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Related Party Transactions
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions
Related Party Transactions
 
Management Agreement
 
RCI manages all aspects of the theatre operations of UATC and its subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of a management agreement, which includes all of its cash collections, cash disbursements and other cash management functions. During the quarters ended March 31, 2015 and March 27, 2014, UATC recorded management fee expenses of $1.2 million and $1.4 million, respectively, related to this agreement. Such fees have been recorded in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income as a component of "General and administrative expenses."
 
Related Party Receivables
 
The related party receivables balance of $78.5 million as of January 1, 2015 was comprised of approximately $9.8 million related to advances made to Prop I to fund additions and/or renovations to theatres leased from Prop I and approximately $68.7 million related to intercompany transactions and cash management.  The related party receivables balance of $76.9 million as of March 31, 2015 was also comprised of the $9.8 million receivable from Prop I and approximately $67.1 million related to intercompany transactions and cash management.
 
UATC leases three theatres from Prop I in accordance with a master lease (the "Prop I Master Lease"). The Prop I Master Lease commenced in 1988 with an original base term of 15 years and in 2003 UATC exercised a 10 year renewal extension of the lease. During fiscal 2013, the lease was subsequently extended through 2016. The Prop I Master Lease provides for basic monthly or quarterly rentals and may require additional rentals, based on the revenue of the underlying theatre. In order to fund the cost of additions and/or renovations to the theatres leased by UATC from Prop I, UATC made advances to Prop I prior to becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of REG in 2002.  Since 2002, UATC has not funded any additions and/or renovations for these properties and does not expect to make any advances to Prop 1 in future periods. The Prop I portion of the related party receivable balance ($9.8 million at March 31, 2015 and January 1, 2015) will be reduced upon any sale of the three properties by Prop I, with UATC receiving the net proceeds of the sale. The fair value of each of the three locations is evaluated periodically using the expected selling price less selling costs for each property.  Management’s estimates (Level 3 inputs as described in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures) are based on recent market transactions and current real estate values within each market.  The Company has no current intention to market or sell the properties at this time, but believes that the fair market value of the three properties will be sufficient to substantially recover the current receivable from Prop I.
 
The decrease in the related party receivables balance of $1.6 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2015 was due primarily to the timing of intercompany cash collections and disbursements particularly with respect to (1) the increase in the amount of expenses paid by RCI on behalf of UATC, partially offset by (2) the impact of the redemption of gift cards and discount tickets at UATC theatres that were sold by a subsidiary of RCI, Regal CineMedia Corporation ("RCM"), and (3) cash received by RCI for various revenue items, such as on-line ticket sales and rebates from vendor marketing programs, for UATC’s share of the revenues for such items. When RCI (or RCM) receives the cash for these items, revenue is recorded by UATC and a corresponding intercompany receivable is created, which is payable by RCI (or RCM) to UATC.  Decreases in the intercompany receivable recorded by UATC could occur in future periods as long as the above described cash management activities continue as usual.  As of March 31, 2015, management believes the intercompany receivable is fully collectible.
 


National CineMedia, LLC Transactions
 
Pursuant to the Company’s management agreement with RCI, RCI, through an agreement with National CineMedia, LLC ("National CineMedia"), provides on-screen and lobby advertising and event services to UATC.
 
In connection with the completion of the initial public offering, or IPO, of National CineMedia Inc.’s common stock, RCI amended and restated its existing exhibitor services agreement ("ESA") with National CineMedia, whereby in exchange for its pro rata share of the IPO proceeds, RCI agreed to a modification of National CineMedia’s payment obligation under the ESA.  The modification extended the term of the ESA to 30 years, provided National CineMedia with a five-year right of first refusal beginning one year prior to the end of the term and changed the basis upon which RCI is paid by National CineMedia from a percentage of revenues associated with advertising contracts entered into by National CineMedia to a monthly theatre access fee.  Also, with respect to any on-screen advertising time provided by us to our beverage concessionaire, RCI is required to purchase such time from National CineMedia at a negotiated rate.
 
As a result of the ESA amendment and related modification payment, RCI recognizes various types of other revenue from National CineMedia, including per patron and per digital screen theatre access fees, net of payments for on-screen advertising time provided to the Company’s beverage concessionaire, other National CineMedia revenue and amortization of upfront ESA modification fees utilizing the units of revenue amortization method.

The Company’s portion of these revenues is presented as a component of "Other operating revenues" in the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and consists of the following amounts (in millions):
 
 
Quarter Ended
March 31, 2015
 
Quarter Ended
March 27, 2014
Theatre access fees - patrons
$
0.2

 
$
0.2

Theatre access fees - digital screens
0.1

 
0.1

Other NCM revenue
0.1

 
0.1

Amortization of ESA modification fees
0.1

 
0.1

Payments for beverage concessionaire advertising
(0.1
)
 
(0.2
)
Total
$
0.4

 
$
0.3



On December 26, 2013, National CineMedia sold its Fathom Events business to AC JV, LLC a newly-formed Delaware limited liability company owned 32% by each of RCI, AMC Entertainment, Inc. ("AMC") and Cinemark, Inc. ("Cinemark") and 4% by National CineMedia. The Fathom Events business focuses on the marketing and distribution of live and pre-recorded entertainment programming to various theatre operators (including REG, AMC and Cinemark) to provide additional programs to augment their feature film schedule and includes events such as live and pre-recorded concerts, opera and symphony, DVD product releases and marketing events, theatrical premieres, Broadway plays, live sporting events and other special events.

Digital Cinema Implementation Partners, LLC Transactions
 
Regal maintains an investment in Digital Cinema Implementation Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("DCIP").  DCIP is a joint venture company formed by Regal, AMC and Cinemark. On March 10, 2010, DCIP executed definitive agreements and related financing transactions in connection with the conversion to digital projection. Concurrent with closing, RCI entered into a master equipment lease agreement (the "Master Lease") and other related agreements with Kasima, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of DCIP.
 
DCIP funds the cost of conversion to digital projection principally through the collection of virtual print fees from motion picture studios and equipment lease payments from participating exhibitors, including Regal. In accordance with the Master Lease, RCI subleases (the "Sublease") the digital projection systems to UATC under a twelve-year term with ten one-year fair value renewal options. The Master Lease also contains a fair value purchase option.  On March 31, 2014, the junior capital raised by DCIP in the initial financing transaction was paid in full by DCIP. In connection with the repayment, the Master Lease (and Sublease) was amended to eliminate the incremental minimum rent payment provision of $2,000 per digital projection system described more fully in Note 5 to the 2014 Audited Consolidated Financial Statements. As a result of the amendment to the Master Lease, the Company's deferred rent balance associated with the incremental minimum rental payment of $2,000 per digital projection system is being amortized on a straight-line basis as a reduction of rent expense from the effective date of the amendment (March 31, 2014) through the end of the remaining lease term. As of March 31, 2015, under the Master Lease and the Sublease, UATC pays RCI annual minimum rent of $1,000 per digital projection system from the effective date of the agreement through the end of the lease term. UATC considers the $1,000 minimum rental to be a minimum rent and accordingly has recorded such rent on a straight-line basis in its consolidated financial statements. UATC is also subject to various types of other rent if such digital projection systems do not meet minimum performance requirements as outlined in the Master Lease and the Sublease. Certain of the other rent payments are subject to either a monthly or an annual maximum. UATC accounts for the Sublease as an operating lease for accounting purposes. During the quarters ended March 31, 2015 and March 27, 2014, the Company incurred total rent of approximately $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively, associated with the leased digital projection systems.