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Related Party Transactions
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions

9. Related Party Transactions

Chesapeake Hospitality. As of March 31, 2018, the members of Chesapeake Hospitality (a company that is majority-owned and controlled by the Company’s chairman and chief executive officer, and two former members of the Company’s board of directors) owned 1,481,833 shares, approximately 10.5%, of the Company’s outstanding common stock as well as 652,326 Operating Partnership units. The following is a summary of the transactions between Chesapeake Hospitality and us:

Accounts Receivable – At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we were due $101,405 and $113,669, respectively, from Chesapeake Hospitality.

Management Agreements – As of March 31, 2018, all of our wholly-owned hotels (with the exception of the Hyatt Centric Arlington hotel) and the Hyde Resort & Residences operated under various management agreements with Chesapeake Hospitality.  On December 15, 2014, we entered into a master agreement and a series of individual hotel management agreements that became effective on January 1, 2015. The master agreement has a five-year term, but may be extended for such additional periods as long as an individual management agreement remains in effect. The base management fee for the Whitehall and the Georgian Terrace remained at 2.00% through 2015, increased to 2.25% in 2016 and increased to 2.50% thereafter. The base management fees for the remaining properties in the current portfolio was 2.65% through 2017 and decreased to 2.50% thereafter. For new individual hotel management agreements, Chesapeake Hospitality will receive a base management fee of 2.00% of gross revenues for the first full year from the commencement date through the anniversary date, 2.25% of gross revenues the second full year, and 2.50% of gross revenues for every year thereafter.

The Company and Chesapeake Hospitality agreed to substitute the Hyde Resort & Residences for the Crowne Plaza Hampton Marina and there was no termination fee associated with the termination of the Crowne Plaza Hampton Marina management agreement.  Each management agreement sets an incentive management fee equal to 10.0% of the amount by which gross operating profit, as defined in the management agreement, for a given year exceeds the budgeted gross operating profit for such year; provided, however, that the incentive management fee payable in respect of any such year shall not exceed 0.25% of the gross revenues of the hotel included in such calculation.

Base management and administrative fees earned by Chesapeake Hospitality for our properties totaled $1,097,722 and $973,068 for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.  In addition, estimated incentive management fees of $22,397 and $26,293 were accrued for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.  

Employee Medical Benefits – We purchase employee medical benefits through Maryland Hospitality, Inc. (d/b/a MHI Health), an affiliate of Chesapeake Hospitality for our employees as well as those employees that are employed by Chesapeake Hospitality that work exclusively for our hotel properties. Gross premiums for employee medical benefits paid by the Company (before offset of employee co-payments) were $1,503,825 and $1,267,936 for the three months ended and March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance – Pursuant to our management agreements with Chesapeake Hospitality, we pay the premiums for workers’ compensation insurance under a self-insured policy owned by Chesapeake Hospitality or its affiliates, and which covers those employees of Chesapeake Hospitality that work exclusively for our properties that are managed by Chesapeake Hospitality. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, we paid approximately $0.1 million and $0, respectively, in premiums for the portion of the plan covering those employees that work exclusively for our properties under our management agreements with Chesapeake Hospitality.

Sotherly Foundation – During 2015, the Company loaned $180,000 to the Sotherly Foundation, a non-profit organization to benefit wounded American veterans living in communities near our hotels.  As of March 31, 2018, and December 31, 2017, the balance of the loan was each $40,000, respectively.

Loan Receivable - Affiliate – As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, approximately $4.7 million and $4.7 million, respectively, was due to the Operating Partnership for advances to the Company under a loan agreement dated December 29, 2016.  The Company used the proceeds to make advances to the ESOP to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock.

Others. We employ Ashley S. Kirkland, the daughter of our Chief Executive Officer as a legal analyst and Robert E. Kirkland IV, her husband, as our compliance officer.  We also employ Andrew M. Sims Jr., the son of our Chief Executive Officer, as a manager. Compensation for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 totaled $97,260 and $91,277, respectively, for all three individuals.  

During the three-month period ending March 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company reimbursed $24,052  and $48,859, respectively to a partnership controlled by the Chief Executive Officer for business-related air travel pursuant to the Company’s travel reimbursement policy.