Perkins Coie Represents Strategic Hotels & Resorts in $750 Million Revolving Credit Facility

Friday, May 29, 2015

Perkins Coie represented client Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:BEE), a real estate investment trust (REIT) which owns and provides value enhancing asset management of high-end hotels and resorts in the United States and Europe, in a $750 million unsecured term loan and revolving credit facility with an accordion feature allowing for additional borrowing capacity up to $250 million. The new facility replaced a prior credit facility secured by an equity pledge in direct and indirect subsidiaries that own, lease or operate five luxury and upper-upscale full service hotels included the REIT’s portfolio. The unsecured facility is supported by a pool of unencumbered assets that will initially consist of nine of the company’s hotels: the Fairmont Chicago, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Four Seasons Austin, Four Seasons Jackson Hole, Four Seasons Scottsdale Resort at Troon North, Four Seasons Silicon Valley, Marriott Lincolnshire, Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel and Westin St. Francis. More >>

Tags:  Perkins Coie LLP | Chicago

Clifford Chance advises Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft on the issuance of U.S.$ 2.8 billion of bonds by Volkswagen Group of America Finance, LLC

Friday, May 29, 2015

Clifford Chance advised Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Volkswagen Group of America Finance, LLC on the issuance of U.S.$ 2.8 billion of bonds by Volkswagen Group of America Finance, LLC primarily to U.S. institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. The bonds are irrevocably and unconditionally guaranteed by Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft. This was Volkswagen Group of America Finance LLC’s third issuance of bonds to U.S institutional investors. More >>

Tags:  Clifford Chance LLP | Frankfurt

Sidley Austin LLP Adds Top Entertainment Lawyer Matthew Thompson in Los Angeles

Friday, May 29, 2015

Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Matthew C. Thompson, a prominent media and entertainment lawyer, has agreed to join Sidley as a partner and as co-head of Sidley’s media and entertainment practice. He will play a key role in leading the firm’s media and entertainment practice as it continues to expand as part of its new Century City office. Mr. Thompson’s arrival further demonstrates Sidley’s commitment to continued growth in Los Angeles and the active expansion of its media and entertainment resources following Sidley’s announcement that Dan Clivner, a leading M&A and private equity lawyer who has handled major transactions in the media and entertainment industry, joined the firm. More >>

Tags:  Sidley Austin LLP | Los Angeles

Entertainment Attorney Carolyn Hunt Joins Barnes & Thornburg

Friday, May 29, 2015

Barnes & Thornburg LLP, a national law firm, announced today that prominent entertainment attorney, Carolyn Hunt, will join the firm as partner. Known as a savvy dealmaker, Hunt has deep experience representing clients in entertainment-related transactions, with an emphasis on film and television finance and distribution.

Having been involved in more than $2 billion in financing for hundreds of film, television and gaming projects, including many award-winning films, Hunt recently represented the financiers of the first major feature film to premiere on the world’s leading Internet TV network and in select IMAX theaters globally on the same day. She also worked on behalf of the financier of the largest Chinese language film ever shot in Los Angeles. Hunt comes to the firm from Loeb & Loeb LLP. More >>

Tags:  Barnes & Thornburg LLP | Los Angeles

Herbert Smith Freehills advises Toll Group on its A$8 billion scheme of arrangement with Japan Post

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Herbert Smith Freehills is pleased to have advised leading Australian transport and logistics provider Toll Group on its acquisition by Japan Post, in one of the largest ever public company acquisitions in Australia.

Toll Holdings Limited (Toll Group) is the Asia Pacific Region’s leading provider of transport and logistics, employing approximately 40,000 people across some 1,200 locations in more than 50 countries. More >>

Tags:  Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP | Brisbane | Melbourne | Perth | Sydney

Ballard Spahr Advises Applegate in Announced Sale to Hormel Foods

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Ballard Spahr is representing Applegate, the nation’s leading natural and organic meat company, in a $775 million transaction that would make it an independently operated, stand-alone subsidiary of Hormel Foods. An agreement between the two companies was signed on May 26 and is expected to close within 60 days.

Applegate’s selling shareholders are Stephen McDonnell and Swander Pace Capital. Under the agreement, Applegate will operate as a separate, stand-alone subsidiary, which allows it to leverage Hormel Foods’ vast resources while continuing its mission-driven focus on providing consumers nationwide with meat that is antibiotic-free, humanely raised, and organic. More >>

Tags:  Ballard Spahr LLP | Philadelphia

NII Holdings Completes $1.88 Billion Sale to AT&T

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

NII Holdings, Inc. announced it has completed the $1.88 billion sale of its Mexican operations to AT&T. Kramer Levin represents the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in NII’s ongoing bankruptcy case, one of the largest chapter 11 cases of 2014. This pivotal transaction, which is subject to customary post-closing adjustments, led to a revised plan support agreement with significantly increased plan value and distributions to all creditor classes and the support of more than 70 percent of the estate’s creditors. The chapter 11 plan, for which the Creditors’ Committee is a co-plan proponent, is scheduled for confirmation in June 2015 in the Southern District of New York. More >>

Tags:  New York

Charter Communications to Merge With Time Warner Cable

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

As widely reported in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and other media outlets, Paul, Weiss client Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications, Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Charter to merge with Time Warner Cable. The transaction, which values Time Warner Cable at $78.7 billion, will create a leading broadband services and technology company, which will result in greater product innovation, bringing new and advanced services to consumers and businesses. The merger agreement is subject to shareholder approval at both companies and regulatory review and other customary conditions and is expected to close by the end of 2015. More >>

Tags:  New York