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Related Party Transactions | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2020
Related Party Transactions [Abstract] |
Related Party Transactions | Related Party Transactions Remington Lodging (prior to Ashford Inc. acquisition) Between January 1, 2019 and November 5, 2019, we paid Remington Lodging monthly hotel management fees equal to the greater of $14,000 (increased annually based on consumer price index adjustments) or 3% of gross revenues as well as annual incentive hotel management fees, if certain operational criteria were met and other general and administrative expense reimbursements primarily related to accounting services. Ashford Inc. Advisory Agreement Ashford LLC, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., acts as our advisor. Our chairman Mr. Monty Bennett, also serves as chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of Ashford Inc. Under our advisory agreement, we pay advisory fees to Ashford LLC. We pay a monthly base fee equal to 1/12 th of the sum of (i) 0.70% of the total market capitalization of our company for the prior month, plus (ii) the Net Asset Fee Adjustment (as defined in our advisory agreement), if any, on the last day of the prior month during which our advisory agreement was in effect; provided, however in no event shall the base fee for any month be less than the minimum base fee as provided by our advisory agreement. The base fee is payable on the 5 th business day of each month. The minimum base fee for Braemar for each month will be equal to the greater of:
(i) | 90% of the base fee paid for the same month in the prior year; and
(ii) | 1/12 th of the G&A Ratio (as defined) multiplied by the total market capitalization of Braemar.
We are also required to pay Ashford LLC an incentive fee that is measured annually (or for a stub period if the advisory agreement is terminated at other than year-end). Each year that our annual total stockholder return exceeds the average annual total stockholder return for our peer group we pay Ashford LLC an incentive fee over the following three years, subject to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (“FCCR”) Condition, as defined in the advisory agreement, which relates to the ratio of adjusted EBITDA to fixed charges. We also reimburse Ashford LLC for certain reimbursable overhead and internal audit, risk management advisory and asset management services, as specified in the advisory agreement. We also recorded equity-based compensation expense for equity grants of common stock and LTIP units awarded to officers and employees of Ashford LLC in connection with providing advisory services. The following table summarizes the advisory services fees incurred (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31,
| 2020 |  | 2019
Advisory services fee |  |  |
Base advisory fee | $ | 2,621 |  |  | $ | 2,660 |
Reimbursable expenses (1) | 544 |  |  | 580 |
Equity-based compensation (2) | 1,904 |  |  | 1,470 |
Incentive fee | — |  |  | 1,314 |
Total | $ | 5,069 |  |  | $ | 6,024 |
________
(1) | Reimbursable expenses include overhead, internal audit, risk management advisory and asset management services.
(2) | Equity-based compensation is associated with equity grants of Braemar’s common stock, PSUs, LTIP units and Performance LTIP units awarded to officers and employees of Ashford LLC.
Lismore Advisory Fee On March 20, 2020, Lismore Capital LLC (“Lismore”), a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., entered into an agreement with the Company to seek modifications, forbearances or refinancings of the Company’s loans (the “Braemar Agreement”). Pursuant to the Braemar Agreement, Lismore shall, during the Agreement Term, negotiate the refinancing, modification or forbearance of the existing mortgage and mezzanine debt on Braemar’s hotels and secured revolving credit facility. The “Agreement Term” commenced on March 20, 2020 and shall end on the date that is twelve months following the commencement date, or upon it being terminated by Braemar on not less than thirty days written notice. In connection with the services provided by Lismore, Lismore shall be paid an advisory fee (the “Advisory Fee”) of up to 50 basis points (0.50%) of the aggregate amount of the modifications, forbearances or refinancings of the Company’s mortgage and mezzanine debt and its secured revolving credit facility (the “Financing”), calculated and payable as follows: (i) 12.5 basis points (0.125%) of the aggregate amount of potential Financings upon execution of the Braemar Agreement; (ii) 12.5 basis points (0.125%) payable in six equal installments beginning April 20, 2020 and ending on September 20, 2020; provided, however, in the event the Company does not complete, for any reason, Financings during the term of the Braemar Agreement equal to or greater than $1,091,250,000, then the Company shall offset, against any fees owed by the Company or its affiliates pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, a portion of the fee paid by the Company to Lismore equal to the product of (x) the amount of Financings completed during the term of the Braemar Agreement minus $1,091,250,000 multiplied by (y) 0.125%; and (iii) 25 basis points (0.25%) payable upon the acceptance by the applicable lender of any Financing. As of March 31, 2020, the Company accrued an initial deposit of $1.4 million, included in “other assets” that was subsequently paid in April 2020. Ashford Securities On September 25, 2019, Ashford Inc. announced the formation of Ashford Securities LLC (“Ashford Securities”) to raise retail capital in order to grow its existing and future platforms. In conjunction with the formation of Ashford Securities, Braemar has entered into a contribution agreement with Ashford Inc. pursuant to which Braemar has agreed to contribute, with Ashford Trust, up to $15.0 million to fund the operations of Ashford Securities. As of March 31, 2020, Braemar has funded approximately $834,000. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, $216,000 and $520,000, respectively, of the pre-funded amounts were included in “other assets” on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Costs for all operating expenses of Ashford Securities that are contributed by Ashford Trust and Braemar will be expensed as incurred. These costs will be allocated initially to Ashford Trust and Braemar based on an allocation percentage of 75% to Ashford Trust and 25% Braemar. Upon reaching the earlier of $400 million in aggregate non-listed preferred equity offerings raised or June 10, 2023, there will be a true up (the “True-up Date”) between Ashford Trust and Braemar whereby the actual capital contributions contributed by each company will be based on the actual amount of capital raised by Ashford Trust and Braemar, respectively. After the True-Up Date, the capital contributions will be allocated between Ashford Trust and Braemar quarterly based on the actual capital raised through Ashford Securities. The table below summarizes the amount Braemar has expensed related to reimbursed operating expenses of Ashford Securities (in thousands):
|  | Three Months Ended March 31,
Line Item |  | 2020 |  | 2019
Corporate, general and administrative |  | $ | 233 |  |  | $ | — |
In the fourth quarter of 2019 the company expensed $314,000 of reimbursed operating expenses of Ashford Securities. Enhanced Return Funding Program Concurrent with the Amendment No. 1, on January 15, 2019, the Company also entered into the Enhanced Return Funding Program Agreement (the “ERFP Agreement”) with Ashford Inc. The “key money investments” concept previously contemplated by our advisory agreement was replaced with the ERFP Agreement. The Fifth Amended and Restated Advisory Agreement was also amended to name Ashford Inc. and its subsidiaries as the Company’s sole and exclusive provider of asset management, project management and other services offered by Ashford Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. The independent members of our board of directors and the independent members of the board of directors of Ashford Inc., with the assistance of separate and independent legal counsel, engaged to negotiate the ERFP Agreement on behalf of Ashford Inc. and Braemar, respectively. The ERFP Agreement generally provides that Ashford LLC will provide funding to facilitate the acquisition of properties by Braemar OP that are recommended by Ashford LLC, in an aggregate amount of up to $50 million (subject to increase to up to $100 million by mutual agreement). Each funding will equal 10% of the property acquisition price and will be made either at the time of the property acquisition or at any time generally within the two -year period following the date of such acquisition, in exchange for furniture, fixtures & equipment (“FF&E”) for use at the acquired property or any other property owned by Braemar OP. The initial term of the ERFP Agreement is two years (the “Initial Term”), unless earlier terminated pursuant to the terms of the ERFP Agreement. At the end of the Initial Term, the ERFP Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods (each such period a “Renewal Term”) unless either Ashford Inc. or Braemar provides written notice to the other at least sixty days in advance of the expiration of the Initial Term or Renewal Term, as applicable, that such notifying party intends not to renew the ERFP Agreement. Project Management Agreement In connection with Ashford Inc.’s August 8, 2018 acquisition of Remington Lodging’s project management business, we entered into a project management agreement with Ashford Inc.’s indirect subsidiary, Premier Project Management LLC (“Premier”), pursuant to which Premier provides project management services to our hotels, including construction management, interior design, architectural services, and the purchasing, freight management, and supervision of installation of FF&E and related services. Pursuant to the project management agreement, we pay Premier: (a) project management fees of up to 4% of project costs; and (b) for the following services as follows: (i) architectural (6.5% of total construction costs); (ii) construction management for projects without a general contractor (10% of total construction costs); (iii) interior design (6% of the purchase price of the FF&E designed or selected by Premier); and (iv) FF&E purchasing (8% of the purchase price of FF&E purchased by Premier; provided that if the purchase price exceeds $2.0 million for a single hotel in a calendar year, then the purchasing fee is reduced to 6% of the FF&E purchase price in excess of $2.0 million for such hotel in such calendar year). On March 20, 2020, we amended the project management agreement to provide that Premier's fees shall be paid by the Company to Premier upon the completion of any work provided by third party vendors to the Company. Hotel Management Agreement On November 6, 2019, Ashford Inc. completed the acquisition of Remington Lodging’s hotel management business. Following the acquisition, hotel management services are provided by Remington Hotels, a subsidiary of Ashford Inc., under the respective hotel management agreement with each customer, including Ashford Trust and Braemar. At March 31, 2020, Remington Hotels managed three of our thirteen hotel properties. We pay monthly hotel management fees equal to the greater of approximately $14,000 (increased annually based on consumer price index adjustments) or 3% of gross revenues as well as annual incentive management fees, if certain operational criteria were met and other general and administrative expense reimbursements primarily related to accounting services. Pursuant to the terms of the Letter Agreement dated March 13, 2020 (the “Hotel Management Letter Agreement”), in order to allow Remington Hotels to better manage its corporate working capital and to ensure the continued efficient operation of our hotels, we agreed to pay the base fee and to reimburse all expenses on a weekly basis for the preceding week, rather than on a monthly basis. The Hotel Management Letter Agreement went into effect on March 13, 2020 and will continue until terminated by us. We also have a mutual exclusivity agreement with Remington Hotels, pursuant to which: (i) we have agreed to engage Remington Hotels to provide management services with respect to any hotel we acquire or invest in, to the extent we have the right and/or control the right to direct the management of such hotel; and (ii) Remington Hotels has agreed to grant us a right of first refusal to purchase any opportunity to develop or construct a hotel that it identifies that meets our initial investment guidelines. We are not, however, obligated to engage Remington Hotels if our independent directors either: (i) unanimously vote to hire a different manager or developer; or (ii) by a majority vote elect not to engage such related party because either special circumstances exist such that it would be in the best interest of our Company not to engage such related party, or, based on related party’s prior performance, it is believed that another manager could perform the management or other duties materially better.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for related party transactions. Examples of related party transactions include transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners; and (d) affiliates. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122745 + Details
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