Exhibit 3.3
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
SUMMIT HOTEL OP, LP
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE I
|
|
DEFINED TERMS
|
|
|
1
|
|
ARTICLE II
|
|
FORMATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP
|
|
|
7
|
|
2.01
|
|
Formation of the Partnership
|
|
|
7
|
|
2.02
|
|
Name
|
|
|
7
|
|
2.03
|
|
Registered Office and Agent; Principal Office
|
|
|
8
|
|
2.04
|
|
Term and Dissolution
|
|
|
8
|
|
2.05
|
|
Filing of Certificate and Perfection of Limited Partnership
|
|
|
8
|
|
2.06
|
|
Certificates Describing Partnership Units
|
|
|
8
|
|
ARTICLE III
|
|
BUSINESS OF THE PARTNERSHIP
|
|
|
9
|
|
ARTICLE IV
|
|
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACCOUNTS
|
|
|
9
|
|
4.01
|
|
Capital Contributions
|
|
|
9
|
|
4.02
|
|
Additional Capital Contributions and Issuances of Additional
Partnership Units
|
|
|
9
|
|
4.03
|
|
Additional Funding
|
|
|
11
|
|
4.04
|
|
LTIP Units
|
|
|
11
|
|
4.05
|
|
Conversion of LTIP Units
|
|
|
13
|
|
4.06
|
|
Capital Accounts
|
|
|
15
|
|
4.07
|
|
Percentage Interests
|
|
|
16
|
|
4.08
|
|
No Interest on Contributions
|
|
|
16
|
|
4.09
|
|
Return of Capital Contributions
|
|
|
16
|
|
4.10
|
|
No Third-Party Beneficiary
|
|
|
16
|
|
ARTICLE V
|
|
PROFITS AND LOSSES; DISTRIBUTIONS
|
|
|
17
|
|
5.01
|
|
Allocation of Profit and Loss
|
|
|
17
|
|
5.02
|
|
Distribution of Cash
|
|
|
18
|
|
5.03
|
|
REIT Distribution Requirements
|
|
|
19
|
|
5.04
|
|
No Right to Distributions in Kind
|
|
|
19
|
|
5.05
|
|
Limitations on Return of Capital Contributions
|
|
|
19
|
|
5.06
|
|
Distributions Upon Liquidation
|
|
|
19
|
|
5.07
|
|
Substantial Economic Effect
|
|
|
19
|
|
ARTICLE VI
|
|
RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND POWERS OF THE GENERAL PARTNER
|
|
|
20
|
|
6.01
|
|
Management of the Partnership
|
|
|
20
|
|
6.02
|
|
Delegation of Authority
|
|
|
21
|
|
6.03
|
|
Indemnification and Exculpation of Indemnitees
|
|
|
22
|
|
6.04
|
|
Liability of the General Partner
|
|
|
23
|
|
6.05
|
|
Partnership Obligations
|
|
|
23
|
|
6.06
|
|
Outside Activities
|
|
|
24
|
|
6.07
|
|
Employment or Retention of Affiliates
|
|
|
24
|
|
6.08
|
|
General Partner Activities
|
|
|
24
|
|
6.09
|
|
Title to Partnership Assets
|
|
|
24
|
|
ARTICLE VII
|
|
CHANGES IN GENERAL PARTNER
|
|
|
25
|
|
7.01
|
|
Transfer of the General Partner’s Partnership Interest
|
|
|
25
|
|
7.02
|
|
Admission of a Substitute or Additional General Partner
|
|
|
26
|
|
7.03
|
|
Effect of Bankruptcy, Withdrawal, Death or Dissolution of
General Partner
|
|
|
26
|
|
7.04
|
|
Removal of General Partner
|
|
|
27
|
|
i
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VIII
|
|
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE LIMITED PARTNERS
|
|
|
28
|
|
8.01
|
|
Management of the Partnership
|
|
|
28
|
|
8.02
|
|
Power of Attorney
|
|
|
28
|
|
8.03
|
|
Limitation on Liability of Limited Partners
|
|
|
28
|
|
8.04
|
|
Common Unit Redemption Right
|
|
|
28
|
|
8.05
|
|
Registration
|
|
|
30
|
|
ARTICLE IX
|
|
TRANSFERS OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
|
|
|
33
|
|
9.01
|
|
Purchase for Investment
|
|
|
33
|
|
9.02
|
|
Restrictions on Transfer of Partnership Units
|
|
|
33
|
|
9.03
|
|
Admission of Substitute Limited Partner
|
|
|
34
|
|
9.04
|
|
Rights of Assignees of Partnership Units
|
|
|
35
|
|
9.05
|
|
Effect of Bankruptcy, Death, Incompetence or Termination of a
Limited Partner
|
|
|
35
|
|
9.06
|
|
Joint Ownership of Partnership Units
|
|
|
35
|
|
ARTICLE X
|
|
BOOKS AND RECORDS; ACCOUNTING; TAX MATTERS
|
|
|
36
|
|
10.01
|
|
Books and Records
|
|
|
36
|
|
10.02
|
|
Custody of Partnership Funds; Bank Accounts
|
|
|
36
|
|
10.03
|
|
Fiscal and Taxable Year
|
|
|
36
|
|
10.04
|
|
Annual Tax Information and Report
|
|
|
36
|
|
10.05
|
|
Tax Matters Partner; Tax Elections; Special Basis Adjustments
|
|
|
36
|
|
ARTICLE XI
|
|
AMENDMENT OF AGREEMENT; MERGER
|
|
|
37
|
|
11.01
|
|
Amendment of Agreement
|
|
|
37
|
|
11.02
|
|
Merger of Partnership
|
|
|
37
|
|
ARTICLE XII
|
|
GENERAL PROVISIONS
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.01
|
|
Notices
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.02
|
|
Survival of Rights
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.03
|
|
Additional Documents
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.04
|
|
Severability
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.05
|
|
Entire Agreement
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.06
|
|
Pronouns and Plurals
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.07
|
|
Headings
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.08
|
|
Counterparts
|
|
|
38
|
|
12.09
|
|
Governing Law
|
|
|
38
|
|
ii
EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT A—Partners, Capital Contributions and
Percentage Interests
EXHIBIT B—Notice of Exercise of Common Unit
Redemption Right
EXHIBIT C-1—Certification
of Non-Foreign Status (For Redeeming Limited Partners That Are
Entities)
EXHIBIT C-2—Certification
of Non-Foreign Status (For Redeeming Limited Partners That Are
Individuals)
EXHIBIT D—Notice of Election by Partner to Convert
LTIP Units into Common Units
EXHIBIT E—Notice of Election by Partnership to Force
Conversion of LTIP Units into Common Units
iii
FIRST AMENDED AND
RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
SUMMIT HOTEL OP, LP
RECITALS
Summit Hotel OP, LP (the “Partnership”) was formed as
a limited partnership under the laws of the State of
Delaware,
pursuant to a Certificate of Limited Partnership filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware effective as
of June 30, 2010 and an Agreement of Limited Partnership entered into as
of June 28, 2010, by and between
Summit Hotel Properties, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (the “General Partner”),
and
Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. (the “Original Limited Partner”).
This First Amended
and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership is entered into
this
day
of ,
2010 among the General Partner and the Limited Partners set
forth on
Exhibit A hereto, for the purpose of
amending and restating the Agreement of Limited Partnership.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, of mutual
covenants between the parties hereto, and of other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are
hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree to amend the
Agreement of Limited Partnership to read in its entirety as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINED
TERMS
The following defined terms used in this Agreement shall have
the meanings specified below:
“Act” means the
Delaware Revised Uniform
Limited Partnership Act, as it may be amended from time to time.
“Additional Funds” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.03 hereof.
“Additional Securities” means any:
(1) shares of capital stock of the General Partner now or
hereafter authorized or reclassified that has dividend rights,
or rights upon liquidation, winding up and dissolution, that are
superior or prior to the REIT Shares (“Preferred
Shares”), (2) REIT Shares, (3) shares of
capital stock of the General Partner now or hereafter authorized
or reclassified that has dividend rights, or rights upon
liquidation, winding up and dissolution, that are junior in rank
to the REIT Shares (“Junior Shares”) and (4)
(i) rights, options, warrants or convertible or
exchangeable securities having the right to subscribe for or
purchase REIT Shares, Preferred Shares or Junior Shares, or
(ii) indebtedness issued by the General Partner that
provides any of the rights described in clause (4)(i) of this
definition (any such securities referred to in clause (4)(i) or
(ii) of this definition, “New Securities”).
“Adjustment Events” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.04(a)(i) hereof.
“Administrative Expenses” means (i) all
administrative and operating costs and expenses incurred by the
Partnership, (ii) administrative costs and expenses of the
General Partner, including any salaries or other payments to
directors, officers or employees of the General Partner, and any
accounting and legal expenses of the General Partner, which
expenses, the Partners hereby agree are expenses of the
Partnership and not the General Partner, and (iii) to the
extent not included in clauses (i) or (ii) above, REIT
Expenses; provided, however, that Administrative
Expenses shall not include any administrative costs and expenses
incurred by the General Partner that are attributable to
Properties or interests in a Subsidiary that are owned by the
General Partner other than through its ownership interest in the
Partnership.
“Affiliate” means, (i) any Person that,
directly or indirectly, controls or is controlled by or is under
common control with such Person, (ii) any other Person that
owns, beneficially, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the
outstanding capital stock, shares or equity interests of such
Person, or (iii) any officer, director, employee, partner,
member, manager or trustee of such Person or any Person
controlling, controlled by or under common control with such
Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control”
(including the correlative meanings of the terms
“controlled by” and “under common control
with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the
possession, directly or
1
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of such Person, through the ownership of
voting securities or partnership interests, contract or
otherwise.
“Agreed Value” means the fair market value of a
Partner’s non-cash Capital Contribution as of the date of
contribution as agreed to by such Partner and the General
Partner. The names and addresses of the Partners, number of
Partnership Units issued to each Partner, and the Agreed Value
of non-cash Capital Contributions as of the date of contribution
is set forth on Exhibit A, as it may be amended or
restated from time to time.
“Agreement” means this First Amended and
Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, as it may be amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Articles” means the Articles of Amendment and
Restatement of the General Partner filed with the State
Department and Assessments and Taxation of the State of
Maryland, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Board of Directors” means the Board of
Directors of the General Partner.
“Capital Account” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.06 hereof.
“Capital Account Limitation” has the meaning
set forth in Section 4.05(b) hereof.
“Capital Contribution” means the total amount
of cash, cash equivalents, and the Agreed Value of any Property
or other asset contributed or agreed to be contributed, as the
context requires, to the Partnership by each Partner pursuant to
the terms of the Agreement. Any reference to the Capital
Contribution of a Partner shall include the Capital Contribution
made by a predecessor holder of the Partnership Interest of such
Partner.
“Cash Amount” means an amount of cash per
Common Unit equal to the Value of the REIT Shares Amount on
the Specified Redemption Date.
“Certificate” means any instrument or document
that is required under the laws of the State of
Delaware, or any
other jurisdiction in which the Partnership conducts business,
to be signed and sworn to by the Partners of the Partnership
(either by themselves or pursuant to the
power-of-attorney
granted to the General Partner in Section 8.02 hereof) and
filed for recording in the appropriate public offices within the
State of
Delaware or such other jurisdiction to perfect or
maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership, to effect the
admission, withdrawal or substitution of any Partner of the
Partnership, or to protect the limited liability of the Limited
Partners as limited partners under the laws of the State of
Delaware or such other jurisdiction.
“Change of Control” means, as to the General
Partner, the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the
sale, lease or transfer, in one or a series of related
transactions, of 80% or more of the assets of the General
Partner, taken as a whole, to any Person or group (within the
meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the
Exchange Act, or any successor provision), other than an
Affiliate of the General Partner; or (ii) the acquisition
by any Person or group (within the meaning of
Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange
Act, or any successor provision), including any group acting for
the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities
(within the meaning of
Rule 13d-5(b)(1)
under the Exchange Act), other than an Affiliate of the General
Partner in a single transaction or in a related series of
transactions, by way of merger, share exchange, consolidation or
other business combination or purchase of beneficial ownership
(within the meaning of
Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of more than
50% of the total voting power of the voting capital stock of the
General Partner.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended, and as hereafter amended from time to time.
Reference to any particular provision of the Code shall mean
that provision in the Code at the date hereof and any successor
provision of the Code.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission.
“Common Partnership Unit Distribution” has the
meaning set forth in Section 4.04(a)(ii) hereof.
“Common Redemption Amount” means either
the Cash Amount or the REIT Shares Amount, as selected by
the General Partner pursuant to Section 8.04(b) hereof.
“Common Unit” means a Partnership Unit which is
designated as a Common Unit of the Partnership.
2
“Common Unit Economic Balance” has the meaning
set forth in Section 5.01(g) hereof.
“Common Unit Redemption Right” has the
meaning set forth in Section 8.04(a) hereof.
“Common Unit Transaction” has the meaning set
forth in Section 4.05(f) hereof.
“Constituent Person” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.05(f) hereof.
“Conversion Date” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.05(b) hereof.
“Conversion Factor” means a factor of 1.0, as
adjusted as provided in this definition and in
Section 6.08. The Conversion Factor will be adjusted in the
event that the General Partner (i) declares or pays a
dividend on its outstanding REIT Shares in REIT Shares or makes
a distribution to all holders of its outstanding REIT Shares in
REIT Shares, (ii) subdivides its outstanding REIT Shares or
(iii) combines its outstanding REIT Shares into a smaller
number of REIT Shares. In each of such events, the Conversion
Factor shall be adjusted by multiplying the Conversion Factor by
a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of REIT
Shares issued and outstanding on the record date for such
dividend, distribution, subdivision or combination (assuming for
such purposes that such dividend, distribution, subdivision or
combination has occurred as of such time), and the denominator
of which shall be the actual number of REIT Shares (determined
without the above assumption) issued and outstanding on such
date and, provided further, that in the event that
an entity other than an Affiliate of the General Partner shall
become General Partner pursuant to any merger, consolidation or
combination of the General Partner with or into another entity
(the “Successor Entity”), the Conversion Factor
shall be adjusted by multiplying the Conversion Factor by the
number of shares of the Successor Entity into which one REIT
Share is converted pursuant to such merger, consolidation or
combination, determined as of the date of such merger,
consolidation or combination. Any adjustment to the Conversion
Factor shall become effective immediately after the effective
date of such event retroactive to the record date, if any, for
such event. If, however, the General Partner receives a Notice
of Redemption after the record date, if any, but prior to the
effective date of such event, the Conversion Factor shall be
determined as if the General Partner had received the Notice of
Redemption immediately prior to the record date for event.
“Conversion Notice” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.05(b) hereof.
“Conversion Right” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.05(a) hereof.
“Defaulting Limited Partner” means a Limited
Partner that has failed to pay any amount owed to the
Partnership under a Partnership Loan within 15 days after
demand for payment thereof is made by the Partnership.
“Distributable Amount” has the meaning set
forth in Section 5.02(d) hereof.
“Economic Capital Account Balances” has the
meaning set forth in Section 5.01(g) hereof.
“Equity Incentive Plan” means any equity
incentive or compensation plan hereafter adopted by the
Partnership or the General Partner, including, without
limitation, the General Partner’s [2010 Equity Incentive
Plan].
“Event of Bankruptcy” as to any Person means
(i) the filing of a petition for relief as to such Person
as debtor or bankrupt under the Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as
amended, or similar provision of law of any jurisdiction (except
if such petition is contested by such Person and has been
dismissed within 90 days); (ii) the insolvency or
bankruptcy of such Person as finally determined by a court
proceeding; (iii) the filing by such Person of a petition
or application to accomplish the same or for the appointment of
a receiver or a trustee for such Person or a substantial part of
his assets; or (iv) the commencement of any proceedings
relating to such Person as a debtor under any other
reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, adjustment of debt or
liquidation law of any jurisdiction, whether now in existence or
hereinafter in effect, either by such Person or by another,
provided that if such proceeding is commenced by
another, such Person indicates his approval of such proceeding,
consents thereto or acquiesces therein, or such proceeding is
contested by such Person and has not been finally dismissed
within 90 days.
“Excepted Holder Limit” has the meaning set
forth in the Articles.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
“Forced Conversion” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.05(c) hereof.
“Forced Conversion Notice” has the meaning set
forth in Section 4.05(c) hereof.
3
“General Partner” has the meaning set forth in
the first paragraph of this Agreement.
“General Partner Loan” means a loan extended by
the General Partner to a Defaulting Limited Partner in the form
of a payment on a Partnership Loan by the General Partner to the
Partnership on behalf of the Defaulting Limited Partner.
“General Partnership Interest” means the
Partnership Interest held by the General Partner in its capacity
as the general partner of the Partnership, which Partnership
Interest is an interest as a general partner under the Act. The
General Partnership Interest will be a number of Common Units
held by the General Partner equal to one-tenth of one percent
(0.1%) of all outstanding Partnership Units. All other
Partnership Units owned by the General Partner and any
Partnership Units owned by any Affiliate or Subsidiary of the
General Partner shall be considered to constitute a Limited
Partnership Interest.
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth
in Section 8.05(f) hereof.
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth
in Section 8.05(f) hereof.
“Indemnitee” means (i) any Person made a
party to a proceeding by reason of its status as (A) the
General Partner or (B) a director of the General Partner or
an officer or employee of the Partnership, the General Partner
or any Subsidiary thereof, and (ii) such other Persons
(including Affiliates of the General Partner or the Partnership)
as the General Partner may designate from time to time (whether
before or after the event giving rise to potential liability),
in its sole and absolute discretion.
“Independent Director” means a director of the
General Partner who meets the NYSE requirements for an
independent director as set forth from time to time.
“Junior Shares” has the meaning set forth in
the definition of “Additional Securities.”
“Limited Partner” means any Person named as a
Limited Partner on Exhibit A attached hereto, as it
may be amended or restated from time to time, and any Person who
becomes a Substitute Limited Partner or any additional Limited
Partner, in such Person’s capacity as a Limited Partner in
the Partnership.
“Limited Partnership Interest” means a
Partnership Interest held by a Limited Partner at any particular
time representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interest
of all Limited Partners, and includes any and all benefits to
which the holder of such a Limited Partnership Interest may be
entitled as provided in this Agreement and in the Act, together
with the obligations of such Limited Partner to comply with all
the provisions of this Agreement and of the Act. Limited
Partnership Interests may be expressed as a number of Common
Units, LTIP Units or other Partnership Units.
“Liquidating Gains” has the meaning set forth
in Section 5.01(g) hereof.
“LTIP Unit” means a Partnership Unit which is
designated as an LTIP Unit and which has the rights, preferences
and other privileges designated in Section 4.04 hereof and
elsewhere in this Agreement in respect of holders of LTIP Units,
including both vested LTIP Units and Unvested LTIP Units. The
allocation of LTIP Units among the Partners shall be set forth
on Exhibit A as it may be amended or restated from
time to time.
“LTIP Unitholder” means a Partner that holds
LTIP Units.
“Loss” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.01(h) hereof.
“Majority in Interest” means Limited Partners
holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the Percentage
Interests of the Limited Partners.
“New Securities” has the meaning set forth in
the definition of “Additional Securities”.
“Notice of Redemption” means the Notice of
Exercise of Common Unit Redemption Right substantially in
the form attached as Exhibit B hereto.
“NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.
“Offer” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.01(c) hereof.
4
“Offering” means the underwritten initial
public offering of REIT Shares.
“Original Limited Partner” means Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxxxxx.
“Partner” means any General Partner or Limited
Partner, and “Partners” means the General Partner and
the Limited Partners.
“Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain” has the
meaning set forth in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i).
A Partner’s share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain
shall be determined in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(5).
“Partnership” means Summit Hotel OP, LP, a
limited partnership formed under the Act and pursuant to this
Agreement, and any successor thereto.
“Partnership Interest” means an ownership
interest in the Partnership held by a Partner, and includes any
and all benefits to which the holder of such a Partnership
Interest may be entitled as provided in this Agreement, together
with all obligations of such Person to comply with the terms and
provisions of this Agreement. A Partnership Interest may be
expressed as a number of Common Units, LTIP Units or other
Partnership Units.
“Partnership Loan” means a loan from the
Partnership to the Partner on the day the Partnership pays over
the excess of the Withheld Amount over the Distributable Amount
to a taxing authority.
“Partnership Minimum Gain” has the meaning set
forth in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(d).
In accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(d),
the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain is determined by first
computing, for each Partnership nonrecourse liability, any gain
the Partnership would realize if it disposed of the property
subject to that liability for no consideration other than full
satisfaction of the liability, and then aggregating the
separately computed gains. A Partner’s share of Partnership
Minimum Gain shall be determined in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(g)(1).
“Partnership Record Date” means the record date
established by the General Partner for the distribution of cash
pursuant to Section 5.02 hereof, which record date shall be
the same as the record date established by the General Partner
for a distribution to its stockholders of some or all of its
portion of such distribution.
“Partnership Unit” means a fractional,
undivided share of the Partnership Interests of all Partners
issued hereunder, and includes Common Units, LTIP Units and any
other class or series of Partnership Units that may be
established after the date hereof in accordance with the terms
hereof. The number of Partnership Units outstanding and the
Percentage Interests represented by such Partnership Units are
set forth on Exhibit A hereto, as it may be amended
or restated from time to time.
“Partnership Unit Designation” has the meaning
set forth in Section 4.02(a)(i) hereof.
“Percentage Interest” means the percentage
determined by dividing the number of Partnership Units of a
Partner by the sum of the number of Partnership Units of all
Partners.
“Person” means any individual, partnership,
corporation, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or
other entity.
“Preferred Shares” has the meaning set forth in
the definition of “Additional Securities”.
“Profit” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.01(h) hereof.
“Property” means any property or other
investment in which the Partnership, directly or indirectly,
holds an ownership interest.
“Redeeming Limited Partner” has the meaning set
forth in Section 8.04(a) hereof.
“Redemption Shares” has the meaning set
forth in Section 8.05(a) hereof.
“Regulations” means the Federal Income Tax
Regulations issued under the Code, as amended and as
subsequently amended from time to time. Reference to any
particular provision of the Regulations shall mean that
provision of the Regulations on the date hereof and any
successor provision of the Regulations.
5
“REIT” means a real estate investment trust
under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code.
“REIT Expenses” means (i) costs and
expenses relating to the formation and continuity of existence
and operation of the General Partner and any Subsidiaries
thereof (which Subsidiaries shall, for purposes hereof, be
included within the definition of the General Partner),
including taxes, fees and assessments associated therewith, any
and all costs, expenses or fees payable to any director, officer
or employee of the General Partner, (ii) costs and expenses
relating to any public offering and registration, or private
offering, of securities by the General Partner, and all
statements, reports, fees and expenses incidental thereto,
including, without limitation, underwriting discounts and
selling commissions applicable to any such offering of
securities, and any costs and expenses associated with any
claims made by any holders of such securities or any
underwriters or placement agents thereof, (iii) costs and
expenses associated with any repurchase of any securities by the
General Partner, (iv) costs and expenses associated with
the preparation and filing of any periodic or other reports and
communications by the General Partner under federal, state or
local laws or regulations, including filings with the
Commission, (v) costs and expenses associated with
compliance by the General Partner with laws, rules and
regulations promulgated by any regulatory body, including the
Commission and any securities exchange, (vi) costs and
expenses associated with any health, dental, vision, disability,
life insurance, 401(k) plan, incentive plan, bonus plan or other
plan providing for compensation or benefits for the employees of
the General Partner, (vii) costs and expenses incurred by
the General Partner relating to any issuing or redemption of
Partnership Interests and (viii) all other operating or
administrative costs of the General Partner incurred in the
ordinary course of its business on behalf of or related to the
Partnership.
“REIT Shares” means shares of common stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of the General Partner (or Successor
Entity, as the case may be).
“REIT Shares Amount” means the number of
REIT Shares equal to the product of (X) the number of
Common Units offered for redemption by a Redeeming Limited
Partner, multiplied by (Y) the Conversion Factor as
adjusted to and including the Specified Redemption Date;
provided that in the event the General Partner issues to
all holders of REIT Shares rights, options, warrants or
convertible or exchangeable securities entitling the holders of
REIT Shares to subscribe for or purchase additional REIT Shares,
or any other securities or property (collectively, the
“Rights”), and such Rights have not expired at
the Specified Redemption Date, then the REIT
Shares Amount shall also include such Rights issuable to a
holder of the REIT Shares Amount on the record date fixed
for purposes of determining the holders of REIT Shares entitled
to Rights.
“Restriction Notice” has the meaning set forth
in Section 8.04(f) hereof.
“Rights” has the meaning set forth in the
definition of “REIT Shares Amount” herein.
“Rule 144” has the meaning set forth in
Section 8.05(c) hereof.
“S-3
Eligible Date” has the meaning set forth in
Section 8.05(a) hereof.
“Safe Harbor Election” has the meaning set
forth in Section 11.01 hereof.
“Safe Harbor Interest” has the meaning set
forth in Section 11.01 hereof.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of
1933, as amended.
“Service” means the Internal Revenue Service.
“Stock Ownership Limit” has the meaning set
forth in the Articles.
“Specified Redemption Date” means the
first business day of the calendar quarter that is at least 60
calendar days after the receipt by the General Partner of a
Notice of Redemption.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person,
any corporation or other entity of which a majority of
(i) the voting power of the voting equity securities or
(ii) the outstanding equity interests is owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person.
“Subsidiary Partnership” means any partnership
or limited liability company in which the General Partner, the
Partnership, or a wholly owned subsidiary of the General Partner
or the Partnership owns a partnership or limited liability
company interest.
6
“Substitute Limited Partner” means any Person
admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner pursuant to
Section 9.03 hereof.
“Successor Entity” has the meaning set forth in
the definition of “Conversion Factor” herein.
“Survivor” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.01(d) hereof.
“Tax Matters Partner” has the meaning set forth
within Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which a security is
listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if a security is not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, shall mean any day other
than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions
in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
“Transaction” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.01(c) hereof.
“Transfer” has the meaning set forth in
Section 9.02(a) hereof.
“TRS” means a taxable REIT subsidiary (as
defined in Section 856(l) of the Code) of the General
Partner.
“Unvested LTIP Units” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.04(c) hereof.
“Value” means, with respect to any security,
the average of the daily market prices of such security for the
ten consecutive Trading Days immediately preceding the date of
such valuation. The market price for each such Trading Day shall
be: (i) if the security is listed or admitted to trading on
the NYSE or any other national securities exchange, the last
reported sale price, regular way, on such day, or if no such
sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, on such day, (ii) if the
security is not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or any
other national securities exchange, the last reported sale price
on such day or, if no sale takes place on such day, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices on such day, as reported by
a reliable quotation source designated by the General Partner,
or (iii) if the security is not listed or admitted to
trading on the NYSE or any national securities exchange and no
such last reported sale price or closing bid and asked prices
are available, the average of the reported high bid and low
asked prices on such day, as reported by a reliable quotation
source designated by the General Partner, or if there shall be
no bid and asked prices on such day, the average of the high bid
and low asked prices, as so reported, on the most recent day
(not more than ten days prior to the date in question) for which
prices have been so reported; provided that if there are
no bid and asked prices reported during the ten days prior to
the date in question, the value of the security shall be
determined by the General Partner acting in good faith on the
basis of such quotations and other information as it considers,
in its reasonable judgment, appropriate. In the event the
security includes any additional rights (including any Rights),
then the value of such rights shall be determined by the General
Partner acting in good faith on the basis of such quotations and
other information as it considers, in its reasonable judgment,
appropriate.
“Vested LTIP Units” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.04(c) hereof.
“Vesting Agreement” means each or any, as the
context implies, agreement or instrument entered into by an LTIP
Unitholder upon acceptance of an award of LTIP Units under an
Equity Incentive Plan.
“Withheld Amount” means any amount required to
be withheld by the Partnership to pay over to any taxing
authority as a result of any allocation or distribution of
income to a Partner.
ARTICLE II
FORMATION OF
THE PARTNERSHIP
2.01 Formation of the Partnership. The
Partnership was formed as a limited partnership pursuant to the
provisions of the Act and upon the terms and conditions set
forth in this Agreement. Except as expressly provided herein to
the contrary, the rights and obligations of the Partners and
administration and termination of the Partnership shall be
governed by the Act. The Partnership Interest of each Partner
shall be personal property for all purposes.
2.02 Name. The Name of the Partnership
shall be “Summit Hotel OP, LP” and the
Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other
name or names deemed advisable by the General Partner, including
the name of the General
7
Partner or any Affiliate thereof. The words “Limited
Partnership,” “LP,” “L.P.” or
“Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included
in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purposes
of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires.
The General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion may
change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to
time and shall notify the Partners of such change in the next
regular communication to the Partners; provided, however,
failure to so notify the Partners shall not invalidate such
change or the authority granted hereunder.
2.03 Registered Office and Agent; Principal
Office. The registered office of the Partnership in the
State of
Delaware is located at Corporation Trust Center,
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, and the registered
agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of
Delaware at such registered office is The Corporation
Trust Company, a
Delaware corporation. The principal office
of the Partnership is located at 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx 0, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00000, or such other
place as the General Partner may from time to time designate.
Upon such a change of the principal office of the Partnership,
the General Partner shall notify the Partners of such change in
the next regular communication to the Partners; provided,
however, failure to so notify the Partners shall not invalidate
such change or the authority granted hereunder. The Partnership
may maintain offices at such other place or places within or
outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner deems
necessary or desirable.
2.04 Term and Dissolution.
(a) The term of the Partnership shall continue in full
force and effect until dissolved upon the first to occur of any
of the following events:
(i) the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy as to a
General Partner or the dissolution, death, removal or withdrawal
of a General Partner unless the business of the Partnership is
continued pursuant to Section 7.03(b) hereof;
provided that if a General Partner is on the date of such
occurrence a partnership, the dissolution of such General
Partner as a result of the dissolution, death, withdrawal,
removal or Event of Bankruptcy of a partner in such partnership
shall not be an event of dissolution of the Partnership if the
business of such General Partner is continued by the remaining
partner or partners, either alone or with additional partners,
and such General Partner and such partners comply with any other
applicable requirements of this Agreement;
(ii) the passage of 90 days after the sale or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership (provided that if the Partnership receives an
installment obligation as consideration for such sale or other
disposition, the Partnership shall continue, unless sooner
dissolved under the provisions of this Agreement, until such
time as such installment obligations are paid in full);
(iii) the redemption of all Limited Partnership Interests
(other than any Limited Partnership Interests held by the
General Partner), unless the General Partner determines to
continue the term of the Partnership by the admission of one or
more additional Limited Partners; or
(iv) the dissolution of the Partnership upon election by
the General Partner.
(b) Upon dissolution of the Partnership (unless the
business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to
Section 7.03(b) hereof), the General Partner (or its
trustee, receiver, successor or legal representative) shall
amend or cancel the Certificate and liquidate the
Partnership’s assets and apply and distribute the proceeds
thereof in accordance with Section 5.06 hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the liquidating General Partner
may either (i) defer liquidation of, or withhold from
distribution for a reasonable time, any assets of the
Partnership (including those necessary to satisfy the
Partnership’s debts and obligations), or
(ii) distribute the assets to the Partners in kind.
2.05 Filing of Certificate and Perfection of
Limited Partnership. The General Partner shall execute,
acknowledge, record and file at the expense of the Partnership
the Certificate and any and all amendments thereto and all
requisite fictitious name statements and notices in such places
and jurisdictions as may be necessary to cause the Partnership
to be treated as a limited partnership under, and otherwise to
comply with, the laws of each state or other jurisdiction in
which the Partnership conducts business.
2.06 Certificates Describing Partnership
Units. At the request of a Limited Partner, the General
Partner, at its option, may issue a certificate summarizing the
terms of such Limited Partner’s interest in the
Partnership, including the class or series and number of
Partnership Units owned and the Percentage Interest represented
by such Partnership Units
8
as of the date of such certificate. Any such certificate
(i) shall be in form and substance as determined by the
General Partner, (ii) shall not be negotiable and
(iii) shall bear a legend to the following effect:
THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT NEGOTIABLE. THE PARTNERSHIP UNITS
REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE GOVERNED BY AND TRANSFERABLE
ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH (A) THE PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT
OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF SUMMIT HOTEL OP, LP, AS AMENDED,
SUPPLEMENTED OR RESTATED FROM TIME TO TIME, AND (B) ANY
APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES OR BLUE SKY LAWS.
ARTICLE III
BUSINESS OF
THE PARTNERSHIP
The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the
Partnership is (i) to conduct any business that may be
lawfully conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant
to the Act, provided, however, that such business
shall be limited to and conducted in such a manner as to permit
the General Partner at all times to qualify as a REIT, unless
the General Partner otherwise ceases to, or the Board of
Directors determines, pursuant to Section 5.7 of the
Articles, that the General Partner shall no longer, qualify as a
REIT, (ii) to enter into any partnership, joint venture or
other similar arrangement to engage in any of the foregoing or
the ownership of interests in any entity engaged in any of the
foregoing and (iii) to do anything necessary or incidental
to the foregoing. In connection with the foregoing, and without
limiting the General Partner’s right in its sole and
absolute discretion to cease qualifying as a REIT, the Partners
acknowledge that the General Partner intends to elect REIT
status and the avoidance of income and excise taxes on the
General Partner inures to the benefit of all the Partners and
not solely to the General Partner. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Limited Partners agree that the General Partner
may terminate or revoke its status as a REIT under the Code at
any time. The General Partner shall also be empowered to do any
and all acts and things necessary or prudent to ensure that the
Partnership will not be classified as a “publicly traded
partnership” taxable as a corporation for purposes of
Section 7704 of the Code.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACCOUNTS
4.01 Capital Contributions. The General
Partner and each Limited Partner has made a capital contribution
to the Partnership in exchange for the Partnership Units set
forth opposite such Partner’s name on Exhibit A
hereto, as it may be amended or restated from time to time by
the General Partner to the extent necessary to reflect
accurately sales, exchanges or other Transfers, redemptions,
Capital Contributions, the issuance of additional Partnership
Units or similar events having an effect on a Partner’s
ownership of Partnership Units.
4.02 Additional Capital Contributions and
Issuances of Additional Partnership Units. Except as
provided in this Section 4.02 or in Section 4.03
hereof, the Partners shall have no right or obligation to make
any additional Capital Contributions or loans to the
Partnership. The General Partner may contribute additional
capital to the Partnership, from time to time, and receive
additional Partnership Interests, in the form of Partnership
Units, in respect thereof, in the manner contemplated in this
Section 4.02.
(a) Issuances of Additional Partnership Units.
(i) General. As of the effective date of
this Agreement, the Partnership shall have authorized two
classes of Partnership Units, entitled “Common Units”
and “LTIP Units.” The General Partner is hereby
authorized to cause the Partnership to issue such additional
Partnership Interests, in the form of Partnership Units, for any
Partnership purpose at any time or from time to time to the
Partners (including the General Partner) or to other Persons for
such consideration and on such terms and conditions as shall be
established by the General Partner in its sole and absolute
discretion, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.
The General Partner’s determination that consideration is
adequate shall be conclusive insofar as the adequacy of
consideration relates to whether the Partnership Units are
validly issued and fully paid. Any additional Partnership Units
issued thereby may be issued in one or more classes, or one or
more series of any of such classes, with such designations,
preferences and relative, participating, optional or other
special rights, powers and duties, including rights, powers and
duties senior to the then-outstanding Partnership Units held by
the
9
Limited Partners, all as shall be determined by the General
Partner in its sole and absolute discretion and without the
approval of any Limited Partner, subject to Delaware law that
cannot be preempted by the terms hereof and as set forth in a
written document hereafter attached to and made an exhibit to
this Agreement (each, a “Partnership Unit
Designation”), including, without limitation, (i) the
allocations of items of Partnership income, gain, loss,
deduction and credit to each such class or series of Partnership
Units; (ii) the right of each such class or series of
Partnership Units to share in Partnership distributions; and
(iii) the rights of each such class or series of
Partnership Units upon dissolution and liquidation of the
Partnership; provided, however, that no additional
Partnership Units shall be issued to the General Partner (or any
direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary of the General
Partner) unless:
(1) (A) the additional Partnership Units are
issued in connection with an issuance of REIT Shares or other
capital stock of, or other interests in, the General Partner,
which REIT Shares, capital stock or other interests have
designations, preferences and other rights, all such that the
economic interests are substantially similar to the
designations, preferences and other rights of the additional
Partnership Units issued to the General Partner (or any direct
or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner) by
the Partnership in accordance with this Section 4.02 and
(B) the General Partner (or any direct or indirect wholly
owned Subsidiary of the General Partner) shall make a Capital
Contribution to the Partnership in an amount equal to the cash
consideration received by the General Partner from the issuance
of such REIT Shares, capital stock or other interests in the
General Partner;
(2) (A) the additional Partnership Units are
issued in connection with an issuance of REIT Shares or other
capital stock of, or other interests in, the General Partner
pursuant to a taxable share dividend declared by the General
Partner, which REIT Shares, capital stock or interests have
designations, preferences and other rights, all such that the
economic interests are substantially similar to the
designations, preferences and other rights of the additional
Partnership Units issued to the General Partner (or any direct
or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner) by
the Partnership in accordance with this Section 4.02,
(B) if the General Partner allows the holders of its REIT
Shares to elect whether to receive such dividend in REIT Shares
or other capital stock of or, other interests in the General
Partner or cash, the Partnership will give the Limited Partners
(excluding the General Partner or any direct or indirect
Subsidiary of the General Partner) the same election to elect to
receive (I) Partnership Units or cash or, (II) at the
election of the General Partner, REIT Shares, capital stock or
other interests in the General Partner or cash, and (C) if
the Partnership issues additional Partnership Units pursuant to
this Section 4.02(a)(i)(2), then an amount of income equal
to the value of the Partnership Units received will be allocated
to those holders of Common Units that elect to receive
additional Partnership Units;
(3) the additional Partnership Units are issued in
exchange for property owned by the General Partner (or any
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General
Partner) with a fair market value, as determined by the General
Partner, in good faith, equal to the value of the Partnership
Units; or
(4) the additional Partnership Units are issued to
all Partners in proportion to their respective Percentage
Interests.
Without limiting the foregoing, the General Partner is expressly
authorized to cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Units
for less than fair market value, so long as the General Partner
concludes in good faith that such issuance is in the interests
of the Partnership. Upon the issuance of any additional
Partnership Units, the General Partner shall amend
Exhibit A as appropriate to reflect such issuance.
(ii) Upon Issuance of Additional
Securities. The General Partner shall not issue
any Additional Securities (other than REIT Shares issued in
connection with an exchange pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof
or REIT Shares or other capital stock of or other interests in
the General Partner issued in connection with a taxable stock
dividend as described in Section 4.02(a)(i)(2) hereof) or
Rights other than to all holders of REIT Shares, Preferred
Shares, Junior Shares, or New Securities, as the case may be,
unless (A) the General Partner shall cause the Partnership
to issue to the General Partner (or any direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner) Partnership
Units or Rights having designations, preferences and other
rights, all such that the economic interests are substantially
similar to those of the Additional Securities, and (B) the
General Partner (or any direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner) contributes the proceeds from
the
10
issuance of such Additional Securities and from any exercise of
Rights contained in such Additional Securities to the
Partnership; provided, however, that the General
Partner is allowed to issue Additional Securities in connection
with an acquisition of Property to be held directly by the
General Partner, but if and only if, such direct acquisition and
issuance of Additional Securities have been approved by a
majority of the Independent Directors. Without limiting the
foregoing, the General Partner is expressly authorized to issue
Additional Securities for less than fair market value, and the
General Partner is authorized to cause the Partnership to issue
to the General Partner (or any direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner) corresponding Partnership
Units, so long as (x) the General Partner concludes in good
faith that such issuance is in the best interests of the General
Partner and the Partnership and (y) the General Partner (or
any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General
Partner) contributes all proceeds from such issuance to the
Partnership, including without limitation, the issuance of REIT
Shares and corresponding Partnership Units pursuant to a stock
purchase plan providing for purchases of REIT Shares at a
discount from fair market value or pursuant to stock awards,
including stock options that have an exercise price that is less
than the fair market value of the REIT Shares, either at the
time of issuance or at the time of exercise, and restricted or
other stock awards approved by the Board of Directors. For
example, in the event the General Partner issues REIT Shares for
a cash purchase price and the General Partner (or any direct or
indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner)
contributes all of the proceeds of such issuance to the
Partnership as required hereunder, the General Partner (or any
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General
Partner) shall be issued a number of additional Partnership
Units equal to the product of (A) the number of such REIT
Shares issued by the General Partner, the proceeds of which were
so contributed, multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator
of which is 100%, and the denominator of which is the Conversion
Factor in effect on the date of such contribution.
(b) Certain Contributions of Proceeds of Issuance of
REIT Shares. In connection with any and all
issuances of REIT Shares, the General Partner (or any direct or
indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner) shall
make Capital Contributions to the Partnership of the proceeds
therefrom, provided that if the proceeds actually
received and contributed by the General Partner (or any direct
or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner) are
less than the gross proceeds of such issuance as a result of any
underwriter’s discount, commissions, placement fees or
other expenses paid or incurred in connection with such
issuance, then the General Partner (or any direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of the General Partner) shall be deemed
to have made a Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the
amount equal to the sum of the net proceeds of such issuance
plus the amount of such underwriter’s discount,
commissions, placement fees or other expenses paid by the
General Partner, and the Partnership shall be deemed
simultaneously to have reimbursed such discount, commissions,
placement fees and expenses as an Administrative Expense for the
benefit of the Partnership for purposes of Section 6.05(b).
(c) Repurchases of General Partner
Securities. If the General Partner shall
repurchase shares of any class or series of its capital stock,
the purchase price thereof and all costs incurred in connection
with such repurchase shall be reimbursed to the General Partner
by the Partnership pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof and the
General Partner shall cause the Partnership to redeem an
equivalent number of Partnership Units of the appropriate class
or series held by the General Partner, or by the General Partner
in its capacity as a Limited Partner (which, in the case of REIT
Shares, shall be a number equal to the quotient of the number of
such REIT Shares divided by the Conversion Factor).
4.03 Additional Funding. If the General
Partner determines that it is in the best interests of the
Partnership to provide for additional Partnership funds
(“Additional Funds”) for any Partnership
purpose, the General Partner may (i) cause the Partnership
to obtain such funds from outside borrowings, or (ii) elect
to have the General Partner or any of its Affiliates provide
such Additional Funds to the Partnership through loans or
otherwise.
4.04 LTIP Units.
(a) Issuance of LTIP
Units. Notwithstanding anything contained herein
to the contrary, the General Partner may from time to time issue
LTIP Units to Persons who provide services to the Partnership or
the General Partner, for such consideration as the General
Partner may determine to be appropriate, and admit such Persons
as Limited Partners. Subject to the following provisions of this
Section 4.04 and the special provisions of
Sections 4.05 and 5.01(g) hereof, LTIP Units shall be
treated as Common Units, with all of the rights, privileges and
obligations
11
attendant thereto. For purposes of computing the Partners’
Percentage Interests, holders of LTIP Units shall be treated as
Common Unit holders and LTIP Units shall be treated as Common
Units. In particular, the Partnership shall maintain at all
times a
one-to-one
correspondence between LTIP Units and Common Units for
conversion, distribution and other purposes, including, without
limitation, complying with the following procedures:
(i) If an Adjustment Event (as defined below) occurs, then
the General Partner shall make a corresponding adjustment to the
LTIP Units to maintain a
one-for-one
conversion and economic equivalence ratio between Common Units
and LTIP Units. The following shall be “Adjustment
Events”: (A) the Partnership makes a distribution
on all outstanding Common Units in Partnership Units,
(B) the Partnership subdivides the outstanding Common Units
into a greater number of units or combines the outstanding
Common Units into a smaller number of units, or (C) the
Partnership issues any Partnership Units in exchange for its
outstanding Common Units by way of a reclassification or
recapitalization of its Common Units. If more than one
Adjustment Event occurs, the adjustment to the LTIP Units need
be made only once using a single formula that takes into account
each and every Adjustment Event as if all Adjustment Events
occurred simultaneously. For the avoidance of doubt, the
following shall not be Adjustment Events: (x) the issuance
of Partnership Units in a financing, reorganization, acquisition
or other similar business Common Unit Transaction, (y) the
issuance of Partnership Units pursuant to any employee benefit
or compensation plan or distribution reinvestment plan or
(z) the issuance of any Partnership Units to the General
Partner in respect of a capital contribution to the Partnership
of proceeds from the sale of Additional Securities by the
General Partner. If the Partnership takes an action affecting
the Common Units other than actions specifically described above
as “Adjustment Events” and in the opinion of the
General Partner such action would require an adjustment to the
LTIP Units to maintain the
one-to-one
correspondence described above, the General Partner shall have
the right to make such adjustment to the LTIP Units, to the
extent permitted by law and by any Equity Incentive Plan and
Vesting Agreement, in such manner and at such time as the
General Partner, in its sole discretion, may determine to be
appropriate under the circumstances. If an adjustment is made to
the LTIP Units, as herein provided, the Partnership shall
promptly file in the books and records of the Partnership an
officer’s certificate setting forth such adjustment and a
brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment, which
certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of
such adjustment absent manifest error. Promptly after filing of
such certificate, the Partnership shall deliver a notice to each
LTIP Unitholder setting forth the adjustment to his or her LTIP
Units and the effective date of such adjustment; provided,
however, the failure to deliver such notice shall not invalidate
the adjustment or the authority granted hereunder, and
(ii) The LTIP Unitholders shall, when, as and if authorized
and declared by the General Partner out of assets legally
available for that purpose, be entitled to receive distributions
in an amount per LTIP Unit equal to the distributions per Common
Unit (the “Common Partnership Unit
Distribution”), paid to holders of Common Units on such
Partnership Record Date established by the General Partner with
respect to such distribution. So long as any LTIP Units are
outstanding, no distributions (whether in cash or in kind) shall
be authorized, declared or paid on Common Units, unless equal
distributions have been or contemporaneously are authorized,
declared and paid on the LTIP Units.
(b) Priority. Subject to the provisions
of this Section 4.04, the special provisions of
Sections 4.05 and 5.01(g) hereof and any Vesting Agreement,
the LTIP Units shall rank pari passu with the Common
Units as to the payment of regular and special periodic or other
distributions and distribution of assets upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. As to the payment of distributions
and as to distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution
or winding up, any class or series of Partnership Units which by
its terms specifies that it shall rank junior to, on a parity
with, or senior to the Common Units shall also rank junior to,
or pari passu with, or senior to, as the case may be, the
LTIP Units. Subject to the terms of any Vesting Agreement, an
LTIP Unitholder shall be entitled to transfer his or her LTIP
Units to the same extent, and subject to the same restrictions
as holders of Common Units are entitled to transfer their Common
Units pursuant to Article IX.
(c) Special Provisions. LTIP Units shall
be subject to the following special provisions:
(i) Vesting Agreements. LTIP Units may,
in the sole discretion of the General Partner, be issued subject
to vesting, forfeiture and additional restrictions on transfer
pursuant to the terms of a Vesting Agreement. The terms of any
Vesting Agreement may be modified by the General Partner from
time to time in its sole
12
discretion, subject to any restrictions on amendment imposed by
the relevant Vesting Agreement or by the Equity Incentive Plan,
if applicable. LTIP Units that have vested under the terms of a
Vesting Agreement are referred to as “Vested LTIP
Units”; all other LTIP Units shall be treated as
“Unvested LTIP Units.”
(ii) Forfeiture. Unless otherwise
specified in the Vesting Agreement, upon the occurrence of any
event specified in a Vesting Agreement as resulting in either
the right of the Partnership or the General Partner to
repurchase LTIP Units at a specified purchase price or some
other forfeiture of any LTIP Units, then if the Partnership or
the General Partner exercises such right to repurchase or
forfeiture in accordance with the applicable Vesting Agreement,
the relevant LTIP Units shall immediately, and without any
further action, be treated as cancelled and no longer
outstanding for any purpose. Unless otherwise specified in the
Vesting Agreement, no consideration or other payment shall be
due with respect to any LTIP Units that have been forfeited,
other than any distributions declared with respect to a
Partnership Record Date prior to the effective date of the
forfeiture. In connection with any repurchase or forfeiture of
LTIP Units, the balance of the portion of the Capital Account of
the LTIP Unitholder that is attributable to all of his or her
LTIP Units shall be reduced by the amount, if any, by which it
exceeds the target balance contemplated by Section 5.01(g)
hereof, calculated with respect to the LTIP Unitholder’s
remaining LTIP Units, if any.
(iii) Allocations. LTIP Unitholders shall
be entitled to certain special allocations of gain under
Section 5.01(g) hereof.
(iv) Redemption. The Common Unit
Redemption Right provided to Limited Partners under
Section 8.04 hereof shall not apply with respect to LTIP
Units unless and until they are converted to Common Units as
provided in clause (v) below and Section 4.05 hereof.
(v) Conversion to Common Units. Vested
LTIP Units are eligible to be converted into Common Units in
accordance with Section 4.05 hereof.
(d) Voting. LTIP Unitholders shall
(a) have the same voting rights as the holders of Common
Units, with all Vested LTIP Units and Unvested LTIP Units voting
as a single class with the Common Units and having one vote per
LTIP Unit; and (b) have the additional voting rights that
are expressly set forth below. So long as any LTIP Units remain
outstanding, the Partnership shall not, without the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the LTIP Units (Vested LTIP
Units and Unvested LTIP Units) outstanding at the time, given in
person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (voting
separately as a class), amend, alter or repeal, whether by
merger, consolidation or otherwise, the provisions of this
Agreement applicable to LTIP Units so as to materially and
adversely affect (as determined in good faith by the General
Partner) any right, privilege or voting power of the LTIP Units
or the LTIP Unitholders as such, unless such amendment,
alteration, or repeal affects equally, ratably and
proportionately the rights, privileges and voting powers of the
holders of Common Units; but subject, in any event, to the
following provisions:
(i) With respect to any Common Unit Transaction (as defined
in Section 4.05(f) hereof), so long as the LTIP Units are
treated in accordance with Section 4.05(f) hereof, the
consummation of such Common Unit Transaction shall not be deemed
to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences,
privileges or voting powers of the LTIP Units or the LTIP
Unitholders as such; and
(ii) Any creation or issuance of any Partnership Units or
of any class or series of Partnership Interest including without
limitation additional Common Units or LTIP Units, whether
ranking senior to, junior to, or on a parity with the LTIP Units
with respect to distributions and the distribution of assets
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, shall not be deemed
to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences,
privileges or voting powers of the LTIP Units or the LTIP
Unitholders as such.
The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior
to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would
otherwise be required will be effected, all outstanding LTIP
Units shall have been converted into Common Units.
4.05 Conversion of LTIP Units.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.05, an
LTIP Unitholder shall have the right (the “Conversion
Right”), at such holder’s option, at any time to
convert all or a portion of such holder’s Vested LTIP Units
into Common Units; provided, however, that a holder may
not exercise the Conversion Right for less than 1,000 Vested
13
LTIP Units or, if such holder holds less than 1,000 Vested LTIP
Units, all of the Vested LTIP Units held by such holder. LTIP
Unitholders shall not have the right to convert Unvested LTIP
Units into Common Units until they become Vested LTIP Units;
provided, however, that when an LTIP Unitholder is
notified of the expected occurrence of an event that will cause
such LTIP Unitholder’s Unvested LTIP Units to become Vested
LTIP Units, such LTIP Unitholder may give the Partnership a
Conversion Notice conditioned upon and effective as of the time
of vesting and such Conversion Notice, unless subsequently
revoked by the LTIP Unitholder, shall be accepted by the
Partnership subject to such condition. The General Partner shall
have the right at any time to cause a conversion of Vested LTIP
Units into Common Units. In all cases, the conversion of any
LTIP Units into Common Units shall be subject to the conditions
and procedures set forth in this Section 4.05.
(b) A holder of Vested LTIP Units may convert such LTIP
Units into an equal number of fully paid and non-assessable
Common Units, giving effect to all adjustments (if any) made
pursuant to Section 4.04 hereof. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in no event may a holder of Vested LTIP Units convert
a number of Vested LTIP Units that exceeds (x) the Economic
Capital Account Balance of such Limited Partner, to the extent
attributable to its ownership of LTIP Units, divided by
(y) the Common Unit Economic Balance, in each case as
determined as of the effective date of conversion (the
“Capital Account Limitation”).
In order to exercise the Conversion Right, an LTIP Unitholder
shall deliver a notice (a “Conversion Notice”)
in the form attached as Exhibit D to the Partnership
(with a copy to the General Partner) not less than ten nor more
than 60 days prior to a date (the “Conversion
Date”) specified in such Conversion Notice;
provided, however, that if the General Partner has
not given to the LTIP Unitholders notice of a proposed or
upcoming Common Unit Transaction (as defined in
Section 4.05(f) hereof) at least 30 days prior to the
effective date of such Common Unit Transaction, then LTIP
Unitholders shall have the right to deliver a Conversion Notice
until the earlier of (x) the tenth day after such notice
from the General Partner of a Common Unit Transaction or
(y) the third Trading Day immediately preceding the
effective date of such Common Unit Transaction. A Conversion
Notice shall be provided in the manner provided in
Section 12.01 hereof. Each LTIP Unitholder covenants and
agrees with the Partnership that all Vested LTIP Units to be
converted pursuant to this Section 4.05(b) shall be free
and clear of all liens. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, a holder of LTIP Units may deliver a Notice of
Redemption pursuant to Section 8.04(a) hereof relating to
those Common Units that will be issued to such holder upon
conversion of such LTIP Units into Common Units in advance of
the Conversion Date; provided, however, that the
redemption of such Common Units by the Partnership shall in no
event take place until after the Conversion Date. For clarity,
it is noted that the objective of this paragraph is to put an
LTIP Unitholder in a position where, if such holder so wishes,
the Common Units into which such holder’s Vested LTIP Units
will be converted can be tendered to the Partnership for
redemption simultaneously with such conversion, with the further
consequence that, if the General Partner elects to assume the
Partnership’s redemption obligation with respect to such
Common Units under Section 8.04(b) hereof by delivering to
such holder the REIT Shares Amount, then such holder can
have the REIT Shares Amount issued to such holder
simultaneously with the conversion of such holder’s Vested
LTIP Units into Common Units. The General Partner and LTIP
Unitholder shall reasonably cooperate with each other to
coordinate the timing of the events described in the foregoing
sentence.
(c) The Partnership, at any time at the election of the
General Partner, may cause any number of Vested LTIP Units held
by an LTIP Unitholder to be converted (a “Forced
Conversion”) into an equal number of Common Units,
giving effect to all adjustments (if any) made pursuant to
Section 4.04 hereof; provided, however, that
the Partnership may not cause Forced Conversion of any LTIP
Units that would not at the time be eligible for conversion at
the option of such LTIP Unitholder pursuant to
Section 4.05(b) hereof. In order to exercise its right of
Forced Conversion, the Partnership shall deliver a notice (a
“Forced Conversion Notice”) in the form
attached as Exhibit E to the applicable LTIP
Unitholder not less than ten nor more than 60 days prior to
the Conversion Date specified in such Forced Conversion Notice.
A Forced Conversion Notice shall be provided in the manner
provided in Section 12.01 hereof and shall be revocable by
the General Partner at any time prior to the Forced Conversion.
(d) A conversion of Vested LTIP Units for which the holder
thereof has given a Conversion Notice or the Partnership has
given a Forced Conversion Notice shall occur automatically after
the close of business on the applicable Conversion Date without
any action on the part of such LTIP Unitholder, as of which time
such LTIP Unitholder shall be credited on the books and records
of the Partnership with the issuance as of the opening of
business on the next day of the number of Common Units issuable
upon such conversion. After the conversion of LTIP Units as
aforesaid, the Partnership shall deliver to such LTIP
Unitholder, upon his or her written request, a
14
certificate of the General Partner certifying the number of
Common Units and remaining LTIP Units, if any, held by such
person immediately after such conversion. The Assignee of any
Limited Partner pursuant to Article IX hereof may exercise
the rights of such Limited Partner pursuant to this
Section 4.05 and such Limited Partner shall be bound by the
exercise of such rights by the Assignee.
(e) For purposes of making future allocations under
Section 5.01(g) hereof and applying the Capital Account
Limitation, the portion of the Economic Capital Account Balance
of the applicable LTIP Unitholder that is treated as
attributable to his or her LTIP Units shall be reduced, as of
the date of conversion, by the product of the number of LTIP
Units converted and the Common Unit Economic Balance.
(f) If the Partnership or the General Partner shall be a
party to any Common Unit Transaction (including without
limitation a merger, consolidation, unit exchange, self tender
offer for all or substantially all Common Units or other
business combination or reorganization, or sale of all or
substantially all of the Partnership’s assets, but
excluding any Common Unit Transaction which constitutes an
Adjustment Event) in each case as a result of which Common Units
shall be exchanged for or converted into the right, or the
holders of Common Units shall otherwise be entitled, to receive
cash, securities or other property or any combination thereof
(each of the foregoing being referred to herein as a
“Common Unit Transaction”), then the General
Partner shall, subject to the terms of any applicable Equity
Incentive Plan or Vesting Agreement, exercise immediately prior
to the Common Unit Transaction its right to cause a Forced
Conversion with respect to the maximum number of LTIP Units then
eligible for conversion, taking into account any allocations
that occur in connection with the Common Unit Transaction or
that would occur in connection with the Common Unit Transaction
if the assets of the Partnership were sold at the Common Unit
Transaction price or, if applicable, at a value determined by
the General Partner in good faith using the value attributed to
the Partnership Units in the context of the Common Unit
Transaction (in which case the Conversion Date shall be the
effective date of the Common Unit Transaction).
In anticipation of such Forced Conversion and the consummation
of the Common Unit Transaction, the Partnership shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to cause each LTIP Unitholder to
be afforded the right to receive in connection with such Common
Unit Transaction in consideration for the Common Units into
which such LTIP Unitholder’s Units will be converted the
same kind and amount of cash, securities and other property (or
any combination thereof) receivable upon the consummation of
such Common Unit Transaction by a holder of the same number of
Common Units, assuming such holder of Common Units is not a
Person with which the Partnership consolidated or into which the
Partnership merged or which merged into the Partnership or to
which such sale or transfer was made, as the case may be (a
“Constituent Person”), or an affiliate of a
Constituent Person. In the event that holders of Common Units
have the opportunity to elect the form or type of consideration
to be received upon consummation of the Common Unit Transaction,
prior to such Common Unit Transaction the General Partner shall
give prompt written notice to each LTIP Unitholder of such
election, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
afford the LTIP Unitholders the right to elect, by written
notice to the General Partner, the form or type of consideration
to be received upon conversion of each LTIP Unit held by such
holder into Common Units in connection with such Common Unit
Transaction. If an LTIP Unitholder fails to make such an
election, such holder (and any of its transferees) shall receive
upon conversion of each LTIP Unit held by such LTIP Unitholder
(or by any of such LTIP Unitholder’s transferees) the same
kind and amount of consideration that a holder of a Common Unit
would receive if such Common Unit holder failed to make such an
election.
Subject to the rights of the Partnership and the General Partner
under any Vesting Agreement and any Equity Incentive Plan, the
Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause
the terms of any Common Unit Transaction to be consistent with
the provisions of this Section 4.05(f) and to enter into an
agreement with the successor or purchasing entity, as the case
may be, for the benefit of any LTIP Unitholders whose LTIP Units
will not be converted into Common Units in connection with the
Common Unit Transaction that will (i) contain provisions
enabling the holders of LTIP Units that remain outstanding after
such Common Unit Transaction to convert their LTIP Units into
securities as comparable as reasonably possible under the
circumstances to the Common Units and (ii) preserve as far
as reasonably possible under the circumstances the distribution,
special allocation, conversion, and other rights set forth in
this Agreement for the benefit of the LTIP Unitholders.
4.06 Capital Accounts. A separate
capital account (a “Capital Account”) shall be
established and maintained for each Partner in accordance with
Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv).
If (i) a new or existing Partner acquires an additional
Partnership Interest in exchange for more than a de minimis
Capital Contribution, (ii) the Partnership distributes
15
to a Partner more than a de minimis amount of Partnership
property as consideration for a Partnership Interest,
(iii) the Partnership is liquidated within the meaning of
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)
or (iv) the Partnership grants a Partnership Interest
(other than a de minimis Partnership Interest) as
consideration for the provision of services to or for the
benefit of the Partnership to an existing Partner acting in a
Partner capacity, or to a new Partner acting in a Partner
capacity or in anticipation of being a Partner, the General
Partner shall revalue the property of the Partnership to its
fair market value (as determined by the General Partner, in its
sole and absolute discretion, and taking into account
Section 7701(g) of the Code) in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f);
provided that the issuance of any LTIP Unit shall be
deemed to require a revaluation pursuant to this
Section 4.06. When the Partnership’s property is
revalued by the General Partner, the Capital Accounts of the
Partners shall be adjusted in accordance with Regulations
Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)
and (g), which generally require such Capital Accounts to be
adjusted to reflect the manner in which the unrealized gain or
loss inherent in such property (that has not been reflected in
the Capital Accounts previously) would be allocated among the
Partners pursuant to Section 5.01 hereof if there were a
taxable disposition of such property for its fair market value
(as determined by the General Partner, in its sole and absolute
discretion, and taking into account Section 7701(g) of the
Code) on the date of the revaluation.
4.07 Percentage Interests. If the
number of outstanding Common Units or other class or series of
Partnership Units increases or decreases during a taxable year,
each Partner’s Percentage Interest shall be adjusted by the
General Partner effective as of the effective date of each such
increase or decrease to a percentage equal to the number of
Common Units or other class or series of Partnership Units held
by such Partner divided by the aggregate number of Common Units
or other class or series of Partnership Units, as applicable,
outstanding after giving effect to such increase or decrease. If
the Partners’ Percentage Interests are adjusted pursuant to
this Section 4.07, the Profits and Losses for the taxable
year in which the adjustment occurs shall be allocated between
the part of the year ending on the day when the
Partnership’s property is revalued by the General Partner
and the part of the year beginning on the following day either
(i) as if the taxable year had ended on the date of the
adjustment or (ii) based on the number of days in each
part. The General Partner, in its sole and absolute discretion,
shall determine which method shall be used to allocate Profits
and Losses for the taxable year in which the adjustment occurs.
The allocation of Profits and Losses for the earlier part of the
year shall be based on the Percentage Interests before
adjustment, and the allocation of Profits and Losses for the
later part shall be based on the adjusted Percentage Interests.
4.08 No Interest on Contributions. No
Partner shall be entitled to interest on its Capital
Contribution.
4.09 Return of Capital Contributions.
No Partner shall be entitled to withdraw any part of its Capital
Contribution or its Capital Account or to receive any
distribution from the Partnership, except as specifically
provided in this Agreement. Except as otherwise provided herein,
there shall be no obligation to return to any Partner or
withdrawn Partner any part of such Partner’s Capital
Contribution for so long as the Partnership continues in
existence.
4.10 No Third-Party Beneficiary. No
creditor or other third party having dealings with the
Partnership shall have the right to enforce the right or
obligation of any Partner to make Capital Contributions or loans
or to pursue any other right or remedy hereunder or at law or in
equity, it being understood and agreed that the provisions of
this Agreement, except as provided in Section 6.03(h),
shall be solely for the benefit of, and may be enforced solely
by, the parties to this Agreement and their respective
successors and assigns. None of the rights or obligations of the
Partners herein set forth to make Capital Contributions or loans
to the Partnership shall be deemed an asset of the Partnership
for any purpose by any creditor or other third party, nor may
such rights or obligations be sold, transferred or assigned by
the Partnership or pledged or encumbered by the Partnership to
secure any debt or other obligation of the Partnership or of any
of the Partners. In addition, it is the intent of the parties
hereto that no distribution to any Limited Partner shall be
deemed a return of money or other property in violation of the
Act. However, if any court of competent jurisdiction holds that,
notwithstanding the provisions of this Agreement, any Limited
Partner is obligated to return such money or property, such
obligation shall be the obligation of such Limited Partner and
not of the General Partner. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, a deficit Capital Account of a Partner shall not
be deemed to be a liability of such Partner nor an asset or
property of the Partnership.
16
ARTICLE V
PROFITS AND
LOSSES; DISTRIBUTIONS
5.01 Allocation of Profit and Loss.
(a) Profit. Profit of the Partnership for
each fiscal year of the Partnership shall be allocated to the
Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
(b) Loss. Loss of the Partnership for
each fiscal year of the Partnership shall be allocated to the
Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
(c) Minimum Gain
Chargeback. Notwithstanding any provision to the
contrary, (i) any expense of the Partnership that is a
“nonrecourse deduction” within the meaning of
Regulations
Section 1.704-2(b)(1)
shall be allocated in accordance with the Partners’
respective Percentage Interests, (ii) any expense of the
Partnership that is a “partner nonrecourse deduction”
within the meaning of Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(2)
shall be allocated to the Partner that bears the “economic
risk of loss” of such deduction in accordance with
Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(1),
(iii) if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum
Gain within the meaning of Regulations
Section 1.704-2(f)(1)
for any Partnership taxable year, then, subject to the
exceptions set forth in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(f)(2),(3),
(4) and (5), items of gain and income shall be allocated
among the Partners in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(f)
and the ordering rules contained in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(j),
and (iv) if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse
Debt Minimum Gain within the meaning of Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(4)
for any Partnership taxable year, then, subject to the
exceptions set forth in Regulations Section 1.704(2)(g),
items of gain and income shall be allocated among the Partners
in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(4)
and the ordering rules contained in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(j).
The manner in which it is reasonably expected that the
deductions attributable to nonrecourse liabilities will be
allocated for purposes of determining a Partner’s share of
the nonrecourse liabilities of the Partnership within the
meaning of Regulations
Section 1.752-3(a)(3)
shall be in accordance with a Partner’s Percentage Interest.
(d) Qualified Income Offset. If a Partner
receives in any taxable year an adjustment, allocation or
distribution described in subparagraphs (4), (5) or
(6) of Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)
that causes or increases a deficit balance in such
Partner’s Capital Account that exceeds the sum of such
Partner’s shares of Partnership Minimum Gain and Partner
Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain, as determined in accordance with
Regulations
Sections 1.704-2(g)
and 1.704-2(i), such Partner shall be allocated specially for
such taxable year (and, if necessary, later taxable years) items
of income and gain in an amount and manner sufficient to
eliminate such deficit Capital Account balance as quickly as
possible as provided in Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d).
After the occurrence of an allocation of income or gain to a
Partner in accordance with this Section 5.01(d), to the
extent permitted by Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b),
items of expense or loss shall be allocated to such Partner in
an amount necessary to offset the income or gain previously
allocated to such Partner under this Section 5.01(d).
(e) Capital Account Deficits. Loss shall
not be allocated to a Limited Partner to the extent that such
allocation would cause a deficit in such Partner’s Capital
Account (after reduction to reflect the items described in
Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4),
(5) and (6)) to exceed the sum of such Partner’s
shares of Partnership Minimum Gain and Partner Nonrecourse Debt
Minimum Gain. Any Loss in excess of that limitation shall be
allocated to the General Partner. After the occurrence of an
allocation of Loss to the General Partner in accordance with
this Section 5.01(e), to the extent permitted by
Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b),
Profit first shall be allocated to the General Partner in an
amount necessary to offset the Loss previously allocated to the
General Partner under this Section 5.01(e).
(f) Allocations Between Transferor and
Transferee. If a Partner transfers any part or
all of its Partnership Interest, the distributive shares of the
various items of Profit and Loss allocable among the Partners
during such fiscal year of the Partnership shall be allocated
between the transferor and the transferee Partner either
(i) as if the Partnership’s fiscal year had ended on
the date of the transfer or (ii) based on the number of
days of such fiscal year that each was a Partner without regard
to the results of Partnership activities in the respective
portions of such fiscal year in which the transferor and the
transferee were Partners. The General Partner, in its sole and
absolute discretion, shall determine which method shall be used
to allocate the distributive shares of the various items of
Profit and Loss between the transferor and the transferee
Partner.
17
(g) Special Allocations Regarding LTIP
Units. Notwithstanding the provisions of
Sections 5.01(a) and (b) hereof, Liquidating Gains
shall first be allocated to the LTIP Unitholders until their
Economic Capital Account Balances, to the extent attributable to
their ownership of LTIP Units, are equal to (i) the Common
Unit Economic Balance, multiplied by (ii) the number of
their LTIP Units. For this purpose, “Liquidating
Gains” means net capital gains realized in connection
with the actual or hypothetical sale of all or substantially all
of the assets of the Partnership, including but not limited to
net capital gain realized in connection with an adjustment to
the value of Partnership assets under Section 704(b) of the
Code. The “Economic Capital Account Balances”
of the LTIP Unit holders will be equal to their Capital Account
balances to the extent attributable to their ownership of LTIP
Units. Similarly, the “Common Unit Economic
Balance” shall mean (i) the Capital Account
balance of the General Partner, plus the amount of the General
Partner’s share of any Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum
Gain or Partnership Minimum Gain, in either case to the extent
attributable to the General Partner’s ownership of Common
Units and computed on a hypothetical basis after taking into
account all allocations through the date on which any allocation
is made under this Section 5.01(g), divided by
(ii) the number of the General Partner’s Common Units.
Any such allocations shall be made among the LTIP Unitholders in
proportion to the amounts required to be allocated to each under
this Section 5.01(g). The parties agree that the intent of
this Section 5.01(g) is to make the Capital Account balance
associated with each LTIP Unit to be economically equivalent to
the Capital Account balance associated with the General
Partner’s Common Units (on a
per-Unit
basis).
(h) Definition of Profit and
Loss. “Profit” and
“Loss” and any items of income, gain, expense
or loss referred to in this Agreement shall be determined in
accordance with federal income tax accounting principles, as
modified by Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv),
except that Profit and Loss shall not include items of income,
gain and expense that are specially allocated pursuant to
Sections 5.01(c), (d)or (e) hereof. All allocations of
income, Profit, gain, Loss and expense (and all items contained
therein) for federal income tax purposes shall be identical to
all allocations of such items set forth in this
Section 5.01, except as otherwise required by
Section 704(c) of the Code and Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(4).
With respect to properties acquired by the Partnership, the
General Partner shall have the authority to elect the method to
be used by the Partnership for allocating items of income, gain
and expense as required by Section 704(c) of the Code with
respect to such properties, and such election shall be binding
on all Partners.
5.02 Distribution of Cash.
(a) Subject to Sections 5.02(c), (d) and
(e) hereof and to the terms of any Partnership Unit
Designation, the Partnership shall distribute cash at such times
and in such amounts as are determined by the General Partner in
its sole and absolute discretion, to the Partners who are
Partners on the Partnership Record Date with respect to such
quarter (or other distribution period) in proportion with their
respective Common Units on the Partnership Record Date.
(b) In accordance with Section 4.04(a)(ii), the LTIP
Unitholders shall be entitled to receive distributions in an
amount per LTIP Unit equal to the Common Partnership Unit
Distribution.
(c) If a new or existing Partner acquires additional
Partnership Units in exchange for a Capital Contribution on any
date other than a Partnership Record Date (other than
Partnership Units acquired by the General Partner in connection
with the issuance of additional REIT Shares or Additional
Securities), the cash distribution attributable to such
additional Partnership Units relating to the Partnership Record
Date next following the issuance of such additional Partnership
Units shall be reduced in the proportion to (i) the number
of days that such additional Partnership Units are held by such
Partner bears to (ii) the number of days between such
Partnership Record Date and the immediately preceding
Partnership Record Date.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the General Partner is authorized to take any action that it
determines to be necessary or appropriate to cause the
Partnership to comply with any withholding requirements
established under the Code or any other federal, state or local
law including, without limitation, pursuant to
Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code. To the
extent that the Partnership is required to withhold and pay over
to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the allocation
or distribution of income to a Partner or assignee (including by
reason of Section 1446 of the Code), either (i) if the
actual amount to be distributed to the Partner (the
“Distributable Amount”) equals or exceeds the
Withheld Amount, the entire Distributable Amount shall be
treated as a distribution of cash to such Partner, or
(ii) if the Distributable Amount is less than the Withheld
Amount, the excess of the Withheld Amount over the Distributable
Amount shall be treated as a Partnership Loan from the
Partnership to the
18
Partner on the day the Partnership pays over such amount to a
taxing authority. A Partnership Loan shall be repaid upon the
demand of the Partnership or, alternatively, through withholding
by the Partnership with respect to subsequent distributions to
the applicable Partner or assignee. In the event that a Limited
Partner fails to pay any amount owed to the Partnership with
respect to the Partnership Loan within 15 days after demand
for payment thereof is made by the Partnership on the Limited
Partner, the General Partner, in its sole and absolute
discretion, may elect to make the payment to the Partnership on
behalf of such Defaulting Limited Partner. In such event, on the
date of payment, the General Partner shall be deemed to have
extended a General Partner Loan to the Defaulting Limited
Partner in the amount of the payment made by the General Partner
and shall succeed to all rights and remedies of the Partnership
against the Defaulting Limited Partner as to that amount.
Without limitation, the General Partner shall have the right to
receive any distributions that otherwise would be made by the
Partnership to the Defaulting Limited Partner until such time as
the General Partner Loan has been paid in full, and any such
distributions so received by the General Partner shall be
treated as having been received by the Defaulting Limited
Partner and immediately paid to the General Partner.
Any amounts treated as a Partnership Loan or a General Partner
Loan pursuant to this Section 5.02(d) shall bear interest
at the lesser of (i) 300 basis points above the base
rate on corporate loans at large United States money center
commercial banks, as published from time to time in The Wall
Street Journal, or (ii) the maximum lawful rate of
interest on such obligation, such interest to accrue from the
date the Partnership or the General Partner, as applicable, is
deemed to extend the loan until such loan is repaid in full.
(e) In no event may a Partner receive a distribution of
cash with respect to a Partnership Unit if such Partner is
entitled to receive a cash dividend or other distribution of
cash as the holder of record of a REIT Share for which all or
part of such Partnership Unit has been or will be redeemed.
5.03 REIT Distribution Requirements.
The General Partner shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
cause the Partnership to distribute amounts sufficient to enable
the General Partner to pay distributions to its stockholders
that will allow the General Partner to (i) meet its
distribution requirement for qualification as a REIT as set
forth in Section 857 of the Code and (ii) avoid any
federal income or excise tax liability imposed by the Code,
other than to the extent the General Partner elects to retain
and pay income tax on its net capital gain.
5.04 No Right to Distributions in Kind.
No Partner shall be entitled to demand property other than cash
in connection with any distributions by the Partnership.
5.05 Limitations on Return of Capital
Contributions. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of
this Article V, no Partner shall have the right to receive,
and the General Partner shall not have the right to make, a
distribution that includes a return of all or part of a
Partner’s Capital Contributions, unless after giving effect
to the return of a Capital Contribution, the sum of all
Partnership liabilities, other than the liabilities to a Partner
for the return of his Capital Contribution, does not exceed the
fair market value of the Partnership’s assets.
5.06 Distributions Upon Liquidation.
(a) Upon liquidation of the Partnership, after payment of,
or adequate provision for, debts and obligations of the
Partnership, including any Partner loans, any remaining assets
of the Partnership shall be distributed to all Partners with
positive Capital Accounts in accordance with their respective
positive Capital Account balances.
(b) For purposes of Section 5.06(a) hereof, the
Capital Account of each Partner shall be determined after all
adjustments made in accordance with Sections 5.01 and 5.02
hereof resulting from Partnership operations and from all sales
and dispositions of all or any part of the Partnership’s
assets.
(c) Any distributions pursuant to this Section 5.06
shall be made by the end of the Partnership’s taxable year
in which the liquidation occurs (or, if later, within
90 days after the date of the liquidation). To the extent
deemed advisable by the General Partner, appropriate
arrangements (including the use of a liquidating trust) may be
made to assure that adequate funds are available to pay any
contingent debts or obligations.
5.07 Substantial Economic Effect. It is
the intent of the Partners that the allocations of Profit and
Loss under the Agreement have substantial economic effect (or be
consistent with the Partners’ interests in the Partnership
in the case of the allocation of losses attributable to
nonrecourse debt) within the meaning of Section 704(b) of
the Code as interpreted by the Regulations promulgated pursuant
thereto. Article V and other relevant provisions of this
Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such
intent.
19
ARTICLE VI
RIGHTS,
OBLIGATIONS AND
POWERS OF THE
GENERAL PARTNER
6.01 Management of the Partnership.
(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
Agreement, the General Partner shall have full, complete and
exclusive discretion to manage and control the business of the
Partnership for the purposes herein stated, and shall make all
decisions affecting the business and assets of the Partnership.
Subject to the restrictions specifically contained in this
Agreement, the powers of the General Partner shall include,
without limitation, the authority to take the following actions
on behalf of the Partnership:
(i) to acquire, purchase, own, operate, lease and dispose
of any real property and any other property or assets including,
but not limited to, notes and mortgages that the General Partner
determines are necessary or appropriate in the business of the
Partnership;
(ii) to construct buildings and make other improvements on
the properties owned or leased by the Partnership;
(iii) to authorize, issue, sell, redeem or otherwise
purchase any Partnership Units or any securities (including
secured and unsecured debt obligations of the Partnership, debt
obligations of the Partnership convertible into any class or
series of Partnership Units, or Rights relating to any class or
series of Partnership Units) of the Partnership;
(iv) to borrow or lend money for the Partnership, issue or
receive evidences of indebtedness in connection therewith,
refinance, increase the amount of, modify, amend or change the
terms of, or extend the time for the payment of, any such
indebtedness, and secure indebtedness by mortgage, deed of
trust, pledge or other lien on the Partnership’s assets;
(v) to pay, either directly or by reimbursement, all
operating costs and general administrative expenses of the
Partnership to third parties or to the General Partner or its
Affiliates as set forth in this Agreement;
(vi) to guarantee or become a co-maker of indebtedness of
any Subsidiary of the General Partner or the Partnership,
refinance, increase the amount of, modify, amend or change the
terms of, or extend the time for the payment of, any such
guarantee or indebtedness, and secure such guarantee or
indebtedness by mortgage, deed of trust, pledge or other lien on
the Partnership’s assets;
(vii) to use assets of the Partnership (including, without
limitation, cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with this
Agreement, including, without limitation, payment, either
directly or by reimbursement, of all operating costs and general
and administrative expenses of the General Partner, the
Partnership or any Subsidiary of either, to third parties or to
the General Partner as set forth in this Agreement;
(viii) to lease all or any portion of any of the
Partnership’s assets, whether or not the terms of such
leases extend beyond the termination date of the Partnership and
whether or not any portion of the Partnership’s assets so
leased are to be occupied by the lessee, or, in turn, subleased
in whole or in part to others, for such consideration and on
such terms as the General Partner may determine and to further
lease property from third parties, including ground leases;
(ix) to prosecute, defend, arbitrate or compromise any and
all claims or liabilities in favor of or against the
Partnership, on such terms and in such manner as the General
Partner may determine, and similarly to prosecute, settle or
defend litigation with respect to the Partners, the Partnership
or the Partnership’s assets;
(x) to file applications, communicate and otherwise deal
with any and all governmental agencies having jurisdiction over,
or in any way affecting, the Partnership’s assets or any
other aspect of the Partnership’s business;
(xi) to make or revoke any election permitted or required
of the Partnership by any taxing authority;
20
(xii) to maintain such insurance coverage for public
liability, fire and casualty, and any and all other insurance
for the protection of the Partnership, for the conservation of
Partnership assets, or for any other purpose convenient or
beneficial to the Partnership, in such amounts and such types,
as it shall determine from time to time;
(xiii) to determine whether or not to apply any insurance
proceeds for any property to the restoration of such property or
to distribute the same;
(xiv) to establish one or more divisions of the
Partnership, to hire and dismiss employees of the Partnership or
any division of the Partnership, and to retain legal counsel,
accountants, consultants, real estate brokers and such other
persons as the General Partner may deem necessary or appropriate
in connection with the Partnership business and to pay therefor
such reasonable remuneration as the General Partner may deem
reasonable and proper;
(xv) to retain other services of any kind or nature in
connection with the Partnership business, and to pay therefor
such remuneration as the General Partner may deem reasonable and
proper;
(xvi) to negotiate and conclude agreements on behalf of the
Partnership with respect to any of the rights, powers and
authority conferred upon the General Partner;
(xvii) to maintain accurate accounting records and to file
promptly all federal, state and local income tax returns on
behalf of the Partnership;
(xviii) to distribute Partnership cash or other Partnership
assets in accordance with this Agreement;
(xix) to form or acquire an interest in, and contribute
property to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint
ventures or other relationships that it deems desirable
(including, without limitation, the acquisition of interests in,
and the contributions of property to, its Subsidiaries and any
other Person in which it has an equity interest from time to
time);
(xx) to establish Partnership reserves for working capital,
capital expenditures, contingent liabilities or any other valid
Partnership purpose;
(xxi) to merge, consolidate or combine the Partnership with
or into another Person;
(xxii) to enter into and perform obligations under
underwriting or other agreements in connection with issuances of
securities by the Partnership or the General Partner or any
affiliate thereof;
(xxiii) to do any and all acts and things necessary or
prudent to ensure that the Partnership will not be classified as
a “publicly traded partnership” taxable as a
corporation under Section 7704 of the Code or an
“investment company” or a subsidiary of an investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and
(xxiv) to take such other action, execute, acknowledge,
swear to or deliver such other documents and instruments, and
perform any and all other acts that the General Partner deems
necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation and
conduct of the business and affairs of the Partnership
(including, without limitation, all actions consistent with
allowing the General Partner at all times to qualify as a REIT
unless the General Partner voluntarily terminates or revokes its
REIT status) and to possess and enjoy all of the rights and
powers of a general partner as provided by the Act.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, to the extent the
duties of the General Partner require expenditures of funds to
be paid to third parties, the General Partner shall not have any
obligations hereunder except to the extent that Partnership
funds are reasonably available to it for the performance of such
duties, and nothing herein contained shall be deemed to
authorize or require the General Partner, in its capacity as
such, to expend its individual funds for payment to third
parties or to undertake any individual liability or obligation
on behalf of the Partnership.
6.02 Delegation of Authority. The
General Partner may delegate any or all of its powers, rights
and obligations hereunder, and may appoint, employ, contract or
otherwise deal with any Person for the transaction of the
business of the
21
Partnership, which Person may, under supervision of the General
Partner, perform any acts or services for the Partnership as the
General Partner may approve.
6.03 Indemnification and Exculpation of
Indemnitees.
(a) The Partnership shall indemnify an Indemnitee from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint
or several, expenses (including reasonable legal fees and
expenses), judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts
arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or
proceedings, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative,
that relate to the operations of the Partnership as set forth in
this Agreement in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is
threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, unless it is
established that: (i) the act or omission of the Indemnitee
was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and
either was committed in bad faith or was the result of active
and deliberate dishonesty; (ii) the Indemnitee actually
received an improper personal benefit in money, property or
services; or (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding,
the Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that the act or
omission was unlawful. The termination of any proceeding by
judgment, order or settlement does not create a presumption that
the Indemnitee did not meet the requisite standard of conduct
set forth in this Section 6.03(a). The termination of any
proceeding by conviction or upon a plea of nolo
contendere or its equivalent, or an entry of an order of
probation prior to judgment, creates a rebuttable presumption
that the Indemnitee acted in a manner contrary to that specified
in this Section 6.03(a). Any indemnification pursuant to
this Section 6.03 shall be made only out of the assets of
the Partnership.
(b) The Partnership shall reimburse an Indemnitee for
reasonable expenses incurred by an Indemnitee who is a party to
a proceeding in advance of the final disposition of the
proceeding upon receipt by the Partnership of (i) a written
affirmation by the Indemnitee of the Indemnitee’s good
faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for
indemnification by the Partnership as authorized in this
Section 6.03 has been met, and (ii) a written
undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay the
amount if it shall ultimately be determined that the standard of
conduct has not been met.
(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 6.03
shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee
or any other Person may be entitled under any agreement,
pursuant to any vote of the Partners, as a matter of law or
otherwise, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased
to serve in such capacity.
(d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain insurance, as
an expense of the Partnership, on behalf of the Indemnitees and
such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine,
against any liability that may be asserted against or expenses
that may be incurred by such Person in connection with the
Partnership’s activities, regardless of whether the
Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person
against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) For purposes of this Section 6.03, the Partnership
shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as
fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance
by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on,
or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or
participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed
on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan
pursuant to applicable law shall constitute fines within the
meaning of this Section 6.03; and actions taken or omitted
by the Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan in
the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed
by it to be in the interest of the participants and
beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose
that is not opposed to the best interests of the Partnership.
(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited
Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification
provisions set forth in this Agreement.
(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in
whole or in part under this Section 6.03 because the
Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to
which the indemnification applies if the transaction was
otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.
(h) The provisions of this Section 6.03 are for the
benefit of the Indemnitees, their heirs, successors, assigns and
administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for
the benefit of any other Persons.
22
(i) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this
Section 6.03 or any provision hereof shall be prospective
only and shall not in any way affect the indemnification of an
Indemnitee by the Partnership under this Section 6.03 as in
effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or
repeal with respect to matters occurring, in whole or in part,
prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of
when claims relating to such matters may arise or be asserted.
6.04 Liability of the General Partner.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in
this Agreement, neither the General Partner, nor any of its
directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for
monetary damages to the Partnership or any Partners for losses
sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of errors in
judgment or mistakes of fact or law or of any act or omission if
any such party acted in good faith. The General Partner shall
not be in breach of any duty that the General Partner may owe to
the Limited Partners or the Partnership or any other Persons
under this Agreement or of any duty stated or implied by law or
equity provided the General Partner, acting in good faith,
abides by the terms of this Agreement.
(b) The Limited Partners expressly acknowledge that the
General Partner is acting on behalf of the Partnership, the
Limited Partners and the General Partner’s stockholders
collectively, that the General Partner is under no obligation to
consider the separate interests of the Limited Partners
(including, without limitation, the tax consequences to Limited
Partners or the tax consequences of some, but not all, of the
Limited Partners) in deciding whether to cause the Partnership
to take (or decline to take) any actions. In the event of a
conflict between the interests of the stockholders of the
General Partner on the one hand and the Limited Partners on the
other, the General Partner shall endeavor in good faith to
resolve the conflict in a manner not adverse to either the
stockholders of the General Partner or the Limited Partners;
provided, however, that for so long as the General
Partner owns a controlling interest in the Partnership, any such
conflict that the General Partner, in its sole and absolute
discretion, determines cannot be resolved in a manner not
adverse to either the stockholders of the General Partner or the
Limited Partners shall be resolved in favor of the stockholders
of the General Partner. The General Partner shall not be liable
for monetary damages for losses sustained, liabilities incurred
or benefits not derived by the Limited Partners in connection
with such decisions.
(c) Subject to its obligations and duties as General
Partner set forth in Section 6.01 hereof, the General
Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it under this
Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it
hereunder either directly or by or through its agents. The
General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or
negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by it in good
faith.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement
or the Act, any action of the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership or any decision of the General Partner to refrain
from acting on behalf of the Partnership, undertaken in the good
faith belief that such action or omission is necessary or
advisable in order (i) to protect the ability of the
General Partner to continue to qualify as a REIT or (ii) to
prevent the General Partner from incurring any taxes under
Section 857, Section 4981 or any other provision of
the Code, is expressly authorized under this Agreement and is
deemed approved by all of the Limited Partners.
(e) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this
Section 6.04 or any provision hereof shall be prospective
only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the
General Partner’s or any of its officers’,
directors’, agents’ or employees’ liability to
the Partnership and the Limited Partners under this
Section 6.04 as in effect immediately prior to such
amendment, modification or repeal with respect to matters
occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment,
modification or repeal, regardless of when claims relating to
such matters may arise or be asserted.
6.05 Partnership Obligations.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 6.05 and
elsewhere in this Agreement (including the provisions of
Articles V and VI hereof regarding distributions, payments
and allocations to which it may be entitled), the General
Partner shall not be compensated for its services as general
partner of the Partnership.
(b) All Administrative Expenses shall be obligations of the
Partnership, and the General Partner shall be entitled to
reimbursement by the Partnership for any expenditure (including
Administrative Expenses) incurred by it on behalf of the
Partnership that shall be made other than out of the funds of
the Partnership. All reimbursements hereunder
23
shall be characterized for federal income tax purposes as
expenses of the Partnership incurred on its behalf, and not as
expenses of the General Partner.
6.06 Outside Activities. Subject to
Section 6.08 hereof, the Articles and any agreements
entered into by the General Partner or its Affiliates with the
Partnership or a Subsidiary, any officer, director, employee,
agent, trustee, Affiliate or stockholder of the General Partner,
the General Partner shall be entitled to and may have business
interests and engage in business activities in addition to those
relating to the Partnership, including business interests and
activities substantially similar or identical to those of the
Partnership. Neither the Partnership nor any of the Limited
Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in
any such business ventures, interest or activities. None of the
Limited Partners nor any other Person shall have any rights by
virtue of this Agreement or the partnership relationship
established hereby in any such business ventures, interests or
activities, and the General Partner shall have no obligation
pursuant to this Agreement to offer any interest in any such
business ventures, interests and activities to the Partnership
or any Limited Partner, even if such opportunity is of a
character that, if presented to the Partnership or any Limited
Partner, could be taken by such Person.
6.07 Employment or Retention of
Affiliates.
(a) Any Affiliate of the General Partner may be employed or
retained by the Partnership and may otherwise deal with the
Partnership (whether as a buyer, lessor, lessee, manager,
furnisher of goods or services, broker, agent, lender or
otherwise) and may receive from the Partnership any
compensation, price or other payment therefor that the General
Partner determines to be fair and reasonable.
(b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to its
Subsidiaries or other Persons in which it has an equity
investment, and such Persons may borrow funds from the
Partnership, on terms and conditions established in the sole and
absolute discretion of the General Partner. The foregoing
authority shall not create any right or benefit in favor of any
Subsidiary or any other Person.
(c) The Partnership may transfer assets to joint ventures,
other partnerships, corporations or other business entities in
which it is or thereby becomes a participant upon such terms and
subject to such conditions as the General Partner deems are
consistent with this Agreement and applicable law.
6.08 General Partner Activities. The
General Partner agrees that, generally, all business activities
of the General Partner, including activities pertaining to the
acquisition, development, ownership of or investment in hotel
properties or other property, shall be conducted through the
Partnership or one or more Subsidiaries of the Partnership;
provided, however, that the General Partner may
make direct acquisitions or undertake business activities if
such acquisitions or activities are made in connection with the
issuance of Additional Securities by the General Partner or the
business activity has been approved by a majority of the
Independent Directors. If, at any time, the General Partner
acquires material assets (other than Partnership Units or other
assets on behalf of the Partnership) without transferring such
assets to the Partnership, the definition of “REIT Shares
Amount” may be adjusted, as reasonably determined by the
General Partner, to reflect only the fair market value of a REIT
Share attributable to the General Partner’s Partnership
Units and other assets held on behalf of the Partnership.
6.09 Title to Partnership Assets. Title
to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and
whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by
the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or
collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such
Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all
of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the
Partnership, the General Partner or one or more nominees, as the
General Partner may determine, including Affiliates of the
General Partner. The General Partner hereby declares and
warrants that any Partnership assets for which legal title is
held in the name of the General Partner or any nominee or
Affiliate of the General Partner shall be held by the General
Partner for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement; provided,
however, that the General Partner shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cause beneficial and record
title to such assets to be vested in the Partnership as soon as
reasonably practicable. All Partnership assets shall be recorded
as the property of the Partnership in its books and records,
irrespective of the name in which legal title to such
Partnership assets is held.
24
ARTICLE VII
CHANGES IN
GENERAL PARTNER
7.01 Transfer of the General Partner’s
Partnership Interest.
(a) The General Partner shall not transfer all or any
portion of its General Partnership Interests, and the General
Partner shall not withdraw as General Partner, except as
provided in or in connection with a transaction contemplated by
Sections 7.01(c), (d) or (e) hereof.
(b) The General Partner agrees that its General Partnership
Interest will at all times be in the aggregate at least 0.1%.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01(d) or
(e) hereof, the General Partner shall not engage in any
merger, consolidation or other combination with or into another
Person or sale of all or substantially all of its assets (other
than in connection with a change in the General Partner’s
state of incorporation or organizational form), in each case
which results in a Change of Control of the General Partner (a
“Transaction”), unless at least one of the
following conditions is met:
(i) the consent of a Majority in Interest (other than the
General Partner or any Subsidiary of the General Partner) is
obtained;
(ii) as a result of such Transaction, all Limited Partners
(other than the General Partner and any Subsidiary of the
General Partner, and, in the case of LTIP Unitholders, subject
to the terms of any applicable Equity Incentive Plan or Vesting
Agreement) will receive, or have the right to receive, for each
Partnership Unit an amount of cash, securities or other property
equal or substantially equivalent in value, as determined by the
General Partner in good faith, to the product of the Conversion
Factor and the greatest amount of cash, securities or other
property paid in the Transaction to a holder of one REIT Share
in consideration of one REIT Share, provided that if, in
connection with such Transaction, a purchase, tender or exchange
offer (“Offer”) shall have been made to and
accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding REIT
Shares, each holder of Partnership Units (other than the General
Partner and any Subsidiary of the General Partner) shall be
given the option to exchange its Partnership Units for an amount
of cash, securities or other property equal or substantially
equivalent in value, as determined by the General Partner in
good faith, to the greatest amount of cash, securities or other
property that such Limited Partner would have received had it
(A) exercised its Common Unit Redemption Right
pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof and (B) sold, tendered
or exchanged pursuant to the Offer the REIT Shares received upon
exercise of the Common Unit Redemption Right immediately
prior to the expiration of the Offer; or
(iii) the General Partner is the surviving entity in the
Transaction and either (A) the holders of REIT Shares do
not receive cash, securities or other property in the
Transaction or (B) all Limited Partners (other than the
General Partner or any Subsidiary of the General Partner, and,
in the case of LTIP Unitholders, subject to the terms of any
applicable Equity Incentive Plan or Vesting Agreement) receive
for each Partnership Unit an amount of cash, securities or other
property (expressed as an amount per REIT Share) equal or
substantially equivalent in value, as determined by the General
Partner in good faith, to the product of the Conversion Factor
and the greatest amount of cash, securities or other property
(expressed as an amount per REIT Share) received in the
Transaction by any holder of REIT Shares.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 7.01(c) hereof, the
General Partner may merge with or into or consolidate with
another entity if immediately after such merger or consolidation
(i) substantially all of the assets of the successor or
surviving entity (the “Survivor”), other than
Partnership Units held by the General Partner, are contributed,
directly or indirectly, to the Partnership as a Capital
Contribution in exchange for Partnership Units, or for
economically equivalent partnership interests issued by a
Subsidiary Partnership established at the direction of the Board
of Directors, with a fair market value equal to the value of the
assets so contributed as determined by the Survivor in good
faith and (ii) the Survivor expressly agrees to assume all
obligations of the General Partner hereunder. Upon such
contribution and assumption, the Survivor shall have the right
and duty to amend this Agreement as set forth in this
Section 7.01(d). The Survivor shall in good faith arrive at
a new method for the calculation of the Cash Amount, the REIT
Shares Amount and Conversion Factor for a Partnership Unit after
any such merger or consolidation so as
25
to approximate the existing method for such calculation as
closely as reasonably possible. Such calculation shall take into
account, among other things, the kind and amount of securities,
cash and other property that was receivable upon such merger or
consolidation by a holder of REIT Shares or options, warrants or
other rights relating thereto, and which a holder of Partnership
Units could have acquired had such Partnership Units been
exchanged immediately prior to such merger or consolidation.
Such amendment to this Agreement shall provide for adjustment to
such method of calculation, which shall be as nearly equivalent
as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for with
respect to the Conversion Factor. The Survivor also shall in
good faith modify the definition of REIT Shares and make such
amendments to Section 8.04 hereof so as to approximate the
existing rights and obligations set forth in Section 8.04
hereof as closely as reasonably possible. The above provisions
of this Section 7.01(d) shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations permitted hereunder.
In respect of any transaction described in the preceding
paragraph, the General Partner is required to use its
commercially reasonable efforts to structure such transaction to
avoid causing the Limited Partners (other than the General
Partner or any Subsidiary) to recognize a gain for federal
income tax purposes by virtue of the occurrence of or their
participation in such transaction, provided such efforts
are consistent with and subject in all respects to the exercise
of the Board of Directors’ fiduciary duties to the
stockholders of the General Partner under applicable law.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Article VII,
(i) The General Partner may transfer all or any portion of
its General Partnership Interest to (A) any wholly owned
Subsidiary of the General Partner or (B) the owner of all
of the ownership interests of the General Partner, and following
a transfer of all of its General Partnership Interest, may
withdraw as General Partner; and
(ii) the General Partner may engage in a transaction
required by law or by the rules of any national securities
exchange or over-the-counter interdealer quotation system on
which the REIT Shares are listed or traded.
7.02 Admission of a Substitute or Additional
General Partner. A Person shall be admitted as a
substitute or additional General Partner of the Partnership only
if the following terms and conditions are satisfied:
(a) the Person to be admitted as a substitute or additional
General Partner shall have accepted and agreed to be bound by
all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by executing a
counterpart thereof and such other documents or instruments as
may be required or appropriate in order to effect the admission
of such Person as a General Partner, and a certificate
evidencing the admission of such Person as a General Partner
shall have been filed for recordation and all other actions
required by Section 2.05 hereof in connection with such
admission shall have been performed;
(b) if the Person to be admitted as a substitute or
additional General Partner is a corporation or a partnership, it
shall have provided the Partnership with evidence satisfactory
to counsel for the Partnership of such Person’s authority
to become a General Partner and to be bound by the terms and
provisions of this Agreement; and
(c) counsel for the Partnership shall have rendered an
opinion (relying on such opinions from other counsel as may be
necessary) that the admission of the Person to be admitted as a
substitute or additional General Partner is in conformity with
the Act, that none of the actions taken in connection with the
admission of such Person as a substitute or additional General
Partner will cause (i) the Partnership to be classified
other than as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, or
(ii) the loss of any Limited Partner’s limited
liability.
7.03 Effect of Bankruptcy, Withdrawal, Death or
Dissolution of General Partner.
(a) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy as to the
General Partner (and its removal pursuant to
Section 7.04(a) hereof) or the death, withdrawal, removal
or dissolution of the General Partner (except that, if the
General Partner is on the date of such occurrence a partnership,
the withdrawal, death, dissolution, Event of Bankruptcy as to,
or removal of a partner in, such partnership shall be deemed not
to be a dissolution of the General Partner if the business of
the General Partner is continued by the remaining partner or
partners), the Partnership shall be dissolved and terminated
unless the Partnership is continued pursuant to
Section 7.03(b) hereof. The merger of the General Partner
with or into any entity that is admitted as a substitute or
successor General Partner pursuant to Section 7.02 hereof
shall not be deemed to be the withdrawal, dissolution or removal
of the General Partner.
26
(b) Following the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy as
to the General Partner (and its removal pursuant to
Section 7.04(a) hereof) or the death, withdrawal, removal
or dissolution of the General Partner (except that, if the
General Partner is on the date of such occurrence a partnership,
the withdrawal, death, dissolution, Event of Bankruptcy as to,
or removal of a partner in, such partnership shall be deemed not
to be a dissolution of the General Partner if the business of
such General Partner is continued by the remaining partner or
partners), the Limited Partners, within 90 days after such
occurrence, may elect to continue the business of the
Partnership for the balance of the term specified in
Section 2.04 hereof by selecting, subject to
Section 7.02 hereof and any other provisions of this
Agreement, a substitute General Partner by consent of a Majority
in Interest. If the Limited Partners elect to continue the
business of the Partnership and admit a substitute General
Partner, the relationship with the Partners and of any Person
who has acquired an interest of a Partner in the Partnership
shall be governed by this Agreement.
7.04 Removal of General Partner.
(a) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy as to, or
the dissolution of, the General Partner, the General Partner
shall be deemed to be removed automatically; provided,
however, that if the General Partner is on the date of
such occurrence a partnership, the withdrawal, death,
dissolution, Event of Bankruptcy [as to or removal] of a partner
in such partnership shall be deemed not to be a dissolution of
the General Partner if the business of the General Partner is
continued by the remaining partner or partners. The Limited
Partners may not remove the General Partner, with or without
cause.
(b) If the General Partner has been removed pursuant to
this Section 7.04 and the Partnership is continued pursuant
to Section 7.03 hereof, the General Partner shall promptly
transfer and assign its General Partnership Interest in the
Partnership to the substitute General Partner approved by a
Majority in Interest in accordance with Section 7.03(b)
hereof and otherwise be admitted to the Partnership in
accordance with Section 7.02 hereof. At the time of
assignment, the removed General Partner shall be entitled to
receive from the substitute General Partner the fair market
value of the General Partnership Interest of such removed
General Partner. Such fair market value shall be determined by
an appraiser mutually agreed upon by the General Partner and a
Majority in Interest (excluding the General Partner and any
Subsidiary of the General Partner) within ten days following the
removal of the General Partner. In the event that the parties
are unable to agree upon an appraiser, the removed General
Partner and a Majority in Interest (excluding the General
Partner and any Subsidiary of the General Partner) each shall
select an appraiser. Each such appraiser shall complete an
appraisal of the fair market value of the removed General
Partner’s General Partnership Interest within 30 days
of the General Partner’s removal, and the fair market value
of the removed General Partner’s General Partnership
Interest shall be the average of the two appraisals;
provided, however, that if the higher appraisal
exceeds the lower appraisal by more than 20% of the amount of
the lower appraisal, the two appraisers, no later than
40 days after the removal of the General Partner, shall
select a third appraiser who shall complete an appraisal of the
fair market value of the removed General Partner’s General
Partnership Interest no later than 60 days after the
removal of the General Partner. In such case, the fair market
value of the removed General Partner’s General Partnership
Interest shall be the average of the two appraisals closest in
value.
(c) The General Partnership Interest of a removed General
Partner, during the time after default until transfer under
Section 7.04(b) hereof, shall be converted to that of a
special Limited Partner; provided, however, such
removed General Partner shall not have any rights to participate
in the management and affairs of the Partnership, and shall not
be entitled to any portion of the income, expense, profit, gain
or loss allocations or cash distributions allocable or payable,
as the case may be, to the Limited Partners. Instead, such
removed General Partner shall receive and be entitled only to
retain distributions or allocations of such items that it would
have been entitled to receive in its capacity as General
Partner, until the transfer is effective pursuant to
Section 7.04(b) hereof.
(d) All Partners shall have given and hereby do give such
consents, shall take such actions and shall execute such
documents as shall be legally necessary and sufficient to effect
all the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.04.
27
ARTICLE VIII
RIGHTS AND
OBLIGATIONS
OF THE LIMITED
PARTNERS
8.01 Management of the Partnership. The
Limited Partners shall not participate in the management or
control of Partnership business nor shall they transact any
business for the Partnership, nor shall they have the power to
sign for or bind the Partnership, such powers being vested
solely and exclusively in the General Partner. The Limited
Partners covenant and agree not to hold themselves out in a
manner that could reasonably be considered in contravention of
the terms hereof by any third party.
8.02 Power of Attorney. Each Limited
Partner by entry into this Agreement through execution,
execution by power of attorney or other consent, hereby
irrevocably appoints the General Partner its true and lawful
attorney-in-fact, who may act for each Limited Partner and in
its name, place and stead, and for its use and benefit, to sign,
acknowledge, swear to, deliver, file or record, at the
appropriate public offices, any and all documents, certificates
and instruments (including, without limitation, this Agreement
and all amendments or restatements thereof) as may be deemed
necessary or desirable by the General Partner to carry out fully
the provisions of this Agreement and the Act in accordance with
their terms, which power of attorney is coupled with an interest
and shall survive the death, dissolution or legal incapacity of
the Limited Partner, or the transfer by the Limited Partner of
any part or all of its Partnership Interest.
8.03 Limitation on Liability of Limited
Partners. No Limited Partner shall be liable for any
debts, liabilities, contracts or obligations of the Partnership.
A Limited Partner shall be liable to the Partnership only to
make payments of its Capital Contribution, if any, as and when
due hereunder. After its Capital Contribution is fully paid, no
Limited Partner shall, except as otherwise required by the Act,
be required to make any further Capital Contributions or other
payments or lend any funds to the Partnership.
8.04 Common Unit Redemption Right.
(a) Subject to Sections 8.04(b), (c), (d),
(e) and (f) hereof and the provisions of any
agreements between the Partnership and one or more Limited
Partners with respect to Common Units (including any LTIP Units
that are converted into Common Units) held by them, each Limited
Partner (other than the General Partner or any Subsidiary of the
General Partner, shall have the right (the “Common Unit
Redemption Right”) to require the Partnership to
redeem on a Specified Redemption Date all or a portion of
the Common Units held by such Limited Partner at a redemption
price equal to and in the form of the Common
Redemption Amount to be paid by the Partnership,
provided that (i) such Common Units shall have been
outstanding for at least one year (or such lesser time as
determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute
discretion), and (ii) subject to any restriction agreed to
in writing between the Redeeming Limited Partner and the General
Partner. The Common Unit Redemption Right shall be
exercised pursuant to a Notice of Exercise of
Redemption Right in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit B delivered to the Partnership (with a copy
to the General Partner) by the Limited Partner who is exercising
the Common Unit Redemption Right (the “Redeeming
Limited Partner”) and such notice shall be irrevocable
unless otherwise agreed upon by the General Partner. In such
event, the Partnership shall deliver the Cash Amount to the
Redeeming Limited Partner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Partnership shall not be obligated to satisfy such Common Unit
Redemption Right if the General Partner elects to purchase
the Common Units subject to the Notice of Redemption pursuant to
Section 8.04(b) hereof. No Limited Partner may deliver more
than two Notices of Redemption during each calendar year unless
otherwise agreed upon by the General Partner. A Limited Partner
may not exercise the Common Unit Redemption Right for less
than one thousand (1,000) Common Units or, if such Limited
Partner holds less than one thousand (1,000) Common Units, all
of the Common Units held by such Limited Partner. The Redeeming
Limited Partner shall have no right, with respect to any Common
Units so redeemed, to receive any distribution paid with respect
to Common Units if the record date for such distribution is on
or after the Specified Redemption Date.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8.04(a)
hereof, if a Limited Partner exercises the Common Unit
Redemption Right by delivering to the Partnership a Notice
of Redemption, then the Partnership may, in its sole and
absolute discretion, elect to cause the General Partner to
purchase directly and acquire some or all of, and in such event
the General Partner agrees to purchase and acquire, such Common
Units by paying to the Redeeming Limited Partner either the Cash
Amount or the REIT Shares Amount, as elected by the General
Partner (in its sole and
28
absolute discretion) on the Specified Redemption Date,
whereupon the General Partner shall acquire the Common Units
offered for redemption by the Redeeming Limited Partner and
shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as the owner
of such Common Units.
In the event the General Partner purchases Common Units with
respect to the exercise of a Common Unit Redemption Right,
the Partnership shall have no obligation to pay any amount to
the Redeeming Limited Partner with respect to such Redeeming
Limited Partner’s exercise of such Common Unit
Redemption Right, and each of the Redeeming Limited
Partner, the Partnership and the General Partner shall treat the
transaction between the General Partner and the Redeeming
Limited Partner for federal income tax purposes as a sale of the
Redeeming Limited Partner’s Common Units to the General
Partner. Each Redeeming Limited Partner agrees to execute such
documents as the General Partner may reasonably require in
connection with the issuance of REIT Shares upon exercise of the
Common Unit Redemption Right.
Each Redeeming Limited Partner covenants and agrees that all
Common Units subject to a Notice of Redemption will be delivered
to the Partnership or the General Partner free and clear of all
liens, claims and encumbrances whatsoever and should any such
liens, claims or encumbrances exist or arise with respect to
such Common Units, neither the Partnership nor the General
Partner shall be under any obligation to acquire such Common
Units.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 8.04(a)
and 8.04(b) hereof, a Limited Partner shall not be entitled to
exercise the Common Unit Redemption Right if the delivery
of REIT Shares to such Limited Partner on the Specified
Redemption Date by the General Partner pursuant to
Section 8.04(b) hereof (regardless of whether or not the
General Partner would in fact purchase the Common Units pursuant
to Section 8.04(b) hereof) would (i) result in such
Limited Partner or any other Person (as defined in the Articles)
owning, directly or indirectly, REIT Shares in excess of the
Stock Ownership Limit or any Excepted Holder Limit (each as
defined in Articles) and calculated in accordance therewith,
except as provided in the Articles, (ii) result in REIT
Shares being owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined
without reference to any rules of attribution),
(iii) result in the General Partner being “closely
held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the
Code, (iv) cause the General Partner to own, actually or
constructively, 10% or more of the ownership interests in a
tenant (other than a TRS) of the General Partner’s, the
Partnership’s or a Subsidiary Partnership’s real
property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the
Code, (v) otherwise cause the General Partner to fail to
qualify as a REIT under the Code, including, but not limited to,
as a result of any “eligible independent contractor”
(as defined in Section 856(d)(9)(A) of the Code) that
operates a “qualified lodging facility” (as defined in
Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code) on behalf of a TRS
failing to qualify as such, or (vi) cause the acquisition
of REIT Shares by such Limited Partner to be
“integrated” with any other distribution of REIT
Shares or Common Units for purposes of complying with the
registration provisions of the Securities Act. The General
Partner, in its sole and absolute discretion, may waive the
restriction on redemption set forth in this Section 8.04(c).
(d) Any Cash Amount to be paid to a Redeeming Limited
Partner pursuant to this Section 8.04 shall be paid on the
Specified Redemption Date; provided, however,
that the General Partner may elect to cause the Specified
Redemption Date to be delayed for up to an additional
90 days to the extent required for the General Partner to
cause additional REIT Shares to be issued to provide financing
to be used to make such payment of the Cash Amount and may also
delay such Specified Redemption Date to the extent
necessary to effect compliance with applicable requirements of
the law. Any REIT Share Amount to be paid to a Redeeming Limited
Partner pursuant to this Section 8.04 shall be paid on the
Specified Redemption Date; provided, however,
that the General Partner may elect to cause the Specified
Redemption Date to be delayed for up to an additional
180 days to the extent required for the General Partner to
cause additional REIT Shares to be issued and may also delay
such Specified Redemption Date to the extent necessary to
effect compliance with applicable requirements of the law.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the General Partner agrees to use
its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the closing of the
acquisition of redeemed Common Units hereunder to occur as
quickly as reasonably possible.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the General Partner is authorized to take any action that it
determines to be necessary or appropriate to cause the
Partnership to comply with any withholding requirements
established under the Code or any other federal, state, local or
foreign law that apply upon a Redeeming Limited Partner’s
exercise of the Common Unit Redemption Right. If a
Redeeming Limited Partner believes that it is exempt from such
withholding upon the exercise of the Common Unit
Redemption Right, such
29
Partner must furnish the General Partner with a FIRPTA
Certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C
and any similar forms or certificates required to avoid or
reduce the withholding under federal, state, local or foreign
law or such other form as the General Partner may reasonably
request. If the Partnership or the General Partner is required
to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount upon
a Redeeming Limited Partner’s exercise of the Common Unit
Redemption Right and if the Common Redemption Amount
equals or exceeds the Withheld Amount, the Withheld Amount shall
be treated as an amount received by such Partner in redemption
of its Common Units. If, however, the Common
Redemption Amount is less than the Withheld Amount, the
Redeeming Limited Partner shall not receive any portion of the
Common Redemption Amount, the Common Redemption Amount
shall be treated as an amount received by such Partner in
redemption of its Common Units, and the Partner shall contribute
the excess of the Withheld Amount over the Common
Redemption Amount to the Partnership before the Partnership
is required to pay over such excess to a taxing authority.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the General Partner may place appropriate restrictions on the
ability of the Limited Partners to exercise their Common Unit
Redemption Rights as and if deemed necessary or reasonable
to ensure that the Partnership does not constitute a
“publicly traded partnership” under Section 7704
of the Code. If and when the General Partner determines that
imposing such restrictions is necessary, the General Partner
shall give prompt written notice thereof (a “Restriction
Notice”) to each of the Limited Partners, which notice
shall be accompanied by a copy of an opinion of counsel to the
Partnership that states that, in the opinion of such counsel,
restrictions are necessary or reasonable in order to avoid the
Partnership being treated as a “publicly traded
partnership” under Section 7704 of the Code.
8.05 Registration. Subject to the terms
of any agreement between the General Partner and a Limited
Partner with respect to Common Units held by such Limited
Partner:
(a) Shelf Registration of the REIT
Shares. Following the date on which the General
Partner becomes eligible to use a registration statement on
Form S-3
for the registration of securities under the Securities Act (the
“S-3
Eligible Date”) the General Partner shall file with the
Commission a shelf registration statement under Rule 415 of
the Securities Act (a “Registration
Statement”), or any similar rule that may be adopted by
the Commission, covering (i) the issuance of REIT Shares
issuable upon redemption of the Common Units held by such
Limited Partner as of the date of this Agreement
(“Redemption Shares”)
and/or
(ii) the resale by the holder of the
Redemption Shares; provided, however, that
the General Partner shall be required to file only two such
registrations in any
12-month
period. In connection therewith, the General Partner will:
(1) use commercially reasonable efforts to have such
Registration Statement declared effective;
(2) register or qualify the Redemption Shares covered
by the Registration Statement under the securities or blue sky
laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as required
by law, and do such other reasonable acts and things as may be
required of it to enable such holders to consummate the sale or
other disposition in such jurisdictions of the
Redemption Shares; provided, however, that
the General Partner shall not be required to (i) qualify as
a foreign corporation or consent to a general or unlimited
service or process in any jurisdictions in which it would not
otherwise be required to be qualified or so consent or
(ii) qualify as a dealer in securities; and
(3) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to
comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission in connection with a Registration Statement.
The General Partner further agrees to supplement or make
amendments to each Registration Statement, if required by the
rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the
registration form utilized by the General Partner or by the
Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder for such
Registration Statement. Each Limited Partner agrees to furnish
to the General Partner, upon request, such information with
respect to the Limited Partner as may be required to complete
and file the Registration Statement.
30
In connection with and as a condition to the General
Partner’s obligations with respect to the filing of a
Registration Statement pursuant to this Section 8.05, each
Limited Partner agrees with the General Partner that:
(w) it will provide in a timely manner to the General
Partner such information with respect to the Limited Partner as
reasonably required to complete the Registration Statement or as
otherwise required to comply with applicable securities laws and
regulations;
(x) it will not offer or sell its Redemption Shares
until (A) such Redemption Shares have been included in
a Registration Statement and (B) it has received notice
that the Registration Statement covering such
Redemption Shares, or any post-effective amendment thereto,
has been declared effective by the Commission, such notice to
have been satisfied by the posting by the Commission on
xxx.xxx.xxx of a notice of effectiveness;
(y) if the General Partner determines in its good faith
judgment, after consultation with counsel, that the use of the
Registration Statement, including any pre- or post-effective
amendment thereto, or the use of any prospectus contained in
such Registration Statement would require the disclosure of
important information that the General Partner has a bona
fide business purpose for preserving as confidential or the
disclosure of which, in the judgment of the General Partner,
would impede the General Partner’s ability to consummate a
significant transaction, upon written notice of such
determination by the General Partner (which notice shall be
deemed sufficient if given through the issuance of a press
release or filing with the Commission and, if such notice is not
publicly distributed, the Limited Partner agrees to keep the
subject information confidential and acknowledges that such
information may constitute material non-public information
subject to the applicable restrictions under securities laws),
the rights of each Limited Partner to offer, sell or distribute
its Redemption Shares pursuant to such Registration
Statement or prospectus or to require the General Partner to
take action with respect to the registration or sale of any
Redemption Shares pursuant to a Registration Statement
(including any action contemplated by this Section 8.05)
will be suspended until the date upon which the General Partner
notifies such Limited Partner in writing (which notice shall be
deemed sufficient if given through the issuance of a press
release or filing with the Commission and, if such notice is not
publicly distributed, the Limited Partner agrees to keep the
subject information confidential and acknowledges that such
information may constitute material non-public information
subject to the applicable restrictions under securities laws)
that suspension of such rights for the grounds set forth in this
paragraph is no longer necessary; provided,
however, that the General Partner may not suspend such
rights for an aggregate period of more than 180 days in any
12-month
period; and
(z) in the case of the registration of any underwritten
equity offering proposed by the General Partner (other than any
registration by the General Partner on
Form S-8,
or a successor or substantially similar form, of an employee
stock option, stock purchase or compensation plan or of
securities issued or issuable pursuant to any such plan, each
Limited Partner will agree, if requested in writing by the
managing underwriter or underwriters administering such
offering, not to effect any offer, sale or distribution of any
REIT Shares or Redemption Shares (or any option or right to
acquire REIT Shares or Redemption Shares) during the period
commencing on the tenth day prior to the expected effective date
(which date shall be stated in such notice) of the registration
statement covering such underwritten primary equity offering or,
if such offering shall be a “take-down” from an
effective shelf registration statement, the tenth day prior to
the expected commencement date (which date shall be stated in
such notice) of such offering, and ending on the date specified
by such managing underwriter in such written request to the
Limited Partners; provided, however, that no
Limited Partner shall be required to agree not to effect any
offer, sale or distribution of its Redemption Shares for a
period of time that is longer than the greater of 90 days
or the period of time for which any senior executive of the
General Partner is required so to agree in connection with such
offering. Nothing in this paragraph shall be read to limit the
ability of any Limited Partner to redeem its Common Units in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(b) Listing on Securities Exchange. If
the General Partner lists or maintains the listing of REIT
Shares on any securities exchange or national market system, it
shall, at its expense and as necessary to permit the
registration and sale of the Redemption Shares hereunder,
list thereon, maintain and, when necessary, increase such
listing to include such Redemption Shares.
(c) Registration Not
Required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
General Partner shall not be required to file or maintain the
effectiveness of a registration statement relating to
Redemption Shares after the first date upon which, in the
opinion of counsel to the General Partner, all of the
Redemption Shares covered thereby could be sold
31
by the holders thereof either (i) pursuant to Rule 144
under the Securities Act, or any successor rule thereto
(“Rule 144”) without limitation as to amount or
manner of sale or (ii) pursuant to Rule 144 in one
transaction in accordance with the volume limitations contained
in Rule 144(e).
(d) Allocation of Expenses. The
Partnership shall pay all expenses in connection with the
Registration Statement, including without limitation
(i) all expenses incident to filing with the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., (ii) registration
fees, (iii) printing expenses, (iv) accounting and
legal fees and expenses, except to the extent holders of
Redemption Shares elect to engage accountants or attorneys
in addition to the accountants and attorneys engaged by the
General Partner or the Partnership, which fees and expenses for
such accountants or attorneys shall be for the account of the
holders of the Redemption Shares, (v) accounting
expenses incident to or required by any such registration or
qualification and (vi) expenses of complying with the
securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdictions in connection
with such registration or qualification; provided,
however, neither the Partnership nor the General Partner
shall be liable for (A) any discounts or commissions to any
underwriter or broker attributable to the sale of
Redemption Shares, or (B) any fees or expenses
incurred by holders of Redemption Shares in connection with
such registration that, according to the written instructions of
any regulatory authority, the Partnership or the General Partner
is not permitted to pay.
(e) Indemnification.
(i) In connection with the Registration Statement, the
General Partner and the Partnership agree to indemnify each
holder of Redemption Shares and each Person who controls any
such holder of Redemption Shares within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act, against all losses,
claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable
costs of investigation) caused by any untrue, or alleged untrue,
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, preliminary prospectus or prospectus (as amended or
supplemented if the General Partner shall have furnished any
amendments or supplements thereto) or caused by any omission or
alleged omission, to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are caused by any untrue statement,
alleged untrue statement, omission, or alleged omission based
upon information furnished to the General Partner by the Limited
Partner of the holder for use therein. The General Partner and
each officer, director and controlling person of the General
Partner and the Partnership shall be indemnified by each Limited
Partner or holder of Redemption Shares covered by the
Registration Statement for all such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities and expenses (including reasonable costs of
investigation) caused by any untrue, or alleged untrue,
statement or any omission, or alleged omission, based upon
information furnished to the General Partner by the Limited
Partner or the holder for use therein.
(ii) Promptly upon receipt by a party indemnified under
this Section 8.05(e) of notice of the commencement of any action
against such indemnified party in respect of which indemnity or
reimbursement may be sought against any indemnifying party under
this Section 8.05(e), such indemnified party shall notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of such
action, but the failure to so notify the indemnifying party
shall not relieve it of any liability that it may have to any
indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8.05(e)
unless such failure shall materially adversely affect the
defense of such action. In case notice of commencement of any
such action shall be given to the indemnifying party as above
provided, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate in and, to the extent it may wish, jointly with any
other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the
defense of such action at its own expense, with counsel chosen
by it and reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party. The
indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate
counsel in any such action and participate in the defense
thereof, but the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel
(other than reasonable costs of investigation) shall be paid by
the indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party
agrees to pay the same, (ii) the indemnifying party fails
to assume the defense of such action with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the named
parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties)
have been advised by such counsel that representation of such
indemnified party and the indemnifying party by the same counsel
would be inappropriate under applicable standards of
professional conduct (in which case the indemnified party shall
have the right to separate counsel and the indemnifying party
shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate
counsel, provided that, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable for more than one separate counsel). No indemnifying
party shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding
entered into without its consent.
32
(f) Contribution.
(i) If for any reason the indemnification provisions
contemplated by Section 8.05(e) hereof are either
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified
party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities
referred to therein, then the party that would otherwise be
required to provide indemnification or the indemnifying party
(in either case, for purposes of this Section 8.05(f), the
“Indemnifying Party”) in respect of such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by the party that would otherwise be
entitled to indemnification or the indemnified party (in either
case, for purposes of this Section 8.05(f), the
“Indemnified Party”) as a result of such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expense, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of
the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party, as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of
the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined
by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact related to information
supplied by the Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the
parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of
the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred
to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or
expenses reasonably incurred by such party.
(ii) The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8.05(f)
were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the holders were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method
of allocation that does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to in the immediately preceding
paragraph. No person or entity determined to have committed a
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution
from any person or entity who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
(iii) The contribution provided for in this
Section 8.05(f) shall survive the termination of this
Agreement and shall remain in full force and effect regardless
of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Indemnified
Party.
ARTICLE IX
TRANSFERS OF
PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
9.01 Purchase for Investment.
(a) Each Limited Partner, by its signature below or by its
subsequent admission to the Partnership, hereby represents and
warrants to the General Partner and to the Partnership that the
acquisition of such Limited Partner’s Partnership Units is
made for investment purposes only and not with a view to the
resale or distribution of such Partnership Units.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 9.02 hereof,
each Limited Partner agrees that such Limited Partner will not
sell, assign or otherwise transfer such Limited Partner’s
Partnership Units or any fraction thereof, whether voluntarily
or by operation of law or at judicial sale or otherwise, to any
Person who does not make the representations and warranties to
the General Partner set forth in Section 9.01(a) hereof.
9.02 Restrictions on Transfer of Partnership
Units.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 9.02(b) and
(c) hereof, no Limited Partner may offer, sell, assign,
hypothecate, pledge or otherwise transfer all or any portion of
such Limited Partner’s Partnership Units, or any of such
Limited Partner’s economic rights as a Limited Partner,
whether voluntarily or by operation of law or at judicial sale
or otherwise (collectively, a “Transfer”)
without the consent of the General Partner, which consent may be
granted or withheld in its sole and absolute discretion;
provided, however, that the term Transfer does not
include (a) any redemption of Common Units by the
Partnership or the General Partner, or acquisition of Common
Units by the General Partner or the Parent, pursuant to
Section 8.04 or (b) any redemption of
Partnership Units pursuant to any Partnership Unit Designation.
The General Partner may require, as a condition of any Transfer
to which it consents, that the transferor assume all costs
incurred by the Partnership in connection therewith (including,
but not limited to, cost of legal counsel).
33
(b) No Limited Partner may withdraw from the Partnership
other than as a result of a permitted Transfer (i.e., a
Transfer consented to as contemplated by clause (a) above
or a Transfer pursuant to Section 9.05 hereof) of all of
such Limited Partner’s Partnership Units pursuant to this
Article IX or pursuant to a redemption of all of such
Limited Partner’s Common Units pursuant to
Section 8.04 hereof. Upon the permitted Transfer or
redemption of all of a Limited Partner’s Common Units, such
Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner.
(c) No Limited Partner may effect a Transfer of its
Partnership Units, in whole or in part, if, in the opinion of
legal counsel for the Partnership, such proposed Transfer would
require the registration of the Partnership Units under the
Securities Act or would otherwise violate any applicable federal
or state securities or blue sky law (including investment
suitability standards).
(d) No Transfer by a Limited Partner of its Partnership
Units, in whole or in part, may be made to any Person if
(i) in the opinion of legal counsel for the Partnership,
such Transfer would result in the Partnership being treated as
an association taxable as a corporation (other than a qualified
REIT subsidiary within the meaning of Section 856(i) of the
Code), (ii) in the opinion of legal counsel for the
Partnership, it would adversely affect the ability of the
General Partner to continue to qualify as a REIT or subject the
General Partner to any additional taxes under Section 857
or Section 4981 of the Code, (iii) the General Partner
determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that such
Transfer, along or in connection with other Transfers, could
cause the OP Units to be treated as readily tradable on an
“established securities market” or a “secondary
market (or the substantial equivalent thereof)” within the
meaning of Section 7704 of the Code, provided that the
General Partner may presume that any proposed Transfer of
OP Units during calendar year 2010 will cause the
OP Units to be treated as readily tradable on a
“secondary market (or the substantial equivalent
thereof)” or (iv) in the opinion of legal counsel for
the Partnership, such Transfer is reasonably likely to cause the
Partnership to fail to satisfy the 90% qualifying income test
described in Section 7704(c) of the Code.
(e) Any purported Transfer in contravention of any of the
provisions of this Article IX shall be void ab initio
and ineffectual and shall not be binding upon, or recognized
by, the General Partner or the Partnership.
(f) Prior to the consummation of any Transfer under this
Article IX, the transferor
and/or the
transferee shall deliver to the General Partner such opinions,
certificates and other documents as the General Partner shall
request in connection with such Transfer.
9.03 Admission of Substitute Limited Partner.
(a) Subject to the other provisions of this
Article IX, an assignee of the Partnership Units of a
Limited Partner (which shall be understood to include any
purchaser, transferee, donee or other recipient of any
disposition of such Partnership Units) shall be deemed admitted
as a Limited Partner of the Partnership only with the consent of
the General Partner, which consent may be given or withheld by
the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, and
upon the satisfactory completion of the following:
(i) The assignee shall have accepted and agreed to be bound
by the terms and provisions of this Agreement by executing a
counterpart or an amendment thereof, including a revised
Exhibit A, and such other documents or instruments
as the General Partner may require in order to effect the
admission of such Person as a Limited Partner.
(ii) To the extent required, an amended Certificate
evidencing the admission of such Person as a Limited Partner
shall have been signed, acknowledged and filed in accordance
with the Act.
(iii) The assignee shall have delivered a letter containing
the representation set forth in Section 9.01(a) hereof and
the representations and warranties set forth in
Section 9.01(b) hereof.
(iv) If the assignee is a corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or trust, the assignee shall have provided the
General Partner with evidence satisfactory to counsel for the
Partnership of the assignee’s authority to become a Limited
Partner under the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
(v) The assignee shall have executed a power of attorney
containing the terms and provisions set forth in
Section 8.02 hereof.
34
(vi) The assignee shall have paid all legal fees and other
expenses of the Partnership and the General Partner and filing
and publication costs in connection with its substitution as a
Limited Partner.
(vii) The assignee shall have obtained the prior written
consent of the General Partner to its admission as a Substitute
Limited Partner, which consent may be given or denied in the
exercise of the General Partner’s sole and absolute
discretion.
(b) For the purpose of allocating Profits and Losses and
distributing cash received by the Partnership, a Substitute
Limited Partner shall be treated as having become, and appearing
in the records of the Partnership as, a Partner upon the filing
of the Certificate described in Section 9.03(a)(ii) hereof
or, if no such filing is required, the later of the date
specified in the transfer documents or the date on which the
General Partner has received all necessary instruments of
transfer and substitution.
(c) The General Partner and the Substitute Limited Partner
shall cooperate with each other by preparing the documentation
required by this Section 9.03 and making all official
filings and publications. The Partnership shall take all such
action as promptly as practicable after the satisfaction of the
conditions in this Article IX to the admission of such
Person as a Limited Partner of the Partnership.
9.04 Rights of Assignees of Partnership
Units.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 9.01 and
9.02 hereof, except as required by operation of law, the
Partnership shall not be obligated for any purposes whatsoever
to recognize the assignment by any Limited Partner of its
Partnership Units until the Partnership has received notice
thereof.
(b) Any Person who is the assignee of all or any portion of
a Limited Partner’s Partnership Units, but does not become
a Substitute Limited Partner and desires to make a further
assignment of such Partnership Units, shall be subject to all
the provisions of this Article IX to the same extent and in
the same manner as any Limited Partner desiring to make an
assignment of its Partnership Units.
9.05 Effect of Bankruptcy, Death, Incompetence
or Termination of a Limited Partner. The occurrence of
an Event of Bankruptcy as to a Limited Partner, the death of a
Limited Partner or a final adjudication that a Limited Partner
is incompetent (which term shall include, but not be limited to,
insanity) shall not cause the termination or dissolution of the
Partnership, and the business of the Partnership shall continue
if an order for relief in a bankruptcy proceeding is entered
against a Limited Partner, the trustee or receiver of his estate
or, if such Limited Partner dies, such Limited Partner’s
executor, administrator or trustee, or, if such Limited Partner
is finally adjudicated incompetent, such Limited Partner’s
committee, guardian or conservator, shall have the rights of
such Limited Partner for the purpose of settling or managing
such Limited Partner’s estate property and such power as
the bankrupt, deceased or incompetent Limited Partner possessed
to assign all or any part of such Limited Partner’s
Partnership Units and to join with the assignee in satisfying
conditions precedent to the admission of the assignee as a
Substitute Limited Partner.
9.06 Joint Ownership of Partnership
Units. A Partnership Unit may be acquired by two
individuals as joint tenants with right of survivorship,
provided that such individuals either are married or are
related and share the same home as tenants in common. The
written consent or vote of both owners of any such jointly held
Partnership Unit shall be required to constitute the action of
the owners of such Partnership Unit; provided,
however, that the written consent of only one joint owner
will be required if the Partnership has been provided with
evidence satisfactory to the counsel for the Partnership that
the actions of a single joint owner can bind both owners under
the applicable laws of the state of residence of such joint
owners. Upon the death of one owner of a Partnership Unit held
in a joint tenancy with a right of survivorship, the Partnership
Unit shall become owned solely by the survivor as a Limited
Partner and not as an assignee. The Partnership need not
recognize the death of one of the owners of a jointly-held
Partnership Unit until it shall have received certificated
notice of such death. Upon notice to the General Partner from
either owner, the General Partner shall cause the Partnership
Unit to be divided into two equal Partnership Units, which shall
thereafter be owned separately by each of the former owners.
35
ARTICLE X
BOOKS AND
RECORDS; ACCOUNTING; TAX MATTERS
10.01 Books and Records. At all times
during the continuance of the Partnership, the General Partner
shall keep or cause to be kept at the Partnership’s
specified office true and complete books of account in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,
including: (a) a current list of the full name and last
known business address of each Partner, (b) a copy of the
Certificate Limited Partnership and all certificates of
amendment thereto, (c) copies of the Partnership’s
federal, state and local income tax returns and reports,
(d) copies of this Agreement and any financial statements
of the Partnership for the three most recent years and
(e) all documents and information required under the Act.
Any Partner or its duly authorized representative, upon paying
the costs of collection, duplication and mailing, shall be
entitled to a copy of such records if reasonably requested.
10.02 Custody of Partnership Funds; Bank
Accounts.
(a) All funds of the Partnership not otherwise invested
shall be deposited in one or more accounts maintained in such
banking or brokerage institutions as the General Partner shall
determine, and withdrawals shall be made only on such signature
or signatures as the General Partner may, from time to time,
determine.
(b) All deposits and other funds not needed in the
operation of the business of the Partnership may be invested by
the General Partner. The funds of the Partnership shall not be
commingled with the funds of any Person other than the General
Partner except for such commingling as may necessarily result
from an investment in those investment companies permitted by
this Section 10.02(b).
10.03 Fiscal and Taxable Year. The
fiscal and taxable year of the Partnership shall be the calendar
year unless otherwise required by the Code.
10.04 Annual Tax Information and
Report. Within 75 days after the end of each fiscal
year of the Partnership, the General Partner shall furnish to
each person who was a Limited Partner at any time during such
year the tax information necessary to file such Limited
Partner’s individual tax returns as shall be reasonably
required by law.
10.05 Tax Matters Partner; Tax Elections;
Special Basis Adjustments.
(a) The General Partner shall be the Tax Matters Partner of
the Partnership. As Tax Matters Partner, the General Partner
shall have the right and obligation to take all actions
authorized and required, respectively, by the Code for the Tax
Matters Partner. The General Partner shall have the right to
retain professional assistance in respect of any audit of the
Partnership by the Service and all out-of-pocket expenses and
fees incurred by the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership as Tax Matters Partner shall constitute Partnership
expenses. In the event the General Partner receives notice of a
final Partnership adjustment under Section 6223(a)(2) of
the Code, the General Partner shall either (i) file a court
petition for judicial review of such final adjustment within the
period provided under Section 6226(a) of the Code, a copy
of which petition shall be mailed to all Limited Partners on the
date such petition is filed, or (ii) mail a written notice
to all Limited Partners, within such period, that describes the
General Partner’s reasons for determining not to file such
a petition.
(b) All elections required or permitted to be made by the
Partnership under the Code or any applicable state or local tax
law shall be made by the General Partner in its sole and
absolute discretion.
(c) In the event of a transfer of all or any part of the
Partnership Interest of any Partner, the Partnership, at the
option of the General Partner, may elect pursuant to
Section 754 of the Code to adjust the basis of the
Properties. Notwithstanding anything contained in Article V
of this Agreement, any adjustments made pursuant to
Section 754 shall affect only the successor in interest to
the transferring Partner and in no event shall be taken into
account in establishing, maintaining or computing Capital
Accounts for the other Partners for any purpose under this
Agreement. Each Partner will furnish the Partnership with all
information necessary to give effect to such election.
(d) The Partners, intending to be legally bound, hereby
authorize the Partnership to make an election (the “Safe
Harbor Election”) to have the “liquidation
value” safe harbor provided in Proposed Treasury Regulation
§ 1.83-3(1) and the Proposed Revenue Procedure set
forth in Internal Revenue Service Notice
2005-43, as
such safe harbor may be modified when such proposed guidance is
issued in final form or as amended by subsequently issued
guidance (the “Safe Harbor”), apply to any
interest in the Partnership transferred to a service provider
while the
36
Safe Harbor Election remains effective, to the extent such
interest meets the Safe Harbor requirements (collectively, such
interests are referred to as “Safe Harbor
Interests”). The Tax Matters Partner is authorized and
directed to execute and file the Safe Harbor Election on behalf
of the Partnership and the Partners. The Partnership and the
Partners (including any person to whom an interest in the
Partnership is transferred in connection with the performance of
services) hereby agree to comply with all requirements of the
Safe Harbor (including forfeiture allocations) with respect to
all Safe Harbor Interests and to prepare and file all
U.S. federal income tax returns reporting the tax
consequences of the issuance and vesting of Safe Harbor
Interests consistent with such final Safe Harbor guidance. The
Partnership is also authorized to take such actions as are
necessary to achieve, under the Safe Harbor, the effect that the
election and compliance with all requirements of the Safe Harbor
referred to above would be intended to achieve under Proposed
Treasury Regulation § 1.83-3, including amending this
Agreement.
(e) Each Limited Partner shall be required to provide such
information as reasonably requested by the Partnership in order
to determine whether such Limited Partner (i) owns,
directly or constructively (within the meaning of
Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by
Section 856(d)(5) of the Code and Section 7704(d)(3)
of the Code), five percent (5%) or more of the of the value of
the Partnership or (ii) owns, directly or constructively
(within the meaning of Section 318(a) of the Code, as
modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code and
Section 7704(d)(3) of the Code), ten percent (10%) or more
of (a) the stock, by voting power or value, of a tenant
(other than a “taxable REIT subsidiary” within the
meaning of Section 856(d) of the Code) of the Partnership
that is a corporation or (b) the assets or net profits of a
tenant of the Partnership that is a noncorporate entity.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENT OF
AGREEMENT; MERGER
11.01 Amendment of Agreement.
The General Partner’s consent shall be required for any
amendment to this Agreement. The General Partner, without the
consent of the Limited Partners, may amend this Agreement in any
respect; provided, however, that the following
amendments shall require the consent of a Majority in Interest
(other than the General Partner or any Subsidiary of the General
Partner):
(a) any amendment affecting the operation of the Conversion
Factor or the Common Unit Redemption Right (except as
otherwise provided herein) in a manner that adversely affects
the Limited Partners in any material respect;
(b) any amendment that would adversely affect the rights of
the Limited Partners to receive the distributions payable to
them hereunder, other than with respect to the issuance of
additional Partnership Units pursuant to Section 4.02
hereof;
(c) any amendment that would alter the Partnership’s
allocations of Profit and Loss to the Limited Partners, other
than with respect to the issuance of additional Partnership
Units pursuant to Section 4.02 hereof;
(d) any amendment that would impose on the Limited Partners
any obligation to make additional Capital Contributions to the
Partnership; or
(e) any amendment to this Article XI.
11.02 Merger of Partnership.
The General Partner, without the consent of the Limited
Partners, may (i) merge or consolidate the Partnership with
or into any other domestic or foreign partnership, limited
partnership, limited liability company or corporation or
(ii) sell all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership in a transaction pursuant to which the Limited
Partners (other than the General Partner or any Subsidiary of
the General Partner receives consideration as set forth in
Section 7.01(c)(ii) hereof or the transaction complies with
Sections 7.01(c)(iii) or 7.01(d) hereof and may amend this
Agreement in connection with any such transaction consistent
with the provisions of this Article XI; provided,
however, that the consent of a Majority in Interest shall
be required in the case of any other (a) merger or
consolidation of the Partnership with or into any other domestic
or foreign partnership, limited partnership, limited liability
company or corporation or (b) sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of the Partnership.
37
ARTICLE XII
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
12.01 Notices. All communications
required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing
and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered
personally, by email, by press release, by posting on the Web
site of the General Partner, or upon deposit in the United
States mail, registered, first-class postage prepaid return
receipt requested, or via courier to the Partners at the
addresses set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, as
it may be amended or restated from time to time;
provided, however, that any Partner may specify a
different address by notifying the General Partner in writing of
such different address. Notices to the General Partner and the
Partnership shall be delivered at or mailed to its principal
office address set forth in Section 2.03 hereof. The
General Partner and the Partnership may specify a different
address by notifying the Limited Partners in writing of such
different address.
12.02 Survival of Rights. Subject to
the provisions hereof limiting transfers, this Agreement shall
be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Partners and the
Partnership and their permitted respective legal
representatives, successors, transferees and assigns.
12.03 Additional Documents. Each
Partner agrees to perform all further acts and execute, swear
to, acknowledge and deliver all further documents that may be
reasonable, necessary, appropriate or desirable to carry out the
provisions of this Agreement or the Act.
12.04 Severability. If any provision of
this Agreement shall be declared illegal, invalid or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then such provision shall be
deemed to be severable from this Agreement (to the extent
permitted by law) and in any event such illegality, invalidity
or unenforceability shall not affect the remainder hereof. To
the extent permitted under applicable law, the severed provision
shall be interpreted or modified so as to be enforceable to the
maximum extent permitted by law.
12.05 Entire Agreement. This Agreement
and exhibits attached hereto constitute the entire Agreement of
the Partners and supersede all prior written agreements and
prior and contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and
negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof.
12.06 Pronouns and Plurals. When the
context in which words are used in the Agreement indicates that
such is the intent, words in the singular number shall include
the plural and the masculine gender shall include the neuter or
female gender as the context may require.
12.07 Headings. The Article headings or
sections in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall
not be used in construing the scope of this Agreement or any
particular Article.
12.08 Counterparts. This Agreement may
be executed by hand or by power of attorney in several
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original
copy and all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument binding on all parties hereto, notwithstanding that
all parties shall not have signed the same counterpart.
12.09 Governing Law. This Agreement
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
of the State of Delaware.
[Signature page follows.]
38
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have hereunder affixed
their signatures to this First Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership, all as of
the
day
of ,
2010.
GENERAL PARTNER:
Name:
LIMITED PARTNERS:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, not individually
but as attorney-in-fact for each of the
following Limited Partners:
39
EXHIBIT A
(As
of 1 ,
2010)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agreed Value
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
|
of Capital
|
|
|
Common
|
|
|
LTIP
|
|
|
Percentage
|
|
Partner
|
|
Contribution(1)
|
|
|
Contribution(1)
|
|
|
Units
|
|
|
Units
|
|
|
Interest
|
|
|
General Partner:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[ ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Limited Partners:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[ ]
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
TOTALS
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Does not account for offering expenses. Cash and Agreed Value of
Cash are to be reduced by final amount of offering expenses and
underwriting discount as determined by the accountants to the
Company at a later date. |
A-1
EXHIBIT B
NOTICE OF
EXERCISE OF REDEMPTION RIGHT
In accordance with Section 8.04 of the Agreement of Limited
Partnership, as amended (the “Agreement”) of Summit
Hotel OP, LP, the undersigned hereby irrevocably
(i) presents for
redemption
Common Units in Summit Hotel OP, LP in accordance with the terms
of the Agreement and the Common Unit Redemption Right
referred to in Section 8.04 thereof, (ii) surrenders
such Common Units and all right, title and interest therein and
(iii) directs that the Cash Amount or REIT Shares Amount
(as defined in the Agreement) as determined by the General
Partner deliverable upon exercise of the Common Unit
Redemption Right be delivered to the address specified
below, and if REIT Shares (as defined in the Agreement) are to
be delivered, such REIT Shares be registered or placed in the
name(s) and at the address(es) specified below. The undersigned
hereby represents, warrants and certifies that the undersigned
(a) has title to such Common Units, free and clear of the
rights and interests of any person or entity other than the
Partnership or the General Partner; (b) has the full right,
power and authority to cause the redemption of the Common Units
as provided herein; and (c) has obtained the approval of
all persons or entities, if any, having the right to consent to
or approve the Common Units for redemption.
Dated: ,
Name of Limited Partner:
(Signature of Limited Partner or
Authorized Representative)
(Mailing Address)
(City) (State) (Zip Code)
Signature Guaranteed by:
If REIT Shares are to be issued, issue to:
Name:
Please insert Social Security or Identifying Number:
B-1
EXHIBIT C-1
CERTIFICATION
OF NON-FOREIGN STATUS
(FOR REDEEMING LIMITED PARTNERS THAT ARE ENTITIES)
Under Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the “Code”), in the event of a disposition
by a
non-U.S. person
of a partnership interest in a partnership in which (i) 50%
or more of the value of the gross assets consists of United
States real property interests (“USRPIs”), as defined
in Section 897(c) of the Code, and (ii) 90% or more of
the value of the gross assets consists of USRPIs, cash, and cash
equivalents, the transferee will be required to withhold 10% of
the amount realized by the
non-U.S. person
upon the disposition. To inform
Summit Hotel Properties, Inc.
(the “General Partner”) and Summit Hotel OP, LP (the
“Partnership”) that no withholding is required with
respect to the redemption
by
(“Partner”) of its Common Units in the Partnership,
the undersigned hereby certifies the following on behalf of
Partner:
1. Partner is not a foreign corporation, foreign
partnership, foreign trust, or foreign estate, as those terms
are defined in the Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder.
2. Partner is not a disregarded entity as defined in
Treasury Regulation
Section 1.1445-2(b)(2)(iii).
3. The U.S. employer identification number of Partner
is .
4. The principal business address of Partner
is: ,
and Partner’s place of incorporation
is .
5. Partner agrees to inform the General Partner if it
becomes a foreign person at any time during the
three-year
period immediately following the date of this notice.
6. Partner understands that this certification may be
disclosed to the Internal Revenue Service by the General Partner
and that any false statement contained herein could be punished
by fine, imprisonment, or both.
PARTNER:
By:
Name:
Title:
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this
certification and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is
true, correct, and complete, and I further declare that I have
authority to sign this document on behalf of Partner.
C-1-1
EXHIBIT C-2
CERTIFICATION
OF NON-FOREIGN STATUS
(FOR REDEEMING LIMITED PARTNERS THAT ARE
INDIVIDUALS)
Under Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the “Code”), in the event of a disposition
by a
non-U.S. person
of a partnership interest in a partnership in which (i) 50%
or more of the value of the gross assets consists of United
States real property interests (“USRPIs”), as defined
in Section 897(c) of the Code, and (ii) 90% or more of
the value of the gross assets consists of USRPIs, cash, and cash
equivalents, the transferee will be required to withhold 10% of
the amount realized by the
non-U.S. person
upon the disposition. To inform
Summit Hotel Properties, Inc.
(the “General Partner”) and Summit Hotel OP, LP (the
“Partnership”) that no withholding is required with
respect to my redemption of my Common Units in the
Partnership, I, ,
hereby certify the following:
1. I am not a nonresident alien for purposes of
U.S. income taxation.
2. My U.S. taxpayer identification number (social
security number)
is .
3. My home address
is: .
4. I agree to inform the General Partner promptly if I
become a nonresident alien at any time during the
three-year
period immediately following the date of this notice.
5. I understand that this certification may be disclosed to
the Internal Revenue Service by the General Partner and that any
false statement contained herein could be punished by fine,
imprisonment, or both.
Name:
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this
certification and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is
true, correct, and complete.
C-2-1
EXHIBIT D
NOTICE OF
ELECTION BY PARTNER TO CONVERT
LTIP UNITS INTO COMMON UNITS
The undersigned holder of LTIP Units hereby irrevocably
(i) elects to convert the number of LTIP Units in Summit
Hotel OP, LP (the “Partnership”) set forth below into
Common Units in accordance with the terms of the Agreement of
Limited Partnership of the Partnership, as amended; and
(ii) directs that any cash in lieu of Common Units that may
be deliverable upon such conversion be delivered to the address
specified below. The undersigned hereby represents, warrants,
and certifies that the undersigned (a) has title to such
LTIP Units, free and clear of the rights or interests of any
other person or entity other than the Partnership or the General
Partner; (b) has the full right, power, and authority to
cause the conversion of such LTIP Units as provided herein; and
(c) has obtained the consent to or approval of all persons
or entities, if any, having the right to consent to or approve
such conversion.
(Please Print: Exact Name as Registered with Partnership)
|
|
Number of LTIP Units to be Converted: |
|
(Signature of Holder: Sign Exact Name as Registered with
Partnership)
(Street Address)
|
|
|
(City)
|
(State)
|
(Zip Code)
|
D-1
EXHIBIT E
NOTICE OF
ELECTION BY PARTNERSHIP TO FORCE CONVERSION OF
LTIP UNITS INTO COMMON UNITS
Summit Hotel OP, LP (the “Partnership”) hereby elects
to cause the number of LTIP Units held by the holder of LTIP
Units set forth below to be converted into Common Units in
accordance with the terms of the Agreement of Limited
Partnership of the Partnership, as amended, effective as
of
(the “Conversion Date”).
(Please Print: Exact Name as Registered with Partnership)
|
|
Number of LTIP Units to be Converted: |
|
E-1