Exhibit 10.27
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Deferred Compensation Plan, as amended
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Deferred Compensation Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE 1 Definitions |
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1 |
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ARTICLE 2 Selection, Enrollment, Eligibility |
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8 |
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2.1 |
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Selection by Committee |
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8 |
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2.2 |
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Enrollment Requirements |
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8 |
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2.3 |
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Eligibility; Commencement of Participation |
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8 |
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2.4 |
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Termination of Participation and/or Deferrals |
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8 |
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ARTICLE 3 Deferral Commitments/Company Contribution/Crediting/Taxes |
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8 |
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3.1 |
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Minimum Deferrals |
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8 |
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3.2 |
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Maximum Deferral |
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9 |
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3.3 |
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Election to Defer; Effect of Election Form |
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9 |
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3.4 |
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Withholding of Annual Deferral Amounts |
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9 |
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3.5 |
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Annual Company Contribution Amount |
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9 |
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3.6 |
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Rollover Amount |
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10 |
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3.7 |
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Investment of Trust Assets |
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10 |
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3.8 |
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Vesting |
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10 |
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3.9 |
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Crediting/Debiting of Account Balances |
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12 |
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3.10 |
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FICA and Other Taxes |
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13 |
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ARTICLE 4 Short-Term Payout; Unforeseeable Financial Emergencies; Withdrawal Election |
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14 |
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4.1 |
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Short-Term Payout |
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14 |
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4.2 |
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Other Benefits Take Precedence Over Short-Term |
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14 |
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4.3 |
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Withdrawal Payout/Suspensions for Unforeseeable Financial Emergencies |
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14 |
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4.4 |
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Withdrawal Election |
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14 |
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ARTICLE 5 Retirement Benefit |
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15 |
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5.1 |
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Retirement Benefit |
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15 |
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5.2 |
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Payment of Retirement Benefit |
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15 |
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5.3 |
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Death Prior to Completion of Retirement Benefit |
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15 |
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ARTICLE 6 Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit |
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16 |
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6.1 |
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Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit |
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16 |
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6.2 |
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Payment of Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit |
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16 |
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ARTICLE 7 Termination Benefit |
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16 |
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7.1 |
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Termination Benefit |
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16 |
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7.2 |
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Payment of Termination Benefit |
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16 |
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ARTICLE 8 Disability Waiver and Benefit |
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17 |
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8.1 |
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Disability Waiver |
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17 |
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8.2 |
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Disability; Continued Eligibility |
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17 |
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ARTICLE 9 Beneficiary Designation |
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17 |
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9.1 |
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Beneficiary |
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17 |
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9.2 |
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Beneficiary Designation; Change |
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18 |
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9.3 |
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Acknowledgment |
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18 |
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9.4 |
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No Beneficiary Designation |
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18 |
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9.5 |
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Doubt as to Beneficiary |
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18 |
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9.6 |
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Discharge of Obligations |
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18 |
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ARTICLE 10 Leave of Absence |
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18 |
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10.1 |
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Paid Leave of Absence |
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18 |
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10.2 |
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Unpaid Leave of Absence |
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18 |
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ARTICLE 11 Termination, Amendment or Modification |
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19 |
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11.1 |
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Termination |
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19 |
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11.2 |
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Amendment |
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19 |
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11.3 |
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Plan Agreement |
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19 |
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11.4 |
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Effect of Payment |
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20 |
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ARTICLE 12 Administration |
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20 |
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12.1 |
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Committee Duties |
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20 |
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12.2 |
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Administration Upon Change In Control |
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20 |
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12.3 |
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Agents |
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21 |
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12.4 |
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Binding Effect of Decisions |
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21 |
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12.5 |
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Indemnity of Committee |
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21 |
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12.6 |
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Employer Information |
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21 |
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ARTICLE 13 Other Benefits and Agreements |
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21 |
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13.1 |
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Coordination with Other Benefits |
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21 |
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ARTICLE 14 Claims Procedures |
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21 |
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14.1 |
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Presentation of Claim |
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21 |
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14.2 |
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Notification of Decision |
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22 |
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14.3 |
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Review of a Denied Claim |
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22 |
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14.4 |
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Decision on Review |
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22 |
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14.5 |
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Legal Action |
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23 |
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ARTICLE 15 Trust |
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23 |
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15.1 |
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Establishment of the Trust |
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23 |
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15.2 |
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Interrelationship of the Plan and the Trust |
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23 |
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15.3 |
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Distributions From the Trust |
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23 |
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ARTICLE 16 Miscellaneous |
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23 |
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16.1 |
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Status of Plan |
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23 |
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16.2 |
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Unsecured General Creditor |
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23 |
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16.3 |
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Employers Liability |
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24 |
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16.4 |
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Nonassignability |
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24 |
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16.5 |
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Not a Contract of Employment |
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24 |
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16.6 |
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Furnishing Information |
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24 |
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16.7 |
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Terms |
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24 |
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16.8 |
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Captions |
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24 |
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16.9 |
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Governing Law |
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25 |
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16.10 |
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Notice |
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25 |
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16.11 |
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Successors |
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25 |
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16.12 |
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Spouses Interest |
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25 |
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16.13 |
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Validity |
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25 |
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16.14 |
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Incompetent |
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25 |
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16.15 |
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Distribution in the Event of Taxation. |
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26 |
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16.16 |
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Insurance |
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26 |
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16.17 |
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Legal Fees To Enforce Rights After Change in Control |
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26 |
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Deferred Compensation Plan
PENN NATIONAL GAMING, INC.
Deferred Compensation Plan, as amended
Purpose
The purpose of this Plan is to provide specified deferred compensation benefits to a select group of management and highly compensated Employees who contribute materially to the continued growth, development and future business success of Penn National Gaming, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, and its subsidiaries and affiliates, if any, that participate in this Plan. This Plan is unfunded for tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of ERISA.
For purposes of this Plan, unless otherwise clearly apparent from the context, the following phrases or terms have the following indicated meanings:
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5
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2.1 Selection by Committee. Participation in the Plan will be limited to a select group of management and highly compensated Employees of the Employers, as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.
2.2 Enrollment Requirements. As a condition of participation, each selected Employee will complete, execute, and return to the Committee a Plan Agreement, an Election Form and a Beneficiary Designation Form, all within 30 days after he or she is selected to participate in the Plan. In addition, the Committee will establish from time to time such other enrollment requirements as it determines, in its sole discretion, are necessary.
2.3 Eligibility; Commencement of Participation. Provided that an Employee selected to participate in the Plan has met all enrollment requirements set forth in this Plan and required by the Committee, including returning all required documents to the Committee within the specified time period, that Employee will commence participation in the Plan on the first day of the month following the month in which the Employee completes all enrollment requirements. If an Employee fails to meet all such requirements within the period required, in accordance with Section 2.2, that Employee will not be eligible to participate in the Plan until the first day of the Plan Year following the delivery to and acceptance by the Committee of the required documents.
2.4 Termination of Participation and/or Deferrals. If the Committee determines in good faith that a Participant no longer qualifies as a member of a select group of management or highly compensated employees, as membership in that group is determined in accordance with Sections 201(2), 301(a)(3) and 401(a)(1) of ERISA, the Committee will have the right, in its sole discretion, to (a) terminate any deferral election the Participant has made for the remainder of the Plan Year in which the Participants membership status changes, (b) prevent the Participant from making future deferral elections, and (c) distribute the Participants vested Account Balance to the Participant.
If an election is made for less than stated minimum amounts, or if no election is made, the amount deferred will be zero.
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For each Plan Year, a Participant may elect to defer, as his or her Annual Deferral Amount up to 90% of his Base Annual Salary and/or Annual Bonus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant first becomes a Participant after the first day of a Plan Year, the maximum Annual Deferral Amount will be limited to the amount of Compensation not yet earned by the Participant as of the date the Participant submits a Plan Agreement and Election Form to the Committee for acceptance.
3.4 Withholding of Annual Deferral Amounts. For each Plan Year, the Base Annual Salary portion of the Annual Deferral Amount will be withheld from each regularly scheduled Base Annual Salary payroll in equal amounts, as adjusted from time to time for increases and decreases in Base Annual Salary. The Annual Bonus portion of the Annual Deferral Amount will be withheld at the time the Annual Bonus is or otherwise would be paid to the Participant, whether or not this occurs during the Plan Year itself.
3.5 Annual Company Contribution Amount. During the period commencing on March 1, 2001 and ending on June 30, 2001, the Company shall credit to the Account of each Participant an amount equal to 50% of the Participants Annual Deferral Amount up to a maximum amount equal to 6% of the Annual Deferral Amount up to a maximum annual credit of 3%. During the period
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commencing on July 1, 2001 and ending on December 31, 2001 and for each Plan Year thereafter, the Company shall credit to the Account of each Participant an amount equal to 50% of the Participants first 10% Annual Deferral Amount up to a maximum annual credit of 5%. For each Plan Year, the Company, in its sole discretion, may, but is not required to, credit any amount it desires to any Participants Company Contribution Account under this Plan. The amount so credited to a Participant may be smaller or larger than the amount credited to any other Participant, and the amount credited to any Participant for a Plan Year may be zero, even though one or more other Participants receive an Annual Company Contribution Amount for that Plan Year. All discretionary contributions to a Participants Company Contribution Account shall be subject to the approval of the Board.
3.6 Rollover Amount. Upon the effective date of his participation in the Plan, a Participant may elect to have his account balance or accrued benefit in any other nonqualified deferred compensation or nonqualified retirement plan maintained by an Employer transferred to this Plan and credited to his Account hereunder.
3.7 Investment of Trust Assets. The Trustee of the Trust will be authorized, upon written instructions received from the Committee or an investment manager appointed by the Committee, to invest and reinvest the assets of the Trust in accordance with the Trust Agreement, including the disposition of Stock and reinvestment of the proceeds in one or more investment vehicles designated by the Committee.
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Years of Service on Date of |
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Vested Percentage of Company |
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Less than 1 year |
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0% |
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1 year |
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20% |
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2 years |
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40% |
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3 years |
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60% |
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4 years |
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80% |
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5 years |
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100% |
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3.9 Crediting/Debiting of Account Balances. In accordance with, and subject to, the rules and procedures that are established from time to time by the Committee, in its sole discretion, amounts shall be credited or debited to a Participants Account in accordance with the following rules:
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4.1 Short-Term Payout. In connection with each election to defer an Annual Deferral Amount, a Participant may irrevocably elect to receive a future Short-Term Payout from the Plan with respect to the Annual Deferral Amount. Subject to the Deduction Limitation, the Short-Term Payout will be a lump sum payment in an amount that is equal to the Annual Deferral Amount plus amounts credited or debited in the manner provided in Section 3.9 above on that amount, determined at the time that the Short-Term Payout becomes payable (rather than the date of a Termination of Employment). Subject to the Deduction Limitation and the other terms and conditions of this Plan, each Short-Term Payout elected will be paid out during a thirty (30)-day period commencing immediately after the last day of any Plan Year designated by the Participant.
4.2 Other Benefits Take Precedence Over Short-Term. If an event occurs that triggers a benefit under Article 5, 6, 7 or 8, any Annual Deferral Amount, plus amounts credited or debited on them, that is subject to a Short-Term Payout election under Section 4.1 will not be paid in accordance with Section 4.1 but will be paid in accordance with the other applicable Article.
4.3 Withdrawal Payout/Suspensions for Unforeseeable Financial Emergencies. If a Participant (or, after a Participants death, his or her Beneficiary) experiences an Unforeseeable Financial Emergency, the Participant (or Beneficiary) may petition the Committee to (a) suspend any deferrals required to be made by a Participant and/or (b) receive a partial or full payout from the Plan. The payout will not exceed the lesser of the Participants Account Balance, calculated as if the Participant were receiving a Termination Benefit, or the amount reasonably needed to satisfy the Unforeseeable Financial Emergency. If, subject to the sole discretion of the Committee, the petition for a suspension and/or payout is approved, suspension will take effect upon the date of approval, and any payout will be made within 30 days of the date of approval. The payment of any amount under this Section 4.3 will not be subject to the Deduction Limitation.
4.4 Withdrawal Election. A Participant (or, after a Participants death, his or her Beneficiary) may elect, at any time, to withdraw all of his or her Account Balance, calculated as if a Termination of Employment had occurred as of the day of the election,
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less a withdrawal penalty equal to 10% of that amount (the net amount is referred to as the Withdrawal Amount). This election can be made at any time, before or after Retirement, Disability, death or Termination of Employment, and whether or not the Participant (or Beneficiary) is in the process of being paid pursuant to an installment payment schedule. If withdrawal is made before Retirement, Disability or death, a Participants Withdrawal Amount will be his or her Account Balance calculated as if a Termination of Employment had occurred as of the day of the election. No partial withdrawals of the Withdrawal Amount will be allowed. To make a withdrawal election, the Participant (or his or her Beneficiary) must give the Committee advance written notice of the election in a form determined from time to time by the Committee. The Participant (or his or her Beneficiary) will be paid the Withdrawal Amount within 30 days of his or her election. Once the Withdrawal Amount is paid, the Participants participation in the Plan will terminate, and the Participant will not be eligible to participate in the Plan for the remainder of the Plan Year in which the Withdrawal Amount is paid and the next Plan Year. The payment of this Withdrawal Amount will not be subject to the Deduction Limitation.
5.1 Retirement Benefit. Subject to the Deduction Limitation, a Participant who Retires will receive, as a Retirement Benefit, his or her Account Balance.
5.2 Payment of Retirement Benefit. A Participant, in connection with his or her commencement of participation in the Plan, will elect on an Election Form to receive the Retirement Benefit in a lump sum or pursuant to an Annual Installment Method of 5 or 10 years. On the Election Form, the Participant may also elect to defer commencement of the Retirement Benefit to a later date, not later than five (5) years after the date on which the Participant retires. The Participant may annually change his or her election to an allowable alternative payout period and/or payment commencement date by submitting a new Election Form to the Committee, provided that any such Election Form must be submitted at least six (6) months prior to the Participants Retirement and be accepted by the Committee. The Election Form most recently accepted by the Committee will govern the payout of the Retirement Benefit, provided that it has been on file with the Committee for at least six (6) months. If a Participant does not make any election with respect to the payment of the Retirement Benefit, then that benefit will be payable in a lump sum. Unless the Participant has effectively elected a deferred payment commencement date, a lump sum payment will be made, or installment payments will commence, no later than 30 days after the last day of the Plan Year in which the Participant Retires. Any payment made will be subject to the Deduction Limitation.
5.3 Death Prior to Completion of Retirement Benefit. If a Participant dies after Retirement but before the Retirement Benefit is paid in full, the Participants unpaid Retirement Benefit payments will continue and will be paid to the Participants
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Beneficiary over the remaining number of years and in the same amounts as that benefit would have been paid to the Participant had the Participant survived. Beneficiaries may receive distributions in a lump sum or over a shorter period of time if so determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.
6.1 Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit. Subject to the Deduction Limitation, the Participants Beneficiary will receive a Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit equal to the Participants Account Balance if the Participant dies before he or she Retires, experiences a Termination of Employment, or suffers a Disability.
6.2 Payment of Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit. A Participant, in connection with his or her commencement of participation in the Plan, will elect on an Election Form whether his or her Beneficiary will receive the Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit in a lump sum or pursuant to an Annual Installment Method of 5 or 10 years. The Participant may annually change this election to an allowable alternative payout period by submitting a new Election Form to the Committee, which form must be accepted by the Committee. The Election Form most recently accepted by the Committee at least six (6) months prior to the Participants death will govern the payout of the Participants Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit. If a Participant does not make any election with respect to the payment of the Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit, then the benefit will be paid in a lump sum. Despite the foregoing, if the Participants Account Balance at the time of his or her death is less than $35,000, payment of the Pre-Retirement Survivor Benefit will be made in a lump sum payment. The lump sum payment will be made no later than 30 days after the last day of the Plan Year in which the Committee is provided with proof, satisfactory to the Committee, of the Participants death. Any payment made will be subject to the Deduction Limitation.
7.1 Termination Benefit. Except as provided in Section 3.8(e) and subject to the Deduction Limitation, the Participant will receive a Termination Benefit, which will be equal to the Participants vested Account Balance, if a Participant experiences a Termination of Employment prior to his or her Retirement, death, or Disability.
7.2 Payment of Termination Benefit. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may cause the Termination Benefit to be paid in a lump sum or pursuant to an Annual Installment Method of 5or 10 years. The lump sum payment shall be made, or installment payments shall commence, no later than 60 days after the last day of the Plan Year in which the Participant experiences the Termination of Employment. Any payment made shall be subject to the Deduction Limitation.
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8.2 Disability; Continued Eligibility. For benefit purposes under this Plan, a Participant suffering a Disability will continue to be considered to be employed and will be eligible for the benefits provided for in Articles 4, 5, 6 or 7, in accordance with the provisions of those Articles. If the Participants employment with the Employer is actually terminated, the Participant will be deemed to have Retired as of the date the Participants termination of employment. In that case, the Participant will receive a Retirement Benefit in accordance with Article 5; provided, however, that if the Participant is not otherwise 100% vested in his Company Contribution Account on such date, the extent to which the vesting of his Company Contribution Account will be accelerated (if any) shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. Any payment made shall be subject to the Deduction Limitation.
9.1 Beneficiary. Each Participant will have the right, at any time, to designate his or her Beneficiary(ies) (both primary as well as contingent) to receive any benefits payable under the Plan upon the Participants death. The Beneficiary designated under this Plan may be the same as or different from the beneficiary designation under any other plan of an Employer in which the Participant participates.
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9.2 Beneficiary Designation; Change. A Participant will designate his or her Beneficiary by completing and signing the Beneficiary Designation Form and returning it to the Committee or its designated agent. A Participant will have the right to change a Beneficiary by completing, signing, and otherwise complying with the terms of the Beneficiary Designation Form and the Committees rules and procedures, as in effect from time to time. Upon the Committees acceptance of a new Beneficiary Designation Form, all Beneficiary designations previously filed will be canceled. The Committee will be entitled to rely on the last Beneficiary Designation Form filed by the Participant and accepted by the Committee prior to his or her death.
9.3 Acknowledgment. No designation or change in designation of a Beneficiary will be effective until received and acknowledged in writing by the Committee or its designated agent.
9.4 No Beneficiary Designation. If a Participant fails to designate a Beneficiary as provided in Sections 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3 above, or if all designated Beneficiaries predecease the Participant or die prior to complete distribution of the Participants benefits, then the Participants surviving spouse will be deemed to be his or her designated Beneficiary. If the Participant has no surviving spouse, the benefits remaining under the Plan to be paid to a Beneficiary will be payable to the executor or personal representative of the Participants estate.
9.5 Doubt as to Beneficiary. If the Committee has any doubt as to the proper Beneficiary to receive payments pursuant to this Plan, the Committee will have the right, exercisable in its sole discretion, to cause the Participants Employer to withhold the payments until this matter is resolved to the Committees satisfaction.
9.6 Discharge of Obligations. The payment of benefits under the Plan to a Beneficiary will fully and completely discharge all Employers and the Committee from all further obligations under this Plan with respect to the Participant and his or her Beneficiary, and that Participants Plan Agreement will terminate upon such full payment of benefits.
10.1 Paid Leave of Absence. If a Participant is authorized by the Participants Employer for any reason to take a paid leave of absence from the employment of the Employer, the Participant will continue to be considered employed by the Employer and the Annual Deferral Amount will continue to be withheld during the paid leave of absence in accordance with Section 3.3.
10.2 Unpaid Leave of Absence. If a Participant is authorized by the Participants Employer for any reason to take an unpaid leave of absence from the employment of the Employer, the Participant will continue to be considered employed by the Employer, and the
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Participant will be excused from making deferrals until the earlier of the date the leave of absence expires or the date the Participant returns to a paid employment status. Upon that expiration or return, deferrals will resume for the remaining portion of the Plan Year in which the expiration or return occurs, based on the deferral election, if any, made for that Plan Year. If no election was made for that Plan Year, no deferral will be withheld.
11.1 Termination. Although each Employer anticipates that it will continue to participate in the Plan for an indefinite period of time, there is no guarantee that the Company will continue the Plan, or that any Employer will continue to participate in the Plan, or that the Company will not terminate the Plan at any time in the future. Accordingly, each Employer reserves the right to discontinue its participation in the Plan at any time, and the Company reserves the right to terminate the Plan at any time by action of the Board. A Participating Employer may terminate its participation in the Plan at any time with respect to any or all of its Participating Employees by action of its board of directors. Upon the termination of the Plan with respect to any Employer, the Plan Agreements of the affected Participants who are employed by that Employer will terminate, and their Account Balances, determined as if they had experienced a Termination of Employment on the date of Plan termination, will be paid to the Participants in a lump sum. The termination of the Plan will not adversely affect any Participant or Beneficiary who has become entitled to the payment of any benefits under the Plan as of the date of termination; provided however, that in the event of a Change in Control, the Employer will accelerate installment payments without a premium or prepayment penalty by paying the Account Balance in a lump sum.
11.2 Amendment. The Company may, at any time, amend or modify the Plan in whole or in part by the action of its Board; provided, however, that: (a) no amendment or modification will be effective to decrease or restrict the value of a Participants Account Balance in existence at the time the amendment or modification is made, calculated as if the Participant had experienced a Termination of Employment as of the effective date of the amendment or modification or, if the amendment or modification occurs after the date upon which the Participant was eligible to Retire, the Participant had Retired as of the effective date of the amendment or modification, and (b) no amendment or modification of this Section 11.2 or Section 12.2 of the Plan will be effective. The amendment or modification of the Plan will not affect any Participant or Beneficiary who has become entitled to the payment of benefits under the Plan as of the date of the amendment or modification; provided, however, that, in the event of a Change in Control, the Employer will accelerate installment payments by paying the Account Balance in a lump sum.
11.3 Plan Agreement. Despite the provisions of Sections 11.1 and 11.2 above, if a Participants Plan Agreement contains benefits or limitations that are not in this Plan
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document, the Employer may only amend or terminate those provisions with the consent of the Participant.
11.4 Effect of Payment. The full payment of the applicable benefit under Articles 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 of the Plan will completely discharge all obligations to a Participant and his or her designated Beneficiaries under this Plan, and the Participants Plan Agreement will terminate.
12.1 Committee Duties. Except as otherwise provided in this Article 12, this Plan will be administered by the Committee. The Committee will have the discretion and authority to (a) make, amend, interpret, and enforce all appropriate rules and regulations for the administration of this Plan and (b) decide or resolve any and all questions, including interpretations of this Plan that arise in connection with the Plan. When making a determination or calculation, the Committee will be entitled to rely on information furnished by a Participant or an Employer.
12.2 Administration Upon Change In Control. For purposes of this Plan, the Committee will be the Administrator at all times prior to the occurrence of a Change in Control. Upon and after the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Administrator will be an independent third party selected by the Trustee and approved by the individual who, immediately prior to that event, was the Companys Chief Executive Officer or, if not so identified, the Companys highest ranking officer (the Ex-CEO). The Administrator will have the discretionary power to determine all questions arising in connection with the administration of the Plan and the interpretation of the Plan and Trust including, but not limited to, benefit entitlement determinations; provided, however, that upon and after the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Administrator will have no power to direct the investment of Plan or Trust assets or select any investment manager or custodial firm for the Plan or Trust. Upon and after the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Company must: (a) pay all reasonable administrative expenses and fees of the Administrator; (b) indemnify the Administrator against any costs, expenses and liabilities including, without limitation, attorneys fees and expenses arising in connection with the performance of the Administrator under this Plan, except with respect to matters resulting from the negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrator or its employees or agents; and (c) supply full and timely information to the Administrator on all matters relating to the Plan, the Trust, the Participants, and their Beneficiaries, the Account Balances of the Participants, the date and circumstances of the Retirement, Disability, death, or Termination of Employment of the Participants, and such other pertinent information as the Administrator may reasonably require. Upon and after a Change in Control, the Administrator may be terminated (and a replacement appointed) by the Trustee only with the approval of the Ex-CEO. Upon and after a Change in Control, the Administrator may not be terminated by the Company.
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12.3 Agents. In the administration of this Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, employ agents and delegate to them such administrative duties as it sees fit (including acting through a duly appointed representative) and may from time to time consult with counsel who may be counsel to any Employer.
12.4 Binding Effect of Decisions. The decision or action of the Administrator with respect to any question arising out of or in connection with the administration, interpretation, and application of the Plan and the rules and regulations promulgated under the Plan will be final and conclusive and binding upon all persons having any interest in the Plan.
12.5 Indemnity of Committee. All Employers will indemnify and hold harmless the members of the Committee, any Employee to whom the duties of the Committee may be delegated, and the Administrator, against any and all claims, losses, damages, expenses or liabilities arising from any action or failure to act with respect to this Plan, except in the case of willful misconduct by the Committee, any of its members, any such Employee, or the Administrator.
12.6 Employer Information. To enable the Committee and the Administrator to perform their functions, the Company and each Employer will supply full and timely information to the Committee or Administrator, as the case may be, on all matters relating to the compensation of its Participants, the date and circumstances of the Retirement, Disability, death, or circumstances of the Retirement, Disability, death, or Termination of Employment of its Participants, and such other pertinent information as the Committee or Administrator may reasonably require.
13.1 Coordination with Other Benefits. The benefits provided for a Participant and Participants Beneficiary under the Plan are in addition to any other benefits available to that Participant or Beneficiary under any other plan or program for employees of the Participants Employer. The Plan will supplement and will not supersede, modify or amend any other such plan or program except as may otherwise be expressly provided.
14.1 Presentation of Claim. Any Participant or Beneficiary of a deceased Participant (such a Participant or Beneficiary being referred to below as a Claimant) may deliver to the Committee a written claim for a determination with respect to the amounts distributable to that Claimant from the Plan. If such a claim relates to the contents of a notice received by the Claimant, the claim must be made within 60 days after the notice was received by the Claimant. All other claims must be made within 180 days of the date on which the
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event that caused the claim to arise occurred. The claim must state with particularity the determination desired by the Claimant.
14.2 Notification of Decision. The Committee will consider a Claimants claim within a reasonable time, and will notify the Claimant in writing:
14.3 Review of a Denied Claim. Within 60 days after receiving a notice from the Committee that a claim has been denied, in whole or in part, a Claimant (or the Claimants duly authorized representative) may file with the Committee a written request for a review of the denial of the claim. Thereafter, but not later than 30 days after the review procedure began, the Claimant (or the Claimants duly authorized representative):
14.4 Decision on Review. The Committee will render its decision on review promptly, and not later than 60 days after the filing of a written request for review of the denial, unless a hearing is held or other special circumstances require additional time, in which case the Committees decision must be rendered within 120 days after that date. The decision must be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the Claimant, and it must contain:
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14.5 Legal Action. A Claimants compliance with the foregoing provisions of this Article 14 is a mandatory prerequisite to a Claimants right to commence any legal action with respect to any claim for benefits under this Plan.
15.1 Establishment of the Trust. The Company may choose to establish a Trust, and, if the Trust is established, each Employer will, at least annually, transfer to the Trust such assets as the Employer determines, in its sole discretion, are necessary or desirable to provide, on a present value basis, for its respective future liabilities created with respect to the Annual Deferral Amounts, Annual Company Contribution Amounts, and Rollover Amounts for the Employers Employees who are Participants.
15.2 Interrelationship of the Plan and the Trust. The provisions of the Plan and the Plan Agreement will govern the rights of a Participant to receive distributions pursuant to the Plan. The provisions of the Trust will govern the rights of the Employers, Participants, and the creditors of the Employers to the assets transferred to the Trust. Each Employer will at all times remain liable to carry out its obligations under the Plan.
15.3 Distributions From the Trust. Each Employers obligations under the Plan may be satisfied with Trust assets distributed pursuant to the terms of the Trust, and any such distribution will reduce the Employers obligations under this Plan.
16.1 Status of Plan. The Plan is intended to be a plan that is not qualified within the meaning of Code Section 401(a) and that is unfunded and is maintained by an employer primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employee within the meaning of ERISA Sections 201(2), 301(a)(3) and 401(a)(1). The Plan will be administered and interpreted to the extent possible in a manner consistent with that intent.
16.2 Unsecured General Creditor. Participants and their Beneficiaries, heirs, successors, and assigns will have no legal or equitable rights, interests, or claims in any property or assets of an Employer. For purposes of the payment of benefits under this Plan, any and all of an Employers assets will be, and remain, the general, unpledged, and unrestricted
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assets of the Employer. An Employers obligation under the Plan will be merely that of an unfunded and unsecured promise to pay money in the future.
16.3 Employers Liability. An Employers liability for the payment of benefits will be defined only by the Plan and the Plan Agreement, as entered into between the Employer and a Participant. An Employer will have no obligation to a Participant under the Plan except as expressly provided in the Plan and his or her Plan Agreement.
16.4 Nonassignability. Neither a Participant nor any other person will have any right to commute, sell, assign, transfer, pledge, anticipate, mortgage, or otherwise encumber, transfer, hypothecate, alienate, or convey in advance of actual receipt, the amounts, if any, payable under the Plan, or any part of those amounts, which are, and all rights to which are expressly declared to be, unassignable and non-transferable. No part of the amounts payable will, prior to actual payment, be subject to seizure, attachment, garnishment, or sequestration for the payment of any debts, judgments, alimony, or separate maintenance owed by a Participant or any other person; be transferable by operation of law in the event of a Participants or any other persons bankruptcy or insolvency; or be transferable to a spouse as a result of a property settlement or otherwise.
16.5 Not a Contract of Employment. The terms and conditions of this Plan will not be deemed to constitute a contract of employment between any Employer and the Participant. Such employment is hereby acknowledged to be an at will employment relationship that can be terminated at any time for any reason, or no reason, with or without cause, and with or without notice, unless expressly provided otherwise in a written employment agreement. Nothing in this Plan will be deemed to give a Participant the right to be retained in the service of any Employer as an Employee or to interfere with the right of any Employer to discipline or discharge the Participant at any time.
16.6 Furnishing Information. A Participant or his or her Beneficiary will cooperate with the Committee by furnishing any and all information requested by the Committee and take such other actions as may be requested in order to facilitate the administration of the Plan and the payments of benefits under the Plan, including but not limited to taking such physical examinations as the Committee may deem necessary.
16.7 Terms. Whenever any words are used in the Plan in the masculine, they will be construed as though they were in the feminine in all cases where they would so apply; and whenever any words are used in the Plan in the singular or in the plural, they will be construed as though they were used in the plural or the singular, as the case may be, in all cases where they would so apply.
16.8 Captions. The captions of the articles, sections, and paragraphs of this Plan are for convenience only and will not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of its provisions.
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16.9 Governing Law. Subject to ERISA, the provisions of this Plan will be construed and interpreted according to the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without regard to its conflicts of laws principles.
16.10 Notice. Any notice or filing required or permitted to be given to the Committee under this Plan will be sufficient if in writing and hand-delivered, or sent by registered or certified mail, to the address below:
Senior Vice President,
Human Resources
Penn National Gaming, Inc.
825 Berkshire Boulevard
Wyomissing, PA 19610
The notice will be deemed given as of the date of delivery or, if delivery is made by mail, as of the date shown on the postmark on the receipt for registration or certification.
Any notice or filing required or permitted to be given to a Participant under this Plan will be sufficient if in writing and hand-delivered, or sent by mail, to the Participants last known address.
16.11 Successors. The provisions of this Plan will bind and inure to the benefit of the Participants Employer and its successors and assigns and the Participant and the Participants designated Beneficiaries.
16.12 Spouses Interest. Any interest in the Plan benefits of a Participants spouse who has predeceased the Participant will automatically pass to the Participant and will not be transferable by the spouse in any manner, including, but not limited to, the spouses will, nor will the interest pass under the laws of intestate succession.
16.13 Validity. In case any provision of this Plan is declared illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity will not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, but the Plan will be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had never been inserted in the Plan.
16.14 Incompetent. If the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, that a benefit under this Plan is to be paid to a minor, a person declared incompetent, or a person incapable of handling the disposition of that persons property, the Committee may direct payment of that benefit to the guardian, legal representative, or person having the care and custody of the minor, incompetent, or incapable person. The Committee may require proof of minority, incompetence, incapacity or guardianship, as it may deem appropriate prior to distribution of the benefit. Any payment of a benefit will be a payment for the account of the Participant or the Participants Beneficiary, as the case may be, and will be a complete discharge of any liability under the Plan for that payment amount.
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16.16 Insurance. The Employers, on their own behalf or on behalf of the Trustee and, in their sole discretion, may apply for and procure insurance on the life of a Participant, in such amounts and in such forms as the Employers may choose. The Employers or the Trustee, as the case may be, will be the sole owner and beneficiary of any such insurance. The Participant will not have any interest whatsoever in any such policy or policies, and at the request of the Employers will submit to medical examinations and supply such information and execute such documents as may be required by the insurance company or companies to which the Employers have applied for insurance.
16.17 Legal Fees To Enforce Rights After Change in Control. The Company and each Employer is aware that upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Board or the board of directors of a Participants Employer (which might then be composed of new members) or a shareholder of the Company or the Participants Employer, or of any successor corporation might then cause or attempt to cause the Company, the Participants Employer, or the successor to refuse to comply with its obligations under the Plan and might cause or attempt to cause the Company or the Participants Employer to institute, or may institute, litigation seeking to deny Participants the benefits intended under the Plan. In these circumstances, the purpose of the Plan could be frustrated. Accordingly, if, following a Change in Control, it should appear to any Participant that the Company, the Participants Employer, or any successor corporation has failed to comply with any of its obligations under the Plan or any agreement thereunder or, if the Company, an Employer, or any other person takes any action to declare the Plan void or unenforceable or institutes any litigation or other legal action designed to deny, diminish, or to recover from any Participant the benefits intended to be provided, then the
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Company and the Participants Employer irrevocably authorize the Participant to retain counsel of his or her choice at the expense of the Company and the Participants Employer (who will be jointly and severally liable) to represent the Participant in connection with the initiation or defense of any litigation or other legal action, whether by or against the Company, the Participants Employer, or any director, officer, shareholder or other person affiliated with the Company, the Participants Employer, or any successor to either of them in any jurisdiction.
As amended by the Board by Amendment No. 1, effective January 1, 2002, which amended the Plan to conform the vesting schedule set forth in Section 3.8(b) with the vesting schedule in the Companys 401(k) Plan.
As amended by the Board by Amendment No. 2, effective as of March 1, 2001, which amended Section 3.5 of the Plan to make it consistent with the Plans administrative procedures.
As amended by the Board by Amendment No. 3, effective on November 1, 2005, which amended Sections 1.31 and 1.45 of the Plan to establish a uniform method for vesting the Company matching contributions allocated to Participants accounts so as to facilitate the calculation and remittance of employment taxes thereon.
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Appendix A
Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association
Penn National Turf Club, Inc.
PNGI Charles Town Gaming, LLC
PNGI Charles Town Food & Beverage, LLC
BTN, Inc.
BSL, Inc.
The Downs Racing, Inc.
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