Long-Term Incentive Plan

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Long-Term Incentive Plan

Long-Term Incentive Plan

10. Long-Term Incentive Plan

Stock Grants

Restricted shares granted pursuant to the Company’s Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) generally vest over a  period of three years from the date of grant. Should a stock grant be forfeited prior to its vesting, the shares covered by the stock grant are added back to the LTIP and remain available for future issuance. Shares of common stock tendered or withheld to satisfy the grant or exercise price or tax withholding obligations upon the vesting of a stock grant are not added back to the LTIP.

Compensation expense related to awards of restricted shares are measured at fair value on the date of grant and amortized over the relevant requisite service period or derived service period.

The Company has elected to account for forfeitures as they occur. The Company’s amortization expense and forfeitures related to restricted shares for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 were as follows (unaudited and in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2019		2018
Amortization expense, including forfeitures	$	2,122	$	2,000

In addition, the Company capitalizes compensation costs related to restricted shares granted to certain employees whose work is directly related to the Company’s capital investment in its hotels. These capitalized costs totaled $0.1 million during both the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018.