AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF U.S. TIMBERLANDS
COMPANY, L.P.
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF U.S.
TIMBERLANDS COMPANY, L.P. dated as of November 19, 1997, is entered into by
and among U.S. Timberlands Services Company, L.L.C. (formerly known as New
Services, L.L.C.), a Delaware limited liability company, as the General
Partner, and Xxxx X. Xxxxx, as the Organizational Limited Partner, together
with any other Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties
hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and
agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions.
The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise
clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this
Agreement.
"Acquisition" means any transaction in which any Group Member acquires
(through an asset acquisition, merger, stock acquisition or other form of
investment) control over all or a portion of the assets, properties or
business of another Person for the purpose of increasing the operating
capacity or revenues of the Partnership Group from the operating capacity or
revenues of the Partnership Group existing immediately prior to such
transaction.
"Additional Book Basis" means the portion of any remaining Carrying Value of
an Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made to such
Carrying Value as a result of Book-Up Events. For purposes of determining the
extent that Carrying Value constitutes Additional Book Basis:
(i) Any negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted
Property as a result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall
first be deemed to offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of
such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive
adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event.
(ii) If Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced
as a result of a Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property
is increased as a result of such Book-Down Event, an allocable portion of
any such increase in Carrying Value shall be treated as Additional Book
Basis; provided that the amount treated as Additional Book Basis pursuant
hereto as a result of such Book-Down Event shall not exceed the amount by
which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down
Event exceeds the remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of
the Partnership's Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event (determined
without regard to the application of this clause (ii) to such Book-Down
Event).
"Additional Book Basis Derivative Items" means any Book Basis Derivative
Items that are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent
that the Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership's
Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any taxable period exceeds the
Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such
period (the "Excess Additional Book Basis"), the Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items for such period shall be reduced by the amount that bears the
same ratio to the amount of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items determined
without regard to this sentence as the Excess Additional Book Basis bears to
the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such period.
"Additional Limited Partner" means a Person admitted to the Partnership as a
Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.4 and who is shown as such on the books
and records of the Partnership.
"Adjusted Asset Sales Amount" means $50.0 million as increased by 10% of the
purchase price of asset acquisitions (other than like-kind exchanges)
subsequent to the Closing Date.
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"Adjusted Capital Account" means the Capital Account maintained for each
Partner as of the end of each fiscal year of the Partnership, (a) increased by
any amounts that such Partner is obligated to restore under the standards set
by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed obligated to
restore under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and
(b) decreased by (i) the amount of all losses and deductions that, as of the
end of such fiscal year, are reasonably expected to be allocated to such
Partner in subsequent years under Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code
and Treasury Regulation Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (ii) the amount of all
distributions that, as of the end of such fiscal year, are reasonably expected
to be made to such Partner in subsequent years in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement or otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to
such Partner's Capital Account that are reasonably expected to occur during
(or prior to) the year in which such distributions are reasonably expected to
be made (other than increases as a result of a minimum gain chargeback
pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or 6.1(d)(ii)). The foregoing definition of
Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently
therewith. The "Adjusted Capital Account" of a Partner in respect of a General
Partner Interest, a Common Unit, a Subordinated Unit or an Incentive
Distribution Right or any other specified interest in the Partnership shall be
the amount which such Adjusted Capital Account would be if such General
Partner Interest, Common Unit, Subordinated Unit, Incentive Distribution Right
or other interest in the Partnership were the only interest in the Partnership
held by a Partner from and after the date on which such General Partner
Interest, Common Unit, Subordinated Unit, Incentive Distribution Right or
other interest was first issued.
"Adjusted Operating Surplus" means, with respect to any period, Operating
Surplus generated during such period (a) less (i) any net increase in working
capital borrowings during such period and (ii) any net reduction in cash
reserves for Operating Expenditures during such period not relating to an
Operating Expenditure made during such period, and (b) plus (i) any net
decrease in working capital borrowings during such period and (ii) any net
increase in cash reserves for Operating Expenditures during such period
required by any debt instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or
premium. Adjusted Operating Surplus does not include that portion of Operating
Surplus included in clause (a)(i) of the definition of Operating Surplus.
"Adjusted Property" means any property the Carrying Value of which has been
adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or 5.5(d)(ii). Once an Adjusted
Property is deemed contributed to a new partnership in exchange for an
interest in the new partnership, followed by the deemed liquidation of the
Partnership for federal income tax purposes upon a termination of the
Partnership pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.708-(b)(1)(iv), such
property shall thereafter constitute a Contributed Property until the Carrying
Value of such property is subsequently adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i)
or 5.5(d)(ii).
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that
directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is
controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used
herein, the term "control" means the possession, direct or indirect, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a
Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
"Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments" means, as of the end of any
taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all the
Partners.
"Agreed Allocation" means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation,
of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of
Section 6.1, including, without limitation, a Curative Allocation (if
appropriate to the context in which the term "Agreed Allocation" is used).
"Agreed Value" of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of
such property or other consideration at the time of contribution as determined
by the General Partner using such reasonable method of
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valuation as it may adopt. The General Partner shall, in its discretion, use
such method as it deems reasonable and appropriate to allocate the aggregate
Agreed Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the Partnership in a
single or integrated transaction among each separate property on a basis
proportional to the fair market value of each Contributed Property.
"Agreement" means this Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership
of U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P., as it may be amended, supplemented or
restated from time to time.
"Asset Sale" means a sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of any
assets other than sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business and
consistent with past practice, but excluding (a) any transfer of assets by the
Partnership or any of its subsidiaries to a subsidiary of the Partnership, (b)
the sale of Timberlands in a like-kind exchange for a like interest in other
Timberlands having a fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the General Partner) at least equal to the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the General
Partner) of the Timberlands sold, (c) the sale of not more than 10,000 acres
in the aggregate of Timberlands designated in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the General Partner for a higher and better use, (d) a
disposition of obsolete equipment in the ordinary course of business and (e)
timber deed, bulk, pay-as-cut and stumpage sales in the ordinary course of
business.
"Assignee" means a Non-citizen Assignee or a Person to whom one or more
Limited Partner Interests have been transferred in a manner permitted under
this Agreement and who has executed and delivered a Transfer Application as
required by this Agreement, but who has not been admitted as a Substituted
Limited Partner.
"Associate" means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a)
any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer or
partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class
of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in
which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such
Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any
relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the
same principal residence as such Person.
"Available Cash" means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the
Liquidation Date,
(a) the sum of (i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group
on hand at the end of such Quarter, and (ii) all additional cash and cash
equivalents of the Partnership Group on hand on the date of determination
of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter resulting from borrowings
for working capital purposes made subsequent to the end of such Quarter,
less
(b) the amount of any cash reserves that is necessary or appropriate in
the reasonable discretion of the General Partner to (i) provide for the
proper conduct of the business of the Partnership Group (including reserves
for future capital expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of
the Partnership Group) subsequent to such Quarter, (ii) comply with
applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt
instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a
party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject or (iii) provide
funds for distributions under Section 6.4 or 6.5 in respect of any one or
more of the next four Quarters; provided, however, that the General Partner
may not establish cash reserves pursuant to (iii) above if the effect of
such reserves would be that the Partnership is unable to distribute the
Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Common Units with respect to such
Quarter; and, provided further, that disbursements made by a Group Member
or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such
Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with
respect to such Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established,
increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, within
such Quarter if the General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, "Available Cash" with respect to the Quarter
in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal
zero.
"Book Basis Derivative Items" means any item of income, deduction, gain or
loss included in the determination of Net Income or Net Loss that is computed
with reference to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property (e.g.,
depreciation, depletion, or gain or loss with respect to an Adjusted
Property).
"Book-Down Event" means an event which triggers a negative adjustment to the
Capital Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
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"Book-Tax Disparity" means with respect to any item of Contributed Property
or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference
between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property
and the adjusted basis thereof for federal income tax purposes as of such
date. A Partner's share of the Partnership's Book-Tax Disparities in all of
its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the
difference between such Partner's Capital Account balance as maintained
pursuant to Section 5.5 and the hypothetical balance of such Partner's Capital
Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in accordance with
federal income tax accounting principles.
"Book-Up Event" means an event which triggers a positive adjustment to the
Capital Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
"Business Day" means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal
holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America
or the states of New York or Oregon shall not be regarded as a Business Day.
"Capital Account" means the capital account maintained for a Partner
pursuant to Section 5.5. The "Capital Account" of a Partner in respect of a
General Partner Interest, a Common Unit, a Subordinated Unit, an Incentive
Distribution Right or any other Partnership Interest shall be the amount which
such Capital Account would be if such General Partner Interest, Common Unit,
Subordinated Unit, Incentive Distribution Right, or other Partnership Interest
were the only interest in the Partnership held by a Partner from and after the
date on which such General Partner Interest, Common Unit, Subordinated Unit,
Incentive Distribution Right or other Partnership Interest was first issued.
"Capital Contribution" means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed
Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership
pursuant to this Agreement.
"Capital Improvement" means any (a) addition or improvement to the capital
assets owned by any Group Member or (b) acquisition of existing, or the
construction of new, capital assets (including, without limitation,
timberlands, seed orchards, nurseries and timber processing and manufacturing
facilities and related assets), in each case made to increase the operating
capacity or revenues of the Partnership Group from the operating capacity or
revenues of the Partnership Group existing immediately prior to such addition,
improvement, acquisition or construction.
"Capital Surplus" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.3(a).
"Carrying Value" means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property, the
Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all
depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions charged to the
Partners' and Assignees' Capital Accounts in respect of such Contributed
Property, and (b) with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted
basis of such property for federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of
determination. The Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted from time
to time in accordance with Sections 5.5(d)(i) and 5.5(d)(ii) and to reflect
changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions
and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the
General Partner.
"Cause" means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-
appealable judgment finding the General Partner liable for actual fraud, gross
negligence or willful or wanton misconduct in its capacity as general partner
of the Partnership.
"Certificate" means a certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit A to
this Agreement or in such other form as may be adopted by the General Partner
in its discretion, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or
more Common Units or a certificate, in such form as may be adopted by the
General Partner in its discretion, issued by the Partnership evidencing
ownership of one or more other Partnership Securities.
"Certificate of Limited Partnership" means the Certificate of Limited
Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State
of Delaware as referenced in Section 2.1, as such Certificate of Limited
Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
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"Citizenship Certification" means a properly completed certificate in such
form as may be specified by the General Partner by which an Assignee or a
Limited Partner certifies that he (and if he is a nominee holding for the
account of another Person, that to the best of his knowledge such other
Person) is an Eligible Citizen.
"Claim" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.12(c).
"Closing Date" means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the
Partnership to the Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting
Agreement.
"Closing Price" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(a).
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect
from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of
the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision
of successor law.
"Combined Interest" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
11.3(a).
"Commission" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Unit" means a Partnership Security representing a fractional part of
the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and Assignees and of the
General Partner (exclusive of its interest as a holder of a General Partner
Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights) and having the rights and
obligations specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement. The term
"Common Unit" does not refer to a Subordinated Unit prior to its conversion
into a Common Unit pursuant to the terms hereof.
"Common Unit Arrearage" means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever
issued, as to any Quarter within the Subordination Period, the excess, if any,
of (a) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution with respect to a Common Unit in
respect of such Quarter over (b) the sum of all Available Cash distributed
with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter pursuant to Section
6.4(a)(i).
"Contributed Property" means each property or other asset, in such form as
may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the
Partnership (or deemed contributed to a new partnership on termination of the
Partnership pursuant to Section 708 of the Code). Once the Carrying Value of a
Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d), such property
shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an
Adjusted Property.
"Conflicts Committee" means a committee of the Board of Directors of the
General Partner composed entirely of two or more directors who are neither
members, officers nor employees of the General Partner nor members, officers,
directors or employees of any Affiliate of the General Partner.
"Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges" means, with respect to
the Partnership and its subsidiaries for any period, the sum of, without
duplication, the amounts for such period, taken as a single accounting period,
of (a) Consolidated Net Income, (b) Consolidated Non-cash Charges, (c)
Consolidated Interest Expense and (d) Consolidated Income Tax Expense.
"Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" means, with respect to the
Partnership and its subsidiaries, the ratio of the aggregate amount of
Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges for the four full fiscal
quarters for which financial information in respect thereof is available
immediately preceding the date of the transaction (the "Transaction Date")
giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio (such four full fiscal quarter period being referred to herein as the
"Four Quarter Period") to the aggregate amount of Consolidated Fixed Charges
of such Person for the Four Quarter Period. In addition to and without
limitation of the foregoing, for purposes of this definition, "Consolidated
Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges" and "Consolidated Fixed Charges" shall
be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis for the period of such
calculation to, without duplication, (a) the incurrence or repayment of any
indebtedness of
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the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries (and, in the case of any
incurrence, the application of the net proceeds thereof) during the period
commencing on the first day of the Four Quarter Period to and including the
Transaction Date (the "Reference Period"), including, without limitation, the
incurrence of the indebtedness giving rise to the need to make such
calculation (and the application of the net proceeds thereof), as if such
incurrence (and application) occurred on the first day of the Reference Period
(including any actual interest payments made with respect to indebtedness
under the Working Capital Facility), and (b) any Asset Sales or asset
acquisitions occurring during the Reference Period, as if such Asset Sale or
asset acquisition occurred on the first day of the Reference Period; provided,
however, that (i) Consolidated Fixed Charges shall be reduced by amounts
attributable to businesses or assets that are so disposed of or discontinued
only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to such Consolidated Fixed
Charges would no longer be obligations contributing to the Consolidated Fixed
Charges subsequent to the date of determination of the Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio and (ii) Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed
Charges generated by an acquired business or asset shall be determined by (x)
in the case of an acquisition of timber or timberlands by the Partnership or a
subsidiary during such period, by using the projected net cash flow of the
timber or timberlands so acquired, based on the harvest plan prepared in the
ordinary course of business and in good faith by the General Partner, for the
first harvest year; provided that such harvest plan shall not assume the
harvesting or sale of more than 10% (or, in the case of an acquisition under a
cutting contract with a term of less than 10 years, such higher percentage as
shall be equal to the quotient of 100% divided by the term of such cutting
contract (expressed in years)) of the total merchantable timber so acquired;
provided further, in determining projected cash flow from acquired timber or
timberlands, prices shall be assumed to equal the average prices realized by
the Partnership for comparable timber sold during such period; and (y) in the
case of all other asset acquisitions, the actual gross profit (revenues minus
cost of goods sold) of such acquired business or asset during the immediately
preceding four full fiscal quarters in the Reference Period minus the pro
forma expenses that would have been incurred by the Partnership and its
subsidiaries in the operation of such acquired business or asset during such
period computed on the basis of personnel expenses for employees retained or
to be retained by the Partnership and its subsidiaries in the operation of the
acquired business or asset and non-personnel costs and expenses incurred by
the Partnership and its subsidiaries in the operation of the Partnership's
business at similarly situated facilities. If the applicable Reference Period
for any calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall
include a portion prior to the Closing Date, then such Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated based upon the Consolidated Cash
Flow Available for Fixed Charges and the Consolidated Fixed Charges of the
Partnership on a pro forma basis for such portion of the Reference Period
prior to the Closing Date, giving effect to the transactions occurring on the
Closing Date, and the Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges and
the Consolidated Fixed Charges for the remaining portion of the Reference
Period on and after the Closing Date, giving pro forma effect, as described in
the two foregoing sentences, to all applicable transactions occurring on the
Closing Date or otherwise. Furthermore, in calculating "Consolidated Fixed
Charges" for purposes of determining the "Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio," (i) interest on outstanding indebtedness (other than indebtedness
referred to in clause (ii) below) determined on a fluctuating basis as of the
last day of the Four Quarter Period and which will continue to be so
determined thereafter shall be deemed to have accrued at a fixed rate per
annum equal to the rate of interest on such indebtedness in effect on such
date; (ii) only actual interest payments associated with indebtedness under
the Working Capital Facility, including any refinancings thereof, during the
Four Quarter Period shall be included in such calculation; and (iii) if
interest on any indebtedness actually incurred on such date may optionally be
determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate,
a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rates, then the interest rate
in effect on the last day of the Four Quarter Period will be deemed to have
been in effect during such period.
"Consolidated Fixed Charges" means, with respect to the Partnership and its
subsidiaries for any period, the sum of, without duplication, (a) the amounts
for such period of Consolidated Interest Expense and (b) the product of (i)
the aggregate amount of dividends and other distributions paid or accrued
during such period in respect of preferred stock and redeemable capital stock
of the Partnership and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis and (ii) a
fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one
minus the then applicable current combined federal, state and local statutory
tax rate, expressed as a percentage.
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"Consolidated Income Tax Expense" means, with respect to the Partnership and
its subsidiaries for any period, the provision for federal, state, local and
foreign income taxes of the Partnership and its subsidiaries for such period
as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
"Consolidated Interest Expense" means, with respect to the Partnership and
its subsidiaries for any period, without duplication, the sum of (a) the
interest expense of the Partnership and its subsidiaries for such period as
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including,
without limitation, (i) any amortization of debt discount, (ii) the net cost
under interest rate agreements, (iii) the interest portion of any deferred
payment obligation, (iv) all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges
owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers' acceptance financing and
(v) all accrued interest and (b) the interest component of capital leases
paid, accrued or scheduled to be paid or accrued by the Partnership and its
subsidiaries during such period as determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with U.S. GAAP.
"Consolidated Net Income" means the net income of the Partnership and its
subsidiaries, as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with U.S.
GAAP and as adjusted to exclude (a) net after-tax extraordinary gains or
losses, (b) net after-tax gains or losses attributable to Asset Sales to the
extent the net proceeds therefrom result in the aggregate net proceeds
received by the Partnership or any subsidiary of the Partnership from all
Asset Sales since the Closing Date exceeding the Adjusted Asset Sales Amount,
(c) the net income or loss of any Person which is not a subsidiary and which
is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, provided that
Consolidated Net Income shall include the amount of dividends or distributions
actually paid to the Partnership or any subsidiary, (d) the net income or loss
prior to the date of acquisition of any Person combined with the Partnership
or any subsidiary in a pooling of interest, (e) the net income of any
subsidiary to the extent that dividends or distributions of such net income
are not at the date of determination permitted by the terms of its charter or
any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or other
regulation and (f) the cumulative effect of any changes in accounting
principles.
"Consolidated Non-cash Charges" means, with respect to the Partnership and
its subsidiaries for any period, the aggregate depreciation, depletion,
amortization and any other non-cash charges, in each case reducing
Consolidated Net Income of the Partnership and its subsidiaries for such
period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
"Contribution and Conveyance Agreement" means that certain Contribution,
Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among the
General Partner, the Partnership, the Operating Company and certain other
parties, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments
contemplated or referenced thereunder.
"Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage" means, with respect to any Common Unit,
whenever issued, and as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a)
the sum resulting from adding together the Common Unit Arrearage as to an
Initial Common Unit for each of the Quarters within the Subordination Period
ending on or before the last day of such Quarter over (b) the sum of any
distributions theretofore made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(ii) and the second
sentence of Section 6.5 with respect to an Initial Common Unit (including any
distributions to be made in respect of the last of such Quarters).
"Curative Allocation" means any allocation of an item of income, gain,
deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi).
"Current Market Price" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
15.1(a).
"Delaware Act" means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6
Del C. (S)17-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to
time, and any successor to such statute.
"Departing Partner" means a former General Partner from and after the
effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner
pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2.
"Economic Risk of Loss" has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.752-2(a).
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"Eligible Citizen" means a Person qualified to own interests in real
property in jurisdictions in which any Group Member does business or proposes
to do business from time to time, and whose status as a Limited Partner or
Assignee does not or would not subject such Group Member to a significant risk
of cancellation or forfeiture of any of its properties or any interest
therein.
"Event of Withdrawal" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
11.1(a).
"Final Subordinated Units" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
6.1(d)(x).
"First Liquidation Target Amount" has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(c)(i)(D).
"First Target Distribution" means $0.550 per Unit per Quarter (or, with
respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31,
1998, it means the product of $0.550 multiplied by the sum of (x) 1.00 and (y)
a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in the period
commencing on the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 1997, and of which
the denominator is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 6.6
and 6.9.
"General Partner" means U.S. Timberlands Services Company, L.L.C. (formerly
known as New Services, L.L.C.) and its predecessors, successors and permitted
assigns as general partner of the Partnership.
"General Partner Interest" means the ownership interest of the General
Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without
reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it) which may be evidenced
by Partnership Securities or a combination thereof or interest therein, and
includes any and all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as
provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General
Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
"Group" means a Person that with or through any of its Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or
consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation
made to 10 or more Persons) or disposing of any Partnership Securities with
any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates
beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Securities.
"Group Member" means a member of the Partnership Group.
"Holder" as used in Section 7.12, has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 7.12(a).
"Holdings" means U.S. Timberlands Holdings, L.L.C., a Delaware limited
liability company.
"Incentive Distribution Right" means a Limited Partner Interest issued to
the General Partner in connection with the transfer of substantially all of
its member interest in the Operating Company to the Partnership pursuant to
Section 5.2, which Partnership Interest shall confer upon the holder thereof
only the rights and obligations specifically provided in this Agreement with
respect to Incentive Distribution Rights (and no other rights otherwise
available to or other obligations of holders of a Partnership Interest).
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the holder of an
Incentive Distribution Right shall not be entitled to vote such Incentive
Distribution Right on any Partnership matter except as may otherwise be
required by law.
8
"Incentive Distributions" means any amount of cash distributed to the
holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(v),
(vi) and (vii) and 6.4(b)(iii), (iv) and (v).
"Indemnified Persons" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
7.12(c).
"Indemnitee" means (a) the General Partner, any Departing Partner and any
Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing
Partner, (b) any Person who is or was a member, director, officer, employee,
agent or trustee of a Group Member, (c) any Person who is or was an officer,
member, partner, director, employee, agent or trustee of the General Partner
or any Departing Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any
Departing Partner, or any Affiliate of any such Person and (d) any Person who
is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any Departing
Partner or any such Affiliate as a director, officer, employee, member,
partner, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another Person; provided, that a
Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-
services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services.
"Initial Common Units" means the Common Units sold in the Initial Offering.
"Initial Limited Partners" means the General Partner and Holdings (with
respect to the Subordinated Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights
received by them pursuant to Section 5.2) and the Underwriters, in each case
upon being admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 10.1.
"Initial Offering" means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to
the public, as described in the Registration Statement.
"Initial Unit Price" means (a) with respect to the Common Units and the
Subordinated Units, the initial public offering price per Common Unit at which
the Underwriters offered the Common Units to the public for sale as set forth
on the cover page of the prospectus included as part of the Registration
Statement and first issued at or after the time the Registration Statement
first became effective or (b) with respect to any other class or series of
Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially
sold by the Partnership, as determined by the General Partner, in each case
adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to
any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.
"Interim Capital Transactions" means the following transactions if they
occur prior to the Liquidation Date: (a) borrowings, refinancings or
refundings of indebtedness and sales of debt securities (other than for
working capital purposes and other than for items purchased on open account in
the ordinary course of business) by any Group Member; (b) sales of equity
interests by any Group Member (other than Common Units sold to the
underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option); and (c)
sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions of any assets of any
Group Member (other than (x) sales or other dispositions of inventory,
accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business,
including the exchange of timber or real property for other timber or real
property to the extent that the timber or real property received in exchange
is of equal or greater value, or the sale of timber or real property, to the
extent the proceeds are invested within 270 days in other timber or real
property, and (y) sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal
retirements or replacements), in each case prior to the Liquidation Date.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Interim Capital Transactions
shall not include (A) the first $50.0 million in real property (and related
timber) sales made by the Partnership Group subsequent to the Closing Date and
(B) stumpage, timber deed and other bulk timber sales (which, in the case of
(A) and (B) would otherwise be deemed Interim Capital Transactions) generally
of the type described in the Partnership's strategic plan approved by the
Board of Directors of the General Partner prior to the Closing Date.
"Issue Price" means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the
Partnership, after taking into account any sales commission or underwriting
discount charged to the Partnership.
"Limited Partner" means, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) the
Organizational Limited Partner, each Initial Limited Partner, each Substituted
Limited Partner, each Additional Limited Partner and any Partner
9
upon the change of its status from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant
to Section 11.3 or (b) solely for purposes of Articles V, VI, VII and IX and
Sections 12.3 and 12.4, each Assignee; provided, however, that when the term
Limited Partner is used herein in the context of any vote or other approval,
including without limitation Articles XIII and XIV, such term shall not,
solely for such purpose, include any holder of an Incentive Distribution Right
except as may otherwise be required by law.
"Limited Partner Interest" means the ownership interest of a Limited Partner
or Assignee in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units,
Subordinated Units, Incentive Distribution Rights or other Partnership
Securities or a combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and
all benefits to which such Limited Partner or Assignee is entitled as provided
in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner or
Assignee to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement; provided,
however, that when the term Limited Partner Interest is used herein in the
context of any vote or other approval, including without limitation Articles
XIII and XIV, such term shall not, solely for such purpose, include any
Incentive Distribution Rights except as may otherwise be required by law.
"Liquidation Date" means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the
dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of
the first sentence of Section 12.2, the date on which the applicable time
period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect
to reconstitute the Partnership and continue its business has expired without
such an election being made, and (b) in the case of any other event giving
rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event
occurs.
"Liquidator" means one or more Persons selected by the General Partner to
perform the functions described in Section 12.3 as liquidating trustee of the
Partnership within the meaning of the Delaware Act.
"Merger Agreement" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.
"Minimum Quarterly Distribution" means $0.50 per Unit per Quarter (or with
respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31,
1998, it means the product of $0.50 multiplied by the sum of (x) 1.00 and (y)
a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in the period
commencing on the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 1997, and of which
the denominator is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 6.6
and 6.9.
"National Securities Exchange" means an exchange registered with the
Commission under Section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such
statute, or the Nasdaq Stock Market or any successor thereto.
"Net Agreed Value" means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the
Agreed Value of such property reduced by any liabilities either assumed by the
Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property is subject when
contributed, and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner or
Assignee by the Partnership, the Partnership's Carrying Value of such property
(as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(ii)) at the time such property is
distributed, reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by such Partner or
Assignee upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the
time of distribution, in either case, as determined under Section 752 of the
Code.
"Net Income" means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any, of the
Partnership's items of income and gain (other than those items taken into
account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss)
for such taxable year over the Partnership's items of loss and deduction
(other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net
Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items
included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance
with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d); provided that the determination of the items that have been
specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section
6.1(d)(xii) were not in this Agreement.
10
"Net Loss" means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any, of the
Partnership's items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into
account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss)
for such taxable year over the Partnership's items of income and gain (other
than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain
or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items included in the
calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b)
and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d);
provided that the determination of the items that have been specially
allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(xii) were
not in this Agreement.
"Net Positive Adjustments" means, with respect to any Partner, the excess,
if any, of the total positive adjustments over the total negative adjustments
made to the Capital Account of such Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and
Book-Down Events.
"Net Termination Gain" means, for any taxable year, the sum, if positive, of
all items of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership
after the Liquidation Date. The items included in the determination of Net
Termination Gain shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and
shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d).
"Net Termination Loss" means, for any taxable year, the sum, if negative, of
all items of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership
after the Liquidation Date. The items included in the determination of Net
Termination Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and
shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d).
"Non-citizen Assignee" means a Person whom the General Partner has
determined in its discretion does not constitute an Eligible Citizen and as to
whose Partnership Interest the General Partner has become the Substituted
Limited Partner, pursuant to Section 4.9.
"Nonrecourse Built-in Gain" means with respect to any Contributed Properties
or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a
Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated
to the Partners pursuant to Sections 6.2(b)(i)(A), 6.2(b)(ii)(A) and
6.2(b)(iii) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in
full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.
"Nonrecourse Deductions" means any and all items of loss, deduction or
expenditures (described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in
accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are
attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.
"Nonrecourse Liability" has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.752-1(a)(2).
"Notice of Election to Purchase" has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 15.1(b) hereof.
"Operating Company" means U.S. Timberlands Klamath Falls, L.L.C., a Delaware
limited liability company, and any successors thereto.
"Operating Company Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Operating
Agreement of the Operating Company, as it may be amended, supplemented or
restated from time to time.
"Operating Expenditures" means all Partnership Group expenditures,
including, but not limited to, taxes, reimbursements of the General Partner,
debt service payments, and capital expenditures, subject to the following:
(a) Payments (including prepayments) of principal of and premium on
indebtedness shall not be an Operating Expenditure if the payment is (i)
required in connection with the sale or other disposition of assets or (ii)
made in connection with the refinancing or refunding of indebtedness with
the proceeds from new indebtedness or from the sale of equity interests.
For purposes of the foregoing, at the election and in the reasonable
discretion of the General Partner, any payment of principal or premium
shall be deemed to be refunded or refinanced by any indebtedness incurred
or to be incurred by the Partnership Group within 180 days before or after
such payment to the extent of the principal amount of such indebtedness.
11
(b) Operating Expenditures shall not include (i) capital expenditures
made for Acquisitions or for Capital Improvements, (ii) payment of
transaction expenses relating to Interim Capital Transactions or (iii)
distributions to Partners. Where capital expenditures are made in part for
Acquisitions or for Capital Improvements and in part for other purposes,
the General Partner's good faith allocation between the amounts paid for
each shall be conclusive.
"Operating Surplus," means, with respect to any period ending prior to the
Liquidation Date, on a cumulative basis and without duplication,
(a) the sum of (i) $15.0 million plus all cash and cash equivalents of
the Partnership Group on hand as of the close of business on the Closing
Date, (ii) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group for the period
beginning on the Closing Date and ending with the last day of such period,
other than cash receipts from Interim Capital Transactions (except to the
extent specified in Section 6.5) and (iii) all cash receipts of the
Partnership Group after the end of such period but on or before the date of
determination of Operating Surplus with respect to such period resulting
from borrowings for working capital purposes, less
(b) the sum of (i) Operating Expenditures for the period beginning on the
Closing Date and ending with the last day of such period and (ii) the
amount of cash reserves that is necessary or advisable in the reasonable
discretion of the General Partner to provide funds for future Operating
Expenditures, provided, however, that disbursements made (including
contributions to a Group Member or disbursements on behalf of a Group
Member) or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of
such period but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash
with respect to such period shall be deemed to have been made, established,
increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Operating Surplus, within
such period if the General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, "Operating Surplus" with respect to the
Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall
equal zero.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular
counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates)
acceptable to the General Partner in its reasonable discretion.
"Option Closing Date" has the meaning assigned to such term in the
Underwriting Agreement.
"Organizational Limited Partner" means Xxxx X. Xxxxx in his capacity as the
organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.
"Outstanding" means, with respect to Partnership Securities, all Partnership
Securities that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on
the Partnership's books and records as of the date of determination; provided,
however, that if at any time any Person or Group (other than the General
Partner or its Affiliates) beneficially owns 20% or more of any Outstanding
Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding, all Partnership
Securities owned by such Person or Group shall not be voted on any matter and
shall not be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of
Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law),
calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other
similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Common Units so owned shall
be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such
Common Units shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership
Securities for purposes of this Agreement).
"Over-Allotment Option" means the over-allotment option granted to the
Underwriters by the Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
"Parity Units" means Common Units and all other Units having rights to
distributions or in liquidation ranking on a parity with the Common Units.
"Partner Nonrecourse Debt" has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
12
"Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain" has the meaning set forth in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
"Partner Nonrecourse Deductions" means any and all items of loss, deduction
or expenditure (including, without limitation, any expenditure described in
Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are attributable to a Partner
Nonrecourse Debt.
"Partners" means the General Partner, the Limited Partners and the holders
of Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights.
"Partnership" means U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership, and any successors thereto.
"Partnership Group" means the Partnership, the Operating Company and any
Subsidiary of either such entity, treated as a single consolidated entity.
"Partnership Interest" means an ownership interest in the Partnership, which
shall include General Partner Interests and Limited Partner Interests.
"Partnership Minimum Gain" means that amount determined in accordance with
the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(d).
"Partnership Security" means any class or series of equity interest in the
Partnership (but excluding any options, rights, warrants and appreciation
rights relating to any equity interest in the Partnership), including, without
limitation, Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution
Rights.
"Percentage Interest" means as of the date of such determination (a) as to
the General Partner (with respect to its General Partner Interest), an
aggregate 1.0%, (b) as to any Unitholder or Assignee holding Units, the
product obtained by multiplying (i) 99% less the percentage applicable to
paragraph (c) by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of
Units held by such Unitholder or Assignee by (B) the total number of all
Outstanding Units, and (c) as to the holders of additional Partnership
Securities issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.6, the
percentage established as a part of such issuance. The Percentage Interest
with respect to an Incentive Distribution Right shall at all times be zero.
"Person" means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association,
government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
"Per Unit Capital Amount" means, as of any date of determination, the
Capital Account, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any Unit held by a
Person other than the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner
who holds Units.
"Pro Rata" means (a) when modifying Units or any class thereof, apportioned
equally among all designated Units in accordance with their relative
Percentage Interests, (b) when modifying Partners and Assignees, apportioned
among all Partners and Assignees in accordance with their respective
Percentage Interests and (c) when modifying holders of Incentive Distribution
Rights, apportioned equally among all holders of Incentive Distribution Rights
in accordance with the relative number of Incentive Distribution Rights held
by each such holder.
"Purchase Date" means the date determined by the General Partner as the date
for purchase of all Outstanding Units (other than Units owned by the General
Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.
"Quarter" means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of
the Partnership.
"Recapture Income" means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed
without regard to any adjustment required by Sections 734 or 743 of the Code)
upon the disposition of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain
is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the recapture of
deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.
13
"Record Date" means the date established by the General Partner for
determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of, or
to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or
give approval of Partnership action in writing without a meeting or entitled
to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners or (b)
the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution
or to participate in any offer.
"Record Holder" means the Person in whose name a Common Unit is registered
on the books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a
particular Business Day, or with respect to other Partnership Securities, the
Person in whose name any such other Partnership Security is registered on the
books which the General Partner has caused to be kept as of the opening of
business on such Business Day.
"Redeemable Interests" means any Partnership Interests for which a
redemption notice has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to
Section 4.10.
"Registration Statement" means the Registration Statement on Form S-1
(Registration No. 333-32811) as it has been or as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission
under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units
in the Initial Offering.
"Remaining Net Positive Adjustments" means as of the end of any taxable
period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units or
Subordinated Units, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the
Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated Units as of the end of such
period over (b) the sum of those Partners' Share of Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items for each prior taxable period, (ii) with respect to the
General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Interest), the excess of (a)
the Net Positive Adjustments of the General Partner as of the end of such
period over (b) the sum of the General Partner's Share of Additional Book
Basis Derivative Items with respect to the General Partner Interest for each
prior taxable period, and (iii) with respect to the holders of Incentive
Distribution Rights, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the
holders of Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period over (b)
the sum of the Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items of the holders
of the Incentive Distribution Rights for each prior taxable period.
"Required Allocations" means (a) any limitation imposed on any allocation of
Net Losses or Net Termination Losses under Section 6.1(b) or 6.1(c)(ii) and
(b) any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to
Section 6.1(d)(i), 6.1(d)(ii), 6.1(d)(iv), 6.1(d)(vii) or 6.1(d)(ix).
"Residual Gain" or "Residual Loss" means any item of gain or loss, as the
case may be, of the Partnership recognized for federal income tax purposes
resulting from a sale, exchange or other disposition of a Contributed Property
or Adjusted Property, to the extent such item of gain or loss is not allocated
pursuant to Section 6.2(b)(i)(A) or 6.2(b)(ii)(A), respectively, to eliminate
Book-Tax Disparities.
"Restricted Activities" means the following activities in North America: the
(i) acquisition, exchange, operation or sale of timber-producing real property
or rights to harvest timber a principal purpose of which is producing logs and
other forest products, (ii) harvesting of timber other than harvesting which
is incidental to the ownership or operation of real property not owned or
operated for a principal purpose of producing logs or other forest products,
(iii) sale, exchange or purchase of logs other than sales, exchanges or
purchases which are incidental to the ownership or operation of real property
not owned or operated for a principal purpose of producing logs or other
forest products, and (iv) any and all other activities relating to the forest
products industry to the extent such activities compete with the operations of
the Partnership or the Operating Company.
"Second Liquidation Target Amount" has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(c)(i)(E).
"Second Target Distribution" means $0.633 per Unit per Quarter (or, with
respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31,
1998, it means the product of $0.633 multiplied by the sum of (x) 1.00 and (y)
a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the number of days in the period
commencing on the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 1997, and of which
the denominator is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 6.6
and 6.9.
14
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented
or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.
"Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items" means in connection with
any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable
period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units or
Subordinated Units, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional
Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders' Remaining Net Positive
Adjustments as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net
Positive Adjustments as of that time, (ii) with respect to the General Partner
(as holder of the General Partner Interest), the amount that bears the same
ratio to such additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the General Partner's
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such period bears to the
Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustment as of that time, and (iii) with
respect to the Partners holding Incentive Distribution Rights, the amount that
bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of the Partners holding the Incentive
Distribution Rights as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time.
"Special Approval" means approval by a majority of the members of the
Conflicts Committee.
"Subordinated Unit" means a Unit representing a fractional part of the
Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and Assignees (other than of
holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights) and having the rights and
obligations specified with respect to Subordinated Units in this Agreement.
The term "Subordinated Unit" as used herein does not include a Common Unit.
"Subordination Period" means the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on the first to occur of the following dates:
(a) the first day of any Quarter beginning after December 31, 2002 in
respect of which (i) (A) distributions of Available Cash from Operating
Surplus on each of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units with
respect to each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter
periods immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the
Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Outstanding Common Units and
Subordinated Units during such periods and (B) the Adjusted Operating
Surplus generated during each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping
four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded
the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units
and Subordinated Units that were outstanding during such periods on a fully
diluted basis (i.e., taking into account for purposes of such determination
all Outstanding Common Units, all Outstanding Subordinated Units, all
Common Units and Subordinated Units issuable upon exercise of employee
options that have, as of the date of determination, already vested or are
scheduled to vest prior to the end of the quarter immediately following the
quarter with respect to which such determination is made, and all Common
Units and Subordinated Units that have as of the date of determination,
been earned by but not yet issued to management of the Partnership in
respect of incentive compensation), plus the related distribution on the
General Partner Interest in the Partnership and on the managing member
interest in the Operating Company and (ii) there are no Cumulative Common
Unit Arrearages; and
(b) the date on which the General Partner is removed as general partner
of the Partnership upon the requisite vote by holders of Outstanding Units
under circumstances where Cause does not exist and Units held by the
General Partner and its Affiliates are not voted in favor of such removal.
"Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which
more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the
occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other
governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the
date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or
limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date
of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only
if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such partnership (considering
all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) is
owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person,
by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination
15
thereof, or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership)
in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a
combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has
(i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or
direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of
such Person.
"Substituted Limited Partner" means a Person who is admitted as a Limited
Partner to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2 in place of and with all
the rights of a Limited Partner and who is shown as a Limited Partner on the
books and records of the Partnership.
"Surviving Business Entity" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
14.2(b).
"Third Target Distribution" means $0.822 per Unit per Quarter (or, with
respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31,
1998, it means the product of $0.822 multiplied by the sum of (x) 1.00 and (y)
a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the number of days in the period
commencing on the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 1997, and of which
the denominator is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 6.6
and 6.9.
"Trading Day" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(a).
"Transfer" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).
"Transfer Agent" means such bank, trust company or other Person (including
the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time
to time by the Partnership to act as registrar and transfer agent for the
Common Units and as may be appointed from time to time by the Partnership to
act as registrar and transfer agent for any other Partnership Securities;
provided that if no Transfer Agent is specifically designated for any such
other Partnership Securities, the General Partner shall act in such capacity.
"Transfer Application" means an application and agreement for transfer of
Limited Partner Interests in the form set forth on the back of a Certificate
or in a form substantially to the same effect in a separate instrument.
"Underwriter" means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the
Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.
"Underwriting Agreement" means the Underwriting Agreement dated November 13,
1997 among the Underwriters, the Partnership and certain other parties,
providing for the purchase of Common Units by such Underwriters.
"Unit" means a Partnership Security that is designated as a "Unit" and shall
include Common Units and Subordinated Units but shall not include (x) a
General Partner Interest or (y) Incentive Distribution Rights.
"Unitholders" means the holders of Common Units and Subordinated Units.
"Unit Majority" means, during the Subordination Period, at least a majority
of the Outstanding Common Units voting as a class and at least a majority of
the Outstanding Subordinated Units voting as a class, and thereafter, at least
a majority of the Outstanding Units.
"Unpaid MQD" has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(B).
"Unrealized Gain" attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as
of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value
of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)) over (b)
the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment
to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such date).
"Unrealized Loss" attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as
of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of
such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to
Section 5.5(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such
property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)).
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"Unrecovered Capital" means at any time, with respect to a Unit, the Initial
Unit Price less the sum of all distributions constituting Capital Surplus
theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit and any distributions of
cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with
the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect
of an Initial Common Unit, adjusted as the General Partner determines to be
appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of
such Units.
"U.S. GAAP" means United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
consistently applied.
"U.S. Timberlands Services Company, L.L.C." means U.S. Timberlands Service
Company, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, which is the General
Partner of the Partnership as of the Closing Date, and was formerly known as
New Services, L.L.C.
"Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel" has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 11.1(b).
"Working Capital Facility" means the working capital facility of the
Operating Company provided for in the Credit Agreement, dated as of November
19, 1997, between the Operating Company and Bank of America National Trust and
Savings Association, as Agent and Letter of Credit Issuing Bank, and the other
financial institutions party thereto, in its individual capacity and as agent,
and the other banks which are or become parties from time to time thereto, as
it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
Section 1.2 Construction.
Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this
Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms,
and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural
and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and
Sections of this Agreement; and (c) "include" or "includes" means includes,
without limitation, and "including" means including, without limitation.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
Section 2.1 Formation.
The General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have previously
formed the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of
the Delaware Act and hereby amend and restate the original Agreement of
Limited Partnership of U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P. in its entirety. This
amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this
Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the
rights, duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of
the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the
Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act. All Partnership Interests
shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes and a
Partner has no interest in specific Partnership property.
Section 2.2 Name.
The name of the Partnership shall be "U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P." The
Partnership's business may be conducted under any other name or names deemed
necessary or appropriate by the General Partner in its sole discretion,
including the name of the General Partner. The words "Limited Partnership,"
"L.P.," "Ltd." or similar words or letters shall be included in the
Partnership's name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws
of any jurisdiction that so requires. The General Partner in its discretion
may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and
shall notify the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular
communication to the Limited Partners.
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Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other
Offices.
Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of
the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at 0000 Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, and the registered
agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at
such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal
office of the Partnership shall be located at 0000 Xxxxxxx 00, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxx 00000 or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time
designate by notice to the Limited Partners. 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 appropriate. The address of the
General Partner shall be 000 Xxxxxxx Xxx, Xxxxx 00-X, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by
notice to the Limited Partners.
Section 2.4 Purpose and Business.
The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership
shall be to (a) serve as a member of the Operating Company and, in connection
therewith, to exercise all the rights and powers conferred upon the
Partnership as a member of the Operating Company pursuant to the Operating
Company Agreement or otherwise, (b) engage directly in, or enter into or form
any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or
other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that the
Operating Company is permitted to engage in by the Operating Company Agreement
and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers
conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such
business activity, (c) engage directly in, or enter into or form any
corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other
arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by
the General Partner and which lawfully may be conducted by a limited
partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection
therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the
Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity;
provided, however, that the General Partner reasonably determines, as of the
date of the acquisition or commencement of such activity, that such activity
(i) generates "qualifying income" (as such term is defined pursuant to Section
7704 of the Code) or (ii) enhances the operations of an activity of the
Operating Company or a Partnership activity that generates qualifying income,
and (d) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the
making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member. The General
Partner has no obligation or duty to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, or
the Assignees to propose or approve, and in its discretion may decline to
propose or approve, the conduct by the Partnership of any business.
Section 2.5 Powers.
The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things
necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the
furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in
Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.
Section 2.6 Power of Attorney.
(a) Each Limited Partner and each Assignee hereby constitutes and appoints
the General Partner and, if a Liquidator (other than the General Partner)
shall have been selected pursuant to Section 12.3, the Liquidator, severally
(and any successor to the Liquidator by merger, transfer, assignment, election
or otherwise) and each of their authorized officers and attorneys-in-fact, as
the case may be, with full power of substitution, as his true and lawful agent
and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority in his name, place and
xxxxx, to:
(i) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the
appropriate public offices (A) all certificates, documents and other
instruments (including this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited
Partnership and all amendments or restatements hereof or thereof) that the
General Partner or the Liquidator deems necessary or appropriate to form,
qualify or continue the existence or qualification of the Partnership as a
limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have
limited liability) in the State of Delaware and in all other jurisdictions
in which the Partnership may conduct business or own property; (B)
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all certificates, documents and other instruments that the General Partner
or the Liquidator deems necessary or appropriate to reflect, in accordance
with its terms, any amendment, change, modification or restatement of this
Agreement; (C) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including
conveyances and a certificate of cancellation) that the General Partner or
the Liquidator deems necessary or appropriate to reflect the dissolution
and liquidation of the Partnership pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;
(D) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the
admission, withdrawal, removal or substitution of any Partner pursuant to,
or other events described in, Article IV, X, XI or XII; (E) all
certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the determination
of the rights, preferences and privileges of any class or series of
Partnership Securities issued pursuant to Section 5.6; and (F) all
certificates, documents and other instruments (including agreements and a
certificate of merger) relating to a merger or consolidation of the
Partnership pursuant to Article XIV; and
(ii) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all
ballots, consents, approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other
instruments necessary or appropriate, in the discretion of the General
Partner or the Liquidator, to make, evidence, give, confirm or ratify any
vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action that is made or given by
the Partners hereunder or is consistent with the terms of this Agreement or
is necessary or appropriate, in the discretion of the General Partner or
the Liquidator, to effectuate the terms or intent of this Agreement;
provided, that when required by Section 13.3 or any other provision of this
Agreement that establishes a percentage of the Limited Partners or of the
Limited Partners of any class or series required to take any action, the
General Partner and the Liquidator may exercise the power of attorney made
in this Section 2.6(a)(ii) only after the necessary vote, consent or
approval of the Limited Partners or of the Limited Partners of such class
or series, as applicable.
Nothing contained in this Section 2.6(a) shall be construed as authorizing
the General Partner to amend this Agreement except in accordance with Article
XIII or as may be otherwise expressly provided for in this Agreement.
(b) The foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and
a power coupled with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, not be affected by the subsequent death,
incompetency, disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or termination
of any Limited Partner or Assignee and the transfer of all or any portion of
such Limited Partner's or Assignee's Partnership Interest and shall extend to
such Limited Partner's or Assignee's heirs, successors, assigns and personal
representatives. Each such Limited Partner or Assignee hereby agrees to be
bound by any representation made by the General Partner or the Liquidator
acting in good faith pursuant to such power of attorney; and each such Limited
Partner or Assignee, to the maximum extent permitted by law, hereby waives any
and all defenses that may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the
action of the General Partner or the Liquidator taken in good faith under such
power of attorney. Each Limited Partner or Assignee shall execute and deliver
to the General Partner or the Liquidator, within 15 days after receipt of the
request therefor, such further designation, powers of attorney and other
instruments as the General Partner or the Liquidator deems necessary to
effectuate this Agreement and the purposes of the Partnership.
Section 2.7 Term.
The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of
Limited Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in
existence until the close of Partnership business on December 31, 2087 or
until the earlier dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the
provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate
legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of
Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.
Section 2.8 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 or Assignee, individually or collectively, shall have
any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof.
Title to any or all of the
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Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General
Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees, as the General
Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that
any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the
General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall
be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and
benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement; provided, however, that the General Partner shall use reasonable
efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in
respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense and
difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership
impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably
practicable; provided, further, that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of
the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner
shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the
Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such
assets in a manner satisfactory to the General Partner. All Partnership assets
shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records,
irrespective of the name in which record title to such Partnership assets is
held.
ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability.
The Limited Partners and the Assignees shall have no liability under this
Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
Section 3.2 Management of Business.
No Limited Partner or Assignee, in its capacity as such, shall participate
in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware
Act) of the Partnership's business, transact any business in the Partnership's
name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the
Partnership. Any action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any
officer, director, employee, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officers, director, employee,
member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity
as such, shall not be deemed to be participation in the control of the
business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within
the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) and shall not affect,
impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners
or Assignees under this Agreement.
Section 3.3 Outside Activities of the Limited Partners.
Subject to the provisions of Section 7.5, which shall continue to be
applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of whether such
Persons shall also be Limited Partners or Assignees, any Limited Partner or
Assignee 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 in direct competition with the
Partnership Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners or
Assignees shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business
ventures of any Limited Partner or Assignee.
Section 3.4 Rights of Limited Partners.
(a) In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable
law, and except as limited by Section 3.4(b), each Limited Partner shall have
the right, for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner's interest
as a limited partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand and at
such Limited Partner's own expense:
(i) to obtain true and full information regarding the status of the
business and financial condition of the Partnership;
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(ii) promptly after becoming available, to obtain a copy of the
Partnership's federal, state and local income tax returns for each year;
(iii) to have furnished to him a current list of the name and last known
business, residence or mailing address of each Partner;
(iv) to have furnished to him a copy of this Agreement and the
Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto, together
with a copy of the executed copies of all powers of attorney pursuant to
which this Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all
amendments thereto have been executed;
(v) to obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and
a description and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other Capital
Contribution by each Partner and which each Partner has agreed to
contribute in the future, and the date on which each became a Partner; and
(vi) to obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the
Partnership as is just and reasonable.
(b) The General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners and
Assignees, for such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable,
(i) any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the
nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the
General Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the
Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or (C) that any
Group Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to keep
confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the
primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this
Section 3.4).
ARTICLE IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF
PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
Section 4.1 Certificates.
Upon the Partnership's issuance of Common Units or Subordinated Units to any
Person, the Partnership shall issue one or more Certificates in the name of
such Person evidencing the number of such Units being so issued. In addition,
(a) upon the General Partner's request, the Partnership shall issue to it one
or more Certificates in the name of the General Partner evidencing its
interests in the Partnership and (b) upon the request of any Person owning
Incentive Distribution Rights or any Partnership Securities, the Partnership
shall issue to such Person one or more certificates evidencing such Incentive
Distribution Rights or Partnership Securities. Certificates shall be executed
on behalf of the Partnership by the Chairman of the Board, President or any
Executive Vice President or Vice President and the Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary of the General Partner. No Common Unit Certificate shall be valid
for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent. Subject
to the requirements of Section 6.7(b), the Partners holding Certificates
evidencing Subordinated Units may exchange such Certificates for Certificates
evidencing Common Units on or after the date on which such Subordinated Units
are converted into Common Units pursuant to the terms of Section 5.8.
Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.
(a) If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the
appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall
execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange
therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership
Securities as the Certificate so surrendered.
(b) The appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall
countersign a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued if
the Record Holder of the Certificate:
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(i) makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Partnership, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed
or stolen;
(ii) requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the Partnership
has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value
in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;
(iii) if requested by the Partnership, delivers to the Partnership a
bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the Partnership, with surety or
sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the Partnership may reasonably
direct, in its sole discretion, to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners,
the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be
made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the
Certificate; and
(iv) satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the
Partnership.
If a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to notify the Partnership within a
reasonable time after he has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a
Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by
the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or
the Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Limited Partner or Assignee
shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General
Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section
4.2, the Partnership may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and
any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent)
reasonably connected therewith.
Section 4.3 Record Holders.
The Partnership shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the
Partner or Assignee with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly,
shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in
such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person, regardless of
whether the Partnership shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as
otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or
requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership
Interests are listed for trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a
Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation
or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some
other representative capacity for another Person in acquiring and/or holding
Partnership Interests, as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such
other Persons on the other, such representative Person (a) shall be the
Partner or Assignee (as the case may be) of record and beneficially, (b) must
execute and deliver a Transfer Application and (c) shall be bound by this
Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Partner or Assignee
(as the case may be) hereunder and as, and to the extent, provided for herein.
Section 4.4 Transfer Generally.
(a) The term "transfer," when used in this Agreement with respect to a
Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction by which the
General Partner assigns its Partnership Interest as a general partner in the
Partnership to another Person who becomes the General Partner, by which the
holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns such Limited Partner Interest to
another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner or an Assignee, and
includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation,
mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise.
(b) No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part,
except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article
IV. Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in
accordance with this Article IV shall be null and void.
(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a
disposition by any member of the General Partner of any or all of the issued
and outstanding member interests of the General Partner.
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Section 4.5 Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests.
(a) The Partnership shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the
Partnership a register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it
may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the Partnership
will provide for the registration and transfer of Limited Partner Interests.
The Transfer Agent is hereby appointed registrar and transfer agent for the
purpose of registering Common Units and transfers of such Common Units as
herein provided. The Partnership shall not recognize transfers of Certificates
evidencing Limited Partner Interests unless such transfers are effected in the
manner described in this Section 4.5. Upon surrender of a Certificate for
registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a
Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the appropriate
officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and
deliver, and in the case of Common Units, the Transfer Agent shall countersign
and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or
transferees, as required pursuant to the holder's instructions, one or more
new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited
Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 4.9, the Partnership shall not
recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests until the Certificates
evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are surrendered for registration of
transfer and such Certificates are accompanied by a Transfer Application duly
executed by the transferee (or the transferee's attorney-in-fact duly
authorized in writing). No charge shall be imposed by the Partnership for such
transfer; provided, that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate
under this Section 4.5, the Partnership may require the payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed
with respect thereto.
(c) Limited Partner Interests may be transferred only in the manner
described in this Section 4.5. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests
and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment
to this Agreement.
(d) Until admitted as a Substituted Limited Partner pursuant to Section
10.2, the Record Holder of a Limited Partner Interest shall be an Assignee in
respect of such Limited Partner Interest. Limited Partners may include
custodians, nominees or any other individual or entity in its own or any
representative capacity.
(e) A transferee of a Limited Partner Interest who has completed and
delivered a Transfer Application shall be deemed to have (i) requested
admission as a Substituted Limited Partner, (ii) agreed to comply with and be
bound by and to have executed this Agreement, (iii) represented and warranted
that such transferee has the right, power and authority and, if an individual,
the capacity to enter into this Agreement, (iv) granted the powers of attorney
set forth in this Agreement and (v) given the consents and approvals and made
the waivers contained in this Agreement.
(f) The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time
to transfer its Subordinated Units and Common Units (whether issued upon
conversion of the Subordinated Units or otherwise) to one or more Persons.
Section 4.6 Transfer of General Partner Interest.
(a) Subject to Section 4.6(c) below, prior to December 31, 2007, the General
Partner shall not transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest to
a Person unless such transfer (i) has been approved by the prior written
consent or vote of the holders of at least a Unit Majority or (ii) is of all,
but not less than all, of its General Partner Interest to (A) an Affiliate of
the General Partner or (B) another Person in connection with the merger or
consolidation of the General Partner with or into another Person or the
transfer by the General Partner of all or substantially all of its assets to
another Person.
(b) Subject to Section 4.6(c) below, on or after December 31, 2007, the
General Partner may transfer all or any of its General Partner Interest
without Unitholder approval.
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(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the
General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another
Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the
rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and the
Operating Company Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this
Agreement and the Operating Company Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives
an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of
limited liability of any Limited Partner or of any member of the Operating
Company or cause the Partnership or the Operating Company to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for
federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed)
and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate
portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or member interest of the
General Partner as the general partner or managing member of each other Group
Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this
Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject
to compliance with the terms of Section 10.3, be admitted to the Partnership
as a General Partner immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner
Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without
dissolution.
Section 4.7 Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights.
Prior to December 31, 2007, a holder of Incentive Distribution Rights may
transfer any or all of the Incentive Distribution Rights held by such holder
without any consent of the Unitholders (a) to an Affiliate or (b) to another
Person in connection with (i) the merger or consolidation of such holder of
Incentive Distribution Rights with or into such other Person or (ii) the
transfer by such holder of all or substantially all of its assets to such
other Person. Any other transfer of the Incentive Distribution Rights prior to
December 31, 2007, shall require the prior approval of holders of at least a
Unit Majority. On or after December 31, 2007, a holder of Incentive
Distribution Rights may transfer any or all of its Incentive Distribution
Rights without Unitholder approval. The General Partner shall have the
authority (but shall not be required) to adopt such reasonable restrictions on
the transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights and requirements for registering
the transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights as the General Partner, in its
sole discretion, shall determine are necessary or appropriate.
Section 4.8 Restrictions on Transfers.
(a) Except as provided in Section 4.8(d) below, but notwithstanding the
other provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests
shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable federal
or state securities laws or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state
securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction
over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the
Partnership or the Operating Company under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership or the Operating Company to be
treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as
an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so
treated or taxed).
(b) The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of
Partnership Interests if a subsequent Opinion of Counsel determines that such
restrictions are necessary to avoid a significant risk of the Partnership or
the Operating Company becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be
taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes. The restrictions may be
imposed by making such amendments to this Agreement as the General Partner may
determine to be necessary or appropriate to impose such restrictions;
provided, however, that any amendment that the General Partner believes, in
the exercise of its reasonable discretion, could result in the delisting or
suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests on the
principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner
Interests is then traded must be approved, prior to such amendment being
effected, by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited
Partner Interests of such class.
(c) The transfer of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common
Unit shall be subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 6.7(b).
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(d) Nothing contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement,
shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership
Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities
Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed for trading.
Section 4.9 Citizenship Certificates; Non-citizen Assignees.
(a) If any Group Member is or becomes subject to any federal, state or local
law or regulation that, in the reasonable determination of the General
Partner, creates a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any
property in which the Group Member has an interest based on the nationality,
citizenship or other related status of a Limited Partner or Assignee, the
General Partner may request any Limited Partner or Assignee to furnish to the
General Partner, within 30 days after receipt of such request, an executed
Citizenship Certification or such other information concerning his
nationality, citizenship or other related status (or, if the Limited Partner
or Assignee is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, the
nationality, citizenship or other related status of such Person) as the
General Partner may request. If a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to furnish
to the General Partner within the aforementioned 30-day period such
Citizenship Certification or other requested information or if upon receipt of
such Citizenship Certification or other requested information the General
Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner or
Assignee is not an Eligible Citizen, the Partnership Interests owned by such
Limited Partner or Assignee shall be subject to redemption in accordance with
the provisions of Section 4.10. In addition, the General Partner may require
that the status of any such Limited Partner or Assignee be changed to that of
a Non-citizen Assignee and, thereupon, the General Partner shall be
substituted for such Non-citizen Assignee as the Limited Partner in respect of
his Limited Partner Interests.
(b) The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of
Limited Partner Interests held by it on behalf of Non-citizen Assignees,
distribute the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Partners (including
without limitation the General Partner) in respect of Limited Partner
Interests other than those of Non-citizen Assignees are cast, either for,
against or abstaining as to the matter.
(c) Upon dissolution of the Partnership, a Non-citizen Assignee shall have
no right to receive a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 12.4 but shall
be entitled to the cash equivalent thereof, and the Partnership shall provide
cash in exchange for an assignment of the Non-citizen Assignee's share of the
distribution in kind. Such payment and assignment shall be treated for
Partnership purposes as a purchase by the Partnership from the Non-citizen
Assignee of his Limited Partner Interest (representing his right to receive
his share of such distribution in kind).
(d) At any time after he can and does certify that he has become an Eligible
Citizen, a Non-citizen Assignee may, upon application to the General Partner,
request admission as a Substituted Limited Partner with respect to any Limited
Partner Interests of such Non-citizen Assignee not redeemed pursuant to
Section 4.10, and upon his admission pursuant to Section 10.2, the General
Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in respect of the
Non-citizen Assignee's Limited Partner Interests.
Section 4.10 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Non-citizen Assignees.
(a) If at any time a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to furnish a
Citizenship Certification or other information requested within the 30-day
period specified in Section 4.9(a), or if upon receipt of such Citizenship
Certification or other information the General Partner determines, with the
advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner or Assignee is not an Eligible
Citizen, the Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner or Assignee
establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such Limited
Partner or Assignee is an Eligible Citizen or has transferred his Partnership
Interests to a Person who is an Eligible Citizen and who furnishes a
Citizenship Certification to the General Partner prior to the date fixed for
redemption as provided below, redeem the Partnership Interest of such Limited
Partner or Assignee as follows:
(i) The General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the
date fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner
or Assignee, at his last address designated on the records of the
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Partnership or the Transfer Agent, by registered or certified mail, postage
prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so mailed. The
notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the date fixed for
redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption price will
be made upon surrender of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable
Interests and that on and after the date fixed for redemption no further
allocations or distributions to which the Limited Partner or Assignee would
otherwise be entitled in respect of the Redeemable Interests will accrue or
be made.
(ii) The aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an
amount equal to the Current Market Price (the date of determination of
which shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Partnership Interests of
the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number of Partnership
Interests of each such class included among the Redeemable Interests. The
redemption price shall be paid, in the discretion of the General Partner,
in cash or by delivery of a promissory note of the Partnership in the
principal amount of the redemption price, bearing interest at the rate of
10% annually and payable in three equal annual installments of principal
together with accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption
date.
(iii) Upon surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner or Assignee,
at the place specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate
evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied
by an assignment duly executed in blank, the Limited Partner or Assignee or
his duly authorized representative shall be entitled to receive the payment
therefor.
(iv) After the redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer
constitute issued and Outstanding Partnership Interests.
(b) The provisions of this Section 4.10 shall also be applicable to
Partnership Interests held by a Limited Partner or Assignee as nominee of a
Person determined to be other than an Eligible Citizen.
(c) Nothing in this Section 4.10 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of
redemption from transferring his Partnership Interest before the redemption
date if such transfer is otherwise permitted under this Agreement. Upon
receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General Partner shall withdraw the
notice of redemption, provided the transferee of such Partnership Interest
certifies to the satisfaction of the General Partner in a Citizenship
Certification delivered in connection with the Transfer Application that he is
an Eligible Citizen. If the transferee fails to make such certification, such
redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption
date.
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
Section 5.1 Organizational Contributions.
In connection with the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act,
the General Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in
the amount of $10.00, for an interest in the Partnership and has been admitted
as the General Partner of the Partnership, and the Organizational Limited
Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount
of $990.00 for an interest in the Partnership and has been admitted as a
Limited Partner of the Partnership. As of the Closing Date, the interest of
the Organizational Limited Partner shall be redeemed as provided in the
Contribution and Conveyance Agreement; the initial Capital Contributions of
each Partner shall thereupon be refunded; and the Organizational Limited
Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner of the Partnership. Ninety-nine
percent of any interest or other profit that may have resulted from the
investment or other use of such initial Capital Contributions shall be
allocated and distributed to the Organizational Limited Partner, and the
balance thereof shall be allocated and distributed to the General Partner.
Section 5.2 Contributions by the General Partner and its Affiliates.
(a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution and Conveyance
Agreement, the General Partner shall contribute to the Partnership, as a
Capital Contribution, all but 1.0101% of its member interest in the
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Operating Company in exchange for (i) the continuation of its Partnership
Interest as General Partner of the Partnership, subject to all of the rights,
privileges and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement, (ii)
1,387,963 Subordinated Units, and (iii) the Incentive Distribution Rights.
(b) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution and Conveyance
Agreement, Holdings shall contribute to the Partnership, as a Capital
Contribution, all of its member interest in the Operating Company in exchange
for 2,894,157 Subordinated Units.
(c) Upon the issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the
Partnership (other than the issuance of the Common Units issued in the Initial
Offering or pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option), the General Partner shall
be required to make additional Capital Contributions equal to 1/99th of any
amount contributed to the Partnership in exchange for such additional Limited
Partner Interests. Except as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence
and Article XII, the General Partner shall not be obligated to make any
additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership.
Section 5.3 Contributions by Initial Limited Partners.
(a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each
Underwriter shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the
Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units
specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter at
the Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the
Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on
whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the
quotient obtained by dividing (i) the cash contribution to the Partnership by
or on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common
Unit.
(b) Upon the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, each Underwriter shall
contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per
Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units specified in the
Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Option
Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters,
the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf
such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the quotient obtained
by dividing (i) the cash contributions to the Partnership by or on behalf of
such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.
(c) No Limited Partner Partnership Interests will be issued or issuable as
of or at the Closing Date other than (i) the Common Units issuable pursuant to
subparagraph (a) hereof in aggregate number equal to 7,458,684, (ii) the
"Additional Units" as such term is used in the Underwriting Agreement in
aggregate number up to 1,118,803 issuable upon exercise of the Over-Allotment
Option pursuant to subparagraph (b) hereof, (ii) the 1,387,963 Subordinated
Units issuable to the General Partner and the 2,894,157 Subordinated Units
issuable to Holdings, in each case pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof, and (iii)
the Incentive Distribution Rights.
Section 5.4 Interest and Withdrawal.
No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No
Partner or Assignee shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its
Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made
pursuant to this Agreement or upon termination of the Partnership may be
considered as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this
Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no
Partner or Assignee shall have priority over any other Partner or Assignee
either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or
distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all Partners and
Assignees agree within the meaning of 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.
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Section 5.5 Capital Accounts.
(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner
of Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee
has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with
Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General
Partner in its sole discretion) owning a Partnership Interest a separate
Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with
the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital
Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital Contributions made
to the Partnership with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to this
Agreement and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain (including,
without limitation, income and gain exempt from tax) computed in accordance
with Section 5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest
pursuant to Section 6.1, and decreased by (x) the amount of cash or Net Agreed
Value of all actual and deemed distributions of cash or property made with
respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to this Agreement and (y) all
items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section
5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to
Section 6.1.
(b) For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss
or deduction which is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be
reflected in the Partners' Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition
and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination,
recognition and classification for federal income tax purposes (including,
without limitation, any method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization
used for that purpose), provided, that:
(i) Solely for purposes of this Section 5.5, the Partnership shall be
treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the
General Partner based upon the provisions of the Operating Company
Agreement) of all property owned by the Operating Company.
(ii) All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote
the sale of (or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be
deducted nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any, shall, for
purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an item of deduction
at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be
allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1.
(iii) Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-
1(b)(2)(iv)(m), computation of all items of income, gain, loss and
deduction shall be made without regard to any election under Section 754 of
the Code which may be made by the Partnership and, as to those items
described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without
regard to the fact that such items are not includable in gross income or
are neither currently deductible nor capitalized for federal income tax
purposes. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any
Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is
required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to
be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such
adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or
loss.
(iv) Any income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of
any Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of
such property as of such date of disposition were equal in amount to the
Partnership's Carrying Value with respect to such property as of such date.
(v) In accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code,
any deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable
to any Contributed Property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of
such property on the date it was acquired by the Partnership were equal to
the Agreed Value of such property. Upon an adjustment pursuant to Section
5.5(d) to the Carrying Value of any Partnership property subject to
depreciation, cost recovery or amortization, any further deductions for
such depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to such
property shall be determined (A) as if the adjusted basis of such property
were equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following
such adjustment and (B) using a rate of depreciation, cost recovery or
amortization derived from the same method and useful life (or, if
applicable, the remaining useful life) as is applied for federal income tax
purposes; provided, however, that, if the asset has a zero adjusted basis
for federal income tax purposes, depreciation, cost recovery or
amortization deductions shall be determined using any reasonable method
that the General Partner may adopt.
28
(vi) If the Partnership's adjusted basis in a depreciable or cost
recovery property is reduced for federal income tax purposes pursuant to
Section 48(q)(1) or 48(q)(3) of the Code, the amount of such reduction
shall, solely for purposes hereof, be deemed to be an additional
depreciation or cost recovery deduction in the year such property is placed
in service and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section
6.1. Any restoration of such basis pursuant to Section 48(q)(2) of the Code
shall, to the extent possible, be allocated in the same manner to the
Partners to whom such deemed deduction was allocated.
(c) (i) A transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata
portion of the Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership
Interest so transferred.
(ii) Immediately prior to the transfer of a Subordinated Unit or of a
Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section
5.8 by a holder thereof (other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the
General Partner elects to have this subparagraph 5.5(c)(ii) apply), the
Capital Account maintained for such Person with respect to its Subordinated
Units or converted Subordinated Units will (A) first, be allocated to the
Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred in an
amount equal to the product of (x) the number of such Subordinated Units or
converted Subordinated Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital
Amount for a Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such
Capital Account will be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it
has retained any Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units. Following
any such allocation, the transferor's Capital Account, if any, maintained with
respect to the retained Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units, if
any, will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (B)
hereinabove, and the transferee's Capital Account established with respect to
the transferred Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units will have a
balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (A) hereinabove.
(d) (i) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f),
on an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed
Property or the conversion of the General Partner's Combined Interest to
Common Units pursuant to Section 11.3(b), the Capital Account of all Partners
and the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to such
issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain
or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, as if such
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been recognized on an actual sale of
each such property immediately prior to such issuance and had been allocated
to the Partners at such time pursuant to Section 6.1 in the same manner as any
item of gain or loss actually recognized during such period would have been
allocated. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the
aggregate cash amount and fair market value of all Partnership assets
(including, without limitation, cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to
the issuance of additional Partnership Interests shall be determined by the
General Partner using such reasonable method of valuation as it may adopt;
provided, however, that the General Partner, in arriving at such valuation,
must take fully into account the fair market value of the Partnership
Interests of all Partners at such time. The General Partner shall allocate
such aggregate value among the assets of the Partnership (in such manner as it
determines in its discretion to be reasonable) to arrive at a fair market
value for individual properties.
(ii) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f),
immediately prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner of any
Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in
redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Capital Accounts of
all Partners and the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be
adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss
attributable to such Partnership property, as if such Unrealized Gain or
Unrealized Loss had been recognized in a sale of such property immediately
prior to such distribution for an amount equal to its fair market value, and
had been allocated to the Partners, at such time, pursuant to Section 6.1 in
the same manner as any item of gain or loss actually recognized during such
period would have been allocated. In determining such Unrealized Gain or
Unrealized Loss the aggregate cash amount and fair market value of all
Partnership assets (including, without limitation, cash or cash equivalents)
immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of an actual
distribution which is not made pursuant to Section 12.4 or in the case of a
deemed contribution and/or distribution occurring as a result of a termination
of the Partnership pursuant to Section 708 of the Code, be determined and
allocated in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.5(d)(i) or (B) in
the case of a
29
liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined and allocated
by the Liquidator using such reasonable method of valuation as it may adopt.
Section 5.6 Issuances of Additional Partnership Securities.
(a) Subject to Section 5.7, the Partnership may issue additional Partnership
Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to
the Partnership Securities for any Partnership purpose at any time and from
time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and
conditions as shall be established by the General Partner in its sole
discretion, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.
(b) Each additional Partnership Security authorized to be issued by the
Partnership pursuant to Section 5.6(a) may be issued in one or more classes,
or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations,
preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior to existing
classes and series of Partnership Securities), as shall be fixed by the
General Partner in the exercise of its sole discretion, including (i) the
right to share Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right
to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions
upon which, the Partnership may redeem the Partnership Security; (v) whether
such Partnership Security is issued with the privilege of conversion or
exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange;
(vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Security will be
issued, evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred; and (vii) the
right, if any, of each such Partnership Security to vote on Partnership
matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and
privileges of such Partnership Security.
(c) The General Partner is hereby authorized and directed to take all
actions that it deems necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each
issuance of Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and
appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities pursuant to this
Section 5.6, (ii) the conversion of the General Partner Interest and Incentive
Distribution Rights into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii)
the admission of Additional Limited Partners and (iv) all additional issuances
of Partnership Securities. The General Partner is further authorized and
directed to specify the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of
the Units or other Partnership Securities being so issued. The General Partner
shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is
authorized and directed to do all things it deems to be necessary or advisable
in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Securities or in
connection with the conversion of the General Partner Interest and Incentive
Distribution Rights into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement,
including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any
federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities
Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Securities are listed for
trading.
Section 5.7 Limitations on Issuance of Additional Partnership Securities.
The issuance of Partnership Securities pursuant to Section 5.6 shall be
subject to the following restrictions and limitations:.
(a) During the Subordination Period, the Partnership shall not issue (and
shall not issue any options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights
relating to) an aggregate of more than 7,458,684 additional Parity Units
without the prior approval of the holders of a Unit Majority. In applying
this limitation, there shall be excluded Common Units and other Parity
Units issued (A) in connection with the exercise of the Over-Allotment
Option, (B) in accordance with Sections 5.7(b) and 5.7(c), (C) upon
conversion of Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 5.8, (D) upon
conversion of the General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution
Rights pursuant to Section 11.3(b), (E) pursuant to the employee benefit
plans of the General Partner, the Partnership or any other Group Member and
(F) in the event of a combination or subdivision of Common Units.
(b) The Partnership may also issue an unlimited number of Parity Units,
prior to the end of the Subordination Period and without the approval of
the Unitholders, if the proceeds from such issuance are used exclusively to
repay up to $50.0 million of indebtedness of a Group Member where the
aggregate
30
amount of distributions that would have been paid with respect to such
newly issued Units or Partnership Securities, plus the related
distributions on the General Partner Interest and on the managing member
interest in the Operating Company in respect of the four-Quarter period
ending prior to the first day of the Quarter in which the issuance is to be
consummated (assuming such additional Units or other Partnership Securities
had been Outstanding throughout such period and that distributions equal to
the distributions that were actually paid on the Outstanding Units during
the period were paid on such additional Units or other Partnership
Securities) did not exceed the interest costs actually incurred during such
period on the indebtedness that is to be repaid (or, if such indebtedness
was not outstanding throughout the entire period, would have been incurred
had such indebtedness been outstanding for the entire period). In the event
that the Partnership is required to pay a prepayment penalty in connection
with the repayment of such indebtedness, for purposes of the foregoing test
the number of Parity Units issued to repay such indebtedness shall be
deemed increased by the number of Parity Units that would need to be issued
to pay such penalty.
(c) During the Subordination Period, the Partnership shall not issue (and
shall not issue any options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights
relating to) additional Partnership Securities having rights to
distributions or in liquidation ranking prior or senior to the Common
Units, without the prior approval of the holders of a Unit Majority.
(d) No fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.
Section 5.8 Conversion of Subordinated Units.
(a) A total of 1,070,530 of the Outstanding Subordinated Units will convert
into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on the first day after the Record
Date for distribution in respect of any Quarter ending on or after December
31, 2000, in respect of which:
(i) distributions under Section 6.4 in respect of all Outstanding Common
Units and Subordinated Units with respect to each of the three consecutive,
non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date
equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of
the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units during such periods;
(ii) the Adjusted Operating Surplus generated during each of the two
consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding
such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution
on all of the Common Units and Subordinated Units that were outstanding
during such periods on a fully diluted basis (i.e., taking into account for
purposes of such determination all Outstanding Common Units, all
Outstanding Subordinated Units, all Common Units and Subordinated Units
issuable upon exercise of employee options that have, as of the date of
determination, already vested or are scheduled to vest prior to the end of
the quarter immediately following the quarter with respect to which such
determination is made, and all Common Units and Subordinated Units that
have as of the date of determination, been earned by but not yet issued to
management of the Partnership in respect of incentive compensation), plus
the related distribution on the General Partner Interest and on the
managing member interest in the Operating Company; and
(iii) the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage on all of the Common Units is
zero.
(b) An additional 1,070,530 of the Outstanding Subordinated Units will
convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on the first day after the
Record Date for distribution in respect of any Quarter ending on or after
December 31, 2001, in respect of which:
(i) distributions under Section 6.4 in respect of all Outstanding Common
Units and Subordinated Units with respect to each of the three consecutive,
non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date
equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of
the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units during such periods;
(ii) the Adjusted Operating Surplus generated during each of the two
consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding
such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum
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Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units and Subordinated Units
that were outstanding during such periods on a fully diluted basis (i.e.,
taking into account for purposes of such determination all Outstanding
Common Units, all Outstanding Subordinated Units, all Common Units and
Subordinated Units issuable upon exercise of employee options that have, as
of the date of determination, already vested or are scheduled to vest prior
to the end of the quarter immediately following the quarter with respect to
which such determination is made, and all Common Units and Subordinated
Units that have as of the date of determination, been earned by but not yet
issued to management of the Partnership in respect of incentive
compensation), plus the related distribution on the General Partner
Interest and on the managing member interest in the Operating Company; and
(iii) the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage on all of the Common Units is
zero;
provided, however, that the conversion of Subordinated Units pursuant to this
Section 5.8(b) may not occur until at least one year following the conversion
of Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 5.8(a).
(c) In the event that less than all of the Outstanding Subordinated Units
shall convert into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.8(a) or 5.8(b) at a time
when there shall be more than one holder of Subordinated Units, then, unless
all of the holders of Subordinated Units shall agree to a different
allocation, the Subordinated Units that are to be converted into Common Units
shall be allocated among the holders of Subordinated Units pro rata based on
the number of Subordinated Units held by each such holder.
(d) Any Subordinated Units that are not converted into Common Units pursuant
to Sections 5.8(a) and (b) shall convert into Common Units on a one-for-one
basis on the first day following the Record Date for distributions in respect
of the final Quarter of the Subordination Period.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, all the then
Outstanding Subordinated Units will automatically convert into Common Units on
a one-for-one basis as set forth in, and pursuant to the terms of, Section
11.4.
(f) A Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be
subject to the provisions of Section 6.7(b).
Section 5.9 Limited Preemptive Right.
Except as provided in this Section 5.9 and in Section 5.2, no Person shall
have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the
issuance of any Partnership Security, whether unissued, held in the treasury
or hereafter created. The General Partner shall have the right, which it may
from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to
purchase Partnership Securities from the Partnership whenever, and on the same
terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Securities to Persons other
than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to
maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates
equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such
Partnership Securities.
Section 5.10 Splits and Combination.
(a) Subject to Sections 5.10(d), 6.6 and 6.9 (dealing with adjustments of
distribution levels), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of
Partnership Securities to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or
combination of Partnership Securities so long as, after any such event, each
Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before
such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis (including any
Common Unit Arrearage or Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage) or stated as a
number of Units (including the number of Subordinated Units that may convert
prior to the end of the Subordination Period and the number of additional
Parity Units that may be issued pursuant to Section 5.7 without a Unitholder
vote) are proportionately adjusted retroactive to the beginning of the
Partnership.
(b) Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership
Securities is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of
which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be
32
effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record
Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the
date of such notice. The General Partner also may cause a firm of independent
public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership
Securities to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such
distribution, subdivision or combination. The General Partner shall be
entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive
evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.
(c) Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination,
the Partnership may issue Certificates to the Record Holders of Partnership
Securities as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of
Partnership Securities held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may
adopt such other procedures as it may deem appropriate to reflect such
changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number of
Partnership Securities Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a
condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of such new Certificate, the
surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to
such Record Date.
(d) The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution,
subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or
combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for
the provisions of Section 5.7(e) and this Section 5.10(d), each fractional
Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (and a 0.5 Unit shall be
rounded to the next higher Unit).
Section 5.11 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner
Interests.
All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the
requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited
Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be
affected by Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
ARTICLE VI
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes.
For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the
rights of the Partners among themselves, the Partnership's items of income,
gain, loss and deduction (computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) shall be
allocated among the Partners in each taxable year (or portion thereof) as
provided herein below.
(a) Net Income. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth
in Section 6.1(d), Net Income for each taxable year and all items of
income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Income
for such taxable year shall be allocated as follows:
(i) First, 100% to the General Partner in an amount equal to the
aggregate Net Losses allocated to the General Partner pursuant to
Section 6.1(b)(iii) for all previous taxable years until the aggregate
Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section
6.1(a)(i) for the current taxable year and all previous taxable years
is equal to the aggregate Net Losses allocated to the General Partner
pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(iii) for all previous taxable years;
(ii) Second, 1% to the General Partner in an amount equal to the
aggregate Net Losses allocated to the General Partner pursuant to
Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable years and 99% to the
Unitholders, in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests,
until the aggregate Net Income allocated to such Partners pursuant to
this Section 6.1(a)(ii) for the current taxable year and all previous
taxable years is equal to the aggregate Net Losses allocated to such
Partners pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable years;
and
(iii) Third, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner and the
Unitholders in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.
33
(b) Net Losses. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth
in Section 6.1(d), Net Losses for each taxable period and all items of
income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Losses
for such taxable period shall be allocated as follows:
(i) First, 1% to the General Partner and 99% to the Unitholders, in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests, until the
aggregate Net Losses allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) for
the current taxable year and all previous taxable years is equal to the
aggregate Net Income allocated to such Partners pursuant to Section
6.1(a)(iii) for all previous taxable years; provided that the Net
Losses shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) to the
extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a
deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such
taxable year (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted
Capital Account);
(ii) Second, 1% to the General Partner and 99% to the Unitholders in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests; provided, that
Net Losses shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(ii)
to the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a
deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such
taxable year (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted
Capital Account);
(iii) Third, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(c) Net Termination Gains and Losses. After giving effect to the special
allocations set forth in Section 6.1(d), all items of income, gain, loss
and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain or Net
Termination Loss for such taxable period shall be allocated in the same
manner as such Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss is allocated
hereunder. All allocations under this Section 6.1(c) shall be made after
Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other allocations
provided under this Section 6.1 and after all distributions of Available
Cash provided under Sections 6.4 and 6.5 have been made; provided, however,
that solely for purposes of this Section 6.1(c), Capital Accounts shall not
be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to Section 12.4.
(i) If a Net Termination Gain is recognized (or deemed recognized
pursuant to Section 5.5(d)), such Net Termination Gain shall be
allocated among the Partners in the following manner (and the Capital
Accounts of the Partners shall be increased by the amount so allocated
in each of the following subclauses, in the order listed, before an
allocation is made pursuant to the next succeeding subclause):
(A) First, to each Partner having a deficit balance in its Capital
Account, in the proportion that such deficit balance bears to the
total deficit balances in the Capital Accounts of all Partners,
until each such Partner has been allocated Net Termination Gain
equal to any such deficit balance in its Capital Account;
(B) Second, 99% to all Unitholders holding Common Units, in
proportion to their relative Percentage Interests, and 1% to the
General Partner until the Capital Account in respect of each Common
Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered
Capital plus (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter
during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any
distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) or (b)(i) with respect to
such Common Unit for such Quarter (the amount determined pursuant to
this clause (2) is hereinafter defined as the "Unpaid MQD"), plus
(3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage;
(C) Third, if such Net Termination Gain is recognized (or is
deemed to be recognized) prior to the expiration of the
Subordination Period, 99% to all Unitholders holding Subordinated
Units, in proportion to their relative Percentage Interests, and 1%
to the General Partner until the Capital Account in respect of each
Subordinated Unit then Outstanding equals the sum of (1) its
Unrecovered Capital, determined for the taxable year (or portion
thereof) to which this allocation of gain relates, plus (2) the
Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the
Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to
Section 6.4(a)(iii) with respect to such Subordinated Unit for such
Quarter;
34
(D) Fourth, 99% to all Unitholders, in accordance with their
relative Percentage Interests, and 1% to the General Partner until
the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding
is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Capital, plus (2) the
Unpaid MQD, plus (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearage, plus (4) the excess of (aa) the First Target Distribution
less the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for each Quarter of the
Partnership's existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of
any distributions of Operating Surplus that was distributed pursuant
to Sections 6.4(a)(iv) and 6.4(b)(ii) (the sum of (1) plus (2) plus
(3) plus (4) is hereinafter defined as the "First Liquidation Target
Amount");
(E) Fifth, 85.8673% to all Unitholders, in accordance with their
relative Percentage Interests, 13.1327% to the holders of the
Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to the General
Partner until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit
then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the First Liquidation
Target Amount, plus (2) the excess of (aa) the Second Target
Distribution less the First Target Distribution for each Quarter of
the Partnership's existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount
of any distributions of Operating Surplus that was distributed
pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(v) and 6.4(b)(iii) (the sum of (1) plus
(2) is hereinafter defined as the "Second Liquidation Target
Amount");
(F) Sixth, 75.7653% to all Unitholders, in accordance with their
relative Percentage Interests, 23.2347% to the holders of the
Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to the General
Partner until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit
then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the Second Liquidation
Target Amount, plus (2) the excess of (aa) the Third Target
Distribution less the Second Target Distribution for each Quarter of
the Partnership's existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount
of any distributions of Operating Surplus that was distributed
pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(vi) and 6.4(b)(iv); and
(G) Finally, any remaining amount 50.5102% to all Unitholders, in
accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, 48.4898% to the
holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to
the General Partner.
(ii) If a Net Termination Loss is recognized (or deemed recognized
pursuant to Section 5.5(d)), such Net Termination Loss shall be
allocated among the Partners in the following manner:
(A) First, if such Net Termination Loss is recognized (or is
deemed to be recognized) prior to the conversion of the last
Outstanding Subordinated Unit, 99% to the Unitholders holding
Subordinated Units, in proportion to their relative Percentage
Interests, and 1% to the General Partner until the Capital Account
in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding has been
reduced to zero;
(B) Second, 99% to all Unitholders holding Common Units, in
proportion to their relative Percentage Interests, and 1% to the
General Partner until the Capital Account in respect of each Common
Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero; and
(C) Third, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(d) Special Allocations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 6.1, the following special allocations shall be made for such
taxable period:
(i) Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Section 6.1, if there is a net decrease in
Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, each
Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for
such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and
amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-
2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision. For purposes
of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner's Adjusted Capital Account balance
shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required
hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other
allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) with respect to such
taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to
35
Sections 6.1(d)(vi) and 6.1(d)(vii)). This Section 6.1(d)(i) is
intended to comply with the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback
requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be
interpreted consistently therewith.
(ii) Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum
Gain. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other
than Section 6.1(d)(i)), except as provided in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner
Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period,
any Partner with a share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at
the beginning of such taxable period shall be allocated items of
Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary,
subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any
successor provisions. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each
Partner's Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the
allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected,
prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this
Section 6.1(d), other than Section 6.1(d)(i) and other than an
allocation pursuant to Sections 6.1(d)(vi) and 6.1(d)(vii), with
respect to such taxable period. This Section 6.1(d)(ii) is intended to
comply with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted
consistently therewith.
(iii) Priority Allocations.
(A) If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property
distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to Section
12.4) to any Unitholder with respect to its Units for a taxable year
is greater (on a per Unit basis) than the amount of cash or the Net
Agreed Value of property distributed to the other Unitholders with
respect to their Units (on a per Unit basis), then (1) each
Unitholder receiving such greater cash or property distribution
shall be allocated gross income in an amount equal to the product of
(aa) the amount by which the distribution (on a per Unit basis) to
such Unitholder exceeds the distribution (on a per Unit basis) to
the Unitholders receiving the smallest distribution and (bb) the
number of Units owned by the Unitholder receiving the greater
distribution; and (2) the General Partner shall be allocated gross
income in an aggregate amount equal to 1/99 of the sum of the
amounts allocated in clause (1) above.
(B) After the application of Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A), all or any
portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain
for the taxable period, if any, shall be allocated 100% to the
holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, until the
aggregate amount of such items allocated to the holders of Incentive
Distribution Rights pursuant to this paragraph 6.1(d)(iii)(B) for
the current taxable year and all previous taxable years is equal to
the cumulative amount of all Incentive Distributions made to the
holders of Incentive Distribution Rights from the Closing Date to a
date 45 days after the end of the current taxable year.
(iv) Qualified Income Offset. In the event any Partner unexpectedly
receives any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in
Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-
1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Partnership
income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in an
amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by
the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code,
the deficit balance, if any, in its Adjusted Capital Account created by
such adjustments, allocations or distributions as quickly as possible
unless such deficit balance is otherwise eliminated pursuant to Section
6.1(d)(i) or (ii).
(v) Gross Income Allocations. In the event any Partner has a deficit
balance in its Capital Account at the end of any Partnership taxable
period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such Partner is required
to restore pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and (B) the
amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be
specially allocated items of Partnership gross income and gain in the
amount of such excess as quickly as possible; provided, that an
allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(v) shall be made only if and
to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its
Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in
this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section
6.1(d)(v) were not in this Agreement.
36
(vi) Nonrecourse Deductions. Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable
period shall be allocated to the Partners in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests. If the General Partner determines in
its good faith discretion that the Partnership's Nonrecourse Deductions
must be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor
requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section
704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized, upon notice to
the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically
closest ratio that does satisfy such requirements.
(vii) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions. Partner Nonrecourse Deductions
for any taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that
bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse
Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in
accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than
one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner
Nonrecourse Debt, such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable
thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in accordance
with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.
(viii) Nonrecourse Liabilities. For purposes of Treasury Regulation
Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Nonrecourse Liabilities
of the Partnership in excess of the sum of (A) the amount of
Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of Nonrecourse Built-
in Gain shall be allocated among the Partners in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests.
(ix) Code Section 754 Adjustments. To the extent an adjustment to the
adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b)
or 743(c) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining
Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts
shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the
basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis),
and such item of gain or loss shall be specially allocated to the
Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital
Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the
Treasury Regulations.
(x) Economic Uniformity. At the election of the General Partner with
respect to any taxable period ending upon, or after, the termination of
the Subordination Period, all or a portion of the remaining items of
Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period, after taking
into account allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(iii), shall be
allocated 100% to each Partner holding Subordinated Units that are
Outstanding as of the termination of the Subordination Period ("Final
Subordinated Units") in the proportion of the number of Final
Subordinated Units held by such Partner to the total number of Final
Subordinated Units then Outstanding, until each such Partner has been
allocated an amount of gross income or gain which increases the Capital
Account maintained with respect to such Final Subordinated Units to an
amount equal to the product of (A) the number of Final Subordinated
Units held by such Partner and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a
Common Unit. The purpose of this allocation is to establish uniformity
between the Capital Accounts underlying Final Subordinated Units and
the Capital Accounts underlying Common Units held by Persons other than
the General Partner and its Affiliates immediately prior to the
conversion of such Final Subordinated Units into Common Units. This
allocation method for establishing such economic uniformity will only
be available to the General Partner if the method for allocating the
Capital Account maintained with respect to the Subordinated Units
between the transferred and retained Subordinated Units pursuant to
Section 5.5(c)(ii) does not otherwise provide such economic uniformity
to the Final Subordinated Units.
(xi) Curative Allocation.
(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, other
than the Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be
taken into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the
extent possible, the net amount of items of income, gain, loss and
deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required
Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to
the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each
such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required
Allocations and the
37
related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this
Section 6.1. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, Required
Allocations relating to (1) Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be
taken into account except to the extent that there has been a
decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain and (2) Partner Nonrecourse
Deductions shall not be taken into account except to the extent that
there has been a decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain.
Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall only be
made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General
Partner reasonably determines that such allocations will otherwise
be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners.
Further, allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall be
deferred with respect to allocations pursuant to clauses (1) and (2)
hereof to the extent the General Partner reasonably determines that
such allocations are likely to be offset by subsequent Required
Allocations.
(B) The General Partner shall have reasonable discretion, with
respect to each taxable period, to (1) apply the provisions of
Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) in whatever order is most likely to minimize
the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the
Required Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to
Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) among the Partners in a manner that is likely
to minimize such economic distortions.
(xii) Corrective Allocations. In the event of any allocation of
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items or any Book-Down Event or any
recognition of a Net Termination Loss, the following rules shall apply:
(A) In the case of any allocation of Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items (other than an allocation of Unrealized Gain or
Unrealized Loss under Section 5.5(d) hereof), the General Partner
shall allocate additional items of gross income and gain away from
the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, to the
Unitholders and the General Partner, or additional items of
deduction and loss away from the Unitholders and the General Partner
to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, to the
extent that the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items allocated to
the Unitholders or the General Partner exceed their Share of
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items. For this purpose, the
Unitholders and the General Partner shall be treated as being
allocated Additional Book Basis Derivative Items to the extent that
such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items have reduced the amount
of income that would otherwise have been allocated to the
Unitholders or the General Partner under the Partnership Agreement
(e.g., Additional Book Basis Derivative Items taken into account in
computing cost of goods sold would reduce the amount of book income
otherwise available for allocation among the Partners). Any
allocation made pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(A) shall be
made after all of the other Agreed Allocations have been made as if
this Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this Agreement and, to the
extent necessary, shall require the reallocation of items that have
been allocated pursuant to such other Agreed Allocations.
(B) In the case of any negative adjustments to the Capital
Accounts of the Partners resulting from a Book-Down Event or from
the recognition of a Net Termination Loss, such negative adjustment
(1) shall first be allocated, to the extent of the Aggregate
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments, in such a manner, as reasonably
determined by the General Partner, that to the extent possible the
aggregate Capital Accounts of the Partners will equal the amount
which would have been the Capital Account balance of the Partners if
no prior Book-Up Events had occurred, and (2) any negative
adjustment in excess of the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive
Adjustments shall be allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c) hereof.
(C) In making the allocations required under this Section
6.1(d)(xii), the General Partner, in its sole discretion, may apply
whatever conventions or other methodology it deems reasonable to
satisfy the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii).
38
Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes,
each item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the
Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of "book" income, gain,
loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(b) In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a
Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss,
depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for
federal income tax purposes among the Partners as follows:
(i) (A) In the case of a Contributed Property, such items attributable
thereto shall be allocated among the Partners in the manner provided under
Section 704(c) of the Code that takes into account the variation between
the Agreed Value of such property and its adjusted basis at the time of
contribution; and (B) any item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss
attributable to a Contributed Property shall be allocated among the
Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of "book" gain or loss
is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(ii) (A) In the case of an Adjusted Property, such items shall (1) first,
be allocated among the Partners in a manner consistent with the principles
of Section 704(c) of the Code to take into account the Unrealized Gain or
Unrealized Loss attributable to such property and the allocations thereof
pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or 5.5(d)(ii), and (2) second, in the event
such property was originally a Contributed Property, be allocated among the
Partners in a manner consistent with Section 6.2(b)(i)(A); and (B) any item
of Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to an Adjusted Property
shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative
item of "book" gain or loss is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(iii) The General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities.
(c) For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the
preservation of uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or
classes thereof), the General Partner shall have sole discretion to (i) adopt
such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of
depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make special
allocations for federal income tax purposes of income (including, without
limitation, gross income) or deductions; and (iii) amend the provisions of
this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of
Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y)
otherwise to preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests
(or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may adopt such
conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement
as provided in this Section 6.2(c) only if such conventions, allocations or
amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the
holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests issued and
Outstanding or the Partnership, and if such allocations are consistent with
the principles of Section 704 of the Code.
(d) The General Partner in its discretion may determine to depreciate or
amortize the portion of an adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code
attributable to unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the
extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate
derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied
to the Partnership's common basis of such property, despite any inconsistency
of such approach with Proposed Treasury Regulation Section 1.168-2(n),
Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6) or the legislative history of
Section 197 of the Code. If the General Partner determines that such reporting
position cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt
depreciation and amortization conventions under which all purchasers acquiring
Limited Partner Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and
amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had
purchased a direct interest in the Partnership's property. If the General
Partner chooses not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may
use any other reasonable depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve
the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited Partner
Interests that would not have
39
a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record Holders of any
class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.
(e) Any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable
disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after
taking into account other required allocations of gain pursuant to this
Section 6.2, be characterized as Recapture Income in the same proportions and
to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest) have
been allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the
treatment of such gains as Recapture Income.
(f) All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the
Partnership for federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in
accordance with the provisions hereof shall be determined without regard to
any election under Section 754 of the Code which may be made by the
Partnership; provided, however, that such allocations, once made, shall be
adjusted as necessary or appropriate to take into account those adjustments
permitted or required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
(g) Each item of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction attributable
to a transferred Partnership Interest, shall for federal income tax purposes,
be determined on an annual basis and prorated on a monthly basis and shall be
allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the principal National
Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are then traded on the first
Business Day of each month; provided, however, that such items for the period
beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in which
the Option Closing Date or the expiration of the Over-allotment Option occurs
shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the Nasdaq National
Market on the first Business Day of the next succeeding month; and provided,
further, that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the
Partnership other than in the ordinary course of business shall be allocated
to the Partners as of the opening of the Nasdaq National Market (or such other
National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are then primarily
traded) on the first Business Day of the month in which such gain or loss is
recognized for federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may revise,
alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation as it determines
necessary, to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and
the regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder.
(h) Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the
provisions of this Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of
Limited Partner Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee
has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with
Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General
Partner in its sole discretion.
Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions
to Record Holders.
(a) Within 45 days following the end of each Quarter commencing with the
Quarter ending on March 31, 1998, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash
with respect to such Quarter shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware
Act, be distributed in accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to
the Partners as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner in its
reasonable discretion. All amounts of Available Cash distributed by the
Partnership on any date from any source shall be deemed to be Operating
Surplus until the sum of all amounts of Available Cash theretofore distributed
by the Partnership to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.4 equals the
Operating Surplus from the Closing Date through the close of the immediately
preceding Quarter. Any remaining amounts of Available Cash distributed by the
Partnership on such date shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 6.5,
be deemed to be "Capital Surplus." All distributions required to be made under
this Agreement shall be made subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 6.3(a), in the event of the dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership, all receipts received during or after the
Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs, other than from borrowings
described in (a)(ii) of the definition of Available Cash, shall be applied and
distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions
of, Section 12.4.
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(c) The General Partner shall have the discretion to treat taxes paid by the
Partnership on behalf of, or amounts withheld with respect to, all or less
than all of the Partners, as a distribution of Available Cash to such
Partners.
(d) Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by
the Partnership, directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other
Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of
the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full
payment and satisfaction of the Partnership's liability in respect of such
payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in
such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.
Section 6.4 Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus.
(a) During Subordination Period. Available Cash with respect to any Quarter
within the Subordination Period that is deemed to be Operating Surplus
pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.5 shall, subject to Section 17-
607 of the Delaware Act, be distributed as follows, except as otherwise
required by Section 5.6(b) in respect of additional Partnership Securities
issued pursuant thereto:
(i) First, 99% to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, and 1%
to the General Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each
Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution for such Quarter;
(ii) Second, 99% to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, and
1% to the General Partner until there has been distributed in respect of
each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common
Unit Arrearage existing with respect to such Quarter;
(iii) Third, 99% to the Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata,
and 1% to the General Partner until there has been distributed in respect
of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
(iv) Fourth, 99% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, and 1% to the General
Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then
Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution
over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
(v) Fifth, 85.8673% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, 13.1327% to the holders
of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to the General
Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then
Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution
over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;
(vi) Sixth, 75.7653% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, 23.2347% to the
holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to the
General Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target
Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and
(vii) Thereafter, 50.5102% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, 48.4898% to the
holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to the
General Partner;
provided, that no distributions may be made pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(iii),
(iv), (v), (vi) or (vii) with respect to any Quarter within the Subordination
Period if the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Four-Quarter
Period ended with such Quarter is equal to or less than 1.75 to 1.00;
provided, further, if the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target
Distribution, the Second Target Distribution and the Third Target Distribution
have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a),
the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with
respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section
6.4(a)(vii).
(b) After Subordination Period. Available Cash with respect to any Quarter
after the Subordination Period that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant
to the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.5, subject to Section 17-607
41
of the Delaware Act, shall be distributed as follows, except as otherwise
required by Section 5.6(b) in respect of additional Partnership Securities
issued pursuant thereto:
(i) First, 99% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, and 1% to the General
Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then
Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such
Quarter;
(ii) Second, 99% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, and 1% to the General
Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then
Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution
over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
(iii) Third, 85.8673% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, and 13.1327% to the
holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to the
General Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target
Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;
(iv) Fourth, 75.7653% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, and 23.2347% to the
holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to the
General Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target
Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and
(v) Thereafter, 50.5102% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, and 48.4898% to
the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 1% to the
General Partner;
provided, however, if the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target
Distribution, the Second Target Distribution and the Third Target Distribution
have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a),
the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with
respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section
6.4(b)(v).
Section 6.5 Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus.
Available Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus pursuant to the
provisions of Section 6.3(a) shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware
Act, be distributed, unless the provisions of Section 6.3 require otherwise,
99% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, and 1% to the General Partner until a
hypothetical holder of a Common Unit acquired on the Closing Date has received
with respect to such Common Unit, during the period since the Closing Date
through such date, distributions of Available Cash that are deemed to be
Capital Surplus in an aggregate amount equal to the Initial Unit Price.
Available Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus shall then be distributed
99% to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, and 1% to the General
Partner until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then
Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage.
Thereafter, all Available Cash shall be distributed as if it were Operating
Surplus and shall be distributed in accordance with Section 6.4.
Section 6.6 Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target
Distribution Levels.
(a) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second
Target Distribution, Third Target Distribution, Common Unit Arrearages and
Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages shall be proportionately adjusted in the
event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether effected by a
distribution payable in Units or otherwise) of Units or other Partnership
Securities in accordance with Section 5.10. In the event of a distribution of
Available Cash that is deemed to be from Capital Surplus, the then applicable
Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target
Distribution and Third Target Distribution shall be adjusted proportionately
downward to equal the product obtained by multiplying the otherwise applicable
Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target
Distribution and Third Target Distribution, as the case may be, by a fraction
of which the numerator is the Unrecovered Capital of the Common Units
immediately after giving effect to such distribution and of which the
denominator is the Unrecovered Capital of the Common Units immediately prior
to giving effect to such distribution.
42
(b) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second
Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution shall also be subject to
adjustment pursuant to Section 6.9.
Section 6.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units.
(a) Except with respect to the right to vote on or approve matters requiring
the vote or approval of a percentage of the holders of Outstanding Common
Units and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and
deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units, the holder of a
Subordinated Unit shall have all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder
holding Common Units hereunder; provided, however, that immediately upon the
conversion of Subordinated Units into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.8,
the Unitholder holding a Subordinated Unit shall possess all of the rights and
obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder, including the
right to vote as a Common Unitholder and the right to participate in
allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with
respect to Common Units; provided, however, that such converted Subordinated
Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Sections 5.5(c)(ii), 6.1(d)(x)
and 6.7(b).
(b) The Unitholder holding a Subordinated Unit which has converted into a
Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.8 shall not be issued a Common Unit
Certificate pursuant to Section 4.1, and shall not be permitted to transfer
its converted Subordinated Units to a Person which is not an Affiliate of the
holder until such time as the General Partner determines, based on advice of
counsel, that a converted Subordinated Unit should have, as a substantive
matter, like intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics, in all
material respects, to the intrinsic economic and federal income tax
characteristics of an Initial Common Unit. In connection with the condition
imposed by this Section 6.7(b), the General Partner may take whatever
reasonable steps are required to provide economic uniformity to the converted
Subordinated Units in preparation for a transfer of such converted
Subordinated Units, including the application of Sections 5.5(c)(ii) and
6.1(d)(x); provided, however, that no such steps may be taken that would have
a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units represented
by Common Unit Certificates.
Section 6.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive
Distribution Rights.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the
holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights (a) shall (i) possess the rights
and obligations provided in this Agreement with respect to a Limited Partner
pursuant to Articles III and VII and (ii) have a Capital Account as a Partner
pursuant to Section 5.5 and all other provisions related thereto and (b) shall
not (i) be entitled to vote on any matters requiring the approval or vote of
the holders of Outstanding Units, (ii) be entitled to any distributions other
than as provided in Sections 6.4(a)(v), (vi) and (vii), 6.4(b)(iii), (iv) and
(v), and 12.4 or (iii) be allocated items of income, gain, loss or deduction
other than as specified in this Article VI.
Section 6.9 Entity-Level Taxation.
If legislation is enacted or the interpretation of existing language is
modified by the relevant governmental authority which causes the Partnership
or the Operating Company to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or otherwise subjects the Partnership or the Operating Company to
entity-level taxation for federal income tax purposes, the then applicable
Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target
Distribution and Third Target Distribution shall be adjusted to equal the
product obtained by multiplying (a) the amount thereof by (b) one minus the
sum of (i) the highest marginal federal corporate (or other entity, as
applicable) income tax rate of the Partnership or the Operating Company for
the taxable year of the Partnership or the Operating Company in which such
Quarter occurs (expressed as a percentage) plus (ii) the effective overall
state and local income tax rate (expressed as a percentage) applicable to the
Partnership or the Operating Company for the calendar year next preceding the
calendar year in which such Quarter occurs (after taking into account the
benefit of any deduction allowable for federal income tax purposes with
respect to the payment of state and local income taxes), but only to the
extent of the increase in such rates resulting from such legislation or
interpretation. Such effective overall state and local income tax rate shall
be determined for the taxable year
43
next preceding the first taxable year during which the Partnership or the
Operating Company is taxable for federal income tax purposes as an association
taxable as a corporation or is otherwise subject to entity-level taxation by
determining such rate as if the Partnership or the Operating Company had been
subject to such state and local taxes during such preceding taxable year.
ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
Section 7.1 Management.
(a) The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of
the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all
management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be
exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner or Assignee
shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the
Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general
partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or which are granted to
the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General
Partner, subject to Section 7.3, shall have full power and authority to do all
things and on such terms as it, in its sole discretion, may deem necessary or
appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers
set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section
2.4, including the following:
(i) the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money,
the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and
other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including
indebtedness that is convertible into Partnership Securities, and the
incurring of any other obligations;
(ii) the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of
periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having
jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;
(iii) the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance,
hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or
the merger or other combination of the Partnership with or into another
Person (the matters described in this clause (iii) being subject, however,
to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.3);
(iv) the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand)
for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the
financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership Group, the
lending of funds to other Persons (including the Operating Company), the
repayment of obligations of the Partnership Group and the making of capital
contributions to any member of the Partnership Group;
(v) the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts,
conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the
liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or
particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract
to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than
its interest in the Partnership, even if same results in the terms of the
transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be
the case);
(vi) the distribution of Partnership cash;
(vii) the selection and dismissal of employees (including employees
having titles such as "president," "vice president," "secretary" and
"treasurer") and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and
contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of
employment or hiring;
(viii) the maintenance of such insurance for the benefit of the
Partnership Group and the Partners as it deems necessary or appropriate;
(ix) the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the
contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or
general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations or other relationships
(including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of
property to, the Operating Company from time to time) subject to the
restrictions set forth in Section 2.4;
44
(x) the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of
the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or
in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation and the
incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;
(xi) the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and
contingencies to the extent permitted by law;
(xii) the entering into of listing agreements with any National
Securities Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner
Interests from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such
exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under Section
4.8);
(xiii) unless restricted or prohibited by Section 5.7, the purchase, sale
or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Securities, or the
issuance of additional options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights
relating to Partnership Securities; and
(xiv) the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership's
participation in the Operating Company as a member.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Operating
Company Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation,
each of the Partners and Assignees and each other Person who may acquire an
interest in Partnership Securities hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms
the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of the
Operating Company Agreement, the Underwriting Agreement, the Contribution and
Conveyance Agreement, the agreements and other documents filed as exhibits to
the Registration Statement, and the other agreements described in or filed as
a part of the Registration Statement; (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on
its own or through any officer of the Partnership) is authorized to execute,
deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence
and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or
contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership
without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the Assignees or
the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities; and
(iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General
Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them, of this Agreement
or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement (including the
exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the
rights accorded pursuant to Article XV), shall not constitute a breach by the
General Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership
or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any
other agreements) or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity.
Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership.
The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be
filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the
Delaware Act and shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such
other certificates or documents as may be determined by the General Partner in
its sole discretion to be reasonable and necessary or appropriate for the
formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership
(or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the
State of Delaware or any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do
business or own property. To the extent that such action is determined by the
General Partner in its sole discretion to be reasonable and necessary or
appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of
the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the
Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in
which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State
of Delaware or of any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do
business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General
Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a
copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or
any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.
Section 7.3 Restrictions on General Partner's Authority.
(a) The General Partner may not, without written approval of the specific
act by holders of all of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests or by other
written instrument executed and delivered by holders of all of
45
the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests subsequent to the date of this
Agreement, take any action in contravention of this Agreement, including,
except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, (i) committing any act that
would make it impossible to carry on the ordinary business of the Partnership;
(ii) possessing Partnership property, or assigning any rights in specific
Partnership property, for other than a Partnership purpose; (iii) admitting a
Person as a Partner; (iv) amending this Agreement in any manner; or (v)
transferring its interest as general partner of the Partnership.
(b) Except as provided in Articles XII and XIV, the General Partner may not
sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the
Partnership's assets in a single transaction or a series of related
transactions or approve on behalf of the Partnership the sale, exchange or
other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Operating
Company, without the approval of holders of at least a Unit Majority; provided
however that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner's
ability to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all
or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership or Operating Company and
shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets of the
Partnership or Operating Company pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other
realization upon, any such encumbrance. Without the approval of holders of at
least a Unit Majority, the General Partner shall not, on behalf of the
Partnership, (i) consent to any amendment to the Operating Company Agreement
or, except as expressly permitted by Section 7.9(d), take any action permitted
to be taken by a member of the Operating Company, in either case, that would
have a material adverse effect on the Partnership as a member of the Operating
Company or (ii) except as permitted under Sections 4.6, 11.1 and 11.2, elect
or cause the Partnership to elect a successor general partner of the
Partnership or manager of the Operating Company.
Section 7.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 7.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement
or in the Operating Company Agreement, the General Partner shall not be
compensated for its services as general partner or managing member of any
Group Member.
(b) The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such
other reasonable basis as the General Partner may determine in its sole
discretion, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it
makes on behalf of the Partnership (including salary, bonus, incentive
compensation and other amounts paid to any Person including Affiliates of the
General Partner to perform services for the Partnership or for the General
Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership), and (ii) all other
necessary or appropriate expenses allocable to the Partnership or otherwise
reasonably incurred by the General Partner in connection with operating the
Partnership's business (including expenses allocated to the General Partner by
its Affiliates). The General Partner shall determine the expenses that are
allocable to the Partnership in any reasonable manner determined by the
General Partner in its sole discretion. Reimbursements pursuant to this
Section 7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner
as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7.
(c) Subject to Section 5.7, the General Partner, in its sole discretion and
without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right to vote
in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership
employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices (including
plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Securities
or options to purchase Partnership Securities), or cause the Partnership to
issue Partnership Securities in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee
benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by
the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of
employees of the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate, or any of
them, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the
benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to
the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Securities that
the General Partner or such Affiliate is obligated to provide to any employees
pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee
practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any
such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General
Partner or such Affiliate of Partnership Securities purchased by the General
Partner or such Affiliate from the Partnership to fulfill options or awards
under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance
with Section 7.4(b). Any
46
and all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit plans,
employee programs or employee practices adopted by the General Partner as
permitted by this Section 7.4(c) shall constitute obligations of the General
Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner
approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to
all of the General Partner's Partnership Interest as the General Partner in
the Partnership pursuant to Section 4.6.
Section 7.5 Outside Activities.
(a) After the Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the
General Partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be
to act as the general partner or managing member of the Partnership, the
Operating Company, and any other partnership or limited liability company of
which the Partnership or the Operating Company is, directly or indirectly, a
partner or managing member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or
related thereto (including being a limited partner in the partnership), (ii)
shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities
except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general
partner of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the
Registration Statement or (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt or
equity securities in any Group Member and (iii) shall not, and shall cause its
Affiliates not to, engage in any Restricted Activity.
(b) Except as specifically restricted by Section 7.5(a), each Indemnitee
(other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses
of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in
and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or
description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in
by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business
interests and activities (other than Restricted Activities in North America,
unless such Restricted Activities are approved by Special Approval (as long as
the material facts known to such Indemnitee regarding such Restricted
Activities were disclosed to the Conflicts Committee at the time it gave its
approval)) in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group
Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any
duty express or implied by law to any Group Member or any Partner or Assignee.
Neither any Group Member, any Limited Partner nor any other Person shall have
any rights by virtue of this Agreement, the Operating Company Agreement or the
partnership relationship established hereby or thereby in any business ventures
of any Indemnitee.
(c) Subject to the terms of Section 7.5(a) and 7.5(b), but otherwise
notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the engaging
in competitive activities by any Indemnitees (other than the General Partner)
in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.5 is hereby approved by
the Partnership and all Partners and (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a
breach of the General Partner's fiduciary duty or any other obligation of any
type whatsoever of the General Partner for the Indemnitees (other than the
General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in
preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership (including, without
limitation, the General Partner and the Indemnities shall have no obligation
to present business opportunities to the Partnership).
(d) The General Partner and any of its Affiliates may acquire Partnership
Securities in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise all rights
of the General Partner or Limited Partner, as applicable, relating to such
Partnership Securities.
(e) The term "Affiliates" when used in Sections 7.5(a) and 7.5(b) with
respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member or any
Subsidiary of the Group Member.
(f) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, to the
extent that provisions of Sections 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 7.10 or other Sections of
this Agreement purport or are interpreted to have the effect of restricting
the fiduciary duties that might otherwise, as a result of Delaware or other
applicable law, be owed by the General Partner to the Partnership and its
Limited Partners, or to constitute a waiver or consent by the Limited Partners
to any such restriction, such provisions shall be inapplicable and have no
effect in determining whether the General Partner has complied with its
fiduciary duties in connection with determinations made by it under this
Section 7.5.
47
Section 7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the
Partnership; Contracts with Affiliates; Certain Restrictions on the
General Partner.
(a) The General Partner or its Affiliates may lend to any Group Member, and
any Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates,
funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in
such amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided, however, that in
any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at
a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or
impose terms less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or
imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated lenders on comparable loans made
on an arm's-length basis (without reference to the lending party's financial
abilities or guarantees). The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending
party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the
lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of
this Section 7.6(a) and Section 7.6(b), the term "Group Member" shall include
any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group Member. No
Group Member may lend funds to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates
(other than another Group Member).
(b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any
Group Member may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions
established in the sole discretion of the General Partner; provided, however,
that the Partnership may not charge the Group Member interest at a rate less
than the rate that would be charged to the Group Member (without reference to
the General Partner's financial abilities or guarantees) by unrelated lenders
on comparable loans. The foregoing authority shall be exercised by the General
Partner in its sole discretion and shall not create any right or benefit in
favor of any Group Member or any other Person.
(c) The General Partner may itself, or may enter into an agreement with any
of its Affiliates to, render services to a Group Member or to the General
Partner in the discharge of its duties as general partner of the Partnership.
Any services rendered to a Group Member by the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates shall be on terms that are fair and reasonable to the Partnership;
provided, however, that the requirements of this Section 7.6(c) shall be
deemed satisfied as to (i) any transaction approved by Special Approval, (ii)
any transaction, the terms of which are no less favorable to the Partnership
Group than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third
parties or (iii) any transaction that, taking into account the totality of the
relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that
may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership Group), is
equitable to the Partnership Group. The provisions of Section 7.4 shall apply
to the rendering of services described in this Section 7.6(c).
(d) The Partnership Group may transfer assets to joint ventures, other
partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies or other business
entities in which it is or thereby becomes a participant upon such terms and
subject to such conditions as are consistent with this Agreement and
applicable law.
(e) Neither the General Partner nor any of its Affiliates shall sell,
transfer or convey any property to, or purchase any property from, the
Partnership, directly or indirectly, except pursuant to transactions that are
fair and reasonable to the Partnership; provided, however, that the
requirements of this Section 7.6(e) shall be deemed to be satisfied as to (i)
the transactions effected pursuant to Sections 5.2 and 5.3, the Contribution
and Conveyance Agreement and any other transactions described in or
contemplated by the Registration Statement, (ii) any transaction approved by
Special Approval, (iii) any transaction, the terms of which are no less
favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or
available from unrelated third parties, or (iv) any transaction that, taking
into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved
(including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or
advantageous to the Partnership), is equitable to the Partnership. With
respect to any contribution of assets to the Partnership in exchange for
Partnership Securities, the Conflicts Committee, in determining whether the
appropriate number of Partnership Securities are being issued, may take into
account, among other things, the fair market value of the assets, the
liquidated and contingent liabilities assumed, the tax basis in the assets,
the extent to which tax-only allocations to the transferor will protect the
existing partners of the Partnership against a low tax basis, and such other
factors as the Conflicts Committee deems relevant under the circumstances.
48
(f) The General Partner and its Affiliates will have no obligation to permit
any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and
its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time
to time specifically dealing with such use, nor shall there be any obligation
on the part of the General Partner or its Affiliates to enter into such
contracts.
(g) Without limitation of Sections 7.6(a) through 7.6(f), and
notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the existence of
the conflicts of interest described in the Registration Statement are hereby
approved by all Partners.
Section 7.7 Indemnification.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations
expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and
held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and
expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts
arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any
Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or
otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee; provided, that in each
case the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner that such Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in, or (in the case of a Person other than the
General Partner) not opposed to, the best interests of the Partnership and,
with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe
its conduct was unlawful; provided, further, no indemnification pursuant to
this Section 7.7 shall be available to the General Partner with respect to its
obligations incurred pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement or the
Contribution and Conveyance Agreement (other than obligations incurred by the
General Partner on behalf of the Partnership or the Operating Company). The
termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement,
conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not
create a presumption that the Indemnitee acted in a manner contrary to that
specified above. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be
made only out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the
General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and
shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the
Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees
and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section
7.7(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from
time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to the final disposition of
such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by the Partnership
of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if
it shall be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified
as authorized in this Section 7.7.
(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to
any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement,
pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests
entitled to vote on such matter, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to
actions in the Indemnitee's capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any
other capacity (including any capacity under the Underwriting Agreement), and
shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity
and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and
administrators of the Indemnitee.
(d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General
Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General
Partner, its Affiliates and such other Persons as the General Partner shall
determine, against any liability that may be asserted against or expense that
may be incurred by such Person in connection with the Partnership's activities
or such Person's activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of
whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against
such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) For purposes of this Section 7.7, 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
49
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 Section 7.7(a); and action
taken or omitted by it with respect to any 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 which is in, or 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 7.7 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 7.7 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) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.7 or any
provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of
any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership,
nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under
and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.7 as in effect
immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to
claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part,
prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such
claims may arise or be asserted.
Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no
Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the
Limited Partners, the Assignees or any other Persons who have acquired
interests in the Partnership Securities, for losses sustained or liabilities
incurred as a result of any act or omission if such Indemnitee acted in good
faith.
(b) Subject to its obligations and duties as General Partner set forth in
Section 7.1(a), the General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to
it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder
either directly or by or through its agents, and the General Partner shall not
be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent
appointed by the General Partner in good faith.
(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties
(including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the
Partnership or to the Partners, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee
acting in connection with the Partnership's business or affairs shall not be
liable to the Partnership or to any Partner for its good faith reliance on the
provisions of this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent
that they restrict or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities of an
Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Partners
to replace such other duties and liabilities of such Indemnitee.
(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any
provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the
limitations on the liability to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, the
General Partner, and the Partnership's and General Partner's directors,
officers and employees under this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior
to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from
or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such
amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or
be asserted.
Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest.
(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or the Operating
Company Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises
between the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, on
50
the one hand, and the Partnership, the Operating Company, any Partner or any
Assignee, on the other, any resolution or course of action by the General
Partner or its Affiliates in respect of such conflict of interest shall be
permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a
breach of this Agreement, of the Operating Company Agreement, of any agreement
contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or implied by law or
equity, if the resolution or course of action is, or by operation of this
Agreement is deemed to be, fair and reasonable to the Partnership. The General
Partner shall be authorized but not required in connection with its resolution
of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval of such resolution. Any
conflict of interest and any resolution of such conflict of interest shall be
conclusively deemed fair and reasonable to the Partnership if such conflict of
interest or resolution is (i) approved by Special Approval (as long as the
material facts known to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates regarding
any proposed transaction were disclosed to the Conflicts Committee at the time
it gave its approval), (ii) on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than
those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or
(iii) fair to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the
relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that
may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General
Partner may also adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received
Special Approval. The General Partner (including the Conflicts Committee in
connection with Special Approval) shall be authorized in connection with its
determination of what is "fair and reasonable" to the Partnership and in
connection with its resolution of any conflict of interest to consider (A) the
relative interests of any party to such conflict, agreement, transaction or
situation and the benefits and burdens relating to such interest; (B) any
customary or accepted industry practices and any customary or historical
dealings with a particular Person; (C) any applicable generally accepted
accounting practices or principles; and (D) such additional factors as the
General Partner (including the Conflicts Committee) determines in its sole
discretion to be relevant, reasonable or appropriate under the circumstances.
Nothing contained in this Agreement, however, is intended to nor shall it be
construed to require the General Partner (including the Conflicts Committee)
to consider the interests of any Person other than the Partnership. In the
absence of bad faith by the General Partner, the resolution, action or terms
so made, taken or provided by the General Partner with respect to such matter
shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or any other agreement
contemplated herein or a breach of any standard of care or duty imposed herein
or therein or, to the extent permitted by law, under the Delaware Act or any
other law, rule or regulation.
(b) Whenever this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby
provides that the General Partner or any of its Affiliates is permitted or
required to make a decision (i) in its "sole discretion" or "discretion," that
it deems "necessary or appropriate" or "necessary or advisable" or under a
grant of similar authority or latitude, except as otherwise provided herein,
the General Partner or such Affiliate shall be entitled to consider only such
interests and factors as it desires and shall have no duty or obligation to
give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, the
Partnership, the Operating Company, any Limited Partner or any Assignee, (ii)
it may make such decision in its sole discretion (regardless of whether there
is a reference to "sole discretion" or "discretion") unless another express
standard is provided for, or (iii) in "good faith" or under another express
standard, the General Partner or such Affiliate shall act under such express
standard and shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed
by this Agreement, the Operating Company Agreement, any other agreement
contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or
regulation. In addition, any actions taken by the General Partner or such
Affiliate consistent with the standards of "reasonable discretion" set forth
in the definitions of Available Cash or Operating Surplus shall not constitute
a breach of any duty of the General Partner to the Partnership or the Limited
Partners. The General Partner shall have no duty, express or implied, to sell
or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the
ordinary course of business. No borrowing by any Group Member or the approval
thereof by the General Partner shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any
duty of the General Partner to the Partnership or the Limited Partners by
reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or
indirectly to (A) enable distributions to the General Partner or its
Affiliates (including in their capacities as Limited Partners) to exceed 1% of
the total amount distributed to all partners or (B) hasten the expiration of
the Subordination Period or the conversion of any Subordinated Units into
Common Units.
51
(c) Whenever a particular transaction, arrangement or resolution of a
conflict of interest is required under this Agreement to be "fair and
reasonable" to any Person, the fair and reasonable nature of such transaction,
arrangement or resolution shall be considered in the context of all similar or
related transactions.
(d) The Unitholders hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the
Partnership as a partner or member of a Group Member, to approve of actions by
the general partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those
actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section
7.9.
Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture
or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been
signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
(b) The General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants,
appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants
and advisers selected by it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in
reliance upon the opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as
to matters that the General Partner reasonably believes to be within such
Person's professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to
have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(c) The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its
powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized
officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly
authorized officers of the Partnership.
(d) Any standard of care and duty imposed by this Agreement or under the
Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation shall be modified,
waived or limited, to the extent permitted by law, as required to permit the
General Partner to act under this Agreement or any other agreement
contemplated by this Agreement and to make any decision pursuant to the
authority prescribed in this Agreement, so long as such action is reasonably
believed by the General Partner to be in, or not inconsistent with, the best
interests of the Partnership.
Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Securities.
The General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise
acquire Partnership Securities (other than Incentive Distribution Rights);
provided that, except as permitted pursuant to Section 4.10, the General
Partner may not cause any Group Member to purchase Subordinated Units during
the Subordination Period. As long as Partnership Securities are held by any
Group Member, such Partnership Securities shall not be considered Outstanding
for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or
any Affiliate of the General Partner may also purchase or otherwise acquire
and sell or otherwise dispose of Partnership Securities for its own account,
subject to the provisions of Articles IV and X.
Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates.
(a) If (i) the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner
(including for purposes of this Section 7.12, any Person that is an Affiliate
of the General Partner at the date hereof notwithstanding that it may later
cease to be an Affiliate of the General Partner) holds Partnership Securities
that it desires to sell and (ii) Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or any
successor rule or regulation to Rule 144) or another exemption from
registration is not available to enable such holder of Partnership Securities
(the "Holder") to dispose of the number of Partnership Securities it desires
to sell at the time it desires to do so without registration under the
Securities Act, then upon the request of the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates, the Partnership shall file with the Commission as promptly as
practicable after receiving such request, and use all reasonable efforts to
cause to become effective and remain effective for a period of not less than
six months following its effective date or such shorter period as shall
terminate when all Partnership Securities covered by such registration
statement have been sold, a registration statement under the Securities Act
registering the offering and sale of the number of
52
Partnership Securities specified by the Holder; provided, however, that the
Partnership shall not be required to effect more than three registrations
pursuant to this Section 7.12(a); and provided further, however, that if the
Conflicts Committee determines in its good faith judgment that a postponement
of the requested registration for up to six months would be in the best
interests of the Partnership and its Partners due to a pending transaction,
investigation or other event, the filing of such registration statement or the
effectiveness thereof may be deferred for up to six months, but not
thereafter. In connection with any registration pursuant to the immediately
preceding sentence, the Partnership shall promptly prepare and file (x) such
documents as may be necessary to register or qualify the securities subject to
such registration under the securities laws of such states as the Holder shall
reasonably request; provided, however, that no such qualification shall be
required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Partnership would
become subject to general service of process or to taxation or qualification
to do business as a foreign corporation or partnership doing business in such
jurisdiction solely as a result of such registration, and (y) such documents
as may be necessary to apply for listing or to list the Partnership Securities
subject to such registration on such National Securities Exchange as the
Holder shall reasonably request, and do any and all other acts and things that
may reasonably be necessary or advisable to enable the Holder to consummate a
public sale of such Partnership Securities in such states. Except as set forth
in Section 7.12(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and
offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid
by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.
(b) If the Partnership shall at any time propose to file a registration
statement under the Securities Act for an offering of equity securities of the
Partnership for cash (other than an offering relating solely to an employee
benefit plan), the Partnership shall use all reasonable efforts to include
such number or amount of securities held by the Holder in such registration
statement as the Holder shall request. If the proposed offering pursuant to
this Section 7.12(b) shall be an underwritten offering, then, in the event
that the managing underwriter or managing underwriters of such offering advise
the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in their opinion the inclusion
of all or some of the Holder's Partnership Securities would adversely and
materially affect the success of the offering, the Partnership shall include
in such offering only that number or amount, if any, of securities held by the
Holder which, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or managing
underwriters, will not so adversely and materially affect the offering. Except
as set forth in Section 7.12(c), all costs and expenses of any such
registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and
commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the
Holder.
(c) If underwriters are engaged in connection with any registration referred
to in this Section 7.12, the Partnership shall provide indemnification,
representations, covenants, opinions and other assurance to the underwriters
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such underwriters. Further,
in addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership's obligation under
Section 7.7, the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
indemnify and hold harmless the Holder, its officers, directors and each
Person who controls the Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and
any agent thereof (collectively, "Indemnified Persons") against any losses,
claims, demands, actions, causes of action, assessments, damages, liabilities
(joint or several), costs and expenses (including interest, penalties and
reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements), resulting to, imposed upon, or
incurred by the Indemnified Persons, directly or indirectly, under the
Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in this Section 7.12(c)
as a "claim" and in the plural as "claims") based upon, arising out of or
resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in any registration statement under which any
Partnership Securities were registered under the Securities Act or any state
securities or Blue Sky laws, in any preliminary prospectus (if used prior to
the effective date of such registration statement), or in any summary or final
prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the
period the Partnership is required to keep the registration statement
current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading;
provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified
Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or
results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in such registration statement, such preliminary,
summary or final prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in
53
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person specifically for use in
the preparation thereof.
(d) The provisions of Section 7.12(a) and 7.12(b) shall continue to be
applicable with respect to the General Partner (and any of the General
Partner's Affiliates) after it ceases to be a Partner of the Partnership,
during a period of two years subsequent to the effective date of such
cessation and for so long thereafter as is required for the Holder to sell all
of the Partnership Securities with respect to which it has requested during
such two-year period inclusion in a registration statement otherwise filed or
that a registration statement be filed; provided, however, that the
Partnership shall not be required to file successive registration statements
covering the same Partnership Securities for which registration was demanded
during such two-year period. The provisions of Section 7.12(c) shall continue
in effect thereafter.
(e) Any request to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section
7.12 shall (i) specify the Partnership Securities intended to be offered and
sold by the Person making the request, (ii) express such Person's present
intent to offer such shares for distribution, (iii) describe the nature or
method of the proposed offer and sale of Partnership Securities, and (iv)
contain the undertaking of such Person to provide all such information and
materials and take all action as may be required in order to permit the
Partnership to comply with all applicable requirements in connection with the
registration of such Partnership Securities.
Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person
dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General
Partner and any officer of the General Partner authorized by the General
Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power
and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all
assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf
of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General
Partner or any such officer as if it were the Partnership's sole party in
interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives
any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such
Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or
any such officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any
Person dealing with the General Partner or any such officer or its
representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of the Agreement have
been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act
or action of the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives.
Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of
the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be
conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or
claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such
certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and
effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or
instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the
Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed
and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement
and is binding upon the Partnership.
ARTICLE VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
Section 8.1 Records and Accounting.
The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office
of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the
Partnership's business, including all books and records necessary to provide
to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to
Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the
Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the record of the
Record Holders and Assignees of Units or other Partnership Securities, books
of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in
the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape,
photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided,
that the books and
54
records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within
a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained,
for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S.
GAAP.
Section 8.2 Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December
31.
Section 8.3 Reports.
(a) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the
close of each fiscal year of the Partnership, the General Partner shall cause
to be mailed or furnished to each Record Holder of a Unit as of a date
selected by the General Partner in its discretion, an annual report containing
financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the
Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including a balance sheet
and statements of operations, Partnership equity and cash flows, such
statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected
by the General Partner.
(b) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 90 days after the
close of each Quarter except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the General
Partner shall cause to be mailed or furnished to each Record Holder of a Unit,
as of a date selected by the General Partner in its discretion, a report
containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other
information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any
National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed for trading, or as
the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
ARTICLE IX
TAX MATTERS
Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information.
The Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are
required for federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the
accrual method and a taxable year ending on December 31. The tax information
reasonably required by Record Holders for federal and state income tax
reporting purposes with respect to a taxable year shall be furnished to them
within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership's
taxable year ends. The classification, realization and recognition of income,
gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual method of
accounting for federal income tax purposes.
Section 9.2 Tax Elections.
(a) The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in
accordance with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation
of the right to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner's
determination that such revocation is in the best interests of the Limited
Partners. Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the
purposes of computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the
General Partner shall be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention
whereby the price paid by a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest that is
traded on any National Securities Exchange will be deemed to be the lowest
quoted closing price of such Limited Partner Interests on any National
Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are traded during
the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed to occur pursuant to
Section 6.2(g) without regard to the actual price paid by such transferee.
(b) The Partnership shall elect to deduct expenses incurred in organizing
the Partnership ratably over a sixty-month period as provided in Section 709
of the Code.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine
whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.
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Section 9.3 Tax Controversies.
Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the
Tax Matters Partner (as defined in the Code) and is authorized and required to
represent the Partnership (at the Partnership's expense) in connection with
all examinations of the Partnership's affairs by tax authorities, including
resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership
funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Partner
agrees to cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing
any or all things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such
proceedings.
Section 9.4 Withholding.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner
is authorized to take any action that it determines in its discretion to be
necessary or appropriate to cause the Partnership and the Operating Company 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 or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing
authority any amount resulting from the allocation or distribution of income
to any Partner or Assignee (including, without limitation, by reason of
Section 1446 of the Code), the amount withheld may at the discretion of the
General Partner be treated by the Partnership as a distribution of cash
pursuant to Section 6.3 in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.
ARTICLE X
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
Section 10.1 Admission of Initial Limited Partners.
Upon the issuance by the Partnership of Subordinated Units and Incentive
Distribution Rights to Holdings and the General Partner as described in
Section 5.2, each of Holdings and the General Partner shall be deemed to have
been admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner in respect of the
Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights issued to it. Upon the
issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to the Underwriters as described
in Section 5.3 in connection with the Initial Offering and the execution by
each Underwriter of a Transfer Application, the General Partner shall admit
the Underwriters to the Partnership as Initial Limited Partners in respect of
the Common Units purchased by them.
Section 10.2 Admission of Substituted Limited Partner.
By transfer of a Limited Partner Interest in accordance with Article IV, the
transferor shall be deemed to have given the transferee the right to seek
admission as a Substituted Limited Partner subject to the conditions of, and
in the manner permitted under, this Agreement. A transferor of a Certificate
representing a Limited Partner Interest shall, however, only have the
authority to convey to a purchaser or other transferee who does not execute
and deliver a Transfer Application (a) the right to negotiate such Certificate
to a purchaser or other transferee and (b) the right to transfer the right to
request admission as a Substituted Limited Partner to such purchaser or other
transferee in respect of the transferred Limited Partner Interests. Each
transferee of a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an
agent acquiring such Limited Partner Interest for the account of another
Person) who executes and delivers a Transfer Application shall, by virtue of
such execution and delivery, be an Assignee and be deemed to have applied to
become a Substituted Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner
Interests so transferred to such Person. Such Assignee shall become a
Substituted Limited Partner (x) at such time as the General Partner consents
thereto, which consent may be given or withheld in the General Partner's
discretion, and (y) when any such admission is shown on the books and records
of the Partnership. If such consent is withheld, such transferee shall be an
Assignee. An Assignee shall have an interest in the Partnership equivalent to
that of a Limited Partner with respect to allocations and distributions,
including liquidating distributions, of the Partnership. With respect to
voting rights attributable to Limited Partner Interests that are held by
Assignees, the General Partner shall be deemed to be the Limited Partner with
respect thereto
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and shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Limited Partner
Interests on any matter, vote such Limited Partner Interests at the written
direction of the Assignee who is the Record Holder of such Limited Partner
Interests. If no such written direction is received, such Limited Partner
Interests will not be voted. An Assignee shall have no other rights of a
Limited Partner.
Section 10.3 Admission of Successor General Partner.
A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the
transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner's Partnership
Interest as general partner in the Partnership pursuant to Section 4.6 who is
proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to
the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to the
withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner
pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transfer of the General Partner's
Partnership Interest as a general partner in the Partnership pursuant to
Section 4.6, provided, however, that no such successor shall be admitted to
the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred
and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or
instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor
shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of
the Partnership Group without dissolution.
Section 10.4 Admission of Additional Limited Partners.
(a) A Person (other than the General Partner, an Initial Limited Partner or
a Substituted Limited Partner) who makes a Capital Contribution to the
Partnership in accordance with this Agreement shall be admitted to the
Partnership as an Additional Limited Partner only upon furnishing to the
General Partner (i) evidence of acceptance in form satisfactory to the General
Partner of all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including the
power of attorney granted in Section 2.6, and (ii) such other documents or
instruments as may be required in the discretion of the General Partner to
effect such Person's admission as an Additional Limited Partner.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 10.4, no Person
shall be admitted as an Additional Limited Partner without the consent of the
General Partner, which consent may be given or withheld in the General
Partner's discretion. The admission of any Person as an Additional Limited
Partner shall become effective on the date upon which the name of such Person
is recorded as such in the books and records of the Partnership, following the
consent of the General Partner to such admission.
Section 10.5 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership.
To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General
Partner shall take all steps necessary and appropriate under the Delaware Act
to amend the records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if
necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement
and, if required by law, the General Partner shall prepare and file an
amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership, and the General Partner
may for this purpose, among others, exercise the power of attorney granted
pursuant to Section 2.6.
ARTICLE XI
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the
Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such
event herein referred to as an "Event of Withdrawal");
(i) The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by
giving written notice to the other Partners (and it shall be deemed that
the General Partner has withdrawn pursuant to this Section 11.1(a)(i) if
the General Partner voluntarily withdraws as managing member of the
Operating Company);
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(ii) The General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner
pursuant to Section 4.6;
(iii) The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;
(iv) The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit
of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under
Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or
answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but
not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading
admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition
filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in
clauses (A)-(C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or
acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-
possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any
substantial part of its properties;
(v) A final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the
United States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate
jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against
the General Partner; or
(vi) (A) in the event the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate
of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90
days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation
of its charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of
its state of incorporation; (B) in the event the General Partner is a
partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and
commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) in the event the
General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of
a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the event the General Partner
is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E)
otherwise in the event of the termination of the General Partner.
If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi)(A),
(B), (C) or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to
the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby
agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall
result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.
(b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the
occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this
Agreement under the following circumstances: (i) at any time during the period
beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 12:00 midnight, Eastern Standard
Time, on December 31, 2007, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by
giving at least 90 days' advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the
Limited Partners; provided that prior to the effective date of such
withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders holding at least a Unit
Majority and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of
Counsel ("Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel") that such withdrawal (following the
selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of
the limited liability of any Limited Partner or of a member of the Operating
Company or cause the Partnership or the Operating Company to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for
federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such);
(ii) at any time after 12:00 midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on December 31,
2007, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days'
advance notice to the Unitholders, such withdrawal to take effect on the date
specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to
be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant
to Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any
time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90
days' advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners,
such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the
time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the
General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control
at least 50% of the Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner
from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also
constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or
managing member, as the case may be, of the other Group Members. If the
General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i),
the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such
withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as
successor General Partner shall automatically become
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the successor general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the
other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a
managing member. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner's
withdrawal, a successor is not selected by the Unitholders as provided herein
or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the
Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1. Any successor
General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1
shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.
Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner.
The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the
Unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units
held by the General Partner and its Affiliates). Any such action by such
holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election
of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders holding at least a Unit
Majority (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates).
Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a
successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.3. The removal of the General
Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner
as general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the other Group
Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing
member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance
with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission
pursuant to Section 10.3, automatically become a successor general partner or
managing member, as the case may be, of the other Group Members of which the
General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. The right of the
holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner shall not exist or
be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion opining as to the
matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General
Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be
subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.
Section 11.3 Interest of Departing Partner and Successor General Partner.
(a) In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under
circumstances where such withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii)
removal of the General Partner by the holders of Outstanding Units under
circumstances where Cause does not exist, if a successor General Partner is
elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or 11.2, the Departing
Partner shall have the option exercisable prior to the effective date of the
departure of such Departing Partner to require its successor to purchase its
Partnership Interest as a general partner in the Partnership and its
partnership or member interest as the general partner or managing member in
the other Group Members and all of its Incentive Distribution Rights
(collectively, the "Combined Interest") in exchange for an amount in cash
equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be
determined and payable as of the effective date of its departure. If the
General Partner is removed by the Unitholders under circumstances where Cause
exists or if the General Partner withdraws under circumstances where such
withdrawal violates this Agreement or the Operating Company Agreement, and if
a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section
11.1 or 11.2, such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the
effective date of the departure of such Departing Partner, to purchase the
Combined Interest for such fair market value of such Combined Interest. In
either event, the Departing Partner shall be entitled to receive all
reimbursements due such Departing Partner pursuant to Section 7.4, including
any employee-related liabilities (including severance liabilities), incurred
in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the General
Partner for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group Members.
For purposes of this Section 11.3(a), the fair market value of the Combined
Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing Partner and
its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective date of
such Departing Partner's departure, by an independent investment banking firm
or other independent expert selected by the Departing Partner and its
successor, which, in turn, may rely on other experts, and the determination of
which shall be conclusive as to such matter. If such parties cannot agree upon
one independent investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45
days after the effective date of such departure, then the Departing Partner
shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent
expert, the Departing Partner's successor shall designate an independent
investment banking firm or
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other independent expert, and such firms or experts shall mutually select a
third independent investment banking firm or independent expert, which third
independent investment banking firm or other independent expert shall
determine the fair market value of the Combined Interest. In making its
determination, such third independent investment banking firm or other
independent expert may consider the then current trading price of Units on any
National Securities Exchange on which Units are then listed, the value of the
Partnership's assets, the rights and obligations of the Departing Partner and
other factors it may deem relevant.
(b) If the Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in
Section 11.3(a), the Departing Partner (or its transferee) shall become a
Limited Partner and its Combined Interest shall be converted into Common Units
pursuant to a valuation made by an investment banking firm or other
independent expert selected pursuant to Section 11.3(a), without reduction in
such Partnership Interest (but subject to proportionate dilution by reason of
the admission of its successor). Any successor General Partner shall indemnify
the Departing Partner (or its transferee) as to all debts and liabilities of
the Partnership arising on or after the date on which the Departing Partner
(or its transferee) becomes a Limited Partner. For purposes of this Agreement,
conversion of the Combined Interest to Common Units will be characterized as
if the General Partner (or its transferee) contributed its Combined Interest
to the Partnership in exchange for the newly issued Common Units.
(c) If a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms
of Section 11.1 or 11.2 and the option described in Section 11.3(a) is not
exercised by the party entitled to do so, the successor General Partner shall,
at the effective date of its admission to the Partnership, contribute to the
Partnership cash in the amount equal to 1/99th of the Net Agreed Value of the
Partnership's assets on such date. In such event, such successor General
Partner shall, subject to the following sentence, be entitled to 1% of all
Partnership allocations and distributions. The successor General Partner shall
cause this Agreement to be amended to reflect that, from and after the date of
such successor General Partner's admission, the successor General Partner's
interest in all Partnership distributions and allocations shall be 1%.
Section 11.4 Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated
Units and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement, if the General Partner is
removed as general partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause
does not exist and Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates are
not voted in favor of such removal, (i) the Subordination Period will end and
all Outstanding Subordinated Units will immediately and automatically convert
into Common Units on a one-for-one basis and (ii) all Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearages on the Common Units will be extinguished.
Section 11.5 Withdrawal of Limited Partners.
No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership;
provided, however, that when a transferee of a Limited Partner's Limited
Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so
transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited
Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.
ARTICLE XII
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
Section 12.1 Dissolution.
The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of Substituted
Limited Partners or Additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a
successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon
the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General
Partner is elected pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, the Partnership shall not
be dissolved and such successor General Partner shall continue the business of
the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2)
its affairs shall be wound up, upon:
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(a) the expiration of its term as provided in Section 2.7;
(b) an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section
11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and
an Opinion of Counsel is received as provided in Section 11.1(b) or 11.2
and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.3;
(c) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that
is approved by the holders of a Unit Majority;
(d) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership
pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act; or
(e) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets and properties of
the Partnership Group.
Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After
Dissolution.
Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal
caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in
Section 11.1(a)(i) or (iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a
successor to such Departing Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, then
within 90 days thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event
constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or
(vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days
thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to reconstitute the
Partnership and continue its business on the same terms and conditions set
forth in this Agreement by forming a new limited partnership on terms
identical to those set forth in this Agreement and having as the successor
general partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless
such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above,
the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its
affairs. If such an election is so made, then:
(i) the reconstituted Partnership shall continue until the end of the
term set forth in Section 2.7 unless earlier dissolved in accordance with
this Article XII;
(ii) if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner,
then the interest of the former General Partner shall be treated in the
manner provided in Section 11.3; and
(iii) all necessary steps shall be taken to cancel this Agreement and the
Certificate of Limited Partnership and to enter into and, as necessary, to
file a new partnership agreement and certificate of limited partnership,
and the successor general partner may for this purpose exercise the powers
of attorney granted the General Partner pursuant to Section 2.6; provided,
that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor
General Partner and to reconstitute and to continue the business of the
Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership
has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of the right would
not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner and (y)
neither the Partnership, the reconstituted limited partnership nor the
Operating Company would be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax
purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue.
Section 12.3 Liquidator.
Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the Partnership is continued
under an election to reconstitute and continue the Partnership pursuant to
Section 12.2, the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as
Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be
entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by
holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and
Subordinated Units voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the
General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days' prior
notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of
removal approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common
Units and Subordinated Units voting as a single class. Upon dissolution,
removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute
Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the
original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of
at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units
voting as a single class. The right to approve a successor or substitute
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Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any
such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein
provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator
approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without
further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the
powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement
(but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise,
upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth
in Section 7.3(b)) to the extent necessary or desirable in the good faith
judgment of the Liquidator to carry out the duties and functions of the
Liquidator hereunder for and during such period of time as shall be reasonably
required in the good faith judgment of the Liquidator to complete the winding
up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.
Section 12.4 Liquidation.
The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership,
discharge its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner
and over such period as the Liquidator determines to be in the best interest
of the Partners, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the
following:
(a) Disposition of Assets. The assets may be disposed of by public or
private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such
terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any
property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall
be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to
its fair market value; and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash
distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may, in
its absolute discretion, defer liquidation or distribution of the
Partnership's assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an
immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership's assets
would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The
Liquidator may, in its absolute discretion, distribute the Partnership's
assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be
impractical or would cause undue loss to the partners.
(b) Discharge of Liabilities. Liabilities of the Partnership include
amounts owed to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution
rights under Article VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent,
conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the
Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks
appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for
its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be
distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.
(c) Liquidation Distributions. All property and all cash in excess of
that required to discharge liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall
be distributed to the Partners in accordance with, and to the extent of,
the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined
after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those
made by reason of distributions pursuant to this Section 12.4(c)) for the
taxable year of the Partnership during which the liquidation of the
Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being determined pursuant
to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and such distribution
shall be made by the end of such taxable year (or, if later, within 90 days
after said date of such occurrence).
Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership.
Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as
provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the
Partnership, the Partnership shall be terminated and the Certificate of
Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign
limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be
canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the
Partnership shall be taken.
Section 12.6 Return of Contributions.
The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no
obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to
enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the
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Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly
understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.
Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right
to partition of the Partnership property.
Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration.
No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance
in its Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General
Partner shall be obligated to restore any negative balance in its Capital
Account upon liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the end of the
taxable year of the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if
later, within 90 days after the date of such liquidation.
ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
Section 13.1 Amendment to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner.
Each Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any
Partner or Assignee, may amend any provision of this Agreement and execute,
swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be
required in connection therewith, to reflect:
(a) a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the
principal place of business of the Partnership, the registered agent of the
Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;
(b) admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in
accordance with this Agreement;
(c) a change that, in the sole discretion of the General Partner, is
necessary or advisable to qualify or continue the qualification of the
Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the Limited
Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure
that the Partnership and the Operating Company will not be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for
federal income tax purposes;
(d) a change that, in the discretion of the General Partner, (i) does not
adversely affect the Limited Partners in any material respect, (ii) is
necessary or advisable to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or
guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation
of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any
federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the
trading of the Limited Partner Interest (including the division of any
class or classes of Outstanding Limited Partner Interest into different
classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of
Limited Partner Interests) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline
or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Limited
Partner Interests are or will be listed for trading, compliance with any of
which the General Partner determines in its discretion to be in the best
interests of the Partnership and the Limited Partners, (iii) is necessary
or advisable in connection with action taken by the General Partner
pursuant to Section 5.10 or (iv) is required to effect the intent expressed
in the Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this
Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;
(e) a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and
any changes that, in the discretion of the General Partner, are necessary
or advisable as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of
the Partnership including, if the General Partner shall so determine, a
change in the definition of "Quarter" and the dates on which distributions
are to be made by the Partnership;
(f) an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent
the Partnership, or the General Partner or its directors, officers,
trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940, as
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amended, or "plan asset" regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are
substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or
proposed by the United States Department of Labor;
(g) subject to the terms of Section 5.7, an amendment that, in the
discretion of the General Partner, is necessary or advisable in connection
with the authorization of issuance of any class or series of Partnership
Securities pursuant to Section 5.6;
(h) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the
General Partner acting alone;
(i) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger
Agreement approved in accordance with Section 14.3;
(j) an amendment that, in the discretion of the General Partner, is
necessary or advisable to reflect, account for and deal with appropriately
the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in,
any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or
other entity other than the Operating Company, in connection with the
conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section
2.4;
(k) a merger or conveyance pursuant to Section 14.3(d); or
(l) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.
Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures.
Except as provided in Sections 13.1 and 13.3, all amendments to this
Agreement shall be made in accordance with the following requirements.
Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of
the General Partner which consent may be given or withheld in its sole
discretion. A proposed amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the
holders of at least a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage
is required under this Agreement or by Delaware law. Each proposed amendment
that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of
Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of
the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner
shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding
Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such
proposed amendment. The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon
final adoption of any such proposed amendments.
Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no provision
of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units
(including Units deemed owned by the General Partner) required to take any
action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any
respect that would have the effect of reducing such voting percentage unless
such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of
holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute not
less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no amendment
to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner
without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result
of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c), (ii) enlarge the
obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in
any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates without its consent, which consent
may be given or withheld in its sole discretion, (iii) change Section 12.1(a)
or 12.1(c), or (iv) change the term of the Partnership or, except as set forth
in Section 12.1(c), give any Person the right to dissolve the Partnership.
(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3, and except as otherwise provided,
and without limitation of the General Partner's authority to adopt amendments
to this Agreement as contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would
have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of
Partnership
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Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be
approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding
Partnership Interests of the class affected.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for
amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by
Section 14.3(b), no amendments shall become effective without the approval of
the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated
Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of
Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited
liability of any Limited Partner under applicable law.
(e) Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be
amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding
Units.
Section 13.4 Special Meetings.
All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be
taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the
Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners
owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of the class
or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a
special meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in
writing stating that the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special
meeting and indicating the general or specific purposes for which the special
meeting is to be called. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from
Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary
for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing
agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the
solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General Partner shall
send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either directly or
indirectly through the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and
place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor
more than 60 days after the mailing of notice of the meeting. Limited Partners
shall not vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed
to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of
the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners' limited liability
under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership
is qualified to do business.
Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting.
Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the
Record Holders of the class or classes of Limited Partner Interests for which
a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written
communication in accordance with Section 16.1. The notice shall be deemed to
have been given at the time when deposited in the mail or sent by other means
of written communication.
Section 13.6 Record Date.
For purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to
vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a
meeting as provided in Section 13.11 the General Partner may set a Record
Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the
date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule,
regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on
which the Limited Partner Interests are listed for trading, in which case the
rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such exchange shall govern) or
(b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by
which Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give
such approvals.
Section 13.7 Adjournment.
When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be
given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the
time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment
is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the
adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have
been transacted at the original meeting. If the
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adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the
adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in
accordance with this Article XIII.
Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes.
The transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and
noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a
meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either
in person or by proxy, and if, either before or after the meeting, Limited
Partners representing such quorum who were present in person or by proxy and
entitled to vote, sign a written waiver of notice or an approval of the
holding of the meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof. All waivers and
approvals shall be filed with the Partnership records or made a part of the
minutes of the meeting. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall
constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner
does not approve, at the beginning of the meeting, of the transaction of any
business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened; and except
that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove the
consideration of matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting,
but not so included, if the disapproval is expressly made at the meeting.
Section 13.9 Quorum.
The holders of a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of
the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Limited
Partner Interests deemed owned by the General Partner) represented in person
or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such
class or classes unless any such action by the Limited Partners requires
approval by holders of a greater percentage of such Limited Partner Interests,
in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. At any meeting of
the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at
which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding
Limited Partner Interests that in the aggregate represent a majority of the
Outstanding Limited Partner Interests entitled to vote and be present in
person or by proxy at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of
all Limited Partners, unless a greater or different percentage is required
with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which
case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Limited Partner
Interests that in the aggregate represent at least such greater or different
percentage shall be required. The Limited Partners present at a duly called or
held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business
until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Limited Partners
to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is
approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests
specified in this Agreement (including Limited Partner Interests deemed owned
by the General Partner). In the absence of a quorum any meeting of Limited
Partners may be adjourned from time to time by the affirmative vote of holders
of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests entitled
to vote at such meeting (including Limited Partner Interests deemed owned by
the General Partner) represented either in person or by proxy, but no other
business may be transacted, except as provided in Section 13.7.
Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting.
The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the
manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of
approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote,
the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section
13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the
determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection
with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a
Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a
Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the
records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner. The General
Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and
this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting
of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including
regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and
duties of inspectors of votes and
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approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the
right to vote, and the revocation of approvals in writing.
Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting.
If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a
meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval
in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners
owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Limited Partner
Interests (including Limited Partner Interests deemed owned by the General
Partner) that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting
at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted (unless such
provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any
National Securities Exchange on which the Limited Partner Interests are listed
for trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of
such exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the taking of action without a
meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in
writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to
Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall
be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less
than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot returned to the
Partnership does not vote all of the Limited Partner Interests held by the
Limited Partners the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a
ballot for the Limited Partner Interests that were not voted. If approval of
the taking of any action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person
other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall
have no force and effect unless and until (a) they are deposited with the
Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b) approvals sufficient to take
the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the
date sufficient approvals are deposited with the Partnership and (c) an
Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the
exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any
particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be
taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the
Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners' limited liability, and
(ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the
rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.
Section 13.12 Voting and Other Rights.
(a) Only those Record Holders of the Limited Partner Interests on the Record
Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 (and also subject to the limitations
contained in the definition of "Outstanding") shall be entitled to notice of,
and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to
matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests
have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes
of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Limited Partner
Interests shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record
Holders of such Outstanding Limited Partner Interests.
(b) With respect to Limited Partner Interests that are held for a Person's
account by another Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or
clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), in whose name such
Limited Partner Interests are registered, such other Person shall, in
exercising the voting rights in respect of such Limited Partner Interests on
any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides
otherwise, vote such Limited Partner Interests in favor of, and at the
direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership
shall be entitled to assume it is so acting without further inquiry. The
provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this
Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.
ARTICLE XIV
MERGER
Section 14.1 Authority.
The Partnership may merge or consolidate with one or more corporations,
limited liability companies, business trusts or associations, real estate
investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses,
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including a general partnership or limited partnership, formed under the laws
of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America,
pursuant to a written agreement of merger or consolidation ("Merger
Agreement") in accordance with this Article XIV.
Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger or Consolidation.
Merger or consolidation of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV
requires the prior approval of the General Partner. If the General Partner
shall determine, in the exercise of its discretion, to consent to the merger
or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement,
which shall set forth:
(a) The names and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of
the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;
(b) The name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the
business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation
(the "Surviving Business Entity");
(c) The terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;
(d) The manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity
securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property
or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations
of the Surviving Business Entity; and (i) if any general or limited partner
interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not
to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general
or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the
Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or general or limited partner
interests, rights, securities or obligations of any limited partnership,
corporation, trust or other entity (other than the Surviving Business
Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests,
securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of
their general or limited partner interests, securities or rights, and (ii)
in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender
of such certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partner
interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business
Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust or other
entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof,
are to be delivered;
(e) A statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the
adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of
incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or
agreement of limited partnership or other similar charter or governing
document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or
consolidation;
(f) The effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing
of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date
specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement
(provided, that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the
date of the filing of the certificate of merger, the effective time shall
be fixed no later than the time of the filing of the certificate of merger
and stated therein); and
(g) Such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or
consolidation as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the General
Partner.
Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners of Merger or Consolidation.
(a) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d), the General Partner, upon its
approval of the Merger Agreement, shall direct that the Merger Agreement be
submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by
written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article
XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement shall be included in or
enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written consent.
(b) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d), the Merger Agreement shall be
approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a
Unit Majority unless the Merger Agreement contains any provision
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that, if contained in an amendment to this Agreement, the provisions of this
Agreement or the Delaware Act would require for its approval the vote or
consent of a greater percentage of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests
or of any class of Limited Partners, in which case such greater percentage
vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement.
(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d), after such approval by vote or
consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the
certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger or consolidation
may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the
Merger Agreement.
(d) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this
Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, in its discretion, without
Limited Partner approval, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into,
or convey all of the Partnership's assets to, another limited liability entity
which shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or
operations at the time of such Merger other than those it receives from the
Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received an
Opinion of Counsel that the merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would
not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or any
member in the Operating Company or cause the Partnership or Operating Company
to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be
taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not
previously treated as such), (ii) the sole purpose of such merger or
conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership
into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing instruments of
the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with the
same rights and obligations as are herein contained.
Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger.
Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Limited Partners
of a Merger Agreement, a certificate of merger shall be executed and filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in conformity with the
requirements of the Delaware Act.
Section 14.5 Effect of Merger.
(a) At the effective time of the certificate of merger:
(i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business
entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal
and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all
other things and causes of action belonging to each of those business
entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the
merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business
Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;
(ii) the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of
those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way
impaired because of the merger or consolidation;
(iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in
property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved
unimpaired; and
(iv) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business
entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced
against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had
been incurred or contracted by it.
(b) A merger or consolidation effected pursuant to this Article shall not be
deemed to result in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one
entity to another.
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ARTICLE XV
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
Section 15.1 Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time
not more than 20% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then
Outstanding is held by Persons other than the General Partner and its
Affiliates, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may
assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of
the General Partner, exercisable in its sole discretion, to purchase all, but
not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then
Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates,
at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three days prior
to the date that the notice described in Section 15 is mailed and (y) the
highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any
such Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period
preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed. As
used in this Agreement, (i) "Current Market Price" as of any date of any class
of Limited Partner Interests listed or admitted to trading on any National
Securities Exchange means the average of the daily Closing Prices (as
hereinafter defined) per limited partner interest of such class for the 20
consecutive Trading Days (as hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such
date; (ii) "Closing Price" for any day means the last sale price on such day,
regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices on such day, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted for trading on the principal National
Securities Exchange (other than the Nasdaq Stock Market) on which such Limited
Partner Interests of such class are listed or admitted to trading or, if such
Limited Partner Interests of such class are not listed or admitted to trading
on any National Securities Exchange (other than the Nasdaq Stock Market), the
last quoted price on such day or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market or such other system then in use, or, if
on any such day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by
any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such
day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such
Limited Partner Interests of such class selected by the General Partner, or if
on any such day no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner
Interests of such class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on
such day as determined reasonably and in good faith by the General Partner;
and (iii) "Trading Day" means a day on which the principal National Securities
Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests of any class are listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if Limited
Partner Interests of a class are not listed or admitted to trading on any
National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York
City generally are open.
(b) If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the
Partnership elects to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests
granted pursuant to Section 15.1(a), the General Partner shall deliver to the
Transfer Agent notice of such election to purchase (the "Notice of Election to
Purchase") and shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail a copy of such Notice of
Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of
such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner) at least 10,
but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election
to Purchase shall also be published for a period of at least three consecutive
days in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation printed in the
English language and published in the Borough of Manhattan, New York. The
Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price
(determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) at which Limited Partner
Interests will be purchased and state that the General Partner, its Affiliate
or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such Limited
Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited
Partner Interests in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the
Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by any
National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are
listed or admitted to trading. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed
to a Record Holder of Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in
the records of the Transfer Agent shall be conclusively presumed to have been
given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the
Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the
case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent cash in
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an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of such
Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this Section
15.1. If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as
aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to
the Purchase Date the deposit described in the preceding sentence has been
made for the benefit of the holders of Limited Partner Interests subject to
purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date,
notwithstanding that any Certificate shall not have been surrendered for
purchase, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner Interests
(including any rights pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI, and XII) shall thereupon
cease, except the right to receive the purchase price (determined in
accordance with Section 15.1(a)) for Limited Partner Interests therefor,
without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of the Certificates
representing such Limited Partner Interests, and such Limited Partner
Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner,
its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, on the record books of
the Transfer Agent and the Partnership, and the General Partner or any
Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be,
shall be deemed to be the owner of all such Limited Partner Interests from and
after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the owner of such Limited
Partner Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner
Interests pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI and XII).
(c) At any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding
Limited Partner Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1
may surrender his Certificate evidencing such Limited Partner Interest to the
Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section
15.1(a), therefor, without interest thereon.
ARTICLE XVI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 16.1 Addresses and Notices.
Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted
to be given or made to a Partner or Assignee under this Agreement shall be in
writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when
sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written
communication to the Partner or Assignee at the address described below. Any
notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner or Assignee
hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the
obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be
deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice,
payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Securities at his
address as shown on the records of the Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on
the records of the Partnership, regardless of any claim of any Person who may
have an interest in such Partnership Securities by reason of any assignment or
otherwise. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or
report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by the
General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima
facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If
any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of
such Record Holder appearing on the books and records of the Transfer Agent or
the Partnership is returned by the United States Post Office marked to
indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such
notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports
shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until
such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent
or the Partnership of a change in his address) if they are available for the
Partner or Assignee at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of
one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or
report to the other Partners and Assignees. Any notice to the Partnership
shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner at the principal
office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General
Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other
document from a Partner, Assignee or other Person if believed by it to be
genuine.
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Section 16.2 Further Action.
The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information
and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to
achieve the purposes of this Agreement.
Section 16.3 Binding Effect.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties
hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal
representatives and permitted assigns.
Section 16.4 Integration.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto
pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements
and understandings pertaining thereto.
Section 16.5 Creditors.
None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or
shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.
Section 16.6 Waiver.
No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any
covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any
right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of
any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.
Section 16.7 Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall
constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding
that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same
counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon
affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Unit,
upon accepting the certificate evidencing such Unit or executing and
delivering a Transfer Application as herein described, independently of the
signature of any other party.
Section 16.8 Applicable Law.
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the
laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts
of law.
Section 16.9 Invalidity of Provisions.
If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal or
unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the
remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected thereby.
Section 16.10 Consent of Partners.
Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this
Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative
vote or consent of less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken
upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall
be bound by the results of such action.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the date first written above.
General Partner:
U.S. TIMBERLANDS SERVICES COMPANY,
L.L.C.
By: _________________________________
Name:
Title:
ORGANIZATIONAL LIMITED PARTNER:
_____________________________________
Xxxx X. Xxxxx
LIMITED PARTNERS
All Limited Partners now and
hereafter admitted as Limited
Partners of the Partnership,
pursuant to powers of attorney now
and hereafter executed in favor of,
and granted and delivered to the
General Partner.
By: _________________________________
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EXHIBIT A TO THE AMENDED AND
RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
U.S. TIMBERLANDS COMPANY, L.P.
CERTIFICATE EVIDENCING COMMON UNITS
REPRESENTING LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS IN
U.S. TIMBERLANDS COMPANY, L.P.
No. Common Units
In accordance with Section 4.1 of the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P., as amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time (the "Partnership Agreement"), U.S.
Timberlands Company, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the "Partnership"),
hereby certifies that (the "Holder") is the registered
owner of Common Units representing limited partner interests in the
Partnership (the "Common Units") transferable on the books of the Partnership,
in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate
properly endorsed and accompanied by a properly executed application for
transfer of the Common Units represented by this Certificate. The rights,
preferences and limitations of the Common Units are set forth in, and this
Certificate and the Common Units represented hereby are issued and shall in
all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership
Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be
furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at,
the principal office of the Partnership located at 0000 Xxxxxxx 00, Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have
the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.
The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested
admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to
comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement,
(ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and
authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the
Partnership Agreement, (iii) granted the powers of attorney provided for in
the Partnership Agreement and (iv) made the waivers and given the consents and
approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.
This Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been
countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.
Dated: U.S. TIMBERLANDS COMPANY, L.P.
Countersigned and Registered by:
U.S. Timberlands Services Company,
L.L.C., its General Partner
By: _________________________________
By: _________________________________
as Transfer Agent and Registrar Name:
Title:
By: _________________________________
Authorized Signature By: _________________________________
Secretary
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[REVERSE OF CERTIFICATE]
ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws
or regulations:
TEN COM-- as tenants in common UNIF GIFT/TRANSFERS MIN
ACT
TEN ENT-- as tenants by the entireties Custodian
(Cust__________(Minor) )
JT TEN-- as joint tenants with right of survivorship under Uniform
and not as tenants in common Gifts/Transfers to
Minors Act _____________
(State)
Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.
ASSIGNMENT OF COMMON UNITS
IN
U.S. TIMBERLANDS COMPANY, L.P.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING INVESTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
DUE TO TAX SHELTER STATUS OF U.S. TIMBERLANDS COMPANY, L.P.
You have acquired an interest in U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P., 0000
Xxxxxxx 00, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000, whose taxpayer identification number
is 00-0000000. The Internal Revenue Service has issued U.S. Timberlands
Company, L.P. the following tax shelter registration number:
YOU MUST REPORT THIS REGISTRATION NUMBER TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE IF
YOU CLAIM ANY DEDUCTION, LOSS, CREDIT OR OTHER TAX BENEFIT OR REPORT ANY
INCOME BY REASON OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN U.S. TIMBERLANDS COMPANY, L.P.
You must report the registration number as well as the name and taxpayer
identification number of U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P. on Form 8271. FORM
8271 MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE RETURN ON WHICH YOU CLAIM THE DEDUCTION, LOSS,
CREDIT OR OTHER TAX BENEFIT OR REPORT ANY INCOME BY REASON OF YOUR INVESTMENT
IN U.S. TIMBERLANDS COMPANY, L.P.
If you transfer your interest in U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P. to another
person, you are required by the Internal Revenue Service to keep a list
containing (a) that person's name, address and taxpayer identification number,
(b) the date on which you transferred the interest and (c) the name, address
and tax shelter registration number of U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P. If you
do not want to keep such a list, you must (1) send the information specified
above to the Partnership, which will keep the list for this tax shelter, and
(2) give a copy of this notice to the person to whom you transfer your
interest. Your failure to comply with any of the above-described
responsibilities could result in the imposition of a penalty under Section
6707(b) or 6708(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, unless
such failure is shown to be due to reasonable cause.
ISSUANCE OF A REGISTRATION NUMBER DOES NOT INDICATE THAT THIS INVESTMENT OR
THE CLAIMED TAX BENEFITS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, EXAMINED OR APPROVED BY THE
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.
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FOR VALUE RECEIVED, HEREBY ASSIGNS, CONVEYS, SELLS AND
TRANSFERS UNTO
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
(Please print or typewrite name and (Please insert Social Security or
address of Assignee) other identifying number of
Assignee)
Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this
Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint as its attorney-in-fact with full
power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of U.S. Timberlands
Company, L.P.
Date: NOTE: The signature to any
endorsement hereon must
correspond with the name as
written upon the face of this
Certificate in every
particular, without
alteration, enlargement or
change.
_____________________________________
SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY A (Signature)
MEMBER FIRM OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES DEALERS,
INC. OR BY A COMMERCIAL BANK OR
TRUST COMPANY
_____________________________________
(Signature)
SIGNATURE(S) GUARANTEED
No transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the
books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units
to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer and an
Application for Transfer of Common Units has been executed by a transferee
either (a) on the form set forth below or (b) on a separate application that
the Partnership will furnish on request without charge. A transferor of the
Common Units shall have no duty to the transferee with respect to execution of
the transfer application in order for such transferee to obtain registration
of the transfer of the Common Units.
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APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER OF COMMON UNITS
The undersigned ("Assignee") hereby applies for transfer to the name of the
Assignee of the Common Units evidenced hereby.
The Assignee (a) requests admission as a Substituted Limited Partner and
agrees to comply with and be bound by, and hereby executes, the Amended and
Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of U.S. Timberlands Company, L.P.
(the "Partnership"), as amended, supplemented or restated to the date hereof
(the "Partnership Agreement"), (b) represents and warrants that the Assignee
has all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity
necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement, (c) appoints the General
Partner of the Partnership and, if a Liquidator shall be appointed, the
Liquidator of the Partnership as the Assignee's attorney-in-fact to execute,
swear to, acknowledge and file any document, including, without limitation,
the Partnership Agreement and any amendment thereto and the Certificate of
Limited Partnership of the Partnership and any amendment thereto, necessary or
appropriate for the Assignee's admission as a Substituted Limited Partner and
as a party to the Partnership Agreement, (d) gives the powers of attorney
provided for in the Partnership Agreement, and (e) makes the waivers and gives
the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement. Capitalized
terms not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in the
Partnership Agreement.
Date: _______________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Social Security or other identifying Signature of Assignee
number of Assignee
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Purchase Price including Name and Address of Assignee
commissions, if any
Type of Entity (check one):
[_]Individual [_]Partnership [_]Corporation
[_]Trust [_]Other (specify)
____________________________________________
Nationality (check one):
[_]U.S. Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity
[_]Non-resident Alien
[_]Foreign Corporation
If the U.S. Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity box is checked, the
following certification must be completed.
Under Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), the Partnership must withhold tax with respect to certain transfers
of property if a holder of an interest in the Partnership is a foreign person.
To inform the Partnership that no withholding is required with respect to the
undersigned interestholder's interest in it, the undersigned hereby certifies
the following (or, if applicable, certifies the following on behalf of the
interestholder).
COMPLETE EITHER A OR B:
A.Individual Interestholder
1.I am not a non-resident alien for purposes of U.S. income taxation.
0.Xx U.S. taxpayer identification number (Social Security Number) is _____ .
0.Xx home address is _____________________________________________________ .
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B.Partnership, Corporation or Other Interestholder
1._________________________________________________________ is not a foreign
(Name of Interestholder)
corporation, foreign partnership, foreign trust or foreign estate (as
those terms are defined in the Code and Treasury Regulations).
2.The interestholder's U.S. employer identification number is ____________ .
3.The interestholder's office address and place of incorporation (if
applicable) is ___________________________________________________________ .
The interestholder agrees to notify the Partnership within sixty (60) days
of the date the interestholder becomes a foreign person.
The interestholder understands that this certificate may be disclosed to the
Internal Revenue Service by the Partnership and that any false statement
contained herein could be punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.
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, if applicable, I further declare that I have authority to
sign this document on behalf of
_____________________________________
Name of Interestholder
_____________________________________
Signature and Date
_____________________________________
Title (if applicable)
Note: If the Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank, trust company, clearing
corporation, other nominee holder or an agent of any of the foregoing,
and is holding for the account of any other person, this application
should be completed by an officer thereof or, in the case of a broker or
dealer, by a registered representative who is a member of a registered
national securities exchange or a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., or, in the case of any other nominee holder, a
person performing a similar function. If the Assignee is a broker,
dealer, bank, trust company, clearing corporation, other nominee owner or
an agent of any of the foregoing, the above certification as to any
person for whom the Assignee will hold the Common Units shall be made to
the best of the Assignee's knowledge.
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