Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

1. Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

For financial statement presentation and reporting purposes, the Company is the successor to Gaylord Entertainment Company, a Delaware corporation (“Gaylord”). As part of the plan to restructure the business operations of Gaylord to facilitate its qualification as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes, Gaylord merged with and into its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Ryman”), on October 1, 2012, with Ryman as the surviving corporation (the “Merger”). At 12:01 a.m. on October 1, 2012, the effective time of the Merger, Ryman succeeded to and began conducting, directly or indirectly, all of the business conducted by Gaylord immediately prior to the Merger. The “Company” refers to Ryman and its subsidiaries and to Gaylord.

On January 1, 2013, the Company began operating as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, specializing in group-oriented, destination hotel assets in urban and resort markets. The Company’s owned assets include a network of upscale, meetings-focused resorts that are managed by Marriott International, Inc. (“Marriott”) under the Gaylord Hotels brand. These five resorts, which the Company refers to as the Gaylord Hotels properties, consist of the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee (“Gaylord Opryland”), the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center near Orlando, Florida (“Gaylord Palms”), the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center near Dallas, Texas (“Gaylord Texan”), the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center near Washington D.C. (“Gaylord National”), and the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center near Denver, Colorado (“Gaylord Rockies”), which prior to May 2021 was owned by a joint venture (the “Gaylord Rockies joint venture”) in which the Company owned a 65% interest. The Company’s other owned hotel assets managed by Marriott include the Inn at Opryland, an overflow hotel adjacent to Gaylord Opryland, and the AC Hotel at National Harbor, Washington D.C. (“AC Hotel”), an overflow hotel adjacent to Gaylord National.

In April 2021, the Company entered into an agreement with RIDA Development Corporation to acquire the remaining 35% ownership interest in the Gaylord Rockies joint venture not previously owned by the Company for $188.0 million and approximately 130 acres of undeveloped, adjacent land for $22.0 million in cash (the “JV Purchase”). The JV Purchase closed in May 2021 and was funded through cash on hand and borrowings under the Company’s $700 million revolving credit facility. As discussed below, the Company consolidated the Gaylord Rockies joint venture both before and after the purchase in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

The Company also owns a number of media and entertainment assets, including the Grand Ole Opry, the legendary weekly showcase of country music’s finest performers; the Ryman Auditorium, the storied live music venue and former home of the Grand Ole Opry located in downtown Nashville; WSM-AM, the Opry’s radio home; Ole Red, a brand of Blake Shelton-themed bar, music venue and event spaces; and three Nashville-based assets managed by Marriott – Gaylord Springs Golf Links (“Gaylord Springs”), the Wildhorse Saloon, and the General Jackson Showboat (“General Jackson”). The Company also owns a 50% interest in a joint venture that creates and distributes a linear multicast and over-the-top channel dedicated to the country music lifestyle (“Circle”), which launched its broadcast network on January 1, 2020. See Note 11, “Commitments and Contingencies,” for further disclosure.

The Company conducts its business through an umbrella partnership REIT, in which all of its assets are held by, and all of its operations are conducted through, RHP Hotel Properties, LP, a subsidiary operating partnership (the “Operating Partnership”) that the Company formed in connection with its REIT conversion. Ryman and the non-controlling operating partnership unit holders discussed in Note 9, “Equity” are the sole limited partners of the Operating Partnership, and Ryman currently owns, either directly or indirectly, 99.3% of the partnership units of the Operating Partnership. RHP Finance Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Finco”), was formed as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Operating Partnership for the sole purpose of being an issuer of debt securities with the Operating Partnership. Neither Ryman nor Finco has any material assets, other than Ryman’s investment in the Operating Partnership and its 100%-owned subsidiaries. As 100%-owned subsidiaries of Ryman, neither the Operating Partnership nor Finco has any business, operations, financial results or other material information, other than the business, operations, financial results

and other material information described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and Ryman’s other reports, documents or other information filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

The Company principally operates, through its subsidiaries and its property managers, as applicable, in the following business segments: Hospitality; Entertainment; and Corporate and Other. The Company’s fiscal year ends on December 31 for all periods presented.

Business Segments

Hospitality

The Hospitality segment includes the Gaylord Hotels branded hotels, the Inn at Opryland and the AC Hotel. Each of the Company’s Gaylord Hotels properties is managed by Marriott pursuant to a management agreement for each hotel.

Entertainment

The Entertainment segment includes the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, WSM-AM, Ole Red, the General Jackson, the Wildhorse Saloon, Gaylord Springs, and the Company’s investment in the Circle joint venture, among various others. Marriott manages the day-to-day operations of the General Jackson, Gaylord Springs and the Wildhorse Saloon pursuant to management agreements.

Corporate and Other

The Corporate and Other segment includes operating and general and administrative expenses related to the overall management of the Company which are not allocated to the other reportable segments, including certain costs for the Company’s retirement plans, equity-based compensation plans, information technology, human resources, accounting, and other administrative expenses.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Company’s investments in non-controlled entities in which it has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for by the equity method. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Company analyzes its variable interests, including loans, guarantees, management agreements, leasing arrangements and equity investments, to determine if an entity in which it has a variable interest is a variable interest entity (“VIE”). This analysis primarily includes a qualitative review, which is based on a review of the design of the entity, its organizational structure, including decision-making ability, and relevant financial agreements. This analysis is also used to determine if the Company must consolidate the VIE as the primary beneficiary.

The terms of the Company’s previous investment in the Gaylord Rockies joint venture and certain related agreements provided that a subsidiary of the Company was the managing member and was responsible for day-to-day management of the joint venture and for future financings meeting certain parameters. Designated decisions, such as refinancings that do not meet established parameters, future expansions of the hotel, transactions with affiliates, selling the hotel, and admitting additional members of the joint venture, were to be approved by a majority vote of a committee consisting of two members designated by the Company and two members designated by the minority partner. Based on management’s analysis of these updated agreements, management concluded the Company’s responsibility for the day-to-day management of the joint venture and for future financings meeting certain parameters resulted in the Company having the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the joint venture. In addition, the shared decisions represented protective rights of both parties. Thus, the Company became the primary beneficiary of this variable interest entity at December 31, 2018. As such, the Company consolidated the assets and liabilities of the joint venture effective December 31, 2018 and began consolidating the ongoing operations of the joint

venture effective January 1, 2019. As Gaylord Rockies is now wholly-owned by the Company, it is no longer considered as a VIE. See “Noncontrolling Interest” below for further discussion.

The terms of the Company's joint venture agreement in Circle provide that the Company and its joint venture partner each share the authority to make major decisions in the joint venture, including operating plans, entering into certain contracts, admitting additional members of the joint venture, issuing additional membership interests, and amending the operating agreement. In addition, the officers of Circle are not employees of the Company. Based on management’s analysis of the joint venture agreement, management concluded that the Company is not the primary beneficiary of this variable interest entity and accounts for this investment under the equity method.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been and continues to be a complex and evolving situation, causing unprecedented levels of disruption to the Company’s business. Although the Company’s assets are currently open and operating without capacity restrictions, there remains significant uncertainty surrounding the full extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s future results of operations and financial position.

The Company, in consultation with local governmental authorities, first determined to close its Nashville-based entertainment venues in mid-March 2020. As cancellations at the Gaylord Hotels properties began to increase, the Company and its hotel manager, Marriott, implemented a series of operational changes, culminating with the suspension of operations at the Gaylord Hotels properties in late March 2020. Gaylord Texan reopened June 8, 2020, Gaylord Opryland, Gaylord Palms and Gaylord Rockies reopened June 25, 2020, and Gaylord National reopened July 1, 2021.

In the Company’s Entertainment segment, in addition to the temporary closure of its entertainment assets, the Company took steps to reduce operating costs in all areas. Many of the Company’s attractions reopened at reduced capacities in May and June 2020. The Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium began offering limited-capacity tours in June 2020, in September 2020, they reopened for limited-capacity publicly attended performances, and in May 2021, they reopened for full-capacity publicly attended performances. After the April 2021 reopening of the Wildhorse Saloon, which was closed through March 2021 subsequent to the December 2020 downtown Nashville bombing, all of the Company’s entertainment assets are open.

The Company amended its credit facility on April 23, 2020, and again on December 22, 2020. As described more fully in Note 4, “Debt”, the amendments provide temporary waivers of covenants within the facility, among other temporary changes. The Company continues to pay all required debt service payments on its indebtedness, lease payments, taxes and other payables. In October 2021, the Company further amended its credit facility to allow the Company to complete an acquisition during the credit agreement’s restricted period, as further described in Note 4, “Debt.”

At December 31, 2021, the Company had $509.8 million available for borrowing under its revolving credit facility and $140.7 million in unrestricted cash on hand. The Company’s quarterly dividend is currently suspended. The Company’s board of directors will consider a future dividend as permitted by the Company’s credit agreement. The Company’s credit agreement amendments described in Note 4, “Debt,” permits payment of dividends as necessary to maintain the Company’s REIT status and permits the Company to pay a dividend of $0.01 per share each quarter. Any future dividend is subject to the Company’s board of director’s determinations as to the amount of distributions and timing thereof.

With the exception of the Gaylord Palms expansion project and the renovation of the guest rooms at Gaylord National, the Company deferred most non-essential capital projects, in addition to delaying the Gaylord Rockies expansion project, which was scheduled to begin construction in second quarter 2020. The Gaylord Palms expansion project was completed in April 2021, and the Gaylord National rooms renovation was completed in June 2021.

Potential Block 21 Acquisition; Termination of Previous Block 21 Acquisition Agreement

In October 2021, the Company entered into an agreement to purchase Block 21, a mixed-use entertainment, lodging, office, and retail complex located in Austin, Texas, for $260 million, which includes the assumption of approximately $135 million of existing mortgage debt. In addition, the Company will receive approximately $11 million of existing

cash reserves attributable to the assets. Block 21 is the home of the Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater (“ACL Live”), a 2,750-seat entertainment venue that serves as the filming location for the Austin City Limits television series. The Block 21 complex also includes the 251-room W Austin Hotel, the 3TEN at ACL Live club and approximately 53,000 square feet of other Class A commercial space. The acquisition is expected to close in first quarter 2022, subject to customary closing conditions including, but not limited to, consent to the Company’s assumption of the existing mortgage loan by the loan servicer and the consent of the hotel property manager, an affiliate of Marriott, to the Company’s assignment and assumption of the existing hotel management agreement. The Company has the capacity to finance the transaction under its revolving credit facility and may use cash on hand, including from any sales of stock under its ATM program, and will make a determination of funding sources prior to closing.

In December 2019, the Company entered into a previous agreement to purchase Block 21. In May 2020, in response to the then-existing capital markets and economic environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company determined it was not in the best interest of shareholders to focus resources and capital on the project and terminated the related purchase agreement. The Company forfeited a nonrefundable December 2019 deposit of $15 million and recorded a loss, which is included in other gains and (losses), net in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for 2020.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost or at estimated fair value if recorded in connection with purchase accounting. Improvements and significant renovations that extend the lives of existing assets are capitalized. Interest on funds borrowed to finance the construction of major capital additions not funded through furniture, fixtures and equipment reserves is included in the cost of the applicable capital addition. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Property and equipment are generally depreciated using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:

Buildings	40 years
Land improvements	20 years
Furniture, fixtures and equipment	5-8 years
Leasehold improvements	The shorter of the lease term or useful life

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Unrestricted

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Restricted

Restricted cash and cash equivalents primarily represent funds held by our property manager for furniture, fixtures and equipment reserves. In addition, the Company holds certificates of deposit with an original maturity of greater than three months in order to secure its Tennessee workers’ compensation self-insurance obligations. Beginning in July 2020, Gaylord Rockies was in a cash sweep period pursuant to the Gaylord Rockies term loan agreement, and such cash amounts are also included in restricted cash.

Supplemental Cash Flow Information

Cash paid for interest, net of amounts from interest rate swaps, for the years ended December 31 was comprised of (amounts in thousands):

	2021		2020		2019
Debt interest paid	$	113,669	$	113,743	$	121,876
Capitalized interest		(2,922)		(3,753)		(1,618)
Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest	$	110,747	$	109,990	$	120,258

Net cash payments of income taxes in 2021, 2020 and 2019 were $0.5 million, $1.7 million and $3.6 million, respectively.

Accounts Receivable

The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily generated by meetings and convention attendees’ room nights and food and beverage. Receivables arising from these sales are not collateralized. Credit risk associated with the accounts receivable is minimized due to the large and diverse nature of the customer base.

Credit Loss Reserves on Accounts Receivable

The Company provides credit loss reserves based upon a percentage of accounts receivable that considers historical write-offs, current economic conditions, and management’s expectations about future economic conditions, as well as periodic evaluations of the aging of accounts receivable.

Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets

Prepaid expenses and other assets at December 31 consist of (amounts in thousands):

	2021		2020
Prepaid expenses	$	24,359	$	19,447
Supplemental deferred compensation plan assets		31,183		31,277
Tax rebate receivables		21,456		27,096
Inventories		8,369		7,157
Other		27,537		15,517
Total prepaid expenses and other assets	$	112,904	$	100,494

Prepaid expenses consist of prepayments for property taxes, insurance and other contracts that will be expensed during the subsequent year. Inventories consist primarily of food and beverage inventory for resale and retail inventory sold in the Entertainment segment. Inventory is carried at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is computed on an average cost basis. Other assets include capitalized software costs, non-trade receivables, and investments in joint ventures, among others.

Gaylord Rockies is party to an incentive agreement with the local government that provides that Gaylord Rockies is entitled to receive monthly rebates of certain city and state taxes, including property, sales and lodging taxes. The term of the rebate agreement varies by type of tax but ranges from 25-33 years from commencement of the construction of Gaylord Rockies. Gaylord Rockies earned $29.1 million, $41.4 million and $34.6 million in rebates in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, which are generally recorded as a reduction in other hotel expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for 2021, 2020 and 2019.

Intangible Assets

In connection with the Company’s purchase price allocation of the Gaylord Rockies joint venture, the Company acquired certain definite-lived intangibles, which are shown on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Included in these intangibles are the original estimated fair value of advanced bookings of $125.5 million and the original estimated fair value related to the Gaylord Hotels trade name, which Marriott owns, of $115.3 million. The advanced bookings asset is being amortized on a straight-line basis over a period of 3.5 years, which corresponds with the period in which the advanced bookings relate, and the value in the trade name is being amortized on a straight-line basis over 30 years, which is the period of the Marriott management agreement.

The gross carrying amount of intangible assets at December 31, 2021 and 2020 was $252.8 million. Accumulated amortization of intangible assets at December 31, 2021 and 2020 was $126.0 million and $85.8 million, respectively.

Amortization expense related to intangible assets during each of 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $40.2 million. The estimated amounts of amortization expense for the next five years are as follows (amounts in thousands):

2022	$	22,240
2023		4,282
2024		4,044
2025		4,038
2026		4,038
	$	38,642

Investments

From time to time, the Company has owned minority interest investments in certain businesses. Investments in entities that the Company does not control but in which it exercises significant influence are accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities at December 31 consist of (amounts in thousands):

	2021		2020
Trade accounts payable	$	31,725	$	23,125
Property and other taxes payable		54,991		51,821
Deferred revenues		116,820		70,441
Accrued salaries and benefits		42,472		20,598
Accrued interest payable		20,313		14,263
Other accrued liabilities		38,398		22,873
Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$	304,719	$	203,121

Deferred revenues consist primarily of deposits on advance bookings of hotel rooms and advance ticket sales at the Company’s entertainment properties, as well as uncollected attrition and cancellation fees. Other accrued liabilities include accruals for, among others, purchasing, meeting planner commissions and utilities.

Income Taxes

The Company establishes deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the difference between the financial statement and income tax carrying amounts of assets and liabilities using existing tax laws and tax rates. The Company reports a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return, if any. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. See Note 10, “Income Taxes,” for more detail on the Company’s income taxes.

The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in the tax rate is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date of the rate change. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. The Company has considered all available positive and negative evidence in assessing the need for a valuation allowance.

Deferred Management Rights Proceeds

The Company has deferred and amortizes the proceeds received from Marriott that were allocated to the sale of the management rights, as discussed further in Note 5, “Deferred Management Rights Proceeds,” on a straight-line basis over the term of the hotel management agreements, including extensions, as a reduction in management fee expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Other Liabilities

Other liabilities at December 31 consist of (amounts in thousands):

	2021		2020
Pension and postretirement benefits liability	$	20,061	$	32,686
Deferred compensation liability		31,183		31,277
Derivative liabilities		9,362		27,819
Other		11,333		997
Total other liabilities	$	71,939	$	92,779

Deferred Financing Costs

Deferred financing costs (“DFCs”) consist of loan fees and other costs of financing that are amortized over the term of the related financing agreements, using the effective interest method, and are generally presented as a reduction of the related debt liability. DFCs on the Company’s revolving credit facility are included in prepaid expenses and other assets when the related revolving credit facility has no outstanding balance. During 2021, 2020 and 2019, DFCs of $8.8 million, $7.9 million and $7.7 million, respectively, were amortized and recorded as interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Noncontrolling Interest

The noncontrolling interest in consolidated joint venture represents the previous minority partners’ proportionate share of the assets and liabilities of the Gaylord Rockies joint venture. The noncontrolling interest was classified in the mezzanine section of the consolidated balance sheets as the related redemption options did not meet the requirements for permanent equity classification because these redemption options may have been redeemed by the holder as described below.

The initial value of the noncontrolling interest in the Gaylord Rockies joint venture, which included certain put rights, was estimated based on the purchase price allocation performed. In general, the carrying value was based on the greater of the accumulated historical cost or the put right redemption value, and at December 31, 2020, approximated the fair value of the noncontrolling interest. An adjustment was also made for the minority partners’ proportionate share of income or loss in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations.

Pursuant to the amended and restated joint venture agreements, minority partners each had a put right to require the Company to purchase their joint venture interests at a defined appraised value during an annual window period, or under certain other circumstances, in consideration of cash or OP Units of the Operating Partnership. During 2020, put right holders totaling 0.5% ownership in the Gaylord Rockies joint venture exercised their put rights for $2.9 million in cash, and the remaining put right holders, totaling 2.4% ownership in the Gaylord Rockies joint venture, exercised their put rights for approximately $14.0 million in OP Units, which was equivalent to approximately 0.4 million OP Units. Such OP Units have economic terms that are substantially similar to shares of the Company’s common stock and are redeemable at the option of the holders thereof. Redemptions will be paid in cash, or if the Company so elects, in shares of the Company’s common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to certain adjustments in accordance with the Operating Partnership’s limited partnership agreement.

The Company also entered into a tax protection agreement in connection with the December 31, 2018 purchase of additional interests in the Gaylord Rockies joint venture, which will generally require the Company to, among other things, indemnify certain minority partners that were members of the Gaylord Rockies joint venture for 50% of any income taxes incurred by them as a result of a direct or indirect sale or other disposition of the Gaylord Rockies joint venture, within seven years of closing, and for 100% of any income taxes incurred by them as a result of the failure to comply with certain obligations related to nonrecourse liability allocations and debt guarantee opportunities for the purpose of protecting such parties’ tax bases.

The noncontrolling interest in the Operating Partnership represents the limited partners’ proportionate share of the equity of the Operating Partnership. The noncontrolling interest is classified in the equity section of the consolidated balance sheets, separately from stockholders’ equity, as the related redemptions options are redeemable for cash, or if the Company so elects, in unregistered shares of the Company’s common stock, as discussed further in Note 9, “Equity.” An adjustment is made for the limited partners’ proportionate share of income or loss in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations.

Revenue Recognition

Revenues from occupied hotel rooms are recognized over time as the daily hotel stay is provided to hotel groups and guests. Revenues from concessions, food and beverage sales and group meeting services are recognized over the period or at the point in time those goods or services are delivered to the hotel group or guest. Revenues from ancillary services at the Company’s hotels, such as spa, parking, and transportation services, are generally recognized at the time the goods or services are provided. Cancellation fees and attrition fees, which are charged to groups when they do not fulfill the minimum number of room nights or minimum food and beverage spending requirements originally contracted for, are generally recognized as revenue in the period the Company determines it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of revenue recognized will not occur, which is typically the period these fees are collected. The Company generally recognizes revenues from the Entertainment segment at the point in time that services are provided or goods are delivered or shipped to the customer, as applicable. Entertainment segment revenues from licenses of content are recognized at the point in time the content is delivered to the licensee and the licensee can use and benefit from the content. Revenue related to content provided to Circle is eliminated for the portion of Circle that the Company owns. The Company is required to collect certain taxes from customers on behalf of government agencies and remit these to the applicable governmental entity on a periodic basis. These taxes are collected from customers at the time of purchase, but are not included in revenue. The Company records a liability upon collection from the customer and relieves the liability when payments are remitted to the applicable governmental agency.

The Company’s revenues disaggregated by major source are as follows (in thousands):

	2021		2020		2019
Hotel group rooms	$	131,404	$	88,606	$	387,741
Hotel transient rooms		197,470		83,112		169,821
Hotel food and beverage - banquets		140,186		116,624		453,612
Hotel food and beverage - outlets		139,303		70,914		207,158
Hotel other		178,220		106,789		203,114
Entertainment admissions/ticketing		62,768		16,564		81,434
Entertainment food and beverage		51,515		21,506		63,815
Entertainment produced content		5,919		4,708		3,759
Entertainment retail and other		32,588		15,652		34,112
Total revenues	$	939,373	$	524,475	$	1,604,566

The Company’s Hospitality segment revenues disaggregated by location are as follows (in thousands):

	2021		2020		2019
Gaylord Opryland	$	238,567	$	133,333	$	385,610
Gaylord Palms		139,130		77,819		208,298
Gaylord Texan		180,031		111,236		292,548
Gaylord National		79,419		52,026		281,367
Gaylord Rockies		135,942		84,715		226,576
AC Hotel		5,838		3,332		11,725
Inn at Opryland		7,656		3,584		15,322
Total Hospitality segment revenues	$	786,583	$	466,045	$	1,421,446

The majority of the Company’s Entertainment segment revenues are concentrated in Tennessee.

The Company records deferred revenues when cash payments are received in advance of its performance obligations, primarily related to advanced deposits on hotel rooms in its Hospitality segment and advanced ticketing in its Entertainment segment. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company had $116.8 million and $70.4 million, respectively, in deferred revenues, which are included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Of the amount outstanding at December 31, 2020, approximately $17.3 million was recognized in revenues during 2021.

Management Fees

The Company pays Marriott a base management fee of approximately 2% of revenues for the majority of properties that Marriott manages and a base management fee of approximately 3% of revenues for Gaylord Rockies, as well as an incentive fee for each managed property that is based on profitability. The Company incurred $17.6 million, $10.3 million and $31.6 million in base management fees to Marriott during 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Company incurred $0.3 million, $0 and $12.6 million in incentive fees to Marriott during 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Management fees are presented in the consolidated statements of operations net of the amortization of the deferred management rights proceeds discussed further in Note 5, “Deferred Management Rights Proceeds.”

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and were $36.2 million, $23.0 million, and $53.2 million for 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company has stock-based employee compensation plans, which are described more fully in Note 7, “Stock Plans.” The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation plan under the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation.”

Preopening Costs

The Company expenses the costs associated with start-up activities and organization costs associated with its development or reopening of hotels and significant attractions as incurred. The Company’s preopening costs during 2021 include costs associated with the Gaylord Palms expansion, which was completed in April 2021. The Company’s preopening costs during 2020 include costs associated with Ole Red Orlando, which opened in June 2020, and the Gaylord Palms expansion. The Company’s preopening costs during 2019 include costs associated with Ole Red Gatlinburg, which opened in March 2019, costs associated with the opening of Gaylord Rockies, which opened on a fully operational basis in the first quarter of 2019, and costs associated with the expansion at Gaylord Palms.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company has entered into and may in the future enter into additional interest rate swap agreements to hedge against interest rate fluctuations. The Company does not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes and currently does not hold any derivatives that are not designated as hedges.

For derivatives designated as and that qualify as cash flow hedges of interest rate risk, the gain or loss on the derivative resulting from recording each instrument at estimated fair value is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss and subsequently reclassified to interest expense in the same period during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. These amounts reported in accumulated other comprehensive loss will be reclassified to interest expense as interest payments are made on the related variable-rate debt. The Company estimates that $9.1 million will be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense in the next twelve months.

Impairment of Long-Lived and Other Assets

In accounting for the Company’s long-lived and other assets (including its property and equipment and intangible assets), the Company assesses its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets or asset group may not be recoverable.

Recoverability of property and equipment and definite-lived intangible assets that will continue to be used is measured by comparing the carrying amount of the asset or asset group to the related total future undiscounted net cash flows. If an asset or asset group’s carrying value is not recoverable through those cash flows, the asset group is considered to be impaired. The impairment is measured by the difference between the assets’ carrying amount and their fair value, which is estimated using discounted cash flow analyses that utilize comprehensive cash flow projections, as well as observable market data to the extent available.

The Company recorded no impairment losses during 2021, 2020 or 2019.

Income (Loss) Per Share

Income (loss) per share is measured as basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding after considering the effect of conversion of dilutive instruments, calculated using the treasury stock method or if-converted method, as applicable. Net income (loss) per share amounts are calculated as follows for the years ended December 31 (income and share amounts in thousands):

	2021
	Loss		Shares	Per Share
Net loss available to common stockholders	$	(176,966)	55,047	$	(3.21)
Effect of dilutive stock-based compensation		—	—		—
Net loss available to common stockholders — assuming dilution	$	(176,966)	55,047	$	(3.21)

	2020
	Loss		Shares	Per Share
Net loss available to common stockholders	$	(417,391)	54,962	$	(7.59)
Effect of dilutive stock-based compensation		—	—		—
Net loss available to common stockholders — assuming dilution	$	(417,391)	54,962	$	(7.59)

	2019
	Income		Shares	Per Share
Net income available to common stockholders	$	145,794	51,609	$	2.82
Effect of dilutive stock-based compensation		—	169		—
Effect of dilutive put rights		—	197		—
Net income available to common stockholders — assuming dilution	$	145,794	51,975	$	2.81

For 2021 and 2020, the effect of dilutive stock-based compensation was the equivalent of 0.2 million and 0.1 million shares of common stock outstanding, respectively. Because the Company had a loss available to common stockholders in 2021 and 2020, these incremental shares were excluded from the computation of dilutive earnings per share as the effect of their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

As discussed above, certain minority partners in the Gaylord Rockies joint venture each had a put right to require the Company to purchase their joint venture interests in the Gaylord Rockies joint venture in consideration of cash or OP Units of the Operating Partnership. These put rights were exercised in 2020. The OP Units held by the noncontrolling

interest holders have been excluded from the denominator of the diluted loss per share calculation for 2021 and 2020 as there would be no effect on the calculation of diluted earnings per share because the loss attributable to the OP Units held by the noncontrolling interest holders would also be subtracted to derive net loss available to common shareholders.

Accounting Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Newly Issued Accounting Standards

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses – Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which changes how entities measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. The ASU replaces the current “incurred loss” approach with an “expected loss” model for instruments measured at amortized cost. For trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, loans and other instruments, entities are required to use a new forward-looking “expected loss” model that generally will result in the earlier recognition of allowances for losses. The Company has applied these amendments with a modified-retrospective approach, with a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of period of adoption. For debt securities for which an other-than-temporary impairment has been previously recognized, a prospective transition approach for the prior other-than-temporary impairment is required. The Company adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2020 and recorded an adjustment to beginning retained earnings of $5.3 million and an adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive loss of $2.2 million. See Note 3, “Notes Receivable,” for additional disclosure.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, “Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (Topic 740),” which is intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and also clarifies and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. The Company adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2021, and this adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform – Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting,” which provides temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the existing guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burdens of the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The guidance in ASU 2020-04 is optional, effective immediately, and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur generally through December 31, 2022. During 2020, the Company elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR-indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged transactions will be based matches the index on the corresponding derivatives. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of this guidance and may apply other elections as applicable as additional market changes occur.