XML 38 R24.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.10.0.1
Other Commitments And Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Other Commitments And Contingencies
Other Commitments and Contingencies

As of December 31, 2018, the Company had an aggregate of approximately $98.7 million of commitments to fund development projects including 10 entertainment development projects for which it has commitments to fund approximately $25.4 million, five recreation development projects for which it has commitments to fund approximately $45.9 million and six education development projects for which it has commitments to fund approximately $27.4 million. Development costs are advanced by the Company in periodic draws. If the Company determines that construction is not being completed in accordance with the terms of the development agreements, it can discontinue funding construction draws. The Company has agreed to lease the properties to the operators at pre-determined rates upon completion of construction.

Additionally, as of December 31, 2018, the Company had a commitment to fund approximately $206.9 million, of which $149.3 million has been funded, to complete an indoor waterpark hotel and adventure park at the casino and resort project in Sullivan County, New York. This project is expected to go in service in Spring 2019. The Company is also responsible for the construction of this project's common infrastructure. In June 2016, the Sullivan County Infrastructure Local Development Corporation issued $110.0 million of Series 2016 Revenue Bonds, which has funded a substantial portion of such construction costs. The Company received reimbursements of $43.4 million and $23.9 million of construction costs during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company received an additional reimbursement of $6.9 million and anticipates receiving $11.5 million in 2019. Construction of infrastructure improvements was completed in 2018.
   
The Company has certain commitments related to its mortgage note investments that it may be required to fund in the future. The Company is generally obligated to fund these commitments at the request of the borrower or upon the occurrence of events outside of its direct control. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had four mortgage notes receivable with commitments totaling approximately $6.9 million. If commitments are funded in the future, interest will be charged at rates consistent with the existing investments.

The Company guarantees the payment of certain economic development revenue bonds that are secured by leasehold interest and improvements at two theatres in Louisiana. During the year ended December 31, 2017, these bonds were re-issued and the maturity date of these bonds was extended to December 22, 2047. At December 31, 2018, the Company's guarantees of the payment of these bonds totaled $24.7 million.

The Company has recorded $5.3 million in other assets and $16.1 million in other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 related to these guarantees. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded an impairment to its asset of $7.8 million and an incremental contingent liability of $2.9 million as payment on a portion of the bonds is considered probable and is reasonably estimable, resulting in a total impairment charge of $10.7 million. See Note 4 for further discussion.

In connection with construction of its development projects and related infrastructure, certain public agencies require posting of surety bonds to guarantee that the Company's obligations are satisfied. These bonds expire upon the completion of the improvements or infrastructure. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had five surety bonds outstanding totaling $22.5 million.

Resort Project in Sullivan County, New York
Prior proposed casino and resort developers Concord Associates, L.P., Concord Resort, LLC and Concord Kiamesha LLC, which are affiliates of Louis Cappelli and from whom the Company acquired the Resorts World Catskills resort property (the Cappelli Group), commenced litigation against the Company beginning in 2011 regarding matters relating to the acquisition of that property and the Company's relationship with the Empire Resorts, Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries. This litigation involved three separate cases filed in state and federal court. Two of the cases, a state and the federal case, are closed and resulted in no liability by the Company.

The remaining case was filed on October 20, 2011 by the Cappelli Group against the Company and two of its affiliates in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Westchester (the Westchester Action), asserting a claim for breach of contract and the implied covenant of good faith, and seeking damages of at least $800 million, based on allegations that the Company had breached a casino development agreement, dated June 18, 2010. On June 29, 2018, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the Cappelli Group whereby each of the parties fully settled all disputes between and among them. The terms of the settlement agreement include, among other terms, the Company’s payment of $2.0 million to the Cappelli Group, the mutual release of all parties, and the dismissal of the Westchester Action with prejudice. Additionally, during the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company paid approximately $90 thousand in professional fees associated with the settlement.

Early Childhood Education Tenant
During 2017, cash flow of CLA was negatively impacted by challenges brought on by its rapid expansion and related ramp up to stabilization and by adverse weather conditions in Texas during the third quarter of 2017. As a result, CLA initiated negotiations with the Company and other landlords regarding a potential restructuring. However, CLA did not secure the investments necessary to accomplish the restructuring. As a result, the Company sent CLA notices of lease termination on October 12, 2017 for the following CLA properties: (i) Broomfield, Colorado, (ii) Ashburn, Virginia, (iii) West Chester, Ohio, (iv) Chanhassen, Minnesota, (v) Ellisville, Missouri, (vi) Farm Road-Las Vegas, Nevada, (vii) Fishers, Indiana, (viii) Tredyffrin, Pennsylvania, and (ix) Westerville, Ohio.

On December 18, 2017, ten subsidiaries of Children's Learning Adventure USA, LLC (CLA Parent) filed separate voluntary petitions for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code with the United States Bankruptcy Court (Court) for the District of Arizona (Jointly Administered under Case No. 2:17-bk-14851-BMW), covering substantially all of the Company's properties leased to CLA. CLA Parent has not filed a petition for bankruptcy. It is the Company's understanding that the CLA Debtors filed bankruptcy petitions to stay the termination of the remaining CLA leases and delay the eviction process.

On January 8, 2018, the Company filed with the Court (i) motions seeking rent for the post-petition period beginning on December 18, 2017, and (ii) motions seeking relief from the automatic stay seeking the right to terminate the remaining leases and evict the CLA Debtors from the properties. On March 14, 2018, the CLA Parties and the Company entered into a Stipulation providing that (a) the CLA Parties would pay rent for the months of March through July for an aggregate total of $4.3 million, (b) resolution of restructuring of the leases between the Company and the CLA Parties would be concluded no later than July 31, 2018 (the Forbearance Period), (c) relief from stay would be granted with respect to the Company’s properties as needed to implement the Stipulation, (d) the parties would not commence or prosecute litigation against any other party during the Forbearance Period, and (e) the deadline for any motion by the CLA Debtors to assume or reject the leases under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code would be extended to July 31, 2018. On May 7, 2018, the Court entered an order approving the Stipulation. The CLA Parties made all of the rent payments required by the Stipulation.

In July 2018, the Company entered into a new lease agreement with CLA related to the 21 operating properties which replaced the prior lease arrangements and continued on a month-to-month basis. The lease agreement provided for monthly rent of $1.0 million plus approximately $170 thousand for pro rata property taxes. CLA relinquished control of four properties that were still under development as the Company no longer intends to develop these properties for CLA. Two of these properties were sold in February 2019. See Note 4 for further discussion regarding CLA.

In February 2019, CLA and the Company entered into agreements (collectively, the PSA) providing for the purchase and sale of certain assets associated with the businesses located at the 21 operating CLA properties whereby the Company can nominate a third party operator to take an assignment and transfer of such assets from CLA and to receive certain beneficial rights under various related ancillary agreements. Consideration provided by the Company for the asset transfers includes the release of past due rent obligations, previously fully reserved by the Company, and additional consideration of approximately $15.0 million which includes approximately $3.5 million for equipment used in the operations of the Company's schools. CLA has agreed to surrender possession of any of those properties that have not been transferred to a replacement operator prior to March 31, 2020 and has agreed to lease and operate each of the 21 properties for an aggregate of approximately $1.0 million per month of minimum rent until the transfer of each property to the Company’s replacement tenant or surrender of the property.

The primary closing condition for each transfer will be the requirement that the replacement tenant has obtained all required licenses and permits. There can be no assurance that the replacement tenant of a property will timely satisfy this or other conditions which could delay or prevent the closing of one or more transfers. As a result, there can be no assurance that one or more properties will not be surrendered until after March 31, 2020, in which case the Company would receive such properties without the ability to provide active operations to a replacement tenant which could adversely affect the terms of the leases of such properties to replacement tenants.

CLA is required to file a motion by March 1, 2019 with the bankruptcy court (Court) seeking authorization of the sale of certain assets pursuant to the PSA. A condition to the parties’ obligations under the PSA is the Court’s approval of the motion. There can be no assurance that this motion will be approved by the Court or that the Court will not require modifications to the PSA as a condition to its approval.

Additionally, in February 2019, the Company entered into leases of all 21 operating CLA properties with Crème de la Crème (Crème), a premium, national early childhood education operator. These leases are contingent upon the Company delivering possession of the properties and include different financial terms based on whether or not CLA delivers Crème the assets associated with the in-place operations of the school. The leases have 20-year terms that commence upon Crème beginning operations of the schools. Additionally, Crème and the Company each have early termination rights based on school level economic performance.

There can be no assurance as to the outcome of the contemplated transaction or whether some or all of the properties will be transferred to Crème with in-place operations. If some or all of the schools are not transferred to Crème with in-place operations, there will be a delay in re-opening such schools and a corresponding reduction in near term rents from Crème.