Item 1A. Risk Factors
An investment in our common stock involves risk and uncertainties. In addition to the information contained elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings that we make with the SEC, the following risk factors should be carefully considered in evaluating our business or making an investment decision involving our common stock. The occurrence or manifestation in whole or in part of any of the following risks could harm our business, financial conditions and results of operations, cash flows and/or the trading price of our common stock. In addition, our actual performance could differ materially from any results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, in any of our other filings with the SEC and other communications by us, both written and oral, depending on a variety of factors, including the risks and uncertainties described below. Our business is also subject to general risks and uncertainties that affect many other companies, including, but not limited to, overall economic and industry conditions, and additional risks and uncertainties that are currently not known or we believe are immaterial may also have a material negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted, and may continue to disrupt, our business, and may in the future have a material adverse effect on our business, operations and results of operations.
Pandemics or disease outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have, and may in the future have, a negative impact on customer traffic at our entertainment golf and traditional golf venues, and make it more difficult to staff our venues. We have experienced, and may in the future experience, closures, difficulty in obtaining supplies and/or increases to commodity costs, potentially for prolonged periods of time. We also may need to limit the number of people that use our facilities at any given time. State and local governmental authorities may impose various restrictions and other measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, or other pandemics or disease outbreaks. For example, we may be required to limit the hours in which we are permitted to serve food and beverages.
In addition, our operations may be disrupted when our employees or employees of our business partners are suspected of having COVID-19 or other illnesses since this may require us or our business partners to quarantine some or all such employees and close and disinfect our impacted restaurant facilities. If a significant percentage of our workforce or the workforce of our business partners are unable to work, including as result of illness or travel or government restrictions in connection with pandemics or disease outbreaks, our operations may be negatively impacted, potentially materially adversely affecting our business, liquidity, financial condition or results of operations. This could also cause a delay in our ability to build our facilities and implement our strategies.
Furthermore, such viruses may be transmitted through human contact, and the risk of contracting viruses, or the perceived risk of infection or health risk, could cause employees or guests to avoid gathering in public places, such as our venues, which adversely impacts our guest traffic and our ability to adequately staff venues. We could be adversely affected when government authorities impose restrictions on public gatherings, human interactions, operations of restaurants or mandatory closures, seek voluntary closures, restrict hours of operations or impose curfews, restrict the import or export of products or if suppliers issue mass recalls of products.
We opened the first two of our Puttery venues in 2021, and plan to complete development of additional Puttery venues that will open in 2022. There can be no assurance that the Puttery venues will open or operate as expected.
We opened our first two Puttery venues in 2021 and plan to open another seven (7) during 2022 for which we have executed leases. This plan depends on the completion of construction of seven (7) additional locations, all of which remain in various stages of planning or process and may not occur on the timelines that we expect. Following the execution of any leases, we have in the past terminated, and may in the future terminate, such leases for various reasons prior to the construction or opening of the venue, which could delay our plans. In addition, we have in the past replaced or repaired and may in the future replace or repair the technology at our various venues which could further delay our plans. For example in 2019, we closed our Orlando location for approximately one month in order to install our TrackMan™ radar-based system, replacing our older technology. In the past, the construction time of our existing Drive Shack locations has exceeded our expected build timelines. For instance, our Orlando location opened approximately one month later than we had projected. If we are unable to develop and open the Puttery venues as expected, or, when and if opened, they do not accomplish the goals described herein, or if we experience or cost in development, our business, operating results, cash flows and liquidity could be materially and affected.
We may experience time delays, unforeseen expenses and other complications while developing the Puttery venues as well as supply chain disruptions. These complications can delay the commencement of revenue-generating activities, reduce the amount of revenue we earn and increase our costs. Delays in development beyond our estimated timelines, or amendments or change orders to development contracts we have entered into and will enter into in the future, could increase the cost of completion beyond the amounts that we estimate. Increased costs could require us to obtain additional sources of financing to continue development on our estimated development timeline or to fund our operations during such development. Any delay in completion of a Puttery venue could cause a delay in the receipt of revenues estimated therefrom. As a result of any one of these factors, any significant development delay, whatever the cause, could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, cash flows and liquidity.
The amount of revenue we generate at our venues may decrease in connection with changes in consumer spending patterns, particularly discretionary expenditures for leisure and recreation.
Consumer spending patterns, particularly discretionary expenditures for leisure and recreation, are subject to factors beyond our control. Should consumers decrease their discretionary spending in general, and in particular on leisure and entertainment, our revenues could decline and our operating margins could decrease, either of which would adversely affect our business. In general, economic recessions or downturns, increased unemployment, low consumer confidence and outlook, and depressed housing markets could cause a decrease in discretionary spending among our customers and potential customers. In addition, because we generate revenues at physical locations that require our customers to travel, consumer spending could also be impacted in a way that is material for our business as a result of war, terrorist activities or threats and heightened travel security measures instituted in response to these events and the financial condition of the airline, automotive and other transportation-related industries and its impact on travel, gasoline prices and natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, blizzards, droughts and floods and outbreaks of epidemic, pandemic or influenza, coronavirus and other contagious diseases afflicting the geographic regions in which we operate. These factors and other global, national and regional conditions can affect, and from time to time have affected, individual properties, particular regions or our business as a whole. Any one or more of these factors could affect the sales volume and of our services, food and beverages at our Entertainment Golf venues and Traditional Golf properties, and rounds played at our Traditional Golf properties. In addition, in the case of our traditional golf venues, during such periods of economic conditions, we may experience increased rates of of existing members, a decrease in the rate of new member enrollment, a decrease in golf rounds played or reduced spending, any of which may result in, among other things, financial and decreased revenues.
Our growth strategy may be materially and adversely affected by our inability to fund, develop and open new entertainment venues and operate them profitably.
Our business strategy relies on our ability to develop, open and operate golf entertainment venues, including Drive Shack venues and Puttery venues. As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have four open and operating Drive Shack venues and two open and operating Puttery venues. Our strategy includes the continued expansion of our geographic footprint by opening seven additional Puttery venues during 2022. Opening new venues requires us to identify locations with a favorable consumer market, enter into contracts to lease and/or purchase land, construct our venues in compliance with applicable zoning, licensing, land use and environmental regulations and finance our development, construction and opening costs. Thus, there can be no assurance that we will successfully open new Drive Shack or Puttery venues in accordance with the timing and cost assumptions inherent in our strategic plan. In addition, if the construction and compliance costs of any venue exceeds our budgeted estimates, our expected return on investment would be diminished, which could increase our cost of capital relative to returns and slow our growth strategy or ability to fund it.
In order to operate venues profitably, we must maintain efficient levels of costs, including hiring, training and retaining skilled management and other employees necessary to meet staffing needs and in procuring and pricing our products, including bay-play and food and beverages. Our failure to staff our venues on a cost-effective basis or set appropriate pricing levels creates the risk of diminished operating margins at the venue level. In addition, if we do not successfully attract consumers to our venue, or if they suffer a negative customer experience, we are at risk of not generating adequate revenues to create a favorable margin over our operating costs. Factors that could inhibit our ability to attract consumers to our venues include competition from other food and leisure venues, poor customer service at our venues and technological failures in our consumer-facing technology. Thus, there can be no assurance that we will at any individual venue, which could have a significant effect on our overall operating results.
We have a limited operating history at our Drive Shack and Puttery venues, which may not be sufficient to evaluate our business and prospects.
We have a limited operating history and track record at Drive Shack and Puttery venues, in part because the COVID-19 pandemic occurred early in our operating history. A number of our entertainment golf venues are, and in the future others will be, located in areas where we have little or no meaningful operating experience. Those markets may have different competitive conditions, local regulatory requirements, consumer tastes and discretionary spending patterns than our existing markets, which may cause our new venues to be less successful than we expect. As a result, our prior operating history and historical financial statements may not be a reliable basis for evaluating our business prospects or the future value of our shares. Our strategy may not be successful, and if unsuccessful, we may be unable to modify it in a timely and successful manner. We cannot give you any assurance that we will be able to implement our strategy on a timely basis, if at all, or achieve our internal model or that our assumptions will be accurate. Our limited operating history also means that we continue to develop and implement various policies and procedures including those related to data privacy and other matters. We will need to continue to build our team to implement our strategies.
We will continue to incur significant capital and operating expenditures while we expand the geographic footprint of our Drive Shack venues and launch new Puttery venues, which are currently under construction, as well as other future projects. We will need to invest significant amounts of additional capital to implement our strategy. Any delays beyond the expected development period for these assets would prolong, and could increase the level of, operating losses and negative operating cash flows. Our future liquidity may also be affected by the timing of financing availability in relation to the incurrence of construction costs and other outflows and by the timing of receipt of cash flows in relation to the incurrence of project and operating expenses. Our ability to generate any positive operating cash flow and achieve profitability in the future is dependent on, among other things, the successful expansion of Drive Shack and new Puttery venues.
Our business is dependent upon obtaining substantial additional funding from various sources, which may not be available or may only be available on unfavorable terms.
In the future, we expect to incur additional indebtedness to continue to develop our operations, and we are considering alternative financing options. If we are unable to secure additional funding, or amendments to existing financing, or if additional funding is only available on terms that we determine are not acceptable to us, we may be unable to fully execute our business plan and our business, financial condition or results of operations may be adversely affected. Additionally, we may need to adjust the timing of our planned capital expenditures and venue development depending on the availability of such additional funding. Our ability to raise additional capital will depend on financial, economic and market conditions, our progress in executing our business strategy and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that such additional funding will be available on acceptable terms, or at all. To the extent that we raise additional equity capital by issuing additional securities at any point in the future, our then-existing shareholders may experience dilution. Debt financing, if available, may subject us to restrictive covenants that could limit our flexibility in conducting future business activities and could result in us expending significant resources to service our obligations. If we are to comply with these covenants and service our debt, we may control of our business and be to reduce or planned investments or capital expenditures, sell assets, our operations or submit to proceedings, all of which could result in a material effect upon our business. A variety of factors beyond our control could impact the availability or cost of capital, including domestic or international economic conditions, increases in key benchmark interest rates and/or credit spreads, the adoption of new or amended banking or capital market laws or regulations, the re-pricing of market risks and in capital and financial markets, risks relating to the credit risk of our customers and the jurisdictions in which we operate, as well as general risks applicable to the consumer discretionary spending sector.
The success of our growth and operational strategy depends in part on our ability to procure or develop and protect our intellectual property rights and technology.
Our growth strategy depends on our ability to procure or develop and protect technologies to be used at our Drive Shack venues and our Puttery venues, and we may not be able to adequately procure or develop these technologies or protect the intellectual property rights in these technologies. Further, our competitors may adapt technologies or business models more quickly or effectively than we do, creating products that are technologically superior to ours or more appealing to consumers. As a result, we may lose an important advantage in the markets in which we open our entertainment golf venues. In addition, if third parties misappropriate or infringe, or otherwise inhibit access to, our intellectual property, our brand may fail to achieve and
maintain market recognition and our growth strategy may be harmed. To protect the right to use our technologies and intellectual property, we may become involved in litigation, which could result in substantial expenses, divert the attention of management and adversely affect our revenue, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, our ball-tracking technology in our Drive Shack entertainment golf venues is provided by a single vendor, TrackMan™. If that vendor were to cease operations or default on its obligations to provide technology, we could suffer a material adverse effect on our business or operations. In addition, this vendor may provide services to other competitors, as we do not maintain exclusive rights to the technology. Further, this vendor could choose not to implement its technology at new venues.
Competition in the industry in which we operate could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We operate in a highly competitive industry and compete primarily on the basis of reputation, featured facilities, location, quality and breadth of product offerings and price. As a result, competition for market share in the industry in which we compete is significant.
Each market in which we operate is highly competitive and includes competition on a local and regional level with restaurants, dining and social clubs and other entertainment attractions including movie theaters, sporting events, bowling alleys, sports activity centers, arcades and entertainment centers, nightclubs and theme parks. Many of the entities operating these businesses are larger and better capitalized, have a greater number of stores, have been in business longer and are better established with stronger name recognition in the markets where our entertainment golf venues are located or are planned to be located. As a result, they may be able to invest greater resources than we can in attracting customers and succeed in attracting customers who would otherwise come to our venues. The legalization of casino and sports gambling in geographic areas near any current or future venues would create the possibility for entertainment alternatives, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. We also face competition from increasingly sophisticated home-based forms of entertainment, such as internet and video gaming and home movie streaming and delivery.
The number and variety of competitors in our business vary based on the location and setting of each facility, with some situated in intensely competitive upscale urban areas characterized by frequent innovations in the products and services offered by competing restaurants, dining and social clubs and other entertainment attractions. In addition, new restaurants and other social and meeting venues may open or expand their amenities. As a result, the supply in a given region may exceed the demand for such facilities, and any increase in the number or quality of restaurants and other social and meeting venues, or the products and services they provide, in such region could significantly impact the ability of our properties to attract and retain members, which could harm our business and results of operations.
Our traditional golf properties compete on a local and regional level with other country clubs and golf properties. The level of competition in the traditional golf business varies from region to region and is subject to change as existing facilities are renovated or new facilities are developed. An increase in the number or quality of similar clubs and other facilities in a particular region could significantly increase competition, which could have a negative impact on our business and results of operations. In addition, member-owned and individual privately-owned clubs may be able to create a perception of exclusivity that we have difficulty replicating given the diversity of our portfolio and the scope of our holdings.
Unusual weather patterns and extreme weather events, as well as forecasts of bad or mixed weather conditions or periodic and quasi-periodic weather patterns, could adversely affect the value of our golf courses or negatively impact our business and results of operations.
Our businesses are subject to unusual weather patterns and extreme weather events, such as heavy rains, prolonged snow accumulations, high winds, extended heat waves and drought, which could negatively affect the income generated by our properties. Because our entertainment and traditional golf businesses are primarily or partially outdoors, attendance at our facilities could be adversely affected by forecasts of bad weather conditions since individuals may instead choose to participate in indoor activities.
The maintenance of satisfactory turf grass conditions on our traditional golf properties requires significant amounts of water. Our ability to irrigate a golf course could be adversely affected by a drought or other cause of water shortage, such as government imposed restrictions on water usage. Additionally, we may be subject to significant increases in the cost of water. We have a concentration of traditional golf properties in states such as California and New York that experience periods of unusually hot, cold, dry or rainy weather. Unfavorable weather patterns in such states, or any other circumstance or event that
causes a prolonged disruption in the operations of our properties in such states (including, without limitation, economic and demographic changes in these areas), could have an adverse impact on our traditional golf segment which is vulnerable to all these factors.
Food safety incidents at our properties or in our industry or supply chain may adversely affect customer perception of our brands or industry and result in declines in sales and profits.
We cannot guarantee that our supply chain and food safety controls and training will be fully effective in preventing all food safety issues at our properties and venues, including any occurrences of foodborne illnesses such as salmonella, E. coli, norovirus, or hepatitis A. Some foodborne illness incidents could be caused by third-party vendors and distributors outside of our control. New illnesses may develop resistance to our current precautions in the future, or diseases with long incubation periods could arise, that could give rise to claims or allegations on a retroactive basis. One or more instances of foodborne illness in any of our properties or related to food products we sell could negatively affect our sales nationwide if highly publicized on national media outlets or through social media. This risk exists even if it were later determined that the illness was wrongly attributed to us or one of our properties. Further, any instances of food contamination, whether or not at our facilities, could subject us or our suppliers to a food recall, including pursuant to regulations of the Food and Drug Administration under the Food Safety Modernization Act.
Our large workforce subjects us to risks associated with increases in the cost of labor as a result of increased competition for employees, higher employee turnover rates and required wage increases and health benefit coverage, lawsuits or labor union activity.
Labor is one of our primary property-level operating expenses. We face the risks of labor shortages or increased labor costs because of increased competition for employees, higher employee turnover rates, or increases in the federal or state minimum wage or other employee benefit costs. For example, if the federal minimum wage were increased significantly, we would have to assess the financial impact on our operations as we have a large population of hourly employees. If labor-related expenses increase, our operating expense could increase in a manner that materially and adversely affects our operating margins and profitability.
We are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act and various federal and state laws governing such matters as minimum wage requirements, gratuity policies, overtime compensation and other working conditions, citizenship requirements, discrimination and family and medical leave. In recent years, a number of companies have been subject to lawsuits, including class action lawsuits, alleging violations of federal and state law regarding workplace and employment matters, overtime wage policies, discrimination and similar matters. A number of these lawsuits have resulted in the payment of substantial damages by the defendants. Similar lawsuits have been threatened or instituted against us from time to time, and we may incur substantial damages and expenses resulting from lawsuits of this type, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Our operations are susceptible to changes in the availability and the cost of food, goods, rent, water, utilities, repairs, maintenance and taxes, which could reduce our operating margins and harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our most significant operating costs, other than labor, are our cost of goods, water, utilities, rent and property taxes. Many, and in some cases all, of the factors affecting these costs are beyond our control. Increases in operating costs due to inflation, commodity prices and other factors may not be directly offset by increased revenue. Our cost of goods such as food and beverage costs account for a significant portion of our total property-level operating expense in our Entertainment and traditional golf segments. If our cost of goods increased significantly and we are not able to pass along those increased costs to our customers or members in the form of higher prices or otherwise, our operating margins would decrease, which would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, rent accounts for a significant portion of our property-level operating expense. Significant increases in our rent costs would increase our operating expense and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely impacted. The prices of utilities are volatile, and shortages sometimes occur. In particular, in the case of our traditional golf business, municipalities are increasingly placing restrictions on the use of water for golf course irrigation and increasing the cost of water. Significant increases in the cost of our utilities, or any shortages, could interrupt or curtail our operations and lower our operating margins, which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Each of our properties is subject to real and personal property taxes. The real and personal property taxes on our properties may increase or decrease as tax rates change and as our properties are assessed or reassessed by taxing authorities. If real and personal property taxes increase, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely impacted.
We could be required to make material cash outlays in future periods if the number of initiation deposit refund requests we receive materially increases or if we are required to surrender unclaimed initiation deposits to state authorities under applicable escheatment laws.
We may be required to make significant cash outlays in connection with initiation deposits at our traditional golf properties. Until 2021 members of our private properties were generally required to pay an initiation deposit upon their acceptance as a member and, in most cases, such deposits are fully refundable after a fixed number of years (typically thirty (30) years) and upon the occurrence of other contract-specific conditions, whether or not the applicable golf property has undergone a transfer of ownership since the time of the deposit. While we will make a refund to any member whose initiation deposit is eligible to be refunded, we may be subject to various states’ escheatment laws with respect to initiation deposits that have not been refunded to members. All states have escheatment laws and generally require companies to remit to the state cash in an amount equal to unclaimed and abandoned property after a specified period of dormancy, which is typically three to five years. Moreover, most of the states in which we conduct business hire independent agents to conduct unclaimed and abandoned property audits. We currently do not remit to states any amounts relating to initiation deposits that are eligible to be refunded to members based upon our interpretation of the applicability of such laws to initiation fee deposits. The analysis of the potential application of escheatment laws to our initiation deposits is complex, involving an analysis of constitutional and statutory provisions and contractual and factual issues. While we do not believe that initiation deposits must be escheated, we may be to remit such amounts if we are and to prevail in our position.
Our investments in real estate and facilities are subject to numerous risks, including the risk that the values of our investments may decline if there is a prolonged downturn in real estate values.
Our operations encompass a large amount of real estate holdings, primarily in the form of leasehold interests. Accordingly, we are subject to the risks associated with holding real estate investments. Our real estate holdings (including our long-term leaseholds) are subject to risks typically associated with investments in real estate. The investment returns available from equity investments in real estate depend in large part on the amount of income earned, expenses incurred, and capital appreciation generated by the related properties. In addition, a variety of other factors affect income from properties and real estate values, including governmental regulations, real estate, insurance, zoning, tax and eminent domain laws, interest rate levels and the availability of financing. For example, new or existing real estate zoning or tax laws can make it more expensive and time-consuming to expand, modify or renovate older properties. Under eminent domain laws, governments can take real property. Sometimes this taking is for less compensation than the owner believes the property is worth. Any of these factors could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
We may not be able to retain members at our public and private traditional golf properties, and attract golf rounds played, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain members and other customers at our public and private traditional golf properties, attract golf rounds played and maintain or increase revenues generated from our traditional golf properties. Changes in consumer financial condition, leisure tastes and preferences, particularly those affecting the popularity of golf, and other social and demographic trends could adversely affect our business. Significant periods where attrition rates exceed enrollment rates or where facilities usage is below historical levels at our traditional golf properties would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. A portion of our member base may not regularly use our facilities and may be more likely to cancel their membership. Factors that could lead to a decrease in membership include a decline in our ability to deliver quality service at our current membership prices, a decrease in public interest in the sport of golf, and direct and indirect competition in our industry. If we cannot attract new members and other customers, retain our existing members and other customers, or maintain golf rounds played at our traditional golf properties, our financial condition and results of operations could be .
We have significant operations concentrated in certain geographic areas, and any disruption in the operations of our properties in any of these areas could harm our results of operations.
As of December 31, 2021, we operated multiple traditional golf properties in several metropolitan areas, including over two dozen in the greater Los Angeles, California region. As a result, any prolonged disruption in the operations of our properties in
any of these markets, whether due to technical difficulties, power failures or destruction or damage to the properties as a result of a natural disaster, such as hurricanes or earthquakes, fire or any other reason, could harm our results of operations or may result in property closures. In addition, some of the metropolitan areas where we operate properties could be disproportionately affected by regional economic conditions, such as declining home prices and rising unemployment. Concentration in these markets increases our exposure to adverse developments related to competition, as well as economic and demographic changes in these areas.
Seasonality may adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Seasonality can affect our results of operations. Usage of traditional golf properties tends to decline significantly during the first and fourth quarters, when colder temperatures and shorter days reduce the demand for outdoor activities. As a result, we expect the traditional golf business to generate a disproportionate share of its annual revenue in the second and third quarters of each year. Accordingly, our traditional golf business is especially vulnerable to events that may negatively impact its operations during the second and third quarters, when guest and member usage is highest. In addition, operations in the entertainment golf business could be significantly impacted on a season-to-season basis; including based on corporate events volume during holiday seasons and school vacation schedules. For this reason, a quarter-to-quarter comparison may not be a good indicator of our current and/or future performance.
If the owner for any of our managed traditional golf properties defaults on its obligation to pay us our management fee under the management contract, we may not obtain the full amount, or any, of the revenue associated with that contract.
Our managed traditional golf properties are properties that American Golf manages pursuant to a management agreement with the owner of each property. In the ordinary course of business, our property owners request modifications to our management agreements, and we may not agree on the scope or content of such requests, which could cause a dispute to arise. If any property owner defaults on its obligation to pay us the management fee that we are entitled to receive under the management for the property, we are at risk of losing some or all of the revenue associated with that management agreement. In addition, we may decide to enforce our right to damages for breach of contract and related claims, which may cause us to incur significant legal fees and expenses. On the other hand, we may determine that cost of enforcing any claims would be prohibitive and expose us to the risk of high litigation fees or adverse judgments. Any we ultimately collect may be less than the projected future value of the fees and other amounts we would have otherwise collected under the management agreement, which may result in, among other things, financial and decreased revenues.
Our insurance policies may not provide adequate levels of coverage against all claims and we may incur losses that are not covered by our insurance.
There are certain types of losses, generally of a catastrophic nature, such as pandemics, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, terrorism or acts of war, that may be uninsurable or not economically insurable. Inflation, changes in building codes and ordinances, environmental considerations, and other factors, including terrorism or acts of war, also might make the insurance proceeds insufficient to repair or replace a property, if it is damaged or destroyed. Under such circumstances, the insurance proceeds received might not be adequate to restore our economic position with respect to the affected real property. For example, we may suffer losses from acts of terrorism that are not covered by insurance.
Accidents or injuries at our properties or in connection with our operations may subject us to liability, and accidents or injuries could negatively impact our reputation and attendance, which would harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
There are inherent risks of accidents or injuries at our properties or in connection with our operations, including injuries from premises liabilities such as slips, trips and falls. If accidents or injuries occur at any of our properties, we may be held liable for costs related to such incidents. We maintain insurance of the type and in the amounts that we believe are commercially reasonable and that are available to businesses in our industry, but there can be no assurance that our liability insurance will be adequate or available at all times and in all circumstances. There can also be no assurance that the liability insurance we have carried in the past was adequate or available to cover any liability related to previous incidents. The expansion of social media over recent years to report such incidents could increase the impact of the resulting negative publicity on our business. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed to the extent and associated expenses resulting from or exceed our insurance recoveries.
The failure to comply with regulations applicable to our properties or the failure to retain licenses or permits relating to our properties may harm our business and results of operations.
Our business is subject to extensive federal, state and local government regulation in the various jurisdictions in which our properties are located, including regulations relating to alcoholic beverage control, public health and safety, environmental hazards and food safety. Alcoholic beverage control regulations require each of our properties to obtain licenses and permits to sell alcoholic beverages on the premises. Typically, licenses must be renewed annually and may be revoked or suspended for cause at any time. In some states, the loss of a license for cause with respect to one location may lead to the loss of licenses at all locations in that state and could make it more difficult to obtain additional licenses in that state. Alcoholic beverage control regulations relate to numerous aspects of the daily operations of each venue, including minimum age of patrons and employees, hours of operation, advertising, wholesale purchasing, inventory control and handling and storage and dispensing of alcoholic beverages.
The failure of a property to obtain or retain its licenses and permits would adversely affect that property’s operations and profitability, as well as our ability to obtain such a license or permit in other locations. We may also be subject to dram shop statutes in certain states, which generally provide a person injured by an intoxicated person the right to recover damages from an establishment that wrongfully served alcoholic beverages to the intoxicated person. Even though we are covered by general liability insurance, a settlement or judgment against us under a dram shop lawsuit in excess of liability coverage could have a material adverse effect on our operations. In addition, any of our locations located near airports must comply with land-use zoning ordinances related to the height of objects around airports, which are promulgated at the federal level based on advice and guidance published by the Federal Aviation Administration.
We are also subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (the “ADA”) which, among other things, may require certain renovations to our facilities to comply with access and use requirements. A determination that we are not in compliance with the ADA or any other similar law or regulation could result in the imposition of fines or an award of damages to private litigants. While we believe we are operating in substantial compliance, and will continue to remove architectural barriers in our facilities when readily achievable, in accordance with current applicable laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that our expenses for compliance with these laws and regulations will not increase significantly and harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are also subject to numerous other federal, state and local governmental regulations related to building and zoning requirements and the use and operation of clubs, including changes to building codes and fire and life safety codes, which can affect our ability to obtain and maintain licenses relating to our business and properties. If we were required to make substantial modifications at our properties to comply with these regulations or if we fail to comply with these regulations, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted.
Environmental compliance costs and liabilities related to real estate that we own, or in which we have interests, may adversely affect our results of operations.
Our operating costs may be affected by the cost of complying with existing or future environmental laws, ordinances and regulations with respect to the properties (or loans secured by such properties) or by environmental problems that materially impair the value of such properties. Under various federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of real property may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances on, under, or in such property. Such laws often impose liability whether or not the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such hazardous or toxic substances. In addition, the presence of hazardous or toxic substances, or the failure to remediate properly, may adversely affect the owner’s ability to borrow using such real property as collateral. Certain environmental laws and common law principles could be used to impose liability for releases of hazardous materials, including asbestos-containing materials, into the environment, and third parties may seek recovery from owners or operators of real properties for personal associated with exposure to released asbestos-containing materials or other materials. Environmental laws may also impose restrictions on the manner in which a property may be used or transferred or in which businesses it may be operated, and these restrictions may require expenditures. In connection with the direct or indirect ownership and operation of properties, we may be potentially liable for any such costs. The cost of of liability or remediating contaminated property and the cost of complying with environmental laws could affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Our procurement of certain materials for developing, redeveloping or renovating our venues is dependent upon a few suppliers.
Our ability to continue to procure certain materials is important to our business strategy for developing, redeveloping or renovating our venues. The number of suppliers from which we can purchase our materials is limited. In addition, the materials necessary to construct entertainment golf venues are subject to price fluctuation. To the extent that the number of suppliers declines, or the price of materials necessary to construct our entertainment golf venues increases, we could be subject to the risk increased capital expenditure costs, of distribution delays, pricing pressure, lack of innovation and other associated risks which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Changes in laws, regulations and other requirements could adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
We are also subject to federal, state and local environmental laws, regulations and other requirements. More stringent and varied requirements of local and state governmental bodies with respect to zoning, land use and environmental factors could delay or prevent development of new venues in particular locations. Environmental laws and regulations also govern, among other things, discharges of pollutants into the air and water as well as the presence, handling, release and disposal of and exposure to hazardous substances. These laws provide for significant fines and penalties for noncompliance. Third parties may also make personal injury, property damage or other claims against us associated with actual or alleged release of, or exposure to, hazardous substances at our properties. We could also be strictly liable, without regard to fault, for certain environmental conditions at properties we formerly owned or operated as well as our current properties. The to receive or retain a liquor license, or any other required permit or license, in a particular location, or to continue to qualify for, or renew licenses, could have a material effect on operations and our ability to obtain such a license or permit in other locations. In addition, changes in federal law relating to the height of objects around airports may with the planned design, construction and operation of any of our entertainment golf venues located near airports.
Lawsuits, investigations and indemnification claims could result in significant liabilities and reputational harm, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.
From time to time, we are and may become involved in lawsuits, inquiries or investigations or receive claims for indemnification. Our efforts to resolve any such lawsuits, inquiries, investigations or claims could be very expensive and highly damaging to our reputation, even if the underlying claims are without merit. We could potentially be found liable for significant damages or indemnification obligations. Such developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our risk of litigation includes, but is not limited to, lawsuits that could be brought by users of our properties and property-level employees. For instance, we are subject to federal and state laws governing minimum wage requirements, overtime compensation, discrimination and family and medical leave. Any lawsuit alleging a violation of any such laws could result in a settlement or other resolution that requires us to make a substantial payment, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, accidents or injuries in connection with our properties could subject us to liability and reputational harm.
A failure in our systems or infrastructure which maintain our internal and customer data, or those of our third-party service providers, including as a result of cyber-attacks, could result in faulty business decisions or harm to our reputation or subject us to costs, fines or lawsuits.
Certain information relating to our members and guests, including personally identifiable information and credit card numbers, is collected and maintained by us, or by third-parties that do business with us or facilitate our business activities. This information is maintained for a period of time for various business purposes, including maintaining records of member and guest preferences to enhance our customer service and for billing, marketing and promotional purposes. We also maintain personally identifiable information about our employees. The integrity and protection of our customer, employee and company data is critical to our business. Our members and guests and our employees expect that we will adequately protect their personal information, and the regulations applicable to security and privacy are increasingly demanding. Privacy regulation is an evolving area and compliance with applicable privacy regulations may increase our operating costs or adversely impact our ability to service our members and guests and market our properties and services.
While we have cyber security procedures and related insurance coverage in place, given the evolving nature of these threats, there can be no assurance that we will not suffer material losses in the future due to cyber-attacks or other systems or infrastructure failures. The theft, loss, misappropriation, fraudulent or unlawful use of customer, employee or company data, including in connection with one or more cyber-attacks on us or one of our third-party providers, could harm our reputation, result in loss of members or business disruption or result in remedial and other costs, fines or lawsuits. In addition, non-compliance with applicable privacy regulations by us (or in some circumstances non-compliance by third-parties engaged by us) could result in fines or restrictions on our use or transfer of data. Any of these matters could affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
We rely on information technology in our operations, and any material failure, inadequacy, interruption or security failure of that technology could harm our business.
We rely on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, to process, transmit and store electronic information and to manage or support a variety of our business processes, including financial transactions and maintenance of records, which in the case of our business, may include personal identifying information. We rely on commercially available systems, software, tools and monitoring to provide security for processing, transmitting and storing this confidential information, such as individually identifiable information relating to financial accounts. Although we have taken steps to protect the security of the data maintained in our information systems, it is possible that our security measures will not be able to prevent the systems’ improper functioning, or the improper disclosure of personally identifiable information such as in the event of cyber-attacks. Security breaches, including physical or electronic break-ins, computer viruses, attacks by hackers and similar breaches, can create system disruptions, shutdowns or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. Any to maintain proper function, security and availability of our information systems could our operations, our reputation, subject us to liability or regulatory and could materially and affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. If our response and recovery plans do not these issues in an manner, remediation of these could result in significant, capital expenditures.
Our investments may be subject to significant impairment charges, which would adversely affect our results of operations.
We are required to periodically evaluate our investments for impairment indicators. The value of an investment is impaired when our analysis indicates that, with respect to a loan, it is probable that we will not be able to collect the full amount we intended to collect from the loan or, with respect to a security or property, it is probable that the value of the security or property is other than temporarily impaired. The judgment regarding the existence of impairment indicators is based on a variety of factors depending upon the nature of the investment and the manner in which the income related to such investment was calculated for purposes of our financial statements. If we determine that an impairment has occurred, we are required to make an adjustment to the net carrying value of the investment and the amount of accrued interest recognized as income from such investment, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
Our investments in real estate related preferred equity and other direct and indirect interests in pools of real estate properties may be subject to additional risks relating to the structure and terms of these transactions, which may result in losses to us.
We have investments in direct and indirect interests in pools of real estate properties, including an approximately 22% economic interest in a limited liability company which owns preferred equity secured by a commercial real estate project. These types of investments involve a higher degree of risk than long-term senior lending secured by business assets or income producing real property because the investment may become unsecured as a result of foreclosure by a senior lender. As a result, we may not recover some or all of our investment.
Many of our investments are illiquid, and this lack of liquidity could significantly impede our ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions, these illiquid investments may be difficult to sell to generate cash to meet our needs and we may not realize the value at which such investments are carried if we are required to dispose of them.
The real estate properties that we own and operate and our other direct and indirect investments in real estate and securities are generally illiquid. In addition, the real estate securities that we purchase in connection with privately negotiated transactions are not registered under the relevant securities laws, resulting in a prohibition against their transfer, sale, pledge or other disposition except in a transaction that is exempt from the registration requirements of, or is otherwise in accordance with, those laws. In addition, there are no established trading markets for a majority of our investments. As a result, our ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions may be limited.
Our real estate securities are valued using internal models that use significant estimates. Although we seek to adjust our cash and short-term investment positions to minimize the likelihood that we would need to sell illiquid investments, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our illiquid investments quickly, we may realize significantly less than the amount at which we have previously valued these investments.
Changes in accounting rules could occur at any time and could impact us in significantly negative ways that we are unable to predict or protect against.
As has been widely publicized, the SEC, the Financial Accounting Standards Board and other regulatory bodies that establish the accounting rules applicable to us have recently proposed or enacted a wide array of changes to accounting rules. Moreover, in the future these regulators may propose additional changes that we do not currently anticipate. Changes to accounting rules that apply to us could significantly impact our business or our reported financial performance in negative ways that we cannot predict or protect against. We cannot predict whether any changes to current accounting rules will occur or what impact any codified changes will have on our business, results of operations, liquidity or financial condition.
We have assumed the role of manager of CDOs previously managed by a third party. Each such engagement exposes us to a number of potential risks.
In February 2011, one of our subsidiaries became the collateral manager of certain collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs") previously managed by C-BASS Investment Management LLC (“C-BASS”).
Being engaged as the collateral manager of CDOs entails a number of risks that could harm our reputation, results of operations and financial condition. For example, we purchased the management rights with respect to the C-BASS CDOs pursuant to a bankruptcy proceeding. As a result, we were not able to conduct extensive due diligence on the CDO assets even though many classes of securities issued by the CDOs were rated as “distressed” by the rating agencies as of the most recent rating date prior to our becoming the collateral manager of the CDOs. We may willingly or unknowingly assume actual or contingent liabilities for significant expenses, we may become subject to new laws and regulations with which we are not familiar, and we may become subject to increased risk of litigation, regulatory investigation or negative publicity. For example, we determined that it would be prudent to register the subsidiary that became the collateral manager of the C-BASS CDOs as a registered investment adviser, which has increased our regulatory compliance costs. In addition to defending and complying with regulatory requirements, being engaged as collateral manager may require us to invest other resources for various other reasons, which could from our ability to capitalize on future . Moreover, being engaged as collateral manager may require us to integrate complex technological, accounting and management systems, which may be , expensive and time-consuming and which we may not be in integrating into our current systems. In addition to the risk that we face if we are in becoming the manager of additional CDOs, we may attempt but to become the collateral manager of CDOs in the future, which could our reputation and subject us to . Finally, if we include the financial performance of the C-BASS CDOs or other CDOs for which we become the collateral manager in our public filings, we are subject to the risk that, particularly during the period immediately after we become the collateral manager, this information may prove to be or . The occurrence of any of these integration events could impact our reputation with both regulators and investors, which could, in turn, subject us to additional regulatory and our relationships with the investment community. The occurrence of any of these could affect our reputation, financial condition and results of operations.
We have a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting and our inability to remediate this weakness or otherwise implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, or the inability of our independent registered public accounting firm to provide an unqualified report thereon, could have a material adverse effect on us.
As a public company, we are required to comply with the SEC’s rules implementing Sections 302 and 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which require management to certify financial and other information in our quarterly and annual reports and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of controls over financial reporting.
The annual assessment for fiscal year 2021 resulted in the identification of a material weakness that existed as of December 31, 2021, regarding the design and operating effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls associated with the identification and calculation of long-lived asset impairments.
This material weakness could, among other things, adversely impact our ability to provide timely and accurate financial information or result in a misstatement of the account balances or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to our
annual or interim financial statements that would not be prevented or detected. The material weakness is described in greater detail in “Item 9A. Disclosure Controls and Procedures.”
A “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements would not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. We cannot assure you that we will adequately remediate the material weakness or that additional material weaknesses in our internal controls will not be identified in the future. Any failure to maintain or implement required new or improved controls or any difficulties we encounter in their implementation could result in additional material weaknesses or could result in material misstatements in our financial statements.
We are in the process of remediating the identified material weakness in our internal controls, but we are unable at this time to estimate when the remediation effort will be completed. During the course of implementing additional processes and controls or testing the operating effectiveness of that control, we may identify additional control deficiencies, which could give rise to other material weaknesses, in addition to the material weakness described above. As we continue to evaluate and improve our internal control over financial reporting, we may need to take additional measures to address material weaknesses or to modify certain of the remediation measures. It may be difficult or costly to remediate the material weaknesses, and we may be required to add new personnel with tailored skill sets. If we fail to remediate our material weaknesses, there will continue to be an increased risk that our future financial statements could contain that will be . The existence of a material could result in in our financial statements which could require a of financial statements, cause us to to timely meet our reporting obligations, lead to a of investor confidence, have a impact on the trading price of our common stock, or cause us to incur substantial incremental costs.
Risks Related to Our Stock
We may be unable—or elect not—to pay dividends on our common or preferred stock in the future, which would negatively impact our business in a number of ways and decrease the price of our common and preferred stock.
All future dividend distributions will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon, among other things, our earnings, investment strategy, financial condition and liquidity, and such other factors as the board of directors deems relevant. No assurance can be given that we will pay any dividends on our common stock in the future.
We currently have unpaid accrued dividends on our preferred stock. So long as dividends remain accrued and not paid on our preferred stock, the terms of our preferred stock prohibit us from paying any dividends on our common stock, from repurchasing or otherwise acquiring shares of our common stock and from redeeming any shares of any series of our preferred stock without redeeming all of our outstanding preferred shares. If we do not pay dividends on any series of preferred stock for six or more periods, then holders of each affected series obtain the right to call a special meeting and elect two members to our board of directors. We cannot predict whether the holders of our preferred stock would take such action or, if taken, how long the process would take or what impact the two new directors on our board of directors would have on our company, including with respect to the management of our business.
Maryland takeover statutes may prevent a change of our control, which could depress our stock price.
Under Maryland law, “business combinations” between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. These business combinations include certain mergers, consolidations, share exchanges, or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities or a liquidation or dissolution. An interested stockholder is defined as:
• any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding shares; or
• an affiliate or associate of a corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding stock of the corporation.
A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which he or she otherwise would have become an interested stockholder.
After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:
• 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation voting together as a single group; and
• two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder voting together as a single voting group.
The business combination statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer, including potential acquisitions that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders.
Our staggered board and other provisions of our charter and bylaws may prevent a change in our control.
Our board of directors is divided into three classes of directors. Directors of each class are chosen for three-year terms upon the expiration of their current terms, and each year one class of directors is elected by the stockholders. The staggered terms of our directors may reduce the possibility of a tender offer or an attempt at a change in control, even though a tender offer or change in control might be in the best interest of our stockholders. In addition, our charter and bylaws also contain other provisions that may delay or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders.
Our charter authorizes us to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock. In addition, our board of directors may classify or reclassify any unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock and may set the preferences, rights and other terms of the classified or reclassified shares. As a result, our board of directors may establish a series of preferred stock that could delay or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders.
Risks Related to Our Tax Status
In January 2013, we experienced an “ownership change” for purposes of Section 382 of the Code, which limits our ability to utilize our net operating loss and net capital loss carryforwards and certain built-in losses to reduce our future taxable income, potentially increases the net taxable income on which we must pay corporate-level taxes, and potentially adversely affects our liquidity, and we could experience another ownership change in the future or forgo otherwise attractive opportunities in order to avoid experiencing another ownership change.
As a result of our January 2013 “ownership change,” our future ability to utilize our net operating loss and net capital loss carryforwards to reduce our taxable income may be limited by certain provisions of the Code.
Specifically, the Code limits the ability of a company that undergoes an “ownership change” to utilize its net operating loss and net capital loss carryforwards and certain built-in losses to offset taxable income earned in years after the ownership change. An ownership change occurs if, during a three-year testing period, more than 50% of the stock of a company is acquired by one or more persons (or certain groups of persons) who own, directly or constructively, 5% or more of the stock of such company. An ownership change can occur as a result of a public offering of stock, as well as through secondary market purchases of our stock and certain types of reorganization transactions. Generally, when an ownership change occurs, the annual limitation on the use of net operating loss and net capital loss carryforwards and certain built-in losses is equal to the product of the applicable long-term tax exempt rate and the value of the company’s stock immediately before the ownership change. We have substantial net operating and net capital loss carry forwards which we have used, and will continue to use, to offset our taxable income. In January 2013, an “ownership change” for purposes of Section 382 of the Code occurred. Therefore, the provisions of Section 382 of the Code impose an annual limit on the amount of net operating and net capital carryforwards and built in that we can use to offset future taxable income.
The ownership change we experienced in January 2013 (and any subsequent ownership changes) could materially increase our income tax liability. As described above, the ownership change we experienced in January 2013 resulted in a limitation on our use of net operating losses and net capital loss carryforwards. These limitations could result in us incurring materially greater tax liability than if we had not undergone such an ownership change.
In addition, if we were to undergo an ownership change again in the future, our net operating losses and net capital loss carryforwards could become subject to additional limitations, which could result in us incurring materially greater tax liability than if we had not undergone such an ownership change. The determination of whether an ownership change has occurred or will occur is complicated and depends on changes in percentage stock ownership among stockholders. In addition, to the extent not prohibited by our charter, we may decide in the future that it is necessary or in our interest to take certain actions that could result in an ownership change. Therefore, no assurance can be provided as to whether an ownership change has occurred or will occur in the future.
Moreover, the potential negative consequences of the limitations that would result from an ownership change may discourage us from, among other things, redeeming our stock or issuing additional common stock to raise capital or to acquire businesses or assets. Accordingly, our desire to preserve our net operating losses and net capital loss carryforwards may cause us to forgo otherwise attractive opportunities.
Tax matters, including changes in tax rates, disagreements with taxing authorities and imposition of new taxes could impact our results of operations and financial condition.
Tax rates in the United States, state and local jurisdictions have been and may be subject to significant change. The future effective tax rate of the Company could be affected by changes in mix of earnings in different jurisdictions with differing statutory tax rates, changes in valuation of deferred tax asset and liabilities, or changes in tax laws or their interpretation, which includes recently enacted U.S. tax reform.
We are also subject to regular reviews, examinations and audits by the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing authorities. Although we believe the positions we have taken are reasonable, if a taxing authority disagrees with the positions we have taken, we could face additional tax liability, including interest and penalties. There can be no assurance that payment of such additional amounts upon final adjudication of any disputes will not have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position.
PART II
