Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

The nature of the operations of the Company's hotels exposes those hotels, the Company and the Operating Partnership to the risk of claims and litigation in the normal course of their business. IHM is currently a defendant in several class action lawsuits pending in the state of California.

The first class action lawsuit was filed in the Santa Clara County Superior Court on October 21, 2016 under the title Ruffy, et al, v. Island Hospitality Management, LLC, et al. Case No. 16-CV-301473 (“Ruffy”) and the second class action lawsuit was filed on March 21, 2018 under the title Doonan, et al, v. Island Hospitality Management, LLC, et al. Case No 18-CV-325187 (“Doonan”). The class actions relate to hotels operated by IHM in the state of California and owned by affiliates of the Company and the NewINK JV, and/or certain third parties. The complaints allege various wage and hour law violations based on alleged misclassification of certain hotel managerial staff and violation of certain California statutes regarding incorrect information contained on employee paystubs. The plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, money damages, penalties, and

interest. A settlement agreement has been negotiated and approved by the applicable courts for Ruffy and Doonan. As of June 30, 2020, included in accounts payable is $0.1 million which represents an estimate of the Company’s total exposure to the Ruffy and Doonan litigations based on standard indemnification obligations under hotel management agreements with IHM.

In addition, IHM is a defendant in the following series of interrelated class action lawsuits: Perez et al. v. Island Hospitality Management III LLC et al. (United States District Court for the Central District of California, Case No. 2:18-cv-04903-DMG-JPR) filed on March 15, 2018, Cruz v. Island Hospitality Management III LLC (Santa Clara County Superior Court Case No. 19CV353655) filed on August 19, 2019, Leon et al. v. Island Hospitality Management III LLC (Orange County Superior Court Case No. 30-2019-01050719-CU-OE-CXC) filed on April 2, 2019, and Vela v. Island Hospitality Management LLC et al. (San Diego County Superior Court, Case No. 37-2019-0003525) filed on July 9, 2019 (collectively the “Perez class actions”). The Perez class actions also relate to hotels operated by IHM in the state of California and owned by affiliates of the Company and the NewINK JV, and/or certain third parties. The complaints allege various wage and hour law violations based on alleged violation of certain California statutes regarding rest and meal breaks and wage statements. The plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, money damages, penalties, and interest. Settlement agreements have been negotiated and currently await approval by the applicable courts. As of June 30, 2020, included in accounts payable and accrued expenses is $0.6 million which represents an estimate of the Company’s total exposure to the Perez class actions based on standard indemnification obligations under hotel management agreements with IHM.

Management Agreements

The management agreements with IHM have an initial term of five years and automatically renew for two five-year periods unless IHM provides written notice to us no later than 90 days prior to the then current term’s expiration date of its intent not to renew. The IHM management agreements provide for early termination at the Company’s option upon sale of any IHM-managed hotel for no termination fee, with six months advance notice. The IHM management agreements may be terminated for cause, including the failure of the managed hotel to meet specified performance levels. Base management fees are calculated as a percentage of the hotel's gross room revenue. If certain financial thresholds are met or exceeded, an incentive management fee is calculated as 10% of the hotel's net operating income less fixed costs, base management fees and a specified return threshold. The incentive management fee is capped at 1% of gross hotel revenues for the applicable calculation.

Management fees totaled approximately $0.8 million and $2.9 million, respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and approximately $2.9 million and $5.4 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.

Franchise Agreements

The fees associated with the franchise agreements are calculated as a specified percentage of the hotel's gross room revenue. Franchise and marketing fees totaled approximately $1.6 million and $7.0 million, respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 and approximately $6.4 million and $12.9 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. The initial term of the agreements range from 10 to 30 years with the weighted average expiration being July 2030.