XML 171 R14.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.19.3.a.u2
Debt
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Debt  
Debt

5. Debt

The Company’s debt and finance lease obligations at December 31 consisted of (amounts in thousands):

    

2019

    

2018

$700M Revolving Credit Facility, less unamortized DFCs of $0 and $6,542

$

$

518,458

$300M Term Loan A, less unamortized DFCs of $2,478 and $1,220

 

297,522

 

198,780

$500M Term Loan B, less unamortized DFCs of $4,501 and $5,307

 

381,749

 

485,943

$350M Senior Notes, less unamortized DFCs of $0 and $2,385

 

 

347,615

$400M Senior Notes, less unamortized DFCs of $3,222 and $4,097

 

396,778

 

395,903

$700M Senior Notes, less unamortized DFCs of $11,808 and $0, plus unamortized premium of $2,434 and $0

690,626

$800M Term Loan (Gaylord Rockies JV), less unamortized DFCs of $8,015 and $0

791,985

$500M Construction Loan (Gaylord Rockies JV), less unamortized DFCs of $0 and $1,807

457,090

$39M Mezzanine Loan (Gaylord Rockies JV), less unamortized DFCs of $0 and $227

37,488

Finance lease obligations

 

1,308

 

618

Total debt

$

2,559,968

$

2,441,895

At December 31, 2019, the Company was in compliance with all covenants related to its outstanding debt.

Annual maturities of long-term debt, excluding finance lease obligations, are as follows (amounts in thousands):

Years

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Thereafter

Total

$700M Revolving Credit Facility

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$300M Term Loan A

300,000

300,000

$500M Term Loan B

5,000

5,000

5,000

5,000

366,250

386,250

$400M 5% Senior Notes

400,000

400,000

$700M 4.75% Senior Notes

700,000

700,000

$800M Term Loan (1)

800,000

800,000

Total

$

5,000

$

5,000

$

5,000

$

1,205,000

$

366,250

$

1,000,000

$

2,586,250

(1)The $800 million term loan is indebtedness of the Gaylord Rockies joint venture.

Credit Facility

On October 31, 2019, the Company entered into a Sixth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) among the Company, as guarantor, the Operating Partnership, as borrower, certain other subsidiaries of the Company party thereto, as guarantors, certain subsidiaries of the Company party thereto, as pledgors, the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, which amended and restated the Company’s existing credit facility. As amended, the Company’s credit facility consists of a $700.0 million senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Revolver”), a $300.0 million senior secured term loan A (the “Term Loan A”) which was increased from $200.0 million pursuant to the amended agreement, and a $500.0 million senior secured term loan B (the “Term Loan B”), each as discussed below. The Credit Agreement also increased the accordion feature of the previous credit agreement from $500 million to $600 million and includes a $50.0 million letter of credit sublimit.

Each of the Revolver, Term Loan A and Term Loan B is guaranteed by the Company, each of the four wholly-owned subsidiaries that own the Gaylord Hotels properties, and certain other of the Company’s subsidiaries. Each is secured by (i) a first mortgage lien on the real property of each of the four owned Gaylord Hotels properties, (ii) pledges of equity interests in the Company’s subsidiaries that own the Gaylord Hotels properties, (iii) the personal property of the Company, the Operating Partnership and the subsidiaries that guarantee the Credit Agreement and (iv) all proceeds and products from the Company’s Gaylord Hotels properties. Advances are subject to a 55% borrowing base, based on the appraisal value of the Gaylord Hotels properties (reduced to 50% in the event one of the Gaylord Hotel properties is sold). Assets of the Gaylord Rockies joint venture are not subject to the liens of the credit facility.

In addition, each of the Revolver, Term Loan A and Term Loan B contains certain covenants which, among other things, limit the incurrence of additional indebtedness, investments, dividends, transactions with affiliates, asset sales, acquisitions, mergers and consolidations, liens and encumbrances and other matters customarily restricted in such agreements.

If an event of default shall occur and be continuing under the Credit Agreement, the commitments under the Credit Agreement may be terminated and the principal amount outstanding under the Credit Agreement, together with all accrued unpaid interest and other amounts owing in respect thereof, may be declared immediately due and payable.

As a result of refinancings of its previous credit facility, the Company wrote off $0.2 million, $2.0 million and $0.9 million of DFCs during 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

$700 Million Revolving Credit Facility

Pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Company extended the maturity of the Revolver to March 31, 2024. Borrowings under the Revolver bear interest at an annual rate equal to, at the Company’s option, either (i) LIBOR plus the applicable margin ranging from 1.40% to 1.95%, dependent upon the Company’s funded debt to total asset value ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) or (ii) a base rate as set in the Credit Agreement. At December 31, 2019, the interest rate on the Revolver is LIBOR plus 1.55%. No additional amounts were borrowed under the Revolver at closing of the Credit Agreement.

$300 Million Term Loan A

Pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Company increased its Term Loan A from $200 million to $300 million and extended the maturity to March 31, 2025. Borrowings under the Term Loan A bear interest at an annual rate equal to, at the Company’s option, either (i) LIBOR plus the applicable margin ranging from 1.35% to 1.90%, dependent upon the Company’s funded debt to total asset value ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) or (ii) a base rate as set in the Credit Agreement. At December 31, 2019, the interest rate on the Term Loan A was LIBOR plus 1.50%. Amounts borrowed under the Term Loan A that are repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. At original closing, the Company drew down on the Term Loan A in full. Net proceeds of the 2019 increase in the Term Loan A, after certain transaction expenses payable at closing, were approximately $94 million and, along with cash on hand, were used to repay $100 million of the outstanding indebtedness under the Term Loan B.

$500 Million Term Loan B

The Term Loan B has a maturity of May 11, 2024. The applicable interest rate margins for borrowings under the Term Loan B are, at the Company’s option, either (i) LIBOR plus 2.00% or (ii) a base rate as set in the Credit Agreement. At December 31, 2019, the interest rate on the Term Loan B was LIBOR plus 2.00%. In October 2019, we entered into four interest rate swaps with a total notional amount of $350.0 million to fix the LIBOR portion of the interest rate, at rates between 1.2235% and 1.2315%, through May 11, 2023. The Company has designated these swaps as effective cash flow hedges. The Term Loan B amortizes in equal quarterly installments in aggregate annual amounts equal to 1.0% of the original principal amount of $500.0 million, with the balance due at maturity. In addition, if for any fiscal year there is Excess Cash Flow (as defined in the Credit Agreement), payment of an additional principal payment is required. Amounts borrowed under the Term Loan B that are repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. At closing, the Company drew down on the Term Loan B in full. The credit agreement did not change the maturity date or applicable margin on interest rates for the Term Loan B.

$350 Million 5% Senior Notes Due 2021

In 2013, the Operating Partnership and Finco completed the private placement of $350.0 million in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2021 (the “$350 Million 5% Senior Notes”), which were guaranteed by the Company and its subsidiaries that guarantee the Credit Agreement.

In September 2019, the Company commenced a cash tender offer for any and all outstanding $350 Million 5% Senior Notes at a redemption price of $1,002.50 per $1,000 principal amount. Pursuant to the tender offer, $197.5 million aggregate principal amount of the $350 Million 5% Senior Notes were validly tendered. As a result of the Company’s purchase of tendered $350 Million 5% Senior Notes, the Company recognized a loss on extinguishment of debt of $0.5 million in 2019. The Company used a portion of the proceeds from the issuance of the $700 million 4.75% senior notes discussed below to fund the tender offer.

In accordance with the indenture governing the $350 Million 5% Senior Notes, subsequent to expiration of the tender offer, in September 2019 the Company gave irrevocable notice of the redemption of all remaining $350 Million 5% Senior Notes not tendered in the tender offer and irrevocably deposited with the trustee for the $350 Million 5% Senior Notes an amount sufficient to pay the redemption price of the $350 Million 5% Senior Notes called for redemption at that date, including interest. The Company used a portion of the proceeds from the issuance of the $700 million 4.75% senior notes discussed below to fund the redemption.

As a result of the refinancing of the $350 Million 5% Senior Notes, the Company wrote off $1.7 million of unamortized DFCs, which are recorded as interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for 2019.

$400 Million 5% Senior Notes Due 2023

On April 14, 2015, the Operating Partnership and Finco completed the private placement of $400.0 million in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2023 (the “$400 Million 5% Senior Notes”), which are guaranteed by the Company and its subsidiaries that guarantee the Credit Facility. The $400 Million 5% Senior Notes and guarantees were issued pursuant to an indenture by and among the issuing subsidiaries and the guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association as trustee. The $400 Million 5% Senior Notes have a maturity date of April 15, 2023 and bear interest at 5% per annum, payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on April 15 and October 15 of each year. The $400 Million 5% Senior Notes are general unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the issuing subsidiaries and rank equal in right of payment with such subsidiaries’ existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness and senior in right of payment to future subordinated indebtedness, if any. The $400 Million 5% Senior Notes are effectively subordinated to the issuing subsidiaries’ secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. The guarantees rank equally in right of payment with the applicable guarantor’s existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness and senior in right of payment to any future subordinated indebtedness of such guarantor. The $400 Million 5% Senior Notes are effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness of any guarantor to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness and structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other obligations of the Operating Partnership’s subsidiaries that do not guarantee the $400 Million 5% Senior Notes.

The $400 Million 5% Senior Notes are redeemable, in whole or in part, at a redemption price expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof, which percentage is 102.50%, 101.25% and 100.00% beginning on April 15 of 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.

In connection with the issuance of the $400 Million 5% Senior Notes, in September 2015, the Company completed a registered offer to exchange the $400 Million 5% Senior Notes for registered notes with substantially identical terms as the $400 Million 5% Senior Notes.

$700 Million 4.75% Senior Notes Due 2027

In September 2019, the Operating Partnership and Finco completed the private placement of $500.0 million in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2027 (the “$500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes”), which are guaranteed by the Company and its subsidiaries that guarantee the Credit Agreement. The $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes and guarantees were issued pursuant to an indenture by and among the issuing subsidiaries and the guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association as trustee. The $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes have a maturity date of October 15, 2027 and bear interest at 4.75% per annum, payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on April 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on April 15, 2020. The $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes are general unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the issuing subsidiaries and rank equal in right of payment with such subsidiaries’ existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness and senior in right of payment to future subordinated indebtedness, if any. The

$500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes are effectively subordinated to the issuing subsidiaries’ secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. The guarantees rank equally in right of payment with the applicable guarantor’s existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness and senior in right of payment to any future subordinated indebtedness of such guarantor. The $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes are effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness of any guarantor to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness and structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other obligations of the Operating Partnership’s subsidiaries that do not guarantee the $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes.

The net proceeds from the issuance of the $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes totaled approximately $493 million, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts, commissions and offering expenses. The Company used substantially all of these proceeds to repurchase a portion of the $350 Million 5% Senior Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the cash tender offer discussed above, redeem the remaining portion of the $350 Million 5% Senior Notes discussed above, and to repay a portion of the amounts outstanding under the Revolver.

In October 2019, the Operating Partnership and Finco completed a tack-on private placement of $200.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.75% senior notes due 2027 (the “additional 2027 notes”) at an issue price of 101.250% of their aggregate principal amount plus accrued interest from the September 19, 2019 issue date for the $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes. The additional 2027 notes and the $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes constitute a single class of securities (collectively, the “$700 Million 4.75% Senior Notes”). All other terms and conditions of the additional 2027 notes are identical to the $500 Million 4.75% Senior Notes.

The net proceeds of the additional 2027 notes totaled approximately $199 million, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts, commissions and offering expenses. The Company used substantially all of these proceeds to repay a portion of the amounts outstanding under the Revolver.

The $700 Million 4.75% Senior Notes are redeemable before October 15, 2022, in whole or in part, at 100.00% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date plus a make-whole redemption premium. The $700 Million 4.75% Senior Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time on or after October 15, 2022 at a redemption price expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof, which percentage is 103.563%, 102.375%, 101.188%, and 100.00% beginning on October 15 of 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.

In connection with the issuance of the $700 Million 4.75% Senior Notes, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement that requires it to complete a registered offer to exchange the $700 Million 4.75% Senior Notes for registered notes with substantially identical terms as the $700 Million 4.75% Senior Notes on or before September 18, 2020.

$800 Million Term Loan (Gaylord Rockies Joint Venture)

On July 2, 2019, Aurora Convention Center Hotel, LLC (“Hotel Owner”) and Aurora Convention Center Hotel Lessee, LLC (collectively, “Borrower”), subsidiaries of the entities comprising the Gaylord Rockies joint venture, entered into a Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (the “Gaylord Rockies Loan”) with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, which refinanced the Gaylord Rockies joint venture’s previous $500 million construction loan and $39 million mezzanine loan, which were scheduled to mature in December 2019. The Gaylord Rockies Loan consists of an $800.0 million secured term loan facility and also includes the option for an additional $80.0 million of borrowing capacity should the Gaylord Rockies joint venture intend to pursue a future expansion of Gaylord Rockies, which it announced in February 2020 that it intends to pursue. The Gaylord Rockies Loan matures July 2, 2023 with three, one-year extension options, subject to certain requirements in the Gaylord Rockies Loan, and bears interest at LIBOR plus 2.50%. Simultaneous with closing, the Gaylord Rockies joint venture entered into an interest rate swap to fix the LIBOR portion of the interest rate at 1.65% for the first three years of the loan. The Company has designated this interest rate swap as an effective cash flow hedge.

The proceeds from the Gaylord Rockies Loan were used by the Gaylord Rockies joint venture to repay the previously outstanding $500 million construction loan and $39 million mezzanine loan, and, after payment of expenses, the Gaylord Rockies joint venture distributed the excess proceeds to the owners of the Gaylord Rockies joint venture pro rata in proportion to their interests therein. The noncontrolling interest owners received a distribution of approximately

$95 million, and the Company received a distribution of approximately $153 million, which was used to repay a portion of the outstanding indebtedness under the Revolver.

The Gaylord Rockies Loan is secured by a deed of trust lien on the Gaylord Rockies real estate and related assets. The Company and an affiliate of RIDA each entered into limited repayment and carry guaranties that, in the aggregate, guarantee repayment of 10% of the principal debt, together with interest and operating expenses, which are to be released once the Gaylord Rockies joint venture achieves a certain debt service coverage threshold as defined in the Gaylord Rockies Loan. Generally, the Gaylord Rockies Loan is non-recourse to the Company, subject to (i) those limited guaranties, (ii) a completion guaranty in the event the expansion is pursued and (iii) customary non-recourse carve-outs.

As a result of the refinancing, the Gaylord Rockies joint venture wrote off $1.1 million of unamortized DFCs, which are recorded as interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for 2019.

$500 Million Construction Loan (Gaylord Rockies Joint Venture)

In December 2015, Borrower entered into a Building Loan Agreement (the “Construction Loan”) with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, for a senior loan with available borrowings of up to $500.0 million. The Construction Loan bore interest at an annual rate equal to LIBOR plus 3.25% and had an original maturity date of December 18, 2019. The Construction Loan was secured by substantially all of the assets of Hotel Owner and an assignment of the hotel’s management agreement. As discussed above, the Construction Loan was paid off in July 2019 with proceeds from the Gaylord Rockies Loan.

$39 Million Mezzanine Loan (Gaylord Rockies Joint Venture)

In December 2015, Aurora Convention Hotel Mezz, LLC (“Mezz”) and Aurora Convention Center Hotel Lessee Midco Member, LLC (collectively, “Mezz Borrower”), subsidiaries of the entities comprising the Gaylord Rockies joint venture, entered into a Mezzanine Loan Agreement (the “Mezzanine Loan”) with Marriott International Capital Corporation, for a mezzanine loan with available borrowings, as amended, of up to $39.0 million. The Mezzanine Loan bore interest at an annual rate of LIBOR plus 7.00% and had an original maturity date of December 18, 2019. The Mezzanine Loan was secured by Mezz Borrower’s interests in the joint venture. As discussed above, the Mezzanine Loan was paid off in July 2019 with proceeds from the Gaylord Rockies Loan.

Interest Rate Derivatives

In October 2019, the Company entered into interest rate swaps to manage interest rate risk associated with the Term Loan B and has designated these swaps as effective cash flow hedges whereby the Company receives variable-rate amounts in exchange for fixed-rate payments over the life of the agreement without exchange of the underlying principal amount. In July 2019, the Gaylord Rockies joint venture entered into an interest rate swap to manage interest rate risk associated with the Gaylord Rockies Loan. The Gaylord Rockies joint venture has designated this swap as a cash flow hedge whereby the joint venture receives variable-rate amounts in exchange for fixed-rate payments over the life of the agreement without exchange of the underlying principal amount.

The estimated fair value of the Company’s derivative financial instruments at December 31 is as follows (in thousands):

Estimated Fair Value

Strike

Notional

Asset (Liability) Balance

Hedged Debt

Type

Rate

Index

Maturity Date

Amount

2019

2018

Term Loan B

Interest Rate Swap

1.2235%

1-month LIBOR

May 11, 2023

$ 87,500

$

959

$

Term Loan B

Interest Rate Swap

1.2235%

1-month LIBOR

May 11, 2023

$ 87,500

959

Term Loan B

Interest Rate Swap

1.2235%

1-month LIBOR

May 11, 2023

$ 87,500

956

Term Loan B

Interest Rate Swap

1.2315%

1-month LIBOR

May 11, 2023

$ 87,500

934

Gaylord Rockies Loan

Interest Rate Swap

1.6500%

1-month LIBOR

August 1, 2022

$ 800,000

(2,174)

$

1,634

$

Derivative financial instruments in an asset position are included in prepaid expenses and other assets and those in a liability position are included in other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

The effect of the Company’s derivative financial instruments on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the years ended December 31 is as follows (in thousands):

Amount of Gain (Loss)

Location of Gain (Loss)

Amount of Gain (Loss)

Recognized in OCI

Reclassified from

Reclassified from Accumulated

on Derivative

Accumulated OCI

OCI into Income (Expense)

2019

2018

   

into Income (Expense)

   

2019

2018

Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships:

   

Interest rate swaps

$

3,539

$

Interest expense

$

1,905

$

Total derivatives

$

3,539

$

$

1,905

$

Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss for interest rate swaps are shown in the table above and included in interest expense. Total consolidated interest expense for 2019, 2018 and 2017 was $131.6 million, $75.0 million and $66.1 million, respectively.

At December 31, 2019, the fair value of derivatives in a net liability position including accrued interest but excluding any adjustment for nonperformance risk related to these agreements was $2.3 million. As of December 31, 2019, the Company has not posted any collateral related to these agreements and was not in breach of any agreement provisions. If the Company had breached any of these provisions, it could have been required to settle its obligations under the agreements at the aggregate termination value of $2.3 million. In addition, the Company has an agreement with its derivative counterparty that contains a provision whereby the Company could be declared in default on its derivative obligations if repayment of the underlying indebtedness is accelerated by the lender due to the Company’s default on the indebtedness.