17. Guarantees and Contingencies

We have certain guarantees which consist of commitments we have made to third parties for leases or debt that are not recognized in our consolidated financial statements due to various dispositions, spin-offs and contractual arrangements, but that we have agreed to pay in the event of certain circumstances including default by an unrelated party. We consider the likelihood of any material payments under these guarantees to be remote. The guarantees are listed below:

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We remain contingently liable for rental payments on certain divested non-lodging properties. These primarily represent certain divested restaurants that were sold subject to our guarantee of the future rental payments. The aggregate amount of these future rental payments is approximately $18 million as of December 31, 2010.

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In 1997, we owned Leisure Park Venture Limited Partnership, which owns and operates a senior living facility. We spun-off the partnership to Barceló Crestline Corporation, formerly Crestline Capital Corporation, in the REIT conversion, but we remain obligated under a guarantee of interest and principal with regard to $14.7 million of municipal bonds issued by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority through their maturity in 2027. However, to the extent we are required to make any payments under the guarantee, we have been indemnified by Barceló Crestline Corporation, who, in turn, is indemnified by the current owner of the facility.

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In connection with the sale of two hotels in January 2005, we remain contingently liable for the amounts due under the respective ground leases. The future minimum lease payments are approximately $13 million through the full term of the leases, including renewal options. We believe that any liability related to these ground leases is remote, and in each case, we have been indemnified by the purchaser of the hotel.

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In connection with the Starwood acquisition, we have three properties with environmental liabilities, primarily asbestos in non-public areas of the properties, for which we have recorded the present value of the liability, or approximately $3 million. The amount is based on management’s estimate of the timing and future costs to remediate the liability. We will record the accretion expense over the period we intend to hold the hotel or until the item is remediated.