Note 10 - Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2014

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

10. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Tucson Foothills and the Albuquerque Hotels are subject to non-cancelable ground leases. The Tucson Foothills non-cancelable ground lease expires in 2050. The Albuquerque Hotel non-cancelable ground lease was extended on January 14, 2014 and expires in 2058. Total expense associated with the non-cancelable ground leases for the six months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013 was $156,045 and $144,508, respectively, including a variable component based on gross revenues of each property that totaled approximately $48,387 and $47,791, respectively.

During fiscal year 2010, the Trust entered into a five-year office lease for its corporate headquarters. The lease was extended on April 30, 2014 for 36 months and expires in 2017. The Trust recorded $16,700 and $21,470 of general and administrative expense related to the lease during the six month periods ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Trust has the option to cancel the lease after each lease year for penalties of four months’ rent after the first year with the penalty decreasing by one month’s rent each successive lease year.  It is the Trust’s intention to remain in the office for the duration of the lease period.

Future minimum lease payments under the non-cancelable ground leases and office lease are as follows:

Fiscal Year Ending
Remainder of FY 2015	$	125,833
FY 2016		243,359
FY 2017		244,335
FY 2018		227,725
FY 2019		213,508
FY 2020		213,508
Thereafter		8,872,170
Total	$	10,140,438

The Trust is obligated under loan agreements relating to three of its hotels to deposit 4% of the individual hotel’s room revenue into an escrow account to be used for capital expenditures.  The escrow funds applicable to the three hotel properties for which a mortgage lender escrow exists are reported on the Trust’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as “Restricted Cash.”

InnSuites Hotels has entered into membership agreements with Best Western International, Inc. (“Best Western”) for the Albuquerque, Ontario, Tucson Oracle and Yuma hotel properties.  In exchange for use of the Best Western name, trademark and reservation system, the participating Hotels pay fees to Best Western based on reservations received through the use of the Best Western reservation system and the number of available suites at the participating Hotels.  The agreements with Best Western have no specific expiration terms and may be cancelled at any time by either party.  Best Western requires that the participating hotels meet certain requirements for room quality, and the Hotels are subject to removal from its reservation system if these requirements are not met.  The Hotels with third-party membership agreements received significant reservations through the Best Western reservation system.  Under these arrangements, fees expensed for membership fees and reservations were approximately $178,000 and $160,000 for the periods ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The nature of the operations of the Hotels exposes them to risks of claims and litigation in the normal course of their business.  Although the outcome of any legal matters cannot be determined and is covered by insurance, management does not expect that the ultimate resolution of these matters will have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity of the Trust.

The Trust is involved from time to time in various other claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business.  In the opinion of management, the ultimate disposition of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Trust’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

On March 24, 2014, the Trust entered into the Purchase Agreement with Fort Worth/Dallas Suite Hospitality Partnership, an affiliate of Mr. Wirth, our Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Executive Officer and largest shareholder, to purchase 51% of the partnership interests of Fort Worth/Dallas Suite Hospitality Partnership, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement. The Purchase Agreement was unanimously approved by our Audit Committee and by our independent Trustees. In addition, the RRF Limited Partnership Agreement was amended to facilitate this acquisition by eliminating the requirement for the Trust to contribute its 51% of the partnership interests of Fort Worth/Dallas Suite Hospitality Partnership, when and if acquired, to the Partnership in exchange of additional general partner interests in the Partnership. As consideration for the purchase of 51% of the partnership interests of the Company, the Trust agreed to pay to the Seller an aggregate purchase price of 51% of the book value of the Net Assets of the Company as of January 31, 2014 (the “Purchase Price”). The “Net Assets” means the total book value of the assets of the Company less any outstanding book value of all of the Company’s liabilities. The Company’s “Net Assets” were approximately $1,700,000 as of January 31, 2014. The Trust agreed to pay to the Seller at the Purchase Price the equivalent value of the Trusts’ shares of beneficial interest, no par value per share (“Stock”). The number of the Trust’s shares of Stock to be issued to the Seller will be determined by dividing the Purchase Price by the average daily closing price of the Stock during the month of January 2014. The Trust expects to issue approximately 530,791 shares of Stock to the Seller for the purchase of the 51% partnership interests of the Company.

On June 27, 2014, the Trusts’ Shareholders approved the issuance of Shares of Beneficial Interest of the Trust as consideration for the acquisition of 51% of the partnership interests of Fort Worth/Dallas Suite Hospitality Partnership. After completion of the Shareholder Meeting on June 27, 2014, the independent Trustees jointly with Hotel Trinity’s seller, Suite Hotels, LLC, elected not to have the Trust complete the acquisition of Hotel Trinity at this time pending further Board of Trustee review.