Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Note 8. Income Taxes

We have elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, accordingly are generally not subject to federal and most state income taxation on our operating income provided we distribute our taxable income to our shareholders and meet certain organization and operating requirements.  We are subject to income tax in Canada, Puerto Rico and certain states despite our REIT status.  Further, we lease our managed hotels to our wholly owned TRSs that, unlike most of our other subsidiaries, file a separate consolidated tax return and are subject to federal, state and foreign income taxes.  Our consolidated income tax provision (or benefit) includes the income tax provision (or benefit) related to the operations of our TRSs and certain state and foreign income taxes incurred by us despite our REIT status.

During the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, we recognized current income tax expense of $3,854 and $4,826, respectively, which includes $1,836 and $2,331, respectively, of federal taxes, $17 and $52, respectively, of foreign taxes and $2,001 and $2,443, respectively, of certain state taxes that are payable without regard to our REIT status and TRS tax loss carry forwards. In addition, during the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, we recognized a deferred tax benefit of $419 and $755, respectively, related to a basis difference at our Puerto Rico and New Orleans hotels and Canadian tax losses available to offset future income.