UNITED STATES
	SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
	Washington, D.C. 20549
	SCHEDULE 13D/A

 

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 8)*

 

(Name of Issuer)

 

(Title of Class of Securities)

 

(CUSIP Number)

 

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

 

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(e), 13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g), check the following box. o

Note. Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

 

 

 

(1) Includes beneficial ownership of common stock of the issuer through vested restricted stock units for 22,367 shares of the issuer’s common stock.

 

(2) Beneficial ownership of common stock of the issuer is through warrants to purchase an aggregate of 12,500,000 shares of the issuer’s common stock.  Exercise of the warrants is subject to mandatory cashless exercise, which reduces the shares of issuer’s common stock received upon exercise, and the number of shares received will be determined by the fair market value of the issuer’s common stock at the time of such exercise.  The percent of class of the issuer’s common stock beneficially owned is based on 32,418,558 shares of the issuer’s common stock outstanding as of May 7, 2013, as reported on the issuer’s annual report on form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013, as filed on May 8, 2013 and does not reflect any reduction for the effect of the mandatory cashless exercise as the amount of such reduction is not determinable until the time of exercise.

 

* See Instructions

 

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(2) Beneficial ownership of common stock of the issuer is through warrants to purchase an aggregate of 12,500,000 shares of the issuer’s common stock.  Exercise of the warrants is subject to mandatory cashless exercise, which reduces the shares of issuer’s common stock received upon exercise, and the number of shares received will be determined by the fair market value of the issuer’s common stock at the time of such exercise.  The percent of class of the issuer’s common stock beneficially owned is based on 32,418,558 shares of the issuer’s common stock outstanding as of May 7, 2013, as reported on the issuer’s annual report on form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013, as filed on May 8, 2013 and does not reflect any reduction for the effect of the mandatory cashless exercise as the amount of such reduction is not determinable until the time of exercise.

 

* See Instructions

 

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(2) Beneficial ownership of common stock of the issuer is through warrants to purchase an aggregate of 12,500,000 shares of the issuer’s common stock.  Exercise of the warrants is subject to mandatory cashless exercise, which reduces the shares of issuer’s common stock received upon exercise, and the number of shares received will be determined by the fair market value of the issuer’s common stock at the time of such exercise.  The percent of class of the issuer’s common stock beneficially owned is based on 32,418,558 shares of the issuer’s common stock outstanding as of May 7, 2013, as reported on the issuer’s annual report on form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013, as filed on May 8, 2013 and does not reflect any reduction for the effect of the mandatory cashless exercise as the amount of such reduction is not determinable until the time of exercise.

 

* See Instructions

 

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(2) Beneficial ownership of common stock of the issuer is through warrants to purchase an aggregate of 12,500,000 shares of the issuer’s common stock.  Exercise of the warrants is subject to mandatory cashless exercise, which reduces the shares of issuer’s common stock received upon exercise, and the number of shares received will be determined by the fair market value of the issuer’s common stock at the time of such exercise.  The percent of class of the issuer’s common stock beneficially owned is based on 32,418,558 shares of the issuer’s common stock outstanding as of May 7, 2013, as reported on the issuer’s annual report on form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013, as filed on May 8, 2013 and does not reflect any reduction for the effect of the mandatory cashless exercise as the amount of such reduction is not determinable until the time of exercise.

 

* See Instructions

 

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(3) Beneficial ownership of common stock of the issuer is through a warrant to purchase 7,535,580 shares of the issuer’s common stock.  Exercise of the warrant is subject to mandatory cashless exercise, which reduces the shares of issuer’s common stock received upon exercise, and the number of shares received will be determined by the fair market value of the issuer’s common stock at the time of such exercise.  The percent of class of the issuer’s common stock beneficially owned is based on 32,418,558 shares of the issuer’s common stock outstanding as of May 7, 2013, as reported on the issuer’s annual report on form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013, as filed on May 8, 2013 and does not reflect any reduction for the effect of the mandatory cashless exercise as the amount of such reduction is not determinable until the time of exercise.

 

* See Instructions

 

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(4) Beneficial ownership of common stock of the issuer is through a warrant to purchase 4,964,420 shares of the issuer’s common stock.  Exercise of the warrant is subject to mandatory cashless exercise, which reduces the shares of issuer’s common stock received upon exercise, and the number of shares received will be determined by the fair market value of the issuer’s common stock at the time of such exercise.  The percent of class of the issuer’s common stock beneficially owned is based on 32,418,558 shares of the issuer’s common stock outstanding as of May 7, 2013, as reported on the issuer’s annual report on form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013, as filed on May 8, 2013 and does not reflect any reduction for the effect of the mandatory cashless exercise as the amount of such reduction is not determinable until the time of exercise.

 

* See Instructions

 

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This Amendment No. 8 to Schedule 13D amends and supplements the Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on November 25, 2009 (as amended to date, this “Schedule 13D”) by (i) Ronald W. Burkle, an individual, (ii) Yucaipa American Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Yucaipa American”), (iii) Yucaipa American Funds, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Yucaipa American Funds”), (iv) Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“YAAF II LLC”), (v) Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“YAAF II”), and (vi) Yucaipa American Alliance (Parallel) Fund II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“YAAF II Parallel” and, together with YAAF II, the “Investors”; and the Investors, together with Mr. Burkle, Yucaipa American, Yucaipa American Funds, and YAAF II LLC, are referred to herein as the “Reporting Persons”), with respect to the common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Morgans Hotel Group Co., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).  The filing of any amendment to this Schedule 13D (including the filing of this amendment) shall not be construed to be an admission by the Reporting Persons that a material change has occurred in the facts set forth in this Schedule 13D or that such amendment is required under Rule 13d-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Item 4.           Purpose of the Transaction.

 

Item 4 of this Schedule 13D is hereby supplemented to add the following:

 

On June 4, 2013 the Company issued a press release indicating “its slate of director nominees, if reelected, would consider selling the company.”

 

In response, on June 4, 2013 Ronald W. Burkle released the following statement:

 

“We read with great interest the announcement by Morgans Hotel Group that its slate of director nominees intends to initiate a process to explore strategic alternatives, including a sale of the Company.    As the major creditor of Morgans and the holder of certain key consent rights due to financing we provided to the Company many years ago, we want to express our support for the Company’s slate in pursuing this effort.  We believe the litigation with the OTK Group will prevent any reasonable deal from closing including the one Yucaipa currently has executed with the Company.  In addition, we note that we do not plan to be a bidder for the Company.  Lastly, we note that we do not believe OTK is qualified to run such a process and believe that their election to the Board at the June 14th Shareholder meeting would lead to continued uncertainty and animosity and detract from and actually deter any effort to maximize value for all shareholders.”

 

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SIGNATURES

 

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

 

Dated:  June 4, 2013

 

	RONALD W. BURKLE
	By:	/s/ Ronald W. Burkle
	YUCAIPA AMERICAN MANAGEMENT, LLC
	By:	/s/ Ronald W. Burkle
		Name: Ronald W. Burkle
		Its: Managing Member
	YUCAIPA AMERICAN FUNDS, LLC
	By: Yucaipa American Management, LLC
	Its: Managing Member
		By:	/s/ Ronald W. Burkle
			Name: Ronald W. Burkle
			Its: Managing Member
	YUCAIPA AMERICAN ALLIANCE FUND II, LLC
	By: Yucaipa American Funds, LLC
	Its: Managing Member
		By: Yucaipa American Management, LLC
		Its: Managing Member
			By:	/s/ Ronald W. Burkle
				Name: Ronald W. Burkle
				Its: Managing Member

 

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	YUCAIPA AMERICAN ALLIANCE FUND II, L.P.
	By: Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, LLC
	Its: General Partner
		By: Yucaipa American Funds, LLC
		Its: Managing Member
			By: Yucaipa American Management, LLC
			Its: Managing Member
				By:	/s/ Ronald W. Burkle
					Name: Ronald W. Burkle
					Its: Managing Member
	YUCAIPA AMERICAN ALLIANCE (PARALLEL) FUND II, L.P.
	By: Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, LLC
	Its: General Partner
		By: Yucaipa American Funds, LLC
		Its: Managing Member
			By: Yucaipa American Management, LLC
			Its: Managing Member
				By:	/s/ Ronald W. Burkle
					Name: Ronald W. Burkle
					Its: Managing Member

 

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