
removed General Partner and a Majority in Interest (excluding
the General Partner and any Subsidiary of the General Partner)
each shall select an appraiser. Each such appraiser shall
complete an appraisal of the fair market value of the removed
General Partner’s General Partnership Interest within
30 days of the General Partner’s removal, and the fair
market value of the removed General Partner’s General
Partnership Interest shall be the average of the two appraisals;
provided, however, that if the higher appraisal
exceeds the lower appraisal by more than 20% of the amount of
the lower appraisal, the two appraisers, no later than
40 days after the removal of the General Partner, shall
select a third appraiser who shall complete an appraisal of the
fair market value of the removed General Partner’s General
Partnership Interest no later than 60 days after the
removal of the General Partner. In such case, the fair market
value of the removed General Partner’s General Partnership
Interest shall be the average of the two appraisals closest in
value.
(c) The General Partnership Interest of a removed General
Partner, during the time after default until transfer under
Section 7.04(b) hereof, shall be converted to that of a special
Limited Partner; provided, however, such removed
General Partner shall not have any rights to participate in the
management and affairs of the Partnership, and shall not be
entitled to any portion of the income, expense, profit, gain or
loss allocations or cash distributions allocable or payable, as
the case may be, to the Limited Partners. Instead, such removed
General Partner shall receive and be entitled only to retain
distributions or allocations of such items that it would have
been entitled to receive in its capacity as General Partner,
until the transfer is effective pursuant to Section 7.04(b)
hereof.
(d) All Partners shall have given and hereby do give such
consents, shall take such actions and shall execute such
documents as shall be legally necessary and sufficient to effect
all the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.04.
ARTICLE VIII
RIGHTS
AND OBLIGATIONS
OF THE
LIMITED PARTNERS
8.01 Management of the Partnership. The
Limited Partners shall not participate in the management or
control of Partnership business nor shall they transact any
business for the Partnership, nor shall they have the power to
sign for or bind the Partnership, such powers being vested
solely and exclusively in the General Partner. The Limited
Partners covenant and agree not to hold themselves out in a
manner that could reasonably be considered in contravention of
the terms hereof by any third party.
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8.02 Power of Attorney. Each Limited
Partner by entry into this Agreement through execution,
execution by power of attorney or other consent, hereby
irrevocably appoints the General Partner its true and lawful
attorney-in-fact, who may act for each Limited Partner and in
its name, place and stead, and for its use and benefit, to sign,
acknowledge, swear to, deliver, file or record, at the
appropriate public offices, any and all documents, certificates
and instruments (including, without limitation, this Agreement
and all amendments or restatements thereof) as may be deemed
necessary or desirable by the General Partner to carry out fully
the provisions of this Agreement and the Act in accordance with
their terms, which power of attorney is coupled with an interest
and shall survive the death, dissolution or legal incapacity of
the Limited Partner, or the transfer by the Limited Partner of
any part or all of its Partnership Interest.
8.03 Limitation on Liability of Limited
Partners. No Limited Partner shall be liable for any
debts, liabilities, contracts or obligations of the Partnership.
A Limited Partner shall be liable to the Partnership only to
make payments of its Capital Contribution, if any, as and when
due hereunder. After its Capital Contribution is fully paid, no
Limited Partner shall, except as otherwise required by the Act,
be required to make any further Capital Contributions or other
payments or lend any funds to the Partnership.
8.04 Common Unit Redemption Right.
(a) Subject to Sections 8.04(b), (c), (d), (e) and (f)
hereof and the provisions of any agreements between the
Partnership and one or more Limited Partners with respect to
Common Units (including any LTIP Units that are converted into
Common Units) held by them, each Limited Partner (other than the
General Partner, Summit REIT or any Subsidiary of the General
Partner or Summit REIT, shall have the right (the
“Common Unit Redemption Right”) to require
the Partnership to redeem on a Specified Redemption Date
all or a portion of the Common Units held by such Limited
Partner at a redemption price equal to and in the form of the
Common Redemption Amount to be paid by the Partnership,
provided that (i) such Common Units shall have been
outstanding for at least one year (or such lesser time as
determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute
discretion), and (ii) subject to any restriction agreed to
in writing between the Redeeming Limited Partner and the General
Partner. The Common Unit Redemption Right shall be
exercised pursuant to a Notice of Exercise of
Redemption Right in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit B delivered to the Partnership (with a copy
to the General Partner) by the Limited Partner who is exercising
the Common Unit Redemption Right (the “Redeeming
Limited Partner”) and such notice shall be irrevocable
unless otherwise agreed upon by the General Partner. In such
event, the Partnership shall deliver the Cash Amount to the
Redeeming Limited Partner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Partnership shall not be obligated to satisfy such Common Unit
Redemption Right if the General Partner elects to cause
Summit REIT to purchase the Common Units subject to the Notice
of Redemption pursuant to Section 8.04(b) hereof. No Limited
Partner may deliver more than two Notices of Redemption during
each calendar year unless otherwise agreed upon by the General
Partner. A Limited Partner may not exercise the Common Unit
Redemption Right for less than one thousand (1,000) Common
Units or, if such Limited Partner holds less than one thousand
(1,000) Common Units, all of the Common Units held by such
Limited Partner. The Redeeming Limited Partner shall have no
right, with respect to any Common Units so redeemed, to receive
any distribution paid with respect to Common Units if the record
date for such distribution is on or after the Specified
Redemption Date.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8.04(a)
hereof, if a Limited Partner exercises the Common Unit
Redemption Right by delivering to the Partnership a Notice
of Redemption, then the Partnership may, in its sole and
absolute discretion, elect to cause Summit REIT to purchase
directly and acquire some or all of, and in such event Summit
REIT agrees to purchase and acquire, such Common Units by paying
to the Redeeming Limited Partner either the Cash Amount or the
REIT Shares Amount, as elected by Summit REIT (in its sole
and absolute discretion) on the Specified Redemption Date,
whereupon Summit REIT shall acquire the Common Units offered for
redemption by the Redeeming Limited Partner and shall be treated
for all purposes of this Agreement as the owner of such Common
Units.
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In the event Summit REIT purchases Common Units with respect to
the exercise of a Common Unit Redemption Right, the
Partnership shall have no obligation to pay any amount to the
Redeeming Limited Partner with respect to such Redeeming Limited
Partner’s exercise of such Common Unit
Redemption Right, and each of the Redeeming Limited
Partner, the Partnership and Summit REIT shall treat the
transaction between Summit REIT and the Redeeming Limited
Partner for federal income tax purposes as a sale of the
Redeeming Limited Partner’s Common Units to Summit REIT.
Each Redeeming Limited Partner agrees to execute such documents
as Summit REIT may reasonably require in connection with the
issuance of REIT Shares upon exercise of the Common Unit
Redemption Right.
Each Redeeming Limited Partner covenants and agrees that all
Common Units subject to a Notice of Redemption will be delivered
to the Partnership or Summit REIT free and clear of all liens,
claims and encumbrances whatsoever and should any such liens,
claims or encumbrances exist or arise with respect to such
Common Units, neither the Partnership nor Summit REIT shall be
under any obligation to acquire such Common Units.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 8.04(a) and
8.04(b) hereof, a Limited Partner shall not be entitled to
exercise the Common Unit Redemption Right if the delivery
of REIT Shares to such Limited Partner on the Specified
Redemption Date by Summit REIT pursuant to Section 8.04(b)
hereof (regardless of whether or not Summit REIT would in fact
purchase the Common Units pursuant to Section 8.04(b) hereof)
would (i) result in such Limited Partner or any other
Person (as defined in the Articles) owning, directly or
indirectly, REIT Shares in excess of the Stock Ownership Limit
or any Excepted Holder Limit (each as defined in the Articles)
and calculated in accordance therewith, except as provided in
the Articles, (ii) result in REIT Shares being owned by
fewer than 100 persons (determined without reference to any
rules of attribution), (iii) result in Summit REIT being
“closely held” within the meaning of
Section 856(h) of the Code, (iv) cause Summit REIT to
own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the ownership
interests in a tenant (other than a TRS) of Summit REIT’s,
the Partnership’s or a Subsidiary Partnership’s real
property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the
Code, (v) otherwise cause Summit REIT to fail to qualify as
a REIT under the Code, including, but not limited to, as a
result of any “eligible independent contractor” (as
defined in Section 856(d)(9)(A) of the Code) that operates
a “qualified lodging facility” (as defined in
Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code) on behalf of a TRS
failing to qualify as such, or (vi) cause the acquisition
of REIT Shares by such Limited Partner to be
“integrated” with any other distribution of REIT
Shares or Common Units for purposes of complying with the
registration provisions of the Securities Act. Summit REIT, in
its sole and absolute discretion, may waive the restriction on
redemption set forth in this Section 8.04(c).
(d) Any Cash Amount to be paid to a Redeeming Limited
Partner pursuant to this Section 8.04 shall be paid on the
Specified Redemption Date; provided, however,
that the General Partner may elect to cause the Specified
Redemption Date to be delayed for up to an additional
90 days to the extent required for Summit REIT to cause
additional REIT Shares to be issued to provide financing to be
used to make such payment of the Cash Amount and may also delay
such Specified Redemption Date to the extent necessary to
effect compliance with applicable requirements of the law. Any
REIT Share Amount to be paid to a Redeeming Limited Partner
pursuant to this Section 8.04 shall be paid on the Specified
Redemption Date; provided, however, that the
General Partner may elect to cause the Specified
Redemption Date to be delayed for up to an additional
180 days to the extent required for Summit REIT to cause
additional REIT Shares to be issued and may also delay such
Specified Redemption Date to the extent necessary to effect
compliance with applicable requirements of the law.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Summit REIT agrees to use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cause the closing of the
acquisition of redeemed Common Units hereunder to occur as
quickly as reasonably possible.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the General Partner is authorized to take any action that it
determines to be necessary or appropriate to cause the
Partnership to comply with any withholding requirements
established under the Code or any other federal, state, local or
foreign law that apply upon a Redeeming Limited Partner’s
exercise of the Common Unit Redemption Right. If a
Redeeming Limited Partner believes that it is exempt from such
withholding upon the exercise of the Common Unit
Redemption Right, such Partner must furnish the General
Partner with a FIRPTA
32
Certificate in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit C-1 or Exhibit C-2, as
applicable, and any similar forms or certificates required to
avoid or reduce the withholding under federal, state, local or
foreign law or such other form as the General Partner may
reasonably request. If the Partnership, Summit REIT or the
General Partner is required to withhold and pay over to any
taxing authority any amount upon a Redeeming Limited
Partner’s exercise of the Common Unit Redemption Right
and if the Common Redemption Amount equals or exceeds the
Withheld Amount, the Withheld Amount shall be treated as an
amount received by such Partner in redemption of its Common
Units. If, however, the Common Redemption Amount is less
than the Withheld Amount, the Redeeming Limited Partner shall
not receive any portion of the Common Redemption Amount,
the Common Redemption Amount shall be treated as an amount
received by such Partner in redemption of its Common Units, and
the Partner shall contribute the excess of the Withheld Amount
over the Common Redemption Amount to the Partnership before
the Partnership is required to pay over such excess to a taxing
authority.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the General Partner may place appropriate restrictions on the
ability of the Limited Partners to exercise their Common Unit
Redemption Rights as and if deemed necessary or reasonable
to ensure that the Partnership does not constitute a
“publicly traded partnership” under Section 7704
of the Code. If and when the General Partner determines that
imposing such restrictions is necessary, the General Partner
shall give prompt written notice thereof (a “Restriction
Notice”) to each of the Limited Partners, which notice
shall be accompanied by a copy of an opinion of counsel to the
Partnership that states that, in the opinion of such counsel,
restrictions are necessary or reasonable in order to avoid the
Partnership being treated as a “publicly traded
partnership” under Section 7704 of the Code.
8.05 Registration. Subject to the terms
of any agreement between the General Partner and a Limited
Partner with respect to Common Units held by such Limited
Partner:
(a) Shelf Registration of the REIT
Shares. Following the date on which Summit REIT
becomes eligible to use a registration statement on
Form S-3
for the registration of securities under the Securities Act (the
“S-3
Eligible Date”) Summit REIT shall file with the
Commission a shelf registration statement under Rule 415 of
the Securities Act (a “Registration
Statement”), or any similar rule that may be adopted by
the Commission, covering (i) the issuance of REIT Shares
issuable upon redemption of the Common Units held by such
Limited Partner as of the date of this Agreement
(“Redemption Shares”)
and/or
(ii) the resale by the holder of the
Redemption Shares; provided, however, that
Summit REIT shall be required to file only two such
registrations in any
12-month
period. In connection therewith, Summit REIT will:
(1) use commercially reasonable efforts to have such
Registration Statement declared effective;
(2) register or qualify the Redemption Shares covered
by the Registration Statement under the securities or blue sky
laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as required
by law, and do such other reasonable acts and things as may be
required of it to enable such holders to consummate the sale or
other disposition in such jurisdictions of the
Redemption Shares; provided, however, that
Summit REIT shall not be required to (i) qualify as a
foreign corporation or consent to a general or unlimited service
or process in any jurisdictions in which it would not otherwise
be required to be qualified or so consent or (ii) qualify
as a dealer in securities; and
(3) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to
comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission in connection with a Registration Statement.
Summit REIT further agrees to supplement or make amendments to
each Registration Statement, if required by the rules,
regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form
utilized by Summit REIT or by the Securities Act or rules and
regulations thereunder for such Registration Statement. Each
Limited Partner agrees to furnish to Summit REIT, upon request,
such information with respect to the Limited Partner as may be
required to complete and file the Registration Statement.
33
In connection with and as a condition to Summit REIT’s
obligations with respect to the filing of a Registration
Statement pursuant to this Section 8.05, each Limited Partner
agrees with Summit REIT that:
(w) it will provide in a timely manner to Summit REIT such
information with respect to the Limited Partner as reasonably
required to complete the Registration Statement or as otherwise
required to comply with applicable securities laws and
regulations;
(x) it will not offer or sell its Redemption Shares
until (A) such Redemption Shares have been included in
a Registration Statement and (B) it has received notice
that the Registration Statement covering such
Redemption Shares, or any post-effective amendment thereto,
has been declared effective by the Commission, such notice to
have been satisfied by the posting by the Commission on
xxx.xxx.xxx of a notice of effectiveness;
(y) if Summit REIT determines in its good faith judgment,
after consultation with counsel, that the use of the
Registration Statement, including any pre- or post-effective
amendment thereto, or the use of any prospectus contained in
such Registration Statement would require the disclosure of
important information that Summit REIT has a bona fide
business purpose for preserving as confidential or the
disclosure of which, in the judgment of Summit REIT, would
impede Summit REIT’s ability to consummate a significant
transaction, upon written notice of such determination by Summit
REIT (which notice shall be deemed sufficient if given through
the issuance of a press release or filing with the Commission
and, if such notice is not publicly distributed, the Limited
Partner agrees to keep the subject information confidential and
acknowledges that such information may constitute material
non-public information subject to the applicable restrictions
under securities laws), the rights of each Limited Partner to
offer, sell or distribute its Redemption Shares pursuant to
such Registration Statement or prospectus or to require Summit
REIT to take action with respect to the registration or sale of
any Redemption Shares pursuant to a Registration Statement
(including any action contemplated by this Section 8.05) will be
suspended until the date upon which Summit REIT notifies such
Limited Partner in writing (which notice shall be deemed
sufficient if given through the issuance of a press release or
filing with the Commission and, if such notice is not publicly
distributed, the Limited Partner agrees to keep the subject
information confidential and acknowledges that such information
may constitute material non-public information subject to the
applicable restrictions under securities laws) that suspension
of such rights for the grounds set forth in this paragraph is no
longer necessary; provided, however, that Summit
REIT may not suspend such rights for an aggregate period of more
than 180 days in any
12-month
period; and
(z) in the case of the registration of any underwritten
equity offering proposed by Summit REIT (other than any
registration by Summit REIT on
Form S-8,
or a successor or substantially similar form, of an employee
stock option, stock purchase or compensation plan or of
securities issued or issuable pursuant to any such plan, each
Limited Partner will agree, if requested in writing by the
managing underwriter or underwriters administering such
offering, not to effect any offer, sale or distribution of any
REIT Shares or Redemption Shares (or any option or right to
acquire REIT Shares or Redemption Shares) during the period
commencing on the tenth day prior to the expected effective date
(which date shall be stated in such notice) of the registration
statement covering such underwritten primary equity offering or,
if such offering shall be a “take-down” from an
effective shelf registration statement, the tenth day prior to
the expected commencement date (which date shall be stated in
such notice) of such offering, and ending on the date specified
by such managing underwriter in such written request to the
Limited Partners; provided, however, that no
Limited Partner shall be required to agree not to effect any
offer, sale or distribution of its Redemption Shares for a
period of time that is longer than the greater of 90 days
or the period of time for which any senior executive of Summit
REIT is required so to agree in connection with such offering.
Nothing in this paragraph shall be read to limit the ability of
any Limited Partner to redeem its Common Units in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement.
(b) Listing on Securities Exchange. If
Summit REIT lists or maintains the listing of REIT Shares on any
securities exchange or national market system, it shall, at its
expense and as necessary to permit the registration and sale of
the Redemption Shares hereunder, list thereon, maintain
and, when necessary, increase such listing to include such
Redemption Shares.
34
(c) Registration Not
Required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Summit
REIT shall not be required to file or maintain the effectiveness
of a registration statement relating to Redemption Shares
after the first date upon which, in the opinion of counsel to
Summit REIT, all of the Redemption Shares covered thereby
could be sold by the holders thereof either (i) pursuant to
Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any successor rule
thereto (“Rule 144”) without limitation as to
amount or manner of sale or (ii) pursuant to Rule 144
in one transaction in accordance with the volume limitations
contained in Rule 144(e).
(d) Allocation of Expenses. The
Partnership shall pay all expenses in connection with the
Registration Statement, including without limitation
(i) all expenses incident to filing with the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., (ii) registration
fees, (iii) printing expenses, (iv) accounting and
legal fees and expenses, except to the extent holders of
Redemption Shares elect to engage accountants or attorneys
in addition to the accountants and attorneys engaged by Summit
REIT or the Partnership, which fees and expenses for such
accountants or attorneys shall be for the account of the holders
of the Redemption Shares, (v) accounting expenses
incident to or required by any such registration or
qualification and (vi) expenses of complying with the
securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdictions in connection
with such registration or qualification; provided,
however, neither the Partnership nor Summit REIT shall be
liable for (A) any discounts or commissions to any
underwriter or broker attributable to the sale of
Redemption Shares, or (B) any fees or expenses
incurred by holders of Redemption Shares in connection with
such registration that, according to the written instructions of
any regulatory authority, the Partnership or Summit REIT is not
permitted to pay.
(e) Indemnification.
(i) In connection with the Registration Statement, the
General Partner and the Partnership agree to indemnify each
holder of Redemption Shares and each Person who controls
any such holder of Redemption Shares within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act, against all losses,
claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable
costs of investigation) caused by any untrue, or alleged untrue,
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, preliminary prospectus or prospectus (as amended or
supplemented if Summit REIT shall have furnished any amendments
or supplements thereto) or caused by any omission or alleged
omission, to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are caused by any untrue statement,
alleged untrue statement, omission, or alleged omission based
upon information furnished to Summit REIT by the Limited Partner
of the holder for use therein. Summit REIT and each officer,
director and controlling person of Summit REIT and the
Partnership shall be indemnified by each Limited Partner or
holder of Redemption Shares covered by the Registration
Statement for all such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
expenses (including reasonable costs of investigation) caused by
any untrue, or alleged untrue, statement or any omission, or
alleged omission, based upon information furnished to Summit
REIT by the Limited Partner or the holder for use therein.
(ii) Promptly upon receipt by a party indemnified under
this Section 8.05(e) of notice of the commencement of any action
against such indemnified party in respect of which indemnity or
reimbursement may be sought against any indemnifying party under
this Section 8.05(e), such indemnified party shall notify the
indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of such
action, but the failure to so notify the indemnifying party
shall not relieve it of any liability that it may have to any
indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8.05(e)
unless such failure shall materially adversely affect the
defense of such action. In case notice of commencement of any
such action shall be given to the indemnifying party as above
provided, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate in and, to the extent it may wish, jointly with any
other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the
defense of such action at its own expense, with counsel chosen
by it and reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party. The
indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate
counsel in any such action and participate in the defense
thereof, but the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel
(other than reasonable costs of investigation) shall be paid by
the indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party
agrees to pay the same, (ii) the indemnifying party fails
to assume the defense of such action with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the
35
indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to any such
action (including any impleaded parties) have been advised by
such counsel that representation of such indemnified party and
the indemnifying party by the same counsel would be
inappropriate under applicable standards of professional conduct
(in which case the indemnified party shall have the right to
separate counsel and the indemnifying party shall pay the
reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel, provided
that, the indemnifying party shall not be liable for more than
one separate counsel). No indemnifying party shall be liable for
any settlement of any proceeding entered into without its
consent.
(f) Contribution.
(i) If for any reason the indemnification provisions
contemplated by Section 8.05(e) hereof are either unavailable or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein,
then the party that would otherwise be required to provide
indemnification or the indemnifying party (in either case, for
purposes of this Section 8.05(f), the “Indemnifying
Party”) in respect of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
the party that would otherwise be entitled to indemnification or
the indemnified party (in either case, for purposes of this
Section 8.05(f), the “Indemnified Party”) as a
result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expense,
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
fault of the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party, as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The
relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact related to
information supplied by the Indemnifying Party or Indemnified
Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access
to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as
a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal
or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party.
(ii) The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8.05(f) were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the holders were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method
of allocation that does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to in the immediately preceding
paragraph. No person or entity determined to have committed a
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person or entity who was not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(iii) The contribution provided for in this Section 8.05(f)
shall survive the termination of this Agreement and shall remain
in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by
or on behalf of any Indemnified Party.
ARTICLE IX
TRANSFERS
OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
9.01 Purchase for Investment.
(a) Each Limited Partner, by its signature below or by its
subsequent admission to the Partnership, hereby represents and
warrants to the General Partner and to the Partnership that the
acquisition of such Limited Partner’s Partnership Units is
made for investment purposes only and not with a view to the
resale or distribution of such Partnership Units.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 9.02 hereof, each
Limited Partner agrees that such Limited Partner will not sell,
assign or otherwise transfer such Limited Partner’s
Partnership Units or any fraction thereof, whether voluntarily
or by operation of law or at judicial sale or otherwise, to any
Person who does not make the representations and warranties to
the General Partner set forth in Section 9.01(a) hereof.
36
9.02 Restrictions on Transfer of Partnership
Units.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 9.02(b) and (c)
hereof, no Limited Partner may offer, sell, assign, hypothecate,
pledge or otherwise transfer all or any portion of such Limited
Partner’s Partnership Units, or any of such Limited
Partner’s economic rights as a Limited Partner, whether
voluntarily or by operation of law or at judicial sale or
otherwise (collectively, a “Transfer”) without
the consent of the General Partner, which consent may be granted
or withheld in its sole and absolute discretion;
provided, however, that the term Transfer does not
include (a) any redemption of Common Units by the
Partnership or Summit REIT, or acquisition of Common Units by
Summit REIT, pursuant to Section 8.04 or (b) any
redemption of Partnership Units pursuant to any Partnership Unit
Designation. The General Partner may require, as a condition of
any Transfer to which it consents, that the transferor assume
all costs incurred by the Partnership in connection therewith
(including, but not limited to, cost of legal counsel).
(b) No Limited Partner may withdraw from the Partnership
other than as a result of a permitted Transfer (i.e., a
Transfer consented to as contemplated by clause (a) above or a
Transfer pursuant to Section 9.05 hereof) of all of such Limited
Partner’s Partnership Units pursuant to this Article IX or
pursuant to a redemption of all of such Limited Partner’s
Common Units pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof. Upon the permitted
Transfer or redemption of all of a Limited Partner’s Common
Units, such Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner.
(c) No Limited Partner may effect a Transfer of its
Partnership Units, in whole or in part, if, in the opinion of
legal counsel for the Partnership, such proposed Transfer would
require the registration of the Partnership Units under the
Securities Act or would otherwise violate any applicable federal
or state securities or blue sky law (including investment
suitability standards).
(d) No Transfer by a Limited Partner of its Partnership
Units, in whole or in part, may be made to any Person if
(i) in the opinion of legal counsel for the Partnership,
such Transfer would result in the Partnership being treated as
an association taxable as a corporation (other than a qualified
REIT subsidiary within the meaning of Section 856(i) of the
Code), (ii) in the opinion of legal counsel for the
Partnership, it would adversely affect the ability of Summit
REIT to continue to qualify as a REIT or subject Summit REIT to
any additional taxes under Section 857 or Section 4981
of the Code, (iii) the General Partner determines, in its
sole and absolute discretion, that such Transfer, along or in
connection with other Transfers, could cause the Partnership
Units to be treated as readily tradable on an “established
securities market” or a “secondary market (or the
substantial equivalent thereof)” within the meaning of
Section 7704 of the Code, provided that the General Partner
may presume that any proposed Transfer of Partnership Units
during calendar year 2010 will cause the Partnership Units to be
treated as readily tradable on a “secondary market (or the
substantial equivalent thereof)” or (iv) in the
opinion of legal counsel for the Partnership, such Transfer is
reasonably likely to cause the Partnership to fail to satisfy
the 90% qualifying income test described in Section 7704(c)
of the Code.
(e) Any purported Transfer in contravention of any of the
provisions of this Article IX shall be void ab initio and
ineffectual and shall not be binding upon, or recognized by, the
General Partner or the Partnership.
(f) Prior to the consummation of any Transfer under this
Article IX, the transferor
and/or the
transferee shall deliver to the General Partner such opinions,
certificates and other documents as the General Partner shall
request in connection with such Transfer.
9.03 Admission of Substitute Limited
Partner.
(a) Subject to the other provisions of this Article IX, an
assignee of the Partnership Units of a Limited Partner (which
shall be understood to include any purchaser, transferee, donee
or other recipient of any disposition of such Partnership Units)
shall be deemed admitted as a Limited Partner of the
37
Partnership only with the consent of the General Partner, which
consent may be given or withheld by the General Partner in its
sole and absolute discretion, and upon the satisfactory
completion of the following:
(i) The assignee shall have accepted and agreed to be bound
by the terms and provisions of this Agreement by executing a
counterpart or an amendment thereof, including a revised
Exhibit A, and such other documents or instruments
as the General Partner may require in order to effect the
admission of such Person as a Limited Partner.
(ii) To the extent required, an amended Certificate
evidencing the admission of such Person as a Limited Partner
shall have been signed, acknowledged and filed in accordance
with the Act.
(iii) The assignee shall have delivered a letter containing
the representation set forth in Section 9.01(a) hereof and
the representations and warranties set forth in Section 9.01(b)
hereof.
(iv) If the assignee is a corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or trust, the assignee shall have provided the
General Partner with evidence satisfactory to counsel for the
Partnership of the assignee’s authority to become a Limited
Partner under the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
(v) The assignee shall have executed a power of attorney
containing the terms and provisions set forth in Section 8.02
hereof.
(vi) The assignee shall have paid all legal fees and other
expenses of the Partnership and the General Partner and filing
and publication costs in connection with its substitution as a
Limited Partner.
(vii) The assignee shall have obtained the prior written
consent of the General Partner to its admission as a Substitute
Limited Partner, which consent may be given or denied in the
exercise of the General Partner’s sole and absolute
discretion.
(b) For the purpose of allocating Profits and Losses and
distributing cash received by the Partnership, a Substitute
Limited Partner shall be treated as having become, and appearing
in the records of the Partnership as, a Partner upon the filing
of the Certificate described in Section 9.03(a)(ii) hereof or,
if no such filing is required, the later of the date specified
in the transfer documents or the date on which the General
Partner has received all necessary instruments of transfer and
substitution.
(c) The General Partner and the Substitute Limited Partner
shall cooperate with each other by preparing the documentation
required by this Section 9.03 and making all official filings
and publications. The Partnership shall take all such action as
promptly as practicable after the satisfaction of the conditions
in this Article IX to the admission of such Person as a Limited
Partner of the Partnership.
9.04 Rights of Assignees of Partnership
Units.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 9.01 and 9.02
hereof, except as required by operation of law, the Partnership
shall not be obligated for any purposes whatsoever to recognize
the assignment by any Limited Partner of its Partnership Units
until the Partnership has received notice thereof.
(b) Any Person who is the assignee of all or any portion of
a Limited Partner’s Partnership Units, but does not become
a Substitute Limited Partner and desires to make a further
assignment of such Partnership Units, shall be subject to all
the provisions of this Article IX to the same extent and in the
same manner as any Limited Partner desiring to make an
assignment of its Partnership Units.
9.05 Effect of Bankruptcy, Death, Incompetence
or Termination of a Limited Partner. The occurrence of
an Event of Bankruptcy as to a Limited Partner, the death of a
Limited Partner or a final adjudication that a Limited Partner
is incompetent (which term shall include, but not be limited to,
insanity) shall not cause the termination or dissolution of the
Partnership, and the business of the Partnership shall continue
if an order for relief in a bankruptcy proceeding is entered
against a Limited Partner, the trustee or receiver of his estate
or, if such Limited Partner dies, such Limited Partner’s
executor, administrator or trustee, or, if such Limited Partner
is finally adjudicated incompetent, such Limited Partner’s
committee, guardian or
38
conservator, shall have the rights of such Limited Partner for
the purpose of settling or managing such Limited Partner’s
estate property and such power as the bankrupt, deceased or
incompetent Limited Partner possessed to assign all or any part
of such Limited Partner’s Partnership Units and to join
with the assignee in satisfying conditions precedent to the
admission of the assignee as a Substitute Limited Partner.
9.06 Joint Ownership of Partnership
Units. A Partnership Unit may be acquired by two
individuals as joint tenants with right of survivorship,
provided that such individuals either are married or are
related and share the same home as tenants in common. The
written consent or vote of both owners of any such jointly held
Partnership Unit shall be required to constitute the action of
the owners of such Partnership Unit; provided,
however, that the written consent of only one joint owner
will be required if the Partnership has been provided with
evidence satisfactory to the counsel for the Partnership that
the actions of a single joint owner can bind both owners under
the applicable laws of the state of residence of such joint
owners. Upon the death of one owner of a Partnership Unit held
in a joint tenancy with a right of survivorship, the Partnership
Unit shall become owned solely by the survivor as a Limited
Partner and not as an assignee. The Partnership need not
recognize the death of one of the owners of a jointly-held
Partnership Unit until it shall have received certificated
notice of such death. Upon notice to the General Partner from
either owner, the General Partner shall cause the Partnership
Unit to be divided into two equal Partnership Units, which shall
thereafter be owned separately by each of the former owners.
ARTICLE X
BOOKS
AND RECORDS; ACCOUNTING; TAX MATTERS
10.01 Books and Records. At all times
during the continuance of the Partnership, the General Partner
shall keep or cause to be kept at the Partnership’s
specified office true and complete books of account in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,
including: (a) a current list of the full name and last
known business address of each Partner, (b) a copy of the
Certificate Limited Partnership and all certificates of
amendment thereto, (c) copies of the Partnership’s
federal, state and local income tax returns and reports,
(d) copies of this Agreement and any financial statements
of the Partnership for the three most recent years and
(e) all documents and information required under the Act.
Any Partner or its duly authorized representative, upon paying
the costs of collection, duplication and mailing, shall be
entitled to a copy of such records if reasonably requested.
10.02 Custody of Partnership Funds; Bank
Accounts.
(a) All funds of the Partnership not otherwise invested
shall be deposited in one or more accounts maintained in such
banking or brokerage institutions as the General Partner shall
determine, and withdrawals shall be made only on such signature
or signatures as the General Partner may, from time to time,
determine.
(b) All deposits and other funds not needed in the
operation of the business of the Partnership may be invested by
the General Partner. The funds of the Partnership shall not be
commingled with the funds of any Person other than the General
Partner except for such commingling as may necessarily result
from an investment in those investment companies permitted by
this Section 10.02(b).
10.03 Fiscal and Taxable Year. The
fiscal and taxable year of the Partnership shall be the calendar
year unless otherwise required by the Code.
10.04 Annual Tax Information and
Report. Within 75 days after the end of each fiscal
year of the Partnership, the General Partner shall furnish to
each person who was a Limited Partner at any time during such
year the tax information necessary to file such Limited
Partner’s individual tax returns as shall be reasonably
required by law.
10.05 Tax Matters Partner; Tax Elections;
Special Basis Adjustments.
(a) The General Partner shall be the Tax Matters Partner of
the Partnership. As Tax Matters Partner, the General Partner
shall have the right and obligation to take all actions
authorized and required,
39
respectively, by the Code for the Tax Matters Partner. The
General Partner shall have the right to retain professional
assistance in respect of any audit of the Partnership by the
Service and all
out-of-pocket
expenses and fees incurred by the General Partner on behalf of
the Partnership as Tax Matters Partner shall constitute
Partnership expenses. In the event the General Partner receives
notice of a final Partnership adjustment under
Section 6223(a)(2) of the Code, the General Partner shall
either (i) file a court petition for judicial review of
such final adjustment within the period provided under
Section 6226(a) of the Code, a copy of which petition shall
be mailed to all Limited Partners on the date such petition is
filed, or (ii) mail a written notice to all Limited
Partners, within such period, that describes the General
Partner’s reasons for determining not to file such a
petition.
(b) All elections required or permitted to be made by the
Partnership under the Code or any applicable state or local tax
law shall be made by the General Partner in its sole and
absolute discretion.
(c) In the event of a transfer of all or any part of the
Partnership Interest of any Partner, the Partnership, at the
option of the General Partner, may elect pursuant to
Section 754 of the Code to adjust the basis of the
Properties. Notwithstanding anything contained in Article V of
this Agreement, any adjustments made pursuant to
Section 754 shall affect only the successor in interest to
the transferring Partner and in no event shall be taken into
account in establishing, maintaining or computing Capital
Accounts for the other Partners for any purpose under this
Agreement. Each Partner will furnish the Partnership with all
information necessary to give effect to such election.
(d) The Partners, intending to be legally bound, hereby
authorize the Partnership to make an election (the “Safe
Harbor Election”) to have the “liquidation
value” safe harbor provided in Proposed Treasury Regulation
§ 1.83-3(1) and the Proposed Revenue Procedure set
forth in Internal Revenue Service Notice
2005-43, as
such safe harbor may be modified when such proposed guidance is
issued in final form or as amended by subsequently issued
guidance (the “Safe Harbor”), apply to any
interest in the Partnership transferred to a service provider
while the Safe Harbor Election remains effective, to the extent
such interest meets the Safe Harbor requirements (collectively,
such interests are referred to as “Safe Harbor
Interests”). The Tax Matters Partner is authorized and
directed to execute and file the Safe Harbor Election on behalf
of the Partnership and the Partners. The Partnership and the
Partners (including any person to whom an interest in the
Partnership is transferred in connection with the performance of
services) hereby agree to comply with all requirements of the
Safe Harbor (including forfeiture allocations) with respect to
all Safe Harbor Interests and to prepare and file all
U.S. federal income tax returns reporting the tax
consequences of the issuance and vesting of Safe Harbor
Interests consistent with such final Safe Harbor guidance. The
Partnership is also authorized to take such actions as are
necessary to achieve, under the Safe Harbor, the effect that the
election and compliance with all requirements of the Safe Harbor
referred to above would be intended to achieve under Proposed
Treasury Regulation § 1.83-3, including amending this
Agreement.
(e) Each Limited Partner shall be required to provide such
information as reasonably requested by the Partnership in order
to determine whether such Limited Partner (i) owns,
directly or constructively (within the meaning of
Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by
Section 856(d)(5) of the Code and Section 7704(d)(3)
of the Code), five percent (5%) or more of the of the value of
the Partnership or (ii) owns, directly or constructively
(within the meaning of Section 318(a) of the Code, as
modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code and
Section 7704(d)(3) of the Code), ten percent (10%) or more
of (a) the stock, by voting power or value, of a tenant
(other than a “taxable REIT subsidiary” within the
meaning of Section 856(d) of the Code) of the Partnership
that is a corporation or (b) the assets or net profits of a
tenant of the Partnership that is a noncorporate entity.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENT
OF AGREEMENT; MERGER
11.01 Amendment of Agreement.
The General Partner’s consent shall be required for any
amendment to this Agreement. The General Partner, without the
consent of the Limited Partners, may amend this Agreement in any
respect; provided,
40
however, that the following amendments shall require the
consent of a Majority in Interest (other than the General
Partner or any Subsidiary of the General Partner):
(a) any amendment affecting the operation of the Conversion
Factor or the Common Unit Redemption Right (except as
otherwise provided herein) in a manner that adversely affects
the Limited Partners in any material respect;
(b) any amendment that would adversely affect the rights of
the Limited Partners to receive the distributions payable to
them hereunder, other than with respect to the issuance of
additional Partnership Units pursuant to Section 4.02 hereof;
(c) any amendment that would alter the Partnership’s
allocations of Profit and Loss to the Limited Partners, other
than with respect to the issuance of additional Partnership
Units pursuant to Section 4.02 hereof;
(d) any amendment that would impose on the Limited Partners
any obligation to make additional Capital Contributions to the
Partnership; or
(e) any amendment to this Article XI.
11.02 Merger of Partnership.
The General Partner, without the consent of the Limited
Partners, may (i) merge or consolidate the Partnership with
or into any other domestic or foreign partnership, limited
partnership, limited liability company or corporation or
(ii) sell all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership in a transaction pursuant to which the Limited
Partners (other than the General Partner, Summit REIT or any
Subsidiary of the General Partner or Summit REIT) receives
consideration as set forth in Section 7.01(c)(ii) hereof or the
transaction complies with Sections 7.01(c)(iii) or 7.01(d)
hereof and may amend this Agreement in connection with any such
transaction consistent with the provisions of this Article XI;
provided, however, that the consent of a Majority
in Interest shall be required in the case of any other
(a) merger or consolidation of the Partnership with or into
any other domestic or foreign partnership, limited partnership,
limited liability company or corporation or (b) sale of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership.
ARTICLE XII
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
12.01 Notices. All communications
required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing
and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered
personally, by email, by press release, by posting on the Web
site of the General Partner, or upon deposit in the United
States mail, registered, first-class postage prepaid return
receipt requested, or via courier to the Partners at the
addresses set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, as
it may be amended or restated from time to time;
provided, however, that any Partner may specify a
different address by notifying the General Partner in writing of
such different address. Notices to the General Partner and the
Partnership shall be delivered at or mailed to its principal
office address set forth in Section 2.03 hereof. The
General Partner and the Partnership may specify a different
address by notifying the Limited Partners in writing of such
different address.
12.02 Survival of Rights. Subject to
the provisions hereof limiting transfers, this Agreement shall
be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Partners and the
Partnership and their permitted respective legal
representatives, successors, transferees and assigns.
12.03 Additional Documents. Each
Partner agrees to perform all further acts and execute, swear
to, acknowledge and deliver all further documents that may be
reasonable, necessary, appropriate or desirable to carry out the
provisions of this Agreement or the Act.
12.04 Severability. If any provision of
this Agreement shall be declared illegal, invalid or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then such provision shall be
deemed to be severable from this Agreement (to the extent
permitted by law) and in any event such illegality, invalidity
or unenforceability shall not affect the remainder
41
hereof. To the extent permitted under applicable law, the
severed provision shall be interpreted or modified so as to be
enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by law.
12.05 Entire Agreement. This Agreement
and exhibits attached hereto constitute the entire Agreement of
the Partners and supersede all prior written agreements and
prior and contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and
negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof.
12.06 Pronouns and Plurals. When the
context in which words are used in the Agreement indicates that
such is the intent, words in the singular number shall include
the plural and the masculine gender shall include the neuter or
female gender as the context may require.
12.07 Headings. The Article headings or
sections in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall
not be used in construing the scope of this Agreement or any
particular Article.
12.08 Counterparts. This Agreement may
be executed by hand or by power of attorney in several
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original
copy and all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument binding on all parties hereto, notwithstanding that
all parties shall not have signed the same counterpart.
12.09 Governing Law. This Agreement
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
of the State of Delaware.
[Signature
page follows.]
42
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have hereunder affixed
their signatures to this First Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership, all as of
the
day
of ,
2010.
GENERAL PARTNER:
SUMMIT HOTEL GP, LLC
By: |
Name:
Title: |
LIMITED PARTNERS:
By: |
Name:
Title: |
By: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, not individually
but as attorney-in-fact for each of the
following Limited Partners:
43
EXHIBIT A
(As
of ,
2010)
Agreed Value |
||||||||||||||||||||
Cash |
of Capital |
Common |
LTIP |
Percentage |
||||||||||||||||
Partner
|
Contribution(1) | Contribution(1) | Units | Units | Interest | |||||||||||||||
General Partner:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Summit Hotel GP, LLC
|
$ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||
[ ]
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Limited Partners:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
$ | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||
[ ]
|
$ | $ | % | |||||||||||||||||
$ | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||
$ | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||
TOTALS
|
$ | $ | % | |||||||||||||||||
(1) | Does not account for offering expenses. Cash and Agreed Value of Cash are to be reduced by final amount of offering expenses and underwriting discount as determined by the accountants to the Company at a later date. |
A-1
EXHIBIT B
NOTICE
OF EXERCISE OF REDEMPTION RIGHT
In accordance with Section 8.04 of the Agreement of Limited
Partnership, as amended (the “Agreement”) of Summit
Hotel OP, LP, the undersigned hereby irrevocably
(i) presents for
redemption
Common Units in Summit Hotel OP, LP in accordance with the terms
of the Agreement and the Common Unit Redemption Right
referred to in Section 8.04 thereof, (ii) surrenders
such Common Units and all right, title and interest therein and
(iii) directs that the Cash Amount or REIT Shares Amount
(as defined in the Agreement) as determined by the General
Partner deliverable upon exercise of the Common Unit
Redemption Right be delivered to the address specified
below, and if REIT Shares (as defined in the Agreement) are to
be delivered, such REIT Shares be registered or placed in the
name(s) and at the address(es) specified below. The undersigned
hereby represents, warrants and certifies that the undersigned
(a) has title to such Common Units, free and clear of the
rights and interests of any person or entity other than the
Partnership or the General Partner; (b) has the full right,
power and authority to cause the redemption of the Common Units
as provided herein; and (c) has obtained the approval of
all persons or entities, if any, having the right to consent to
or approve the Common Units for redemption.
Dated: ,
Name of Limited Partner:
(Signature of Limited Partner or
Authorized Representative)
Authorized Representative)
(Mailing Address)
(City) (State) (Zip Code)
Signature Guaranteed by:
If REIT Shares are to be issued, issue to:
Name:
Please insert Social Security or Identifying Number:
B-1
EXHIBIT C-1
CERTIFICATION
OF NON-FOREIGN STATUS
(FOR REDEEMING LIMITED PARTNERS THAT ARE ENTITIES)
(FOR REDEEMING LIMITED PARTNERS THAT ARE ENTITIES)
Under Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the “Code”), in the event of a disposition
by a
non-U.S. person
of a partnership interest in a partnership in which (i) 50%
or more of the value of the gross assets consists of United
States real property interests (“USRPIs”), as defined
in Section 897(c) of the Code, and (ii) 90% or more of
the value of the gross assets consists of USRPIs, cash, and cash
equivalents, the transferee will be required to withhold 10% of
the amount realized by the
non-U.S. person
upon the disposition. To inform Summit Hotel Properties, Inc.
(the “General Partner”) and Summit Hotel OP, LP (the
“Partnership”) that no withholding is required with
respect to the redemption
by
(“Partner”) of its Common Units in the Partnership,
the undersigned hereby certifies the following on behalf of
Partner:
1. Partner is not a foreign corporation, foreign
partnership, foreign trust, or foreign estate, as those terms
are defined in the Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder.
2. Partner is not a disregarded entity as defined in
Treasury Regulation
Section 1.1445-2(b)(2)(iii).
3. The U.S. employer identification number of Partner
is .
4. The principal business address of Partner
is: ,
and Partner’s place of incorporation
is .
5. Partner agrees to inform the General Partner if it
becomes a foreign person at any time during the three-year
period immediately following the date of this notice.
6. Partner understands that this certification may be
disclosed to the Internal Revenue Service by the General Partner
and that any false statement contained herein could be punished
by fine, imprisonment, or both.
PARTNER:
By:
Name:
Title:
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this
certification and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is
true, correct, and complete, and I further declare that I have
authority to sign this document on behalf of Partner.
Date:
|
||
Name: Title: |
C-1
EXHIBIT C-2
CERTIFICATION
OF NON-FOREIGN STATUS
(FOR REDEEMING LIMITED PARTNERS THAT ARE INDIVIDUALS)
(FOR REDEEMING LIMITED PARTNERS THAT ARE INDIVIDUALS)
Under Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the “Code”), in the event of a disposition
by a
non-U.S. person
of a partnership interest in a partnership in which (i) 50%
or more of the value of the gross assets consists of United
States real property interests (“USRPIs”), as defined
in Section 897(c) of the Code, and (ii) 90% or more of
the value of the gross assets consists of USRPIs, cash, and cash
equivalents, the transferee will be required to withhold 10% of
the amount realized by the
non-U.S. person
upon the disposition. To inform Summit Hotel Properties, Inc.
(the “General Partner”) and Summit Hotel OP, LP (the
“Partnership”) that no withholding is required with
respect to my redemption of my Common Units in the
Partnership, I, ,
hereby certify the following:
1. I am not a nonresident alien for purposes of
U.S. income taxation.
2. My U.S. taxpayer identification number (social
security number)
is .
3. My home address
is: .
4. I agree to inform the General Partner promptly if I
become a nonresident alien at any time during the three-year
period immediately following the date of this notice.
5. I understand that this certification may be disclosed to
the Internal Revenue Service by the General Partner and that any
false statement contained herein could be punished by fine,
imprisonment, or both.
Name:
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this
certification and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is
true, correct, and complete.
Date:
|
||
Name: Title: |
C-2
EXHIBIT D
NOTICE
OF ELECTION BY PARTNER TO CONVERT
LTIP UNITS INTO COMMON UNITS
LTIP UNITS INTO COMMON UNITS
The undersigned holder of LTIP Units hereby irrevocably
(i) elects to convert the number of LTIP Units in Summit
Hotel OP, LP (the “Partnership”) set forth below into
Common Units in accordance with the terms of the Agreement of
Limited Partnership of the Partnership, as amended; and
(ii) directs that any cash in lieu of Common Units that may
be deliverable upon such conversion be delivered to the address
specified below. The undersigned hereby represents, warrants,
and certifies that the undersigned (a) has title to such
LTIP Units, free and clear of the rights or interests of any
other person or entity other than the Partnership or the General
Partner; (b) has the full right, power, and authority to
cause the conversion of such LTIP Units as provided herein; and
(c) has obtained the consent to or approval of all persons
or entities, if any, having the right to consent to or approve
such conversion.
Name of Holder: |
(Please Print: Exact Name as Registered with Partnership)
Number of LTIP Units to be Converted: |
Date of this Notice: |
(Signature of Holder: Sign Exact Name as Registered with
Partnership)
(Street Address)
(City) | (State) | (Zip Code) |
Signature Guaranteed by: |
D-1
EXHIBIT E
NOTICE
OF ELECTION BY PARTNERSHIP TO FORCE CONVERSION OF
LTIP UNITS INTO COMMON UNITS
LTIP UNITS INTO COMMON UNITS
Summit Hotel OP, LP (the “Partnership”) hereby elects
to cause the number of LTIP Units held by the holder of LTIP
Units set forth below to be converted into Common Units in
accordance with the terms of the Agreement of Limited
Partnership of the Partnership, as amended, effective as
of
(the “Conversion Date”).
Name of Holder: |
(Please Print: Exact Name as Registered with Partnership)
Number of LTIP Units to be Converted: |
Date of this Notice: |
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