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Leases
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Leases [Abstract]  
Leases . LeasesThe Company has operating and finance leases for various real estate and equipment. Certain of the Company’s lease agreements include rental payments based on a percentage of sales over specified contractual amounts, rental payments adjusted periodically for inflation and rental payments based on usage. The Company’s leases include options to extend the lease term one month to 60 years. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material restrictive covenants, other than those described below.
Financing Obligations
VICI Leases & Golf Course Use Agreement
Upon consummation of the Merger, CEI assumed obligations of certain real property assets leased from VICI by Former Caesars under the following agreements: (i) for a portfolio of properties at various locations throughout the United States (the “Non-CPLV lease”), (ii) for Caesars Palace Las Vegas (the “CPLV lease”), (iii) for Harrah’s Joliet Hotel & Casino (the “Joliet Lease”) and (iv) for Harrah’s Las Vegas (the “HLV Lease”). These lease agreements provided for annual fixed rent (subject to escalation) of $773 million during an initial period, then rent consisting of both base rent and variable rent elements. The lease agreements had a 15-year initial term and four five-year renewal options. The lease agreements included escalation provisions beginning in year two of the initial term and continuing through the renewal terms. The lease agreements also included provisions for variable rent payments calculated, in part, based on increases or decreases of net revenue of the underlying lease properties, commencing in year eight of the initial term and continuing through the renewal terms.
In connection with the closing of the Merger on July 20, 2020, the Company and certain of its affiliates consummated a series of transactions with VICI in accordance with the MTA and the purchase and sales agreements entered on September 26, 2019. The Company and certain of its affiliates consummated sale leaseback transactions related to Harrah’s New Orleans, Harrah’s Laughlin and Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, including the Harrah’s Atlantic City Waterfront Conference Center, for approximately $1.8 billion of net proceeds. The Non-CPLV lease was amended to include these properties (as amended, the “Regional Lease”), and was further amended to increase the annual rent thereunder by $154 million in the aggregate related to such added properties and extend the term of such lease so that following the amendment of such lease there will be 15 years remaining until the expiration of the initial term. The Joliet Lease term was also amended such that 15 years remain until the expiration of the initial term.
Former Caesars entered into a Golf Course Use Agreement with VICI, which has a 35-year term (inclusive of all renewal periods), pursuant to which such affiliates of the Company agreed to pay (i) an annual payment of $10 million, subject to escalation, (ii) an annual use fee of $3 million, subject to escalation beginning in the second year, and (iii) certain per-round fees, all as more particularly set forth in the Golf Course Use Agreement. Furthermore, the term of the Golf Course Use Agreement was extended such that there will be 15 years remaining until the expiration of the initial term.
The amendment to the Regional Lease also contains a put-call agreement related to the Centaur properties, which are Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand, pursuant to which the Company may require VICI to purchase and lease back (as lessor) the real estate components of the gaming and racetrack facilities of Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand and VICI may require the Company to sell to VICI and lease back (as lessee) the real estate components of such gaming and racetrack facilities. Election by either party to put or call the Centaur properties must be made during the election period beginning January 1, 2022 and ending December 31, 2024. Upon either party exercising their option, the Centaur properties would be sold at the price in accordance with the agreement and subsequently leased back to CEI by adding the leaseback to the pre-existing Regional lease agreement. As such, the Centaur properties would be leased back over the remaining term of the Regional lease agreement and the Regional lease agreement annual rental payments would be increased by the amount of rent required to achieve a rent coverage ratio of 1.3 as of the exercise date. A liability of $6 million associated with this agreement has been recorded within Other long-term liabilities.
Additionally, in connection with the Merger, the Company received a one-time payment from VICI of approximately $1.4 billion for amendments to the CPLV Lease (as amended, the “Las Vegas Lease”) to, among other things, (i) add the land and improvements of HLV to the lease and terminate the HLV Lease (ii) add the rent payable with respect to the HLV Lease and further increase the annual rent payable with respect to HLV by approximately $15 million, (iii) increase the annual rent with respect to CPLV by approximately $84 million and (iv) extend the term of such lease so that following the amendment of such lease there will be 15 years remaining until the expiration of the initial term.
In connection with the Merger, the land and building components subject to the lease amendments described above did not qualify for sale-leaseback accounting and are accounted for as post-combination debt modifications.
GLPI Leases
The fair value of the real estate assets and the related failed sale-leaseback financing obligations were estimated based on the present value of the estimated future lease payments over the lease term of 35 years, including renewal options, using an imputed discount rate of approximately 10.2%. The value of the failed sale-leaseback financing obligations is dependent upon assumptions regarding the amount of the lease payments and the estimated discount rate of the lease payments required by a market participant.
The GLPI Master Lease provides for the lease of land, buildings, structures and other improvements on the land (including barges and riverboats), easements and similar appurtenances to the land and improvements relating to the operation of the leased properties. The GLPI Master Lease provides for an initial term of 20 (as amended below) with no purchase option. At the Company’s option, the GLPI Master Lease may be extended for up to four five-year renewal terms beyond the initial 20 years-year term (as amended below).
On June 15, 2020, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Master Lease with GLPI, which, among other things, (i) extended the initial term from 15 to 20 years (through September 2038), with four five-year renewals at the Company’s option, (ii) commencing October 1, 2020, removed the percentage rent payable in exchange for an increase to the non-escalating portion of land base rent to $24 million, (iii) amended the dates on which, and the amounts by which, the escalating portion of base rent escalates, and (iv) provided certain relief under the operating, capital expenditure and financial covenants in the event of facility closures due to public health emergencies, governmental restrictions and certain other instances of unavoidable delay. The amendment to the GLPI Master Lease became effective on July 17, 2020 following receipt of required regulatory approvals. If the Company elects to renew the term of the GLPI Master Lease, the renewal will be effective as to all, but not less than all, of the leased property then subject to the GLPI Master Lease. The GLPI Master Lease does not provide the Company with the option to purchase the leased property and the Company does not have the ability to terminate its obligations under the GLPI Master Lease prior to its expiration without GLPI’s consent.
On September 29, 2020, Company entered into a sale-leaseback transaction with GLPI for the Lumière property. On October 1, 2018, the Company borrowed $246 million from GLPI to fund the purchase price of the real estate underlying Lumière. As part of the consideration for the purchase of the property, GLPI cancelled the $246 million loan. The lease (the “Lumiere Lease”) has an initial term that ends on October 31, 2033 and four five-year renewal options.
Following the amendments and transactions above, the land and building components subject to the lease amendments described above did not qualify for sale-leaseback accounting and are accounted for as post-combination debt modifications.
The future minimum payments related to the GLPI leases, including the Lumière Lease, and VICI leases financing obligation, as amended, at September 30, 2020 were as follows:
(In millions)GLPI LeasesVICI Leases
2020 (excluding the nine months ended September 30, 2020)$27 $268 
2021109 1,079 
2022109 1,097 
2023111 1,119 
2024112 1,139 
Thereafter4,880 46,737 
Total future payments5,348 51,439 
Less: Amounts representing interest(4,522)(41,020)
Plus: Residual values399 906 
Financing obligation$1,225 $11,325 
Cash payments made relating to our long-term financing obligations during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:
GLPI Leases (a)
VICI Leases
Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
(In millions)20202019202020192020201920202019
Cash paid for principal$22 $22 $66 $66 $49 $— $49 $— 
Cash paid for interest24 25 74 74 128 — 128 — 
____________________
(a)For the initial periods of the GLPI Leases, cash payments are less than the interest expense recognized, which causes the failed-sale leaseback obligation to increase during the initial years of the lease term.
Lease Covenants
The GLPI Leases and VICI leases contains certain operating, capital expenditure and financial covenants thereunder, and the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with these covenants was also negatively impacted. On June 15, 2020, the Company entered into an amendment to the GLPI Master Lease which provides certain relief under these covenants in the event of facility closures due to public health emergencies, governmental restrictions and certain other instances of unavoidable delay. Furthermore, the Company obtained waivers from VICI with relation to annual capital expenditure requirements the leases with VICI starting with the annual period ending December 31, 2020.
Lessor Arrangements
Lodging Arrangements
Lodging arrangements are considered short-term and generally consist of lease and nonlease components. The lease component is the predominant component of the arrangement and consists of the fees charged for lodging. The nonlease components primarily consist of resort fees and other miscellaneous items. As the timing and pattern of transfer of both the lease and nonlease components are over the course of the lease term, we have elected to combine the revenue generated from lease and nonlease components into a single lease component based on the predominant component in the arrangement. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recognized approximately $200 million and $257 million, respectively, in lease revenue related to lodging arrangements, which is included in Rooms revenue in the Statement of Operations.
Conventions
Convention arrangements are considered short-term and generally consist of lease and nonlease components. The lease component is the predominant component of the arrangement and consists of fees charged for the use of meeting space. The nonlease components primarily consist of food and beverage and audio/visual services. Revenue from conventions is included in Other revenue in the Statement of Operations, and during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recognized approximately $2 million in lease revenue related to conventions.
Leases . LeasesThe Company has operating and finance leases for various real estate and equipment. Certain of the Company’s lease agreements include rental payments based on a percentage of sales over specified contractual amounts, rental payments adjusted periodically for inflation and rental payments based on usage. The Company’s leases include options to extend the lease term one month to 60 years. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material restrictive covenants, other than those described below.
Financing Obligations
VICI Leases & Golf Course Use Agreement
Upon consummation of the Merger, CEI assumed obligations of certain real property assets leased from VICI by Former Caesars under the following agreements: (i) for a portfolio of properties at various locations throughout the United States (the “Non-CPLV lease”), (ii) for Caesars Palace Las Vegas (the “CPLV lease”), (iii) for Harrah’s Joliet Hotel & Casino (the “Joliet Lease”) and (iv) for Harrah’s Las Vegas (the “HLV Lease”). These lease agreements provided for annual fixed rent (subject to escalation) of $773 million during an initial period, then rent consisting of both base rent and variable rent elements. The lease agreements had a 15-year initial term and four five-year renewal options. The lease agreements included escalation provisions beginning in year two of the initial term and continuing through the renewal terms. The lease agreements also included provisions for variable rent payments calculated, in part, based on increases or decreases of net revenue of the underlying lease properties, commencing in year eight of the initial term and continuing through the renewal terms.
In connection with the closing of the Merger on July 20, 2020, the Company and certain of its affiliates consummated a series of transactions with VICI in accordance with the MTA and the purchase and sales agreements entered on September 26, 2019. The Company and certain of its affiliates consummated sale leaseback transactions related to Harrah’s New Orleans, Harrah’s Laughlin and Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, including the Harrah’s Atlantic City Waterfront Conference Center, for approximately $1.8 billion of net proceeds. The Non-CPLV lease was amended to include these properties (as amended, the “Regional Lease”), and was further amended to increase the annual rent thereunder by $154 million in the aggregate related to such added properties and extend the term of such lease so that following the amendment of such lease there will be 15 years remaining until the expiration of the initial term. The Joliet Lease term was also amended such that 15 years remain until the expiration of the initial term.
Former Caesars entered into a Golf Course Use Agreement with VICI, which has a 35-year term (inclusive of all renewal periods), pursuant to which such affiliates of the Company agreed to pay (i) an annual payment of $10 million, subject to escalation, (ii) an annual use fee of $3 million, subject to escalation beginning in the second year, and (iii) certain per-round fees, all as more particularly set forth in the Golf Course Use Agreement. Furthermore, the term of the Golf Course Use Agreement was extended such that there will be 15 years remaining until the expiration of the initial term.
The amendment to the Regional Lease also contains a put-call agreement related to the Centaur properties, which are Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand, pursuant to which the Company may require VICI to purchase and lease back (as lessor) the real estate components of the gaming and racetrack facilities of Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand and VICI may require the Company to sell to VICI and lease back (as lessee) the real estate components of such gaming and racetrack facilities. Election by either party to put or call the Centaur properties must be made during the election period beginning January 1, 2022 and ending December 31, 2024. Upon either party exercising their option, the Centaur properties would be sold at the price in accordance with the agreement and subsequently leased back to CEI by adding the leaseback to the pre-existing Regional lease agreement. As such, the Centaur properties would be leased back over the remaining term of the Regional lease agreement and the Regional lease agreement annual rental payments would be increased by the amount of rent required to achieve a rent coverage ratio of 1.3 as of the exercise date. A liability of $6 million associated with this agreement has been recorded within Other long-term liabilities.
Additionally, in connection with the Merger, the Company received a one-time payment from VICI of approximately $1.4 billion for amendments to the CPLV Lease (as amended, the “Las Vegas Lease”) to, among other things, (i) add the land and improvements of HLV to the lease and terminate the HLV Lease (ii) add the rent payable with respect to the HLV Lease and further increase the annual rent payable with respect to HLV by approximately $15 million, (iii) increase the annual rent with respect to CPLV by approximately $84 million and (iv) extend the term of such lease so that following the amendment of such lease there will be 15 years remaining until the expiration of the initial term.
In connection with the Merger, the land and building components subject to the lease amendments described above did not qualify for sale-leaseback accounting and are accounted for as post-combination debt modifications.
GLPI Leases
The fair value of the real estate assets and the related failed sale-leaseback financing obligations were estimated based on the present value of the estimated future lease payments over the lease term of 35 years, including renewal options, using an imputed discount rate of approximately 10.2%. The value of the failed sale-leaseback financing obligations is dependent upon assumptions regarding the amount of the lease payments and the estimated discount rate of the lease payments required by a market participant.
The GLPI Master Lease provides for the lease of land, buildings, structures and other improvements on the land (including barges and riverboats), easements and similar appurtenances to the land and improvements relating to the operation of the leased properties. The GLPI Master Lease provides for an initial term of 20 (as amended below) with no purchase option. At the Company’s option, the GLPI Master Lease may be extended for up to four five-year renewal terms beyond the initial 20 years-year term (as amended below).
On June 15, 2020, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Master Lease with GLPI, which, among other things, (i) extended the initial term from 15 to 20 years (through September 2038), with four five-year renewals at the Company’s option, (ii) commencing October 1, 2020, removed the percentage rent payable in exchange for an increase to the non-escalating portion of land base rent to $24 million, (iii) amended the dates on which, and the amounts by which, the escalating portion of base rent escalates, and (iv) provided certain relief under the operating, capital expenditure and financial covenants in the event of facility closures due to public health emergencies, governmental restrictions and certain other instances of unavoidable delay. The amendment to the GLPI Master Lease became effective on July 17, 2020 following receipt of required regulatory approvals. If the Company elects to renew the term of the GLPI Master Lease, the renewal will be effective as to all, but not less than all, of the leased property then subject to the GLPI Master Lease. The GLPI Master Lease does not provide the Company with the option to purchase the leased property and the Company does not have the ability to terminate its obligations under the GLPI Master Lease prior to its expiration without GLPI’s consent.
On September 29, 2020, Company entered into a sale-leaseback transaction with GLPI for the Lumière property. On October 1, 2018, the Company borrowed $246 million from GLPI to fund the purchase price of the real estate underlying Lumière. As part of the consideration for the purchase of the property, GLPI cancelled the $246 million loan. The lease (the “Lumiere Lease”) has an initial term that ends on October 31, 2033 and four five-year renewal options.
Following the amendments and transactions above, the land and building components subject to the lease amendments described above did not qualify for sale-leaseback accounting and are accounted for as post-combination debt modifications.
The future minimum payments related to the GLPI leases, including the Lumière Lease, and VICI leases financing obligation, as amended, at September 30, 2020 were as follows:
(In millions)GLPI LeasesVICI Leases
2020 (excluding the nine months ended September 30, 2020)$27 $268 
2021109 1,079 
2022109 1,097 
2023111 1,119 
2024112 1,139 
Thereafter4,880 46,737 
Total future payments5,348 51,439 
Less: Amounts representing interest(4,522)(41,020)
Plus: Residual values399 906 
Financing obligation$1,225 $11,325 
Cash payments made relating to our long-term financing obligations during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:
GLPI Leases (a)
VICI Leases
Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
(In millions)20202019202020192020201920202019
Cash paid for principal$22 $22 $66 $66 $49 $— $49 $— 
Cash paid for interest24 25 74 74 128 — 128 — 
____________________
(a)For the initial periods of the GLPI Leases, cash payments are less than the interest expense recognized, which causes the failed-sale leaseback obligation to increase during the initial years of the lease term.
Lease Covenants
The GLPI Leases and VICI leases contains certain operating, capital expenditure and financial covenants thereunder, and the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with these covenants was also negatively impacted. On June 15, 2020, the Company entered into an amendment to the GLPI Master Lease which provides certain relief under these covenants in the event of facility closures due to public health emergencies, governmental restrictions and certain other instances of unavoidable delay. Furthermore, the Company obtained waivers from VICI with relation to annual capital expenditure requirements the leases with VICI starting with the annual period ending December 31, 2020.
Lessor Arrangements
Lodging Arrangements
Lodging arrangements are considered short-term and generally consist of lease and nonlease components. The lease component is the predominant component of the arrangement and consists of the fees charged for lodging. The nonlease components primarily consist of resort fees and other miscellaneous items. As the timing and pattern of transfer of both the lease and nonlease components are over the course of the lease term, we have elected to combine the revenue generated from lease and nonlease components into a single lease component based on the predominant component in the arrangement. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recognized approximately $200 million and $257 million, respectively, in lease revenue related to lodging arrangements, which is included in Rooms revenue in the Statement of Operations.
Conventions
Convention arrangements are considered short-term and generally consist of lease and nonlease components. The lease component is the predominant component of the arrangement and consists of fees charged for the use of meeting space. The nonlease components primarily consist of food and beverage and audio/visual services. Revenue from conventions is included in Other revenue in the Statement of Operations, and during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recognized approximately $2 million in lease revenue related to conventions.