UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO
SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
January 17, 2007
DiamondRock Hospitality Company
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
Maryland
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001-32514
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20-1180098
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(State or Other
Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
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(Commission File
Number)
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(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
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6903 Rockledge Drive,
Suite 800
Bethesda, MD 20817
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(240) 744-1150
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
Check
the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions (see General
Instruction A.2. below):
o Written communications
pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material
pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
ITEM
7.01. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE
On
January 17, 2007, the Company issued a press release in connection with the
offering set forth in Item 8.01 below.
The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated
herein by reference.
ITEM 8.01
OTHER EVENTS
On January 17, 2007, DiamondRock Hospitality Company (the Company) and
DiamondRock Hospitality Limited Partnership entered into a Purchase Agreement
(the Purchase Agreement) with Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch
& Co. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as
representatives of the several underwriters named on Schedule A to the
Purchase Agreement (the Underwriters), relating to the issuance and sale of
15,950,000 shares (the Initial Shares) of the Companys common stock, par
value $.01 per share (the Common Stock).
The Company has granted the Underwriters a 30-day option to purchase an
additional 2,392,500 shares of Common Stock (together with the Initial Shares,
the Shares), at the same price per share paid to the Company for the Initial
Shares, to cover over-allotments, if any.
The public offering price of the Shares is $18.15 per share. The closing of the offering, which is subject
to customary closing conditions, is expected to occur on January 23, 2007.
The Shares will be issued pursuant to the Companys shelf registration
statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-135386), which was effective upon filing
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 28, 2006.
The Purchase Agreement is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report
on Form 8-K, and the description of the material terms of the Purchase
Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibit. For a more
detailed description of the Purchase Agreement, see the disclosure under the
caption Underwriting contained in the Companys Prospectus Supplement dated
January 17, 2007, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, which disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference.
ITEM
9.01. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(d) Exhibits
1.1
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Purchase Agreement, dated January 17, 2007,
among DiamondRock Hospitality Company, DiamondRock Hospitality Limited
Partnership, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch & Co. and
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
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5.1
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Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP with respect to the legality of
the Shares
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8.1
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Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP with respect to tax matters
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23.1
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Consents of Goodwin Procter LLP (contained in the
opinions filed as Exhibits 5.1 and 8.1 hereto)
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99.1
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Press Release, dated January 17, 2007
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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DIAMONDROCK HOSPITALITY COMPANY
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Date: January 18, 2007
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By:
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/s/ Michael D. Schecter
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Michael D. Schecter
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Executive Vice President and
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General Counsel
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.
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Description
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1.1
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Purchase Agreement,
dated January 17, 2007, among DiamondRock Hospitality Company,
DiamondRock Hospitality Limited Partnership, Citigroup Global Markets Inc.,
Merrill Lynch & Co. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
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5.1
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Opinion of Goodwin
Procter LLP with
respect to the legality of the Shares
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8.1
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Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP with respect to tax matters
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23.1
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Consents of Goodwin Procter LLP (contained in the
opinions filed as Exhibits 5.1 and 8.1 hereto)
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99.1
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Press Release, dated January 17, 2007
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Exhibit
1.1
DIAMONDROCK
HOSPITALITY COMPANY
(a Maryland
corporation)
15,950,000 Shares
of Common Stock
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated: January 17, 2007
DIAMONDROCK
HOSPITALITY COMPANY
(a Maryland
corporation)
15,950,000 Shares
of Common Stock
(Par Value $0.01
Per Share)
PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
January 17, 2007
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS
INC.
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
as Representatives of the
several Underwriters
c/o
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Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
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388 Greenwich Street
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New York, New York 10013
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
DiamondRock Hospitality Company, a Maryland
corporation (the Company) and DiamondRock Hospitality Limited
Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership) confirm
their respective agreements with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (Merrill Lynch),
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (Citigroup) and each of the other
Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the Underwriters),
for whom Merrill Lynch and Citigroup are acting as representatives (in such
capacity, the Representatives), with respect to (i) the sale by the
Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly,
of 15,950,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company
(Common Stock) and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters,
acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b)
hereof to purchase all or any part of 2,392,500 additional shares of Common
Stock to cover overallotments, if any. The aforesaid 15,950,000 shares of Common
Stock (the Initial Securities) to be purchased by the Underwriters and
all or any part of the 2,392,500 shares of Common Stock subject to the option
described in Section 2(b) hereof (the Option Securities) are
hereinafter called, collectively, the Securities.
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose
to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem
advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the Commission) an automatic shelf registration statement,
as defined in Rule 405 on Form S-3 (No. 333-135386), which
registration statement included a related basic prospectus dated June 28, 2006
(the Basic Prospectus), relating to an indeterminate aggregate
offering price or number of, among other securities, the Securities. Registration Statement 333-135386, including
any amendments thereto filed prior to the Applicable Time, became effective
upon filing with the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the 1933 Act), and the rules and regulations thereunder (the 1933
Act Regulations). The Company has
prepared and filed such amendments thereto, if any, and such amended
preliminary prospectuses, if any, as may have been required to the date hereof.
Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will
prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of paragraph
(b) of Rule 424 (Rule 424(b)) of the 1933 Act Regulations.
Any information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such
registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be
part of and included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B
of the 1933 Act (Rule 430B) is referred to as Rule 430B
Information. Each prospectus used in connection with the offering of
Securities that omitted Rule 430B Information is herein called a preliminary
prospectus. Except where the context otherwise requires, Registration
Statement 333-135386, on each date and time that such registration statement
and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes
effective (each, an Effective Date), including all documents filed as
part thereof or incorporated by reference thereto and the documents included
therein by the 1933 Act Regulations, including any information contained in a
Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement, collectively,
are herein called the Registration Statement, and the Basic
Prospectus, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, in the form
first used by the Company in
connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities, is herein
called the Prospectus. Any
reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package (defined below), the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents
incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the
1933 Act, as of each Effective Date or the Execution Time (defined below) or
the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be (it being understood that the
several specific references in this Agreement to documents incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus are for clarifying purposes only and are not meant to limit the
inclusiveness of any other definition herein). For purposes of this
Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission
pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR).
All references in this Agreement to financial
statements and schedules and other information which is contained, included,
stated or described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be
deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and
other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as
the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or
supplements to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act), and the
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the 1934
Act Regulations), which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus,
as the case may be.
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The Company owns 100% of the partnership interests of
the Partnership and DiamondRock Hospitality, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
the Company, is the sole general partner of the Partnership. The Partnership directly or indirectly owns
twenty (20) hotels as described in the Prospectus (individually a Hotel
and collectively, the Hotels).
The Partnership has entered into an agreement (the Acquisition
Agreement) to acquire one additional hotel in Boston, Massachusetts (the Boston
Westin) as described in the Prospectus (the Boston Acquisition). The Partnership (or one of its subsidiaries)
leases each of the Hotels to a wholly-owned subsidiary (a Lessee),
pursuant to a separate lease (collectively, the Leases). The Partnership will lease the Boston Westin
to a Lessee pursuant to a lease (the Boston Lease) substantially
similar to the Leases. All of the Hotels
are operated and managed by a manager (the Manager) pursuant to
separate management agreements (collectively, the Management Agreements),
each between a Lessee and the Manager.
The Manager will operate the Boston Westin pursuant to a management
agreement (the Boston Management Agreement) between a Lessee and the Manager. The Leases and the Management Agreements are
referred to herein, collectively, as the Hotel Agreements. The Acquisition Agreement, the Boston Lease
and the Boston Management Agreement are referred to herein as the Other
Transaction Agreements.
1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company and the
Partnership. The Company and
the Partnership, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to each
Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time referred to in Section
1(a)(i) hereof, as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and
as of each Date of Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and
agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Compliance with Registration
Requirements.
(A) Each of the Registration Statement and
any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act
and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request
on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied
with.
(B) At the respective times the
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became
effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased,
at the Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement and any amendments and
supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and did not and will
not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading.
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(C) Neither the Prospectus nor any
amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such
amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option
Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or will include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(D) Each document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time they were or
hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply when filed in
all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and, when read
together with the other information in the General Disclosure Package, as of
the Applicable Time, and in the Prospectus, at the date of the Prospectus, at
the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, did not and will not include
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further
documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, when such documents become
effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform to
the requirements of the 1934 Act, in all material respects, and will not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(E) As of the Applicable Time (as defined
below), neither (x) the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as
defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the information set
forth on Schedule D hereto and the Statutory Prospectus (as defined
below) as of the Applicable Time, all considered together (collectively, the General
Disclosure Package), nor (y) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free
Writing Prospectus (as defined below), when considered together with the
General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(F) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the
public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the
issuer notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next
sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that
conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, and any preliminary or other
prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or
modified.
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(G) The representations and warranties in
subsections (B) through (E) above shall not apply to statements in or omissions
from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives
expressly for use therein.
(H) Each preliminary prospectus (including
the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed
or as part of any amendment thereto) complied when so filed in all material
respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this
offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed
with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.
(I) At the time of filing the
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto, at the
earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made
a bona fide offer (within the meaning of
Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date
hereof, the Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer, as defined in
Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations.
(J) As used in this subsection and
elsewhere in this Agreement:
Applicable Time means 5:30 p.m. (Eastern
time) on January 17, 2007 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the
Representatives.
Statutory Prospectus as of any time means the
prospectus relating to the Securities that is included in the Registration
Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated
by reference therein.
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus means any issuer
free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (Rule
433), relating to the Securities that (i) is required to be filed with the
Commission by the Company, (ii) is a road show that is a written communication
within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed
with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule
433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the
offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed
or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in
the form retained in the Companys records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus
means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general
distribution to prospective investors (other than a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show (as defined below)), as
evidenced by its being specified in Schedule E hereto.
Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus
means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free
Writing Prospectus.
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(ii) Offering Materials. The Company has not distributed and will not
distribute, prior to the later of the last Date of Delivery or the completion
of the Underwriters distribution of the Securities, any offering material in
connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than an Issuer
General Use Free Writing Prospectus, a preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus.
(iii) No Stop Order. No stop order
suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or any part thereof
has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened or contemplated by the Commission or
by the state securities authority of any jurisdiction. No order preventing or suspending the use of
the Prospectus has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been
instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or contemplated by
the Commission or by the state securities authority of any jurisdiction.
(iv) Capitalization. The shares of Common Stock conform in all
material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; immediately prior
to the Closing Time, 76,191,632 shares of Common Stock will be issued and
outstanding; all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company and
the outstanding shares of capital stock or equity interests of each subsidiary
of the Company, all of which are listed on Schedule F attached
hereto (each, including the Partnership, except where noted, a Subsidiary,
and collectively, Subsidiaries) have been duly and validly authorized
and issued are fully paid and nonassessable, and except as disclosed in the
General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, all of the outstanding shares of
capital stock, partnership interests and limited liability company membership
interests, as applicable, of the Subsidiaries, including the Partnership, are
directly or indirectly owned of record and beneficially by the Company; except
as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, there are no
outstanding (i) securities or obligations of the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for any equity interests of the
Company or any such Subsidiary, (ii) warrants, rights or options to
subscribe for or purchase from the Company or any such Subsidiary any such
equity interests or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or
obligations or (iii) obligations of the Company or any such Subsidiary to
issue any equity interests, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or
obligation, or any such warrants, rights or options.
(v) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Maryland and
is in good standing with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of
the State of Maryland, with all requisite corporate power and authority to own,
lease and operate its properties, and conduct its business as described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and
is duly qualified or licensed to transact business as a foreign entity and is
in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature or conduct of its
business requires such qualification or license and in which the failure to be
so qualified or licensed, individually or in the aggregate, (i) could
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of
this Agreement or the consummation of any transactions contemplated
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hereby or
(ii) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on, or
result in a material adverse change in, the condition (financial or otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries
taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary
course of business, except as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto) (any such effect or change described in
clause (ii) hereof is hereinafter called a Material Adverse Effect);
except for pledges of limited liability company membership interests granted in
connection with the incurrence of debt as disclosed in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding shares of common
stock, capital stock, limited liability company membership interests or
partnership interests, as applicable, of each Subsidiary are owned by the
Company directly or through its Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security
interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim; except for restrictions
in loan documents entered into in connection with indebtedness, which loan
documents were provided to the Representatives (or their counsel) and are
disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary
is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from (A) paying dividends
to the Company, (B) making any other distribution with respect to such
Subsidiarys capital stock, (C) repaying to the Company or any other Subsidiary
any amounts which may from time to time become due under any loans or advances
to such Subsidiary from the Company or such other Subsidiary, or (D)
transferring any such Subsidiarys property or assets to the Company or to any
other Subsidiary; other than the Subsidiaries, the Company does not, and upon
completion of the offering of the Securities will not, own, directly or
indirectly, any capital stock or other equity securities of any corporation or
any ownership interest in any partnership, limited liability company, joint
venture or other entity other than the Subsidiaries.
(vi) Ownership of the Partnership; Good
Standing of the Subsidiaries. The
Company is the sole general partner of the Partnership and owns, directly or
indirectly, 100% of the partnership interests (Units) in the
Partnership; the Subsidiaries have been duly incorporated, formed or organized,
as the case may be, and are validly existing as a corporation, limited
liability company, general partnership or limited partnership, as the case may
be, in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of
incorporation, formation or organization, as applicable, with all requisite
power and authority to own, lease and operate their respective properties and
to conduct their respective business as described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; each Subsidiary
is duly qualified or licensed to transact business as a foreign entity and is
in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature or conduct of its
business requires such qualification or license, and in which the failure to be
so qualified or licensed, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(vii) The Partnership Agreement. The Agreement of Limited Partnership of the
Partnership, as further amended and/or restated (the Partnership Agreement),
has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of
each of the partners of the Partnership and constitutes a valid and binding
agreement of the parties thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms,
except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors rights
generally or by general principles of equity.
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(viii) Compliance with Laws. The Company, the Subsidiaries, the Hotels and
to the knowledge of the Company, the Boston Westin are in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, orders, decrees
and judgments, including those relating to transactions with affiliates, except
where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ix) Absence of Breaches and Defaults.
The Company is not in violation of its Articles of Amendment and Restatement,
as amended and/or restated (the Articles), or its bylaws, as amended
and/or restated (the Bylaws); the Partnership is not in violation of
its Certificate of Limited Partnership or the Partnership Agreement; no
Subsidiary is in violation of its organizational documents (including, without
limitation, partnership and limited liability company agreements), except for
such violations that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary is in breach of or default in, nor to the knowledge of the Company
and the Partnership has any event occurred which with notice, lapse of time, or
both would constitute a breach of or default in, the performance or observance
by the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be, of any obligation,
agreement, contract, franchise, covenant or condition contained in any license,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by
which any of them or their respective properties is bound, except for such
breaches or defaults that, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) Absence of Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement, the Other Transaction Agreements and the other agreements
listed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Company and the
Partnership (to the extent a party thereto) and the issuance, sale and delivery
by the Company of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein or in the Other Transaction Agreements, do not and will not
(A) conflict with, or result in any breach or constitute a default (nor
constitute any event which with notice, lapse of time or both would constitute
a breach or default) (i) by the Company of any provisions of its Articles
or Bylaws, by the Partnership of any provisions of its Certificate of Limited
Partnership or Partnership Agreement, by any Subsidiary (excluding the
Partnership) of any provision of its organizational documents, or (ii) by
the Company or any Subsidiary of any provision of any obligation, agreement,
contract, franchise, license, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or
credit agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company
or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any of them or their respective
properties may be bound or affected, or (iii) by the Company or any
Subsidiary under any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or
rule or any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any
Subsidiary, except in the use of clauses (A)(ii) and (A)(iii) above,
for such conflicts, breaches or defaults that, individually or in the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect,
or (B) result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, claim or
encumbrance upon any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary, except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus.
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(xi) Company Authorization of Agreement
and Offering. The Company has the full corporate power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
herein; the Company has the corporate power to issue, sell and deliver the
Securities as provided herein; this Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding
agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors rights
generally, and by general equitable principles and except as rights to
indemnity and contribution thereunder may be limited by applicable law or
policies underlying such law.
(xii) Partnership Authorization of
Agreement and Offering. The
Partnership has the full partnership power and authority to enter into this
Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein; this
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership
and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Partnership enforceable
against the Partnership in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar
laws affecting creditors rights generally, and by general equitable principles
and except as rights to indemnity and contribution thereunder may be limited by
applicable law or policies underlying such law.
(xiii) Authorization and Description of the
Acquisition Agreement. The
Acquisition Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and
delivered by or on behalf of the Partnership, and to the knowledge of the
Company and the Partnership, by each of the other parties thereto and
constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the parties thereto, enforceable
in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
creditors rights generally or by general principles of equity; the description
of the agreement set forth under the heading DiamondRock Hospitality
CompanyRecent Developments constitutes a complete and accurate summary of the
material terms thereof.
(xiv) Absence of Further Requirements. No approval, authorization, consent or order
of, or registration or filing with, any U.S. federal, state or local
governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency is
required for the Companys or the Partnerships or any Subsidiarys execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement or the Other Transaction Agreements
or the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or therein, including
the sale and delivery of the Securities, or any Subsidiarys execution,
delivery and performance of the Other Transaction Agreements other than
(A) such approvals as have been obtained, or will have been obtained
before the Closing Time or each Date of Delivery, as the case may be, under the
1933 Act and the Exchange Act, (B) such approvals as have been obtained in
connection with the approval of the listing of the Securities on the New York
Stock Exchange, (C) any necessary qualification under the securities or
blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Securities are being
offered by the Underwriters, (D) such approvals that the absence of which would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (E) with
respect to the Other Transaction Agreements, such approvals as have been
obtained, or will have been obtained either before or after the applicable
closing date under the Acquisition Agreement.
9
(xv) Possession of Licenses and Permits. Each of the Company, the Subsidiaries, and,
to the knowledge of the Company, the Manager with respect to the Hotels and the
Boston Westin, has all necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, consents
and approvals, possess valid and current certificates, has made all necessary
filings required under any federal, state or local law, regulation or rule, and
has obtained all necessary authorizations, consents and approvals from other
persons, required in order to conduct their respective businesses as described
in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for such licenses,
permits, authorizations, consents and other approvals the absence of which,
individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor
any Hotel nor, to the knowledge of the Company, the Boston Westin or, to the
knowledge of the Company, the Manager with respect to the Hotels or the Boston
Westin, is in violation of, in default under, or has received any notice regarding
a possible violation, default or revocation of any such certificate, license,
permit, authorization, consent or approval or any federal, state, local or
foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, order or judgment applicable to
the Company, any Subsidiary or any Hotel or the Boston Westin the effect of
which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvi) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no
actions, suits, proceedings, inquiries or investigations pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries or any Hotel or, to the knowledge of the Company, the Boston
Westin or, to the knowledge of the Company, the Manager with respect to the
Hotels or the Boston Westin, or which has as the subject thereof any of the
respective officers and directors of the Company or any officers, directors,
managers or partners of its Subsidiaries, or to which the properties, assets or
rights of any such entity are subject, at law or in equity, before or by any
federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board,
body, authority, arbitral panel or agency, that (i) could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement
or the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements of the
Company and the Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto, included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position
of the respective entities to which such financial statements relate (the Covered
Entities) as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of
operations and changes in financial position and shareholders equity and cash
flows of the Covered Entities for the periods specified; the supporting
schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,
10
if any, fairly
present the information required to be stated therein; such financial
statements and supporting schedules have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States (GAAP)
and on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be
expressly stated in the related notes thereto) and in accordance with
Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission; the financial data set
forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package, the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus fairly
present the information shown therein and has been compiled on a basis
consistent with the financial statements included in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; no other
financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the
Registration Statement; the unaudited pro forma financial information
(including the related notes) included in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus complies as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act,
and management of the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the pro
forma adjustments are reasonable; such pro forma adjustments have been properly
applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of the information and
such information fairly presents the financial position, results of operations
and other information purported to be shown therein at the respective dates for
the respective periods specified; and no other pro forma financial information
is required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement; all disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, regarding non-GAAP financial measures
(as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply
with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933
Act, to the extent applicable.
(xviii) Independent Accountants. Each of KPMG LLP, Ernst & Young LLP and
BDO Seidman, LLP, who have audited certain financial statements of the Covered
Entities and have expressed their opinions in reports with respect to the
financial statements of the Covered Entities included or incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, are, and were during the periods covered by its respective reports,
independent registered public accounting firms with respect to the Covered
Entities as required by the 1933 Act.
(xix) No Material Adverse Change in
Business. Subsequent to the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package,
the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and except as may be otherwise
stated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus, as of the date hereof and the Closing Time and each Date of
Delivery, as the case may be, there has not been (A) any Material Adverse
Effect, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (B) any
probable transaction or binding agreement that is material to the Company and
the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, entered into by the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries, (C) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, directly or
indirectly incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary that could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (D) any dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of
its capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the Company of any class of
capital stock.
11
(xx) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus, there are no persons with registration or other similar rights to
have any equity or debt securities, including securities which are convertible
into or exchangeable for equity securities, registered pursuant to the
Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the 1933
Act; and no person has a right of participation or first refusal with respect
to the sale of the Securities by the Company.
(xxi) Authorization of the Securities. The issuance and sale of the Securities to
the Underwriters hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company, and when
issued and duly delivered against payment therefor as contemplated by this
Agreement, the Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable,
free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other
claim created by or known to the Company, and the issuance and sale of the
Securities by the Company is not subject to preemptive or other similar rights
arising by operation of law, under the organizational documents of the Company
or under any agreement to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party.
(xxii) Authorization of the Units. The issuance of the Units to the Company in
exchange for contribution of proceeds from the sale of the Securities described
in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been duly authorized
by the Partnership, and when issued and duly delivered against payment
therefor, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear
of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim created by
or known to the Company or the Partnership; and the issuance of Units by the
Partnership is not subject to preemptive or other similar rights arising by
operation of law under the organizational documents of the Partnership or under
any agreement to which the Partnership is a party.
(xxiii) Transfer Taxes. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, there are no
transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws
of any state or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or
sale by the Company of the Securities.
(xxiv) Listing on NYSE. The Securities have been registered pursuant
to Section 12(b) of the 1934 Act and at the Closing Time, the Securities
will be duly listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(xxv) Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, and will not take,
directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has
constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(xxvi) NASD. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates
(i) is required to register as a broker or dealer in accordance with
the provisions of the 1934 Act, or (ii) directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, controls or has any other association with (within
the meaning of Article I of the By-laws of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the NASD)) any member firm of the NASD.
12
(xxvii) Legal, Tax or Accounting Advice. Neither the Company nor the Partnership has
relied upon the Underwriters or legal counsel for the Underwriters for any
legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the
Securities.
(xxviii) Form of Stock Certificate. The form of certificate used to evidence the
Common Stock complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory
requirements, with any applicable requirements of the Articles and Bylaws of
the Company and the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange.
(xxix) Title to Property. (A) The Company and the Subsidiaries have
good and marketable title in fee simple to, or a valid leasehold interest in,
all real property owned or leased by them that are material to the business as
described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and good title
to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all
liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, encroachments,
restrictions, mortgages and other defects, except such as are (i) disclosed in
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (ii) listed as an
exception to the owners or leasehold title insurance policies furnished by the
Company to the Underwriters and their counsel or (iii) could not reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the Companys interest in the
related property, the value of such property or the business conducted thereon;
(B) any real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under
lease by the Company or any Subsidiary are held under valid, existing and enforceable
leases, in each case, with such exceptions as are not material and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the
Company or any Subsidiary; and (C) except with respect to the Companys
corporate headquarters at 6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD 20817
(the Headquarters), the Company or a Subsidiary has an owners or leasehold
title insurance policy, from a title insurance company licensed to issue such
policy, on each property described in the Registration Statement, General
Disclosure Package and Prospectus as being owned or leased, as the case may be,
by the Company or a Subsidiary, that insures the Companys or the Subsidiarys
fee simple or leasehold interest, as the case may be, in such real property,
which policies include only commercially reasonable exceptions, and with
coverages in amounts at least equal to amounts that are generally deemed in the
Companys industry to be commercially reasonable in the markets where the
Companys properties are located.
(xxx) Condition of Property. To the knowledge of the Company, all real
property owned or leased by the Company or any Subsidiary (other than the
Companys corporate headquarters office space), whether owned in fee simple or
through a joint venture or other partnership, including the Hotels and the
Boston Westin (each, a Property and collectively, the Properties),
is free of any material structural defects and all building systems contained
therein are in reasonable working order in all material respects, subject to
ordinary wear and tear or, in each instance, the Company or any Subsidiary, as
the case may be, has created an adequate reserve or capital budget to effect
reasonably required repairs, maintenance and capital expenditures; to the knowledge
of the Company, water, storm water, sanitary sewer, electricity and telephone
service are all available at the property lines of such property over duly
dedicated streets or perpetual easements of record benefiting such property;
except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to
the knowledge of the Company, there is no pending or threatened special
assessment, tax reduction proceeding or other action that could have a Material
Adverse Effect.
13
(xxxi) Property Leases. Except with respect to the Headquarters, each
of the properties listed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
as a property with respect to which the Company or one of its Subsidiaries has
a leasehold interest is the subject of a lease that (A) is in the name of the
relevant Subsidiary and has been duly and validly authorized, executed and
delivered by or on behalf of the relevant Subsidiary or (B) has been assigned
to a Subsidiary pursuant to an assignment of lease which has been duly and
validly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the relevant
Subsidiary and to the knowledge of the Company, by each of the other parties
thereto and each such lease constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the
parties thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors rights generally or by general
principles of equity.
(xxxii) Disclosure of Legal Matters. The descriptions in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of the legal or
governmental proceedings, contracts, leases and other legal documents therein
described present fairly in all material respects the information required to
be disclosed, and there are no legal or governmental proceedings, contracts,
leases, or other documents of a character required to be described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to
be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which are not described or
filed as required; all agreements between the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries and third parties expressly referenced in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are or will be
legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company or one or more of the
Subsidiaries, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to
the extent enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors rights
generally and by general equitable principles and except with respect to this
Agreement to the extent that the indemnification provisions hereof may be
limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in
respect thereof; and to the best of the Companys knowledge, no party thereto
is in, or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both will be in,
breach or default under any of such agreements that could have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xxxiii) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and each Subsidiary, and, to the
knowledge of the Company, the Manager with respect to the Hotels and the Boston
Westin, owns or possesses adequate and sufficient licenses or other rights to
use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, domain
names, software and design licenses, approvals, trade secrets, manufacturing
processes, other intangible property rights and know-how (collectively Intellectual
Property Rights) necessary to entitle the Company and each Subsidiary to
conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and
Prospectus; neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received notice of
infringement of or conflict with (and the Company knows of no such infringement
of or conflict with) asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual
Property Rights which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect; neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to or bound by any
options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property
Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the
General Disclosure Package and Prospectus and are not described as required.
14
(xxxiv) Accounting and Disclosure Controls. The Company, each of the Subsidiaries and, to
the knowledge of the Company, the Manager with respect to the Hotels and the
Boston Westin maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to
provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in
accordance with managements general or specific authorizations;
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of
financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
as applied in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets;
(iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements
general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for
assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences;
(v) management is made aware of all material transactions concerning the
Company or its properties; and (vi) the Company qualifies as a REIT under
the requirements of the Code. The
Company, each of the Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the
Manager with respect to the Hotels employ disclosure controls and procedures
that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the
Company in reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded,
processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the
Commissions rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the
Companys management, including its principal executive officer and principal
financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding
disclosure.
(xxxv) Payment of Taxes. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has
filed on a timely basis (including in accordance with any applicable
extensions) all necessary U.S. federal, state, local and foreign income and
franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof or have
properly requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure
so to file would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect),
and have paid all taxes shown as due thereon, and if due and payable, any
related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against the Company or
any of the Subsidiaries; no tax deficiency has been asserted against any such
entity, nor does the Company or any of the Subsidiaries know of any tax
deficiency which is likely to be asserted against any such entity which, if
determined adversely to any such entity, could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect; all such tax liabilities are adequately provided for
on the respective books of such entities.
15
(xxxvi) Insurance. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries
maintains insurance (issued by insurers of recognized financial responsibility)
of the types and with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and
covering such risks as are in the reasonable opinion of management prudent for
their respective businesses; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety
bonds insuring the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective
businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and
effect; the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of
such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument
as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a
reservation of rights clause; the Company has no reason to believe that it or
any Subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance
coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable
coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct
its business as now conducted and at a cost that could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and except for insurance
coverage for the Courtyard Manhattan/Midtown East which was denied by one
carrier prior to its conversion to a Marriott Courtyard, neither of the Company
nor any Subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought
or for which it has applied.
(xxxvii) Environmental Laws. The Company has obtained Phase I
Environmental Audits with respect to the Properties as described in the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as otherwise disclosed in the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) none of the Company,
the Partnership, any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company,
any other owners of the Properties, has used, handled, stored, treated,
transported, manufactured, spilled, leaked, released or discharged, dumped,
transferred or otherwise disposed of or dealt with, Hazardous Materials (as
defined below) on, in, under or affecting any Property, except for the use, handling, storage, and
transportation of Hazardous Materials (a) necessary for the operation of the
Hotels and consistent with (1) the practice of comparable hotels in the
industry and (2) the intended or recommended use, handling, storage and
transportation of such Hazardous Materials, and (b) in compliance with
applicable Environmental Statutes (as defined below); (ii) the
Company, the Partnership and the other Subsidiaries do not intend to use any
Property or any subsequently acquired properties for the purpose of using,
handling, storing, treating, transporting, manufacturing, spilling, leaking,
discharging, dumping, transferring or otherwise disposing of or dealing with
Hazardous Materials, except for the
use, handling, storage, and transportation of Hazardous Materials (a) necessary
for the operation of the Hotels and consistent with (1) the practice of
comparable hotels in the industry and (2) the intended or recommended use,
handling, storage and transportation of such Hazardous Materials, and (b) in
compliance with applicable Environmental Statutes; (iii) none of
the Company, the Partnership, nor any of the other Subsidiaries has received
any notice of, or has any knowledge of, any occurrence or circumstance which,
with notice or passage of time or both, would give rise to a claim under or
pursuant to any federal, state or local environmental statute or regulation or
under common law, pertaining to Hazardous Materials on or originating from any
Property or any assets described in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus or any other real property owned or occupied by any such party or
arising out of the conduct of any such party or of an agent of any such party,
including without limitation a claim under or pursuant to any Environmental
Statute; (iv) no Property is included or proposed for inclusion on the
National Priorities List issued pursuant to CERCLA (as defined below) by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA) or, to the
knowledge of the Company, proposed for inclusion on any similar list or
inventory issued pursuant to any other Environmental Statute or issued by any
other Governmental Authority (as defined below).
16
As used herein, Hazardous Material shall
include, without limitation, any flammable explosive, radioactive material,
hazardous substance, hazardous material, hazardous waste, toxic substance,
asbestos or related material, as defined by any federal, state or local
environmental law, ordinance, rule or regulation including without limitation,
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sections 9601-9675 (CERCLA), the
Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, 49 U.S.C.
Sections 1801-1819, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (Solid
Waste Disposal Act), as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sections 6901-6992k, the
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C.
Sections 11001-11050, the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, 15
U.S.C. Sections 2601-2692, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and
Rodenticide Act, as amended, 7 U.S.C. Sections 136-136y, the Clean Air
Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sections 7401-7671q, the Clean Water Act
(Federal Water Pollution Control Act), as amended, 33 U.S.C.
Sections 1251-1387, the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C.
Sections 300f-300j-26, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as
amended, 29 U.S.C. Sections 651-678, as any of the above statutes may be
amended from time to time, and in the regulations promulgated pursuant to each
of the foregoing (individually, an Environmental Statute) or by any
federal, state or local governmental authority having or claiming jurisdiction
over the properties and assets described in the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus (a Governmental Authority).
(xxxviii) Environmental Liabilities. To the knowledge of the Company, there are no
costs or liabilities associated with the Properties pursuant to any
Environmental Statute (including, without limitation, any capital or operating
expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with
any Environmental Statute or any permit, license or approval, any related
constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third
parties) which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxix) Independent Appraisals and
Environmental Reports. To the
knowledge of the Company, none of the entities that prepared appraisals of the
Properties, nor the entities that prepared Phase I or other environmental
assessments with respect to any Property, was employed for such purpose on a
contingent basis or has any substantial interest in the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries, and none of their directors, officers or employees is connected
with the Company or any of the Subsidiaries as a promoter, selling agent,
officer, director or employee.
(xl) Anti-Discrimination Laws. None of the Company, the Partnership or any
Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Company, the Manager, with respect to
the Hotels and the Boston Westin, is in violation of or has received notice of
any violation with respect to any U.S. federal or state law relating to
discrimination in the hiring, termination, promotion, terms or conditions of
employment or pay of employees, nor any applicable U.S. federal or state wages
and hours law, the violation of any of which could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
17
(xli) ERISA. Any employee benefit plan (as defined under
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, ERISA))
established or maintained by the Company, the Subsidiaries or their ERISA
Affiliates (as defined below) or to which the Company, the Subsidiaries or
their ERISA Affiliates contribute or are required to contribute are in
compliance in all material respects with ERISA; ERISA Affiliate means
any trade or business, whether or not incorporated, which with the Company or a
Subsidiary is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b), (c), (m)
or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder (the Code); no such employee
benefit plan is subject to Section 412 of the Code, Section 302 of
ERISA or Title IV of ERISA; all contributions required to have been made
under each such employee benefit plan have been made on a timely basis; there
has been no prohibited transaction (as defined in Section 4975 of the
Code or Section 406 or 407 of ERISA) for which the Company, the
Subsidiaries or their ERISA Affiliates have any material liability; and each
such employee benefit plan that is intended to be qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and to the knowledge of the
Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which could
reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification, in each case,
except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus.
(xlii) Anti-Bribery Laws. Neither the Company nor any of the
Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company any officer, director,
manager or director purporting to act on behalf of the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries has at any time (i) made any contributions to any candidate
for political office, or failed to disclose fully any such contributions, in
violation of law, (ii) made any payment to any U.S. federal, state, local
or foreign governmental officer or official, or other person charged with
similar public or quasi-public duties, other than payments required or allowed
by applicable law and the Companys Code of Business Conduct provided to the
Underwriters, or (iii) engaged in any transactions, maintained any bank
account or used any corporate funds except for transactions, bank accounts and
funds which have been and are reflected in the normally maintained books and
records of the Company and the Subsidiaries.
(xliii) Loans to Certain Related Parties. Except as otherwise disclosed in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
there are no outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of
indebtedness by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of
any of the officers, directors, managers or trustees of the Company or any of
the Subsidiaries or any of the members of the families of any of them.
(xliv) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part
of the Company or any of the Companys directors or officers, in their
capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the
Commission thereunder (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), including
Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to
certifications.
18
(xlv) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer,
agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is aware
of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a
violation by such Persons of the FCPA, including, without limitation, making
use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce
corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization
of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or
authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as
such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official
thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the
FCPA and the Company, its Subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of the Company,
its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and
have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and
which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance
therewith. FCPA means Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
(xlvi) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with
applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency
and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder
and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued,
administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Money
Laundering Laws) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court
or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is
pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(xlvii) Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer,
agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign
Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (OFAC); and the Company
will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend,
contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint
venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the
activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by
OFAC.
(xlviii) Affiliations with Underwriters. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company
(i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank
or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use
any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any
outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.
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(xlix) Compliance with Securities Laws. All securities issued by the Company, any of
the Subsidiaries or any entity established by the Company or any Subsidiary,
have been issued and sold in compliance with (i) all applicable federal
and state securities laws, (ii) the laws of the applicable jurisdiction of
incorporation or formation of the issuing entity, and (iii) to the extent
applicable to the issuing entity, the requirements of the New York Stock
Exchange. The Company is in compliance
in all material respects with the current listing standards of the New York
Stock Exchange.
(l) Rights and Actions Affecting
Properties. To the knowledge of the
Company, each of the Properties complies with all applicable zoning laws,
ordinances, regulations and deed restrictions or other covenants in all
material respects; if and to the extent there is a failure to comply, such
failure, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect and will not result in a forfeiture or reversion
of title; to the knowledge of the Company, there is no pending or threatened
condemnation, zoning change, or other similar proceeding or action that will in
any material respect affect the size of use of, improvements on, construction
on or access to any of the Properties, except such zoning changes, proceedings
or actions that, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material
Adverse Effect; all liens, charges, encumbrances, claims, or restrictions on or
affecting the properties and assets (including the Properties) of the
Partnership or any of the Subsidiaries that are required to be described in the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (or the preliminary prospectus)
are disclosed therein; to the knowledge of the Company, no lessee, licensee,
concessionaire or vendor of any portion of any of the Properties is in default
under any of the leases or licenses governing such properties and there is no
event which, but for the passage of time or the giving of notice or both could
constitute a default under any of such leases or licenses, except such defaults
that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no
person has an option or right of first refusal to purchase all or any part of
any Hotel or, to the knowledge of the Company, the Boston Westin or any
interest therein which option or right is required to be described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and
which option or right is not so described.
(li) Convertible Property Interests. The mortgages and deeds of trust encumbering
the Hotels and the Boston Westin are not convertible into equity interests in
the property, nor will the Company or the Partnership hold a participating
interest therein and such mortgages and deeds of trust are not cross-defaulted
or cross-collateralized to any property not to be owned directly or
indirectly by the Company or the Partnership.
(lii) Securities Convertible into Common
Stock. In connection with the
offering of the Securities, the Company has not offered and will not offer its
Common Stock or any other securities convertible into or exchangeable or
exercisable for Common Stock in a manner in violation of the 1933 Act.
(liii) Finders Fees. The Company has not incurred any liability
for any finders fees or similar payments in connection with the transactions
herein contemplated.
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(liv) Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists
between or among the Company or any of the Subsidiaries on the one hand, and
the directors, officers, trustees, managers, shareholders, partners, customers
or suppliers of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries on the other hand, which
is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and which is not so described.
(lv) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of the
Subsidiaries is, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the
Securities and the use of the proceeds as described under the caption Use of
Proceeds in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be an investment
company or an entity controlled by an investment company, as such terms
are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment
Company Act).
(lvi) Absence of Labor Disputes. There are no existing or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened labor disputes with the employees of the Company or any
of the Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, the Manager with
respect to the Hotels which could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(lvii) Statistical and Market Related Data. The industry, statistical and market related
data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources available that the Company
believes are reliable and, to the knowledge of the Company, such data are
accurate.
(lviii) Federal Tax Status. The Company elected to be taxed as a real
estate investment trust (a REIT) under the Code commencing with its taxable
year ended December 31, 2005; commencing with the Companys taxable year ended
December 31, 2005, the Company has been organized and operated in conformity
with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code,
and its current and proposed ownership and operations will allow the Company to
continue to satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT
under the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2007 and in the future;
as long as the Partnership has only one member for federal income tax purposes,
it will be disregarded as an entity separate from the Company and if and when
the Partnership has two or more members for federal income tax purposes, the
Partnership will be treated as a partnership within the meaning of Sections
7701(a)(2) and 761(a) of the Code and will not be treated as a publicly traded
partnership taxable as a corporation under Section 7704 of the Code; the
Company intends to continue to qualify as a REIT under the Code for all
subsequent years; and the Company does not know of any event that would
reasonably be expected to cause the Company to fail to qualify as a real estate
investment trust under the Code for the taxable year ending December 31, 2007
or at any time thereafter.
(lix) Tax Disclosures. The factual description of, and the
assumptions and representations regarding, the Companys organization and
current and proposed method of operation set forth in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus under the headings Federal Income Tax Considerations
and Supplement to Federal Income Tax Considerations accurately and completely
summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects.
21
(lx) Absence of Business Interruption. Neither the Company, any of its Subsidiaries,
nor any Hotel or the Boston Westin has sustained, since December 31, 2005,
any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood,
hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or
from any labor dispute or arbitrators or court or governmental action, order
or decree that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect,
otherwise than as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(lxi) Boston Acquisition. The Boston Lease will be, in all material
respects, in the form of the Leases, and the Boston Management Agreement will
be in the same form as provided to the Representatives prior to the date
hereof. At the time of the closing of
the Boston Acquisition, the Company will have the financial resources (or
commitments thereof) necessary to complete the Boston Acquisition as described
in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(b) Officers Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the
Company, the Partnership, or any Subsidiary delivered to the Representatives or
to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to or in connection with this
Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company and the
Partnership to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
2. Sale and Delivery to
Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not
jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth
in Schedule B, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule
A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of
Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase
pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject, in each case, to such
adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate
any sales or purchases of fractional securities.
(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the
representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional
2,392,500 shares of Common Stock, at the price per share set forth in Schedule
B, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions
declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable
on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will
expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in
part from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotments which
may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial
Securities upon notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the
number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then
exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such
Option Securities. Any such time and
date of delivery (a Date of Delivery) shall be determined by the
22
Representatives, but shall not be later than seven full business days
after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time,
as hereinafter defined. If the option is
exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion
of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number
of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such
Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each
case to such adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall make
to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c) Denominations; Registration; Payment. The Securities to be purchased by each
Underwriter hereunder shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
Representatives, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and
registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least
forty-eight hours prior notice to the Company, including, at the option of the
Representatives, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (DTC)
for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such
Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal
(same-day) funds to the account specified to the Representatives by the Company
upon at least forty-eight hours prior notice.
The Company will cause the certificates representing the Initial
Securities to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four
hours prior to the Closing Time (as defined below) with respect thereto at the
office of Hunton & Williams LLP, Riverfront Plaza, East Tower, 951 East
Byrd Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or at the office of DTC or its
designated custodian, as the case may be.
The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be at
9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after
6:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof
(unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or
such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be
agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of
payment and delivery being herein called Closing Time).
In addition, in the event that any or all of the
Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase
price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be
made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be
agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as
specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company.
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer
of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company
against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the
Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has
authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt
for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the
Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Any Representative, individually and not as
representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make
payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option
Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not
been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case
may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its
obligations hereunder.
23
3. Covenants of the Company and the Partnership. The Company and the Partnership, jointly and
severally, covenant with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission
Requests. The Company,
subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and
will promptly notify the Representatives, and confirm the notice in writing,
(i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall
become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus
shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the
Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to
the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or
any document incorporated by reference therein or for additional information,
(iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of
the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of
any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the
Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a
proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of
the Securities. The Company will effect
the filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time
period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will
take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of
prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by
the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such
prospectus. The Company will make every
reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop
order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
moment. The Company will pay any
required registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1) under
the 1933 Act within the time period required by such rule
(without regard to the proviso therein relating to the four business days extension
to the payment deadline) and in any event prior to the Closing Time.
(b) Filing of Amendments and 1934 Act Documents. The Company will give the Representatives
notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration
Statement or any amendment, supplement or revision to either the prospectus
included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective or to
the Prospectus or any Incorporated Document, and will furnish the
Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time
prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or
use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the
Underwriters shall reasonably object.
The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made
pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations at least 24 hours prior to the
Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representatives notice of its
intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time
and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents at least
24 hours prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file
or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the
Underwriters shall reasonably object unless the Companys legal counsel has
advised the Company that filing such documents is required pursuant to the 1934
Act or 1934 Act Regulations.
24
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to
the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed
copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference
therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and
will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of
the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto
(without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and
each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the
electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each
Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus (if
any) as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents
to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter,
without charge, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be
delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as
amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the
electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and
the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of
the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required
by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any
event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is
necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company,
to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in
order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time
it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of
such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or
supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933
Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file
with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or supplement as
may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the
Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such
amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. If at any time following issuance of an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development
as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would
conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement relating
to the Securities or included or would include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances,
prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly
notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own
expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such
conflict, untrue statement or omission.
25
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in
cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and
sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other
jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general
consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a
dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in
which it is not otherwise so subject.
(g) Rule 158.
The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the 1934 Act) as are necessary in order to make
generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings
statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits
contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds
received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the
Prospectus under Use of Proceeds.
(i) Listing.
The Company will effect the listing of the Securities on the New York
Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance, and use commercially reasonable
efforts to comply at all times with the listing requirements of the New York
Stock Exchange or another national securities exchange, as amended from time to
time, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain such listing on
the New York Stock Exchange or another national securities exchange.
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of sixty (60) days from the
date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent
of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or
otherwise transfer or dispose of any share of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration
statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing (provided
that the Company may file one or more post-effective amendments to registration
statement no. 333-123809 solely for the purpose of updating such registration
statement as may be legally required or otherwise legally obligated) or (ii)
enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers,
in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of
ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described
in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or
such other securities, in cash or otherwise; provided, however,
that (A) the Company may offer and issue its Common Stock under the Companys 2004
Stock Option and Equity Incentive Plan and (B) the Company may offer and issue
Common Stock or Units in the Partnership as consideration for the Companys or
the Partnerships acquisition of real property but only if, in the case of (B)
above, the holders of such shares or Units agree in writing not to sell, offer,
dispose of or otherwise transfer any such shares or Units during such 60-day
period without the prior written consent of the Representatives (which consent
may be withheld at the sole discretion of the Representatives).
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all
documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act
within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder.
26
(l) Price Manipulation.
The Company will not, and will use its best efforts to cause its
officers, directors, partners and affiliates, as applicable, not to,
(i) take, directly or indirectly prior to termination of the underwriting
syndicate contemplated by this Agreement, any action designed to stabilize or
manipulate the price of any security of the Company, or which may cause or
result in, or which might in the future reasonably be expected to cause or
result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of
the Company, to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities,
(ii) sell, bid for, purchase or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting
purchases of the Securities or (iii) pay or agree to pay to any person any
compensation for soliciting any order to purchase any other securities of the
Company.
(m) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that,
unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representatives, and each
Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of
the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any
offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an issuer free writing
prospectus, as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a free
writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the
Commission. Any such free writing
prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representatives is hereinafter
referred to as a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. The Company and represents that it has
treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as
an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433, and has complied
and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted
Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where
required, legending and record keeping.
(n) Compliance with Laws.
The Company will comply in all material respects with all applicable
securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without
limitation, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and use its commercially reasonable
efforts to cause the Companys directors and officers, in their capacities as
such, to comply in all material respects with such laws, rules and regulations,
including, without limitation, the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
in each case, upon and at all times after the applicable compliance date (if
any).
(o) Undertakings. The
Company will comply with all of the provisions of any undertakings in the
Registration Statement.
(p) REIT Qualification.
The Company shall not take any action to revoke or otherwise terminate
the Companys REIT election pursuant to Section 856(g) of the Code, except as
otherwise determined by the Board of Directors of the Company to be in the best
interests of stockholders.
(q) Investment Company.
The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by
the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to register as an investment company under
the Investment Company Act.
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4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses.
The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the
performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the
preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including
financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters
of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters and such other documents as
may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or
delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery
of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock
or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale,
issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees
and disbursements of the Companys counsel, accountants and other advisors,
(v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in
accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing
fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky
Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the
foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (vii) the preparation,
printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and
any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or
registrar for the Securities, (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company
relating to investor presentations on any road show (if any) undertaken in connection with the
marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated
with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any
consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and
lodging expenses of the officers of the Company, and 50% ofthe cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in
connection with the road show; provided, however, that (A) the Representatives shall pay their direct
costs and expenses associated with the road show and (B) the Underwriters shall
pay 50% of the costs of chartered aircraft and other transportation chartered
in connection with the road show, and (x) the filing fees incident to, and the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection
with, the review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the NASD)
of the terms of the sale of the Securities and (xi) the fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock
Exchange.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Sections 9(a)(i),
9(a)(ii) or 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of
their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
5. Conditions of Underwriters Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters
hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of
the Company and the Partnership contained in Section 1 hereof or in
certificates of any officer of the Company or any Subsidiary delivered pursuant
to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants
and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
28
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become
effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part
of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to
the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430B
Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within
the time frame required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a
post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and
declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B. No amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus shall have been filed to which the
Underwriters shall have reasonably objected.
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall
have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, from each of:
(i) Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the
Company and the Subsidiaries, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for
the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for
each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1
hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably
request;
(ii) Michael D. Schecter, Esq., counsel
for the Company and the Subsidiaries, in form and substance satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such
letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit
A-2 hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may
reasonably request; and
(iii) Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the
Company and the Subsidiaries, as to tax matters, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or
reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the
effect set forth in Exhibit A-3 hereto and to such further effect as
counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request
(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall
have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Hunton &
Williams LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives. In
giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the
laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the
federal law of the United States and the General Corporation Law of the State
of Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the
Representatives. Such counsel may also
state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied,
to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company
and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
29
(d) Officers Certificate. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have
received a certificate of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer or President
and Chief Operating Officer and the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer and Treasurer of the Company and the Partnership, dated as of Closing
Time, to the effect that the signers of such certificates have carefully
examined the Prospectus and General Disclosure Package and (i) there has been
no (A) Material Adverse Effect, (B) transaction that is material to the Company
and the Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (C) any obligation, direct
or contingent, that is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries considered
as one enterprise, incurred by the Company or the Subsidiaries, (D) any change
in the capitalization of the Company or any Subsidiary that is material to the
Company and the Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or (E) any dividend
or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the
Company or the capital stock, limited liability company membership interests or
partnership interest of any Subsidiary, except in case of each of clauses (A)
through (E) above, as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive
of any supplement thereto), (ii) the representations and warranties in
Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as
though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the Company has
complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and
no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.
(e) Accountants Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this
Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from each of KPMG LLP, Ernst
& Young LLP and BDO Seidman, LLP a letter dated such date, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements
and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants comfort
letters to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain
financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. Such letters shall address
the audited financial statements, unaudited interim financial statements
(including a statement that such unaudited financial statements have been
reviewed in accordance with the standards established under Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 100), pro forma financial statements and shall provide
customary negative assurances.
(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall
have received from each of KPMG LLP, Ernst & Young LLP and BDO Seidman, LLP
a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the
statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this
Section. The affirmation of statements
made in such letters shall be as of a date not more than two (2) Business Days
prior to Closing Time.
(g) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Securities shall have
been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to
official notice of issuance.
(h) No Objection. The NASD has confirmed that it has not raised
any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the
underwriting terms and arrangements.
(i) Lock-up Agreements. On or about the date of this Agreement, but
in no event later than the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have
received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto
signed by the persons listed on Schedule C hereto.
30
(j) No Material Adverse Effects. At Closing Time, there shall
not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, any
Material Adverse Effect.
(k) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise
their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any
portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the
Company and Partnership contained herein and the statements in any certificates
furnished by the Company, the Partnership and any Subsidiary hereunder shall be
true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of
Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
(i) Officers Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery,
of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial
or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate
delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true
and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Opinions of Counsels for Company. The favorable opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP,
counsel for the Company and the Subsidiaries, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery,
relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and
otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b)(i)
hereof. The favorable opinion of Michael D. Schecter, Esq., counsel for the
Company and the Subsidiaries, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for
the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option
Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same
effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b)(ii) hereof. The favorable opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP,
counsel for the Company and the Subsidiaries, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery,
relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and
otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b)(iii)
hereof.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The favorable opinion of Hunton &
Williams LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery,
relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and
otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c)
hereof.
(iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from each of KPMG LLP, Ernst &
Young LLP and BDO Seidman, LLP in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form
and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to
Section 5(f) hereof. The affirmation of statements made in such letters shall
be as of a date not more than two (2) Business Days prior to the date thereof.
(l) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery
counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and
opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to
evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the
fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings
taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities
as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
31
6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. (1) The Company and the Partnership, jointly
and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its
affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an
Affiliate), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls
any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B
Information or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto),
or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the
aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of
any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any
such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section
6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the
Company;
(iii) against any and all expense
whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen
by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or
defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under
(i) or (ii) above;
provided,
however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or
any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
32
(b) Indemnification of Company and its Directors and
Officers. Each Underwriter
severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors,
each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim,
damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of
this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or
omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information or
any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein as such
appears in the Prospectus in the fifth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth and
seventeenth paragraphs under the heading Underwriting.
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as
promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action
commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but
failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying
party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially
prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any
liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties
shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties
shall be selected by the Company. An
indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any
such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying
party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be
counsel to the indemnified party. In no
event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more
than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate
but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever
in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this
Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are
actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from
all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or
claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall
have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for
fees and expenses of counsel (accompanied by documentation or detailed
description of such fees and expenses), such indemnifying party agrees that it
shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section
6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered
into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the
aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of
the terms of such settlement at least 45 days prior to such settlement being
entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such
indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement.
33
7. Contribution.
If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any
reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in
respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to
therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount
of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the Company and the Partnership on the one
hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is
not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also
the relative fault of the Company and the Partnership on the one hand and of
the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company and the
Partnership on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in
connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall
be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds
from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discount
received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the
Prospectus bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Securities as set
forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company and the Partnership
on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the
Underwriters and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, the Partnership and the Underwriters agree that it would not
be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section
7. The aggregate amount of losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred
to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating,
preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
34
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any,
who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriters Affiliates and selling agents
shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each
director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters respective obligations to
contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number
of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule
A hereto and not joint.
The provisions of this Section shall not affect any
agreement among the Company with respect to contribution.
8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and
agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain
operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made
by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any
person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person
controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.
9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The obligations of the several Underwriters
hereunder shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the
Representatives, at any time prior to the Closing Time or any Delivery Date,
(i) if any of the conditions specified in Section 5 shall not have
been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be fulfilled, or
(ii) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, any Material Adverse Effect, or material change in management of the
Company or any Subsidiary, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business, or (iii) if there has occurred any outbreak or escalation of
national or international hostilities, other national or international calamity
or crisis (including without limitation any terrorist or similar attack), any
change in the United States or international financial markets, or any
substantial change in United States or international economic, political,
financial or other conditions, the effect of which on the financial markets of
the United States is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the
Representatives, impracticable to market the Shares in the manner and on the
terms described in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) or
enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iv) if trading in
any securities of the Company has been suspended by the Commission or by the
New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange
or in the Nasdaq Stock Market has been suspended (including an automatic halt
in trading pursuant to market-decline triggers, other than those in which
solely program trading is temporarily halted), or limitations on prices for
trading (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) have
been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities have been required, by
such exchange or the NASD or by order of the Commission or
35
any other governmental authority, or (v) a general banking
moratorium shall have been declared by any federal, New York or Maryland authorities
or (vi) any federal or state statute, regulation, rule or order of any
court or other governmental authority has been enacted, published, decreed or
otherwise promulgated which, in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives,
materially adversely affects or will materially adversely affect the business
or operations of the Company, or (vii) any action has been taken by any
federal, state or local government or agency in respect of its monetary or
fiscal affairs which, in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives, has a
material adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States, or
(viii) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood,
earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the reasonable judgment
of the Representatives may interfere materially with the conduct of the
business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss
shall have been insured.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to
this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any
other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that
Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force
and effect.
(c) Notice of Termination.
If the Representatives elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in
this Article 9, the Company and the Underwriters shall be notified promptly by
electronic communication to the Company Chief Executive Officer or by
facsimile.
10. Default by One or More of the
Underwriters. If one or more of the
Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the
Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the
Defaulted Securities), the Representatives shall have the right,
within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the
non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all,
but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be
agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the
Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour
period, then:
(i) if the number of Defaulted
Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on
such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated,
severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the
proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to
the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities
exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this
Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the
Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company
to sell the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery
shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve
any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
36
11. In the event of any such default
which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a
Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a
termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company
to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i)
Representatives or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing
Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not
exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements. As used herein, the term Underwriter
includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
12. Default by the Company. (a) If the
Company shall fail at Closing Time or at the Date of Delivery to sell the
number of Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement
shall terminate without any liability on the part of any nondefaulting party; provided,
however, that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 shall remain
in full force and effect. No action
taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if
any, in respect of such default.
13. Tax Disclosure. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, immediately upon commencement of discussions with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby, the Company (and each employee,
representative or other agent of the Company) may disclose to any and all
persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind
(including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Company
relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. For purposes of the foregoing, the term tax
treatment is the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and the term tax structure includes any
fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal
income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby.
14. Notices. All notices and other communications
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if
mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed
to the Representatives at Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street,
New York, New York 10013, attention of Chris Djoganopoulos and to Merrill Lynch
& Co., 4 World Financial Center, New York, New York 10080, attention of
Jeffrey Horowitz; notices to the Company and the Partnership shall be directed
to the offices of the Company at 6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 800, Bethesda,
Maryland 20817, Attention: Michael D. Schecter (facsimile 301-380-6727),
with a copy to Goodwin Procter LLP, Exchange Place, Boston, Massachusetts,
02109, Attention: Suzanne D. Lecaroz, (facsimile no. 617523-1231).
15. No Advisory or Fiduciary
Relationship. The Company
acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering
price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arms-length
commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several
Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering
contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each
Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent
or fiduciary of the Company, or its respective stockholders, creditors,
employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an
37
advisory or fiduciary
responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether
such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other
matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to
the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in
this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be
engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ
from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any
legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own respective legal,
accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
16. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their
respective successors. Nothing expressed
or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any
person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and
their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and
directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal
representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said
controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any
Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such
purchase.
17. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
18. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS
AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER
TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
20. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
21. Definitions.
The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement,
shall have the meanings indicated.
Business Day shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or
trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.
Execution Time shall mean the date and time that
this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.
38
For purposes of Section 1(a) and for the avoidance of
doubt, the phrase to the Knowledge of the Company, to the extent such phrase
is used to qualify the representations and warranties of the Company that
relate to the Manager, refers to the knowledge of the Company or its employees
or agents (not including the Manager) gained in the ordinary course of the
Companys business and through the Companys correspondence and communications
made in the ordinary course of business.
U.S. or United States shall mean the United States
of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its
territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.
39
If the foregoing is in accordance with your
understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a
counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts,
will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in
accordance with its terms.
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Very truly yours,
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DIAMONDROCK HOSPITALITY COMPANY
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By:
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/s/ Michael D. Schecter
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Name:
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Michael D. Schecter
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Title:
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Executive Vice President and
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General Counsel
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DIAMONDROCK HOSPITALITY L.P.
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By:
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DIAMONDROCK HOSPITALITY COMPANY,
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its general partner
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By:
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/s/ Michael D. Schecter
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Name:
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Michael D. Schecter
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Title:
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Executive Vice President and
General Counsel
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Accepted and agreed to as of
the date first above written:
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CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
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By:
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/s/ Chris Djoganopoulos
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Title:
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Director
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MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
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MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
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INCORPORATED
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By:
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/s/ Alexander Virtue
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Title:
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Vice President, Investment Banking
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Each for itself and as Representatives of the other
Underwriters named on Schedule A hereto.
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40
SCHEDULE A
Name of Underwriter
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Number of
Initial Securities
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Citigroup Global
Markets Inc.
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4,785,000
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Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
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4,785,000
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Friedman, Billings,
Ramsey & Co., Inc.
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2,392,500
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Wachovia Capital
Markets, LLC
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2,392,500
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Robert W. Baird &
Co. Incorporated
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797,500
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JMP Securities LLC
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797,500
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Total
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15,950,000
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Sch A-1
SCHEDULE B
DIAMONDROCK
HOSPITALITY COMPANY
15,950,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $0.01 Per Share)
1. The price per share for the
Securities paid by the Underwriters, determined as provided in said
Section 2, shall be $17.3332.
Sch B-1
SCHEDULE C
List
of persons and entities subject to lock-up
William W. McCarten
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John L. Williams
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Daniel J. Altobello
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W. Robert Grafton
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Gilbert T. Ray
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Maureen L. McAvey
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Mark W. Brugger
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Michael D. Schecter
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Sean M. Mahoney
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Sch C-1
SCHEDULE D
Information Conveyed at the
Applicable Time
Price per share:
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$18.15
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Offering Size:
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15,950,000 or 18,342,500 shares if the Underwriters
exercise their over-allotment option in full
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Underwriting Discount:
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The public offering price for the Securities will be
$18.15 per share, with an underwriting discount of $0.8168 per share
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Closing Date:
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January 23, 2007
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Sch D-1
SCHEDULE E
Issuer General Use Free Writing
Prospectuses
None.
Sch E-1
SCHEDULE F
Subsidiaries of the Company
Jurisdiction
in Which Company Qualified as a Foreign Corporation: N/A
Subsidiary
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Jurisdiction
of Organization
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Jurisdiction in
Which Qualified
as a Foreign
Corporation
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1.
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Bloodstone TRS, Inc.
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Delaware
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Massachusetts (in
process)
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2.
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DiamondRock Alpharetta
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Georgia
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3.
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DiamondRock Alpharetta
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Georgia
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4.
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DiamondRock Bethesda
General, LLC
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Delaware
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Maryland
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5.
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DiamondRock Bethesda
Limited, LLC
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Delaware
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Maryland
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6.
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DiamondRock Bethesda
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Maryland
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7.
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DiamondRock Boston
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Massachusetts (in process)
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8.
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DiamondRock Boston
Expansion Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Massachusetts (in
process)
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9.
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DiamondRock Boston
Retail Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Massachusetts (in
process)
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10.
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DiamondRock Boston
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Massachusetts (in
process)
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11.
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DiamondRock Buckhead
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Georgia
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12.
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DiamondRock Buckhead
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Georgia
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13.
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DiamondRock Cayman Islands,
Inc.
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Cayman Islands, BWI
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N/A
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14.
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DiamondRock Chicago
Conrad Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Illinois
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15.
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DiamondRock Chicago
Conrad Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Illinois
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16.
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DiamondRock Chicago
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Illinois
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17.
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DiamondRock Chicago
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Illinois
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18.
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DiamondRock East 40th
Street NYC Owner Holdings, LLC
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Delaware
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New York
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19.
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DiamondRock East 40th
Street NYC Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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New York
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20.
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DiamondRock East 40th
Street NYC Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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New York
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21.
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DiamondRock Frenchman's
Holdings, LLC
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Delaware
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N/A
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22.
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DiamondRock Frenchman's
Owner, Inc.
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USVI
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N/A
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23.
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DiamondRock Griffin
Gate Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Kentucky
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24.
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DiamondRock Griffin
Gate Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Kentucky
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25.
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DiamondRock Hospitality
Limited Partnership
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Delaware
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Massachusetts (in
process)
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26.
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DiamondRock
Hospitality, LLC
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Delaware
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N/A
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27.
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DiamondRock LAX Owner,
LLC
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Delaware
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California
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28.
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DiamondRock LAX Tenant,
LLC
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Delaware
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California
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29.
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DiamondRock
Manhattan/Midtown East Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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New York
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30.
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DiamondRock
Manhattan/Midtown East Tenant Holdings, LLC
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Delaware
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New York
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31.
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DiamondRock
Manhattan/Midtown East Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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New York
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32.
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DiamondRock Oak Brook
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Illinois
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33.
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DiamondRock Oak Brook
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Illinois
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34.
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DiamondRock Orlando
Airport Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Florida
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35.
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DiamondRock Orlando
Airport Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Florida
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36.
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DiamondRock Salt Lake
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Utah
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37.
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DiamondRock Salt Lake
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Utah
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38.
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DiamondRock Sonoma
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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California
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39.
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DiamondRock Sonoma
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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California
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40.
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DiamondRock Torrance
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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California
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41.
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DiamondRock Torrance
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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California
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42.
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DiamondRock Vail Owner,
LLC
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Delaware
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Colorado
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43.
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DiamondRock Vail
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Colorado
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44.
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DiamondRock Waverly
Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Georgia
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45.
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DiamondRock Waverly
Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
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Georgia
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46.
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DRH Austin Owner
General, LLC
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Delaware
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Texas
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47.
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DRH Austin Owner
Limited, LLC
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Delaware
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N/A
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48.
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DRH Austin Owner
Limited Partnership
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Delaware
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Texas
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49.
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DRH Austin Tenant
General, LLC
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Delaware
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Texas
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50.
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DRH Austin Tenant
Limited, LLC
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Delaware
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N/A
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51.
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DRH Austin Tenant
Limited Partnership
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Delaware
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Texas
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52.
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DRH Worthington Owner
General, LLC
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Delaware
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Texas
|
53.
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DRH Worthington Owner
Limited, LLC
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Delaware
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N/A
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54.
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DRH Worthington Owner
Limited Partnership
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Delaware
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*Texas
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*dba DRH Worthington
Owner I Limited Partnership
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55.
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DRH Worthington Tenant
General, LLC
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Delaware
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Texas
|
56.
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DRH Worthington Tenant
Limited, LLC
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Delaware
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N/A
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57.
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DRH Worthington Tenant
Limited Partnership
|
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Delaware
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**Texas
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**dba DRH Worthington
Tenant I Limited Partnership
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58.
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|
Noble-DiamondRock
Perimeter Center Owner, LLC
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Delaware
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Georgia
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59.
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|
Noble-DiamondRock
Perimeter Center Tenant, LLC
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Delaware
|
|
Georgia
|
60.
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|
Rock Spring Park Hotel Limited Partnership
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Maryland
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N/A
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Sch F-1
Exhibit 5.1
January 17, 2007
DiamondRock Hospitality
Company
6903 Rockledge Drive,
Suite 800
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
Re: Legality of Securities to
be Registered Under Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This opinion is
furnished in our capacity as counsel to DiamondRock Hospitality Company, a Maryland corporation (the Company),
in connection with the Companys registration statement on Form S-3 (File No.
333-135386) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), on June 28, 2006 (the Registration
Statement). Pursuant to the
Registration Statement, the Company proposes to issue and sell 18,342,500
shares (the Shares) of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share, in
accordance with the terms set forth in the prospectus supplement dated January
17, 2007 to the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement.
We have reviewed
such documents and made
such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinions
expressed below. We have relied, without independent
verification, on certificates of public officials and, as to matters of
fact material to the opinions set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company.
The opinion expressed
below is limited to the Maryland General Corporation Law (which includes
applicable provisions of the Maryland Constitution and reported judicial
decisions interpreting the
Maryland General Corporation Law and the Maryland Constitution).
Based on the foregoing,
we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, upon
issuance and delivery against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of
the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
We hereby consent
to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement
and to the references to our firm under the caption Legal Matters in the
Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not admit that we are in
the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
Sincerely,
/s/ GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
GOODWIN
PROCTER LLP
Exhibit
8.1
As of January 17,
2007
DiamondRock Hospitality
Company
6903 Rockledge Drive,
Suite 800
Bethesda, MD 20817
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for DiamondRock Hospitality
Company, a Maryland corporation (the Company), in connection with the Companys
registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-135386) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, on June 28, 2006 (the Registration Statement). Pursuant to the Registration Statement,
the Company proposes to issue and sell 18,342,500 shares (the Shares) of
its common stock, par value $0.01 per share, in accordance with the terms set
forth in the prospectus supplement dated January 17, 2007 to the prospectus
filed as part of the Registration Statement.
This opinion letter addresses the Companys qualification as a real
estate investment trust (a REIT) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the Code), the classification of DiamondRock Hospitality Limited
Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership (the Operating Partnership), for
federal income tax purposes, and the accuracy of certain matters discussed in
the Registration Statement under the heading Federal Income Tax Considerations
and in the prospectus supplement under the heading Supplement to Federal
Income Tax Considerations.
In rendering the following opinions, we have reviewed
and relied upon the Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company dated as of June 25, 2004, the Limited
Partnership Agreement of the Operating Partnership dated as of June 4, 2004 and
as in effect as of the date hereof, and such other records, certificates, and
documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of rendering
the opinions set forth herein. For
purposes of this opinion letter, we have assumed (i) the genuineness of all
signatures on documents we have examined, (ii) the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals, (iii) the conformity to the original
documents of all documents submitted to us as copies, (iv) the conformity, to
the extent relevant to our opinions, of final documents to all documents
submitted to us as drafts, (v) the authority and capacity of the individual or
individuals who executed any such documents on behalf of any person, and (vi)
the accuracy and completeness of all records made available to us.
We also have
reviewed and relied upon the representations, as to factual matters, and
covenants of the Company and the Operating Partnership contained in a letter
that the Company provided to us in connection with the preparation of this
opinion letter (the REIT Certificate), and that we have discussed with the
Companys representative, regarding the organization and operations of the
Company and the Operating Partnership and other matters affecting the
DiamondRock Hospitality
Company
As of January 17, 2007
Page 2
Companys ability to
qualify as a REIT. For purposes of this
opinion letter, we assume that each such representation and covenant has been,
is and will be true, correct and complete, that the Company, the Operating
Partnership and any subsidiaries have been, are and will be owned and operated
in accordance with the REIT Certificate and that all representations that speak
to the best of the belief and/or knowledge of any person(s) or party(ies), or
are subject to similar qualification, have been, are and will continue to be
true, correct and complete as if made without such qualification. To the extent such representations and
covenants speak to the intended ownership or operations of the Company or the
Operating Partnership, we assume that each of the Company and the Operating
Partnership will in fact be owned and operated in accordance with such stated
intent.
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the
limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
(i) commencing
with the Companys taxable year ended December 31, 2005, the Company has been
organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification
and taxation as a REIT under the Code and its current and proposed ownership
and operations will allow the Company to continue to satisfy the requirements
for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for subsequent taxable years;
(ii) as
long as the Operating Partnership has only one partner for federal income tax
purposes, it will be disregarded as an entity separate from the Company and if
and when the Operating Partnership has two or more partners for federal income
tax purposes, the Operating Partnership will be treated as a partnership within
the meaning of Code Sections 7701(a)(2) and 761(a) and will not be treated as a
publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation under the rules of Code
Section 7704; and
(iii) the
statements set forth under the heading Federal Income Tax Considerations in
the Registration Statement and under the heading Supplement to Federal Income
Tax Considerations in the prospectus supplement, insofar as such statements
constitute matters of law, summaries of legal matters, legal documents,
contracts or legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, are correct in all
material respects and do not omit to state a matter of law necessary to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
* * * * *
We express no opinion other than the opinions
expressly set forth herein. Our opinions
are not binding on the Internal Revenue Service. The Internal Revenue Service may disagree
with and challenge our conclusions, and a court could sustain such a
challenge. Our opinions are based upon
the Code, the Income Tax Regulations and Procedure and Administration Regulations
promulgated thereunder and existing administrative and judicial interpretations
thereof, all as in effect as of the date of this opinion letter. Changes in applicable law could
DiamondRock Hospitality
Company
As of January 17, 2007
Page 3
cause the federal income
tax treatment of the Company or the Operating Partnership to differ materially
and adversely from the treatment described above and render the tax discussion
in the Registration Statement incorrect or incomplete.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the
category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities
Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder.
We are rendering this opinion letter to you in
connection with the issuance and sale of Shares and this opinion letter may not
be relied upon by any other person or for any other purpose without our prior
written consent. This opinion letter
speaks only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update
this opinion letter or to notify any person of any changes in facts,
circumstances or applicable law (including without limitation any discovery of
any facts that are inconsistent with the REIT Certificate).
Very truly yours,
/s/ GOODWIN PROCTERLLP
Goodwin Procter LLP
Exhibit
99.1
COMPANY
CONTACT:
Mark
W. Brugger
(240) 744-1150
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2007
DIAMONDROCK
HOSPITALITY COMPANY ANNOUNCES PRICING OF FOLLOW-ON
COMMON STOCK OFFERING
BETHESDA,
MD, January 17, 2007
DiamondRock Hospitality Company (NYSE: DRH) today announced the pricing of its
follow-on public offering of 15,950,000 shares of common stock at a price of
$18.15 per share. DiamondRock has
granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 2,392,500
shares of common stock to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is expected to close on January
23, 2007, subject to customary closing conditions. Citigroup Global Markets
Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co. are acting as joint book running managers for
the offering. Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc., Wachovia Capital
Markets, LLC, Robert W. Baird & Co., and JMP Securities LLC are acting as
co-managers.
Copies of the prospectus are
available from the offices of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Attn: Prospectus
Department, Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street, 8th Floor, Brooklyn, NY
11220 or Merrill Lynch & Co. (Prospectus Fulfillment) by phone to (212)
449-1000 or by mail to 4 World Financial Center, New York, NY 10080, or from
the offices of any of the other underwriters identified above.
A prospectus supplement
relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. This release shall not
constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there
be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation
or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such state. Any
offer or sale will be made only by means of the written prospectus forming part
of the effective registration statement.
This
press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal
securities laws and regulations. These forward-looking statements are
identified by their use of terms and phrases such as believe, expect, intend,
project, and other similar terms and phrases, including references to
assumptions and forecasts of future results.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may
cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the
time the forward-looking statements are made.
These risks include, but are not limited to: our ability to timely
complete the previously announced acquisition of the Westin Boston Waterfront
Hotel, national and local economic and business conditions, including the
potential for additional terrorist attacks, that will affect occupancy rates at
our hotels and the demand for hotel products and services; operating risks
associated with the hotel business; risks associated with the level of our
indebtedness; relationships with property managers; our ability to
DiamondRock
Hospitality Company
Page 2
compete
effectively in areas such as access, location, quality of accommodations and
room rate structures; changes in travel patterns, taxes and government
regulations which influence or determine wages, prices, construction procedures
and costs. Although the Company
believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are
based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the
expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. All
information in this press release is as of the date of this release, and the
Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to
conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Companys
expectations.
About DiamondRock Hospitality Company
DiamondRock
Hospitality Company is a self-advised real estate investment trust (REIT) that
is an owner and acquirer of premium hotel properties. Upon completion of the pending acquisition of
the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel, DiamondRock will own 21 hotels with almost
10,000 rooms The Company has a strategic
acquisition sourcing relationship with Marriott International. For further
information, please visit DiamondRocks website at www.drhc.com.