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Subsequent Events
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Subsequent Events [Abstract]  
Subsequent Events Subsequent Events
In February 2024, the Company and Ashford Inc. approved funding up to an additional $1.0 million, in the aggregate, for OpenKey, allocated pro rata among them. On July 1, 2024, the Company funded $79,000.
Blackwells Capital
On July 2, 2024, Braemar, Ashford Trust and Ashford Inc. (collectively with the Company, Ashford Trust and each of Ashford Inc.’s, the Company’s and Ashford Trust’s respective affiliates (including Stirling Hotels & Resorts, Inc.) and any entity advised by Ashford Inc., the “Company Group”) entered into a Cooperation Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Blackwells Capital LLC, Blackwells Onshore I LLC, Blackwells Holding Co. LLC, Vandewater Capital Holdings, LLC, Blackwells Asset Management LLC, BW Coinvest Management I LLC and Jason Aintabi (collectively, the “Blackwells Parties”) regarding the withdrawal of the Blackwells Parties’ proxy campaign, dismissal of pending litigation involving the parties and certain other matters.
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Blackwells Parties have agreed to withdraw (i) the notice delivered to the Company on March 10, 2024 purporting to nominate four director candidates to the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) and make certain other proposals and (ii) the definitive proxy statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 3, 2024 to solicit proxies from stockholders of the Company to vote in favor of the Blackwells Parties’ director nominees and proposals. In connection therewith, the Blackwells Parties will cease to take any further action with respect to the Company’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, except as otherwise provided for in the Agreement.
The Blackwells Parties have also agreed to specified standstill restrictions with respect to the Company Group, which will expire on July 2, 2034. During the standstill period, the Blackwells Parties are required to (i) appear in person or by proxy at each meeting of stockholders of the members of the Company Group in which they beneficially own shares of stock and vote any Blackwells Parties’ shares then beneficially owned by them in accordance with the recommendation of the board of directors of such member of the Company Group on any proposals considered at such meeting and (ii) deliver consents or consent revocations in any action by written consent by stockholders of any member of the Company Group in which they beneficially own shares in accordance with the recommendation of the board of directors of such member of the Company Group.
The Agreement also provides for the voluntary dismissal, with prejudice, of the consolidated action pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to which the Company, Blackwells Capital LLC and certain of their respective related parties are parties (the “Consolidated Litigation”). The Company has agreed to reimburse Blackwells Capital LLC, in an amount agreed upon by the parties, for the Blackwells Parties’ reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Consolidated Litigation and related matters.
Additionally, pursuant to the Agreement, the Board will take steps to identify and select one additional individual to be appointed to the Board as an independent director (the “Additional Board Member”). The Board is required to promptly notify Blackwells Capital LLC of its selection of the Additional Board Member and to consider any input Blackwells Capital LLC may have with respect to the Additional Board Member.
The Agreement contains various other obligations and provisions applicable to the Company Group and the Blackwells Parties, including a mutual release of claims and mutual non-disparagement.
Concurrently and in connection with the Agreement, certain of the parties thereto have also entered into a Share Ownership Agreement (the “Share Ownership Agreement”) and a Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”), pursuant to which agreements the Company will provide to BW Coinvest I, LLC (“Borrower”) an unsecured loan (the “Loan”). The proceeds from the Loan will be used to reimburse Borrower for 70% of the amount expended by Borrower to purchase on the open market a total of 3,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Purchased Shares”) within six months of the date of Loan Agreement, at a price per Purchased Share not to exceed $10 and subject to the other limitations set forth therein. The Loan has a term of five years (the “Term”), is guaranteed by Jason Aintabi, Vandewater Capital Holdings, LLC, Blackwells Holding Co. LLC, and Blackwells Asset Management LLC and shall bear payment-in-kind interest during the Term at a rate equal to the sum of (a) Term SOFR (as defined in the Loan Agreement) and (b) 3.00% (three hundred basis points) per annum. The Company has agreed to reimburse Blackwells Capital LLC, in an amount agreed upon by the parties, for the Blackwells Parties’ reasonable due diligence expenses incurred on or prior to the date of the Share Ownership Agreement. As of August 7, 2024, the Company has loaned approximately $4.1 million that has been used to purchase approximately 1.7 million shares of Braemar common stock.
Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines
On July 17, 2024, we sold the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines hotel pursuant to an Agreement of Purchase and Sale, entered into effective May 6, 2024, for $165 million in cash, subject to customary pro-rations and adjustments. The Company owned an indirect 75% equity interest in the hotel property. Additionally, the Company repaid the $66.6 million mortgage loan secured by the hotel property. The net carrying value of the building and furniture, fixtures and equipment was approximately $65.2 million as of June 30, 2024.
Limited Waiver Under Advisory Agreement
The Company, Braemar OP, Braemar TRS, Ashford Inc. and Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC (together with Ashford Inc., the “Advisor”), are parties to that certain Fifth Amended and Restated Advisory Agreement, dated as of April 23, 2018 (as amended, the “Advisory Agreement”).
The Company has a mortgage loan maturing in June 2025 with an outstanding principal balance of approximately $293 million (the “Loan”) secured by four hotel properties: The Notary Hotel; The Clancy; Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile; and Marriott Seattle Waterfront (the “Hotel Properties”). On August 8, 2024, the parties to the Advisory Agreement entered into a Limited Waiver Under Advisory Agreement (the “Waiver Agreement”) that provides, among other things, as follows:
(i) From August 8, 2024 until the earlier of (i) November 15, 2025 and (ii) the refinancing of the Loan (the “Loan Outside Date”), the Advisor waives the operation of Section 12.4(a) of the Advisory Agreement that would permit the Advisor to terminate the Advisory Agreement occurring solely as a result from the sale or disposition of one or more of the Hotel Properties as a result of a mortgage foreclosure, deed-in-lieu of mortgage foreclosure, mezzanine loan foreclosure or an assignment in-lieu of a mezzanine loan foreclosure following the failure of the Company to pay, upon the maturity of the Loan, all amounts due and payable thereunder (the “Limited Waiver”);
(ii) Upon the satisfaction of certain conditions, the Company may request the Advisor agree to amend the Waiver Agreement to extend the Loan Outside Date for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days from November 15, 2025 and if the Advisor agrees to such amendment, the Advisor shall not be entitled to any further consideration in respect thereof;
(iii) If the members of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) change such that members who constitute the Board as of August 8, 2024 (the “Incumbent Board”) no longer constitute at least a majority of the Board (other than those whose election to the Board is approved or recommended to stockholders of the Company by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Board), the Limited Waiver shall be null and void ab initio (but the consideration provided by the Company to the Advisor as described in item (iv) below shall remain in force); and
(iv) In exchange for the Limited Waiver and the other agreements provided by the Advisor in the Waiver Agreement, the Company agrees to pay the Advisor an amount equal to the Advisor’s obligation under the Advisor’s current employment agreement with Richard J. Stockton, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (the “Stockton Employment Agreement”), to pay Mr. Stockton a multiple of his Base Salary (as defined in the Stockton Employment Agreement) that becomes payable by the Advisor to Mr. Stockton as the result of the occurrence of certain events as more fully described in the Waiver Agreement.
Mortgage Loan Refinance
On August 7, 2024, the Company closed on a refinancing involving five hotels. The new loan totals $407 million and has a two-year initial term with three one-year extension options, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, taking the final maturity to 2029. The loan is interest only and provides for a floating interest rate of SOFR + 3.24%. As part of this financing, the Company acquired $42.2 million of the most junior tranche of the loan, which lowered its net spread on the $364.8 million remaining loan amount to SOFR + 3.01%. The loan is secured by five hotels: Pier House Resort & Spa, Bardessono Hotel & Spa, Hotel Yountville, The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, and The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas. The new loan refinanced the $80.0 million loan secured by the Pier House Resort & Spa which had an interest rate of SOFR + 3.60% and had a final maturity date in September 2025, the $42.5 million loan secured by The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas which had an interest rate of SOFR + 4.35% and had a final maturity date in August 2026, and the $200.0 million secured credit facility secured by The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, Hotel Yountville, and Bardessono Hotel & Spa which had an interest rate of SOFR + 3.10% and had a final maturity date in July 2027.