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Note 20 - Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015
Notes to Financial Statements  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]
20.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
 
Leases:
 
The Albuquerque Hotel is subject to non-cancelable ground lease. 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 lease for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2015 and 2014 was $229,665 and $212,236, respectively, plus a variable component based on gross revenues of each property that totaled approximately $72,000 and $88,000, respectively.
 
During 2010, the Trust entered into a five-year office lease for its corporate headquarters.  On April 30, 2014, the lease was extended for 36 months and expires in 2017. The Trust recorded $32,697 and $45,021 of general and administrative expense related to the lease during fiscal years 2015 and 2014, respectively.  The lease included a base rent charge of $31,994 for the first lease year beginning in fiscal year 2014, with annual increases to a final year base rent of $34,120 for lease year ending in fiscal year 2017.  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, as extended.
 
Future minimum lease payments under these non-cancelable ground lease and office lease are as follows:
 
Fiscal Year Ending
 
 
 
 
2016
  $ 143,359  
2017
    144,335  
2018
    127,725  
2019
    113,508  
2020
    113,508  
Thereafter
    5,813,837  
         
Total
  $ 6,456,272  
 
Restricted Cash:
 
The Trust is obligated under a loan agreement relating to the Tucson Oracle property 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 Tucson Oracle property for which a mortgage lender escrow exists is reported on the Trust’s Consolidated Balance Sheet as “Restricted Cash.”
 
Membership Agreements:
 
InnSuites Hotels has entered into membership agreements with Best Western International, Inc. (“Best Western”) for four of the 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 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 paid for membership fees and reservations were approximately $342,000 and $310,000 for fiscal years 2015 and 2014, 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 these 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.