-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, CJRZ+gPtGOp5te/vhPW55qGcg2t7NMfPEgmDAmnoRoQR+STHoCag456LHRwph7ep vkl8GdJgmJox9UEeehbe0Q== 0001140361-09-018081.txt : 20090806 0001140361-09-018081.hdr.sgml : 20090806 20090806154629 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001140361-09-018081 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 6 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20090804 ITEM INFORMATION: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement ITEM INFORMATION: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20090806 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20090806 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001063344 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798] IRS NUMBER: 251811499 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-14765 FILM NUMBER: 09991556 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 44 HERSHA DRIVE CITY: HARRISBURG STATE: PA ZIP: 17102 BUSINESS PHONE: 7172364400 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 44 HERSHA DRIVE CITY: HARRISBURG STATE: PA ZIP: 17102 8-K 1 form8k.htm HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST 8-K 8-4-2009 form8k.htm


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 8-K


CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 4, 2009


HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Maryland
001-14765
251811499
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)


510 Walnut Street, 9th Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
(Address and zip code of
principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (215) 238-1046

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instructions A.2. below):

¨
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 


 
 

 

Item 1.01
Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement

Purchase Agreement; Sale of Common Shares

On August 4, 2009, Hersha Hospitality Trust (the “Company”) and Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, L.P. (the “Operating Partnership”) entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Real Estate Investment Group L.P., a Bermuda limited partnership (“REIG”), pursuant to which the Company sold 5,700,000 shares (the “Primary Shares”) of the Company’s Class A common shares of beneficial interest to REIG at a price of $2.50 per share.  REIG is an affiliate of IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima, a publicly-traded company (NYSE: “IRS”) based in Buenos Aires, Argentina (“IRSA”).

The Declaration of Trust of the Company prohibits beneficial or constructive ownership by any person of more than 9.9% in value of any class of stock of the Company (the “Ownership Limit”).  The Company has agreed to waive the Ownership Limit applicable to REIG in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement in accordance with the provisions in the Declaration of Trust of the Company that permit such a waiver provided that REIG does not beneficially or constructively own more than 24% of the Common Shares of the Company.

The Purchase Agreement is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by this reference.

Investor Rights and Option Agreement

In connection with the Purchase Agreement, the Company also entered into an Investor Rights and Option Agreement (the “Investor Rights and Option Agreement”) with REIG and IRSA pursuant to which the Company granted REIG the option (the “Option”) to buy up to an additional 5,700,000 Class A common shares (the “Option Shares”) at a price of $3.00 per share (the “Option Price”).  The Option is exercisable at any time prior to August 4, 2014.  If at any time after August 4, 2011 the closing price for the Company’s Class A common shares on the New York Stock Exchange exceeds $5.00 for 20 consecutive trading days, the Company may call in and cancel the Option (the “Call Option”) in exchange for the issuance to REIG of Class A common shares with an aggregate value equal to the volume weighted average price per Class A common share for the 20 trading days prior to the exercise of the Call Option, less the Option Price, multiplied by the number of Class A common shares remaining under the Option.  The Investor Rights and Option Agreement also grants REIG certain preemptive rights to participate in future issuances of equity securities by the Company for so long as REIG beneficially owns at least 5% of the outstanding Class A common shares of the Company.

The Investor Rights and Option Agreement is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.2 and is incorporated herein by this reference.

Registration Rights Agreement

Also in connection with the Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with REIG and IRSA.  The Registration Rights Agreement requires the Company to register on Form S-3 by December 1, 2009 the Primary Shares and the Option Shares issuable upon exercise of the Option.  The Registration Rights Agreement also grants REIG the right to participate in certain future underwritten offerings of securities by the Company.

The Registration Rights Agreement is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.3 and is incorporated herein by this reference.

 
 

 

Trustee Designation Agreement

In connection with the other transactions described in this Current Report, the Company entered into a Trustee Designation Agreement (the “Trustee Designation Agreement”) with REIG and IRSA pursuant to which the Company will appoint Eduardo S. Elsztain, Chairman of IRSA, to the Board of Trustees of the Company (the “Board of Trustees”) as a Class II trustee.  The Trustee Designation Agreement also permits IRSA to designate one of two non-voting observers to attend any meeting of the Board of Trustees if Mr. Elsztain is unable to attend.  For so long as REIG beneficially owns at least 10% of the outstanding Class A common shares of the Company, the Company has agreed to recommend to the shareholders the election of Mr. Elsztain or a qualified replacement to the Board of Trustees.

The Trustee Designation Agreement is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.4 and is incorporated herein by this reference.

Each of the foregoing summaries in this Item 1.01 is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full agreements, each of which is attached hereto as an exhibit and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.02
Election of Directors

Pursuant to the Trustee Designation Agreement, on August 3, 2009, the Board of Trustees appointed Mr. Elsztain to fill a vacancy on the Board of Trustees as a Class II trustee.  The Board of Trustees has determined that Mr. Elsztain is independent pursuant to the categorical independence standards adopted by the Company and applicable New York Stock Exchange rules.  The description of the Trustee Designation Agreement appearing in Item 1.01 above is incorporated herein by this reference.

Mr. Elsztain, age 49, is Chairman of IRSA, a position he has held since 1991. IRSA is a real estate investment company with holdings in shopping centers, hotels, office buildings, residential properties and other investments in Argentina and the United States. IRSA’s shares are traded on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange and its American Depository Receipts are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Elsztain studied economic sciences at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He has been engaged in the real estate business for more than twenty years.  He is also the chairman of the board of directors of Alto Palermo S.A., Shopping Alto Palermo S.A., Cresud Sociedad Anónima Comercial, Inmobiliaria, Financiera y Agropecuaria, one of Argentina’s largest agricultural companies and landowners, which owns approximately 56% of IRSA, Consultores Asset Management, Banco Hipotecario S.A. and BACS Banco de Crédito & Securitización among others. He is also vice-chairman of E-Commerce Latina S.A. and Director of BrasilAgro Companhia Brasileira de Propiedades Agricolas, among other companies.

Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits

 
(d) 
Exhibits

 
8.1
Opinion of Hunton & Williams with respect to certain tax matters.

 
10.1
Purchase Agreement, dated August 4, 2009, by and among Hersha Hospitality Trust, Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership and Real Estate Investment Group L.P.

 
10.2
Investor Rights and Option Agreement, dated August 4, 2009, by and among Hersha Hospitality Trust, Real Estate Investment Group L.P. and IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima.

 
10.3
Registration Rights Agreement, dated August 4, 2009, by and among Hersha Hospitality Trust, Real Estate Investment Group L.P. and IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima.

 
10.4
Trustee Designation Agreement, dated August 4, 2009, by and among Hersha Hospitality Trust, Real Estate Investment Group L.P. and IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima.

 
 

 

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
 
     
Date:  August 5, 2009
 
By:
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
 
   
Ashish R. Parikh
 
 
 
Chief Financial Officer
 

 
 

 

Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.
 
Description
     
 
Opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP with respect to certain tax matters.
     
 
Purchase Agreement, dated August 4, 2009, by and among Hersha Hospitality Trust, Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership and Real Estate Investment Group L.P.
     
 
Investor Rights and Option Agreement, dated August 4, 2009, by and among Hersha Hospitality Trust, Real Estate Investment Group L.P. and IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima.
     
 
Registration Rights Agreement, dated August 4, 2009, by and among Hersha Hospitality Trust, Real Estate Investment Group L.P. and IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima.
     
 
Trustee Designation Agreement, dated August 4, 2009, by and among Hersha Hospitality Trust, Real Estate Investment Group L.P. and IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima.
 
 

EX-8.1 2 ex8_1.htm EXHIBIT 8.1 ex8_1.htm

EXHIBIT 8.1

HUNTON & WILLIAMS LLP
RIVERFRONT PLAZA, EAST TOWER
951 EAST BYRD STREET
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA  23219-4074

TEL           804 • 788 • 8200
FAX           804 • 788 • 8218


AUGUST 4, 2009


Hersha Hospitality Trust
510 Walnut Street, 9th Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  19106

Hersha Hospitality Trust
Qualification as Real Estate Investment Trust


Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-138038) declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 28, 2006 (the “Registration Statement”), with respect to the offer and sale of up to $400,000,000 of the common shares of beneficial interest and preferred shares of beneficial interest of the Company, and the offer and sale pursuant to the Registration Statement of 5,700,000 common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Common Shares”) pursuant to a Prospectus Supplement dated August 4, 2009 filed with the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus Supplement”).  You have requested our opinion regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters.

In giving this opinion letter, we have examined the following (collectively, the “Reviewed Documents”):

 
1.
the Company’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, filed on January 15, 1999 with the Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland (the “Declaration of Trust”);

 
2.
the Company’s Bylaws;

 
3.
the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, a Virginia limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”), dated January 26, 1999 (the “Operating Partnership Agreement”), among the Company, as general partner, and several limited partners;

 
 

 

 
4.
the First Amendment to the Operating Partnership Agreement dated as of December 31, 1999;

 
5.
the Second Amendment to the Operating Partnership Agreement dated as of April 21, 2003;

 
6.
the partnership and limited liability company agreements (the “Subsidiary Partnership Agreements”) governing the Operating Partnership’s wholly owned and joint venture subsidiary partnership and limited liability companies (the “Subsidiary Partnerships”);

 
7.
the Registration Statement, the prospectus filed as a part of the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), and the Prospectus Supplement;

 
8.
the operating lease agreements between the Subsidiary Partnerships, on the one hand, and (i) 44 New England Management Company, a Virginia corporation, or a partnership or limited liability company of which 44 New England Management Company or one of its subsidiaries is a partner or member (collectively, “44 New England”) or (ii) joint ventures in which the Company holds its equity interest through a taxable REIT subsidiary (a “TRS”) or TRSs wholly-owned or substantially owned by the joint venture, on the other hand;

 
9.
the management agreements pursuant to which Hersha Hospitality Management, L.P., a Pennsylvania limited partnership, and other hotel managers operate and manage all of the Company’s hotels;

 
10.
the TRS elections for 44 New England; Hersha PRA TRS, Inc., a Delaware corporation; Revere Hotel Group, LLC, a Massachusetts limited liability company; HT Inn America TRS, Inc., a Delaware corporation; South Bay Sandeep, LLC, a Massachusetts limited liability company; Hersha CNL TRS, Inc., a Delaware corporation; HHM Leasehold Interests, Inc., a Delaware corporation; HHLP King of Prussia, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation; HHLP Malvern, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation; HHLP Oxford Valley, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation; HHLP Wilmington, Inc., a Delaware corporation; Mystic Special Purpose Corp., a Delaware corporation; Mystic Hotel Investors Remote Entity Incorporated, a Delaware corporation; Exit 88 Special Purpose Corp., a Delaware corporation; and 320 Pearl Street, Inc., a New York corporation; and

 
11.
such other documents or agreements as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion.

In connection with the opinions rendered below, we have assumed, with your consent, that:

1.             each of the documents referred to above has genuine signatures, has been duly authorized, executed, and delivered; is authentic, if an original, or is accurate, if a copy; and has not been amended;

 
 

 

2.             during its taxable year ending December 31, 2009 and future taxable years, the representations contained in a certificate, dated August 3, 2009 and executed by a duly appointed officer of the Company (the “Officer’s Certificate”), will be true for such years;

3.             the Company will not make any amendments to its organizational documents, the Operating Partnership Agreement, or the Subsidiary Partnership Agreements after the date of this opinion that would have the effect of altering the facts upon which the opinions set forth below are based;

4.             the Operating Partnership and each Subsidiary Partnership will be operated in accordance with the terms of the Operating Partnership Agreement and the Subsidiary Partnership Agreement, as applicable, and in accordance with the applicable law of the state of formation; and

5.             all of the obligations imposed by or described in the Reviewed Documents have been and will continue to be performed or satisfied in accordance with their terms.

In connection with the opinion rendered below, we also have relied upon the correctness of the factual representations contained in the Officer’s Certificate.  No facts have come to our attention that would cause us to question the accuracy of the factual representations in the Officer’s Certificate in a material way.  Furthermore, where such factual representations involve terms defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Treasury regulations thereunder (the “Regulations”), published rulings of the Internal Revenue Service (the “Service”), or other relevant authority, we have reviewed with the individuals making such representations the relevant provisions of the Code, the applicable Regulations and published administrative interpretations thereof.

Based on the Reviewed Documents, the assumptions set forth above, the representations set forth in the Officer’s Certificate, and the factual matters discussed in the Prospectus under the caption “Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as a REIT” and in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Additional Federal Income Tax Considerations” (which are incorporated herein by reference), we are of the opinion that:

(a)           the Company qualified to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) pursuant to sections 856 through 860 of the Code, for its taxable years ended December 31, 1999 through December 31, 2008, and the Company’s organization and current and proposed method of operation will enable it to continue to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2009, and in the future; and

(b)           the descriptions of the law and the legal conclusions contained in the Prospectus under the caption “Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as a REIT” and in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Additional Federal Income Tax Considerations” are correct in all material respects.

We will not review on a continuing basis the Company’s compliance with the documents or assumptions set forth above, or the representations set forth in the Officer’s Certificate.  Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of the Company’s operations for any given taxable year will satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT.  Although we have made such inquiries and performed such investigations as we have deemed necessary to fulfill our professional responsibilities as counsel, we have not undertaken an independent investigation of all the facts referred to in this opinion letter or the Officer’s Certificate.

 
 

 

The foregoing opinions are based on current provisions of the Code and the Regulations, published administrative interpretations thereof, and published court decisions.  The Service has not issued Regulations or administrative interpretations with respect to various provisions of the Code relating to REIT qualification.  No assurance can be given that the law will not change in a way that will prevent the Company from qualifying as a REIT.

The foregoing opinions are limited to the U.S. federal income tax matters addressed herein, and no other opinions are rendered with respect to other federal tax matters or to any issues arising under the tax laws of any other country, or any state or locality.  We undertake no obligation to update the opinion expressed herein after the date of this letter.  This opinion letter is addressed to you, and it speaks only as of the date hereof.  This opinion letter may not be distributed, relied upon for any purpose by any other person, quoted in whole or in part or otherwise reproduced in any document, or filed with any governmental agency without our express written consent.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.  We also consent to the references to Hunton & Williams LLP under the captions “Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as a REIT” and “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus and “Additional Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement.  In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the SEC.


 
Very truly yours,
   
  /s/ Hunton & Williams LLP
 
 

EX-10.1 3 ex10_1.htm EXHIBIT 10.1 ex10_1.htm

Exhibit 10.1
 
EXECUTION VERSION


PURCHASE AGREEMENT

This Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of August 4, 2009, is by and among Real Estate Investment Group L.P., a Bermuda limited partnership, whose general partner and majority limited partner is Tyrus S.A., a Uruguayan sociedad anónima wholly-owned by IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima, an Argentine sociedad anónima (the “Purchaser”), Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”) and Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, L.P., a Virginia limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”).

WHEREAS, the Purchaser desires to purchase from the Company, and the Company desires to issue and sell to the Purchaser, an aggregate of 5,700,000 shares (the “Primary Shares”) of the Company’s Class A common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”);

WHEREAS, in connection with the sale and purchase of the Primary Shares, the Company and the Purchaser intend to enter the Investor Rights and Option Agreement (as defined below), pursuant to which the Company shall grant the Purchaser the option to purchase 5,700,000 additional Common Shares (the “Option Shares”) on the terms contained therein; and

WHEREAS, in connection with the sale and purchase of the Primary Shares, the Company and the Purchaser intend to enter into the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below), pursuant to which the Company shall be obligated to file a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with respect to the Primary Shares and the Option Shares; and

WHEREAS, in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Investor Rights and Option Agreement, the Company and the Purchaser intend to enter into the Trustee Designation Agreement, pursuant to which the Company has agreed to elect or appoint a representative designated by the Purchaser as a trustee of the Company;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.             Purchase and Sale.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, on the Closing Date the Purchaser shall purchase from the Company, and the Company shall issue and sell to the Purchaser, the Primary Shares at a price per share of $2.50, for an aggregate gross purchase price of U.S. $14,250,000 (the “Purchase Price”).

2.              Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser.  The Purchaser represents and warrants to the Company that:

(a)            Due Authorization.  The Purchaser has full entity power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents (as defined below) and is duly authorized to purchase the Primary Shares from the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Transaction Documents.  Each Transaction Document has been duly authorized, validly executed and delivered by the Purchaser and constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Purchaser, enforceable against the Purchaser in accordance with its terms except as may be limited by (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights or remedies of creditors or (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefore may be brought.

 
 

 

(b)            Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement.  The Purchaser has received a copy of the Company’s base prospectus, dated November 26, 2006 (the “Base Prospectus”) and will receive a copy of the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Primary Shares (the “Prospectus Supplement” and, together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”).

(c)            Waiver Representation Letter.  The representations and warranties contained in the Representation Letter (as defined below), are true and correct in all respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined below).

(d)            Anti-Money Laundering.

 
(i)
Neither the Purchaser, any Purchaser Affiliate, any Person controlled by either, any Person who owns a controlling interest in or otherwise controls Purchaser nor any Person for whom Purchaser is acting as agent or nominee in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, is a country, territory, Person, organization, or entity named on an OFAC List, or is a prohibited country, territory, Person, organization, or entity under any economic sanctions program administered or maintained by OFAC; and

 
(ii)
The Purchaser is not a Senior Foreign Political Figure, or a Close Associate of a Senior Foreign Political Figure; the Purchaser is not controlled by a Senior Foreign Political Figure, or a Close Associate of a Senior Foreign Political Figure; and none of the direct or indirect owners of the Purchaser (other than any owner(s) of any interest(s) in a publicly-traded entity) is a Senior Foreign Political Figure, or a Close Associate of a Senior Foreign Political Figure (as each such defined term is referred to in the applicable Treasury Regulations).

 
(iii)
The Purchaser agrees that, upon receiving a request from any other Company, it shall provide information reasonably required by such Partner to confirm that the representations, warranties and covenants contained herein continue to be true and to comply with all applicable anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist laws, regulations and executive orders.  The Purchaser consents to the disclosure to United States regulators and law enforcement authorities by the Company of such information about the Purchaser that the Company reasonably deems necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist laws, regulations and executive orders.

 
2

 

3.              Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership.  The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally represent and warrant to Purchaser that as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as the case may be:

(a)            The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”).  On October 17, 2006, the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a Form S-3 registration statement applicable to the Primary Shares (the “Registration Statement”), which has been declared effective under the Securities Act.  The Company has not received, and has no knowledge of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose.  Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed.  The Prospectus Supplement has been prepared and will be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act within the time period prescribed therein.  Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any such amendments or supplements, and all documents incorporated by reference therein, that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or made available, to Purchaser and its counsel.  The Company’s Class A common shares are currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) under the trading symbol “HT.”

(b)            The Prospectus delivered to the Purchaser is identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(c)            Each of the Registration Statement, any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act (each, a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”) and each amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and on the Closing Date, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.  The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to the Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by the Purchaser expressly for use therein.

(d)            Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as the case may be, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to the Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by the Purchaser expressly for use therein.

 
3

 

(e)            Each document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus heretofore filed, when it was filed (or, if any amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any further documents so filed and incorporated after the date of this Agreement will, when they are filed, conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and no such document, when it was filed (or, if an amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and no such document, when it is filed, will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading.

(f)            All of the issued and outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws.  None of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Company were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights.  Except as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no outstanding options, warrants or similar rights to subscribe for, or contractual obligations to issue, sell, transfer or acquire, any shares of beneficial interest of the Company or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any such shares of beneficial interest.

(g)            The Primary Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered against full payment therefor in accordance with the terms hereof, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other or similar rights.  The Option Shares to be issued and sold by the Company pursuant to the Investor Rights and Option Agreement have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered against full payment therefore in accordance with the terms of the Investor Rights and Option Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other or similar rights.

(h)            The shares of beneficial interest of the Company, including the Primary Shares and the Option Shares, conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.  The certificates for the Primary Shares and the Option Shares are in due and proper form, and the holders of the Primary Shares and the Option Shares will not be subject to personal liability solely by reason of being such a holder.

(i)             Immediately after the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, all of the issued and outstanding common units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership (“Common Units”) and all of the issued and outstanding preferred units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership (“Preferred Units”) will have been validly issued.  Immediately after the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, none of the outstanding Common Units or Preferred Units will have been issued in violation of any preemptive right, right of first refusal or other similar right; and the outstanding Common Units and Preferred Units have been offered, sold and issued by the Operating Partnership in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws.

 
4

 

(j)             The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than (i) the subsidiaries that are listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year and (ii) those subsidiaries formed since the last day of the most recently ended fiscal year, all of which are listed on Schedule 3(j) (each, a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”).

(k)            The Company and each Subsidiary that is consolidated with the Company in the Company’s financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (each, a “Consolidated Subsidiary”) is duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation or organization with full corporate, partnership or entity power and authority, as the case may be, to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as presently conducted and as described in the Prospectus and is duly registered and qualified to conduct its business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction or place where the nature of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such registration or qualification, except where the failure to so register or qualify has not had and will not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), business, properties, results of operations or prospects of the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(l)             The outstanding equity interests of, or other ownership interests in, each of the Consolidated Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and, except as to Consolidated Subsidiaries that are partnerships or limited liability companies, nonassessable, and are owned by the Company, directly or indirectly, free and clear of any security interest, lien, encumbrance or claim.

(m)           Except as described in the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, inquiry, proceeding or investigation by or before any court or governmental or other regulatory or administrative agency or commission pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened against or involving the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary, that might individually or in the aggregate prevent or adversely affect the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or result in a Material Adverse Effect, nor to the Company's knowledge, is there any basis for any such action, suit, inquiry, proceeding or investigation. There are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or other instruments that are required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that are not described, filed or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as required by the Securities Act.  All such contracts to which the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary is a party have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company or the applicable Consolidated Subsidiary, constitute valid and binding agreements of the Company or the applicable Consolidated Subsidiary and are enforceable against the Company or the applicable Consolidated Subsidiary in accordance with the terms thereof, except as enforceability thereof may be limited by (i) the application of bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and (ii) equitable principles being applied at the discretion of a court before which any proceeding may be brought.  Neither the Company nor any Consolidated Subsidiary has received written notice or been made aware that the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary is in breach of or default under any such contracts to which it is a party.

 
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(n)            Neither the Company nor any Consolidated Subsidiary is: (i) in violation of (A) its Organizational Documents (as defined below), (B) to the Company's knowledge, any law, ordinance, administrative or governmental rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary, the violation of which would have a Material Adverse Effect or (C) any decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary; or (ii) in default in any material respect in the performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in (x) any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or (y) any agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument (each of (x) and (y), an “Existing Instrument”) to which the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary is a party or by which any of its properties may be bound, which default would have a Material Adverse Effect and, to the Company’s knowledge, there does not exist any state of facts that constitutes a default or an event of default on the part of the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary as defined in such documents or that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default or event of default that would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(o)            Each of the Company and the Operating Partnership has full legal right, power and authority to enter into and perform the Transaction Documents and to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Transaction Documents, including the issuance, sale and delivery of the Primary Shares as provided herein and the issuance, sale and delivery of the Option Shares as provided in the Investor Rights and Option Agreement.  The Company’s and the Operating Partnership’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents to which each is a party and the performance by the Company and the Operating Partnership of their obligations under the Transaction Documents to which each is a party have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and the Operating Partnership and each of the Transaction Documents to which each is a party have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Operating Partnership, and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and the Operating Partnership, to the extent applicable, enforceable against the Company and the Operating Partnership in accordance with its terms, to the extent applicable, except to the extent enforceability may be limited by (i) the application of bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and other laws affecting creditors' rights generally (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (ii) equitable principles being applied at the discretion of a court before which any proceeding may be brought and except as any right to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws.

(p)            The Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Operating Partnership, including all amendments thereto (the “Operating Partnership Agreement”), has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the general partner of the Operating Partnership and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the general partner, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights or by general equity principles.

(q)            No consent, approval, authorization, order, license, certificate, permit, registration, designation or filing by or with any governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Operating Partnership of their respective obligations under the Transaction Documents to which each is a party and the consummation by the Company and the Operating Partnership of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including the valid authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Primary Shares and the Option Shares, except such as have been obtained or made and may be required by (i) the Exchange and (ii) the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Primary Shares.

 
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(r)             None of the issuance or sale of the Primary Shares or the Option Shares or the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents: (i) conflicts with or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a breach of, or a default under, the Company's declaration of trust, as amended or supplemented, or bylaws, the Operating Partnership's certificate of limited partnership or the Operating Partnership Agreement, or any Existing Instrument to which the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary is a party or by which any of its respective properties may be bound; (ii) violates any statute, law, regulation, ruling, filing, judgment, injunction, order or decree applicable to the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary or any of their properties; or (iii) results in a breach of, or default or Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or results in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary pursuant to, or requires the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances that will not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary.

(s)            Except for the holders of Common Units, no holder of any securities of the Company or the Operating Partnership has rights to the registration of any securities of the Company or other similar rights as a result of or in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby that have not been satisfied or heretofore waived in writing. No person or entity has a right of participation or first refusal with respect to the sale of the Primary Shares by the Company.

(t)             KPMG LLP, who has audited the consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries (including the related notes thereto and supporting schedules) incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is and was, during the periods covered by its reports incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, an independent registered public accountant as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”).  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who has audited the consolidated statements of operations, of changes in members’ equity and of cash flows of Mystic Partners, LLC and its subsidiaries (including the related notes and supporting schedules thereto) for the year ended December 31, 2006 incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is and was, during the periods covered by its reports incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, an independent registered public accountant as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and PCAOB.

 
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(u)            The financial statements, together with related schedules and notes, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, present fairly the financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and changes in financial position of the Company, the Consolidated Subsidiaries and Mystic Partners, LLC and its subsidiaries, as the case may be, on the basis stated in the Registration Statement at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein; and the other financial and statistical information and data set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus is accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial statements and the books and records of the Company, the Consolidated Subsidiaries and Mystic Partners, LLC and its subsidiaries, as the case may be.  No other financial statements or schedules are required by Form S-3 or otherwise to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

(v)            Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which such information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) neither the Company nor any Consolidated Subsidiary has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, indirect, direct or contingent, or entered into any transaction that is not in the ordinary course of business; (ii) neither the Company nor any Consolidated Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or interference with its business or properties from fire, flood, windstorm, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance; (iii) except for regular quarterly dividends, neither the Company nor any Consolidated Subsidiary has paid or declared any dividends or other distributions with respect to its shares of beneficial interest and the Company is not in default under the terms of any class of shares of beneficial interest of the Company or any outstanding debt obligations; (iv) there has not been any change in the authorized or outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Company (other than the issuance of Common Shares to the trustees, employees and officers of the Company and its affiliates pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plan and upon exchange or conversion of other outstanding securities) or any material change in the indebtedness of the Company (other than in the ordinary course of business and borrowings under existing or future bank lines of credit) and (v) there has not been any material adverse change, or any development involving or that may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(w)           The Primary Shares and the Option Shares have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.  The Primary Shares and the Option Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Primary Shares or the Option Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting any such securities from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.

(x)             The Company has not distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Primary Shares or the Option Shares, other than the Prospectus and the Registration Statement.

(y)            Other than excepted activity pursuant to Regulation M under the Exchange Act, the Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action that constituted, or any action designed to, or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in or constitute stabilization or manipulation of the price of any shares of beneficial interest of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Primary Shares or the Option Shares or for any other purpose.

 
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(z)             The Company and each Subsidiary has timely filed (or valid extensions to such filings have been obtained) all tax returns required to be filed (other than certain state or local tax returns, as to which the failure to file, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect), which returns are complete and correct in all material respects, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default in the payment of any taxes that were payable pursuant to said returns or any assessments with respect thereto (whether imposed directly or through withholding). Except as disclosed in the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), all deficiencies asserted as a result of any federal, state, local or foreign tax audits have been paid or finally settled and no issue has been raised in any such audit that, by application of the same or similar principles, reasonably could be expected to result in a proposed deficiency for any other period not so audited. There are no outstanding agreements or waivers extending the statutory period of limitation applicable to any federal, state, local or foreign tax return for any period.  On the Closing Date, all stock transfer and other taxes, if any, that are required to be paid in connection with the sale of the Primary Shares will have been fully paid by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will have been complied with.

(aa)          Except as set forth in the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), there are no transactions with “affiliates” (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) or any officer, director or security holder of the Company (whether or not an affiliate) that are required by the Securities Act to be disclosed in the Prospectus that have not been disclosed as required.  Additionally, no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any such Subsidiary on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act to be disclosed in the Prospectus that is not so disclosed.

(bb)          Neither the Company nor any Consolidated Subsidiary is an “investment company”, a company “controlled” by an “investment company” or an “affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for, an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(cc)          Each of the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries has good and valid title to all property (real and personal), free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests or other encumbrances except: (i) such as are described in the Prospectus; or (ii) such as do not or will not materially adversely affect the Company or such Consolidated Subsidiary’s use of the property or the conduct of the business of the Company or its Consolidated Subsidiaries, either individually or taken as a whole. All property (real and personal) leased by the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries is held under valid and enforceable leases with only such exceptions as in the aggregate do not or will not materially adversely affect the use of the property or the conduct of the business of the Company or its Consolidated Subsidiaries, either individually or taken as a whole.

(dd)          The Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries have all permits, licenses, franchises, approvals, consents and authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (hereinafter “permit” or “permits”) as are necessary to own their properties and to conduct their business in the manner described in the Prospectus, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in the Prospectus, except where the failure to have obtained any such permit has not had and will not have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries has operated and is operating its business in material compliance with all of its obligations with respect to each such permit and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination of any such permit, except where such revocation or termination would not have a Material Adverse Effect or result in any other material impairment of the rights of any such permit, subject in each case to such qualification as may be set forth in the Prospectus; and, except as described in the Prospectus, such permits contain no restrictions that are material to the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 
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(ee)          The Company has established, maintains and evaluates disclosure controls and procedures and “internal control over financial reporting” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) in accordance with such rules and any related rules of the Commission or the Exchange; such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its Consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer by others within those entities; and except as disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as amended, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective to perform the functions for which they were established.

(ff)            Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) to the Company’s and the Operating Partnership’s knowledge, neither the Company, the Operating Partnership nor any Consolidated Subsidiary, employee or agent thereof, has made any payment of funds of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any Consolidated Subsidiary, as the case may be, or received or retained any funds, and no funds of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any Consolidated Subsidiary, as the case may be, have been set aside to be used for any payment, in each case in violation of any U.S. law, rule or regulation.

(gg)         Since March 31, 2009, there has been no impairment of or adjustments to the assets of the Company except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole

(hh)         Based on evaluations of its internal controls over financial reporting, the Company is not aware of (i) any material weakness in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting that is reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

 
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(ii)            None of the Company, any Consolidated Subsidiary or, to the Company's knowledge, any employee or agent acting on behalf of the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary, has, directly or indirectly: (i) made any unlawful contribution to any candidate for political office, or failed to disclose fully any contribution in violation of law; or (ii) made any payment to any federal, state, local or foreign governmental official or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, in each case other than payments not expressly prohibited by the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction thereof or applicable foreign jurisdictions.

(jj)            The Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries are: (i) in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except in each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Company nor any Consolidated Subsidiary has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.  Neither the Company nor any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries owns, leases or occupies any property that appears on any list of hazardous sites compiled by any state or local government agency.

(kk)          There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ll)            The Company has been organized and has operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for its taxable years ended December 31, 1999 through December 31, 2008, and the Company's current and proposed method of operation will enable it to continue to meet the requirements for taxation as a real estate investment trust under the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2009 and in the future. The Subsidiaries that are partnerships have been and will continue to be treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes and not as corporations, associations taxable as corporations or as publicly traded partnerships.

(mm)        The Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries own and have full right, title and interest in and to, or have valid licenses to use, each material trade name, trademark, service mark, patent, copyright, approval, trade secret and other similar rights (collectively “Intellectual Property”) under which the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries conduct all or any material part of their business, and none of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries has created any lien or encumbrance on, or granted any right or license with respect to, any such Intellectual Property, except where the failure to own or obtain a license or right to use any such Intellectual Property has not and will not have a Material Adverse Effect.  There is no claim pending against the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary with respect to any Intellectual Property, and none of the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary has received written notice or otherwise become aware that any Intellectual Property that it uses or has used in the conduct of its business infringes upon or conflicts with the rights of any third party.

 
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(nn)          No officer, trustee or nominee for trustee of the Company has a direct or indirect affiliation or association with any member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

(oo)          The Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged and neither the Company nor any Consolidated Subsidiary has reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a comparable cost.

(pp)          Title insurance in favor of the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, as the case may be, has been obtained with respect to each property owned by any such entity in an amount at least equal to (i) the cost of acquisition of such property or (ii) the cost of construction of such property (measured at the time of such construction), except where the failure to maintain such title insurance would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(qq)          In the ordinary course of its business, the Company conducts a periodic review of the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties).  On the basis of such review and amount of its established reserves, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(rr)            Except for matters which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) neither the Company nor any of the Consolidated Subsidiaries is engaged in any unfair labor practice; (ii) there is (A) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the Company’s or the Operating Partnership’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Consolidated Subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or threatened, (B) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the Company’s or the Operating Partnership’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Consolidated Subsidiaries, and (C) no union representation dispute currently existing concerning the employees of the Company, Hersha Hospitality Management, L.P. (“HHMLP”) or any of the Consolidated Subsidiaries; and (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, (A) no union organizing activities are currently taking place concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Consolidated Subsidiaries and (B) there has been no violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws or any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of the Company, HHMLP or any of the Consolidated Subsidiaries;

 
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(ss)          The Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries have complied in all material respects with wage and hour determinations issued by the U.S. Department of Labor under the Service Contract Act of 1965 and the Fair Labor Standards Act in paying its employees' salaries, fringe benefits and other compensation for the performance of work or other duties in connection with contracts with the U.S. government, and have complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the National Labor Relations Act, the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended by the Older Workers' Benefit Protection Act, and federal, state and local labor laws, each as amended except where the failure to comply with any such requirements has not, and will not, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(tt)            Except with respect to non-timely filings of reports pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act by certain of the Company's officers and trustees as described in the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Commission on April 15, 2009 under the caption “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance,” there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any Consolidated Subsidiary and any of the officers and directors of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any Consolidated Subsidiary, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(uu)          Other than that certain agreement by and among the Company and Friend Development Group LLC, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment with respect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

(vv)         Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Purchaser or to counsel for the Purchaser shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company and/or the Operating Partnership, as applicable, to the Purchaser as to the matters set forth therein.

(ww)        The Company and the Operating Partnership acknowledge that the Purchaser and its counsel will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consent to such reliance.

4.              Covenants of the Company.  The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, covenant and agree with the Purchaser that:

 
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(a)            Filings with the Exchange.  The Company will timely file with the Exchange all documents and notices required by the Exchange of companies that have or will issue securities that are traded on the Exchange.

(b)            Expenses.  The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including, but not limited to, expenses relating to: (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement and each amendment and supplement thereto, of each Prospectus and of each amendment and supplement thereto; (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Primary Shares; (iii) the qualification of the Primary Shares or the Option Shares under securities laws, including filing fees; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or qualification of the Primary Shares or the Option Shares for trading on the Exchange; and (v) filing fees and expenses, if any, of the Commission and FINRA.

(c)            Use of Proceeds.  The Company will use the net proceeds from the transactions contemplated in the Transaction Documents for any purpose that the Board of Trustees of the Company (the “Board of Trustees”) deems to be in the best interests of the Company, in accordance with the Prospectus Supplement.  The Company anticipates that such net proceeds initially shall be used to repay indebtedness outstanding under its existing line of credit.  In no event shall the proceeds resulting from the acquisition of the Primary Shares be used to redeem or repurchase for cash any shareholder of the Company or holder of Operating Partnership units.  The Company does not presently intend to use proceeds at the sale of the Option Shares to redeem for cash any shareholder of the Company or holder of Operating Partnership units.

(d)            Required Filings Relating to Placement of Primary Shares.  The Prospectus Supplement in connection with the sale of the Primary Shares filed with the Commission complies with the regulations under the Securities Act, and the Company has delivered such number of copies to each exchange or market on which the sale of the Primary Shares is effected as required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

(e)            Insurance.  The Company shall maintain, and shall cause its Consolidated Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonable and customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.

(f)             Compliance with Laws.  The Company shall maintain, and shall cause its Consolidated Subsidiaries to maintain, all environmental permits, licenses and other authorizations required by federal, state and local law in order to conduct their businesses as described in the Prospectus, and the Company and each of its Consolidated Subsidiaries shall conduct their businesses, or cause their businesses to be conducted, in substantial compliance with such permits, licenses and authorizations and with applicable environmental laws, except where the failure to maintain or be in compliance with such permits, licenses and authorizations could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(g)            REIT Treatment.  The Company will (i) use its best efforts to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for the taxable year ending December 31, 2009 and for its future taxable years, unless the Board of Trustees determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company to be so qualified, and (ii) will promptly notify the Purchaser if the Company determines that it has failed or is reasonably likely to fail to qualify as a REIT.

 
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(h)            Domestic Entity Tax Treatment.  To the Company’s knowledge, the Company currently qualifies as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code, and the Company will promptly notify the Purchaser if the Company has actual knowledge that it no longer qualifies or is reasonably likely to cease to qualify for such treatment.

(i)             Investment Company Act.  The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor its Consolidated Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act, assuming no change in the Commission’s current interpretation as to entities that are not considered an investment company.

(j)             Securities Act and Exchange Act.  The Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Prospectus and the Transaction Documents.

(k)            Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries will use their best efforts to comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

(l)             Purchaser Participation.  The Company will afford the Purchaser the power to participate in the Company’s financial and operating policy decisions, to the extent provided in the Transaction Documents or as otherwise agreed by the Board of Trustees.  Pursuant to and in accordance with the Transaction Documents, the Company shall furnish the Purchaser with such financial and operating data and other information with respect to the business, finance and properties of the Company as the Company prepares and compiles for members of its Board of Trustees in the ordinary course.

(m)           Cantor Program.  The Company will not issue or sell or allow the issuance or sale of more than 4,000,000 Common Shares through Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. pursuant to the Sales Agreement without the prior consent of the Purchaser.

(n)            Preemptive Rights.  Pursuant to the Investor Rights and Option Agreement and upon the terms and conditions set forth therein, the Company will grant the Purchaser certain preemptive rights to participate in future issuances of equity securities by the Company.

(o)            Line of Credit.  In the ordinary course of its business, the Company takes due care to ensure that it complies with the financial covenants under its existing line of credit and shall provide to its Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis information regarding compliance with such covenants.

 
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5.              Conditions to Obligations of the Parties.

(a)            Purchaser Conditions.  The obligations of the Purchaser to effect the purchase and sale of the Primary Shares at Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions:

 
(i)
Each of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership shall be true and correct in all respects as of the Closing Date;

 
(ii)
No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in place as of the Closing Date;

 
(iii)
The Company shall have executed and delivered a counterpart signature page to the Investor Rights and Option Agreement, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(iii) hereto (the “Investor Rights and Option Agreement”);

 
(iv)
The Company shall have executed and delivered a counterpart signature page to the Registration Rights Agreement, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(iv) hereto (the “Registration Rights Agreement”);

 
(v)
The Company shall have granted a REIT ownership limit waiver, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(v) hereto (the “Ownership Limit Waiver”);

 
(vi)
The Company shall have executed and delivered a counterpart signature page to the Trustee Designation Agreement, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(vi) hereto (the “Trustee Designation Agreement”);

 
(vii)
The Purchaser shall have received a written opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(vii) hereto (the “H&W Corporate Opinion”);

 
(viii)
The Purchaser shall have received a written opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(viii) hereto (the “H&W Tax Opinion”);

 
(ix)
The Purchaser shall have received a written opinion of Franklin Firm LLP, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(ix) hereto (the “Franklin Firm Opinion”);

 
(x)
The Purchaser shall have received a certificate of an officer of the Company, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(x) (the “Officer’s Certificate”);

 
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(xi)
The Purchaser shall have received a certificate of the secretary of the Company, in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(a)(xi) (the “Secretary’s Certificate”); and

(b)            Company Conditions.  The obligations of the Company to effect the purchase and sale of the Primary Shares at Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions:

 
(i)
Each of the representations and warranties of the Purchaser shall be true and correct in all respects as of the Closing Date;

 
(ii)
The Purchaser shall have executed and delivered a counterpart signature page to the Investor Rights and Option Agreement;

 
(iii)
The Purchaser shall have executed and delivered a counterpart signature page to the Registration Rights Agreement;

 
(iv)
The Purchaser shall have executed and delivered a REIT ownership limit waiver representation letter in the form of and substantially similar to Exhibit 5(b)(iv) hereto (the “Representation Letter”); and

 
(v)
The Purchaser shall have executed and delivered a counterpart signature page to the Trustee Designation Agreement.

6.              Closing.

(a)            The purchase and sale of the Primary Shares (the “Closing”) shall be consummated at 10:00 a.m. on August 4, 2009 or at such other time as the parties hereto may mutually agree in writing (such time and date, the “Closing Date”).

(b)            On the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall deliver to the Company the Purchase Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company to the Purchaser not less than 24 hours prior to Closing;

(c)            On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to the Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Purchaser, as instructed by the Purchaser, the Primary Shares.

7.              Indemnification; Survival; Exclusive Remedy.

(a)            The Company and Operating Partnership Indemnification. The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Purchaser (a “Purchaser Affiliate”) from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including, but not limited to, any and all reasonable investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any and all amounts paid in settlement (in accordance with Section 7(b)) relating to any action, suit or proceeding between any of the indemnified parties and any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any third party, or otherwise, or any claim asserted), as and when incurred, to which the Purchaser, or any such Purchaser Affiliate, may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, liabilities, expenses or damages arise out of or are based, directly or indirectly, on (x) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, (y) the omission or alleged omission to state in any such document a material fact required to be stated in it or necessary to make the statements contained herein not misleading, (z) any breach by any of the indemnifying parties of any of their respective representations and warranties contained in this Agreement; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to the extent that such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage arises from the sale of the Primary Shares pursuant to this Agreement and is caused directly or indirectly by an untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to the Purchaser and furnished to the Company by the Purchaser for inclusion in any document as described in clause (x) of this Section 7(a).  This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company or the Operating Partnership might otherwise have.

 
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(b)            Third Party Claims.  Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 7 in connection with a claim by a third party will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 7, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission to so notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from: (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 7; and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 7 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party.  If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless:  (i) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party; (ii) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; (iii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party); or (iv) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly as they are incurred. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 7 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising or that may arise out of such claim, action or proceeding.

 
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(c)            Limitations on Indemnification for Breaches of Representations and Warranties.

 
(i)
The Purchaser and its Affiliates acknowledge and agree that the indemnity contained in Section 7(a) for any breach by any of the indemnifying parties of any of their respective representations and warranties contained in this Agreement shall be the sole and exclusive remedy available to Purchaser and its Affiliates with regard to any breach by the Company or the Operating Partnership of any of the representations and warranties contained in Section 3 of this Agreement.

 
(ii)
The Purchaser and its Affiliates acknowledge and agree that, to the extent that claims for indemnification under Section 7(a) for any breach by any of the indemnifying parties of any of their respective representations and warranties contained in this Agreement in the aggregate exceed the Purchase Price, the Company and the Operating Partnership shall not be obligated to satisfy indemnification obligations with regard to such excess.

(d)            Survival.  The indemnity contained in this Section 7 shall survive until the applicable statute of limitations for the claims described therein, regardless of (i) delivery and acceptance of the Primary Shares and payment therefor or (ii) any termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that the indemnity contained in Section 7(a) for any breach by any of the indemnifying parties of any of their respective representations and warranties contained in this Agreement shall survive only until the date that is six months after the Closing Date.

8.              Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated, and the transactions contemplated hereby may be abandoned, by written notice promptly given to the other parties hereto, at any time prior to the Closing by the Company, on the one hand, or the Purchaser on the other, if the Closing shall not have occurred on or prior to August 4, 2009; provided, however, that the Company or the Purchaser, as the case may be, shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8 if the failure of the Closing to occur on or prior to such dates results primarily from such party itself having materially breached any representation, warranty or covenant contained in this Agreement.

 
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9.              Miscellaneous.

(a)            Notices.  All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, and if sent to Purchaser, shall be delivered to Purchaser at Real Estate Investment Group L.P. c/o IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima, Bolívar 108, 1º, C1091AAQ, Buenos Aires, Argentina, fax no. +54 (11) 4323-7449, Attention: Mr. Eduardo S. Elsztain, with a copy to Zang, Bergel & Viñes Abogados, Florida 537, 18th Floor, C1005AAK, Buenos Aires, Argentina, fax no. +54 (11) 5166-7070, Attention: Pablo Vergara del Carril; or if sent to the Company or the Operating Partnership, shall be delivered to Hersha Hospitality Trust, 510 Walnut Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106, fax no. (717) 774-7383, Attention: Ashish R. Parikh, with a copy to Hunton & Williams LLP, 951 East Byrd Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, fax no. (804) 788-8218, Attention: James S. Seevers, Jr.  Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.

(b)            Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability.  This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto), along with the other Transaction Documents, constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings (except for those set forth under the other Transaction Documents), both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company, the Operating Partnership and the Purchaser.  In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.

(c)            Applicable Law; Consent to Jurisdiction.  This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection with any transaction contemplated hereby, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper.  Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law.

 
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(d)            Waiver of Jury Trial.  The Company, the Operating Partnership and the Purchaser each hereby irrevocably waives any right it may have to a trial by jury in respect of any claim based upon or arising out of this Agreement or any transactions contemplated hereby.

(e)            Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.  Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile transmission.

10.            Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:
 
(a)            “Base Prospectus” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b).

(b)            “Close Associate” means a Person who is widely and publicly known to maintain an unusually close relationship with a senior foreign political figure, and includes a Person who is in a position to conduct substantial U.S. and non-U.S. financial transactions on behalf of such senior foreign political figure.

(c)            “Closing” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6(a).

(d)            “Closing Date” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6(a).

(e)            “Code” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(ll).

(f)             “Commission” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a).

(g)            “Common Shares” means the Class A common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.
 
(h)            “Company” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble.

(i)             “Consolidated Subsidiary” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(k).

(j)             “Declaration of Trust” means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Company, as amended from time to time.

(k)            “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(r).

(l)             “EDGAR” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(b).

 
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(m)           “Environmental Laws” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(jj).

(n)            “ERISA” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(rr).

(o)            “Exchange” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a).

(p)            “Exchange Act” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(e).

(q)            “Existing Instrument” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(n).

(r)             “Franklin Firm Opinion” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(ix).

(s)            “HHMLP” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(rr).

(t)             “H&W Corporate Opinion” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(vii).

(u)            “H&W Tax Opinion” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(viii).

(v)            “Intellectual Property” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(mm).

(w)           “Investor Rights and Option Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(iii).

(x)             “Material Adverse Effect” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(k).

(y)            “OFAC” means the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

(z)            “OFAC List” means any list of prohibited countries, individuals, organizations and entities that is administered or maintained by OFAC, including: (i) Section 1(b), (c) or (d) of Executive Order No. 13224 (September 23, 2001) issued by the President of the United States (Executive Order Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism), any related enabling legislation or any other similar executive orders, (ii)the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (the “SDN List”) maintained by OFAC), and/or on any other similar list (“Other Lists”) maintained by OFAC pursuant to any authorizing statute, executive order or regulation, or (iii) a “Designated National” as defined in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515.

(aa)          “Officer’s Certificate” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(x).

(bb)         “Operating Partnership” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble.

(cc)          “Operating Partnership Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(p).

(dd)         “Option Shares” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the recitals.

 
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(ee)          “Organizational Documents” means (a) in the case of a corporation, its charter and by-laws; (b) in the case of a limited or general partnership, its partnership certificate, certificate of formation or similar organizational document and its partnership agreement; (c) in the case of a limited liability company, its articles of organization, certificate of formation or similar organizational documents and its operating agreement, limited liability company agreement, membership agreement or other similar agreement; (d) in the case of a trust, its certificate of trust, certificate of formation or similar organizational document and its trust agreement or other similar agreement; and (e) in the case of any other entity, the organizational and governing documents of such entity.

(ff)           “Ownership Limit Waiver” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(v).

(gg)         “PCAOB” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(t).

(hh)         “Person” means any individual, company, corporation, limited liability company, unincorporated organization or association, trust (including the trustees thereof, in their capacity as such) or other entity.
 
(ii)            “Primary Shares” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the recitals.

(jj)            “Prospectus” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b).

(kk)          “Prospectus Supplement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b).

(ll)            “Purchase Price” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1.

(mm)        “Purchaser” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble.

(nn)          “Purchaser Affiliate” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7(a).

(oo)          “Registration Rights Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(iv).

(pp)          “Registration Statement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a).

(qq)          “Representation Letter” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(b)(iv).

(rr)            “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(c).
 
(ss)          “Secretary’s Certificate” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(xi).

 
23

 

(tt)           “Securities Act” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a).

(uu)          “Senior Foreign Political Figure” means a senior official in the executive, legislative, administrative, military or judicial branches of a non-U.S. government (whether elected or not), a senior official of a major non-U.S. political party, or a senior executive of a non-U.S. government-owned corporation.  In addition, a “senior foreign political figure” includes any corporation, business or other entity that has been formed by, or for the benefit of, a senior foreign political figure.

(vv)         “Subsidiary” and “Subsidiaries” has the meanings ascribed to such terms in Section 3(j).

(ww)        “Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Investor Rights and Option Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Trustee Designation Agreement.

(xx)          “Treasury Regulations” means Treasury regulations issued pursuant to the Code, as amended from time to time.  Reference to any particular provision of the Treasury Regulations shall mean that provision of the Treasury Regulations and any successor provision.

(yy)         “Trustee Designation Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a)(vi).

[Signature page follows.]

 
24

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT GROUP L.P.
     
     
     
 
By:
Tyrus S.A., its sole general partner
     
     
 
By:
/s/ Eduardo S. Elsztain
   
Name:
   
Title:
     
     
     
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
     
     
 
By:
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
   
Name: Ashish R. Parikh
   
Title: Chief Financial Officer
     
     
     
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
     
     
 
By:
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
   
Name: Ashish R. Parikh
   
Title: Chief Financial Officer
 
Purchase Agreement Signature Page

 

EX-10.2 4 ex10_2.htm EXHIBIT 10.2 ex10_2.htm

Exhibit 10.2
 
EXECUTION VERSION


INVESTOR RIGHTS AND OPTION AGREEMENT

This Investor Rights and Option Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of August 4, 2009, by and among Real Estate Investment Group L.P., a Bermuda limited partnership, whose general partner and majority limited partner is Tyrus S.A., a Uruguayan sociedad anónima wholly-owned by IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima, an Argentine sociedad anónima (the “Investor”), IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima, an Argentine sociedad anónima (“IRSA”) (solely for purposes of Section 10(e) hereof) and Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”).

WHEREAS, on or about the date hereof, the Investor is purchasing from the Company 5,700,000 shares (the “Primary Shares”) of the Company’s Priority Class A common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share, which are validly issued, fully paid and non assessable and free of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other or similar rights, subject to the Transaction Documents (“Common Shares”), pursuant that certain Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated as of August 4, 2009, by and among the Investor, IRSA, the Company and Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, L.P., a Virginia limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”);

WHEREAS, in connection with the purchase of the Primary Shares pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Parties desire to enter into this Agreement and the Trustee Designation Agreement (as defined below) to provide Investor with certain additional rights and obligations and to promote the interests of the Company by establishing herein certain terms and conditions upon which the Primary Shares and the Option Shares (as defined below) will be held and/or transferred, and to provide for certain other matters as set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, in connection with the Purchase Agreement and this Agreement the  Company, the Investor and IRSA have entered  into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”).

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual agreements set forth herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

1.              Option to Purchase.

(a)            Purchase Option.  At any time and from time to time after the Closing Date and prior to the five year anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Expiration Date”), Investor shall have the option to purchase (the “Purchase Option”), and the Company shall be obligated to issue to Investor, up to 5,700,000 Common Shares (the “Option Shares”) at an exercise price of $3.00 per share (the “Option Price”), subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 1(e), Section 1(f), Section 1(g) and Section 1(h) below.

(b)            Purchase Option Mechanics.  At any time after the Closing Date and on or before the Expiration Date, Investor, in accordance with the terms hereof, may exercise the Purchase Option, in whole or in part, by delivering to the Company (i) written notice of the election to purchase the Option Shares in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Election to Purchase”), duly executed, to the Company during normal business hours on any Business Day and (ii) an investment letter (the “Investment Letter”) in such form as reasonably required by the Company for purposes of complying with applicable securities laws and the Code, which letter shall contain representations and warranties substantially similar to those contained in Section 5 hereof.  If the Expiration Date is not a Business Day, then the Option may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 
 

 

(c)            Issuance of Option Shares.  No later than five Business Days after receipt by the Company of the Election to Purchase as described in Section 1(b) and upon payment in full of the aggregate purchase price as set forth therein, the Company shall issue and cause to be delivered to the Investor a certificate or certificates (or the electronic equivalent thereof) representing the number of fully paid and non-assessable Common Shares for which the option described in Section 1(a) is being exercised, in whole or in part, by the Investor.

(d)            Reservation of Authorized Shares.  The Company has, and shall continue at all times to reserve and keep available out of the aggregate of its authorized but unissued Common Shares, free and clear of all preemptive rights, such number of duly authorized Common Shares as shall be sufficient to enable the Company at any time to fulfill all of its obligations pursuant to the Purchase Option.

(e)            Adjustment for Splits and Combinations.  If the Company shall, at any time or from time to time after the date of this Agreement, effect a split, reverse split, share dividend, subdivision or combination of the outstanding Common Shares, the Option Price in effect immediately before that split, reverse split, share dividend, subdivision or combination shall be proportionately adjusted and the number of Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Option shall be adjusted to equal the aggregate number of Common Shares that a record holder of the same number of Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Option would own or be entitled to receive after such split, reverse split, share dividend, subdivision or combination.  Any adjustment under this Section 1(e) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the split, reverse split, share dividend, subdivision or combination becomes effective.

(f)            Adjustment for Reclassification, Exchange and Substitution.  If, at any time or from time to time after the date of this Agreement, the Common Shares are changed into the same or a different number of shares of any class or classes of shares, whether by recapitalization, reclassification or otherwise (other than a split, reverse split, share dividend, subdivision or combination provided for in Section 1(e) above), the Investor shall have the right thereafter to receive upon exercise of the Purchase Option the kind and amount of shares and other securities and property receivable upon such recapitalization, reclassification or other change by holders of the maximum number Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Option immediately prior to such recapitalization, reclassification or change, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein or with respect to such other securities or property by the terms thereof.

(g)            Reorganizations, Mergers, Consolidations or Sales of Assets.  If, at any time or from time to time after the date of this Agreement, there is a capital reorganization of the Common Shares (other than (i) an acquisition of a majority of the shares of beneficial interest in the Company by another entity by means of any transaction or series of related transactions, including, without limitation, any reorganization, merger or consolidation, statutory share exchange, self tender offer for all or substantially all Common Shares, sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or recapitalization of the Common Shares but excluding any merger effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company, in which outstanding Common Shares are exchanged for securities or other consideration issued, or caused to be issued by the acquiring entity or its subsidiary (an “Acquisition”), or (ii) a sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (an “Asset Transfer”), or (iii) a recapitalization, subdivision, combination, reclassification, exchange or substitution of shares provided for elsewhere in this Section 1), then as a part of such capital reorganization, provision shall be made so that the holders of the Purchase Option shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon the exercise of the Purchase Option the number of shares or other securities or property of the Company to which a holder of the number of Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Option would have been entitled on such capital reorganization, subject to adjustment in respect of such shares or securities by the terms thereof.   In any such case, appropriate adjustment shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Section 1 with respect to the rights of the holders of the Purchase Option after the capital reorganization such that the provisions of this Section 1 (including adjustment of the Option Price then in effect and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Option) shall be applicable after that event and be as nearly equivalent as practicable.

 
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(h)            Other Adjustment Resulting from Actions Affecting Common Shares.  In case at any time or from time to time after the date of this Agreement the Company takes any action in respect of the Common Shares other than those described in Section 1(e), 1(f) or 1(g), then the Option Price and the number of Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Option shall be adjusted in such manner as may be equitable under the circumstances.

(i)             Certificate of Adjustment.  In case of an adjustment or readjustment of the Option Price or the number of Common Shares or other securities issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Option, the Company, at its expense, shall compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the provisions hereof and prepare a certificate showing such adjustment or readjustment, and shall mail such certificate, by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the Investor.  The certificate shall set forth such adjustment or readjustment, showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based.

(j)             Minimum Adjustment.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment of the Option Price shall be made pursuant to this Section 1 in an amount less than $.01 per share, and any such lesser adjustment shall be carried forward and shall be made at the time and together with the next subsequent adjustment which together with any adjustments so carried forward shall amount to $.01 per share or more.

(k)            Notices of Record Date.  Upon (i) any taking by the Company of a record of the holders of Common Shares for the purpose of determining the holders thereof who are entitled to receive any dividend or other distribution (other than the Company’s normal quarterly cash dividend), or (ii) any Acquisition or other capital reorganization of the Company, any reclassification or recapitalization of the capital stock of the Company, any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other entity, or any Asset Transfer, or any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company, the Company shall mail to the Investor at least ten (10) days prior to the record date specified therein a notice specifying (A) the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend or distribution and a description of such dividend or distribution, (B) the date on which any such Acquisition, reorganization, reclassification, transfer, consolidation, merger, Asset Transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up is expected to become effective, and (C) the date, if any, that is to be fixed as to when the holders of record of Common Shares (or other securities) shall be entitled to exchange their Common Shares (or other securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such Acquisition, reorganization, reclassification, transfer, consolidation, merger, Asset Transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up.

 
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(l)             Fractional Shares.  No fractional Common Shares shall be issued upon exercise of the Purchase Option.  All Common Shares (including fractions thereof) issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Option shall be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share.  If, after the aforementioned aggregation, the exercise would result in the issuance of any fractional share, the Company shall, in lieu of issuing any fractional shares, pay cash equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the fair market value per Common Share on the date of the Option is exercised (as reported by the NYSE or any other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares are then listed for trading, or if none, the most recently reported “over the counter” trade price or if none, as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees).

(m)           Legend.  The Investor agrees that all certificates or other instruments representing the Option Shares will bear a legend substantially to the following effect:

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT WHILE A REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING THERETO IS IN EFFECT UNDER SUCH ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH ACT OR SUCH LAWS.

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO TRANSFER AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN AN INVESTOR RIGHTS AND OPTION AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF AUGUST 4, 2009, COPIES OF WHICH ARE ON FILE WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY.

2.              Company Call Option.

(a)            Call Option.  If at any time after August 4, 2011, the closing price for the Company’s Common Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) exceeds $5.00 for twenty (20) consecutive trading days, the Company shall have the right, exercisable at any time thereafter in accordance with this Section 2, to call in and cancel the Purchase Option (the “Call Option”) in exchange for the issuance of Common Shares (the “Call Shares”) with an aggregate value (the “Call Value”), as of the date of exercise of the Call Option, equal to (i) the volume weighted average price (the “VWAP”) per Common Share for the twenty trading days prior to the exercise of the Call Option, less (ii) the then current Option Price per share, multiplied by (iii) the number of Common Shares remaining under the Purchase Option (the “Call Price”).  For example, if (i) the VWAP per Common Share were $6.00, and (ii) the then current Option Price per share was $3.00, and (iii) the number of Common Shares remaining under the Purchase Option was 4,000,000, then (X) the Call Value would be $12,000,000, and (Y) the total number of Common Shares to be issued in satisfaction of the Call Option would be 2,000,000 Common Shares.

 
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(b)            Call Option Mechanics.  At any time after the Call Option is exercisable pursuant to Section 2(a) above, the Company, in accordance with the terms hereof, may exercise the Call Option, in whole but not in part by delivering to the Investor written notice of the election to cancel the Purchase Option (the “Call Notice”), duly executed by the Company, setting forth (1) the date on which the Call Shares shall be issued (the “Call Date”), which shall be no later than 30 days after the delivery of such notice, and (2) calculations showing the satisfaction of the condition to exercise of the Call Option in Section 2(a), the VWAP contemplated by Section 2(a), the Call Amount and the Call Shares.

(c)            Issuance of Call Shares.  On the Call Date, the Company shall issue and cause to be delivered to the Investor a certificate or certificates (or the electronic equivalent thereof) representing the Call Shares.

(d)            Continuing Right to Exercise.  At any time after the Call Notice but prior to the Call Date, Investor shall continue to have the right to exercise the Purchase Option in full in accordance with Section 1 hereof.  Upon exercise of the Purchase Option, the Option Shares shall be privately issued to the Investor.

3.              Board of Trustees.  The Investor will be entitled to all of the rights as set forth under that certain Trustee Designation Agreement dated August 4, 2009, between the Company and the Investor (the “Trustee Designation Agreement”), in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

4.              Confidentiality.  Each party to this Agreement will hold, and will cause its respective subsidiaries and their trustees, directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants and advisors to hold, in strict confidence, unless disclosure to a regulatory authority is necessary or desirable in connection with any necessary regulatory approval or unless compelled to disclose by judicial or administrative process or, in the opinion of its counsel, by other requirement of law or the applicable requirements of any regulatory agency or relevant stock exchange, all non-public records, books, contracts, instruments, computer data and other data and information (collectively, “Information”) concerning the other Party furnished to it by such other Party or its representatives pursuant to this Agreement (except to the extent that such information can be shown to have been (1) previously known by such Party on a non-confidential basis, (2) in the public domain through no fault of such Party or (3) later lawfully acquired from other sources by the Party to which it was furnished), and neither Party shall release or disclose such Information to any other person, except its auditors, attorneys, financial advisors, other consultants and advisors and, to the extent permitted above, to insurance regulatory authorities.

 
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5.              Compliance with U.S. Laws.

(a)            The Investor hereby represents and warrants to the Company that it: (i) is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501 of Regulation D under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”); (2) has sufficient knowledge and experience in business, financial and investment matters so as to be able to evaluate the risks and merits of its investment in the Company and it is able financially to bear the risks thereof; (3) has had access to such information regarding the Company and its affairs as is necessary to enable it to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in restricted securities of the Company and has had a reasonable opportunity to ask questions and receive answers and documents concerning the Company and its current and proposed properties, operations, financial condition, business, business plans and prospects; (4) has not been offered the Purchase Option or any other securities contemplated herein by any means of general solicitation or advertising; (5) the Purchase Option and the Option Shares will be acquired by it for its account for the purpose of investment and not with a view to, or for resale in connection with, any distribution thereof; (6) the Investor understands and acknowledges that none of the offer, issuance or sale of the Purchase Option or the Option Shares has been registered under the Securities Act in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act; (7) the Investor understands and acknowledges that such securities may be subject to additional restrictions on transfer under state and/or federal securities laws.  The Investor acknowledges that such securities may not be sold or otherwise disposed of except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such state securities laws, based upon which certain undertakings have been granted by the Company in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement.

(b)            In connection with this Agreement and the Transaction Documents, the Investor hereby agrees to comply with:  (i) the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) promulgated under each of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including, without limitation, filing any reports with the Commission pursuant to the Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, Regulation 13D under the Exchange Act, Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act; (ii) applicable securities laws of any state, including Blue Sky laws, or any foreign jurisdiction; (iii) the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, if applicable; (iv) the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); and (v) applicable NYSE rules and regulations.

(c)            In connection with this Agreement and the Transaction Documents, except to he extent otherwise provided herein or therein, the Investor hereby agrees to comply with Article VII of the Declaration of Trust and to make a reasonable effort to ensure that any permitted transferee or assignee under this Agreement agrees in writing for the benefit of the Company to be bound by the terms of this Section 5(c).

 
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6.              Standstill.

(a)            General Standstill.  The Investor hereby agrees that it shall not, and shall cause its Affiliates not to, directly or indirectly, unless specifically authorized in writing in advance by the Board of Trustees, for so long as Investor owns the 10% Qualifying Ownership Interest or has appointed a member of the Company’s Board of Trustees:

 
(i)
acquire, agree to acquire, or propose to acquire, in any manner, directly or indirectly through an Affiliate, “beneficial ownership” (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Act) or control of:

 
(A)
any securities of the Company or the Operating Partnership (or options, rights or warrants or other commitments to purchase or securities convertible into (or exchangeable or redeemable for) Common Shares) as a result of which, after giving effect to such purchase or acquisitions, Investor and its Affiliates will Beneficially Own more than 24% of the outstanding Common Shares;

 
(B)
any subsidiary or any assets or properties of the Company or any subsidiary or division thereof;

 
(ii)
initiate, make or participate in any “solicitation” of “proxies” or become a “participant” in any “election contest” (as such terms are used in the current and any future proxy rules of the Commission, but (1) disregarding clause (iv) of Rule 14a-1(l)(2) under the Exchange Act and (2) including any exempt solicitation pursuant to Rule 14a-2(b)(1) under the Exchange Act) with respect to the Company; provided the foregoing shall not be deemed to prohibit (a) Investor from voting (or casting a written consent solicited by the Company) regarding its Common Shares in the manner it deems appropriate, or (b) Investor’s representative on the Board of Trustees from participating in board deliberations, subject to compliance with the Company’s governing documents;

 
(iii)
call, or in any way encourage or participate in a call for, any special meeting of shareholders of the Company (or take any action with respect to acting by written consent of the shareholders of the Company); request, or take any action to obtain or retain any list of holders of any securities of the Company; or initiate or propose any shareholder proposal (including, without limitation, any proposal to amend the Company’s Declaration of Trust or Bylaws) or participate in or encourage the making of, or solicit shareholders of the Company for the approval of, one or more shareholder proposals;

 
(iv)
seek to encourage any third person to vote Common Shares or the securities of the Company in opposition to a recommendation of a majority of the Board of Trustees, notwithstanding the fact the Investor may vote their shares in such opposition;

 
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(v)
seek representation on the Board of Trustees or a change in the composition or size of the Board of Trustees other than as expressly permitted by the Trustee Designation Agreement;

 
(vi)
form, join or act in concert with any other person with respect to a “group” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) relating to the Company other than a group existing as of the date of this Agreement of Investor, IRSA and the investors in Investor as of the date hereof;

 
(vii)
assist or encourage any attempt by any other person to do any of the foregoing;

 
(viii)
disclose any intention, plan or arrangement inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 6; or

 
(ix)
request the Company or any of its trustees, officers, employees or agents to amend or waive any provisions of this Section 6(a) or Article VII of the Charter (except as provided pursuant to the Excepted Holder Agreement) or seek to challenge the legality or effect thereof.

The provisions of this Section 6 are referred to in this Agreement, collectively, as “Restricted Activities.”  Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 6 shall prohibit the Investor or their Affiliates from making a proposal to acquire any Company or Operating Partnership asset or property for which the Company or the Operating Partnership publicly announces an intention to sell or for which the Company or the Operating Partnership actively solicits acquisition proposals from third parties.

(b)            Investment Company Matters.  The Investor shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to not be or become an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

7.              Preemptive Rights.

(a)            Sale of New Securities.  As long as the Investor owns the 5% Qualifying Ownership Interest (before giving effect to any issuances triggering this Section 7), if at any time after the Closing, the Company at any time or from time to time makes any public or non-public offering of any equity securities (including Common Shares or preferred shares, options or debt that is convertible or exchangeable into equity securities or that include an equity component, such as an “equity” kicker, including any hybrid security) (any such security, a “New Security”) for cash (and, for the avoidance of doubt, other than (1) pursuant to the granting or exercise of employee stock options, restricted shares or other share incentives pursuant to the Company’s stock incentive plans or the issuance of stock pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plan, in each case in the ordinary course of equity compensation awards, or (2) issuances for the purposes of consideration in acquisition transactions), the Investor shall be afforded the opportunity to acquire from the Company for the same price and on the same terms as such securities are proposed to be offered to others, up to the amount of New Securities in the aggregate required to enable it to maintain its proportionate Common Share-equivalent interest in the Company.  The amount of New Securities that the Investor shall be entitled to purchase in the aggregate shall be determined by multiplying (x) the total number of such offered shares of New Securities by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares held by the Investor, and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares then outstanding.

 
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(b)            Notice.  In the event the Company proposes to offer New Securities, it shall give the Investor written notice of its intention, describing the price (or range of prices), anticipated amount of securities, timing and other terms upon which the Company proposes to offer the same, no later than ten Business Days prior to the commencement of such offer or sale, as the case may be, or five Business Days prior the commencement of such offer in the case of an underwritten public offering of Common Shares or Preferred Shares on an “overnight” or equivalent expedited offering (an “Expedited Offering”).  The Investor shall have seven (7) Business Days (three (3) Business Days in the case of an Expedited Offering) from the date of receipt of such a notice to notify the Company in writing that it intends to exercise such purchase rights and as to the amount of New Securities the Investor desires to purchase.  Such notice shall constitute a non-binding indication of interest of the Investor to purchase the amount of New Securities so specified at the price and other terms set forth in the Company’s notice to it.  The failure of the Investor to respond within such seven (7) Business Day period (or three (3) Business Day period in the case of an Expedited Offering) period shall be deemed to be a waiver of the Investor’s rights under this Section 7 only with respect to the offering described in the applicable notice.

(c)            Purchase Mechanism.  If the Investor exercises its gross-up purchase rights provided in this Section 7, the closing of the purchase of the New Securities with respect to which such right has been exercised shall take place (a) in the case of any public offering, simultaneously with the closing of such offering to other purchasers, or (b) in the case of any private offering, upon the later to occur of the closing of such offering and thirty (30) calendar days after the giving of notice of such offering.  Each of the Company and the Investor agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to secure any regulatory or other consents or shareholder approval, and to comply with any law or regulation necessary in connection with the offer, sale and purchase of, such New Securities.

(d)            Failure of Purchase.  In the event the Investor fails to exercise its gross-up purchase rights provided in this Section 7 within the prescribed period or, if so exercised, the Investor is unable to consummate such purchase within the time period specified in Section 7(c) above, the Company shall thereafter be entitled during the period of ninety (90) days following the conclusion of the applicable period to sell or enter into an agreement (pursuant to which the sale of the New Securities covered thereby shall be consummated, if at all, within thirty (30) days from the date of said agreement) to sell the New Securities not elected to be purchased pursuant to this Section 7 or that the Investor is unable to purchase because of such failure to obtain any such consent or approval, at a price and upon terms no more favorable to the purchasers of such securities than were specified in the Company’s notice to the Investor.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such sale is subject to the receipt of any regulatory or other consents, shareholder approval or the expiration of any waiting period, the time period during which such sale may be consummated shall be extended until the expiration of five Business Days after all such approvals or consents have been obtained or waiting periods expired, but in no event shall such time period exceed 180 days from the date of the applicable agreement with respect to such sale.  In the event the Company has not sold the New Securities or entered into an agreement to sell the New Securities within said 90-day period (or sold and issued New Securities in accordance with the foregoing within thirty (30) days from the date of said agreement (as such period may be extended in the manner described above for a period not to exceed 180 days from the date of said agreement), the Company shall not thereafter offer, issue or sell such New Securities without first offering such securities to the Investor in the manner provided above.

 
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(e)            Cooperation.  The Company and the Investor shall cooperate in good faith to facilitate the exercise of the Investor’s rights hereunder, including securing any required approvals or consents.

8.              Investor Participation.  The Company will afford the Investor the power to participate in the Company’s financial and operating policy decisions, to the extent provided in the Transaction Documents or as otherwise agreed by the Board of Trustees.  Pursuant to and in accordance with the Transaction Documents, the Company shall furnish the Investor with such financial and operating data and other information with respect to the business, finance and properties of the Company as the Company prepares and compiles for members of its Board of Trustees in the ordinary course.

9.              Termination.  This Agreement, and the respective rights and obligations of the Parties other than rights and obligations under Section 1, Section 2, Section 4, Section 5 and Section 10 hereof, shall terminate upon the earlier of (i) Investor ceasing to own the 5% Qualifying Ownership Interest, and (ii) the execution of a written agreement of the Parties to terminate this Agreement.

10.            Miscellaneous.

(a)            Amendment.  No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement will be effective with respect to any party unless made in writing and signed by an officer of a duly authorized representative of such party.

(b)            Waivers.  The conditions to each party’s obligations in the Agreement are for the sole benefit of such party and may be waived by such party in whole or in part to the extent permitted by applicable law.  No waiver of any party to this Agreement will be effective unless it is in a writing signed by a duly authorized officer of the waiving party that makes express reference to the provision or provisions subject to such waiver.

(c)            Counterparts and Facsimile.  For the convenience of the parties hereto, this Agreement may be executed in any number of separate counterparts, each such counterpart being deemed to be an original instrument, and all such counterparts will together constitute the same agreement.  Executed signature pages to this Agreement may be delivered by facsimile and such facsimiles will be deemed as sufficient as if actual signature pages had been delivered.

 
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(d)            Governing Law.  This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.  The parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York for any actions, suits or proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

(e)            IRSA Guarantee.  IRSA is a party to this Agreement solely for purposes of guaranteeing the obligations of the Investor and shall be liable to the Company, to the same extent as the Investor, for the obligations of the Investor hereunder.

(f)             Notices.  All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, and if sent to the Investor, shall be delivered to Investor at Real Estate Investment Group L.P., c/o IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones S.A., Moreno 877, C1091AAQ, Buenos Aires, Argentina, fax no. +54 (11) 4323-7449, Attention:  Eduardo S. Elsztain, with copies to and Zang, Bergel & Vines Abogados, Florida 537, 18th Floor, C1005AAK, Buenos Aires, Argentina, fax no. +54 (11) 5166-7070, Attention:  Pablo Vergara del Carril; or if sent to the Company or the Operating Partnership, shall be delivered to Hersha Hospitality Trust, 510 Walnut Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106 fax no. (717) 774-7383 Attention:  Ashish R. Parikh, with a copy to Hunton & Williams LLP, 951 East Byrd Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, fax no. (804) 788-8218, Attention:  James S. Seevers, Jr.  Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.

(g)            Confidentiality.  For the avoidance of doubt, the confidentiality agreement, dated as of July 3, 2009, by and between the Company and the Investor shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding this Agreement.

(h)            Captions.  The section, paragraph and clause captions herein are for convenience of reference only, do not constitute part of this Agreement and will not be deemed to limit or otherwise affect any of the provisions hereof.

(i)             No Third Party Beneficiaries.  Nothing contained in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any person or entity other than the Parties hereto, any benefit right or remedies.

(j)             Time of Essence.  Time is of the essence in the performance of each and every term of this Agreement.

(k)            Public Announcements.  Subject to each Party’s disclosure obligations imposed by law or regulation, each of the parties hereto will cooperate with each other in the development and distribution of all news releases and other public information disclosures with respect to this Agreement and any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), and no Party hereto will make any such news release or public disclosure without first consulting with the other Party hereto and receiving its consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and each Party shall coordinate with the other with respect to any such news release or public disclosure.

 
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(l)             Successors, Assigns and Transferees.  This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective legal representatives, heirs, legatees, successors, and assigns and any other transferee.

(m)           Assignment.  Except as otherwise provided in this Section 10(m), this Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned without the prior written consent of the Parties hereto and any purported or attempted assignment or other transfer of rights or obligations under this Agreement without such consent shall be void and of no force or effect.

 
(i) 
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, any time after the Closing Date and on or before the Expiration Date, the Investor may, in its sole discretion, assign the Purchase Option in whole or in part to any assignee that agrees in writing for the benefit of the Company to be bound by the terms of Sections 1, 2, 4, 5 and 10 of this Agreement, it being expressly understood that any such assignee will have no rights and benefits under Sections 3, 7 or 8 of this Agreement, and no restrictions pursuant to Section 6 hereof; provided that such assignment complies with all applicable laws, including but not limited to, securities laws, rules and regulations, NYSE rules and the Company’s Declaration of Trust.

 
(ii) 
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Investor is not permitted under applicable law or regulation to exercise any of its rights to purchase New Securities under Section 7 of this Agreement, the Investor may, in its sole discretion, assign such rights under Section 7 to any of its Affiliates that agrees in writing for the benefit of the Company to be bound by the terms of this Agreement.

(n)            Expenses; Attorney’s Fees.  Each party will be solely responsible for its fees and expenses in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, including the fees and expenses of their respective attorneys, accountants, investment bankers and consultants.  In any action or proceeding brought to enforce any provision of this Agreement, the successful Party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses in addition to any other available remedy.

(o)            Recapitalization or Exchange Affecting the Company’s Capital Stock.  The provisions of this Agreement shall apply in accordance with its terms with respect to all of the shares of beneficial interest of the Company or any successor thereto (including by merger or consolidation) or that may be issued in respect of, in exchange for, or in substitution of such shares, as applicable, and shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividends, splits, reverse splits, combinations, recapitalizations, and the like occurring after the date hereof.

(p)            Severability.  In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstances, is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality, and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be in any way impaired thereby.

 
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(q)            Tax Withholding.  The Company shall be entitled to require payment in cash or deduction from other compensation payable to the Investor of any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise, repurchase, or cancellation of the Purchase Option or any Option Shares.

(r)             Entire Agreement.  This Agreement (including the Exhibits hereto) and the Transaction Documents constitute the entire agreement, and supersede all other prior agreements, understandings, representations and warranties, both written and oral, between the parties, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

11.            Definitions.  Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement or this Section 11 shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Purchase Agreement.

(a)            “Acquisition” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1(g).

(b)            “Affiliate” means, with respect to any person, any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with, such other person.  For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) when used with respect to any person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to cause the direction of management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities by contract or otherwise.

(c)            “Agreement” has the meaning ascribed such term in the preamble.

(d)            “Asset Transfer” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1(g).

(e)            “Board of Trustees” means the Board of Trustees of the Company.

(f)             “Beneficially Own,” “Beneficially Owned” or “Beneficial Ownership” means with respect to any securities, having beneficial ownership of such securities (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

(g)            “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other governmental actions to close.

(h)            “Call Date” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b).

(i)             “Call Notice” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b).

(j)             “Call Option” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(a).

(k)            “Call Price” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(a).

(l)             “Call Shares” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(a).

 
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(m)           “Call Value” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(a).

(n)            “Closing Date” shall be August 4, 2009.

(o)            “Code” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(b).

(p)            “Commission” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a).

(q)            “Common Shares” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the recitals.

(r)             “Company” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble.

(s)            “Declaration of Trust” means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Company (as amended and supplemented from time to time).

(t)             “Election to Purchase” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1(b).

(u)            “Elsztain” means Mr. Eduardo S. Elsztain.

(v)            “Exchange Act” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(b).

(w)           “Expedited Offering” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7(b).

(x)            “Expiration Date” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1(a).

(y)            “Information” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.

(z)            “Investment Letter” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1(b).

(aa)          “Investor” has the meaning ascribed to such term the preamble.

(bb)         “New Security” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7(a).

(cc)          “NYSE” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(a).

(dd)          “Operating Partnership” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the recitals.

(ee)          “Option Price” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1(a).

(ff)            “Option Shares” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1(a).

(gg)          “Party” means any of the parties to this Agreement, as set forth in the preamble.

(hh)          “Person” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.

(ii)            “Primary Shares” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the recitals.

(jj)            “Purchase Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the recitals.

 
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(kk)          “Purchase Option” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1(a).

(ll)            “5% Qualifying Ownership Interest” means Beneficial Ownership by the Investor or any of its Affiliates of at least 5% of the Common Shares (excluding solely for purposes of this definition any Common Shares issued after the date hereof upon redemption of Operating Partnership units held at any time at or prior to such redemption by trustees or officers of the Company or the entities they control or of which they Beneficially Own 100% of the outstanding equity securities).

(mm)        “10% Qualifying Ownership Interest” means Beneficial Ownership by the Investor or any of its Affiliates of at least 10% of the Common Shares (excluding solely for purposes of this definition any Common Shares issued after the date hereof upon redemption of Operating Partnership units held at any time at or prior to such redemption by trustees or officers of the Company or the entities they control or of which they Beneficially Own 100% of the outstanding equity securities).

(nn)          “Securities Act” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5(a).

(oo)          “Subsidiary” means those corporations, banks, savings banks, associations and other persons of which such person owns or controls 51% or more of the outstanding equity securities either directly or through an unbroken chain of entities as to each of which 51% or more of the outstanding equity securities is owned directly or indirectly by its parent.

(pp)          “Transaction Documents” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Purchase Agreement.

(qq)          “Trustee Designation Agreement” means the trustee designation agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

(rr)            “VWAP” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(a).

[Signature page follows.]

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date first above written.


 
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT GROUP L.P.
     
     
     
 
By:
Tyrus S.A., its sole general partner
     
     
 
By:
/s/ Eduardo S. Elsztain
   
Name:
   
Title:
     
     
     
 
IRSA INVERSIONES Y REPRESENTACIONES S.A.
     
     
 
By:
/s/ Eduardo S. Elsztain
   
Name:
   
Title:
     
     
     
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
     
     
 
By:
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
   
Name: Ashish R. Parikh
   
Title: Chief Financial Officer
 
Investor Rights and Option Agreement Signature Page

 

EX-10.3 5 ex10_3.htm EXHIBIT 10.3 ex10_3.htm

EXHIBIT 10.3
 
EXECUTION VERSION

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of August 4, 2009, is by and among Real Estate Investment Group L.P., a Bermuda limited partnership, whose general partner and majority limited partner is Tyrus S.A., a Uruguayan sociedad anónima wholly-owned by IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima, an Argentine sociedad anónima (the “Purchaser”), IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima, an Argentine sociedad anónima (“IRSA”) (solely for purposes of Section 5.6 hereof), and Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”).

WHEREAS, on or about the date hereof, the Purchaser is purchasing from the Company 5,700,000 shares (the “Primary Shares”) of the Company’s Priority Class A common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Shares”), pursuant to that certain Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated as of August 4, 2009, by and among  the Purchaser, the Company and Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, L.P., a Virginia limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”);

WHEREAS, in connection with the sale and purchase of the Primary Shares, the Company and the Purchaser intend to enter that certain Investor Rights and Option Agreement, of even date herewith, by and among the Purchaser and the Company (the “Investor Rights and Option Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company shall grant the Purchaser the option (the “Option”) to purchase 5,700,000 additional Common Shares (the “Option Shares”) on the terms contained therein; and

WHEREAS, in order to induce Purchaser to enter into the Purchase Agreement and the Investor Rights and Option Agreement, the Company agrees that this Agreement shall govern the rights of Purchaser and subsequent Holders (as defined below) of Registrable Shares (as defined below) to cause the Company to register any Registrable Shares held by Purchaser and such subsequent Holders.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Purchase Agreement.  In addition, the following terms, as used herein, have the following meanings:

Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banks in New York, New York and Buenos Aires, Argentina are authorized by law to close.

Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 
 

 

Damages Payment Date” shall mean the later of (i) five (5) Business Days and (ii) the first day of the calendar month, following the date on which a Registration Default shall have occurred.

Default Rate” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(e).

Effectiveness Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.

FINRA” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(l).

Holder” means the Initial Holder and any direct or indirect transferee of any Registrable Shares.

Holders’ Counsel” means one counsel for the Holders that is selected by the Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Shares included in the Shelf Registration Statement, with such selection being effective by written consent of Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Shares, whether record or beneficial Holders.

Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3.

Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3.

Initial Holder” means the Purchaser.

Inspectors” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(i).

Liquidated Damages” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(e).

Option” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Option Shares” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Person” or “Persons” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or other entity or government or other agency or political subdivision thereof.

Primary Shares” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Records” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(i).

Registrable Shares” means (i) the Primary Shares acquired by the Initial Holder or its transferees in connection with the Purchase Agreement, (ii) the Option Shares acquired by the Initial Holder or its transferees in connection with the exercise of the Option and (iii) any other security beneficially owned by a Holder that was issued or is issuable with respect to the Primary Shares or the Option Shares by way of exchange, stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization or otherwise.  As to any particular Registrable Shares, such securities shall only cease to be Registrable Shares when (a) a registration statement with respect to the sale of such securities has been declared effective by the Commission and all such Registrable Shares have been disposed of under such registration statement or (b) such time as all such Registrable Shares have been otherwise transferred to holders who may trade such shares without restriction under the Securities Act, and the Company has delivered a new certificate or other evidence of ownership for such securities not bearing a restrictive legend.

 
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Registration Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(e).

Registration Expenses” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

Rule 144” means Rule 144 (or any successor rule of similar effect) promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rule 415” means Rule 415 (or any successor rule of similar effect) promulgated under the Securities Act.

Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.

Selling Holder” means any Holder who is selling Registrable Shares pursuant to a public offering registered hereunder.

Shelf Filing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Shelf Registration Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b).

Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Successor” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.11.

Underwriter” means a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Shares or other securities of the Company as a principal for the resale of such securities and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.

Underwritten Offering” means any sale of Common Shares for the account of the Company to an Underwriter or Underwriters on a firm commitment basis.

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

2.1           Shelf Registration.

(a)           The Company shall (i) use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the Commission, as soon as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement but in no event later than November 18, 2009 (the “Shelf Filing Date”), a registration statement (such registration statement, including any replacement registration statement, the “Shelf Registration Statement”) with respect to the Registrable Shares under the Securities Act on Form S-3 (or any similar or successor form or other form to the extent that Form S-3 is not available), which Shelf Registration Statement (A) shall be an automatic shelf registration statement if the Company is then a “well known seasoned issuer” (within the meaning of the Securities Act), providing for the registration and the sale by the Holders on a continuous or delayed basis pursuant to Rule 415 of the Registrable Shares, (B) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by the Commission to be filed therewith or be incorporated therein and (C) shall be reasonably acceptable to the Holders’ Counsel, and (ii) cause such Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable thereafter but in no event later than March 15, 2009 (the “Effectiveness Date”). The Shelf Registration Statement shall be on an appropriate form and shall provide for the resale of the Registrable Shares from time to time, including pursuant to Rule 415, and subject to Section 2.2(b), pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally available by the Holders, and the registration statement and any form of prospectus included or incorporated by reference therein (or any prospectus supplement relating thereto) shall reflect such plan of distribution or method of sale.

 
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(b)           The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective for the period beginning on the Effectiveness Date and ending on the date that all of the Registrable Shares registered under the Shelf Registration Statement cease to be Registrable Shares (the “Shelf Registration Period”).  During the Shelf Registration Period, the Company shall (i) subject to Section 2.1(c) hereof, prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement as may be (A) necessary to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective for the Shelf Registration Period or (B) reasonably requested by the Holders (whether or not required by the form on which the securities are being registered), and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause each such amendment to be declared effective by the Commission, if required, as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, (ii) subject to Section 2.1(c) hereof, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any related prospectus to be supplemented by any required supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act (or any similar provisions then in force under the Securities Act), to the extent required, and (iii) comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition as may be reasonably requested from time to time by the Holders and set forth in such Shelf Registration Statement as so amended or such prospectus as so supplemented.

(c)            If a majority of the independent trustees of the Company’s Board of Trustees (as determined in accordance with New York Stock Exchange and Commission rules and regulations) determines in its good faith judgment that the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement or the use of any related prospectus would require the disclosure of material information that the Company has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential or the disclosure of which would impede the Company’s ability to consummate a significant transaction, and that the Company is not otherwise required by applicable securities laws or regulations to disclose, upon written notice from the Company of such determination by the Company’s Board of Trustees, the rights of the Holders to offer, sell or distribute any Registrable Shares pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement or to require the Company to take action with respect to the registration or sale of any Registrable Shares pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement shall be suspended until the earlier of (i) the date upon which the Company notifies the Holders in writing that suspension of such rights for the grounds set forth in this Section 2.1(c) is no longer necessary and the Holders have received copies of any required amendment or supplement to the relevant prospectus, and (ii) forty-five (45) days.  The Company agrees to give such notice as promptly as practicable following the date that such suspension of rights is no longer necessary.

 
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(d)           The Company may not utilize the suspension rights under Section 2.1(c) more than one time in any three-month period nor more than three times in any 12-month period.  Each Holder agrees by acquisition of the Registrable Shares that upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2.1(c), such Holder will forthwith discontinue its disposition of Registrable Shares pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement relating to such Registrable Shares until the expiration of the applicable suspension period as provided in Section 2.1(c).

(e)           If (i) the Shelf Registration Statement has not been filed with the Commission by the Shelf Filing Date , (ii) the Shelf Registration Statement has not been declared effective by the Commission by Effectiveness Date, or (iii) to the extent that Registrable Shares remain outstanding, the Shelf Registration Statement is filed and declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be effective (without being succeeded by a replacement shelf registration statement which is filed and declared effective) or usable (including as a result of any suspension period under Section 2.1(c) hereof) for the offer and sale of such Registrable Securities for any period of time (including any suspension period under Section 2.1(c) hereof) which shall exceed 45 days in any three-month period or 135 days in any 12-month period (each such event referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), a “Registration Default”), the Company shall pay liquidated damages (“Liquidated Damages”) to the Holders, in cash, for the period (excluding the actual Shelf Filing Date or the actual Effectiveness Date) during which any such Registration Default shall be continuing, at a rate per week equal to 25 basis points of the total purchase price of the Registrable Shares the held by Holders (prorated for partial weeks).  All accrued Liquidated Damages shall be paid by the Company by the following Damages Payment Date.  In the event that any Liquidated Damages are not paid by the Company on the applicable Damages Payment Date, then to the extent permitted by law, such overdue Liquidated Damages, if any, shall bear interest until paid at the prime rate announced to be in effect from time to time, as published as the average rate in The Wall Street Journal, plus 2% (the “Default Rate”).  All accrued Liquidated Damages and any interest thereon shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds or by federal funds check by the Company to Holders pro rata, based on the respective numbers of Registrable Shares then held by such Holder.  The parties acknowledge that damages from a failure to file the Registration Statement or a failure to have the Shelf Registration Statement declared or remain effective are difficult to measure and that the payments provided for in this Section 2.1(e) are reasonable liquidated damages and not a penalty.  Promptly (but in no event more than five Business Days) after the occurrence or the termination of a Registration Default, the Company shall give the Holders at such time notice of such occurrence or termination (as applicable); provided, however, that the failure by the Company to give such notice shall not subject the Company to any further Liquidated Damages following the termination of the Registration Default.

 
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2.2           Piggyback Rights.

(a)           If the Company proposes to conduct an Underwritten Offering, the Company shall give written notice of such proposed Underwritten Offering to the Holders as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event less than ten (10) Business Days before the anticipated offering date (five (5) Business Days before the anticipated offering date if such Underwritten Offering is an “overnight” offering or equivalent expedited offering (an “Expedited Offering”), undertaking to provide each Holder the opportunity to participate in such Underwritten Offering on the same terms and conditions as the Company.  Each Holder will have seven (7) Business Days (three (3) Business Days in the case of an Expedited Offering) after receipt of any such notice to notify the Company as to whether it wishes to participate in such Underwritten Offering; provided that should a Holder fail to provide timely notice to the Company, such Holder will forfeit any rights to participate in such Underwritten Offering.  If the Company shall determine in its sole discretion to delay the proposed Underwritten Offering, the Company shall provide written notice of such determination to the Holders and shall thereupon be permitted to delay such Underwritten Offering.  In connection with any Underwritten Offering in which any Holder is exercising piggyback rights pursuant to this Section 2.2, the Company shall be entitled to select the Underwriters in connection with such Underwritten Offering.

(b)           If the managing Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering advises the Company that the inclusion of Registrable Shares by a Holder would materially adversely affect such Underwritten Offering, the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering, as to each Holder exercising piggyback rights pursuant to this Section 2.2 and any other Person or Persons having a contractual right to request their Common Shares be included in such Underwritten Offering, that number of Common Shares that the Company is so advised can be sold in such Underwritten Offering without materially and adversely affecting such Underwritten Offering, determined as follows:

 
(i)
First, for the Holders electing to participate in such Underwritten Offering, such number of Registrable Shares equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the number of Common Shares able to be sold as determined by the managing Underwriter;

 
(ii)
Second, for the Company, the remaining number of Common Shares able to be sold as determined by the managing Underwriter;

 
(iii)
Third, for each remaining holder of Common Shares securities who holds contractual piggyback rights, other than the Holders described above in clauses (i), the fraction of such holder’s Common Shares proposed to be sold that is obtained by dividing (A) the remaining number of Common Shares that such holder proposes to include in such Underwritten Offering by (B) the total remaining number of Common Shares proposed to be sold in such Underwritten Offering by all such holders; and

 
(iv)
Fourth, for each remaining holder of Common Shares, other than the Holders described above in clause (i) and the holders described above in clause (iii), if any, who are permitted by the Company to so participate, such number of Common Shares as is determined by multiplying (A) the remaining Common Shares able to be sold as determined by the managing Underwriter, by (B) the fraction obtained by dividing (1) the number of Common Shares that such holder proposes to include in such Underwritten Offering by (2) the total number of Common Shares proposed to be sold in such Underwritten Offering by all such remaining holders.

 
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ARTICLE III

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

3.1           Filings; Information.  In connection with the registration of Registrable Shares pursuant to Section 2.1:

(a)           The Company will prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement on any form for that the Company then qualifies and which counsel for the Company shall deem appropriate and available for the sale of the Registrable Shares to be registered thereunder in accordance with the intended method of distribution thereof, as may be reasonably necessary to effect the sale of such securities, the Company may require Selling Holders to promptly furnish in writing to the Company such information regarding such Selling Holders, the plan of distribution of the Registrable Shares and other information as the Company may be legally required to disclose in connection with such registration.

(b)           The Company will, if requested, prior to filing such registration statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish to the Selling Holders, and each applicable managing Underwriter, if any, copies thereof, and thereafter furnish to the Selling Holders and each such Underwriter, if any, such number of copies of such registration statement, amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus) as the Selling Holders or each such Underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the sale of the Registrable Shares by the Selling Holders.

(c)           After the filing of the registration statement, the Company will promptly notify the Selling Holders of any stop order issued or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to be issued by the Commission and use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the entry of such stop order or to remove it if entered.

(d)           In addition to the requirements imposed on the Company elsewhere herein, the Company will qualify the Registrable Shares for offer and sale under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Selling Holders may reasonably request; keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the period in which such registration statement is required to be kept effective; and do any and all other acts and things which may be necessary or advisable to enable each Selling Holder to consummate the disposition of the Registrable Shares owned by such Selling Holder in such jurisdictions; provided that the Company will not be required to (i) qualify to generally do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3.1(d), (ii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (iii) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction.

 
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(e)           The Company will as promptly as is practicable notify the Selling Holders, at any time when a prospectus relating to the sale of the Registrable Shares is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, of the occurrence of any event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Shares, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and promptly make available to the Selling Holders and to the Underwriters any such supplement or amendment.  Upon receipt of any notice of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in the preceding sentence, the Selling Holders will forthwith discontinue the offer and sale of Registrable Shares pursuant to the registration statement covering such Registrable Shares until receipt by the Selling Holders and the Underwriters of the copies of such supplemented or amended prospectus and, if so directed by the Company, the Selling Holders shall deliver to the Company all copies, other than permanent file copies then in the possession of the Selling Holders, of the most recent prospectus covering such Registrable Shares at the time of receipt of such notice.  Furthermore, in the event the Company shall give such notice, the Company shall, as promptly as is practical, prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the registration statement or a supplement to the related prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Shares being sold thereunder, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(f)            The Company will enter into customary agreements (including an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take such other actions (including, without limitation, participation in road shows and investor conference calls) as are required in order to expedite or facilitate the sale of such Registrable Shares.

(g)           At the request of any Underwriter in connection with an underwritten offering, the Company will furnish (i) an opinion of counsel, addressed to the Underwriters and the Selling Holders, covering such customary matters as the managing Underwriter and the Selling Holders may reasonably request and (ii) a comfort letter or comfort letters from the Company’s independent public accountants addressed to the Underwriters and the Selling Holders covering such customary matters as the managing Underwriter or the Selling Holders may reasonably request.

(h)           If requested by the managing Underwriter or any Selling Holder, the Company shall promptly incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post effective amendment such information as the managing Underwriter or any Selling Holder reasonably requests to be included therein, including without limitation, with respect to the Registrable Shares being sold by such Selling Holder, the purchase price being paid therefor by the Underwriters and with respect to any other terms of the underwritten offering of the Registrable Shares to be sold in such offering, and promptly make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post effective amendment.

 
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(i)            The Company shall promptly make available for inspection by any Selling Holder or Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to any registration statement, and any attorney, accountant or other agent or representative retained by any such Selling Holder or Underwriter (collectively, the “Inspectors”), all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company (collectively, the “Records”), as shall reasonably be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information requested by any such Inspector in connection with such registration statement; provided, however, that unless the disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in the registration statement or the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction, the Company shall not be required to provide any information under this subparagraph (i) if (A) the Company believes, after consultation with counsel for the Company, that to do so would cause the Company to forfeit an attorney-client privilege that was applicable to such information or (B) if the Company has requested and been granted from the Commission confidential treatment of such information contained in any filing with the Commission or documents provided supplementally or otherwise.

(j)            The Company shall cause the Common Shares included in any registration statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which securities issued by the Company are then listed, if the Registrable Shares so qualify.

(k)           The Company shall provide a CUSIP number for the Registrable Shares included in any registration statement not later than the effective date of such registration statement.

(l)            The Company shall cooperate with each Selling Holder and each Underwriter participating in the disposition of such Registrable Shares and their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

(m)          The Company shall participate in any financial roadshow organized for purposes of publicizing the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Shares.  Such participation shall include, but not be limited to, dispatch by the Company of personnel to assist in each presentation made during the roadshow, and provision of the Company data needed for purposes of the roadshow.

(n)           The Company shall, during the period when the prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, promptly file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

3.2           Registration Expenses.  In connection with any registration effected hereunder, the Company shall pay all expenses incurred in connection with such registration (the “Registration Expenses”), including without limitation: (i) registration and filing fees with the Commission and FINRA, (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualifications of the Registrable Shares), (iii) printing expenses, messenger and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or quotation of the Registrable Shares, (v) fees and expenses of counsel to the Company and the fees and expenses of independent certified public accountants for the Company (including fees and expenses associated with the special audits or the delivery of comfort letters), (vi) the fees and expenses of any additional experts retained by the Company in connection with such registration and (vii) the fees and expenses of other persons retained by the Company, whether or not any registration statement becomes effective; provided that in no event shall Registration Expenses include any underwriting discounts or commissions or transfer taxes.

 
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ARTICLE IV

INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

4.1           Indemnification By the Company.  The Company agrees to indemnify, and hold harmless each Selling Holder and their respective officers, directors, partners, shareholders, members, employees, agents and representatives and each Person (if any) which controls a Selling Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) caused by, arising out of, resulting from or related to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained or incorporated by reference in any registration statement or prospectus relating to the Registrable Shares (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any preliminary prospectus, including all documents attached thereto or incorporated by reference therein, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by or based upon any information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of such Selling Holder or by such Selling Holder’s failure to deliver a copy of the registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto after the Company has furnished such Selling Holder with copies of the same; provided, however, that the Company shall have no obligation to indemnify under this sentence to the extent any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities have been finally and non-appealably determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Selling Holder’s willful misconduct or gross negligence.  The Company also agrees to indemnify any Underwriter of the Registrable Shares, their officers and directors and each person who controls such Underwriter on substantially the same basis as that of the indemnification of the Selling Holders provided in this Section 4.1, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by or based upon any information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter or by such Underwriter’s failure to deliver a copy of the registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto after the Company has furnished the Underwriter with copies of the same; provided, however, that the Company shall have no obligation to indemnify under this sentence to the extent any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities have been finally and non-appealably determined by a court to have resulted from any such Underwriter’s willful misconduct or gross negligence.  The obligations of the Company under this Section 4.1 shall be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have to any Indemnified Person and the obligations of any Indemnified Person under this Section 4.1 shall be in addition to any liability that such Indemnified Person may otherwise have to the Company.  The remedies provided in this Section 4.1 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to an indemnified party at law or in equity.

 
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4.2           Indemnification By Selling Holders.  Each Selling Holder agrees to indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its officers and directors, and each Person, if any, that controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) caused by, arising out of, resulting from or related to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained or incorporated by reference in any registration statement or prospectus relating to the Registrable Shares (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any preliminary prospectus, including all documents attached thereto or incorporated by reference therein, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Holder for use in any registration statement or prospectus relating to the Registrable Shares, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any preliminary prospectus.  Each Selling Holder also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any Underwriters of the Registrable Shares, their officers and directors and each person who controls such Underwriters on substantially the same basis as that of the indemnification of the Company provided in this Section 4.2, but only with reference to information furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Holder for use in any registration statement or prospectus relating to the Registrable Shares, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any preliminary prospectus.  Each such Selling Holder’s liability under this Section 4.2 shall be limited to an amount equal to the net proceeds (after deducting the applicable underwriting discount and expenses associated with such Selling Holder’s Registrable Shares sold thereunder) received by such Selling Holder from the sale of such Registrable Shares by such Selling Holder.  The obligation of each Selling Holder hereunder shall be several and not joint.

4.3           Conduct Of Indemnification Proceedings.  In case any proceeding (including any investigation by any court, governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission or other governmental authority or instrumentality, domestic (federal, state or municipal) or foreign governmental entity) shall be instituted involving any Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 4.1 or Section 4.2, such Person (the “Indemnified Party”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing and the Indemnifying Party, upon the request of the Indemnified Party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party to represent such Indemnified Party and any others the Indemnifying Party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless (i) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded or joined parties) include both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party and, in the written opinion of counsel for the Indemnified Party, representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood that the Indemnifying Party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any time for all such Indemnified Parties, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.  In the case any such separate firm for the Indemnified Parties exists, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Indemnified Parties.  The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), or if a final judgment is entered for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Party shall indemnify and hold harmless such Indemnified Parties from and against any loss or liability (to the extent stated above) by reason of such settlement or judgment.

 
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4.4           Contribution.

(a)            If the indemnification provided for in this Article IV is, by operation of law unavailable to an Indemnified Party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities in respect of which indemnity is to be provided hereunder, then each such Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall to the fullest extent permitted by law, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of such party in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative fault of the Company, a Selling Holder and the Underwriters shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by such party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(b)           The Company and each Selling Holder agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4.4 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Each Selling Holder shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds of the offering (before deducting expenses) received by such Selling Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Selling Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 
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ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

5.1           Participation In Underwritten Offerings.  No Person may participate in any underwritten registered offering contemplated hereunder, unless such Person (a) agrees to sell its securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements, (b) completes and executes all (to the extent reasonable and customary) questionnaires, powers of attorney, custody arrangements, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements and this Agreement and (c) furnishes in writing to the Company such information regarding such Person, the plan of distribution of the Registrable Shares and other information as the Company may from time to time reasonably request or as may legally be required in connection with such underwritten registered offering; provided, however, that no such Person shall be required to make any representations or warranties in connection with any such underwritten registered offering other than representations and warranties as to (i) such Person’s ownership of his or its Registrable Shares to be sold or transferred in a manner that is free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances, (ii) such Person’s power and authority to effect such transfer and (iii) such matters pertaining to compliance with securities laws as may reasonably be requested; provided further, however, that the obligation of such Person to indemnify pursuant to any such underwriting agreements shall be several, and not joint and several, among such Persons selling Registrable Shares, and the liability of each such Person will be in proportion to, and; provided further that such liability will be limited to, the net amount received by such Person from the sale of such Person’s Registrable Shares pursuant to such underwritten registered offering.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company’s Board of Trustees must approve any Underwriter engaged to conduct any underwritten registered offering pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that if such underwritten registered offering has been initiated by the Purchaser and the Purchaser is the sole selling shareholder in such offering, the Purchaser shall have the right to select the Underwriter for such underwritten registered offering, subject to the approval of the Company’s Board of Trustees, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

5.2           Rule 144.  The Company shall file any and all reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and shall take such further action as the Holders may reasonably request to the extent required from time to time to enable the Holders to sell Registrable Shares without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission.  Upon the request of any Holder, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such reporting requirements.

5.3           Market Stand Off.  In connection with the registration or offering of the Company’s securities, upon the reasonable request of the Company and the managing Underwriter of any underwritten offering of the Company’s securities, each Holder agrees not to sell, make any short sale of, loan, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose of, any Registrable Shares (other than those included in the registration) without prior written consent of the Company, or such Underwriters, as the case may be, for such period of time (not to exceed 60 days from the effective date of such registration or offering) as the Company and the managing Underwriter may reasonably specify (the “Stand-Off Period”); provided, however, that:

 
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(a)           all executive officers and trustees of the Company then holding Common Shares of the Company shall enter into similar agreements for not less than the time period required of the Holders hereunder; and

(b)           the Holders shall be allowed any concession or proportionate release allowed to any officer or trustee that entered into similar agreements.

In order to enforce the foregoing covenant in this Section 5.3, the Company shall have the right to place restrictive legends on the certificates representing the Registrable Shares subject to this Section 5.3 and to impose stop transfer instructions with respect to the Registrable Shares and such other Common Shares of each Holder (and the Common Shares or securities of every other person subject to the foregoing restriction) until the end of such period.

Upon request, each such Holder agrees to execute a “lock-up” letter to such effect for the benefit of the Company or any Underwriter.

5.4           Amendments, Waivers, Etc.  This Agreement may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified or terminated except by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and the Holders of at least two-thirds of the Registrable Shares then held by all the Holders.

5.5           Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission) in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart.

5.6           IRSA Guarantee.  IRSA is a party to this Agreement solely for purposes of guaranteeing the obligations of the Purchaser and IRSA shall be liable to the Company, to the same extent as the Purchaser, for all obligations of the Purchaser hereunder, including, without limitation, the obligations of the Purchaser set forth in Article IV hereof.

5.7           Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, together with the Purchase Agreement and the other agreements, instruments and documents referred to therein, constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements, letters of intent and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

5.8           Articles, Sections.  Unless the context indicates otherwise, references to Articles, Sections and paragraphs shall refer to the corresponding articles, sections and paragraphs in this Agreement.

5.9           Governing Law; Choice of Forum.  This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York (without giving effect to such State’s principles of conflicts of laws principles).  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably consents, to the maximum extent permitted by law, that any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be brought, at the option of the party instituting the action or proceeding, in any court of general jurisdiction in New York County, New York, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or in any state or federal court sitting in the area currently comprising the Southern District of New York.  Each of the parties hereto waives any objection that it may have to the conduct of any action or proceeding in any such court based on improper venue or forum non conveniens, waives personal service of any and all process upon it, and consents that all service of process may be made by mail or courier service directed to it at the address set forth herein and that service so made shall be deemed to be completed upon the earlier of actual receipt or ten days after the same shall have been posted or delivered to a nationally recognized courier service.  Nothing contained in this Section 5.9 shall affect the right of any party hereto to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by law.

 
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5.10         Assignment of Registration Rights.  No Holder of Registrable Shares may assign all or any part of its rights under this Agreement to any person without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

5.11         Parties in Interest.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and any successor organization that shall succeed to substantially all of the business and property of the Company, whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or otherwise, including by operation of law (each, a “Successor”).  The Company hereby covenants and agrees that it shall cause any Successor to adopt and assume this Agreement.  If a parent entity of the Company or its Successor becomes the issuer of the Registrable Shares, then the Company or such Successor shall cause such parent entity to adopt and assume this Agreement to the same extent as if the parent entity were the Company or such Successor.

5.12         Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally, by facsimile, or mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), or sent by Federal Express or other recognized overnight courier, to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):

(a)            If to Purchaser, to:

Real Estate Investment Group L.P.
c/o IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones S.A.
Moreno 877, C1091AAQ
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fax no. +54 (11) 4323-7449
Attention:  Eduardo S. Elsztain

with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

Zang, Bergel & Viñes Abogados,
Florida 537, 18th Floor, C1005AAK
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fax no. +54 (11) 5166-7070
Attention:  Pablo Vergara del Carril

 
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(b)           If to the Company, to:

Hersha Hospitality Trust
510 Walnut Street, 9th Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Fax no. (717) 774-7383
Attention: Ashish R. Parikh

with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

Hunton & Williams LLP
951 East Byrd Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Fax no. (804) 788-8218
Attention: James S. Seevers, Jr.

Any of the above addresses may be changed at any time by notice given as provided above; provided, however, that any such notice of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.  All notices, requests or instructions given in accordance herewith shall be deemed received on the date of delivery, if hand delivered, on the date of receipt, if by facsimile, three business days after the date of mailing, if mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, and one business day after the date of sending, if sent by Federal Express or other recognized overnight courier.

5.13         Headings.  The headings contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not part of the substance of this Agreement.

5.14         Limitations on Subsequent Registration Rights.  From and after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Holders of not less than two-thirds of the then outstanding Registrable Shares, enter into any agreement with any holder or prospective holder of any equity securities of the Company that would allow such holder or prospective holder (a) to include such equity securities in any registration statement filed for the Registrable Shares pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, unless under the terms of such agreement, such holder or prospective holder may include such equity securities in any such registration only to the extent that the inclusion of its equity securities will not reduce the amount of Registrable Shares of the Holders or (b) to have its equity securities registered on a registration statement that is declared effective prior to the Effectiveness Date.

[Signature page follows.]

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Purchaser, IRSA and the Company has caused this Agreement to be signed  by its duly authorized officer as of the date first written above.
 
 
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT GROUP L.P.
   
   
 
By:
Tyrus S.A., its sole general partner
     
     
 
By:
/s/ Eduardo S. Elsztain
   
Name:
   
Title:
   
   
   
 
IRSA INVERSIONES Y REPRESENTACIONES S.A.
   
   
 
By:
/s/ Eduardo S. Elsztain
   
Name:
   
Title:
   
   
   
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
   
   
 
By:
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
   
Name: Ashish R. Parikh
   
Title: Chief Financial Officer


Registration Rights Agreement Signature Page
 
 

EX-10.4 6 ex10_4.htm EXHIBIT 10.4 ex10_4.htm

Exhibit 10.4
 
EXECUTION VERSION

TRUSTEE DESIGNATION AGREEMENT

This Trustee Designation Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of August 4, 2009, by and among  Real Estate Investment Group L.P. (the “Investor”), a Bermuda limited partnership, whose general partner and majority limited partner is Tyrus S.A., a Uruguayan sociedad anónima wholly-owned by IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima, an Argentine sociedad anónima (“IRSA”), IRSA and Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, on or about the date hereof, the Investor is purchasing from the Company 5,700,000 shares (the “Primary Shares”) of the Company’s Priority Class A common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Shares”) pursuant that certain Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated as of August 4, 2009, by and among the Investor, IRSA, the Company and Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, L.P., a Virginia limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”);

WHEREAS, in connection with the sale and purchase of the Primary Shares, the Company and the Investor intend to enter into that certain Investor Rights  and Option Agreement, of even date herewith, by and among the Investor and the Company (the “Investor Rights and Option Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company shall grant the Investor the option (the “Option”) to purchase 5,700,000 additional Common Shares (the “Option Shares”) on the terms contained therein;

WHEREAS, in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Investor Rights and Option Agreement, the Company has agreed to designate a representative designated by Investor as a trustee of the Company, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, each intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01.  Certain Defined Terms.  In addition to the terms defined elsewhere herein, for purposes of this Agreement, the terms below shall have the following meanings:

Affiliate” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with such specified Person.  For purposes of this Agreement, with respect to Investor, “Affiliate” shall not include the Company or any other Person that is directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controlled by the Company and, with respect to the Company, “Affiliate” shall not include Investor or any other Person that is directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controlled by Investor.

 
 

 

Beneficially Own,” “Beneficially Owned” or “Beneficial Ownership” means, with respect to any securities, having beneficial ownership of such securities (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

Board of Trustees” means the Board of Trustees of the Company.

Closing Date” means August 4, 2009, date upon which the Investor will purchase the Primary Shares and deliver to the Company the purchase price.

Designation Notice” shall mean written notice from Investor to the Company pursuant to which Investor shall notify the Company of its exercise of its right to designate a Qualified Replacement Designee to serve as a trustee of the Company, which notice shall identify such Person.

D&O Questionnaire” means the questionnaire form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

FINRA Questionnaire” means the questionnaire form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

Independence Standards” means the categorical independence standards adopted by the Company and set forth in the Schedule 14A Proxy Statement of the Company dated April 15, 2009.

Investor Trustee” means Mr. Eduardo S. Elsztain or any Qualified Replacement designated by Investor in a Designation Notice and appointed or elected to the Board of Trustees as a “Class II” trustee pursuant to this Agreement.

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust or unincorporated organization.

Qualified Replacement” means any Person designated by the Investor in a Designation Notice that (i) qualifies as a trustee under the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, as the same may be amended from time to time and (ii) completes the normal and customary background check and similar processes customary for appointments of directors of New York Stock Exchange listed companies, including completion of the D&O Questionnaire and the FINRA Questionnaire.

Qualifying Ownership Period” means the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the date upon which the Investor or its Affiliates cease to Beneficially Own at least 10% of the Common Shares (excluding solely for purposes this definition any Common Shares issued after the date hereof upon redemption of Operating Partnership units held at any time at or prior to such redemption by trustees or officers of the Company or the entities they control or of which they Beneficially Own 100% of the outstanding equity securities).

 
 

 

ARTICLE II

BOARD DESIGNATION

Section 2.01.  Elsztain as Trustee.  The Company agrees to take, or cause to be taken, all actions necessary to elect or appoint (or cause to be elected or appointed) Mr. Eduardo S. Elsztain (“Elsztain”) to the Board of Trustees as a Class II trustee effective as of the Closing Date.  The Company also agrees to permit Elsztain, as of the Closing Date, to participate as an independent trustee in all decisions regarding transactions that require the approval of independent trustees under applicable law or the Corporate Governance Guidelines of the Company, the annual Schedule 14A Proxy Statement of the Company and other relevant materials, and to allow Elsztain to attend meetings of any committee of the Board of Trustees as a non-voting observer.  Elsztain shall be granted the same rights and shall be subject to the same restrictions applicable to all trustees of the Company generally.  Accordingly, Elsztain shall be eligible for appointment to one or more committees of the Board of Trustees to be proposed by him in due course in connection with the annual committee appointment process that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will next conduct in 2010.

Section 2.02.  Board Observer.  During the Qualifying Ownership Period, the Company hereby agrees to take, or cause to be taken, all actions necessary to enable the Investor to appoint one of Mr. Saul Zang, Mr. Daniel Elzstain and Alejandro Elsztain, who are officers of the Investor, as a non-voting observer (each, an “Observer”) to attend meetings of the Board of Trustees and to attend meetings of independent trustees regarding transactions that require the approval of independent trustees under the Corporate Governance Guidelines of the Company, the annual Schedule 14A Proxy Statement of the Company and other relevant materials; provided, however, that (i) a single Observer may attend any meeting of the Board of Trustees, but only to the extent that Elsztain or a Qualified Replacement appointed or elected to the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 2.03 or Section 2.04 below is unable to attend such meeting in person or by telephone or if at any time during the relevant meeting, Elsztain or a Qualified Replacement is unable to continue attending such meeting and (ii) the Company reserves the right to exclude any Observer from information or access to any meeting or portion thereof if the Company in good faith believes upon the advice of counsel that such exclusion is reasonably necessary to preserve attorney-client privilege or for other legal or regulatory matters.

Section 2.03.  Replacement Trustee.  Subject to applicable law, and applicable stock exchange and securities market rules and regulations, during the Qualifying Ownership Period, in the event that Elsztain is unable to serve as a trustee of the Company (due to death, disability or otherwise), or is no longer an officer, director or significant shareholder of Investor, such Investor Trustee’s replacement shall be nominated and designated by Investor pursuant to a Designation Notice, and the Company agrees to take, or cause to be taken, all actions necessary to cause such Qualified Replacement to be promptly appointed or elected to serve as a trustee of the Company, with the same rights provided in Section 2.01.

Section 2.04.  Recommendation and Solicitation of Proxies.  At each shareholder vote for the general election of trustees of the Company held (whether by a meeting or written consent of the stockholders of the Company) during the Qualifying Ownership Period, the Company and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Company shall nominate and recommend for approval by its shareholders Elsztain or, to the extent that Elsztain is unable to serve as a trustee of the Company (due to death, disability or incapacity), or is no longer an officer, director or significant shareholder of Investor, any Qualified Replacement for election as a trustee of the Company, and the Company shall also solicit proxies for Elsztain or such Qualified Replacement to the same extent as it does for any of its other nominees to the Board of Trustees; provided that (1) in the event that the Investor fails to send a timely Designation Notice in order for the Company to nominate a new Investor Trustee, the Investor Trustee currently serving as a trustee shall be deemed to be the new Investor Trustee and (2) to the extent that the Board of Trustees reasonably determines, based upon NYSE rules, that the proposed Investor Trustee does not qualify as a Qualified Replacement, Investor shall be permitted to propose additional Persons until such time that the Board of Trustees that a proposed Investor Trustee qualifies as a Qualified Replacement to serve as a trustee of the Company.

 
 

 

Section 2.05.  Declaration of Bylaws.

(a)      Subject to compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, the Company shall take or cause to be taken all lawful action necessary to ensure that, at all times during the Qualifying Ownership Period, Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Company, as amended (the “Declaration”) and the Bylaws of the Company, as amended from time to time (the “Bylaws”) are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.

(b)      The Declaration and Bylaws shall continue to allow attendance at meetings of the Board of Trustees and the Related Party Transaction Committee through telephone conference or video conference.

Section 2.06.  Indemnification and Insurance.

(a)      The Company shall make available to the Designee, if elected as a Investor Trustee, indemnification consistent with its current practices with respect to other trustees of the Company, including entering into an indemnification agreement consistent with those entered into with the Company’s other trustees.

(b)      The Company shall continue to maintain in full force and effect director and officer liability insurance for the benefit of the Investor Trustee consistent with its current practices with respect to other trustees of the Company.

Section 2.07.  Further Obligations by the Company.  The Company hereby agrees that during the Qualifying Ownership Period it shall: (i) provide the Investor Trustee at least five (5) business days advance written notice to any meeting of the Board of Trustees or the Related Party Commitees, notice which shall include the agenda proposed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and any documents or information to be addressed or discussed during such meeting; and (ii) furnish the Investor Trustee with such financial and operating data and other information with respect to the business, finance and properties of the Company as the Company prepares and compiles for members of its Board of Trustees in the ordinary course.

Section 2.08.  Obligations of Elsztain or Qualified Replacement.  Prior to appointment or election to the Board of Trustees, Elsztain and any individual that the Investor proposes as a potential Qualified Replacement shall complete, to the reasonable satisfaction of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees, the D&O Questionnaire and the FINRA Questionnaire.

 
 

 

Section 2.09.  Independent Trustee Matters.  If at any time during the Qualifying Ownership Period, the Investor Trustee ceases to be considered as an “independent” trustee under applicable law, NYSE rules, or the Corporate Governance Guidelines of the Company the Company shall provide that the decisions or recommendations of the Board of Trustees requiring unanimous approval from the independent trustees shall also require the approval of the Investor Trustee.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the approval of the Investor Trustee shall not be required to the extent that the Investor Trustee is absent from a meeting at which an independent trustee vote takes place; provided that the Company complied with its obligations under Section 2.07 hereof.

Section 2.10.  Injunctive Relief.  The parties hereto hereby agree that it is impossible to measure in money the damages which will be suffered or incurred by Investor by reason of any breach or violation by the Company of its obligations set forth in this Article II.  Accordingly, in the event of any such breach or violation, in addition to any other remedy at law or in equity that Investor may have available to it, Investor shall have the right to specific performance of such obligations.

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

The Company hereby represents and warrants to Investor as follows:

Section 3.01.  Trust Organization.  The Company is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland and has all requisite trust power to own its properties and assets and to conduct its business as now conducted.

Section 3.02.  Authorization and Validity of Agreement.  The Company has the requisite trust power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by the Board and all other necessary trust action on the part of the Company, and no other trust proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.  This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due execution and delivery by Investor, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

Section 3.03.  No Conflict or Violation.  The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement does not and will not (i) violate or conflict with any provision of the declaration of trust or bylaws of the Company (in each case, as amended and in effect on the date hereof), (ii) violate any provision of law, or any order, judgment or decree of any governmental entity, or (iii) violate or result in a breach of or constitute (with due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under any contract, agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of their respective properties or assets is subject.

 
 

 

ARTICLE IV

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

Section 4.01.  Term.  This Agreement shall be effective as of the date hereof and shall continue in force and effect until the expiration of the Qualifying Ownership Period, at which time this Agreement shall be of no further force or effect.

Section 4.02.  Notices.  All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly received if so given) by facsimile, hand delivery, mail (registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested) or any courier service, in each case providing reasonable proof of delivery.  All communications hereunder shall be delivered to the respective parties at the following addresses and facsimile numbers:

If to Investor:

Real Estate Investment Group L.P.
c/o IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones S.A.
Bolivar 108
C1091AAQ, Buenos Aires
Argentina
Attention:  Mr. Eduardo S. Elsztain
Facsimile: +54 (11) 4323-7499

with copies to:

Zang, Bergel & Viños Abogados
Florida 537, 18th Floor
C1005AAK, Buenos Aires
Argentina
Attention:  Pablo Vergara del Carril
Facsimile:  +55 (11) 5166-7070

and

Clifford Chance US LLP
31 West 52nd Street
New York, NY  10019
United States
Attention:  Jay L. Bernstein, Esq.
Facsimile:  +1 (212) 878-8375

 
 

 

If to the Company, to:

Hersha Hospitality Trust
510 Walnut Street, 9th Floor
Philadelphia, PA  19106
United States
Attention:  Ashish R. Parikh
Facsimile:  +1 (717) 774-7383

with a copy to:

Hunton & Williams LLP
951 East Byrd Street
Richmond, VA  23219
United States
Attention:  James S. Seevers, Jr.
Facsimile:  +1 (804) 788-8218

Section 4.03.  CHOICE OF LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.

Section 4.04.  Limitations on Rights of Third Parties.  Except as otherwise set forth herein, nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any Person, other than the parties hereto and their respective successors, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby.

Section 4.05.  Assignment.  This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned without the prior written consent of the parties hereto and any purported or attempted assignment or other transfer of rights or obligations under this Agreement without such consent shall be void and of no force or effect.

Section 4.06.  No Joint Venture or Business Entity.  Nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to create or establish a joint venture, partnership or other business entity by, among or between the parties hereto.

Section 4.07.  Amendments.  This Agreement may not be amended, modified or altered, and no provision hereof may be waived, in any such case in whole or in part, except by a subsequent writing signed by the parties hereto.

Section 4.08.  Severability.  In the event that any part of this Agreement is declared by any court or other judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction to be null, void or unenforceable, said provision shall survive to the extent it is not so declared, and all of the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 4.09.  Headings.  The headings contained in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 
 

 

Section 4.10.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission) in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

[Signature page follows.]

 
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Trustee Designation Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT GROUP L.P.
   
   
 
By:
Tyrus S.A., its sole general partner
     
     
 
By:
/s/ Eduardo S. Elsztain
   
Name:
   
Title:
   
   
   
 
IRSA INVERSIONES Y REPRESENTACIONES SOCIEDAD ANÓNIMA
   
   
 
By:
/s/ Eduardo S. Elsztain
   
Name:
   
Title:
   
   
   
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
   
   
 
By:
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
   
Name: Ashish R. Parikh
   
Title: Chief Financial Officer

Trustee Designation Agreement Signature Page
 
 

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